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