This week’s post is brought to you by Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle. Series 3 is on Netflix and I’ve been watching it again. If you can, and like that sort of thing or want to try it, I’d recommend episode 4 – “context”.
“The conflict of interest I would have would be if Nando’s were to invent some kind of jazz chicken, by which I mean a chicken that whilst still recognisably a chicken, used improvisation and chance procedure to operate at the very limits of what a chicken could be.”
I’ve been a fan of Stewart Lee for a long time. From Lionel Nimrod’s Inexplicable World through (perhaps especially) Fist of Fun, This Morning with Richard Not Judy and his stand-up over the years, there’s just something about what he does that I always really liked. The combination of intelligence and silliness, of well-developed and considered craft and improvisation, use of language and physical performance. It’s not always the easiest of comedy, it involves thought and participation.
I think it’s a form of magic in its purpose and layers and approach to the use the audience puts it too, and I’d draw a comparison here to the shaman, the musician, the facilitator. If you are any of these, there are things you can learn from watching about the craft and nature of owning physical and intellectual space to take an audience with you even through some uncomfortable concepts and places.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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World Without End, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, 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
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Fowkes81, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter