Though I’m personally invited to drop a star by Lee tonight, I’ll resist the temptation. This rating comes with a caveat, however. The ursine comic’s often sublime shtick (here ranging over politics, race and age) still requires those allergic to alienating repetition, knowing deconstruction and long-game subversion to deal with that, albeit to a lesser extent than before.
Shakespeare, assured my English teacher, always supplied a direct hit even in his most involved passages. So it is with fellow West Midlander Lee, who can despatch his targets with caustic brevity: “You have to have imagination on the left… to look at Ed Miliband and imagine that he represents anything other than the destruction of the post-war socialist dream.”
For UKIP deputy leader, Paul Nuttall, there is more trademark, and therefore more elaborate, rebuff. Lee takes Nuttall’s view that Bulgaria should retain its high achievers to a nihilistic conclusion, reaching it via a backwards chronological rundown of immigration that includes the evolution of fish to land animals.
The mix of pathos and playfulness is heightened in a closing sequence where Lee puffs himself up only to puncture his ego and portrays himself as a burnt out performer, berated by his family who apply their own ‘dropped star’ rating to him.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Funday’schild, 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
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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A D Ward, Twitter