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