Which big-name comedians would you happily take your kids (12+) to see?

[sixbigthrills]

We love stand-up comedy but don't go as often as we'd like to. I recently went to see Bill Bailey with friends who was fantastic. My kids (aged 15 and 12) would have loved the show too - it was very accessible, relatively clean and hilarious.

If you Google "family friendly comedy" you don't tend to get big names - it's predumably not a label that is sought-after by top comics. So I'm wondering if Mumsnetters have their own recommendations for comics that might be suitable for 12+ ?

My criteria would be:

1. Relatively clean (even if the kids have heard it in the playground, do they really want to hear it on a night out with Mum and Dad?).
2. Not too many cultural references to things they know very little about (e.g. 1980s tv shows or long-dead celebrities)

I would have said Bill Bailey, also Michael Mc Intyre

Adam Hills

Michael McIntyre, Peter Kaye spring to mind.

Michael McIntyre I have seen three times and if he comes round again I will take my similar age dd, he was brilliant and I no she would enjoy it!

I saw your title and thought Bill Bailey too!

Ross Noble can be v good, but he is very unpredictable in content as so much is ad libbed.

I've been wondering this. DS loves watching Michael McIntyre and Romesh Ranganathan on tv and I'd like to take him to see them in year or so.

We go to a lot of stand ups and for the last few years dd (now 16) has been coming with us.

If you don't want swearing because of the 12 year old then you'll be very limited. One of the first comedians we took dd to see was Romesh because dd loved him on the tv and he was a lot swearier than we'd expected.

We ended up not worrying about the language other than reminding dd that just because we were laughing it didn't mean that we'd be ok to use the same language in front of me or her dad.

Our rule for the first couple of years was to try and cut out comedians that are very sexually explicit (avoid Sarah Millican and Katherine Ryan).

There's usually age guidance when you book shows. Henning Wehn is clean but dd didn't find him very funny. Stewart Francis is very suitable.

Joe pasquale

Henning Wehn is clean, but quite a lot of pre-1990s references.

The Horne Section or Alex Horne on his own. They are great and there's pretty much no swearing etc.

Do you have to take them? Loads of comedy is about adult life experiences and a chance to forget about all the carefulness of parenting. My heart would sink if I was sat next to a 12 year old.

Do not go to Sarah Millican. I'm 29 and went with my DM last year and some of the content was awkward even for us who are quite open with each other. She's very funny but I would have much preferred to have gone with DH or friends.

Dave Gorman is very family friendly. Would highly recommend.

I have taken my teenagers to see Dave Gorman a couple of times. They have really enjoyed it and the content is very inoffensive. I also like the fact that much of his material is a critique of how much rubbish there is online !

Tim Vine but only if you like one liners.

Dave Gorman is very family friendly. Would highly recommend.

Although he can be a lot more sweary live than you’d expect from telly. A few years ago he had an absolutely dreadful support act who sang a song about having sex with a dead person.

James Acaster, Ed Gamble and Ivo Graham are ones we've seen recently and I don't remember there being swearing involved. Ivo Graham's current show is about growing up into adulthood. There were definitely teenagers at all three of those shows.

I also second the Dave Gorman suggestion.

Tim Vine and I think Rhod Gilbert’s OK.

We took DS to see Dara O’Briain. There is a lot of swearing, but we pointed out that hearing it doesn’t mean that we need to hear him say it. He really enjoyed it and we all had a good night.

Jason Manford was really good and pretty clean, possibly Russell Howard too.

I went to see Sarah Millican,she was very funny but dirtier and swearier than i expected.

Actually Rhod Gilbert is very funny and is not too bad

Definitely Bill Bailey. His humour is very dry and intelligent, and he shows that you can be funny without having to swear or be rude.

We have especially enjoyed Russell Howard and Jack Whitehall, but they did both swear a bit. Also, a lot of the content could be over the heads of younger teenagers. With Russell Howard it was clear that his rants struck a chord with most of the audience.

If she was still alive I would have said he late lamented Victoria Wood.

Milton Jones. Clean and funny.

I find Milton Jones's one liners hilarious on Mock the Week, but I think a whole evening of them might wear a bit thin.

You might think so but I have seen him live.

I'd be prepared to chance it though. He is so funny.