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