Is Content Provider likely to gain Stewart Lee a new fanbase? Probably not. Does it offer proof to his followers as well as the comedy world at large that he remains one of the country’s foremost agent provocateurs when it comes to getting up on stage and talking into a microphone? Almost certainly.
On the weekend before the broadcast of this two-hour recording of his most recent live show, The Times announced Lee as the number one English-speaking comedian on the planet. Though to his detractors, he continues to spew the same metropolitan liberal elitist gobbledygook that winds them up into a frothing, Hard Brexit fury. Here, as you’d expect, Lee puts those types to his withering sword but is not afraid, as he has done for several live shows in a row as well as during his now-axed BBC Comedy Vehicle, to mock-antagonise those who purport to be on his side.
Filming this show in the Leave-opting Southend-on-Sea is already an act of theatrical aggression, and the ‘character’ of ‘Stewart Lee’ absolutely lords it over their ignorance and bigotry, amusingly coming to the conclusion that the majority in the crowd have been dragged there against their will.
Upon a stage covered in other comedians’ live DVDs, he stomps on them both literally and metaphorically, insisting that the very mechanics of his stand-up (how he doesn’t always end a line on a hard consonant like Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle), makes him a clearly far superior comedian, while he hilariously mimics Michael McIntyre and Russell Howard in his most physically comedic sections.
As with the Comedy Vehicle shows, he breaks up the stand-up bits with the appearance of a merciless interrogator who does the job that his more vocal critics would love to take on, destroying his very existence as a comedian with anything meaningful to say. Previously, the devil’s advocate role was performed with relish by Chris Morris and Armando Iannucci, and here it’s comics legend Alan Moore (Watchmen / V for Vendetta) who picks away at Lee’s scabs of self-doubt. The joke is always on us: they know that we know that they know that Stewart Lee is a uniquely talented comedy warrior.
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, 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
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter