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