The title comes from one of the schedule-filling Best 100 Anythings Ever knocked out by Channel 4, allegedly voted for by the public, which has surpassed the achievements of previous shows in the series by providing Stew with a substitute title for his show. Originally, and it was billed at the Glasgow Comedy Festival as such, it was called March of the Mallards. Then Lee realised it was a one-gag concept, albeit a good one, and siezed upon his new-found rating. Which is also, he presumes, why last year he played in a cave and this year stages his show in a tent. An upside-down purple cow sponsored by his least favourite television channel – allowing E4 into your home is akin to having sewage sprayed in your face in his considered opinion – but a lovely billowing 323 capacity tent.
For the uninitiated, Stew’s style is immaculately measured and delivered, honed over the 20 years he has been exposing himself in Edinburgh, so to speak.
Despite his contempt for E4, currently most of his bile is reserved for the BBC, having received an unsolicited commission to produce six half hours of stand up. It was taken away as unexpectedly as it was offered, and with a baby on the way, he was forced to do panel shows such as 8 Out Of 10 Cats, which would make anyone resentful.
This year there’s more Stew on stage, and he has joined his local WeightWatchers in Stamford Hill, an experience he likens to a United Nations day out to a Hall Of Mirrors.
Clearly he is heading for the Top 10, but it is all so subjective isn’t it?
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube