STEWART Lee is one of my comedy heroes. I first knew him as a bloke ‘off the telly’, in parternship with Richard Herring, but since then his comedy vehicle has rolled along and now… well, now he’s just a middle aged man who does nothing but watch Scooby Doo with his four-year-old son and drive around retail parks, desperately searching for material. Or so he would have us believe.
Stewart Lee is an incredibly clever comedian, and when I left Cheltenham Town Hall I felt like I’d played an intrinsic part in the performance and was really quite pleased with myself because of that. But dammit… the man made me work for my entertainment!
Lee manipulates his audience into thinking that they are privileged to be present, poking fun at those who have never seen him before, those who have come along with friends, and even those under 40. You are expected to ‘get’ the joke, even in you don’t necessarily find it that funny.
A master of his art, Lee pokes fun at himself. He pokes fun at other comedians. He pokes fun at the Americans and he pokes fun at Islam. He deconstructs his act and critiques himself as he goes… but his self-deprecating humour is all a means to an end.
Cheltenham Town Hall is certainly the place to see the big names in comedy nowadays, and Lee is one of the biggest. But don’t expect any belly laughs. The act is all about understanding the work of a successful (if jaded) comic, and giving yourself a pat on the back if you do.
But was the man who resorted to a ‘kids say the funniest things’ anecdote to keep the audience engaged actually funny? You know, the jury’s still out on that one (but no one could say that we weren’t warned!)
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.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
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube