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