Stand-up Stewart Lee once said his comedy goes in and out of fashion and, if that is really the case, then the laconic comedian can certainly put 2009 down as one of his best years yet.
In the latter half of the 90s, Lee made a number of successful TV shows as one half of the double act Lee and Herring. Yet when the duo’s series, This Morning With Richard Not Judy, was cancelled in 1999, it marked the start of period during which Lee made only fleeting appearances on our screens.
He may have gained public attention in 2003 when he wrote the book for Jerry Springer: The Opera – a show that was targeted by a band of angry Christians – but in the main Lee was left to concentrate on coming up with a series of critically acclaimed stand-up shows.
The BBC was eventually to come calling again and, earlier in the year, Lee’s series Comedy Vehicle enjoyed a successful run on BBC2.
Keen to capitalise on this exposure, the 41-year-old comic has embarked on his biggest ever solo tour with his new show, If You Prefer A Milder Comedian Please Ask For One, arriving at Richmond Theatre on Sunday.
Was he worried about how his style – controversial, quiet and heavy on repetition – would translate to large venues?
“Initially, I was worried about what I do and how it was going to work because I have been performing to twice as many people as I was before,” he says.
“What I do is quiet and not really about unifying the audience. It is about everyone being confused. It has been absolutely fine, though.”
In his previous live show, 41st Best Stand-Up Ever, Lee included a routine that lambasted stand-up comedians who rely on mundane observational material.
His desire to avoid falling into a similar trap has proved the inspiration for If You Prefer A Milder Comedian…, in which he vents spleen on numerous targets including Top Gear and Scottish comic Frankie Boyle.
“In April, I went into a branch of Café Nero and I had this weird thing when they wouldn’t accept my loyalty card,” he explains.
“So I started writing a routine about being turned down in a coffee shop. It seemed like something a Jack Dee or a Michael McIntyre would do and, at about that time, I read an interview with Frankie Boyle where he said no-one over 40 should do stand-up as you have no anger left.
“I had written this bland thing so I thought about what did really annoy me and I have tried to find something that is true to the things that bother me that isn’t mainstream observational comedy.”
Lee’s slow and, at times, oblique stand-up may not be for everyone but he relishes any bad notices that come his way. As is his custom, the flyer for the current tour is adorned with a negative quote – “His tone is one of complete smug condescension” – pulled from a review in the Birmingham Sunday Mercury.
A strange marketing tactic, perhaps? “I seek out the bad quotes because it helps keep certain people out,” he says.
“The Sun said I was the worst stand-up in Britain and about as funny as bubonic plague and, if that means people who read The Sun don’t come to the show, then that is a good thing.”
He has also managed to alienate Robbie Williams in the past, who left one of his shows after 10 minutes –a fact Lee is proud of.
“Robbie left because he said I had a monotonous voice and should do relaxation tapes instead. I was pleased with that because I thought, if Robbie, who must be a d***, doesn’t like it, I must be doing something right.”
Lee is waiting to hear whether the BBC will commission a second series of Comedy Vehicle but says that, if it doesn’t come off, he has plenty more in the pipeline including another stand-up show and two theatre commissions.
Even if 2009 proves to be his high-point from a commercial point of view, comedy fans will be pleased to know we haven’t heard the last from this awkward and engaging stand-up.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube