Stewart Lee is feeling chatty. It’s notable that Lee, famous for his deadpan, languid delivery, is smiling much more these days. That may have something to do with him being a new father, or, perhaps he’s feeling more comfortable in his clown shoes, having been placed at No. 41 in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Comedians Of All Time poll.
Despite a relentless mocking of the ridiculousness of lists like this, Lee has chosen to embrace it as fact, while at the same time putting a gentle two fingers up to his quilt-loving mum who prefers cruise ship gag merchants.
He uses the conceit to question approval, why it matters and from whom we should seek it.
Lee’s obviously sore that he was commissioned by BBC 2 out of nowhere, only to be dropped equally out of the blue, but any bitterness is so deftly delivered that he never endangers his top bloke persona.
No one matches Lee’s powers of comic deconstruction and the only thing that stops him getting five stars is that 90s Comedian from 2005 was better.
Until Aug 27 (not 15), Udderbelly’s Pasture (V300), 7.30pm. www.udderbelly.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk