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.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Idrie, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Wharto15, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Brighton Argus
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter