TV’s Frankie Boyle has declared that no-one over 40 should do stand-up, as the old comedians lose their edge and their anger. Stewart Lee is 42 and Frankie’s heartless Scottish words have made him wonder if it’s worth carrying on.
Undaunted, the furiously baffled comedian tries to win round the legendarily harsh Glasgow audience with a crowd-pleasing Mcintyre-style routine about coffee shops, but is distracted by scores of imaginary pirates; he tries to talk about every day middle aged men’s concerns, but is drawn into a forty minute rant against Top Gear and all it stands for; he attempts to find some common ground with happy childhood memories that he and the audience can share, but is instead consumed with loathing and despair as a result of a Magners’ Cider advertising campaign.
He screams from the balconies, stumbles in the aisles, and ends with a country and western song. If You Prefer A Milder Comedian Please Ask For One is a vast and all-consuming epic of stand-up comedy, exploring the absolute formal limits of the art form.
There are also some jokes.
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Idrie, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter