c4countdown

Ryan Taylor wrote: Was Mr Reams in the audience, and if so, was it you who I saw eating a bogey you'd just picked?

Yes and therefore probably yes.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Ryan Taylor wrote: Was Mr Reams in the audience, and if so, was it you who I saw eating a bogey you'd just picked?

Yes and therefore probably yes.

Yum!

I found the random cuts to the audience the worst thing about the show. Dunno why, it just really irritated me.

Cool show, really unlucky guys.

I wonder if the one person who said Spiro Agnew knew it the same way I did - as the headless vice-president in an episode of Futurama?

Loved CF's jizz too.

Jon Corby wrote:Loved CF's jizz too.

They cut out Richard saying "you'll recognise a dog by its jizz", although we all know how dangerous it is to attempt a semen joke on national TV.

Jimmy Gough wrote:gg, ul

too much poker imo btw

Very well played, and most entertaining, Michael and CF.
Not the easiest of games to win, but at least you got the trophy.
I wouldn't have got any of the pointless VPs either.

Julie T wrote:Very well played, and most entertaining, Michael and CF.
Not the easiest of games to win, but at least you got the trophy.
I wouldn't have got any of the pointless VPs either.

Very good performance, Michael & Jamie. Impressed by the S chemical answer as well.
I was also hoping that Spiro Agnew would have just sneaked in as a Pointless, but to no avail.
Well done anyway.

If there's another series, which I'm sure there will be, then I'm definitely gonna have to apply again.

I'm just echoing others' comments, but well done again. Thoroughly entertaining and I really felt for you when Agnew scored just 1! Maybe if you were a bit older you might have stood a better chance on that one, but you still did really well. When you declared samarium the woman on the other team's face was absolutely priceless!

I could only think of Gerald Ford, who became PREZZ after watergate.

What a lovely show. I like how they introduce the contestants by asking how they met each other, it makes a nice change from quiz show hosts asking contestants what their occupation is - the second most obnoxious first question ever after "what does your father do" (true story).

Unlucky Michael/ Raccoon boy/ Whatever you prefer to be called. Very entertaining to watch though. Saying Jizz on national TV is worthy of winning any gameshow in my view. Is the trophy at least a half decent trophy?
I actually saw the second episode of this series being recorded on Jan 6th (I think), would've been a bit of a coincidence if you and Charlie had happened to be there on that day. Did you record much later than the 6th? There were loads of teething problems when I went, the technology kept going wrong and they took hours to record it, got a bit tedious in the end. Had they sorted out most of the problems, or did it still drag on? I can't imagine it would've been healthy for the contestants. One person gave an answer, then it took 5 minutes before they found out how well they had scored. And for obvious reasons they weren't allowed to talk at all during that time. They didn't seem to be looked after as well as Countdown contestants are looked after. Did you enjoy the experience of being a contestant?

Thanks for all the comments guys. It was all a bit frustrating, but I'll save trying to explain it all until I've finished off my 'Pointless Experience', which I'll post soonish. In the meantime, some responses:

Kirk: Sorry for ignoring your questions, but every time I started a reply I thought "someone is going to read a spoiler into this, even if I just post to say "I can't explain this yet"", so I just left it until it had all aired. They film 3 shows a day, with a big break between shows 2 and 3, but the break between shows 1 and 2 isn't really long enough to do any sneaky research on the previous show's questions. As you might infer, we were shows 1 and 2 of the day.

With regards to cheating on the final question, they actually sneak you out the back if you make it to the jackpot - they actually go and get your stuff from the green room for you because they don't want you going in and letting slip what the jackpot questions are. I can only presume that they don't expect people to try and 'cheat' the game by having people in the audience.

Neil Zussman wrote:I actually saw the second episode of this series being recorded on Jan 6th (I think), would've been a bit of a coincidence if you and Charlie had happened to be there on that day. Did you record much later than the 6th? There were loads of teething problems when I went, the technology kept going wrong and they took hours to record it, got a bit tedious in the end. Had they sorted out most of the problems, or did it still drag on? I can't imagine it would've been healthy for the contestants. One person gave an answer, then it took 5 minutes before they found out how well they had scored. And for obvious reasons they weren't allowed to talk at all during that time. They didn't seem to be looked after as well as Countdown contestants are looked after. Did you enjoy the experience of being a contestant?

