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