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