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