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