It’s been incredibly heart-warming to witness ‘Crumpled Morrissey’ Stewart Lee’s commercial ascension over the last few years. Seeing his routine in a half-full tent at Glastonbury 2005 was like a ‘Beatles in the Cavern Club’ moment for hecklerspray.
This comparison falls apart utterly since Lee already had a long and distinguished career in radio and TV, but at that point he had a relatively low profile for his stand-up. Seeing him use such beautifully eloquent and heavily worded analysis one minute and then to make equally successful points by saying virtually nothing at all showed a comedian with such a brilliant understanding of language both in making astute comment, but also getting a laugh for it.
We were so moved by the experience that upon our return home we promptly sent him an email. We simply had to let the man know. We imagine all stalking starts with similar self-justifications.
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The problem with comedy – and this really is a problem – is that while one member of a steamy love affair is rolling on the floor, begging for the jokes to stop, yelling that it hurts. It bloody hurts. Arrrggggh! The other one is silent, arms folded, almost angry because they’re not laughing.
These jokers can actually destroy relationships. Hence, you might as well completely ignore the title of this piece, because, frankly, you might hate it. Others of you might love it. But some of you will definitely hate it. No one knows. It’s all just so deliciously subjective.
Even so, in the spirit of blowing away those January Blues using something made-up called a ‘laughter bomb’ (or ‘joke grenade’, or ‘funny gun’ – your choice), below are eight men and women who you might find funny… or not. The point about the subjectivity of this has pretty much been hammered home. Read More >>>
Folded:
- In the Loop (more creative swearing than you’ll ever need)
- Stewart Lee (for having the stones to allow his recent awful TV show to air at all)
- Vintage ice creams (good old Freaky Feet. Though spot the one that shouldn’t be there)
- Laughing at people attempting to have a picnic in lukewarm sunshine (bet that tin of Frutini is transporting you right to Bondi beach, isn’t it?)
- gamesTM (far, far, far and away the best video games magazine on the market)
Creased:
- This hair (belongs on a man who only ever wears black 501s)
- BBC2 not showing the second season of The Wire straight away (‘in a few weeks’ they say. ‘Mid May’ we’ve heard. When’s season three going out then? Christmas Day?)
- V-Water (the orange one smells like baby piss. Probably tastes like it too, you’ll have to ask around to confirm that)
- Desperate Housewives anti-climax (kill a character somebody might care about why don’t ya?)
- Picturehouse cinemas (full of poncy tossers who think that smiling is only for those without a post-grad education)
Stewart Lee is to the world of comedy what pans are to a chef; pretty vital unless you want cold beans, and nobody wants cold beans.
This man possesses razor sharp comic timing; somehow he can make any innocuous word comical. One small inflection or miniscule tweak of his expression conveys more than any amount of high pitched puerile drivel from the crosseyed one from Mock the Week or pretty much anyone from BBC Three.
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Mainstream comedians are fantastic, aren’t they? Of course they are, why else would they be on the telly?
Dawn French, Lee Mack, Justin Lee Collins, Alan Carr… the list is endless.
Just thinking about them makes us want to round up every TV executive in a small room and hack the testicles off them that they haven’t even got in the first place.
And so the following is a list – in no particular order – of some of the most brilliant, unique, prime-time repellent and, therefore, largely anonymous comedians we’ve had the privilege to have never heard.
Read what we’ve got to say, watch and listen to what they have to say, fall in love and spread the word.
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Mainstream comedians are fantastic, aren't they? Of course they are, why else would they be on the telly? It's because they are the best of the best; Dawn French, Lee Mack, Justin Lee Collins, Alan Carr... the list is endless.
Just thinking about them makes us want to round up every TV executive in a small room and hack the testicles off them that they haven't even got in the first place.
And so the following is a list – in no particular order – of some of the most brilliant, unique, prime-time repellant and, therefore, largely anonymous comedians we’ve had the privilege to have never heard.
Read what we’ve got to say, watch and listen to what they have to say, fall in love and spread the word.
