He spent a lot of the first half of his show Content Provider, which is nearing the end of its 18- month tour, lamenting the fact that only a small section of the audience got his jokes, the venue was half empty, and he got a better reception in King’s Lynn.
While he may not have got as big a laugh for some of the jokes as expected, which resulted in him painstakingly dissecting it to explain its intended humour, this grumpy demeanour is all part of the act.
With his material ranging from Brexit and Game of Thrones to bondage in the 1930s and annoying under 40s who drink yogurts from pouches for breakfast, it was varied, original and clever.
Whereas the first half felt like a diatribe against the world, including us fans, with plenty of ad-libbing, the second part felt calmer and more storytelling in its nature, less bothered about how much laugh each joke received.
However the reason he wins so many industry accolades is that it is very much crafted – as if his shows are presented for a study on how comedy should be done.
There are few comedians this gifted on the circuit, so please come back to Ipswich again. Your like-minded out of touch metropolitan liberal elite need you.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter