Stewart Lee is undoubtedly one of our finest comedians despite his standing outside of the comedy mainstream. Long time fan Dave Griffiths gave us the following review of one of his recent shows.
Like a magician who reveals his tricks, I thought Lee’s book (How I Escaped My Certain Fate) about his stand-up routines and the fact and fiction in them would lessen the impact of future shows.
Not at all – it makes him even more intriguing. For example, the show was being filmed and we were told if we nipped out while he was on, we wouldn’t be allowed back in. Lee started a tale about his dad the cardboard salesman and a woman walked out. He used her exit in his patter, dropping the story about his dad, and the woman came back in 30 seconds later.
Was she a plant? Did his dad really sell cardboard?
Lee later explained that certain bits of the show were true and some made up. But even then you were in doubt. He kept reviewing parts of the show and never made it easy for himself – ‘grumpily’ and ‘patronisingly’ spurning new fans, ‘agonising’ over easy laughs, saying the show was ‘about nothing’, doing a politics section with daft references to Scooby Doo, and mocking the trendy young comedians – ‘the Russells’ (I think he was really mocking them).
According to Lee, people in the stalls were his real fans while people in the balconies only came because he was on TV. Another clever move which made the stallees feel good and the balconites wishing they were in with the in crowd.
All this works because he has great presence and calm authority – something I particularly remember when I first saw him 20 years ago – as well as superb timing and delivery, and a hilarious, deadpan face. He may be desperate to escape the ‘traditional’ ways of making people laugh but he uses all the techniques of the great comedians.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, 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
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Stuart, Chortle
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk