Though I’m personally invited to drop a star by Lee tonight, I’ll resist the temptation. This rating comes with a caveat, however. The ursine comic’s often sublime shtick (here ranging over politics, race and age) still requires those allergic to alienating repetition, knowing deconstruction and long-game subversion to deal with that, albeit to a lesser extent than before.
Shakespeare, assured my English teacher, always supplied a direct hit even in his most involved passages. So it is with fellow West Midlander Lee, who can despatch his targets with caustic brevity: “You have to have imagination on the left… to look at Ed Miliband and imagine that he represents anything other than the destruction of the post-war socialist dream.”
For UKIP deputy leader, Paul Nuttall, there is more trademark, and therefore more elaborate, rebuff. Lee takes Nuttall’s view that Bulgaria should retain its high achievers to a nihilistic conclusion, reaching it via a backwards chronological rundown of immigration that includes the evolution of fish to land animals.
The mix of pathos and playfulness is heightened in a closing sequence where Lee puffs himself up only to puncture his ego and portrays himself as a burnt out performer, berated by his family who apply their own ‘dropped star’ rating to him.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, 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
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk