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