The older Stewart Lee gets the more militant he becomes. Carpet Remnant World finds stand-up’s Tony Benn raging at the state of the nation with satirical style.
It also finds him raging at the state of comedy. There are swipes at Frankie Boyle, Russell Kane, Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais and more. Deceased writers do not escape this dissident’s deadpan wrath. Look out George Orwell.
As he explains, with brutal sarcasm, there is no narrative. Unfortunately he never has adventures which inspire material because he stays in watching cartoons with his son. This is merely a disingenuous dig at comedians who turn their lives into anecdotage. Lee has his Fairtrade cake and scoffs it, wittily describing his tedious domesticity, while getting gags out of Twitter and Googling himself. A highlight is reading unprintable online insults over a jazz soundtrack.
This set boasts little of the trademark repetition or taboo-busting of recent monologues, so by his standards it feels underpowered. It is, however, polished and funny, particularly if you are a comedy trainspotter. Michael McIntyre fans may be baffled but for Lee’s chin-stroking devotees Carpet Remnant World cuts a hilarious rug.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter