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