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