Dictionary Corner Guests

Discuss anything that happened in recent games. This is the place to post any words you got that beat Dictionary Corner, or numbers games that evaded Rachel.

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Andy Wilson
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Andy Wilson »

Image

What about one of these guys?
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Andy Wilson
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Andy Wilson »

I will admit, i think Marc is spelled with a k... i think... but couldn't be arsed editing at this hour...
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Andy Wilson
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Andy Wilson »

oh yeah... and he's the host of revisita de la liga on sky sports... spanish footie... on Sundays... a great mate of Jeff no doubt...
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Derek Hazell »

Charlie Reams wrote:
Roxanne wrote:I think David Mitchell would be a really good guest, he's brilliantly funny and it would fit in perfectly with his public persona of being a bit geeky. There are plenty of comedians out there that I love, but Mitchell is probably the only one inoffensive enough that I'd feel happy to watch him with my nan.
They've wanted him for ages but unfortunately Lara didn't try hard enough. Maybe next series.
After this, would you still want him, but? http://www.c4countdown.co.uk/viewtopic. ... 813#p72813
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Simon Le Fort »

Geoffrey Durham was spell-binding.

Great smile, great magical talent, and really strong with the words. He may have fallen from grace because of the Victoria wood business, I don't know, but it would be a shame.

I do agree with the comment that Richard Stilgoe's involvement of the contesants' names etc. in his limericks and things was a really nice touch. It cemented the guest's role.

The role of the guest in most cases continues to confuse me after all these years. There seems to be some confusion about whether the guests are pretending or not to say they have come up with the words that they obviously haven't. The shuffling sideways of the scrap of paper is always amusing.

I like it on the r a r e occasions that a guest displays that they are an ongoing fan of the show and mentions other contestants and episodes.

The Duchess of Cornwall would be interesting, Princess Anne was on Blue Peter.

With all those celebrity tv shows, surely a little Celebrity Countdown series would be good - in the current DC member list there is a ready-made list of contestants. I seem to recall RW playing once many years ago, or was that a skit? Sure someone will tell us.

Given that 95% of the most successful players seem to be males aged under 28, it would be good to have a DC guest in that category. Otherwise it's like Strictly Come Dancing where they have token oldies who clearly won't get far, but they are 100% ageist in choosing the pro dancers and judges.

Finally, I am sure lots of viewers would love to have the CoC winners in DC, given that the majority of guests have "talents" that don't come across at all in that role. They'd be cheap and actually set a standard. I remember that happened after a few months of the show in 1982/83, didn't a winning Mark perform many roles? (sorry, can't recall the name in full)
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by James Robinson »

Simon Le Fort wrote:With all those celebrity tv shows, surely a little Celebrity Countdown series would be good - in the current DC member list there is a ready-made list of contestants. I seem to recall RW playing once many years ago, or was that a skit? Sure someone will tell us.
There was an 8-episode Celebrity Countdown a bit over 10 years ago, although another bunch of those episodes would be quite nice.

Richard did indeed play a match against Carol at Christmas 1997, Carol winning it on the conundrum.
Simon Le Fort wrote:Finally, I am sure lots of viewers would love to have the CoC winners in DC, given that the majority of guests have "talents" that don't come across at all in that role. They'd be cheap and actually set a standard. I remember that happened after a few months of the show in 1982/83, didn't a winning Mark perform many roles? (sorry, can't recall the name in full)
That Mark you're referring to will probably be Mark Nyman, who managed a fairly impressive feat of being contestant, DC guest, lexicographer and producer on the show. I think that Damian is the only other person to have done that feat.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Charlie Reams »

James Robinson wrote: That Mark you're referring to will probably be Mark Nyman, who managed a fairly impressive feat of being contestant, DC guest, lexicographer and producer on the show.
Of course being the DC guest did give him quite an advantage over the other contestant. He even pretended he got the words himself, the cheeky git.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

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Simon Le Fort wrote: Given that 95% of the most successful players seem to be males aged under 28, it would be good to have a DC guest in that category. Otherwise it's like Strictly Come Dancing where they have token oldies who clearly won't get far, but they are 100% ageist in choosing the pro dancers and judges.
LOL - so in order to avoid being labelled 'ageist', we should hire a DC guest on the sole basis that they are under 28 years of age. :lol:
Simon Le Fort wrote: Finally, I am sure lots of viewers would love to have the CoC winners in DC
Would they be outgoing enough?
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Edwin Mead
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Edwin Mead »

I'd like to see Keith Chegwin as a guest.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by James Robinson »

Edwin Mead wrote:I'd like to see Keith Chegwin as a guest.
I wonder why :?:
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Simon Le Fort »

Wow, I only discovered this section today and such a rush of replies already, thanks everyone.

