Woe betide those who find themselves on the receiving end of Stewart Lee’s sarcasm. It kills with a smile – then bludgeons the corpse. One of the several routines, old and new, he is rotating as part of this year’s Edinburgh show turns the irony on an American comedian called Franklyn Ajaye. Lee cites Ajaye’s album I’m a Comedian, Seriously as his career inspiration. With sarcastic intonation excised, but with its mordancy very much intact, he recites the sleevenotes, which claim for Ajaye the status of an artist and thinker. Then he lists the tracks on the album: 1. Homosexuals. 2. Girls with Big Breasts. 3. Dick Caught in Zipper.
It is a viciously funny routine, one of several that Lee is rehearsing for a forthcoming TV show. But tonight’s set doesn’t lack a unifying theme; the quality of the material is too high for that. Yes, it is sometimes breathtakingly cynical: he burns a few comedy bridges with his send-ups of comics who riff on their own ethnicity or fetishise plain-speaking (“outlaws, they are, saying the unsayable, to the many people willing to pay to hear it”). The way Lee disassembles practically every genus of joke, meanwhile, makes one worry that he may never again actually find a gag funny.
Or is it just that he finds technique as funny as the gags? He exposes the architecture of his own jokes: how he sets up laugh-lines then alternates and repeats them, like a slo-mo vaudevillian spinning plates. Sometimes there is no need for transparency: Chris Moyles’ literary output would be laughable even without Lee’s wit applied. And the observational stuff about being middle-aged and staying in Travelodges is amusing but pedestrian. Perhaps Ajaye could write a routine about that – but I suspect he is keeping his head down.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com