I’VE always thought that people from Solihull (or Silhillians, as they pretentiously call themselves) were snobs.
Now Stewart Lee proves it. The comic, who grew up in the town, decided to lay into fellow Midlander Adrian Chiles in his BBC2 Comedy Vehicle this week.
He said of The One Show (watched by considerably more people than his show, by the way): “It’s like being trapped in the buffet car of an express train with a Toby jug which has somehow learned to speak. The inexorable rise of Adrian Chiles makes me long for the days when a regional accent was a professional disadvantage.”
Ooh, how mean!
Stewart went on to have a go at almost everything on television, a medium which doesn’t meet his high standards.
Admittedly, he does have a certain way with words and some of it was quite amusing. It’s true, Andrew Lloyd Webber does look like “a monk in a wind tunnel” and it’s odd Ant and Dec don’t grow old.
But then Stewart took it too far by saying the Geordie duo are “caked in sin”. Hang on!
His whole tone is one of complete, smug condescension, all but saying “I’m so intelligent and you’re all just stupid for watching popular TV.”
Fine, we’ll just switch you off, then.
He tried to recreate Del Boy’s fall through the open bar on Only Fools And Horses, saying “how can this be the funniest thing ever on TV?”. Maybe it isn’t, Stewart, but it’s a lot funnier than you. You’re not nearly as clever as you think you are.
I realise I’m rising to the bait by complaining about him, because he wants to be controversial. This is the man who wrote Jerry Springer: The Opera, after all. But this is one vehicle that’s way off track.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk