WHEN you bill your show as “If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One” it pays to be at least a bit shocking.
In last night’s performance, there were a few uses of the C-word, a sketch about the Queen’s privates (I don’t mean her army) but apart from those Stewart Lee was about as startling as an accountant reading the Financial Times.
Oh, there was the bit when he said he wished Richard Hammond had died when he crashed his jet-powered car and that Jeremy Clarkson’s daughters should all be blinded.
But that was because he was belabouring a point about Top Gear being unforgivingly unpolitically correct, and anyway those jokes had already been reported in the papers.
Well, he had a point.
Some of what Clarkson says in between jibing celebrities about their bad driving and undertaking madcap adventures is grossly offensive, but that doesn’t necessarily make it good material for stand-up. Actually, it sort of does, but not when you drag it out for so long that the joke becomes so familiar it’s no longer funny.
Despite there not being enough material for a 70-minute set, there were some good sketches – the faux pas of inviting a real pirate to a date at a pirate adventure castle activity centre; being accused of trying to steal two-ninths of a cup of coffee from Cafe Nero.
Lee was funniest in the parts of the show specific to Liverpool, commenting on the so-called art works covering the boarded-up houses on Edge Lane and relating a visit to comedian Jimmy Tarbuck’s home.
Maybe he’s too likeable to be shocking, or maybe, as he comments at one point, there are simply no taboos left in comedy.
Perhaps it’s because his most extreme material has had the sting taken out of it by over-exposure in the media.
But, ultimately, you can ask for a milder comedian – but you might struggle to find one.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, 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
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com