Stewart Lee is feeling chatty. It’s notable that Lee, famous for his deadpan, languid delivery, is smiling much more these days. That may have something to do with him being a new father, or, perhaps he’s feeling more comfortable in his clown shoes, having been placed at No. 41 in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Comedians Of All Time poll.
Despite a relentless mocking of the ridiculousness of lists like this, Lee has chosen to embrace it as fact, while at the same time putting a gentle two fingers up to his quilt-loving mum who prefers cruise ship gag merchants.
He uses the conceit to question approval, why it matters and from whom we should seek it.
Lee’s obviously sore that he was commissioned by BBC 2 out of nowhere, only to be dropped equally out of the blue, but any bitterness is so deftly delivered that he never endangers his top bloke persona.
No one matches Lee’s powers of comic deconstruction and the only thing that stops him getting five stars is that 90s Comedian from 2005 was better.
Until Aug 27 (not 15), Udderbelly’s Pasture (V300), 7.30pm. www.udderbelly.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Neolab, Guardian.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
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube