Well I’m enjoying this, I think. “That’s cause you’re a cunt”, was Stewart Lee’s response, as if reading my mind. The insults come thick and fast, but this only means we fall for him even more. His brand of satire, around culture, politics, popular TV shows, his life, your life, weaves in and out of his well-formulated stories. He keeps beating us over the heads and we love it.
Through his anecdotes, rants and hilarious repetition, it’s clear that he’s not like most stand-up comics, he is intellectually superior: “I am up here like a God, you’re down there like pigs in a Norfolk ditch”.
The theme of the show, which is touring, was originally meant to be based around the Caspar David Friedrich painting, Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog, symbolising an individual looking for a deeper meaning to life. But this becomes peripheral to Brexit and Trump, subjects he tackles from a liberal North London (where he lives) perspective. This suits most of the audience who seem to dress like they live in North London. I’m from there, so I should know.
His premise throughout a lot of the act is that it’s hard to write content when the goal posts keep shifting, how the hell did Trump get in? What the hell is he doing? And who the hell knows what the plan is with Brexit? In one of his astute ramblings, which goes on for a good few minutes, he proclaims: “I’m not sure whether to keep Eastern Europeans being kept out of the country in my act (one minute they’re allowed to stay, the next they’re not). It’s really affecting my work… I can’t help thinking it’s affecting people in other types of work too.”
By the end of the one hour and 45 minute show, which has provided few breaks in the laughter, he skilfully weaves us back to the painting… He condemns the under 40s for being vacuous: “I’m under 40, I’ve got no future, but I’ve got this phone,“ he roars as he bashes an invisible phone with his finger and his trousers fall down around his ankles. He keeps roaring: “Don’t eat toast like normal people…just keep drinking yoghurt from a pouch and wearing your Japanese cat-face satchel bags…“
Ultimately, Lee condemns the digital world for making us more inward looking and therefore making life less meaningful: whether that’s easy access to 1p comedy DVDS (though not his, which you have to buy for at least £3.67), or finding it easy to join a fetish club, which as he proclaims in his grandparents day would have required some real research and a lot of walking. And, how, ultimately, we have become self- and selfie-obsessed and the opposite of what the painting stands for: “What about the wider world?” an important question that he raises in this five star show, Content Provider.
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, 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
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube