The most interesting point Stewart Lee makes in the third episode of his current series, subtitled ‘Patriotism’, comes at the start when he talks about the biggest problem the modern satirist faces. The news is in such flux, says Lee, it is hard to get a handle on it for comedy. And if Lee is having that problem, spare a thought for lesser mortals out there trying to monetize their social commentary.
Lee points to UKIP as a prime example of the rapidly changing face of the political landscape. When he started work on this series pre-2015 general election, they posed a credible threat to the established order, but things didn’t pan out quite as they hoped.
Likewise Lee doesn’t mention Donald Trump’s rise in this episode, which was recorded a while ago. Maybe that will be redressed in the future. Though in fairness here he concentrates on the unpredictability of British politics. As he wryly observes, not even the wittiest minds in the land saw the David Cameron/”Dead Pig Sex Face” allegations coming. Not one comedian predicted that turn of events. Shame on them.
The main meat of the episode was a story linking Jeremy Corbyn, Lee’s cat and the media’s insatiable habit of not letting the facts get in the way of a good bit of clickbait. He neatly pushed a scatalogical image to the absolute limit and then beyond. It was filthy but funny. He had a pithy routine about naming a pet dog after Matthew “Inspector Gadget” Broderick and his description of Downton Abbey as “thinly veiled Conservative propaganda” felt spot on.
As with last week this episode closed on a sketch commenting on what Lee had been talking about. It’s more of an old school mash-up here, slightly in the style of Cassetteboy, with visual images cut together. It was initially impressive but outstayed its welcome in a way that Lee’s verbal riffs never seem to. A good episode with subversive laughs splattered all over it but not quite up to the high standard Lee has set himself. Then again as he said at the start, satire these days is not easy.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, 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
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter