In the sweltering heat of the Edinburgh Stand, Stewart Lee plays mainly to a packed room full of people who are already predisposed to liking him. Nevertheless he insists, stand up comedy is the hardest job in the world. Sarcasm is this man’s backbone and in this years show, basically a rehearsal of old and new material in preparation for his forthcoming BBC2 series, he uses it to full effect.
Turning away from the grander themes he has covered in the past like 11/9, political correctness and vomiting into the gaping anus of Christ, Lee turns his attention to ridiculing the painfully obscure, like American comedian Franklyn Ajaye and Chris Moyles second autobiography.
In the case of Ajaye, Lee focuses on the comedian’s 1974 comedy album “I’m a Comedian, Seriously”, squeezing every last laugh out of the hilariously pompous cover and contradictory track listing, having never actually listened to the album, or indeed removed the original cellophane wrapping. In the case of Moyles, Lee contemplates the success of a book aimed at being a great toilet book that in Davina McCall’s opinion is butt-clenchingly honest.
If this show is any indication, and by it’s definition it is, then Lee’s TV show should be well worth watching.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter