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