For all that Stewart Lee’s latest show is beautifully crafted, expertly delivered and often brain-tinglingly funny, it’s destined to be remembered as the one in which the baby-faced 41-year-old comic wished death upon Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond.
Anyone who hasn’t encountered Lee’s particular brand of self-aware provocation before is served fair warning by the title: If You Prefer a Milder Comedian Please Ask For One.
Executed with the calm, single-minded focus of an SAS sniper, Lee’s mid-show character-assassination of Hammond is extreme stuff indeed.
What is it that Lee particularly objects to about ‘the hamster’ Hammond, so much so that he repeatedly expresses a desire for him to have been killed in the 2006 dragster crash that left him with life-threatening head injuries? Not only killed but decapitated and then brought back on TV in the form of a severed head on a stick. And so on, and so forth.
Well, aside from the fact that Hammond is ‘not a real hamster’ – which is evidently annoying – Lee decries him as ‘an apologist for bullies’. In other words, and I’m paraphrasing here, the jack-the-lad, politically incorrect humour that motors Top Gear’s badinage – and is often driven by Jeremy Clarkson – is a form of bullying.
And as the sidekick to Clarkson and James May – Lee likening the trio to the Three Bears – Hammond, it’s suggested, performs the role of weaselling accomplice to sniggering abuse, much as a weaker child might get in with the wrong crowd at school in self-defence. In order to elaborate that point, Lee – who attended the same Solihull school as Hammond, a few years above him – relays a story about just such a capitulation.
As you will probably have realised by now, you actually have to see the show to get the full measure of its detail and ironies. Lee’s sustained invective against Hammond is at once a satire on sick-taste humour and also, because his indignation is real, absolutely in earnest. It’s as sophisticated, calculated and double-edged as that.
The show also threads together much deadpan mockery of Caffé Nero, Frankie Boyle, and, in a climactic riff of studied, auditorium-roving derangement, a lament for British culture that draws heartfelt ire from an imbecilic pear cider advert.
Does one always agree with him? No.
Is the laughter often uneasy? Yes.
Is an act as uncompromising as his invaluable? I’d say so.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, 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
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter