Sadly, TV Critic Omer Ali at Time Out, who is clearly a fan of sorts, wanted to like The Perfect Fool but found himself too compelled to compare it unfavourably to Killing Paparazzi by Robert M Eversz, and we must respect him for this. I think I can pull “excellent … especially good” out of this, but it would seem dishonest to do so. I was glad Omer noticed that I had tried to twist events this way and that, as plot device and emotional background, but sad that he thought I had failed roundly. At this stage I don’t get a knock to my ego from bad reviews, I just worry about how it will affect sales and the chance of getting to publish again. – S.Lee
“The main thing linking these 2 books is the central importance of an act of bestiality caught on camera acquires in both, as well as a female lead trying to escape her past. Excellent stand-up comedian Lee tries – as he does with all the conceits in his novel – to twist the event this way and that, as plot device and emotional background, but fails roundly…. Killing Paparazzi is zippy stuff, all the more so compared with Lee’s work, which tiringly takes us from Balham – bedsit territory where he’s at his best – to Arizona, involving, amongst other things, Hopi myths, the blooming Holy Grail, and Soviet space dog Laika, zzz … A list of comedians-turned-novelist would be longer than this review, and compared to most of them I wanted Lee to carry it off, but then I finally understood Emperor Josef II’s rebuke to Mozart, ‘too many notes’. ….. Lee spends the best of his efforts drawing his cast list together in ways that are all too obvious. The prose is mechanical, and fails to capture any of the visual elisions in his mind. This isn’t writing, it’s directing traffic.”
Oh dear. That said, History has shown Emperor Josef II to be wrong about WA Mozart, who is now highly regarded, but dead.
S Lee
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, 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
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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John Robins, Comedian
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork