I’d given up on ever again finding stand-up on TV funny, so Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle didn’t arouse antic expectations. But actually it is properly funny, and what makes him funny is instructive. He plays a character. It’s not him, it’s a performance. He’s not just a spooky, needy fat man telling jokes; Lee’s character is a spooky, needy fat man, a metropolitan socialist with a bucket of self-loathing, insecurity, thin skin and well-deserved doubts, telling jokes. He is a Corbynista Tony Hancock, and it’s a good creation, delivered with astute vehemence.
Lee points out that comedy has made him a member of the middle class, where he is hated, and you know this is an act because, in real life, Lee went to a public school — he was a contemporary of Richard Hammond, whom he once hilariously wished was dead — and then to Oxford; and he writes musicals. His mockable working- class persona is tee-hee gold. If you regret the passing of really whiny political humour and wondered who on earth was going to pick up the jester’s cap, look no further.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, 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
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph