What's got into Radio 4?

[jadesfire]

We are currently doing scary grown up financial things, and this made me snort in an undignified manner while J was on the phone to the mortgage people:

From The Times: Paxman says Mastermind is Dumbing Down

[John] Humphrys [presenter of Mastermind], who also spoke at the [Cheltenham literary] festival on Saturday, said Mastermind questions were also more difficult than in the past. When told that Paxman disagreed, he said: “Well, deliver this message to him. He’s welcome to test this proposition by appearing as a guest on Celebrity Mastermind.

“We’ll deliberately make the questions a bit easier for him, if he likes. Alternatively, we could have a shoot-out. I could put to him a set of questions chosen at random from the last ten programmes and he could do the same.

Come on, Paxman, if you think you’re hard enough.”

(er...emphasis mine, because that's the bit that made me giggle)

How much would I have loved to have heard him say that? Honestly, what are they feeding them at R4 at the moment?

Comments

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

But Mastermind and University Challenge are two vastly differing quiz programs. Mastermind you are questioned upon your personal specialised knowledge And topical general knowledge where as University Challenge is geared more towards specific titles generaly (i.e. maths, sciences, art, culture, psychology etc)...

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, but BBC presenter rivalry is fun. I might buy popcorn :)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

It's a throw down!

Edited for LJ selecting the *wrong* icon.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

CAGE FIGHT! Humphreys vs Paxman!

That's one of the most terrifying mental images I've had for a long time O.O

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

Sandi Toksvig: "What is cage fighting?"

They could totally dramatize this on Radio 4.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

HAMSTERS! I was trying to hang up clothes when Jeremy Hardy said that, and I nearly dropped everything :D

I'm starting to think Radio 4 can do anything. ^_^

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

::sporfle:: I think I was cracking a bunch of eggs for a casserole, ended up crushing one, and had "very violent hamsters" in my head for a little too long.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I have some News Quiz icons around here somewhere - I'm planning a switch-around soon, btw, and could be changing LOTS of them. Apologies in advance for spam ;)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

My money is on Humphreys.

[with-apostrophe.livejournal.com]

ANYTHING that takes Paxman down a level or two would be A Good Thing in my book.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*g* Yeah, but is Humphreys the man to do it? ;)

[with-apostrophe.livejournal.com]

I don't know. He has to be able to guarantee a smackdown or it will only increase the Paxman's level of arrogance. Which would be A Bad Thing.

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

I have a theory that every so often the people at Radio 4 fall into the belief that no one is listening, and that's when they get really odd...

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Heh, that's as good a theory as any. I used to love Wogan's "our loyal listener", which is something the rest of the network seems to have taken on board! Reading back through my journal, it seems to have been adopted as the Today programme's unofficial motto. What is the world coming to? ;D

[phoenix64.livejournal.com]

*snort* Clearly I need to start streaming Radio 4.