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