Thanks especially for all the detail, James.
D Eadie wrote:
Simon Le Fort wrote: Given that 95% of the most successful players seem to be males aged under 28, it would be good to have a DC guest in that category. Otherwise it's like Strictly Come Dancing where they have token oldies who clearly won't get far, but they are 100% ageist in choosing the pro dancers and judges.
LOL - so in order to avoid being labelled 'ageist', we should hire a DC guest on the sole basis that they are under 28 years of age. :lol:
Simon Le Fort wrote: Finally, I am sure lots of viewers would love to have the CoC winners in DC
Would they be outgoing enough?
The ageism exists now by exclusion. Total, I believe.

Including someone with an age and - yes - gender profile more similar to the profile of the majority of top players seems acceptable and would make for fair comparisons.

As to whether they would be outgoing enough, sure they may need coaching. But I feel those players who have dedicated huge chunks of their lives to knowing so many words and who have played so many games in varying circumstances, well, I believe for each in between round they may really have something useful to tell about each word that comes up. I repeat my point from above that many of the celebrities' "talents" do not come across in the DC role.

Until not so long ago I thought some of the top young male players just memorized wordlists, but I have seen in many ways that they invariably know all about the words they come up with. We are talking about very fast and resourceful minds, and I am sure the CoCs have plenty to give personality-wise. Anyway, Jeff's got more than enough wit on his own to keep the whole show jollying along.

Let's not forget that the contestants are in a stressful competitive situation. Freed up from that, I am sure everyone would become more outgoing. C4 chose Chris Davies for Big Brother; Kirk doesn't give me any doubts - just see his Aptochat; and Charlie has the potential to be a Gilbert Harding-type figure, with all the controversy that would bring.

Weren't the last two maths graduates doing the numbers plucked from obscurity without any track records of outgoingness?
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Marc Meakin »

I think the majority of countdown viewers (ie everyone who watches but do not subscribe to this forum) would prefer a celebrity rather than an afficianodo.
But maybe it would be a good idea for the special shows coming up.
Last edited by Marc Meakin on Fri Jan 29, 2010 1:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Gavin Chipper
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Gavin Chipper »

Marc Meakin wrote:I think the majority of countdown viewers (ie everyone who watches but do not subscribe to this forum) would prefer a celebrity rather than an officianodo.
But maybe it would be a good idea for the special shows coming up.
I don't think that's the afficial spelling.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Marc Meakin »

Gavin Chipper wrote:
Marc Meakin wrote:I think the majority of countdown viewers (ie everyone who watches but do not subscribe to this forum) would prefer a celebrity rather than an officianodo.
But maybe it would be a good idea for the special shows coming up.
I don't think that's the afficial spelling.
Now sorted.
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D Eadie
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

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Simon Le Fort wrote: Including someone with an age and - yes - gender profile more similar to the profile of the majority of top players seems acceptable and would make for fair comparisons.
Fair comparisons to what? Give me a name of a male, under 28, who's a celebrity, who'll be right for Countdown. Then when you've got one, find another 20, because you'll need that many just to get 1 of them to agree to do it. DC guests aren't on the show because of their age or gender. Period.
Simon Le Fort wrote: As to whether they would be outgoing enough, sure they may need coaching.
How many hours of coaching? 50.....100? Coaching under studio conditions to replicate the real deal is the only way. So thats lights, cameras and presenters all there to add realism. Ok - you're up to about £100k so far for this guest, I hope he's worth it.
Simon Le Fort wrote:
I am sure the CoCs have plenty to give personality-wise. Anyway, Jeff's got more than enough wit on his own to keep the whole show jollying along.
In most cases you're wrong. What's more ridiculous is that you make this argument (i use the word argument in the loosest possible way) for a CofC person to do DC, then after £100k on coaching, if they're crap, don't worry, Jeff can sort it all out. This is terrific stuff.
Simon Le Fort wrote: Let's not forget that the contestants are in a stressful competitive situation. Freed up from that, I am sure everyone would become more outgoing. C4 chose Chris Davies for Big Brother
Yeah - so sitting in DC, with your reputation on the line as something of a wordsmith, with the responsibility of unearthing winner after winner isn't pressure? I wasn't aware C4 chose Chris Davies for BB, i thought it was me.
Simon Le Fort wrote: Weren't the last two maths graduates doing the numbers plucked from obscurity without any track records of outgoingness?
In Rachel's case, if you call 'plucked from obscurity' being given a job after an exhausting and highly stressful process that took 12 hours a day, every day for the best part of 3 months, then yes.

