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