Stewart Lee seeks to divide his audience. His own biography is evidence of this, ending as it does with two quotes:
“One of the top three or four living stand-ups..” – Time Out
“The worst stand-up I have ever seen” – Graham Simmons, Chortle
He begins his set by complaining about the type of audience he gets in the provinces, claiming that those who are there as ‘friends of the theatre’ or as guests of someone who actually bought tickets won’t understand his material. He complains about the theatre (the air conditioning is too noisy) and about people who couldn’t get their act together to see the show when it was on in London, claiming it was much better there because the audience all agreed with him. He then complains about people who agree with him saying they don’t laugh at the jokes but simply clap material if it expresses a view matches their own.
Having neatly set-out to alienate everyone in the room he then begins to lay into other comics, pointing out that the stage set he is standing in comprises DVDs of live performances by comedians, all of which were bought online for just 1p each. His own live DVD, he points out, is currently priced at £3.67.
His material, he says, is based around politics, language and history. But if you don’t agree with the politics (especially if you voted leave) you may have a hard time getting through to the other two elements. But he professes not to care, deliberately setting-up material for fans to like, only to under-cut their ‘metropolitan liberal elite views’. Being a Stewart Lee fan is not easy because it seems he’s just as likely to dislike people for agreeing with him as anyone else.
But all this is (surely) a front. He’s playing with the stand-up norms, deconstructing his jokes and techniques as part of his act – in the same way Penn and Teller show how their magic tricks work. And throughout he is expertly and apparently effortlessly manipulating the room for the precise effect he wants. Apparent ad libs and random interjections from the audience are woven in. Or are they as carefully planned and rehearsed as everything else? Who knows? It’s hilarious comedy that credits you with some intelligence and rewards you accordingly, provided you don’t mind that sneaky feeling that Mr Lee doesn’t really like you at all!
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, 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
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter