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.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian