I still die on stage frequently. Last month I could feel the room drifting away during a high-profile big top bill in the Greenwich Comedy Festival, but my worst death of recent years was in August 2009 at a private performance for the Friends and Corporate partners of the Edinburgh Fringe, seated around desert laden tables at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
I headlined with half an hour to total silence. There weren’t even heckles. I don’t think they even got as far as thinking me a bad comedian. I don’t think they believed I was a comedian at all.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter