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