I was in a meeting recently when someone who makes more money than me told me not to be cynical, and to hold fast to original ideas and not make my ideas fit into holes that I may have perceived commissioners and controllers think they have in their schedules. It is infuriating to be told this – not least because they were right and one needs to hear this now and then. Even though holding to an artistic vision or a central idea doesn’t put shoes on the feet of your children, it is ultimately all writers really have.
I shouldn’t have needed to be have been reminded of this since I’d just finished reading Stewart Lee’s fascinating and splendid book, How I Escaped My Certain Fate. Lee is rightly held in high regard by comedians, writers and industry folk. He shames many of us by refusing to compromise on his artistic endeavours and the way he would like to do stand-up comedy. The problem is that the way he would like to do it is not the way it is conventionally done – and furthermore, it is not to everyone’s taste.
The book is an encouraging story of how a comedian can build up a following and become commercially viable through creativity, persistence and bloody-mindedness. But this comes at a cost personally and financially. The big bucks are to be made in The Hammersmith Apollos all over the country. It seems unlikely that Lee would play the Apollo five nights in a row – or even one night. (He may be able to fill the place, but I’m not sure he would be interested in playing a space which lacks intimacy – unless he was in some way able to turn it into a big joke that ultimately the audience would have been better off not coming and waiting for the DVD, since that would probably feel more personal that sitting six hundred yards away from a man with a microphone.)
Despite his frosty on-stage persona, and air of pretention and disappointment – which he admits is a blurring of an onstage persona and an offstage personality (although I’ve met him a couple of times and found him to be thoroughly polite and courteous), the book shows the humanity of the man – and a comedian who thinks deeply about his act. He is not motivated by money, although is rightly peeved when he is treated unjustly in the realm of finance. Lee does not really crave the adulation of an audience – highlighting dry patches in his shows which are intentionally joke-free. No-one can accusing of being a crowd-pleaser. He seems, at best, uninterested in the opinions of critics, and sometimes sympathises with their frustrations at his material or shows. He doesn’t even seem that bothered by the opinions of other comedians, by whom he is very well-respected (in turn pays homage to others he considers greater or more pure than he). What comes across is that the only person he is seeking to satisfy creatively is himself. And it turns out that he is very hard to please.
We can all learn from this. Stewart Lee keeps pushing himself to find new ways of performing, new routines, turns of phrase and ways of managing audience expectation. I regularly write – and watch – comedy that feels rough, drafty and, at best, sufficient.
We are all in awe of Stewart Lee because he has very high standards. And we know that if we were to have such standards, and cling to our original comic visions, we might be less popular or make money. When this impacts on spouses and children, it can seem indulgent, but we have to find ways to keep going, keep writing and creating worlds that we want to inhabit, or else, why bother? We’d probably make more money doing something else.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, 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
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com