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