After sixteen years of joyless laughter, the nearly man of British comedy should have struck gold as co-writer of Richard Thomas, acclaimed Jerry Springer The Opera. But the show's plaintive howl of inarticulate anguish was silenced by the The Daily Mail and Right Wing Christian Evangelicals just at the point where the royalties should have kicked in. How much will an Olivier award fetch on eBay anyway?

Still, Lee's financial loss is comedy's gain. Whipped from the door of theatre like a syphilitic dog, Lee has returned to stand-up. His 2004 Edinburgh show, Stand-up Comedian, drew unprecedented praise, touring packed venues earlier this year. His 2005 Edinburgh show will reap the inevitable critical backlash. These things go in cycles. Come and ride the downward curve. All new for summer 2005!

With a heavy smoking habit and an incurable stomach condition, Lee is sure to die well before his time. See him now so you can one day argue that he was quite good at comedy, at a dinner party full of squares who never heard of him.