We recorded on the 10th, although we had to spend all of the previous day there as well because of their contestant rollover system making it so they don't know ahead of time exactly when people are needed. The teething problems must have been sorted out by then, because I didn't really notice any. The pauses between declaring and the pointless-o-meter going down are much bigger in the studio, but nothing like 5 minutes, which would be horrendous on some of the more crucial rounds.

We were treated fairly well, the only real gripe is that, because of the contestant rollover thing, we had to spend an entire day there with no filming. That's more the problem of the show's format than anyone treating us badly; the people were lovely.

James Robinson wrote:
If there's another series, which I'm sure there will be, then I'm definitely gonna have to apply again.

And you'll have to be more entertaining in the audition. Perhaps swallow some helium beforehand.

Just caught up with Monday's show on iPlayer. It's a shame you two just missed out on the jackpot (especially on Friday's show) but you can hold your heads up high, both for the breadth (and in some cases depth) of your knowledge and for being without doubt the most entertaining contestants of this series so far. I especially loved the way you, Michael, had a way of finishing CF's sentences with a witty aside. I got the impression that Richard and Alexander really liked you as well.

Jon Corby wrote:I wonder if the one person who said Spiro Agnew knew it the same way I did - as the headless vice-president in an episode of Futurama?

The only reason I knew the name Spiro Agnew is that it was famously an anagram of GROW A PENIS, which I thought Richard might have mentioned, but perhaps after JIZZ and COCKCHAFER he didn't want to push it.

Samarium would have been my choice for the element question as well, although I suspect I'm the only person here who found all the answers (apart from seaborgium, which is too recently-named) by singing through Tom Lehrer's song "The Elements" in their head.

So anyway: what does CF stand for?

Well played Michael/CF - very good effort to get down to the last two pairs twice in a row, as that new multiple choice round is a potential minefield. Only just seen your second show - thought you were unlucky with Spiro Agnew given that Mondale was pointless. Just to rub it in, Sporcle have put up a new quiz on Vice Presidents who became President, and Mondale gets namechecked as well!

As an aside, great shouts by yesterday's couple with Icon and The Afghan.

In the later stages of round three, conteatants are egged on to go for a pointless awnser if they are already through, but surely, aiming to go first in the head to head is the tactical way to play.

Marc Meakin wrote:In the later stages of round three, conteatants are egged on to go for a pointless awnser if they are already through, but surely, aiming to go first in the head to head is the tactical way to play.

There's so much volatility in the questions you get that I'm not sure if there's much advantage in this. For instance, on our second show the six nations and seven dwarfs questions were both basically "whoever goes first wins the point" questions, which makes who went first overall a bit irrelevant. On the other hand, something like elements or Amy Winehouse singles are (for most people, at least) questions where it's more just whether you know the subject better. I suppose you're right that going first is theoretically going to be an advantage, but I'd always just go for the pointless on the show rather than look like I either couldn't count, or was Just That Competitive.

The couple yesterday (the pair we beat in our second head to head) gave a fantastic example of how not to use going first advantage. Spoilers: The question was "circles of latitude" (i.e. tropics, equator, (an)arctic circles),and they went for 'arctic circle'. Fortunately for them their opponents (somehow) didn'tthink to say 'antarctic circle', which would have won it. Not that I'm bitter about them winning, or anything (srsly, Mock Turtle was a Pointless Alice in Wonderland character? wtf?)

Phil: CF stands for Christian Fletcher, but everyone calls him CF, and he'll hurt anyone who doesn't. (Maybe.)

My mind must work in a completely different way from all else here, because Spiro Agnew was the first VP who's name came to mind. It's probably his notoriety when being forced to resign for completely separate criminal activites during the time of the Watergate investigations that made him one of the most talked about vice presidents.

Congrats to both of you, Michael. I think you did excellently in both programmes, particularly the second. Just a pity you didn't manage to get your hands on the money,

The people over at digitalspy seem to think we're 'adorable'.

