Comic Stewart Lee is nothing short of a contradiction.
He’s a comedians’ comedian who hates most comedians and an award winning comic who holds a blatant disregard for comedy awards.
Mr Lee spends much of the first half condemning the majority of the crowd for not being on his wavelength, while the second half is one long complaint that he has nothing to talk about.
Throughout Friday’s show, which is part of the Glasgow Comedy festival, he attacks the conventions of popular comics such as Frankie Boyle (he describes the use of a shocking phrase at the end of a bad joke as “Boyle’s Law”), Michael McIntyre and the fresh batch of young comedians he despairingly describes as “the Russells”.
Half stand-up show, half lecture in which he breaks down the structure of stand-up, the audience leaves a Stewart Lee gig feeling they know an awful lot more about comedy than they did going in.
At the sold out King’s Theatre, it is easy to tell that Mr Lee would feel far more at home at a smaller venue such as The Stand, or so he would have you believe.
He uses the crowd to great effect, playing them off one another — those in the stalls who understand the jokes and have been with him since the beginning, against those in the circle whom, he describes friends of fans, who can’t be bothered thinking and would be more at home at a taping of Michael McIntyre’s comedy road show.
Time and time again, he pulls the crowd in with shock and awe comments similar to that of Frankie Boyle, before lambasting the audience for enjoying them.
The venom is not just for other comedians and the audience, but he also saves some for himself.
He breaks down his own joke structures before launching into a 10 minute verbatim reading of online criticisms accompanied by jazz music while apparently drinking red wine straight out the bottle.
Stewart Lee is clearly not for everyone and watching him can be hard work — but it’s rewarding.
A friend with whom I attended the show — and an aspiring stand-up — had never been to see Mr Lee in person and described the experience as being “one chalked off the bucket list”.
While this is in stark contrast to the online vitriol around Stewart Lee and his “stupid smug face”, you get the feeling that’s just how he wants it.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, 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
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter