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