SOME big names were missing from the list of nominees for the upcoming second annual Comics Choice Awards, taking place next month.

Favourites including Joey Rasdien, Tumi Morake, Marc Lottering, Barry Hilton, Tol Ass Mo, Trevor Gumbi, Chris Forrest, Alan Committie, Eugene Khoza and Ndumiso Lindi were all not on the list announced this past weekend.

Organisers of the awards, co-sponsored by The Times, will point to the continued rise of the stand-up comedy industry for the variety of names on the list for the July 10 prizegiving ceremony.

Fresh impetus comes from Jason Goliath, Dillan Oliphant, Donovan Goliath and Monique Nortje - all nominated in the Newcomer Award category.

Daniel Friedman, aka Deep Fried Man, Robby Collins, Tats Nkonzo and Mpho Modikoane are up for the Breakthrough Act Award. Friedman is also nominated for an Audience Choice Award.

But for all the absentees, there are a few usual suspects nominated too.

Trevor Noah - who has been lighting up the stage in the US - is nominated twice, for an Audience Choice Award and Comic of the Year Award.

Also twice nominated is e.tv's Late Night News presenter Loyiso Gola, for the Comic of the Year and the Comic's Pen Award.

Nik Rabinowitz, Riaad Moosa, Kagiso Lediga, Sifiso Nene, Alyn Adams, Vittorio Leonardi, Tats Nkonzo and Eddie Eckstein are all nominated.

Joe Parker will get a Lifetime Achiever Award on June 26 during a new show called Grilling of a Lifetime, where a "board of directors" led by Mel Miller will apparently "tear the recipient apart".

Taffia Keight, spokesman for the awards said: "We wanted to honour the lifetime recipient in the most loving way possible. This event is rated R, not for the faint of heart, but promises to be unforgettable."

Tickets for the prize-giving show at Montecasino are R230 at Computicket. Tickets for Grilling of a Lifetime at Parkers Comedy Club, also at Montecasino, are R220.