IT not exactly something to boast about, but it was a gig in Liverpool which put Stewart Lee right off stand-up.
“I had a moment on stage at Rawhide where I thought I’ve got to stop doing this and I gave up from about 2001 to 2004,” he reveals.
“A guy in the audience kept shouting at me “talk about illegal immigrants” and I went, why don’t you then?”
Stewart got the mouthy punter on stage to see what would happen, but security were having none of it and brought his experiment to a swift end.
“So I thought I can’t be bothered,” he says. “It was a number of things, but that was one of them and I stopped gigging for three years.”
Luckily the 41-year-old is firmly back in the stand-up groove and is relishing his latest tour of the UK which comes to the Playhouse next week.
The comedian, writer and director has been plying his trade for two decades, starting as a student at Oxford University where he studied English.
His interest in stand-up was fired by the alternative comedians he saw acting as support acts for bands in the early 1980s.
“In the immediate post punk era a lot of gigs were a lot more cabaret,” he explains.
“Billy Bragg was like that, he used to have a country band on and some Japanese performance artists and a comedian. The first comics that I saw, apart from seeing the Two Ronnies as a kid, were opening for bands.
“When I was 15 I saw Ted Chippington open for The Fall at the Powerhouse in Birmingham and I can quite honestly say that was the point at which I thought I’d like to be a stand-up.
“Before then I didn’t think I could do stand-up because I thought you had to be confident and funny and talk about stuff people were interested in.
“But when I saw Ted Chippington I realised you could stand still and talk really quietly and not appear to be interested in the audience and I thought I could probably do that!”
Stewart went on to make his name in the 1990s in a comedy partnership with Richard Herring.
Then there was the acclaimed but controversial Jerry Springer the Musical which he co-wrote and directed, novel The Perfect Fool and, in the last few years, a host of stand-up shows and one-off TV appearances.
A new TV series – Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle – earlier this year brought him firmly back into the public eye.
“It’s really great,” he says, punctuating his explanation with barks of laughter.
“I’ve never had so many offers of gigs and they’re filling up more then they ever have, and also they’re filling up with people that know what they’ve come to.
“Sometimes, particularly at weekends, people come to see some comedy and you’re not necessarily what they want.
“This time, having done the TV show, people know they’re coming to something quite slow, turgid, repetitive, so they don’t feel disappointed!”
He is, of course, being disingenuous.
Expect If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One to include his views on Richard ‘Hamster’ Hammond, coffeeshop loyalty cards, advertisers hijacking his favourite song and plenty of trademark intelligent irony.
He smiles: “Stand up was my first love, and it is again now having been all around the houses.”
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, 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
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph