STEWART Lee is 41, as he keeps telling us. But this isn’t a reflective show to mull over the quirks of getting older, it’s an attack on the entertainment which winds him up, with particular ire reserved for Top Gear and rival comedian, Frankie Boyle. Boyle had the temerity to say stand-ups shouldn’t carry on beyond 40. This is where Lee’s show, If You Prefer A Milder Comedian Please Ask For One, lived up to his name.
“Frankie Boyle, who is 38… ” Lee began, before succinctly picking off some of his favourite targets: weak observational comedy, the cast of Top Gear and his old friends at the BBC.
Perversely inspired by Boyle, Lee delivered a show of quite extraordinary anger. Jeremy Clarkson’s unpleasant jokes about Gordon Brown’s loss of the use of one eye and Richard Hammond’s lackey status – “a licence feepayer-funded apologist for bullying” came off worst.
Lee trod a fine line, however, saying some of the cruellest things about the presenters and their families, before backtracking, claiming it was all a joke – “it’s the Top Gear defence”.
It worked, but only just. He didn’t take all of the audience with him on his flights of fancy but his calm fury retained some logic even as he ramped it up to an absurd level. This worked best when turning on the creative who he accused of stealing one of his family’s catchphrases to advertise pear cider.
Lee ran up to the dress circle, clambered from the seats to a box – to the alarm of a watching steward – and continued his diatribe, unhinged but hilarious. It wasn’t quite the stand-up masterclass we have come to expect from Lee, but it will live long in the memory.
So no thank you, I don’t want a milder comedian.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com