'Waste of time' imposter steals jokes, too

Stewart Lee has hit out after finding an imposter pretending to be him on Twitter.

The phoney account seems to be fooling few people yet, with just 21 followers, but Lee has blasted the ‘fucking twat cunt’ for ‘confusing people and wasting my time’.

The imposter @StewLee68, claims on his profile claims to be the ‘comedian of 20-plus years and sometime music journalist. Co-writer of Jerry Springer the Opera.’

Yet the feed has a peculiarly American feel, with tweets such as: ‘That Newsmax is having Donald Trump moderate a GOP debate means Barack Obama will gracefully waltz into a 2nd term.’

There are other references to US homewear store Crate & Barrel, Trans Am, Jay Leno, waffle irons and his ‘daughter’ - which he does not have.

That may be little surprise because the phoney - who set up the account on Saturday – merely steals tweets, mainly from Los Angeles based comedian Rob Delaney, and tries to pass them off as his own.

In his monthly newsletter to fans, Lee - who is currently in residency at London’s Leicester Square theatre before a national tour, wrote: ‘Listen StewLee68, if you are reading this, I will find out who you are and I will come to where you live and I will smash you in your stupid lying face, you cunt.

‘Close down your account now. I am a 43 year old father and don’t have time to waste with all the confusion this causes, you selfish prick.’

The imposter set up the account after a fake Twitter feed from someone pretending to be Sean Lock was shut down, after attracting 24,000 followers.

• Meanwhile, Lee is to present a one-off Radio 2 show... about Morris dancing. The comic promises none of the ‘usual scornful jibes’ about the tradition, as he is a fan who has had dancers open a gig for him and perform at his wedding reception. It's Got Bells On goes out at 10pm next Monday. 

Published: 5 Dec 2011