FRANKIE Boyle would have you believe that comics hitting 40 lose their potency, the righteous anger that compels them to mock the Queen’s anatomy on comedy panel shows. At 41, Stewart Lee is not about to let this lie and meticulously dissects the Glaswegian’s assertion, as he does everything else in this show, with playful aggression and measured sarcasm.
One of the genuinely thrilling aspects of seeing Lee is trying to ascertain just how deep his distaste for something extends before he blows it up into one of his elaborate set-pieces, especially as some of the targets are so close – his employers at the BBC and a Sunday newspaper are guilty by association of the emergence of the “Russell comedian” and the rise of Jeremy Clarkson.
Yet it’s Clarkson’s partner in politically incorrect sniggering, Richard Hammond, who bears the brunt of Lee’s ire. And just so any tabloid newspapers or bootleggers posting out-of-context YouTube clips of him denouncing his ex-schoolmate understand, he truly wishes Hammond had died in his car crash, with all the jollying contempt the Top Gear presenters reserve for Gordon Brown’s blindness or the “myth” of climate change.
His last routine, some furious grandstanding at the vacuity of advertising, is rendered all the sweeter for taking a pop at the cider sponsors of the Glasgow Comedy Festival, which, despite flirting with self-parody, is a suitably impressive climax. As a coda, he adds something allegedly shocking in contemporary stand-up, a seemingly genuine attempt to do something sincerely and well, singing Steve Earle’s Galway Girl.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube