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.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Bosco239, youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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World Without End, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Richard Herring, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk