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