Yes, this show – If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One – is the one that got the Daily Mail in a tizz over the summer. But after watching the full performance, the most shocking thing is coming away with evidence of just how papers willfully twist reality to shape their own ends. Stewart Lee, cruel and insensitive? Stewart Lee, boorish and ugly? What a deliberate and crass misinterpretation of what the man’s about.
Because Stewart Lee, should you be young or unfortunate enough not to have encountered him in his younger, more televisually exposed days with Richard Herring, is an exquisite satirist. His laid-back, sarcastic manner suggests someone who doesn’t care, but if you listen to the actual words (the words, Daily Mail) it’s clear that he’s pained by the facile and knee-jerk elements of our society – which he then adopts and rips apart from the inside. The effect is subtle but the method is confrontational; he faces down the audience and takes us to task for laughing at unusual moments, stopping to explain the structure of one particular joke, breaking it down into its constituent parts. Meta-comedy, if you like.
We’ve also got to take a moment to mention his style. That repetitious style that’s so very literary. We’ve got literate comedians, who might chuck in a reference to Dryden or Joyce, but Lee has a rhythm to his routines that’s almost poetic in its meter. And it’s a measure of his talent that, even with the careful and lengthy build-up, the punchline still catches you off guard. Yes, he’s clever, but not – as so often accused – clever-clever.
But what you really want to know is: is he funny? Of course he is. Would we have rambled on for several paragraphs of gushing praise if we’d sat there stony-faced, silently appreciating form and phrase? It’s not a book reading. Laughs are first and foremost, provoked by a man in complete control of his craft. This really is a show you cannot miss.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk