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