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