Chinese chocolate gag named Edinburgh Fringe's funniest joke

LONDON: Heard the one about the Chinese chocolate bar? Comedy fans at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival did and named it the best joke of the global arts extravaganza.

English comedian Rob Auton won the Dave Award for his one-liner - "I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa."

The quip about the company's Wispa bar was shortlisted alongside 19 others by British television channel Dave, then submitted to a public vote.

The Scottish capital more than doubles in population in August when the Fringe combines with the up-market Edinburgh International Festival and other events focused on books and art.

The other jokes in Dave's top 10 were:

2. Alex Horne - "I used to work in a shoe-recycling shop. It was sole-destroying."

3. Alfie Moore - "I'm in a same-sex marriage ... the sex is always the same."

4. Tim Vine - "My friend told me he was going to a fancy dress party as an Italian island. I said to him 'Don't be Sicily.'"

5. Gary Delaney - "I can give you the cause of anaphylactic shock in a nutshell."

6. Phil Wang - "The Pope is a lot like Doctor Who. He never dies, just keeps being replaced by white men."

7. Marcus Brigstocke - "You know you are fat when you hug a child and it gets lost."

8. Liam Williams - "The universe implodes. No matter."

9. Bobby Mair - "I was adopted at birth and have never met my mum. That makes it very difficult to enjoy any lapdance."

10. Chris Coltrane - "The good thing about lending someone your time machine is that you basically get it back immediately."