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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by David Williams »

Remember that day when Carol Barnes didn't show up, and they got some unknown to stand in? How did you think that went?
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by D Eadie »

David Williams wrote:Remember that day when Carol Barnes didn't show up, and they got some unknown to stand in? How did you think that went?
Ghastly - my point exactly.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Charlie Reams »

D Eadie wrote:
Simon Le Fort wrote: Weren't the last two maths graduates doing the numbers plucked from obscurity without any track records of outgoingness?
In Rachel's case, if you call 'plucked from obscurity' being given a job after an exhausting and highly stressful process that took 12 hours a day, every day for the best part of 3 months, then yes.
And in the other case she wasn't a maths graduate anyway.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Simon Le Fort »

I enjoyed reading everybody else's comments as I read through this topic this morning and felt it right to share my views as well. That's the way these things work, with take and give.

I have said nothing but positive things about guests on the show, and about my own ideas as to other possible guests.

It's astonishing to read such a reaction from just one member of this thread and I certainly won't go to the bother of composing a list of quotes and replies because insults like that do not make for fun. The art of conversation and chatting is clearly lost on anyone who uses expressions like "Period" and "You're wrong", particularly when the subject matter is something as subjective as views on CoCs' personalities.

Telling people who have different opinions that their thoughts are "ridiculous" says a great deal about the writer, not to mention the unfounded extensions made and attributed to me.

As for worrying about players' reputations being on the line, that depends in what context. But as far as Countdown goes, once they've won CoCs I believe that's pretty much the end of their careers. In any case, any proposed DC guest can decide whether they want to risk any reputation they may have by choosing to appear. I wonder if any of the recent CoCs really would decline an offer from the show's producers to appear.

On a topic as harmless as discussing a tea-time parlour game I shall maintain my own opinions, and still say that those CoCs mentioned do have potential to play a fuller role in Countdown.

And yes, it is my first day here on this thread and the whole Countdown forum so the words of "welcome" and other apparently sarcastic comments showing a lack of tolerance of others' views have had their desired effect.

Fortunately, I will know I really was wrong only if any of those I mentioned as possible guests choose to say "How dare you propose me...?". From what I have seen of all of them they'll have the good grace to realise the comments were made supportively and respectfully (though Camilla may be saying "Off with his head.")
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D Eadie
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by D Eadie »

Oh lord, here we go.

It's a discussion forum, you discussed, i discussed. Nobody has insulted you or made 'unfounded extensions', but if you want to put forward proposals or suggestions, then surely you've got to be a big boy and take in on the chin when they are commented on. Isn't that the overall idea of web forums?

You opened up by accusing the show of ageism, which is absurd. After that i sort of gave up any hope of you saying anything remotely sensible.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Ian Fitzpatrick »

Today's show (29th Jan 2010) just shows that you need a professional in Dictionary corner. Paul Zenon has been great all week but today was the best I have seen him.

He runs Dr Phil Hammond close for top guest.
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Rosemary Roberts »

D Eadie wrote:
Simon Le Fort wrote: Including someone with an age and - yes - gender profile more similar to the profile of the majority of top players seems acceptable and would make for fair comparisons.
Give me a name of a male, under 28, who's a celebrity, who'll be right for Countdown.
Damian, I think you have the makings of a whole new Reality show there: start with 100 male celebrities in Simon's preferred age group and subject them to a Countdown-style competition. You might have to weed out the ones who cant read or formulate a sentence, or don't understand the rules; perhaps use shorter sets of letters (four letters springs to mind) and think up a new numbers game that doesn't go above double figures. Or maybe single figures.

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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by D Eadie »

Haha Rosemary, great idea.
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Kevin Davis
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Re: Dictionary Corner Guests

Post by Kevin Davis »

There are a couple of young(er) names that spring to mind:

Kristan Bromley, PhD, BEng, age 37 (but his birthday's in early March; thanks, Wiki!) - though he's busy throwing himself headfirst down a Canadian hillside on a teatray right now.

Gail Porter, age 38, Scots TV presenter.
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