Stewart Lee . . . offering a peep behind the curtains. Photograph: Jo Hale/Getty Images
No one under 30 will believe this, but stand-up comedy was once exciting and unpredictable. You could actually enjoy it sober. Like the punks before them, the alternative comedians who sprang up in the 1980s saw it as their duty and their pleasure to challenge the old farts who dominated both showbiz and the country. They were going to smash the system. Yes, even Ben Elton! True story!
Stewart Lee started on the circuit in 1989, just as the movement was losing its way. Five years before, as a Solihull schoolboy, he’d had his head turned by Ted Chippington, an obscure West Midlander with a scowl and a monotone delivery. Watching Chippington, Lee says, he realised that “Stand-up could be anything you wanted it to be. You didn’t even have to look as if you were enjoying it.”
Lee rarely did: he’s one of those few people who can look both smug and miserable at the same time. But for most of the 90s it seemed to outsiders that he was doing very nicely. His double act with Richard Herring spawned 10 radio and television series for the BBC. Alone, he played thousands of live dates. Yet, he says now, he was barely scraping by. He kept finding himself in front of audiences who wanted undemanding gags about soccer or Space Hoppers, not a man whose idea of a good time was to alienate his public and then, with luck, win it back. He stopped enjoying himself. In 2001, during a particularly painful gig in Liverpool, he realised he was “a mumbling relic from another age . . . Alternative comedy was dead. I was spent . . . So, quietly and without any fuss, I decided, then and there, to stop.” And, just like that, he did.
Nine years on, however, Lee is once more standing up and loving it. His latest BBC TV show, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, has been commissioned for a second series, and next month sees him performing in 18 cities. How I Escaped My Certain Fate is the story of how he regained his taste for performance, and a paying audience. It’s a reminder that sometimes you need to work out what you do best and chuck out everything that gets in the way. In Lee’s case that included his former management company, Avalon.
The book is also a masterclass in how to appreciate comedy – at least Lee’s intellectual, sometimes wilfully inaccessible kind of comedy. “Within a few years,” he threatens, “‘jokes’, as we comedians call them, will have been entirely purged from my work in favour, exclusively, of grinding repetition, embarrassing silences and passive-agressive monotony.”
Although there are bits of introduction and conventional exposition – notably covering Lee’s involvement with the allegedly blasphemous Jerry Springer – The Opera, which he directed during his break from stand-up, the heart of the book is three live shows: Stand-Up Comedian, which began his comeback in 2004; the following year’s 90s Comedian, “a single hour-long shaggy-dog story about anal investigation, religious persecution and a blasphemous physical encounter with Jesus”; and 2007’s 41st Best Stand-up Ever, about the disparity between Lee’s supposed high status and his inability to earn a decent crust.
For each of these, Lee provides not only a full transcript but a parallel narrative in the form of exhaustive footnotes, the longest of which stretches to three and a half pages. Here he explains the workings of the jokes he hasn’t yet managed to eradicate, or revels in their failure. His basic philosophy is that the customer is always wrong. “It is a constant source of frustration to comics,” he writes, “that you, the public, are often inordinately thrilled by things that we do which are quite easy, and baffled or bored by the stuff we are proud of, or else assume that our finest moments are errors or accidents.” It’s no surprise to learn that he’s a fan of free jazz, with its “sheer bloody-mindedness” and its “take-it-or-leave-it attitude to critical and public approval”.
You don’t often see the inner workings of a comedian’s act, and in most cases that’s no loss. This time, however, it feels like a privilege to peep behind the curtains.
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk