"like Countdown on acid"

[Matt Morrison]

I was listening to a song the other day (the name of which has sadly slipped my mind), and it mentioned something as being "like Countdown on acid".

Which got me thinking - under the influence of which drugs have you watched Countdown?

Being a popular student programme, marijuana is hardly going to be a surprising candidate. I'm not entirely sure whilst I was at uni I watched Countdown without being high.
As you'd perhaps expect, concentration is high but I found I tend to get stuck looking for particular patterns in the letters.
And you'd be surprised just how much POTHEAD and STONED come up in the letters games!

But I wonder if anyone happens to have actually played Countdown on acid or anything more interesting?
I think the worst of all would be watching Countdown on ketamine - but then you could happily replace 'watching Countdown' with any activity and the statement will remain true.

What about more normal 'drugs' - how does excess coffee or alcohol affect your Countdown ability?

[Lesley Jeavons]

I've only ever tried watching under the influence of a cup of tea or mocha and a biccy or cake. I can't see anything making my viewing experience any more pleasurable than that. What could possibly better biccy and cake?!

[Matt Morrison]

What could possibly better biccy and cake?!

biccy and hash cake? you don't know until you've tried!

[Matthew Green]

Here's a very funny and genuine story.

I make (very) amateur films in my spare time. Last year we needed an apartment to film the following scene:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=siB6kvZruw4

So my mate got his 2 friends (both small-time drugdealers) to let us use their flat. I had never met them before so it was a bit odd when I went in and started directing such a strange scene. This was also the same day I first appeared on Countdown.
Later that night at 3am, the 2 guys who let us use the flat were highly stoned and coked up and were flicking through the channels and then saw me on Countdown on More4- they rang my mate up to ask if the guy on TV was the same guy who had been in their flat 10 hours earlier filming a Jeremy Beadle scene. They said ithe experience was so utterly surreal that it made one of them have a full-blown anciety attack.

[Ben Hunter]

I've never watched Countdown while under the influence, but I've played many games of Apterous in an inebriated state. In general my mental arithmetic is better when I'm drunk (I don't know why), though my skill on the letters is impaired. My skill on both is impaired when high.

[Jason Larsen]

Is this song only popular in the UK?

[Joseph Bolas]

What could possibly better biccy and cake?!

A bottle of Pepsi Max

[Matt Morrison]

Here's a very funny and genuine story... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=siB6kvZruw4

Haha, loved your story Matthew, brilliant stuff! Enjoyed watching your video too, Beadle's hand was excellent.
And that was Justin Fashanu was it? How did you know him? Plenty of RIPs in your videos, sadly.
Watched the Fashanu Volley one too - nice. Fashanu always reminds me of: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xLuaqNoxj ... re=related (only 15 seconds, you have to click that link)
In case you're very bored, here's the last amateur film I made: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mQsPPQL1s1A
Haha... can't watch that without tears of joy flowing

In general my mental arithmetic is better when I'm drunk (I don't know why), though my skill on the letters is impaired. My skill on both is impaired when high.

Madness. Being high helps my numbers, that might make sense if I had an analytical brain but I don't really. At some point soon I'm going to have to get really drunk by 3:25pm, you know, just to do some research.

Is this song only popular in the UK?

If I could remember the song, I might be able to tell you. Possibly something by Hadouken or Does It Offend You, Yeah? or someone along that electronic rock tip.

[Phil Reynolds]

And that was Justin Fashanu was it?

Not if it was made last year - Justin died about 10 years ago.

In case you're very bored, here's the last amateur film I made: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mQsPPQL1s1A

Gosh, you're quite chunky aren't you? Your friend's cute though.

[Matt Morrison]

And that was Justin Fashanu was it?

Not if it was made last year - Justin died about 10 years ago.

Didn't check or think about the date - didn't know much about Justin until he'd killed himself, sadly, so wasn't being racist by asking if it was him, just uninformed.

In case you're very bored, here's the last amateur film I made: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mQsPPQL1s1A

Gosh, you're quite chunky aren't you? Your friend's cute though.

I know, depressing. Had a fat summer but in better shape now.

[Jason Larsen]

Matt, I have never heard of any of those groups!