Comedian Stewart Lee in conversation at Oxford Brookes University

Stewart Lee is a stand-up comedian, writer, novelist and reviewer. In this interview he talks about his life in writing and comedy; broadcasting, performance and publishing. He is a major figure in contemporary culture, a major creative writer, a performer, an English graduate, and a serious, intellectual, creative artist of rare and idiosyncratic talent.
He is an English graduate who loves good books, who has written books, and who writes creatively in many mediums -- collaboratively and on his own.
For more on Stewart Lee please visit www.stewartlee.co.uk

[@samcad-ho3ze]

I like how candid he is. Like a pear cider made from 100% pears.

[@sgipower]

+samcad2013 100% pear

[@samlee2562]

+Jordi Belenguer Ferrer yeah you'd top n tail them...

[@TommyLikeTom]

a pear cider that let itself go

[@greenaum]

xxxxx is looking fat, old, depressed, etc. You don't have to do that same joke on every Stew video you know.

[@badpharma461]

Thank gos someone has finally pointed this out. Using someone's old material, out of context and in a written form is as funny as it has ever been, is or ever will be.

[@dilyssewell1907]

I first met Stewart at my grandsons 4th birthday party. My grandson had been given a hamster as a gift. Stew sat on the arm of my chair, stared somewhere in the middle distance and told me how, as a young boy, he’d won a hamster cage in a competition in The Lady magazine. It turned into one of his now famous interminable monologues, and I’ve loved him ever since. Such a clever wordsmith.

[@PartialS]

Listening to him talk as Stewart-Lee-the-person always makes me feel like I'm having having a nice, warm, relaxing soak in a bath of clever. Doesn't make me laugh like Stewart-Lee-the-stand-up-comedian, but then I don't really need to laugh in the bath.

[@lewis72]

He doesn't want you to laugh, just agree the fuck with him.

[@Anonymous-or4ru]

You still get a laugh in the bath. Every time you fart and look at your gentleman's sausage

[@nicksmithworld]

Are you a Swede that sniffs or a sniffer of swedes?

[@sandymack9345]

You're havin a tin bath? Or not?

[@thumper8684]

You have to laugh in a bubble bath when you do a little fart.

[@nickhumphrey4833]

The 82 dislikes were all from James Cordon

[@MrMickeyone]

Cordon, officially one of the least funny performers. Awful

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

I think the Americans have had enough of him.

[@DuskAndHerEmbrace13]

I love his laugh. He's so serious on stage, it's nice seeing him with a cheeky chappy chuckle.

[@emdiar6588]

Like something Lee Mack would do.

[@bobmonk64]

How dare you compare that cultural bully from the Oxbridge mafia to Lee Mack....

[@Josfen12]

It's refreshing to see an intellectually genuine comedian

[@andygcl6]

An interlectual who is genuine who happens to be a comedian

[@AA-hg5fk]

I prefer comedians who run around on stage.

[@certaindeaf8632]

@@AA-hg5fk hahaha

[@lifeinprogress3921]

@@andygcl6 yyyyy7yytyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyykyytyyyyyyyyyyyy8yyyyyytyytt7yytyyyyyytyytyyyyytyyytyyykty7yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyt77yy7tyyyyyyykytyyyytytyyyyyyyyyyyyyyytyyyyyytyyyyyyyyyttty

[@joefarang]

@@andygcl6 props for the new word, what does it mean though? INTERLECTUAL....... a clever person who dabbles in stupidity?

[@gazriley624]

Best Ted Chippington joke - a bloke said to me leave me alone mate so i said will a Fiver do?

[@ketchup5344]

He's just totally and utterly fucking brilliant. Ive bumped into him twice. Last time was in Camden town tube station. He had me cracking up on the station platform. A unique brilliant man.

[@ukstevey]

my favourite standup - a real master of his craft.

[@richardmurray2068]

You need to get out more..

[@joefarang]

@@richardmurray2068 matter of opinion mate. kev bridges, stu lee and bill burr are the top of the game right now.... going out more won't find more actually funny comics, they're thin on the ground at the best of times.

[@philiphudgens4726]

@@joefarang Shush you're clueless. Louis CK has & always will be the best, regardless of his cancellation by the likes of "Stu," here

[@dannyspelman1468]

@@philiphudgens4726 What hand did Stewart Lee play in trying to cancel Louis CK. Genuine question.

[@dannyspelman1468]

@@richardmurray2068 You're commenting on a KZbin video of a comedian you don't seem to even like. Are you sure you get out enough yourself?

[@MarkLiversedge]

Developing material following a dialectic method in your own head. But describing that with humour and no pretentiousness, He is so genuine and engaging. Didn't 100% realise his on stage persona was in character.

[@HelenMyers]

Yes - my reaction exactly. Loved listening to this.

[@jacob8949]

"Dialectic" is exactly the word I was looking for

[@perlefisker]

Thank you very much for this really appreciated interview and for uploading. His is an outstanding comedian, to me in a league of his own. It's quite interesting how fast speaking he is in contrast to his performances on stage. I believe it tells something about the self-conscious control of timing and the self-conscious power of the narrative.

[@quarkspin4347]

One of the best comedians I have seen live. He performed in a sterile office space in the North of England and had me crying with laughter. The atmosphere he creates live is amazing.

[@TheKamikazenaz]

I saw him at the Lowry and everyone was crying with laughter. They thought it was Ratko Mladić of course. On a bad day.

[@fwoibles]

​@@TheKamikazenazclassic radko mladic

[@brendancronin3796]

This guy evolved his own comedy and you either keep up or you don't...he's a bona fide genius

[@TheDaddyO44]

Lee is a nice guy and a genius, great interview

[@YGriffiny]

That Radovan Karadžić - despite letting himself go - is one of the finest lecturers of his generation.

[@goldenappel]

Great conversation. I'd enjoyed Lee's standup before but always felt like I never quite got it. Hearing him talking about his persona and what he's trying to achieve really makes me appreaciate his work more.

[@fwoibles]

Try to watch as much as possible. I dont remember what level i found intriguing but it has deepend with every rewatch and his stuff still surprises as I age

[@rabidbigdog]

Thank you getting straight into it without an embarassing long-winded intro from someone nebulous to the event/session.

[@Cloud-wp9wc]

Siddhārtha Gautama, Shakyamuni Buddha has let himself transcend

[@charles2607]

Great interview. Now look at the comedy sets. seen him live loads of times, and he always delivers.

[@teletextpear2525]

I wish they could have invited Stewart Lee, when I was in Oxford Brookes. All they invited, when I was there, were the Asbestos Removers.

[@grahamlive]

Were they any good?

[@teletextpear2525]

@@grahamlive brilliant in removing Asbestos.

[@donquixoteupinhere]

Hahaha

[@rorymacdonald1361]

Excellent, thought the chap 'Simon' asking the questions was excellent as well

[@nothingviciouss]

He's completely honest and right. My first go to stand up when consulting my conscience about everything!

[@frankhumbug]

I think Stewart Lee, the person, is as clever and funny as Stewart Lee, the comedian.

[@edmundironside9435]

Stewart Lee the comedian would absolutely batter him in a fistfight though

[@ackerjawaka4742]

Stewart Lee is a fucking genius, my 2nd favourite comedian of all time, Billy Connolly being the first in my humble opinion of course.

[@gonufc]

He'll never be up to that Tom O'Connor. Now he's a real comedian.

[@sandymack9345]

Never a crossword.

[@paulquinn2208]

Are you a sardine?

[@davegonnaway6007]

😆

[@swanningabout]

@Colin Cleveland like lightning....in a dish

[@AA-hg5fk]

He was quick as a flash.

[@plumduff3303]

Fabulous comedian thanks Mr Lee

[@Govanmauler]

You should read " How I escaped my certian fate " really interesting breakdown of how he works.

[@bemamartinz889]

Pure class.....always has been.

[@meathead365]

@45:04 "when a dog does a shit on the pavement. If the shit upsets you, the dog didn't do it to upset you. It just had to do a shit. That's how I see my work"

[@biohayzer]

Simplistically complex and a genius at his craft👌🏻🤓

[@seanbiggerstaff6582]

I saw his disguised character in Edinburgh and totally knew it was him.

[@thestevekelly]

what was it?

[@thenumbdave]

@@thestevekelly Baconface

[@TheDaddyO44]

Stewart Lee gets better and better with age

[@fluorosco]

Like a pear cider

[@tynchytemper9618]

Bollocks he's let himself go

[@fluorosco]

@@tynchytemper9618 made from 100% pears

[@rowanmorrison7022]

Bollox he's 100% a ride

[@humanityneedstowakeup.5220]

I couldn't stand his early stuff but his stand up work from mid 2000's is quality., I don't particularly like Richard Herring so maybe that's why I don't like his early work.

[@Our_Sole_Pusch]

Heston Blumenthal has let his interviewing skills go.

[@fredcollierfinishingtouche6701]

He’s as good as he ever was.

[@paulmartin3682]

Yeah but he can still make a cracking snooker table cake.

[@ReverendMuncle]

Wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

[@meetbhatt8907]

Stewart lee is a comic genius

[@PKWeaver74]

Very thought provoking end to the discussion, I thought I had been convinced by Ricky Gervais' argument about censorship of subjects but Stewart has changed my opinion on this I think.

[@MrTinTooting]

glad to see you've spent so much time researching my youtube history. love you, too xx

[@Govanmauler]

KD Laing , Ratko Mladic , Mark Lamarr and Morrissey have ALL let themselves go. Nice upload , thanks !

[@electrikkingdom]

There is a lovely video of John Cage performing a piece called Waterwalk in front on a live casual tv audience. It is bizarre and the audience start laughing and tittering and you can see he loves it. That combination of experimental music, entertainment, and comedy. He was a very tongue in check musician whose primary instrument was creativity.

[@adambrickley1119]

Wow, you can really see how his sketch of the mother inlaw and Robert the bruce he did when he was young was inspired by the comic he described as delivering weak jokes with a hilarious culumitive effect.

[@Panslapper]

Could a comedy be found in persistence? Lee has a theme of persistence to his act, an dark dogmatism that will make most people laugh in the end for one reason or another.

[@samuellewis4042]

I absolutely adore this

[@kristianmollermunar]

fantastic interview!

[@markphc99]

i stumbled in here ,but what a fascinating discussion

[@noeldc]

Cheers for this.

[@andrewgalloway7344]

@10:30 i saw him devote his whole act to deriding why anyone should shout yeah when he came on ....

[@copee2960]

I like too see him laughing at himself too seems like a decent bloke.

[@Yardracing]

Stew's a comic genius.

[@steveg59]

This guy is at the opposite end, politically , to me, and yet he is my favourite comedian.

[@dorbid]

Crystal Clean Window Cleaning stop being a far right idiot then

[@nathan58752]

Just superb.

[@thaddeuspope4999]

"Probably the first one was... errrr... in about... ummm... I think it was about... ummm... December 1988" 😂

[@chrissyinit5996]

Love u Stew all the way from the nineties

[@Ryansghost]

Flippin Heck, I'd forgotten clause 28. Go Stew!

[@colinbrigham8253]

Thank you 🤗

[@ChubbyChecker182]

I enjoy his lectures. I laughed during one once.

[@maritalsquid9406]

From 4 mins I was hooked. .I love this man

[@Aussie6490_gaming]

He’s just excellent. I find the creation of his character intriguing, because I suspect it’s a front. I think there is one character here.

[@SimonGrowl]

Fantastic

[@HongKongEclectic]

Really excellent stuff here. A genius of a man

[@RogerMelee]

The best to ever do it.

[@atomiccritter6492]

good video - I admire Lees stance on twitter and promotion etc

[@Gotchaaaaaa]

Can''t imagine a better interviewer for Stoo

[@klaxonian]

can anybody tell what the questions delivered by the students were, can sort of gauge it from the response but clarity would be appreciated

[@michealcurrie8272]

Rik Mayle and Ben Elton and others paved the way in the early 80's.

[@fredschmidt9705]

And Lenny Bruce started it all. Bill Hicks honed it to perfection. George Carlin was doing Stewart Lee like stuff in the 70;s Way ahead of his time . All serious role models for Stewart Lee. Whom I believe is the best out there now.

[@michealcurrie8272]

@@fredschmidt9705 absofuckinlutely, Fred.

