Rich Hall was on TV in the US a lot during the '80s. One of his famous routines/running jokes was “Sniglets: words that should be in the dictionary, but aren’t.” He seemed to drop off the face of the Earth during the 90’s but apparently now appears on a lot of BBC panel and comedy shows. He’s a frequent contestant on QI.
I knew about it before it started airing because a friend of mine was involved in developing it. I’ve been waiting ever since then for it to come on BBC America, but they keep not scheduling it, damn them.
I think they probably think that it’s too British, even for BBC America fans, because so much of the humor requires being up on current British cultural references.
I’ve seen a few episodes on YouTube, but I hate watching long stuff on YouTube.
Unfortunately, the DVDs are not not available for us 'Merkins.
That’s where I remember him from!
In the second episode, there was that bit about Earth having two moons. Sounded so weird I had to Google it. Found this. So, seems like the show, while fun to watch, is something I’ll have to be careful to not repeat what is said! It is quite fun though. I’m still watching what’s up on Youtube.
They’ve corrected themselves at least once on the show but you’re right. I’ve caught them repeating some not true “little known facts” in the past. Still it is quite interesting.
The show is entertaining and informative, but fact checking isn’t always what it should be. Sometimes it states wrong facts. For example, it repeats the widely told story of General Sedgewick’s last words, "they couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist- " Fry emphasising that he died without completing the word “distance.” Actually, he completed the sentence, and a few more words, before dying a moment later.
And the inventor of the paper clip - they got that one wrong, too. Still, worth watching for what they get right.
Oh? Who did they say invented the paper clip, and who really invented it?
Johan Vaaler? Is that correct?
ETA: Well, I was just going to remove my signature, but now I see that we have, I think it’s called in-line editing?
AWESOME!
Having finally got a region-free DVD player, I recently picked up a load of Q.I. stuff from amazon.co.uk. I got all three DVD sets, plus the “E” annual, the Book of General Ignorance, the Book Of Animal Ignorance and the Q.I. DVD Game.
A group of friends and I played the DVD Game for a while last Saturday. Not much of a game, per se, but loads of fun all the same and, really, quite interesting.
Cannot BELIEVE they’ve delayed the next series. I am genuinely saddened by this. I feel empty inside.
When does HIGNFY start up again? Do they have a regular host yet?
Stephen was on Buzzcocks last night and was very good. They had some QI music and he even had his own button that played a special noise. Which was just Simon Amstell’s voice saying “I’m a national fucking treasure”
That should keep me going until whenever they decided to show new QI.
I loved Simon’s attempts at being erudite and knowledgable; in his own version of QI mode.
thwartme, is HIGNFY again looking for a regular host? After Deayton left, they were looking for a regular host because that’s what they had till then. But the guest hosts turned out to be a good feature and they stopped looking.
Wikipedia suggests that series 36 will begin next week.
I love the programme to death but Alan Davies with his little boy routine gets on my tits.
As an English chap, I love QI.
Stephen Fry has been in ‘Jeeves and Worster’ (period comedy gold) and Alan Davies starred in ‘Jonathan Creek’ (locked room mysteries).
I enjoyed the exchange ‘How many senses do you have?’ ‘5?’ Cue siren!
Humans have a sense of balance, can sense heat and pain etc…