Though I’m personally invited to drop a star by Lee tonight, I’ll resist the temptation. This rating comes with a caveat, however. The ursine comic’s often sublime shtick (here ranging over politics, race and age) still requires those allergic to alienating repetition, knowing deconstruction and long-game subversion to deal with that, albeit to a lesser extent than before.
Shakespeare, assured my English teacher, always supplied a direct hit even in his most involved passages. So it is with fellow West Midlander Lee, who can despatch his targets with caustic brevity: “You have to have imagination on the left… to look at Ed Miliband and imagine that he represents anything other than the destruction of the post-war socialist dream.”
For UKIP deputy leader, Paul Nuttall, there is more trademark, and therefore more elaborate, rebuff. Lee takes Nuttall’s view that Bulgaria should retain its high achievers to a nihilistic conclusion, reaching it via a backwards chronological rundown of immigration that includes the evolution of fish to land animals.
The mix of pathos and playfulness is heightened in a closing sequence where Lee puffs himself up only to puncture his ego and portrays himself as a burnt out performer, berated by his family who apply their own ‘dropped star’ rating to him.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, 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
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian