The older Stewart Lee gets the more militant he becomes. Carpet Remnant World finds stand-up’s Tony Benn raging at the state of the nation with satirical style.
It also finds him raging at the state of comedy. There are swipes at Frankie Boyle, Russell Kane, Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais and more. Deceased writers do not escape this dissident’s deadpan wrath. Look out George Orwell.
As he explains, with brutal sarcasm, there is no narrative. Unfortunately he never has adventures which inspire material because he stays in watching cartoons with his son. This is merely a disingenuous dig at comedians who turn their lives into anecdotage. Lee has his Fairtrade cake and scoffs it, wittily describing his tedious domesticity, while getting gags out of Twitter and Googling himself. A highlight is reading unprintable online insults over a jazz soundtrack.
This set boasts little of the trademark repetition or taboo-busting of recent monologues, so by his standards it feels underpowered. It is, however, polished and funny, particularly if you are a comedy trainspotter. Michael McIntyre fans may be baffled but for Lee’s chin-stroking devotees Carpet Remnant World cuts a hilarious rug.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Fairy Pingu, 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
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter