Stewart Lee was on TV for two hours last night, but it felt much longer
We can’t be sure which part of his marathon snooze-athon appealed most to the BBC. But I’ll go out on a limb and suggest it was when Lee put the boot into Brexit supporters.
“It wasn’t just racists who voted to leave Europe,” he sneered. “C***s did as well, stupid f***ing c***s”. Wow. Such wit! Such subtle elegance! Truly he is the Oscar Wilde of our times…
Lardy Lee describes modern Britain as “a chaotic inferno of hate”. The seaside town of Southend, where he recorded the show, is “a hive of racists”.And non-city people are ignorant “trolls”.
He claims to be playing a caricature of himself, but there’s too much venom in his material for it to be just an act.
Educated at private school and Oxford, Lee represents a privileged world view that sees itself as radical but really isn’t. He once said that comedy’s job isn’t to protect power structures, but doesn’t seem to have noticed how corrupt, unaccountable, inefficient and institutionally anti-democratic the EU is.
Lee had a dig at me for saying his anti- comedy shtick appealed to the “Metropolitan liberal elite”. But that’s a fact.
The Times newspaper recently – madly – dubbed him the funniest person alive. The establishment seal of approval. That’s how unthreatening he is.
And here’s a scary thing, scarier even than the thought of Big Mo in Victoria’s Secret lace-time baby-doll lingerie: thousands of posers and snobs agree. Many of them work in TV and share his contempt for everyday people and popular comedy.
Lee hates Fools & Horses and lays into more successful turns (Jimmy Carr, Corden, McIntyre, drivelling goon Russell Howard…), stomping on their DVDs.
He is a Twitter mob made flesh, and over-nourished flesh at that – an intolerant smartarse who despises anyone he disagrees with.
Lee’s act is the comedy of self-indulgence. It isn’t anything most people would recognise as humour. But then it’s not meant for us.
We’re just the mugs whose licence fee money has subsidised his bile-spewing career for decades.
I’d rather neck a Novichok smoothie than suffer that again.
● Lee wore a Les Rallizes Dénudés T-shirt. The 60s band were renowned for their tediously repetitive instrumental passages and painful use of guitar feedback. Pretentious? Naturally.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk