Stewart Lee’s comedy vehicle looks like a clown car.
His show appears to be a stand-up gig in a nightclub, with added sketches, and Stewart Lee himself looks like a middle-aged man in a suit that’s straining at the buttons. It’s not a comedy suit though, like Harry Hill’s trademark collars.
It’s more like the suit of a man who was surprised to find his old jacket didn’t fit any more but decided there was no point in buying a new one because he’s been the same size all of his life.
I mention the suit because Stewart Lee, who went from Fist Of Fun to penning Jerry Springer The Opera, is 40 now. A difficult age when, if he’s not careful, stand-up patter starts to sound like a one-man edition of Grumpy Old Men – or just plain envy.
Each week on his show Lee will be bitching about something. Tonight, it’s books – specifically celebrity hardbacks, the tragic lives genre, Dan Brown – whatever sells by the shed-load.
Reading between the lines, Lee might just be really peeved that his own debut novel didn’t match the dizzying sales figures enjoyed by the likes of Chris Moyles or Jeremy Clarkson. No wonder he can’t stick Harry Potter.
“I’ve read the complete works of the romantic poet and visionary William Blake!” he blurts out at one point. You half-expect him to grab the cameraman by the lapels and scream: “I went to Oxford!!”
Fortunately, most of the time, Lee is very funny. As funny as Moyles though?
Watch and decide for yourself.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot