My fave episodes of QI are those where they have someone on who is actually intelligent and knowledgeable. I remember an episode from way back in season C where Rory McGrath racked up about a jillion poinst while being, indeed, quite interesting throughout. These days it seems like they’re afraid to go four seconds without a cheap dick joke.
I just happened to catch that one. It’s the third episode, “Common Knowledge.” I liked it, too.
What was really freaky though was the day before whan I was watching, and all of the sudden, I noticed that no one seemed to have an accent to me. It started with the announcer, who sounded American to me. They still sounded the same, but it didn’t sound like an accent.
I thought maybe I would start talking with Fry’s accent, but no such luck. But I did for the first time get an idea of what my accent would sound like to foreigners.
I don’t think it has gotten too bad, but that episode(which I also just saw) was kind of an anomaly. I think he ended up with 78 points(am I right)?
I’ve seen other episodes where it is clear that the person prepared facts for the show in advance.
Fun trivia fact for David Mitchell and Phineas and Ferb fans: he did the voice of Meep’s nemesis.
Just noticed it in the credits today when watching that episode with the lil one.
-Joe
They’re actually encouraged to do so, they get given the list of questions (though not the answers) before every episode, but most of them choose not to take advantage of that and wing it.
Cool. Is there a behind the scenes video or book that explains stuff like this?
I listened to an interview with John Mitchinson once that covered it. Here’s a different interview (I assume) that may have some juicy facts.
Love, love, love QI. Hate, hate, hate BBCAmerica for not playing it on there, meaning that all we Yanks have to head to YouTube. Which isn’t that bad, I guess, but I’d like to see it properly and all.
There was a petition circling round; I signed it but am not sure whatever happened to it.
Maybe so, but there is a healthy pool of smart comedians with a background in improv that would make a US QI show work. The first candidate who comes to mind is Stephen Colbert – he’s got a head full of nerd trivia and a very quick wit. Conan O’Brien’s been mentioned…his friend Andy Richter proved on Jeopardy that he’s great at trivia games and is funny off-the-cuff. Throw in another improv comedian like, say, Amy Poehler and you’ve got a panel.
For what it’s worth, I’ve heard that the reason BBC America doesn’t show Q.I. is copyright problems with the images behind the panelists. (Explanation: there are two large screens behind the panelists, which are usually showing a still image or a video. Sometimes these are part of the question, sometimes they’re a red herring, sometimes they’re just for illustration purposes.) The BBC paid for permission to show these in Europe, but not the rest of the world. Buying the North American rights would be complicated and expensive, and the Beeb has so far chosen to skip it.
My suggestion for an American version would be:
Host - Craig Ferguson
Panelists - Greg Proops, Colin Mochrie, Brian Regan, and perhaps Dmetri Martin
Craig Ferguson would be stellar.
So the American version would have a Scottish host and a Scottish-Canadian panelist? I think that’s more Scottitude than is even on the British version. (Not to mention that you need more than four panelists. I can understand having one regular, but the rest should rotate.)
No comments on my suggested host, Bonnie Hunt?
Paula Poundstone, although I would have to stipulate that she continues to work on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me. Her wrong answers make WWDTM. She could be our Alan, even.
John Hodgman was a mooted US host at one point, hence his guest appearance in one recent episode.
Personally, my favourite show in the genre is Sandi Toksvig’s News Quiz. Random trivia isn’t as fun as current events, and the impromptu quips in that show can be just stunningly hilarious. I’m also not as enthused about Stephen Fry as a host —I’m not sure I could choose a favourite between Toksvig and Peter Sagal (from Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!) but both of them are brilliant. Sagal is great at making things run smoothly, and Sandi has the right rapport (and seems really sharp).
Do they think Rodney Bewes would object?
That could be a problem. After all, he is the Highlander.
I love the News Quiz! I wish it ran for longer, I’m always so disappointed when I go to listen to it on BBC iPlayer and it’s replaced by The Now Show.
If you’re a fan of Sandi, you might like to get your hands on What the Dickens, a quiz show on Sky Arts. I only discovered it the other day when I was channel surfing.
Thanks! I will certainly take a look.