Stewart Lee is a name that should be more widely known. In the sprawling genre of live comedy, of which Britain still boasts the finest variety, Lee is a man who cuts deeper than most. Both admired by his peers and adored by his audiences, he is the antidote to those Saturday night TV comics who shriek and squeal and pull funny faces.
How I Escaped My Certain Fate follows the highs and lows of a comedian’s life. For those who think that stand-up is merely a jumble of crowd-pleasing anecdotes, the book provides a fascinating insight into the detail and process by which a comedian goes about his work.
A lot is packed into these pages. Apart from the transcripts of three shows, and excellent accompanying notes, we also get Lee’s wide-eyed excitement at watching the pioneers Alexei Sayle, Arnold Brown and Andy de la Tour bash against the established forms of comedy in the late 1970s (‘upper-class Oxbridge satirical songs and working-class bow-tie-sporting racism’). We follow his rise in the 1990s, only to see his career stall as the audiences of the time demanded more rock and roll from their comedy. Lee’s still, monotone delivery left comedy clubs confused and cold: ‘I was boring the shit out of Friday night punters who just wanted to have some fun between work and the disco’. And then came the three shows that catapulted him to fame and success.
But illness took its toll, as he went on tour — ‘My diet from 1991-2004 consisted mainly of Diet Coke, beans on toast, crisps, Wheat Crunchies, margarine, lager and curry’ — and eventually hospitalised him. And when the BBC televised Jerry Springer: The Opera, of which Lee was co-creator, ‘shit hit the born-again Christian evangelist fan’. The uncomfortable but supremely confident finale of his 2005 show, ’90s Comedian, was a direct response to such animosity.
The transcripts reveal the dexterity with which Lee creates a show, while the notes indicate how he would deliver particular lines; but it’s still difficult to grasp the effect, even for one who saw all three performances and marvelled at them. Reading only the transcripts is like having one arm tied behind one’s back.
From the notes we learn how lines are formed and why they are placed where they are. When a comedian takes trouble even over the choice of intro music, as Lee does, one knows that there’s more going on than just telling jokes.
This is a must-read for hardened comedy fans, but it deserves a wider audience as well. It is informative, entertaining and fast-paced — and, most important of all, very funny.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, 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
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com