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