90's boybands and goalscorers- literally my two favourite subjects. Why won't any of these fucking pussies choose one of them?

Matthew Green wrote:90's boybands and goalscorers- literally my two favourite subjects. Why won't any of these fucking pussies choose one of them?

That's an impressive pair of specialist subjects you have there Matthew. I must say I would have been tempted by 90s boybands myself, can't think I would do too well at goalscorers though.

Matthew Green wrote:90's boybands and goalscorers- literally my two favourite subjects. Why won't any of these fucking pussies choose one of them?

They chose 'thriller novelists' the other day and I just turned the fucking telly off.

Ben Hunter wrote:

Matthew Green wrote:90's boybands and goalscorers- literally my two favourite subjects. Why won't any of these fucking pussies choose one of them?

They chose 'thriller novelists' the other day and I just turned the fucking telly off.

Dude, you really know how to fight the man!

Charlie Reams wrote:

Ben Hunter wrote:

Matthew Green wrote:90's boybands and goalscorers- literally my two favourite subjects. Why won't any of these fucking pussies choose one of them?

They chose 'thriller novelists' the other day and I just turned the fucking telly off.

Dude, you really know how to fight the man!

I don't have a TV license so I guess that's actually what the man wanted me to do.

Michael Wallace wrote: We were treated fairly well, the only real gripe is that, because of the contestant rollover thing, we had to spend an entire day there with no filming. That's more the problem of the show's format than anyone treating us badly; the people were lovely.

Just in case any bbc people wander onto the forum, I didn't mean to imply that the contestants were treated badly; just that the countdown staff treat their contestants extra nicely. Or something like that.

Ben Hunter wrote:

Matthew Green wrote:90's boybands and goalscorers- literally my two favourite subjects. Why won't any of these fucking pussies choose one of them?

They chose 'thriller novelists' the other day and I just turned the fucking telly off.

I bet you loved today's final topic then?
(Jackie Collins' Novels for anyone who didn't see it)

Michael Wallace wrote:The people over at digitalspy seem to think we're 'adorable'.

Wow, it must just be that Countdown fans and unpleasantness go hand in hand ; these people are unrecognisable from those on the CD forum thing.

Andrew Hulme wrote:too much poker imo btw

STFU YOU DONKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michael Wallace wrote:Fame at last!

Brilliant!

I know I'm late to the party, but congratulations, Michael!

I think I should get the UK Nova magic wand and use it for the people there, because season 2 of Pointless hasn't been shown there yet!

FWIW, Michael and CF's first show was repeated last Friday, so their second appearance will be tomorrow.

Nice one Rosemary. I'm gonna be away tomorrow and our floor is being ripped up which has meant TV/sky box etc has all had to be disconnected so can't do that, so i'm gonna ask my mam to sky+ this and watch it at Christmas!

Hey Raccoon, I've made you a new trophy to replace the defective one the BBC gave you.

Phil Reynolds wrote:Hey Raccoon, I've made you a new trophy to replace the defective one the BBC gave you.

Amazing

Michael Wallace wrote:They give CF a namebadge with his real (as in, on his passport and shiz) name (Jamie) on it, but don't let that confuse you, everyone (IRL) calls him CF.

Do you deliberately keep the meaning of the initials "CF" a secret so it can be a special thing between the two of you, or has no one asked explicitly enough what the letters stand for before?

Matt Morrison wrote:Do you deliberately keep the meaning of the initials "CF" a secret so it can be a special thing between the two of you, or has no one asked explicitly enough what the letters stand for before?

I asked explicitly in this very topic and received a highly implausible answer, so I'm guessing the real answer is Chutney Ferret.

cuntface

Phil Reynolds wrote:I asked explicitly in this very topic and received a highly implausible answer, so I'm guessing the real answer is Chutney Ferret.

I only just noticed this (thanks to Ryan's reasonable guess). Not sure why you think that's so implausible.

Michael Wallace wrote:I only just noticed this (thanks to Ryan's reasonable guess). Not sure why you think that's so implausible.

Damn, thought I was on to a winner.

Ryan Taylor wrote:cuntface

This is a good example of why you should quote the post you're replying to. (Presumably this one.)