University Challenge

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Has anyone on ILE been a contestant on this quiz programme? And do you like Paxman's interpretation of what a questionmaster should be like "Come on! You must know!" etc?

― MarkH, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

RIckyT was on it! "GIRTON, TUNNICLIFFE!" said the voiceover and we fell off our chairs with excitement. i was nearly on it in that i got on to our college team but then went to India instead CHIZ! me and RickyT = unbeatable combination as you will find out on Wednesday, those of you who are going to SOAS pub quiz!!

― katie, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Last night I watched my alma mater, Bristol University, get beaten by Downing College Cambridge...boo!

― MarkH, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

it's just a pale imitation of Mark and Lard's pop upstairs/downstairs. plus it wasn't on when i was at college. grrr.

― Alan Trewartha, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Is it a rule that each programme must have at LEAST one of the Oxbridge colleges on it? GOSH now that makes it TWO people I know who haf been on it! This was a fact about RickyT I did not know but I am surely amused by it! By no chance did he get to use the word 'frottage' by any chance?

― Sarah, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Fuck off you and your 'any chances'!

― Twatbag, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Wow, RickyT! Is there video evidence?? Unfortunately, my time at uni was in the hiatus between the show's ITV & BBC incarnations. I would've wuvved to be on it. I suppose doing a Masters or doctorate specially is a bit drastic!

― MarkH, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

I also knocked about in the hiatus - but used its impending return to play a very, very funny practical joke on a good friend of mine (and was mortified when she actually picked me for her fictitious team). But the crux of the joke was that they were trying out new presenters which included Paxo, Mark Radcliffe(!) and Les Dennis (Kitsch value).

― Pete, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

the thought of Les Dennis on UC is almost as funny as the thought of Paxo on Family Fortunes.

― MarkH, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Toxteth O'Grady, USA.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

i was on it about three years ago; we made it to the quarter finals and then got stuffed by durham. paxman drank a suprising amount between takes, as i recall.

i had a ridiculous haircut (black/white striped) at the time, which loads of people seem to remember when i mention it ("ohmygodyouwerethatfreakonuniveristychallengewiththeweirdhair!!" etc).

― toby, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

Since I'm an American, my only thoughts about UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE is the episode of the YOUNG ONES where they go on. Which, I think, it's too bad of an introduction.

― Gage-o, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

"Is it true Bambi? Did you do a Disney nasty?"

― DG, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

*is very embarassed*

― RickyT, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

I think TVU and Norf London always got knocked out in the prelims (think, I know!)...I can only answer questions on sport, music, art and geography on University Challenge! I thought Ricky T looked familiar when I saw him at the ILe awards!!

― jel, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

I very much doubt it's UC you remember me from, Jel. I had a lot more hair, a lot less lard and a pair of specs back then.

― RickyT, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

The damning evidence. Are you still in contact with your teammates?

― Jeff W, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

"I've got a Porsche!!"

― mark s, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

DOES THE PEOPLES COURT COUNT?

― Mike Hanle y, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (seventeen years ago) Permalink

two years pass...

I fell in love last night. It was with the woman from the Foreign Office on University Challenge.

She had an Italian name, but I have forgotten it, so no stalking for me.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:12 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

she didn't do it for me.

― MarkH (MarkH), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:17 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Well that's fine.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:20 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Good victory for OUP.

― MarkH (MarkH), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:21 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Boring bunch of bastards. Foreign Office 4ever.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:24 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

i was on it about three years ago; we made it to the quarter finals and then got stuffed by durham. paxman drank a suprising amount between takes, as i recall.
i had a ridiculous haircut (black/white striped) at the time, which loads of people seem to remember when i mention it ("ohmygodyouwerethatfreakonuniveristychallengewiththeweirdhair!!" etc).

-- toby (toby_ge...), January 8th, 2002.

My mate David was on it the year Durham won it - he was UCL, who were you with toby?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:25 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

That woman was called Francesca something. Altobelli?

As part of the Lancaster team we made it to the final round of auditions two years ago. They actually interview you as if you're going onto an actual game show ("What books have you been reading recently?"), which I found vaguely disconcerting, but answers to the questions on the test we sat included "Tony Hawkes" and "Sixpence None The Richer". So that's alright then.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 14:44 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

This is where someone should say "Liz :x to thread"

― Mooro (Mooro), Tuesday, 31 August 2004 16:27 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Most of us Yanks only know University Challenge from the Undertones' "My Perfect Cousin."

OK, that may be just me.

― mike a, Tuesday, 31 August 2004 18:19 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

one month passes...

Last night, questions on

1. Stream of Consciousness

2. Greil Marcus's Mystery Train

3. something else interesting - what was it?

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 5 October 2004 12:12 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Also, did anyone see the deaf fellow on Mastermind?

I thought he did well.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 5 October 2004 12:13 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Jarlr'mai to thread

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 12:38 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

>3. something else interesting - what was it?

1970s video games? paxman was aghast that people knew all these, i thought they were piss-easy. (pong, tetris, asteroids, snake)

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:13 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

No, I wasn't thinking of them, but thanks for the reminder.

Perhaps we should not be surprised that you thought they were easy?

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:15 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

The deaf guy did great given that he had 2 minutes of questions the same as everyone else and John Humphrys had to speak each question slowly and fully for the guy to lipread it, i imagine some lipreading is about context so predicting and interupting questions may have been a little difficult given his subject (Wild cats of the world) also he asked John to repeat 2 long questions again, it may have been worth his while to pass on questions he couldnt read 1st time.

I'd like to see how many questions he was actually asked as compared to the others.

Uni Chal Mastermind and Buzzocks makes Monday night the best BBC2 line up all week.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:23 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

I liked the longshore drift questions amd the computer languages one, I should have got that Dirac antimatter one as well, kicks self.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:25 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

I missed University Challenge in order to see my mate Ernie on Changing Rooms. His best moment was "Fair play to them, it doesn't look like a cupboard any more. But I now have a shed in my bedroom."

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:36 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

ONG that shed looked dreadful (in the 10 seconds of the show i saw)...

"what's 'amped' mean then?"

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:39 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

It was sweet, the way he did wild cats of the world. Nice.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:39 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

I liked the longshore drift questions amd the computer languages one.

I found it strange that they didn't know what COBOL or SQL were yet got the (IMO) more obscure Ada question right.

University Challenge makes me realise how much stuff there is that I don't know. I'm usually chuffed to bits if I get a run of Starter + 3 Bonuses correct.

Discovered a fairly good quiz show called Eggheads yesterday while I was off work. A team of "boffins" (I think most of them are former champions of 15-to-1 or similar) is challenged by a different team of plebs every episode. Plebs can win £20000, boffins just get to be smug about being clever. Plebs won yesterday for the first time in umpteen episodes.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:43 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

I thought he was blind. Why did he have the stick? He reminded me a little of Mark Hester, facially.

UC was good, I knew more answers than usual (ie, about 5). The Greil Marcus question reminded me of RJG. I liked the set of questions where they had to say who ruled in a X-ocracy, and one of the words sounded very much like phallocracy, and they dithered and snickered and then it was something not rude at all.

I like Eggheads too.

― Cathy (Cathy), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:53 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

UC should have more rude word questions just to put off the geekier students.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:55 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

too bad the questions about video games did not permit a contestant to answer "Jeremy, Pacman" or indeed, en francais

― Brigadier Rainham Steele, Mrs (blueski), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 13:56 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

I found it strange that they didn't know what COBOL or SQL were yet got the (IMO) more obscure Ada question right.

That was because it's named after Ada Lovelace innit. I didn't know the others but I know who the daughter of George Gordon, Lord Byron was. Hung out with Babbage, nice one.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 15:01 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

I can never remember what SQL stands for, even though I use it every day. I always think it's "Server Query Language".

― caitlin (caitlin), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 16:09 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

as long as you don't pronounce it 'sequel' 8)

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 16:11 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

It's how Americans say "squirrel"

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 16:18 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

My boss pronounces it "sequel". I wince.

(still, not as bad as the cow-orker who pronounces "spamhaus" "spamhorse")

― caitlin (caitlin), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 16:25 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Yeah, the deaf MM chap had a collapsible white cane - and yet he was lipreading. Extraordinary. All I could think about was how difficult it would be to subtitle Mastermind (Uni Chal moreso).

My old drama teacher got to the semis on MM in '86 or so.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 17:31 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

So he was definitely deaf then? If he needed a stick to walk, how was he lipreading? I am confused and curious.

― Cathy (Cathy), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 18:01 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

The deaf guy did great given that he had 2 minutes of questions the same as everyone else

Didn't he get a wee bit more time than the others - Humphrys explained something by way of explanation about the lipreading thing but I was in the other room so missed most of what he was saying.

I wondered about the cane too.

Was the other interesting thing the karaoke backing tracks of cheesy ballads (all of which I recognised, much to the amusement of my husband and parents)? Wasn't there a Smiths lyrics question too, or was that last week?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 18:08 (fourteen years ago) Permalink

Skipping 1642 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Haven't watched this week's but tbh I'm happy if I get one or two. Was happy to see A again last week. I want to see Noodle's ep!

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 2 April 2019 12:30 (two months ago) Permalink

Think i've got it saved somewhere, i'll have a look some time. Let me just say i'm glad we didn't play Ailsa's team :D

― The Xylems of the Limes (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 April 2019 14:01 (two months ago) Permalink

I got the Sunday one after 2 clues, but by and large I was glad that wasn't one of our shows.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 2 April 2019 22:45 (two months ago) Permalink

Noodle's show is probably on YouTube, but the YouTube clips are a bit shonky in that they're cut off and you can't see the clues along the bottom, which somewhat ruins the playalongability

― ailsa, Tuesday, 2 April 2019 22:47 (two months ago) Permalink

Rampant high-fiving from one team this week. Up or down with this kind of thing?

― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Wednesday, 3 April 2019 13:15 (two months ago) Permalink

wtf with the pinata?

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:23 (two months ago) Permalink

oh wait i guess it was introduced in the first two minutes that i always skip. seemed like it had turned into shooting stars for a minute.

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:42 (two months ago) Permalink

300th episode. We recorded the 299th and saw it in the rafters and thanked our lucky stars we weren't involved in piñata madness. I have a special 300th episode badge somewhere just for being in the building when they recorded it.

The high-fiving on UC is toe-curling. It's toe-curling in and of itself, but they're so terrible at it.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:43 (two months ago) Permalink

it's all instigated by Golfinos though

― Number None, Wednesday, 3 April 2019 19:06 (two months ago) Permalink

i liked the pinata. she gave it a good old whack during the credits.

― koogs, Wednesday, 3 April 2019 19:19 (two months ago) Permalink

two connections that they didn't get and a row of the wall that they didn't see (Loo, Rave...). probably my most successful episode of the season.

― koogs, Monday, 8 April 2019 19:41 (two months ago) Permalink

"It is a word one but you'd have to be a genius to spot it"

*cough*

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Monday, 8 April 2019 19:42 (two months ago) Permalink

*cough cough*

― ailsa, Monday, 8 April 2019 20:52 (two months ago) Permalink

I can't imagine seeing a more exultant reaction to a set of questions on Jean Racine

― Number None, Monday, 8 April 2019 21:18 (two months ago) Permalink

That was great. Especially when they suddenly went "oh, maybe we don't know everything about Racine" half way through the first question.

― ailsa, Monday, 8 April 2019 22:19 (two months ago) Permalink

The word "Trigger" makes me think of Tigger, so

― Mark G, Tuesday, 9 April 2019 08:55 (two months ago) Permalink

I didn't get that one. I did get the bird one on the wall immediately, which I was pleased about. Plus I got that one of the groups was people who had been exiled, which I was also pleased with (even though I didn't get all the right people).

― trishyb, Tuesday, 9 April 2019 09:01 (two months ago) Permalink

I was pretty pleased that I got the electric avenue, guns of brixton, lambeth, london one.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 9 April 2019 09:07 (two months ago) Permalink

wow, well done. despite living in lambeth for 12 years and knowing all the songs and thinking 'hmm electric avenue is in brixton...' i didn't get it. genius credentials revoked.

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Tuesday, 9 April 2019 09:13 (two months ago) Permalink

It's toe-curling in and of itself, but they're so terrible at it.

I can't support high-fiving but awkward high-fiving is great TV imo

― Chuck_Tatum, Tuesday, 9 April 2019 09:13 (two months ago) Permalink

After Electric Avenue and Guns Of Brixton, I was shouting BILLY BRAGG'S A NEW ENGLAND! at the telly, because I hadn't thought about Lambeth and had skipped straight on to London for #3. I wonder if it would have been allowed as an alternative answer.

― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 9 April 2019 11:10 (two months ago) Permalink

she's never off our telly now, it's like if romesh did quizzing... 8)

― koogs, Monday, 15 April 2019 19:41 (two months ago) Permalink

a meniscus away from snatching it (and even I knew that one)

― Number None, Monday, 15 April 2019 21:28 (two months ago) Permalink

I've mentioned before about the delay in the missing vowels round. We had less than a second to answer the last one. I had barely registered the fact a clue had come up when the buzzer sounded for the end of the match.

I haven't actually seen it yet, but there's a story about how we didn't get Aqua either. But I don't know how it played on the telly, so I can't really explain right now.

― ailsa, Monday, 15 April 2019 23:05 (two months ago) Permalink

bad luck - tough questions all round, they did well to get the alphabet keyboard one(*) but got lucky with the alkanes.

(*) especially as it referred to the american version of the song (ending in zee), though i suspect this the universal alphabet song now and the version i grew up with (ending in zed) is all but forgotten.

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Tuesday, 16 April 2019 08:49 (two months ago) Permalink

I blame Sesame Street

― Mark G, Tuesday, 16 April 2019 08:59 (two months ago) Permalink

Tough luck, Ailsa. I have never seen one of those missing letters things with a single letter before (though I wasn't a regular viewer prior to this series).

It is interesting that they have a third place play off. Like the football World Cup.

― Grandpont Genie, Tuesday, 16 April 2019 09:00 (two months ago) Permalink

We were so disappointed for you, Ailsa. Next year, eh?

― trishyb, Tuesday, 16 April 2019 12:10 (two months ago) Permalink

fun facts getting very tortured this late in the game...

― koogs, Monday, 22 April 2019 19:03 (one month ago) Permalink

(i hope we go the entire episode without referencing the ruff, like it's the most normal thing in the world)

― koogs, Monday, 22 April 2019 19:05 (one month ago) Permalink

none of you have seen the big lebowski?

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Monday, 22 April 2019 19:17 (one month ago) Permalink

This Frederick Leo guy is a lot.

― reggae mike love (polyphonic), Monday, 22 April 2019 19:26 (one month ago) Permalink

his elbow gets higher for every starter question.

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Monday, 22 April 2019 19:57 (one month ago) Permalink

Dave and Lindsay had seen the Big Lebowski but didn't know what I was on about with the "watt wood/what would" thing, so didn't make the connection. Also we were knackered and filmed just after being knocked out in the last round, so weren't in the best frame of mind. I, of course, have seen no films ever. I haven't actually seen tonight's show yet, but Olly's ruff was a fucking riot. He actually had the hose as well, but chose to tone it down with a pair of jeans so as not to look ridiculous. VCM didn't mention it once until after the cameras stopped rolling.

My "fun fact" was quite the surprise as it wasn't the one we'd gone over pre-show. Which was more fun than the "here's some shite dull people put as "interests" on their CV" bollocks that they sprung on me.

I did a quiz against Freddy Leo a couple of weeks ago. He's quite intense, but seems lovely. I also got v drunk with the Edinburgh Uni challenge team (well, Matt Booth and Max Fitz-James) and none of us let on how we'd done on our respective shows.

