Andy Lee Recovers Stolen Cookbook After Offering $8 Schooners, Fears He Invited More Thefts

Key facts

• Andy Lee co-owns Old Mates pub in New York with Hugh Jackman, Pat Cummins, Ash Barty, and Hamish Blake.
• An original Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book was stolen from the pub's wall.
• The pub offered $8 schooners for the rest of May if the book was safely returned.
• The book was returned, and Lee admitted the reward was 'the stupidest idea'.
• Lee fears people may now steal items to trigger the discounted beer offer.
• Lee has two front teeth replaced with a titanium tooth and cow bone after an ice hockey accident with Hamish Blake.
• Lee and Blake jumped 25 meters from a bridge in Mostar, Bosnia, for their Gap Year series.
• The bridge jump left Lee winded with bruised vertebrae; Blake emerged unscathed.

A Stolen Icon and a Risky Reward

Andy Lee has recovered the 'priceless' Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book that was stolen from his New York pub, Old Mates, but the comedian now fears he has opened the door to more thefts. The book, an original edition from decades past, was taken from its pride-of-place spot on the wall, prompting the pub to offer a reward of $8 schooners for the rest of May if it was safely returned. Speaking on The Smallzy Show, Lee revealed the book was returned, but he half-jokingly confessed that the incentive was 'the stupidest idea' because it may encourage others to steal items in hopes of triggering the discounted beer.

The Stunt That Left Lee Fearful for Blake's Life

Lee and his comedy partner Hamish Blake have spent 23 years pushing boundaries, but one stunt in Bosnia left Lee genuinely fearing for his friend's life. For their Gap Year series, the pair traveled to Mostar to jump 25 meters from a bridge. After consulting a local jumper, Lee went first, leaving him 'completely winded' with every vertebra in his back bruised. Blake, who is scared of heights, teetered on the edge after stepping over the rail. 'That's the time I felt the most scared for my friend and thought, 'We shouldn't be doing this,'' Lee told ABC iview's The Assembly. Blake emerged unscathed, but the incident underscored the risks the duo have taken in their comedy.

A Previous Mishap: Ice Hockey and Cow Bone

Two years before the bridge jump, Lee suffered a serious injury during an ice hockey game with Blake that required major dental surgery. 'These two front teeth are fake,' Lee said. 'I smashed them playing ice hockey with Hamish. I had to have them taken out, and I've got a titanium tooth. They had to rebuild my jawline with cow bone.' The incident is a stark reminder of the physical toll their antics have taken, even as they continue to entertain audiences.

Old Mates Pub and Its Famous Co-Owners

Old Mates pub, located in New York, is co-owned by Lee and a roster of Australian celebrities including Hugh Jackman, cricketer Pat Cummins, tennis star Ash Barty, and Hamish Blake. The pub announced the theft on Instagram, stating 'a crime had been committed' and that they had footage of the incident. The stolen cookbook, a nostalgic item for many Australians, was described by Lee as an 'original' from back in the day, making it a sentimental loss.

The Return and the Unintended Consequence

After days of worry that the book might never be seen again, it was returned, and Lee honored the reward of $8 schooners for the rest of May. However, he quickly realized the flaw in his plan. 'Because now people are just going to come and steal things to get $8 schooners,' he told Smallzy. 'We should have gone the opposite. The price should have gone higher the longer it would have come back. So anyway, we've opened ourselves up there,' he laughed. The incident has left Lee questioning the wisdom of using discounts as a recovery incentive.

Looking Ahead: The Hundred and Ongoing Antics

Lee's show The Hundred returns on April 28 at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now, promising more of the comedian's trademark humor. Meanwhile, the cookbook theft saga serves as a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of well-meaning rewards. As Lee continues to balance his roles as a pub owner, television host, and comedian, the incident highlights the unpredictable nature of his public life—and the lengths fans will go to for a bargain.

The bottom line

• Andy Lee's Old Mates pub in New York recovered a stolen Australian Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book after offering $8 schooners as a reward.
• Lee admitted the reward was a mistake, fearing it may encourage future thefts to trigger the discount.
• Lee and Hamish Blake's 23-year comedy partnership has included dangerous stunts, such as a 25-meter bridge jump in Bosnia that left Lee injured and fearing for Blake's life.
• Lee's front teeth are fake after an ice hockey accident with Blake required a titanium tooth and jaw reconstruction with cow bone.
• Old Mates pub is co-owned by Lee, Hugh Jackman, Pat Cummins, Ash Barty, and Hamish Blake.
• Lee's show The Hundred returns on April 28 on Channel 9 and 9Now.