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