Accused of intellectual snobbery, Stewart Lee hits back, pointing out that it’s a valid performance device, under the theatrical technique of Brechtian alienation. Thus explaining himself and reinforcing the criticism in one kamikaze blow.
The friction is all part of the rules of engagement of his Comedy Vehicle, which are well-established now it enters its fourth series. He takes the Himalayan moral and cerebral high ground, making no attempt to conceal his disappointment with the crowd – branding them ignorant, stupid snobs who just don’t get him, understanding only the easiest lowest common denominator pap. Thus he’s the underdog, fighting against circumstance to try to get his highbrow thoughts across.
The dynamic is all about status, and this series opener made that very clear. It was billed as concerning wealth and social responsibility, but he digresses into a long grumble about Graham Norton trumping him to scoop a comedy Bafta. It forensically picks the weak spots in Norton’s show while purporting to praise him, yet revealing Lee’s insecurities about his relative standing. Or at least he insecurities of the ‘character of Stewart Lee’ as the comic always describes his complex on-stage persona.
The contrast between Norton’s accessible quick, camp wit and Lee’s carefully constructed stand-up couldn’t be starker. Although a disclaimer to the routine comes in the deliciously reluctant grilling by Chris Morris, in which Lee begrudgingly acknowledges that the Bafta was for comedy AND entertainment. Norton is undeniably entertaining, Lee concedes, while accepting his own work ‘isn’t entertainment. No one would think that.’
Disingenuous, of course. He can craft proper jokes – the gag about orienteering with Napalm Death did deserve more, he was right about that – and has beautifully constructed metaphors that imprint themselves in your memory. Lee might demand your attention, but he rewards it with phrases and ideas that resonate.
And if you think he’s got it in for Graham Norton, wait until Lee skewers James Corden, heaping sarcastic scorn on the idea that the star of Lesbian Vampire Killers might be a genuine fan of his highfalutin stand-up.
It turns out – as he tacitly promised us it would – that all these complaints about more successful comedians do come back to make a point about wealth, albeit a very personal one. Fuelled by a jealousy he’d never admit, Lee mulls how a wider mainstream status might help him pay his mortgage, how he should give the public what they want without fretting about such outdated concepts as artistic merit.
This most credible of stand-ups would never crack of course, though there is perhaps a slight nod to the ‘entertainment’ genre this series, as he seems a more playful in his grumpiness than ever before before. There’s a glint in the eye, letting on that all his audience baiting, all his jibes about fellow comedians, are all just part of one big meta-joke – which, as he points out in response to a zero-star review, is well in the remit of the job. And it’s a job he does like no other, despite so many would-be imitators.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.