Throughout this hour-long set, Mr. Lee barely breaks a sweat. Not because he’s coasting or re-treading well-worn turf, but because his manner is all about cool delivery: the wry one liner, the well placed…pause. Lee is a master of the form, and while the biggest laugh of the night might come from his use of a four letter word to describe Richard Littlejohn, this is nonetheless comedy at its most intelligent.
Lee is not afraid of dealing with sensitive issues like race and religion. They are conjured and discussed with such deft precision that the audience are never in doubt of his impeccable liberal credentials (‘I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I’m racist’ he says, ‘that’s Al Murray’s job’). He has the knack to stretch a joke to breaking point; his opening tirade (too strong a term, perhaps, for a performer so painfully laconic) against 80’s comedian Tom O’Connor is a masterclass in audience bating.
Repetition for repetition’s sake would be agony – this is repetition elevated to art form. Scathing, unabashed and profoundly self-deprecating, Lee is a performer whose material so often transcends the mark that his lack of astronomical fame is unbelievable. His deadpan demeanour may be as much a pose as the tired lad-isms of Russell Brand et al., but his style is so far beyond his rivals that it almost seems a quibble.
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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World Without End, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Brighton Argus
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Bosco239, youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter