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