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