Late arrival

‘I STARTED TO GET GOOD REVIEWS WHEN I BECAME GREY, FAT AND OLD'

Officially funnier than Jackie Mason but not as hilarious as Jim Davidson, Stewart Lee tells Brian Donaldson about turning abject failure into comedy

lien a stand-up is dubbed ‘a comics' comic‘. that can usually be translated into: ‘loy‘ed by his peers and critics: not quite so loved by audiencesf Yet. when you look at the career of Stewart Lee. the adulation of comedians and journalists may have taken a while to take root. but now the crowds appear to hay'e finally caught on to the man's appeal. Due to reach 40 at the beginning of April. the comic who spent the early ()lls as one half of the Lee and Herring double act. used the late ‘llls to go it alone and endured a bit of the ()()s on the run from the (‘hristian

fundamentalists who objected to the broadcasting of

Jerry Springer: The Opera (which he co-wrote with Richard Thomas). is now reaping the benefits of raw persistence. ‘I didn‘t really start getting good reviews for my stand-up until I became grey. fat and old.’ Lee tells me from his home where he is recovering from a nasty flare—up of sciatica. 'l’m doing this show about failure and things not really working and I'm getting 750 people in a 750 sealer in Leeds. lt's Name..

The show in question is 4lst Best Stuml-l 'p liter. a title which was inspired from his placing in (‘hannel 4's hot ltltl of stage comics. For the record. he is

officially funnier than Jackie Mason. Tommy (‘ooper

and Chic Murray but officially not as funny as Jim Davidson. liddie Murphy and Jasper (‘arrott l5rom that. Lee put together an audacious hour of mind-bending

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www.9lasgowcomedyfestivalxom

stand-up which poked ('elehrity Big Brother's race row. the BBC and Russell Brand in the eye while wondering (over the course of at least ten minutes) whether l)el Boy‘s accidental plunge through the bar is really the funniest thing that's ever happened.

‘When I started this one. all the information that was in it was true at the time of going to press. but things can change] notes Lee. referring to the fact that the BBC hay'e now given the green light to his own stand- up show. Stewart Lee 3' Comedy lelttele. a situation which never looked like happening. catising him to slate the corporation every night back in August.

If you miss Lee now. you'll have another opportunity to catch his 4/3! Best show when he pops back to (ilasgow's Stand in early April to film a [)\'l). But his presence will also be felt during the Glasgow ('omedy l‘iestiy‘al where his Johnson and Boswell: lxtle But l.ll'(’ comic play" gets a run with Simon Munnery and Miles Jupp in the key roles. 'Johnson and Boswell’s accounts of the same incidents were often different. becatise Boswell weights them towards making Johnson into this hilarioUs bloke whereas Johtison jttst describes what actually happened. But we thought it would be funny to haye this arrogant man from the Midlands cotne and say lots of mad things about Scotland.‘

See listings.

06-23 MARCH I 08

wwwglasgowcomedyfestivalcom

Jim Jeflries im- outtageotir: Aust te'lvw's'

tales of filth and ‘uv. ..1~:e= May 's, Glasgow l '. '-I C."

Frankie Boyle lho- l‘.‘ panellist could tilili" rarinit‘, ta- regarded as the Motto-st :;~ K: 2:: stand up Ill the hr; at tlw tnonient. (Ia/ling ,‘Jt.‘.lt}t’lli‘,. Glasgow. lt; .7

Jon Richardson 1 as: Fringe time. Russell l lax-.117. radio mate allowed illiil'il'. tr ensue Willi his Stun/la 1’s: and he continues to make merry .zrft: that show. See preview Hm, (3/asgow. Sun to Mar.

Simon Munnery li‘it: former league of ltf'lltllll its’itli-t brings us more of his surrealist wordy gibberish. lltt? Stand. Glasgow, tiled if) Mar

Alun Cochrane Jiltflt: are few comics today who can he ottite as charming aloft a stage as the Yorkshire Glaswegian who we believe should llil‘.’t- a ballislieally wonderful futute ahead of him. We Stand. G/asgow, Fri 27 Mar.

Martha McBrier llit; (léiiitl‘; lassm is back to show no more; upon those pesky ltt:(,‘l<lt:.“,. Maggie May's. Glasgow; l n I" 7 Mar

Jimmy Carr i", rather unlikely that you'll la: offended more often and more ainusthd‘, than at the Clyde Auditorium ii'll‘, weekend. Jimmy. we sa‘ufe you, SECC. G/asgow, Sat 22’ a Sun 23 Mar.

Sean Lock Across than. Carr's running mate in the «‘z ()u.’ Of 70 Cats stakes order, he has been one of the trot; leading lights :n the British standup game during the last decade. The O/d l-ruifniarl/et. G/asgow. Sat 22 Mar.

“J \Ml'l "J hill.

“GLASGOW

42 THE LIST 13—27 Mar 3038