The Sloppy Dog 2008 Honours List

Finally, we close The Sloppy Dog's End Of Year round-up with our annual honours list, where we celebrate the pop culture heroes of 2008. Truth be told, it’s hard to avoid overlap from previous years’ lists (as a couple of entrants will illustrate), but we haven't had too much overall difficulty finding ten deserving recipients. Ladies and gentlemen, in no particular order, the pwners of 2008...

Chris Lilley
A man whose talents as a comedy actor reach frighteningly realistic proportions; a man whose writing skills are matched only by his microscopically astute observational skills; a man who has made us laugh more than anyone else in 2008. Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes are genuine masterpieces – we’ve already got the plastic sheet down for the next project...

Alesha Dixon
Redefining the term ‘underdog’ upon entering Strictly last year, it’s been a pleasure to see Alesha Dixon go from strength to strength since her victory. We’d have never bothered with the show had she not been part of it, which is testament to her hugely lovable nature. Much like Richard Hammond and Will Smith in previous years’ lists, Alesha is, even before you consider any of her other plentiful good points, a jolly nice person.

David Cook
We’ve had the occasional favourite over the many series of American Idol, but never before has such a sizeable talent participated, let alone won. Proving that musicianship, integrity, creativity and personality have a place in the likes of Idol (Leona, take note), David Cook is by far the most deserving and exciting talent show triumph in the history of the genre.

Ben & Jerry
Of course, their presence here owes at least some thanks to the fact Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield produce the greatest ice cream on Earth, but the main reason comes as a result of Sundae On The Common, by far the summer’s best festival. Well, one-day jobby as opposed to out-and-out festival, but with Ash, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, and all the ice cream you can eat, who’s complaining?

Sarah Silverman
Having made this very same list a year ago, Sarah Silverman does the double off the back of her riotously entertaining Hammersmith Apollo show. Although slapdash reviews recounted all manner of boos and heckles WHICH DIDN’T ACTUALLY HAPPEN, Silverman’s delightfully un-PC material and uniquely wry approach cement her as one of America’s greatest comic talents of today.

Russell T. Davies
RTD’s work in bringing Doctor Who back to our screens is impressive enough, and that’s even before you take into account the untouchable level of quality applied to it. This year’s outstanding series paid testament to his near-paranormal writing flair - as did both Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures - while his book The Writer’s Tale provided a rare and exceptional window into what’s evidently a spectacular mind.

Danny Wallace
Anyone who can think of a concept as simultaneously simple and bizarre as Yes Man is clearly unique. But to make it work to the extent that it gets its own silver screen interpretation must be the mark of a genius. Meanwhile, back in Blighty, by far and away the highlight of the hugely-impressive Shortlist remains Danny’s regular column, further underlining his inimitable wit and proving that he’s still one of us.

Ruth Lorenzo
It’ll come as no surprise to see the breathtakingly fantastic Ruth Lorenzo in our list. Although Alexandra was a more than worthy winner, we maintain Ruth is the greatest contestant in talent show history – a sort of female David Cook, if you will. Boasting originality, vision, warmth, and a killer voice, plus incredibly gracious in her unjust elimination unlike many of her X Factor contemporaries, if Ruth isn’t signed in the next few months we may have to cut a bitch.

Ash
Sure, things have been somewhat hushed on the Ash front over the past 12 months. Ok, so things have been practically mute. But our lone experience of one of our favourite bands throughout 2008 was certainly an impressive one, providing us with the live performance of the year at the aforementioned Sundae On The Common. Now let’s get thee to a studio and get some new material a-cooking...

Charlie Brooker
And finally, another entrant in our list for the second year running. While King Charlie’s hysterical rants about the state of telly remain (a) something we aspire to pull off with such articulacy, and (b) something that has us in regular fits, his work on the truly remarkable Dead Set further validates his placing – such an uncanny juxtaposition of macabre and hilarious could only ever come from one man.