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