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.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Brighton Argus
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Contrapuntal, 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
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter