You clearly need a good face for radio competitions. This year's BBC New Comedy Awards Final, recorded for Radio 4 broadcast, was won by London librarian Andrew Lawrence, whose shock of rusty hair evoked an eerie combination of early Charlie Drake and perennial Mick Hucknall.
It helped that Lawrence had a shockingly distinctive act, too, strumming guitar while telling stories about matricide and cannibalism. "I put your nose inside a salsa wrap," is not a line you often hear. The overall standard was high, if less arresting.
By coincidence Welshman-via-Woolwich David Nicholls and James Sherwood both made Dracula jokes. Nicholls wondered how he dresses well without seeing his reflection, while it would be a shame to reveal Sherwood's piercing take on Michael Howard's Transylvanian roots.
A plethora of familiar references suggested that the finalists, whittled from 600 tapes, spend far too much time watching reality TV and bad documentaries. Danielle Ward was clearly a serial couch potato, but a twisted sensibility lent her gossipy observations an appealing edge.
More topicality would have been refreshing, although Times obituarist Liam Mullone coined a fetching "don't you just hate it when someone tries to poison you" gag. The only real disappointment was slow-burn Irishman Jarlath Regan, who never quite hit his stride.
Ward and Sherwood were worthy joint runners-up, but all six acts can make a living, if not their fortune. Lawrence collected £2,000 and the chance to work with BBC Radio. His looks might take him far.
