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