Stewart Lee’s comedy vehicle looks like a clown car.
His show appears to be a stand-up gig in a nightclub, with added sketches, and Stewart Lee himself looks like a middle-aged man in a suit that’s straining at the buttons. It’s not a comedy suit though, like Harry Hill’s trademark collars.
It’s more like the suit of a man who was surprised to find his old jacket didn’t fit any more but decided there was no point in buying a new one because he’s been the same size all of his life.
I mention the suit because Stewart Lee, who went from Fist Of Fun to penning Jerry Springer The Opera, is 40 now. A difficult age when, if he’s not careful, stand-up patter starts to sound like a one-man edition of Grumpy Old Men – or just plain envy.
Each week on his show Lee will be bitching about something. Tonight, it’s books – specifically celebrity hardbacks, the tragic lives genre, Dan Brown – whatever sells by the shed-load.
Reading between the lines, Lee might just be really peeved that his own debut novel didn’t match the dizzying sales figures enjoyed by the likes of Chris Moyles or Jeremy Clarkson. No wonder he can’t stick Harry Potter.
“I’ve read the complete works of the romantic poet and visionary William Blake!” he blurts out at one point. You half-expect him to grab the cameraman by the lapels and scream: “I went to Oxford!!”
Fortunately, most of the time, Lee is very funny. As funny as Moyles though?
Watch and decide for yourself.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk