…the BBC had a third moment of thrilling sanity and balls-finding this week: recommissioning Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle.
Initially axed after the first series, a campaign by Lee’s fans resulted in Vehicle returning for a second series, to the relief of anyone with an interest in modern comedy. Lee doesn’t really tell jokes — something which, ironically, he tells quite a lot of jokes about — but, instead, kind of … jazzes around with language, hitting words, or images, over and over again until their unexpected reappearance on the off-beat (or the anticipation of it returning to the on-beat) forces out a snorty, honking, pig-goose laugh from the viewer. Or maybe that’s just me.
This week’s episode revolved around the word “crisps”, and Lee’s unbearable sibilance on pronouncing it. It’s exactly the kind of single-minded, off-beat, quietly glorious thing that the BBC should be broadcasting. A significant bellwether in the schedules.
Yes, it was a good week for Auntie.
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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John Robins, Comedian
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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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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian