Stewart Lee

Stewart Lee is an English stand-up comedian, writer, director and musician.

He made his name in the mid-1990s as one half of the radio duo Lee and Herring, a success followed through with extensive touring to build up a live following. He co-wrote and co-directed the mock Broadway hit Jerry Springer: The Opera, a critical success that sparked a backlash from Christian groups who staged a series of protests outside its early stagings. After a return to the live circuit, and through BBC and Channel 4 specials and series, Lee has rebuilt an audience and a reputation as an anti-populist comedian.

Lee remains a significant draw in UK stand up. In recent years, Lee has been successful in selling out large venues including the ICC in his home city of Birmingham as well as larger venues in London. In December 2011 he won British Comedy Awards for best male television comic and best comedy entertainment programme for his series Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle. A 2009 article in The Times referred to him as "the comedian's comedian, and for good reason" and named him "face of the decade". In June 2012 Lee was placed at number 9 in the Top 100 Most Influential People in UK Comedy. His stand-up features frequent use of "repetition, call-backs, nonchalant delivery and deconstruction", a device he often self-consciously refers to on stage.

Lee has written music reviews for publications including The Sunday Times. Through the early 2000s he was a regular presenter on Resonance FM. Asked in 2003 what his favourites were, he said "Most of my favourites are still going like The Fall, Giant Sand and Calexico. I listen to a lot of jazz, 60s and folk music but I really like Ms. Dynamite, and The Streets". His debut novel, The Perfect Fool, includes an 'audio bibliography' – a list of recommended listening. This mentions that it was his love of the band Giant Sand that first attracted him to visit the Southwestern United States.

_{Biography from the wikipedia article, licensed under CC-BY-SA}