Experience how it feels to be the subject of a blasphemy prosecution! Find out why ‘wool’ is a funny word! See how jokes work, their inner mechanisms revealed, before your astonished face!
In 2001, after over a decade in the business, Stewart Lee quit stand-up, disillusioned and drained, and went off to direct a loss-making opera about Jerry Springer. How I Escaped My Certain Fate details his return to live performance, and the journey that took him from an early retirement to his position as the most critically acclaimed stand-up in Britain.
Here is Stewart Lee’s own account of his remarkable comeback, told through transcripts of the three legendary full-length shows that sealed his reputation.
Astonishingly frank and detailed in-depth notes reveal the inspiration and inner workings of his act. With unprecedented access to a leading comedian’s creative process, this book tell us just what it was like to write these shows, develop the performance and take them on tour. How I Escaped My Certain Fate is everything we have come to expect from Stewart Lee: fiercely intelligent, unsparingly honest and very funny.
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Brighton Argus
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter