Somebody called Clare Cohen put these together for some British publication – nothing to do with planning, just a little end of the week chuckle. The following unbelievably awful answers were, apparently, really given on popular TV and radio quiz shows:
BEG, BORROW OR STEAL (BBC2) Jamie Theakston: Where do you think Cambridge University is? Contestant: Geography isn't my strong point. Theakston: There's a clue in the title. Contestant: Leicester . LATE SHOW (BBC MIDLANDS) Alex Trelinski: What's the capital of Italy ? Contestant: France . Trelinski: France is another country. Try again. Contestant: Oh, um, Benidorm. Trelinski: Wrong, sorry, let's try another question. In which country is the Parthenon? Contestant: Sorry, I don't know. Trelinski: Just guess a country then. Contestant: Paris .
BEACON RADIO, Wolverhampton DJ Mark: For £10, what is the nationality of the Pope? Ruth from Rowley Regis: I think I know that one. Is it Jewish?
GWR FM, Bristol Presenter: What happened in Dallas on November 22, 1963? Contestant: I don't know, I wasn't watching it then.
LINCS FM PHONE-IN Presenter: Which is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world? Contestant: Barcelona . Presenter: I was really after the name of a country. Contestant: I'm sorry; I don't know the names of any countries in Spain .
JAMES O'BRIEN SHOW (LBC) O'Brien: How many kings of England have been called Henry? Contestant: Well, I know there was a Henry the Eighth. . . er . . . Three?
PAUL WAPPAT (BBC RADIO NEWCASTLE) Wappat: How long did the Six-Day War between Egypt and Israel last? Contestant (after long pause): Fourteen days.
PHIL WOOD SHOW (BBC GMR) Wood: What 'K' could be described as the Islamic Bible? Contestant: Er. . . Wood: It's got two syllables . . . Kor . . . Contestant: Blimey? Wood: Ha ha ha ha, no. The past participle of run . . . Contestant: (Silence.) Wood: OK, try it another way. Today I run, yesterday I . . . Contestant: Walked?
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE (BBC2) Jeremy Paxman: What is another name for "cherrypickers" and "cheesemongers"? Contestant: Homosexuals. Paxman: No. They're regiments in the British Army who will be very upset with you.