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