― ailsa, Monday, 22 April 2019 21:31 (one month ago) Permalink

Both the OC and UC teams this week seemed like a lovely bunch of people. The only reason I was glad that Edinburgh won was that it's always nice when an Oxbridge college does not win.

― trishyb, Monday, 22 April 2019 22:56 (one month ago) Permalink

Leo seems like a total nightmare

the rest all fine

― Number None, Monday, 22 April 2019 23:23 (one month ago) Permalink

lol I'm obsessed with Leo - he says he's from Berlin but has no accent? I want to know his backstory.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 08:15 (one month ago) Permalink

He's quite intense, but seems lovely.

This is exactly what I'd expect.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 08:15 (one month ago) Permalink

I was happy I knew the pic was Natalie Wood. It's not often I get any right when nobody else does. I'm also extremely sad Olly did not wear the hose.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 08:17 (one month ago) Permalink

i would struggle thinking of more than one fun fact. and probably wouldn't need a second, let alone a 4th.

i like the way leo works things out, you can hear him thinking (it also helps his teammates contribute).

― koogs, Tuesday, 23 April 2019 08:39 (one month ago) Permalink

got the first 3 answers in only connect final and then nothing else.

can't believe they voice-overed the presentation of the award though.

― koogs, Tuesday, 30 April 2019 20:32 (one month ago) Permalink

Oh the fun fact thing..

My guess is that they have a ton of these, and you get to pick one you like or has happened to you, nearly or fully.

Yeah?

― Mark G, Tuesday, 30 April 2019 21:03 (one month ago) Permalink

No.

― ailsa, Friday, 3 May 2019 06:31 (one month ago) Permalink

Fair enough

― Mark G, Friday, 3 May 2019 06:57 (one month ago) Permalink

The producers ask you a lot of stuff, you go armed with the sort of thing that's usable, they fashion them into obtuse format, they rehearse them with you, then they pass them to VCM and usually that's what is read out on screen. Though for some reason, my excellent fun fact went through the whole process for our last show, then VCM said something entirely different.

― ailsa, Friday, 3 May 2019 07:03 (one month ago) Permalink

The fact that my life contains no fun facts is a big part of why i don't really apply for stuff by myself

― After Cease to Brexist (Noodle Vague), Friday, 3 May 2019 07:09 (one month ago) Permalink

I got the Aqua one!

― kinder, Monday, 13 May 2019 13:30 (one month ago) Permalink

Oh, the Aqua one. The Dicers buzzed in and said QI. There was a pause while producers wondered if having a Danish host made QI an acceptable answer (this was before Sandi Toksvig cropped up in the same set). This put us off, and we basically were all chatting and not concentrating while this was going on, so when it was thrown over to us, we weren't back in the right frame of mind and weren't given any time to actually think about it.

There was also a retake on Franco Baresi, which I buzzed and got but Bob from the Dicers shouted at the same time. We were asked to go again with Bob shutting up, and Dave decided on the retake to look like he'd got it even though it was *my* answer. Bad form to want to throttle one of your team mates on national telly, aye?

― ailsa, Tuesday, 14 May 2019 06:46 (one month ago) Permalink

Ha, I have "been there"

A TV show, back in the day. They had an "anagrams" round. I know.

Anyway, I noticed, sat on the panel, that the boards for the two questions were in full view of us. So, while they were focus-pulling or whatever, I told my two team mates and we gently scribbled and worked out the two answers. At which point, the team (ahem) decided that the girl on our team should get one of the answers, and the other lad on the team decided he was getting the other one and if he didn't he'd tell the producers. So, the round came and went, and we (well, they) were careful not to buzz in too quickly and make it obvious. (There's a novel "Starter For ten" where something similar happens. Was going to describe more there, but that'd be a spoiler so no. But I did laugh)

Anyway, the series televised, and a couple of episodes later another contestant had clearly done the same thing, kept it to himself, and buzzed in like it was the missing vowels round.

― Mark G, Tuesday, 14 May 2019 07:22 (one month ago) Permalink

Bob from the Dicers = Bob from the Poptimists, obvz.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 14 May 2019 11:48 (one month ago) Permalink

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