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