Yes, this show – If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One – is the one that got the Daily Mail in a tizz over the summer. But after watching the full performance, the most shocking thing is coming away with evidence of just how papers willfully twist reality to shape their own ends. Stewart Lee, cruel and insensitive? Stewart Lee, boorish and ugly? What a deliberate and crass misinterpretation of what the man’s about.
Because Stewart Lee, should you be young or unfortunate enough not to have encountered him in his younger, more televisually exposed days with Richard Herring, is an exquisite satirist. His laid-back, sarcastic manner suggests someone who doesn’t care, but if you listen to the actual words (the words, Daily Mail) it’s clear that he’s pained by the facile and knee-jerk elements of our society – which he then adopts and rips apart from the inside. The effect is subtle but the method is confrontational; he faces down the audience and takes us to task for laughing at unusual moments, stopping to explain the structure of one particular joke, breaking it down into its constituent parts. Meta-comedy, if you like.
We’ve also got to take a moment to mention his style. That repetitious style that’s so very literary. We’ve got literate comedians, who might chuck in a reference to Dryden or Joyce, but Lee has a rhythm to his routines that’s almost poetic in its meter. And it’s a measure of his talent that, even with the careful and lengthy build-up, the punchline still catches you off guard. Yes, he’s clever, but not – as so often accused – clever-clever.
But what you really want to know is: is he funny? Of course he is. Would we have rambled on for several paragraphs of gushing praise if we’d sat there stony-faced, silently appreciating form and phrase? It’s not a book reading. Laughs are first and foremost, provoked by a man in complete control of his craft. This really is a show you cannot miss.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Stuart, Chortle
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter