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