He spent a lot of the first half of his show Content Provider, which is nearing the end of its 18- month tour, lamenting the fact that only a small section of the audience got his jokes, the venue was half empty, and he got a better reception in King’s Lynn.
While he may not have got as big a laugh for some of the jokes as expected, which resulted in him painstakingly dissecting it to explain its intended humour, this grumpy demeanour is all part of the act.
With his material ranging from Brexit and Game of Thrones to bondage in the 1930s and annoying under 40s who drink yogurts from pouches for breakfast, it was varied, original and clever.
Whereas the first half felt like a diatribe against the world, including us fans, with plenty of ad-libbing, the second part felt calmer and more storytelling in its nature, less bothered about how much laugh each joke received.
However the reason he wins so many industry accolades is that it is very much crafted – as if his shows are presented for a study on how comedy should be done.
There are few comedians this gifted on the circuit, so please come back to Ipswich again. Your like-minded out of touch metropolitan liberal elite need you.
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Stuart, Chortle
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Brighton Argus
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Bosco239, youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube