Stewart Lee might have been beaten by Michael McIntyre in the Best Stand-up category at Saturday’s British Comedy Awards but there are plenty of comedy buffs flocking to Lee’s current show who beg to differ.
While McIntyre is the arena-packing people’s punster, Lee is the art-house comedian’s comedian, admired as much for his craft, poise and intelligence as his quips.
In this supremely accomplished set, however, Lee does not feel a million miles away from McIntyre. Both are essentially observational entertainers but where the slick-suited superstar tickles life’s trivia, the tight-jacketed cult joker goes for the jugular, brilliantly unpicking the vogue for offensive humour and the way capitalism tramples on people’s memories.
If an attack on Frankie Boyle’s shock-jock mentality is an effective warm-up, the real venom is saved for Lee’s already notorious assault on Top Gear’s bully-boy blokeism. Out of context his controversial wish that Richard Hammond had died gruesomely in his 2006 dragster accident is tasteless. In the context of exploring limits of taste it is a superb piece of Swiftian satire.
This high point is not quite matched by an excellent extended riff on advertising’s habit of soiling great music but there is still a sting in the tale as Lee closes with a surprisingly well-sung song.
A masterclass in stand-up being more than just a bag of gags and a top gear performance from this driven man.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury