My husband hasn’t bought me a book as a present for YEARS. He says he has no idea what I like any more. But he bought me Content Provider by Stewart Lee for Christmas.
We’ve been fans of Stewart Lee since the late 90s, when we loved him so much that we used to watch live recordings in London of his show This Morning with Richard not Judy with Richard Herring. More recently, we have found Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle on TV absolutely hilarious.
Content Provider is not my usual sort of book. Because it’s a collection of short pieces of prose – mainly newspaper columns. I mistakenly bought a book of short stories a while back and I haven’t got round to reading it yet, because I don’t like to read in that way. I like a proper nice long story that I can get my teeth into. But at first I actually enjoyed reading a couple of complete pieces of Content Provider at a time.
The articles are very funny, but also very intellectual. I can see they wouldn’t be many people’s cup of tea. He’s also included some of his negative online comments after the articles – mainly from people saying he’s sh*t or who completely miss the irony.

This made me properly laugh out loud
There were plenty of times when I laughed out loud, but I must admit, by about halfway through, I was starting to get a bit bored. You can have too much of a good thing and some of the articles were starting to get repetitive. Reading a column every week in a newspaper would probably feel like a treat, but reading several a day for two weeks started to feel like a chore.
I’m never going to go off Stewart Lee’s stand-up, but his writing is definitely for die-hard fans only (who most definitely, like myself, wouldn’t be David Cameron supporters!).
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, 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
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian