Lee Camp Is: Yet Another American Mistake

Lee Camp aims his freewheeling cannon at all the aspects of American (and Western) culture that are easy to criticise: childhood obesity, people who believe in aliens, sweatshops, war as big business, the moon landings, the death penalty, multinational corporate irresponsibility and Starbucks’ daft cake names.

And, boy, is that lucky for us. Camp’s ire manifests itself as a stream of invective, a barnstorming attack on everything he thinks is wrong with the world, including apathy, interspersed with video footage of his own attempts at politicised action. Avoiding the pitfalls of self-righteousness and anger for its own sake, he winds his gripes into an articulate, impassioned argument, twisting words into fiery barbs so awful you can’t help laugh, and then be impressed.

It’s hypocritical, of course, being intolerant of intolerance. It is similarly contradictory that nothing he talks about is funny, quite the opposite. The natural response would be to look at the current state of the world and weep. Camp’s response, which it has to be said is very, very funny, in no way compromises his condemnation of very real problems. Rather, he is galvanising audiences with his call to arms. After Camp has conquered comedy there could well be a career in politics ahead.

The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 28 Aug, 11.45pm, £8 (£7).