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