Accused of intellectual snobbery, Stewart Lee hits back, pointing out that it’s a valid performance device, under the theatrical technique of Brechtian alienation. Thus explaining himself and reinforcing the criticism in one kamikaze blow.
The friction is all part of the rules of engagement of his Comedy Vehicle, which are well-established now it enters its fourth series. He takes the Himalayan moral and cerebral high ground, making no attempt to conceal his disappointment with the crowd – branding them ignorant, stupid snobs who just don’t get him, understanding only the easiest lowest common denominator pap. Thus he’s the underdog, fighting against circumstance to try to get his highbrow thoughts across.
The dynamic is all about status, and this series opener made that very clear. It was billed as concerning wealth and social responsibility, but he digresses into a long grumble about Graham Norton trumping him to scoop a comedy Bafta. It forensically picks the weak spots in Norton’s show while purporting to praise him, yet revealing Lee’s insecurities about his relative standing. Or at least he insecurities of the ‘character of Stewart Lee’ as the comic always describes his complex on-stage persona.
The contrast between Norton’s accessible quick, camp wit and Lee’s carefully constructed stand-up couldn’t be starker. Although a disclaimer to the routine comes in the deliciously reluctant grilling by Chris Morris, in which Lee begrudgingly acknowledges that the Bafta was for comedy AND entertainment. Norton is undeniably entertaining, Lee concedes, while accepting his own work ‘isn’t entertainment. No one would think that.’
Disingenuous, of course. He can craft proper jokes – the gag about orienteering with Napalm Death did deserve more, he was right about that – and has beautifully constructed metaphors that imprint themselves in your memory. Lee might demand your attention, but he rewards it with phrases and ideas that resonate.
And if you think he’s got it in for Graham Norton, wait until Lee skewers James Corden, heaping sarcastic scorn on the idea that the star of Lesbian Vampire Killers might be a genuine fan of his highfalutin stand-up.
It turns out – as he tacitly promised us it would – that all these complaints about more successful comedians do come back to make a point about wealth, albeit a very personal one. Fuelled by a jealousy he’d never admit, Lee mulls how a wider mainstream status might help him pay his mortgage, how he should give the public what they want without fretting about such outdated concepts as artistic merit.
This most credible of stand-ups would never crack of course, though there is perhaps a slight nod to the ‘entertainment’ genre this series, as he seems a more playful in his grumpiness than ever before before. There’s a glint in the eye, letting on that all his audience baiting, all his jibes about fellow comedians, are all just part of one big meta-joke – which, as he points out in response to a zero-star review, is well in the remit of the job. And it’s a job he does like no other, despite so many would-be imitators.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com