Stewart Lee might have been beaten by Michael McIntyre in the Best Stand-up category at Saturday’s British Comedy Awards but there are plenty of comedy buffs flocking to Lee’s current show who beg to differ.
While McIntyre is the arena-packing people’s punster, Lee is the art-house comedian’s comedian, admired as much for his craft, poise and intelligence as his quips.
In this supremely accomplished set, however, Lee does not feel a million miles away from McIntyre. Both are essentially observational entertainers but where the slick-suited superstar tickles life’s trivia, the tight-jacketed cult joker goes for the jugular, brilliantly unpicking the vogue for offensive humour and the way capitalism tramples on people’s memories.
If an attack on Frankie Boyle’s shock-jock mentality is an effective warm-up, the real venom is saved for Lee’s already notorious assault on Top Gear’s bully-boy blokeism. Out of context his controversial wish that Richard Hammond had died gruesomely in his 2006 dragster accident is tasteless. In the context of exploring limits of taste it is a superb piece of Swiftian satire.
This high point is not quite matched by an excellent extended riff on advertising’s habit of soiling great music but there is still a sting in the tale as Lee closes with a surprisingly well-sung song.
A masterclass in stand-up being more than just a bag of gags and a top gear performance from this driven man.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Stuart, Chortle
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Brighton Argus
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.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
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Sidsings000, Youtube