…the BBC had a third moment of thrilling sanity and balls-finding this week: recommissioning Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle.
Initially axed after the first series, a campaign by Lee’s fans resulted in Vehicle returning for a second series, to the relief of anyone with an interest in modern comedy. Lee doesn’t really tell jokes — something which, ironically, he tells quite a lot of jokes about — but, instead, kind of … jazzes around with language, hitting words, or images, over and over again until their unexpected reappearance on the off-beat (or the anticipation of it returning to the on-beat) forces out a snorty, honking, pig-goose laugh from the viewer. Or maybe that’s just me.
This week’s episode revolved around the word “crisps”, and Lee’s unbearable sibilance on pronouncing it. It’s exactly the kind of single-minded, off-beat, quietly glorious thing that the BBC should be broadcasting. A significant bellwether in the schedules.
Yes, it was a good week for Auntie.
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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XPIJONpsY, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Dan McCaid, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian