FOR the first time in his life, Stewart Lee has run out of things to say. This former provoker of rightwing Christians and frequent presider over ‘corduroy Nurembergs’ now spends his humdrum days either driving between gigs, on a relentless touring schedule spurred by his TV rebirth, or reluctantly watching vintage Scooby Doo episodes as part of his childcare duties.
It’s a self-proclaimed listlessness, of course, and a clever conceit, allowing Lee to spend the first part of this set riffing off recent news stories with the air of someone appalled that he has to resort to doing so (Russell Howard and Jimmy Carr don’t fare well here).
That flirtation with the headlines also gives him free rein to apply his deconstructionist shtick, as well as allowing some corking examples of skewed logic – his novel way of finding parallels between the Libyan uprising and Cameron’s Big Society is the most ingenious topical gag we have heard this year.
Elsewhere, there are deadpan flights of fancy to savour: his imagining of Scooby’s world under Thatcher and his literal take on the names of trading estate megastores are superlative routines with criss-crossing themes, surprises at every turn and, like his news-based material, plenty of rewards for those who can keep up with his biting intellectualism.
You have to wait until the end, though, for Lee’s real passion to come through: in the midst of an identity crisis, he turns to the internet to find what people have blogged, commented and tweeted about him, to demonstrate how the web has become a platform for ignorance and hate. That’s hardly a revelation but whenever Lee approaches a subject that’s close to his heart, be it freedom of speech or industry homogeneity, it’s brought into bleak, devastating focus.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Stuart, Chortle
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Al Murray, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk