“Each shit series is like a suicide note,” Stewart Lee tells Chris Morris in the first episode of Comedy Vehicle series four; “or like someone that’s carried out a crime and written in blood on the wall, ‘Stop me before I do this again.’” The BBC clearly isn’t getting the message – notwithstanding Lee’s frequent claims to be falling out of their favour. Ah, but maybe those claims are made by the “character” Stewart Lee and not the “real” Stewart Lee. Don’t expect onstage and offstage to mark a clear distinction between the two. There are no clear distinctions in Lee’s public world. Everything’s a wind-up. Everything’s a hall of mirrors.
That was never more the case than in last night’s trailblazer for the new series of Comedy Vehicle. Billed as addressing wealth, it was more specific than that: it was about Lee’s wealth, or lack of it. Of course we expect from Lee a nitpicking analysis of the jokes he’s telling and the reaction they’re getting. But here he’s absorbed not only in the dynamics of his own standup, but in those of his career more widely. The centrepiece is a long routine about Lee’s peevish reaction to being pipped to a Bafta award by Graham Norton’s chat show. A Bafta, he says, would have helped with his money problems – the very problems that compel him to crack jokes that are beneath him, to flatter an audience he despises.
Or so he says. It’s up to us to puzzle out how much of this is heartfelt, and how much an act. (Is he pretending to care about Norton beating him to a Bafta? Or pretending to just be pretending to care? Or is that what he wants us to think?) On the one hand, that’s a fun game to play: Lee’s genius is in having plunged deeper than any other comic into the grey area between truth and fiction, the endless recursiveness of self-revelation and self-deception. That’s enjoyable for performance geeks, but it also illuminates something about human nature; our negative capability to be both miffed (in this instance) and not miffed at the same time.
I enjoy the ambiguity in these routines, without remotely understanding why anyone (the Telegraph critic who walked out; the Dublin journalist who thought he was having a breakdown) would take them seriously. If Lee came onstage dressed as a winky face emoji, he couldn’t signal more clearly that his tongue is in his cheek. The playfulness is much in evidence here – and in the best of his comedy, it’s a precipitous pleasure to be toyed with, to try and track the joke, the target and the significance between the layers of irony.
This first episode is not the best of his comedy. It made me wonder, is “the character Stewart Lee” (as Lee calls his onstage persona) in danger of elbowing the actual Stewart Lee off the stage? I’ve most enjoyed Lee when, alongside the mind-bending performative sleights of hand (all that “Brechtian alienation”, as he calls it here) there are opinions about the world too, and things he cares about – even if they’re implied, and you have to hunt them down. Here: not so much. I know the self-absorption is part of the joke, but it’s still self-absorption, and I can’t bring myself to care about (or indeed believe in) Lee’s struggle to keep hack material out of his shows. That self-pitying shtick works as a counterpoint to weightier, more outward-looking stuff. It feels just a bit thin when obliged to sustain a whole show.
I wouldn’t want to stop him before he does this again, mind you. I’m judging this first episode only by the high standards Lee has set. And even by those standards, there’s great stuff here. The viral progress of his anti-Norton rant – from blaming Bafta, to blaming Norton, to blaming James Corden – is beautifully traced. His high-handed abuse of Corden is joltingly funny – both in its shoring up of Lee’s lofty self-esteem, and as a reminder of how seldom you hear those in the gilded back-slappy celebrity club being bluntly nasty about one another. Yes, I’ve sometimes regretted that Lee’s live work these days is always cast as a rehearsal for his TV show. But we’re lucky to have the TV show, which is seldom less than brilliant, tricksy, brain-nourishing, mickey-taking good fun. Roll on the next five episodes.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, 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
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter