Comics tie for Critics' Choice award

Honour shared between Jerry Seinfeld and Michelle Buteau

Jerry Seinfeld and Michelle Buteau tied for the award for best comedy special at the Critics’ Choice Award last night.

Buteau scored the same honour for her very first full-length special as 45-year comedy veteran Seinfeld.

Her show, Welcome To Buteaupia, was released on Netflix in September and described by one reviewer as ‘bold, brash, proud, amusing and captivating’.

In an excited acceptance speech, she said: ‘I just want to say, "If you want to do something in your life, anything anything, you do it because you are enough. You are always enough!" Yes! The Critics' Choice Awards!'

Taking his award for 23 Hours to Kill, also on Netflix, Seinfeld said: ‘I like critics.

‘I don't care if the reviews are good or bad. In comedy, we have to have critics. We have to get opinions and those opinions are how we figure out our jokes, so I have always enjoyed reading reviews. This is a very exciting thing to win.

'So thank you to the critics and, as much as it's nice to get this I know what we really want… we want to be onstage somewhere making people smile and laugh.That's what we want more than anything and we hope to be back doing that soon. But in the meantime, thanks a lot!'

Also nominated for the accolade were Fortune Feimster, Hannah Gadsby, Marc Maron, and Patton Oswalt - all of whom also released their specials through Netflix.

Meanwhile Ted Lasso, Apple+’s series about an American sports coach in the UK was named best comedy over fellow nominees Better Things, The Flight Attendant, Mom, PEN15, Ramy, Schitt’s Creek and What We Do in the Shadows.

Its star Jason Sudeikis was named best actor in a comedy series wit Schitt’s Creek matriarch Catherine O’Hara taking the equivalent actress award.

Schitt’s Creek creator Dan Levy was named best supporting actor in a comedy and Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham best supporting actress.

Palm Springs – an infinite time-loop romcom starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Miliot – was named best comedy movie.