Don’t take children to see Stewart Lee, however. Not because he’s too rude or too satirical, although he is, but because when he kicks off with a line about how 9/11 is actually 9 November, they will quite reasonably turn to you and ask why someone as good as Lee still thinks this is a joke worth using three years after it did the rounds of every playground and office water cooler in the land. This quibble aside, Lee’s show is a masterclass in what the best stand-up can look like.
With a fine balance between current affairs and fart jokes, self-mockery and derision of celebrities (Graham Norton is ‘like a pink jackboot stamping on a human face for all eternity’), Lee, co-writer of Jerry Springer: The Opera, delivers so many good lines at such high density that the audience barely has time to keep up.
The greatest target of his wrath is Ben Elton; rebutting comparisons for the musical thing, he asserts that more people like Osama bin Laden than Ben Elton, because bin Laden ‘has at least lived his life to a consistent code of ethics’.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, 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
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net