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