Stewart Lee hasn’t been on telly for a long time, but I have fond memories of when he used to be a regular on our screens. I was probably too young for Fist of Fun on the radio, but I was just old enough for This Morning with Richard (Herring, of course) Not Judy – a comedy show which inexplicably found itself broadcast on Sunday mornings. We should bring that back, Sunday morning comedy. Anyway, Mr Lee – having penned a musical and spent years on the stand-up circuit – returned to TV last night. And he’s got a few things to get off his chest.
TV has struggled with the best way to showcase quality stand-ups for years now – should comics simply adapt to the medium and star in a sit-com, should they speak straight to the camera, should they have a live audience? Many formats have been tried with varying success, but to be honest I’m coming round to the belief that just pointing a camera at comedians while they do their thing is probably the best idea.
That’s what happens here, for the most part, with Stewart Lee performing a straight stand-up gig with just a few little sketches interspersed between the rants and ramblings. And that’s a great thing, and we need much more of it on our tellyboxes – comedians at the top of their game showing a much wider audience than would ever normally be achievable just how wonderful, uplifting, clever and intricate really great comedy can be.
I have a problem though… a lot of what Stewart Lee said irked me a little. In last night’s episode, Lee turned his admittedly sharp mind to books, and in particular toilet books and celebrity hardbacks. Perhaps it is just me, but isn’t it a little obvious to suggest that these genres are inherently crappy? Taking potshots at the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and Chris Moyles felt pedestrian, and to suggest that he shouldn’t read Harry Potter because it’s intended for kids seems close-minded.
But – surprisingly for a comic not known for set-up-and-punchline jokes – he had some great one-liners: to say of Asher D’s book “it doesn’t do to over-perfect things” is a delightful backhanded compliment, and when Dan Brown writes the line “The famous man looked at the red cup” all the work’s been done for you.
Mixed feelings then: on one hand I love seeing stand-up on TV, especially when supported by veterans of the comedy circuit we don’t often see on the telly such as Tony Law and Simon Munnery, but the comedy itself didn’t suit me personally. But I can be heartened by the very fact that this show – along with the likes of We Need Answers and Cowards – has been commissioned at all.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com