[@gnfti]

Thanks for posting this. So what's the secret disguise gig?

[@atthebridge]

I think "the comedian" Stewart Lee is looking much better these days.

[@jeffstone2136]

Osahito, also known as Komei, Emperor of Japan (1846-87) and a leading figure during the climactic downfall of the Edo Period, looks depressed and sweaty.

[@72GLM]

Taken to a new level there. Bravo.

[@purplevolcano]

Tanya Gold got more than 3 examples of 'comics' doing rape jokes - from the original Guardian article: "... you can hear 20 comedians telling 20 rape jokes in one night. The comic Nick Page says: "It is getting worse ...." Page was due to appear at an Edinburgh showcase last week, but he left after watching "three comics in a row doing rape or violence material. ... more and more people are prepared to put up with it." I have edited the paragraph for the word count.

[@ManateeMentality]

01:13:15 I think he's talking about his alter ego Baconface.

[@woodsyshroomer]

"I was walking down the road the other day, this chap drove up beside me and said, 'Excuse me, mate, I'm in a dilemma.' I said, 'Aye, good motors, Dilemmas. I was thinking of buying one myself. A red one perhaps.'"

[@hootie203]

*tumbleweed*

[@michaeldillon3113]

What was the university down the hill ?

[@stevedempsey5098]

Oxford,

[@bbgg71]

I've let myself go

[@mwmingram]

Great.

[@jamesmackrill8713]

Thankyou

[@nicwestley8309]

What did the pupil from oxford Brooks university say to the pupil from oxford university ?

[@threethrushes]

Excuse me, old boy, have you seen my teddy bear?

[@onlythebiggesthitsoneleano8461]

Russell Howard’s not involved in an ongoing interrogation of the divided self is he ?

[@bigearedmouse17]

love this guy didn't know he was gay

[@alternatereality85]

Why is Terry Christian doing a talk at Oxford??

[@paullewismumford1608]

Because Oxford let him go onstage

[@leebennett2387]

Really enjoyed this, Thank you!

[@richardclark2290]

I think stewart lee is in this video

[@looseunit9180]

This guy is a diamond

[@squeeth2895]

Those 100% pears have really let themselves go.

[@johnnunn8688]

Stu has the best laugh/cackle.

[@TheIkaraCult]

Is the radio DJ he's talking about after about an hour Christian O Connell?

[@LaudCranium]

it's really great to see albert finney looking so...well?

[@youjoker9647]

Preferred crumpled Morrissey

[@speakatron5634]

Love Stew.

[@mididoctors]

A decent human being

[@manchesterfellow]

He's replicating a part of Stewart's routine whereby he reads some of the hateful things that online trolls write about him. "Stewart Lee is like Ian Huntley to me" is one of the comments he reads out.

[@sarahjanereeve]

Well, I don’t know about jokes, comedy, satire, alternative comedy, irony, observational comedy, political observation, social commentary or palaeontology, but I think.....😛

[@1interesting2]

Great upload. There's just not enough Stewart Lee stuff out there.

[@romanblanks1473]

Agreed. I would add that Leonardo DiCaprio and Terry Christian have also let themselves go.

[@stevesandford1437]

Stewart Lee does NOT PRETEND!!! (How refreshing...) xx SF

[@ElMufro]

Thanks for uploading :D

[@terryyakamoto3488]

at least stewart lee has stopped terrorising the balkans with his serbian militia and committing genocide like he did in the early nineties. Comedy is a far worthier enterprise

[@fredcollierfinishingtouche6701]

Lovely sense of humour

[@sneb3249]

This is true but a balance needs to be struck between building and maintaining an audience and revealing yourself to them entirely. I think a bigger problem is when the performance becomes a long-form version of everything you've already heard from the comedian via Twitter. No surprises.

[@Sheffield_Steve]

I wondered how long going thru the comments I'd get before the obligatory "....let himself go." jokes would appear! 🤔🤭

[@furbs9999]

Grandpa from the Munsters has really sorted his shit out!

[@inkgone]

40th best comedian

[@T800System]

Damn, what a treat for those students. I wish he would come to our university!

[@Lurdiak]

I wish they were properly mic'd.