Have I Got News For You

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:36 pm

Yes, this is in the right forum - it's Countdown related.

Did anyone catch HIGNFY this evening? I only turned to it half way through, and one of the first things I heard was what seemed to be a reference to party political broadcasts on Countdown. Presumably this was some reference to Ann Widdecombe's recent appearances. Later in the programme there were two or three more references to Countdown. I'm wondering if Ann W's appearances were the subject of one of the early questions in this evening's programme.

HIGNFY is being repeated tomorrow evening, so I'll try to catch the whole programme then.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:41 pm

Howard Somerset wrote:Yes, this is in the right forum - it's Countdown related.

Did anyone catch HIGNFY this evening? I only turned to it half way through, and one of the first things I heard was what seemed to be a reference to party political broadcasts on Countdown. Presumably this was some reference to Ann Widdecombe's recent appearances. Later in the programme there were two or three more references to Countdown. I'm wondering if Ann W's appearances were the subject of one of the early questions in this evening's programme.

HIGNFY is being repeated tomorrow evening, so I'll try to catch the whole programme then.

I can't say I watched this, because I am watching the Cook-along with Gordon Ramsay, but instead of waiting till tomorrow evening, it should be on iPlayer soon

David Williams · Post by **David Williams** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:49 pm

It's a veritable Countdown extravaganza, including TWO connections they obviously weren't aware of.

David

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:00 pm

I've just caught the last 15 minutes too, having just returned from two days away. There were so many references to Alexander and Countdown that I assumed an announcement had finally been made and he was officially the new host, but having trawled the Net, it doesn't seem to be the case - unless he's chosen HIGNFY to announce it! Must watch the repeat tomorrow!

Dan Vanniasingham · Post by **Dan Vanniasingham** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:06 pm

I watched it (although I missed a few mins as I had a cottage pie to remove from the oven), and the countdown references began from the very start. Paul asked Alexander if he'd accepted the job, Alexander stated either that he hadn't or that nothing had been signed - can't remember which.

John Douglas · Post by **John Douglas** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:20 pm

Paul Merton in particular seemed to be ribbing him for having accepted the job - surely an announcement must be made soon, if he has. I am slightly troubled by the fact that he looks as though he has large, rather pointed, ears. I hope I get over this if he is the new host as I keep noticing it whenever I see him.

Ralph Gillions · Post by **Ralph Gillions** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:41 pm

Although Alexander Armstrong said he had not signed anything, there were references throughout the
programme about him presenting Countdowown. Richard Whitely was mentioned too.
It was almost a running joke; friendly banter.
It very much implied that it is settled apart from the final seal.

Mike Brailsford · Post by **Mike Brailsford** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:50 am

Frankly on that performance from Alexander Armstrong on HIGNFY on Friday, I would definately not like him to get the job. He was pretty awful, making many mistakes. The references to Richard were in poor taste, and he denies he has taken the job yet if at all.

David Williams · Post by **David Williams** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:28 am

Anyone worried by the possibility of encountering poor taste might do well to avoid HIGNFY. And the Countdown stuff was all from Hislop and Merton. People do act differently in different situations. Who would ever have seen Jo Brand as a favourite Countdown celebrity?

But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.

JimBentley · Post by **JimBentley** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:41 am

David Williams wrote:Anyone worried by the possibility of encountering poor taste might do well to avoid HIGNFY. And the Countdown stuff was all from Hislop and Merton. People do act differently in different situations. Who would ever have seen Jo Brand as a favourite Countdown celebrity?

But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.

One of them was a mention for (the lovely) former contestant Ariane Sherine, who is organising an Atheist Bus Campaign in London (it involves buying advertising space on the sides of buses to display slogans such as "There's probably no God" - you can read more about it here). I think I might've caught the other one too, but I can't remember what it is now.

Mike Brailsford · Post by **Mike Brailsford** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:45 am

I see your meaning on the issues of what is good taste. My main point was AA's performance. I know they often keep the errors is the final edit, but it just made him look a bit clumsy presenting a show. Although of course we do get such Countdown moments. I did quite enjoy him in his comedy series with Ben Miller, whether he is suited to a host's role, I'm less sure on.

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:16 pm

We may well see more in this evening's repeat. It lasts 40 mins, compared with yesterday's 30 mins, and is billed as an extended repeat.

John Bosley · Post by **John Bosley** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:33 pm

jimbentley wrote: (the lovely) former contestant Ariane Sherine, who is organising an Atheist Bus Campaign in London (it involves buying advertising space on the sides of buses to display slogans such as "There's probably no God" - you can read more about it here).

I am really pleased to hear the news about the Atheist Bus Campaign - and the fund raising is amazing as is the response to people who have said things like - 'So I am not alone after all.

As a humanist/atheist, I am really happy when people with no belief get to realise that they are not alone - there are many of us. Some say a majority.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:37 pm

Des O'! Des O'! Alexander! Alexander!

Is it any more appropriate to chant both of their names?

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:02 pm

Jason Larsen wrote:Des O'! Des O'! Alexander! Alexander!

Is it any more appropriate to chant both of their names?

Maybe if you are on a drug trip?

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:12 pm

No, Joseph!

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:17 pm

Jason Larsen wrote:No, Joseph!

Going by some of your posts, I really wouldn't be surprised if you were stoned as you typed them.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:27 pm

Joseph, before I thought you were a happy-go-lucky gentleman, but now...

Julie T · Post by **Julie T** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:58 pm

I thought that the references to Countdown were fairly light-hearted.
As Alexander Armstrong didn't say he wasn't going to be the Countdown host, I hope that means that he is.

His reference to wearing a Richard Whiteley mask/suit or whatever the exact phrase was, got oohs of bad taste from the audience. IMHO it sounded like he meant that RW was an icon to be emulated, which is exactly the attitude for a new host to have.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:49 pm

Isn't that ironic?

John Douglas · Post by **John Douglas** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:51 pm

Having just seen the repeat, I thought AA looked embarrassed to be asked about Countdown. As the news has been out there for some time, I'm wondering if he has had second thoughts about its being such a good career move, or maybe there is some problem with the contract?

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:04 pm

Mr. Douglas...

We wil see.

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:11 pm

John Douglas wrote:Having just seen the repeat, I thought AA looked embarrassed to be asked about Countdown. As the news has been out there for some time, I'm wondering if he has had second thoughts about its being such a good career move, or maybe there is some problem with the contract?

I don't think he is having second doubts. It will probably just be something like that he just didn't want people to know yet that he maybe taking over as the presenter of Countdown.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:37 pm

jimbentley wrote:
David Williams wrote:Anyone worried by the possibility of encountering poor taste might do well to avoid HIGNFY. And the Countdown stuff was all from Hislop and Merton. People do act differently in different situations. Who would ever have seen Jo Brand as a favourite Countdown celebrity?

But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.
One of them was a mention for (the lovely) former contestant Ariane Sherine, who is organising an Atheist Bus Campaign in London (it involves buying advertising space on the sides of buses to display slogans such as "There's probably no God" - you can read more about it here). I think I might've caught the other one too, but I can't remember what it is now.

Brett Smitheram (former contestant) was mentioned in a Scrabble headline. Also Mauro Pratesi and family were mentioned. Dunno if he was a contestant but he's posted online.

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:31 pm

David Williams wrote:But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.

I think that the second Countdown related bit to which you are referring is the snail-on-face champion. The former holder of this title was a contestant only a few programmes ago.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:23 pm

Howard Somerset wrote:
David Williams wrote:But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.
I think that the second Countdown related bit to which you are referring is the snail-on-face champion. The former holder of this title was a contestant only a few programmes ago.

I thought it was a woman who said she wanted to break a world record such as snails on the face - as the number was quite low. The woman won at least 1 show - was it Debbi or anyone on the forum?

Joseph Bolas · Post by **Joseph Bolas** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:44 am

Jason Larsen wrote:Joseph, before I thought you were a happy-go-lucky gentleman, but now...

If you knew me in person Jason, then you would probably agree that I am not a happy-go-lucky person.

Howard Somerset · Post by **Howard Somerset** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:47 am

Kirk Bevins wrote:
Howard Somerset wrote:
David Williams wrote:But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.
I think that the second Countdown related bit to which you are referring is the snail-on-face champion. The former holder of this title was a contestant only a few programmes ago.
I thought it was a woman who said she wanted to break a world record such as snails on the face - as the number was quite low. The woman won at least 1 show - was it Debbi or anyone on the forum?

You're quite right, Kirk. It was Denise McHale, as long ago as 16th September. I think I'm right with the subject, but you're right with the details.

Andy Clews · Post by **Andy Clews** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:10 am

Julie T wrote:I thought that the references to Countdown were fairly light-hearted.
As Alexander Armstrong didn't say he wasn't going to be the Countdown host, I hope that means that he is.

If AA does take the job, I do wonder how long he would last. It doesn't strike me as a particularly challenging job, with few opportunities to deviate from the general flow of the show or for quick-fire humour, and I get the feeling that AA would tire of it rather quickly. Still, whoever it is, it will be nice to hear the host say something different from "here's the clock" at the start of each countdown. At least Des Lynam managed a few variations!

Martin Bishop · Post by **Martin Bishop** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:39 pm

I wouldn't worry too much about his mistakes. They were mostly the result of troubles with the autocue and there's no autocue on Countdown. From watching this, I ended up deciding that he'd be very good at Countdown. My only worry is that he'd give it up after a couple of years, so he could do more comedy.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:06 pm

Thank you for letting me know, Joseph!

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:56 pm

The Carol Vorderman-hosted edition of this show from 2006 is scheduled to be on Dave at 10:20 tonight. As a bonus it also features Dr. Phil Hammond as a panellist. It will be on again at 11:20 on Dave Ja Vu.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:23 pm

Derek Hazell wrote:The Carol Vorderman-hosted edition of this show from 2006 is scheduled to be on Dave at 10:20 tonight. As a bonus it also features Dr. Phil Hammond as a panellist. It will be on again at 11:20 on Dave Ja Vu.

Is it online anywhere?

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 4:16 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:
Derek Hazell wrote:The Carol Vorderman-hosted edition of this show from 2006 is scheduled to be on Dave at 10:20 tonight. As a bonus it also features Dr. Phil Hammond as a panellist. It will be on again at 11:20 on Dave Ja Vu.
Is it online anywhere?

It's on YouTube. As a big HIGNFY fan, I've seen all of them on Trippynet's channel.

Search for HIGNFY S31E06.

Gavin Chipper · Post by **Gavin Chipper** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 5:17 pm

David Williams wrote:But that's not really my point. Can I really be the only one to have seen the two unremarked Countdown-related bits last night. A small (to the point of non-existence) prize to the first person to find them.

So after all this time, which were the two you were referring to? (I think more than two were mentioned after you posed the question.)

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:53 am

Have I Got News for You will be Americanized. There will be one change, though. The show will have only one host. That host is this man:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Seder

No wonder people don't like him, because how on the green earth of God are you going to find a same-sex married American Republican.

The guy who originally reported this online wrote, "This has suck written all over it."

Source: The archives of http://www.buzzerblog.flashgameshows.com

Charlie Reams · Post by **Charlie Reams** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:59 am

Jason Larsen wrote:No wonder people don't like him, because how on the green earth of God are you going to find a same-sex married American Republican.

Here.

Matt Morrison · Post by **Matt Morrison** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:18 am

Charlie Reams wrote:
Jason Larsen wrote:No wonder people don't like him, because how on the green earth of God are you going to find a same-sex married American Republican.
Here.

This reminds me of that corrupt evangelical pastor Ted Haggard, who spent many years as the head of a massive congregation and would regular preach to 15,000 people in stadiums about how drugs were wrong and how they needed to stop the gay agenda, and was then caught in 2006 and revealed to have been smoking crystal meth and soliciting male prostitutes for gay sex for at least three years.

The best bit is what happened next. The church didn't get rid of him, they cured him. Four ministers took him to a log cabin and spent three weeks alone with him there, and when he came out he had apparently been 'cured' of his homosexuality. I pass over to Joe Rogan: "Now, I don't know how they did it, but I assume they probably did it the same way my dad got me to quit smoking. I think they made that motherfucker smoke the whole pack." Brilliant.

Ben Hunter · Post by **Ben Hunter** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:59 am

Joe Rogan wrote:Now, I don't know how they did it, but I assume they probably did it the same way my dad got me to quit smoking. I think they made that motherfucker smoke the whole pack.

Hahaha

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 12:01 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:corrupt evangelical pastor

Tautology alert.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:18 pm

I didn't know the Log Cabin Republicans existed! Thank you for the information, Charlie!

People who believe those people have got to be crazy!

Derek Hazell · Post by **Derek Hazell** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:34 pm

Gyles Brandreth's 1999 appearance (the first of four he has made so far) is on Dave at 7:40 and Dave Ja Vu at 8:40 tonight.

Edit: Countdown just got a mention, as Paul Merton said the music should be used as the theme to take us into the next election.

Jason Larsen · Post by **Jason Larsen** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:05 pm

Happy new Year! (almost.)