TV’s Frankie Boyle has declared that no-one over 40 should do stand-up, as the old comedians lose their edge and their anger. Stewart Lee is 42 and Frankie’s heartless Scottish words have made him wonder if it’s worth carrying on.
Undaunted, the furiously baffled comedian tries to win round the legendarily harsh Glasgow audience with a crowd-pleasing Mcintyre-style routine about coffee shops, but is distracted by scores of imaginary pirates; he tries to talk about every day middle aged men’s concerns, but is drawn into a forty minute rant against Top Gear and all it stands for; he attempts to find some common ground with happy childhood memories that he and the audience can share, but is instead consumed with loathing and despair as a result of a Magners’ Cider advertising campaign.
He screams from the balconies, stumbles in the aisles, and ends with a country and western song. If You Prefer A Milder Comedian Please Ask For One is a vast and all-consuming epic of stand-up comedy, exploring the absolute formal limits of the art form.
There are also some jokes.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter