FRANKIE Boyle would have you believe that comics hitting 40 lose their potency, the righteous anger that compels them to mock the Queen’s anatomy on comedy panel shows. At 41, Stewart Lee is not about to let this lie and meticulously dissects the Glaswegian’s assertion, as he does everything else in this show, with playful aggression and measured sarcasm.
One of the genuinely thrilling aspects of seeing Lee is trying to ascertain just how deep his distaste for something extends before he blows it up into one of his elaborate set-pieces, especially as some of the targets are so close – his employers at the BBC and a Sunday newspaper are guilty by association of the emergence of the “Russell comedian” and the rise of Jeremy Clarkson.
Yet it’s Clarkson’s partner in politically incorrect sniggering, Richard Hammond, who bears the brunt of Lee’s ire. And just so any tabloid newspapers or bootleggers posting out-of-context YouTube clips of him denouncing his ex-schoolmate understand, he truly wishes Hammond had died in his car crash, with all the jollying contempt the Top Gear presenters reserve for Gordon Brown’s blindness or the “myth” of climate change.
His last routine, some furious grandstanding at the vacuity of advertising, is rendered all the sweeter for taking a pop at the cider sponsors of the Glasgow Comedy Festival, which, despite flirting with self-parody, is a suitably impressive climax. As a coda, he adds something allegedly shocking in contemporary stand-up, a seemingly genuine attempt to do something sincerely and well, singing Steve Earle’s Galway Girl.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Bosco239, youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Idrie, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com