December 10th 2007 02:53 am
Stephen Fry Appreciation Monday – QI or how I learned I’m blond after all
Dear faithful readers, happy Stephen Fry Appreciation Monday!
Today’s installment of Stephen Fry Appreciation Monday will take a look at QI and it will be on a more personal note, so please indulge me.
Before QI
Not so long ago a daughter of a family friend went on “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire”. She got to question number 13 and collected the money which you have to agree was quite a successful visit. You can get a good number of books/trips abroad/clothes and handbags when you get to number 13 question and answer it correctly.
So my dad got a brilliant idea he should register me as I have a reputation in my family for storing infinite amount of trivia in dark recesses of my brain. For example where was the tie invented (Croatia) or which architect designed St. Paul’s Cathedral and Trinity college library(sir Christopher Wren) or who Pete Sampras played against in semi-finals of US Open when he vomited his guts out (Corretja if I’m not mistaken). You get the idea.
On the side note my dad also offered to accompany me and for that privilege I was supposed to give him 10% of my earnings. Families are great like that.
And although I would never consider going (I’m the type to get the first question wrong plus I am blond after all!) I thought I did know something.
That was until I watched QI for the first time. Boy was I wrong!
After QI
I have every sympathy for Alan Davies, he is quite hilarious in fact, but I would give him run for the money in the negative points stakes. Where do they dig up that stuff from?
I will refrain from commenting Mr. Fry’s delightfully floppy public school hair, but goodness gracious me have you noticed the man does not even read from his cue cards on most occasions?
With every respect and I mean it in the nicest way possible, he has been around on this planet itsy bitsy longer then me but I am baffled by a) where does a man acquire all that information from and b) he must have a whopper… (of a brain that is) to store it all in.
And did you know appendix actually has a use after all? Good thing I had it taken out tsss!
Possible remedies?
Maybe I should start drinking ginkgo, it should help with the memory, it is never too early to start but ginkgo can only help so much as I am decidedly blond after all. One thing is certain, after QI I know I will give “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” a wide berth. And if you know any good memory remedies, do leave your suggestions in the comments below.
Now pardon me while I try to speed read the encyclopedia.
6 Comments »
Jayne on 10 Dec 2007 at 5:21 pm #
It’s a pity we don’t get QI on Australian TV, the dumbed-down pseudo-intellectual garbage they serve up here has had many of us rushing to make appointments to have bamboo shoved under our fingernails as alternative entertainment …
Yes, yes, I’m in love with Stephen Fry’s grey matter too LOL !
bertas on 11 Dec 2007 at 5:42 am #
You know what Jayne? I dont think it is such a horrible predicament to have :)) I suffer from the same symptoms maybe we should start a club
Richard Madeley on 15 Dec 2007 at 8:55 am #
‘he must have a whopper… (of a brain that is) to store it all in’
Actually, I know for a certainty that he keeps all his facts written on index cards and stored in a series of old shoe boxes. I’ve seen them and very impressive they look.
bertas on 16 Dec 2007 at 12:46 pm #
O la la are we getting some insider information here?
But thanks Richard for making me feel a bit better about my blondness… and may I say I absolutely love your blog? Its hilarious… I’ll pop by more often from now on…
Richard Madeley on 16 Dec 2007 at 12:54 pm #
Not at all. Delighted that you like it. And I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m really a blond too only I hide it well. ;o)
bertas on 16 Dec 2007 at 1:13 pm #
Oh dont worry your secret is safe with me…
Feel free to pop by anytime, as you can see on Mondays its Stephen Fry day, so if you have any suggestions what we could cover feel free to chip in… and if you do announce your wedding to lovely Mr. Fry well I will have to cover that