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