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