Paul King

Paul King’s the kind of guy who doesn’t just dabble—he dives headfirst. He’s got his fingerprints all over British comedy, bouncing from TV to film to the stage like it’s no big deal. After snagging a first in English at Cambridge (bragging rights, anyone?), he wound up running with a crew that basically defined a whole brand of weird British humor—Richard Ayoade, Alice Lowe, Matthew Holness. You know, the folks behind "Garth Marenghi’s FrightKnight" and "Netherhead" at Edinburgh. Both shows got the critics' attention and some shiny Perrier Award stuff, which is basically the comedy Oscars over there. King didn’t just stop at theater—he hopped over to TV, taking on the cult classic "Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace" (honestly, if you haven’t seen it, what are you even doing?). The guy seems to have a sixth sense for surreal comedy, because pretty soon he was steering "The Mighty Boosh" ship, directing all three series and their trippy live shows. BAFTA even gave him a nod for Best New Director in 2004. Not bad, right? He’s also dipped into other TV gems like "Come Fly With Me," that mockumentary with Matt Lucas and David Walliams clowning around at the airport. Oh, and don’t forget his film debut "Bunny and the Bull"—wrote and directed that one, roping in a bunch of his comedy mates for cameos. Basically, if British comedy’s got a heartbeat, Paul King’s probably somewhere nearby, keeping the rhythm going.