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