Few contemporary comics divide opinion like Stewart Lee. For long-time fans and comedy obsessives, he is touched by genius, a maverick whose deep-rooted fascination with comedy lies in seeing how far he can stretch the boundaries of the form while still making an audience laugh. For those who prefer a more obvious strike rate of gags per minute, he “doesn’t have any jokes”, a criticism Lee sends up by announcing that he has included three “jokes” in this new touring show.
Charity, Adrian Chiles (“a Toby jug that has somehow learned to speak”) and the government are his three principal themes here, but as ever he manages to wrong-foot his audience by making you question what exactly you are laughing at almost before the laugh has left your lips. After a crude line about teenage mothers, he remarks: “I’ve been told I could sell that joke to Mock the Week – it shows the requisite level of contempt for the poor.”
It’s not his only shot at the programme, and the particular contemptuous brand of humour it has popularised, but his real target throughout is the public’s unquestioning compliance with what we are fed by the media, advertisers and spin doctors. He illustrates this with an anecdote about his own encounter with the Bullingdon Club during his Oxford days.
His style of nuanced repetition won’t please everyone, but Lee is a true original, embodying the spirit of the Shakespearean fool; his jests conceal a sharp-eyed wisdom that might just make you revise the way you look at the world.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.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
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter