Stewart Lee’s Carpet Remnant World has been on the road for months and I am sure it is far from as free-form as it appears.
Lee also makes much use of information that can be gleaned online, from the horrifically explicit and sick reactions of some Americans to the death of Osama Bin Laden to some equally robust criticism of his own comedy.
He gives as good as he gets, it should be admitted, with a bloke called Boyle and the many Russells from his line of work among those in the firing line.
More edgily, a huge amount of his act is devoted to critiquing the reaction of certain sections of the audience with building sarcasm. This is bolder than it sounds in print and becomes increasingly squirmingly hilarious as the set goes on and he deconstructs both his jokes and the reaction to them.
There is a lot of old-school vaudeville about Lee’s schtick: the gentle, in front of the cloth comedy of Morecambe and Wise pushed into brave new dimensions. It is the intelligence that he brings to the mechanics of making people laugh that make it a really fascinating experience.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Tin Frog, 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
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter