Fatherhood has had a calming influence on Stewart Lee. The potent combination of raw, visceral bitterness and powerful, combative intellect has been softened; no longer does he make mincemeat of scared cows, now we have sarcasm-drenched grumpiness at the dumbing down of Britain.
It means his 2007 show doesn’t have the searing intensity and fearless, uncomfortable edge of his most commanding work, but still offers an irritable, petulant whine at the way of the world.
Public opinion is what most vexes him this time around, prompted at his own ranking in a meaningless Channel 4 poll of great stand-ups. His mother, utterly uninterested in comedy, is duly unimpressed, given she has already witnessed the pinnacle of comic genius: Tom O’Connor on a cruise ship.
Lee is dismissive of the consensus taste. Is Del Boy falling through a bar really the funniest thing ever? He reels of a list of infinitely better moments of TV comedy – all less suited to the instant format of packaged clip shows – each time childishly mocking the British public mewling pathetically that the pratfall is still their favourite, until he is reduced to a foetal, impotent ball, curled up on the filthy Udderbelly floor.
This is a routine that’ll be loved by comedy aficionados, as other digs at everyone from Russell Brand to Al Murray reinforce. Lee likes to work the niche, himself. Cracking an obscure comic-book reference that only two lads get, he does a brief follow-up routine just for them, defiantly working ‘the thinnest edge of the wedge possible’.
Lee’s stock-in-trade, though, is the slow, tedious repetition of his points – testing the audience’s patience, but also getting the laughs as they realise that’s exactly what he’s doing. It makes for a slow start, agonising but knowingly funny, until it’s revealed as a teasing build-up to more considered argument. Patience is rewarded.
Given his take on populism, you can imagine Lee’s take on Celebrity Big Brother and the broadcaster that peddles it – inconveniently, also the sponsor of his venue – especially in the light of him having his own stand-up series unceremoniously dumped by BBC Two before he had even started filming His unique material on a ubiquitous topic, the Jade Goody racism row, opens out into his own tongue-in-cheek observations of why Muslims made him fat.
Then, with consummate skill, every element of the preceding hour slots cleanly into place, giving a satisfying overview of the fundamental folly of bowing to public opinion – that the public are, en masse, idiots. But then Lee demonstrates that he’s above acting like an idiot himself if it gets a laugh… especially if it eminates from the belly of his tiny son.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, 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
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com