His performances unfurl like a stroll on a summer’s day: scenery and good companionship take precedence over destination
When praising a comedian it is generally a good idea to quote one of his or her jokes. The trouble with Stewart Lee is that he doesn’t really do gags – at least not in the traditional sense of set-up, fire, reload. His performances unfurl like a long stroll on a summer’s day: scenery and good companionship take precedence over destination, and any laughter seems almost serendipitous. For all of his self-deprecation and apparent hesitancy, Lee is evidently a practised charmer.
So too with the apparent shambling of his act: it is just that, a put-on. In a recent episode of his latest BBC series, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Lee discusses the evolution of modern comedy (something he is an expert on, as revealed in last year’s memoirs How I Escaped My Certain Fate): “What the comedy is now – it’s not like the 80s – what it is now, it’s a load of people and they all hate their electrical appliances.” This jibe about modern comedy’s turn from shouty politics to smug consumerism slowly turns into a riff about how Mr Morphy Richards strives to make toasters that work, then advice on how to return broken toasters.
Yet Lee can also do precise structure, as demonstrated by his sharply observed music journalism and his comedy musical Jerry Springer: The Opera. But let us return to the original question: what is a typical Lee gag? In desperation, this paper turned to the comedian’s publicist.
She could think of only one conventional one-liner ever made by Lee – and he’d bought it from another comedian for a quid. Typical.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube