It’s a brave comic who declares on stage every night that he would like to see a cute television presenter die in a horrific accident (as nearly happened to Top Gear’s Richard Hammond in 2006). But declares it Stewart Lee does and, for good measure, he also disses a fellow comedian while he’s at it.
Lee’s style is almost professorial; he lays out his material slowly, deliberately in a low, even voice and fashions a joke that may not get its payoff until several minutes later. He even deconstructs his material at times or condescendingly berates the audience for not getting the point quickly enough. He builds jokes layer by layer, often using repetition of words and phrases seemingly to the point of banality, but actually to great dramatic effect.
The comic made his name in the 1990s as one half of Lee and Herring, whose intelligent, surreal comedy in Fist of Fun and Lee and Herring (Radio 1 and BBC2) defined a generation of student humour. In 2003 Lee co-wrote the quite brilliant Jerry Springer: The Opera, which came under sustained attack from the religious right, and in 2004 he returned to stand-up with a solo show. If Lee’s on-screen persona with Herring had been Mr Grumpy, he now had cause to be Mr Angry too, and the fallout from the JSTO brouhaha fuelled sensationally good, often highly controversial satire.
Lee’s stand-up career has been an unmitigated triumph and each new show pushes the boundaries of both taste and comic invention a little bit further. His latest, entitled If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One, is no exception in both departments, and it also contains a real surprise in its delivery. But more of that later.
The inspiration for the show is a remark recently made by Scottish comic Frankie Boyle (the shouty one just departed from BBC2’s Mock the Week); there are no funny comedians over the age of 40, he said. Lee, 41, begs to differ and subverts the ridiculous ageism in that remark by railing about that most middle-aged obsession, his loyalty card at a high-street coffee chain, which was refused by an officious barista. In a inspired segment that lasts fully 15 minutes, Lee manages to skewer petty rules, corporate greed, middle-class smugness and the futile anger of a man trying to flounce out of said coffee shop but who has to negotiate a narrow doorway with his toddler in a pushchair.
Like much of this show, the riff is expertly crafted and delivered. But while Lee is preaching to the converted about The Man, it’s when he spins an elaborate story about Richard Hammond – sidekick of Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear (who also gets a kicking) – that he flirts with danger. Many of the more outrageous comments- “I want to see Hammond decapitated and his head on a stick” – are followed with “It’s just a joke!” a la Clarkson when he is making one of his trademark hilarious comments about gays or greens. It’s a neat trick but one so layered in ironies that the risk is that not all the audience appreciate just where the joke lies.
And then the surprise, when Lee tells us he wants to break the last taboo of comedy. I won’t spoil the joke, but suffice to say it has another elaborate set-up, tugs at the heartstrings and then delivers a very funny sucker punch. He is on sensationally good form.
Stewart Lee is at the Palace Theatre in Southend tonight and then touring until 27 February 2010.
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com