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