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.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Chez, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter