I’VE always thought that people from Solihull (or Silhillians, as they pretentiously call themselves) were snobs.
Now Stewart Lee proves it. The comic, who grew up in the town, decided to lay into fellow Midlander Adrian Chiles in his BBC2 Comedy Vehicle this week.
He said of The One Show (watched by considerably more people than his show, by the way): “It’s like being trapped in the buffet car of an express train with a Toby jug which has somehow learned to speak. The inexorable rise of Adrian Chiles makes me long for the days when a regional accent was a professional disadvantage.”
Ooh, how mean!
Stewart went on to have a go at almost everything on television, a medium which doesn’t meet his high standards.
Admittedly, he does have a certain way with words and some of it was quite amusing. It’s true, Andrew Lloyd Webber does look like “a monk in a wind tunnel” and it’s odd Ant and Dec don’t grow old.
But then Stewart took it too far by saying the Geordie duo are “caked in sin”. Hang on!
His whole tone is one of complete, smug condescension, all but saying “I’m so intelligent and you’re all just stupid for watching popular TV.”
Fine, we’ll just switch you off, then.
He tried to recreate Del Boy’s fall through the open bar on Only Fools And Horses, saying “how can this be the funniest thing ever on TV?”. Maybe it isn’t, Stewart, but it’s a lot funnier than you. You’re not nearly as clever as you think you are.
I realise I’m rising to the bait by complaining about him, because he wants to be controversial. This is the man who wrote Jerry Springer: The Opera, after all. But this is one vehicle that’s way off track.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, 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
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com