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
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Brighton Argus
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, 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
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
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Keilloh, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk