It’s a lie, of course. The deadpan comic would have you believe his Carpet Remnant World show is nothing more than a collection of off-cuts but, as ever, he’s put together fresh material that’s lapped up by his growing number of fans.
He’s quick to mock his increasing popularity – buoyed by his BBC Comedy Vehicle show and his status as the darling of broadsheet critics - poking fun at ‘new fans’ he claims not to want and distancing himself from the funnymen who’ve become household names thanks to TV exposure.
“The Russells” , Michael McIntyre and Frankie Boyle are put to the sword, although anyone who’s seen Lee’s last couple of tours will already be familiar with his disdain for the commercialisation of stand-up. Perhaps it’s a theme that’s becoming a little too well worn.
But the “Us and Them” stance is central to his whole performance as he willfully tests his audience’s patience – making them work for the laughs – by stretching parts of his routine to breaking point before expertly reeling them back in, just because he can.
Like a master magician who now reveals his secrets, he breaks down the art of stand-up, bit by bit, as a way of making us acutely aware of what we’re laughing at and, crucially, why we’re actually laughing at all.
Noted for his dry delivery, and dripping with irony, he somehow takes us through a surreal world of Scooby Doo cartoons and zombie pirates, mixed together with riffs on Al Qaeda, Maggie Thatcher and those who peddle lazy observational comedy for the masses.
Split into two parts, the show stretches past the two-hour mark (although it seems to race by faster) with much of the material hitting home. He’s not afraid to poke fun at himself – and his reputation for being smug and superior – by collecting together a number of outrageous online insults before it all ends on a ridiculous and ultimately uplifting tale that gives the show its name.
He might have told us he had no jokes, but that didn’t stop him skillfully weaving together another fantastic show that fits the room perfectly.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter