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Posted: **Tue Feb 16, 2016 5:07 pm**

Back in the late 1980s or very early 1990s the NME used to run this column called "Believe It Or Not!" which was basically just daft "facts" about pop stars (or particular songs), some of which ended up ended up being more or less accepted as truth years later. The most famous one was that Bob Holness played the saxophone part on Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street"; if I remember right, when Bob died a few years back, every single obituary etc. mentioned it (the factoid, I mean, not that he actually had played the part).

Anyway, the only other two I can remember are...

- Neil Tennant out of the Pet Shop Boys is a fully-qualified Rugby League referee
- David Bowie invented the board game Connect Four

...but I'm sure there were loads of other good ones (bonus points to anyone who can actually remember any). The best ones were always borderline (or completely) absurd, but in some way believable (or certainly not immediately dismissible). Of course, this was before the internet was invented. These days, it's too easy to check facts (which is obviously a good thing in general, but of absolutely no help at all to people who want to make up daft things about those in the public eye).

I was wondering that if between us, we can invent a plausible factoid about someone and spread it far enough that it gets a foothold in a large number of people's brains? Or would that now be impossible because it would be debunked too quickly by too many people, do you reckon?

Posted: **Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:12 pm**

Stuart Maconie came up with most of those NME ones I think (that wasn't meant to be my deliberately silly factoid by the way).

The internet doesn't always allow things to be debunked easily. In my field of interest there are countless times I read things that are pure nonsense but are taken as gospel because "it says so on Wikipedia". Research lite, in other words. I think this will be easier than you think.

On a similar theme, one day I would like to compile an entire quiz based on misunderstood trivia, kind of like they used to do on Shooting Stars - "True or false - the Great Wall of China can only be seen from outer space?" Etc.

Posted: **Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:09 pm**

Marc Almond swallowed a pint of effluvia

Posted: **Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:18 pm**

The pick-up points on a Scalextric car are named Denches after the famed actress, Dame Judi.

Posted: **Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:23 pm**

Before his broadcasting career began, Sir David Attenborough was an air traffic controller at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.

Posted: **Tue Feb 16, 2016 11:48 pm**

Lol, this is bizarre.

Just watching "As Yet Untitled" and Stuart Maconie is on discussing those 3 made-up facts...

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:23 am**

Freddie Starr ate my hamster.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:51 am**

I think another one of the originals was that Billy Bragg could breath underwater.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:34 am**

Former soccer referee Howard Webb's four son's are called Alex, Ryan, Wayne and Cristiano.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:06 am**

Mark Deeks wrote:I think another one of the originals was that Billy Bragg could breath underwater.

Can we test this one?

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 9:23 am**

due to a birth defect Danny Dyer has one testicle much bigger than the other

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 9:25 am**

One of the Monkees mother's invented post it notes.... ( Mike Nesmith ? )

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 12:04 pm**

Marc Meakin wrote:One of the Monkees mother's invented post it notes.... ( Mike Nesmith ? )

No, she invented a precursor to Tipp-ex, but that one's true.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:23 pm**

Danny Baker killed Bob Marley.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:33 pm**

It takes temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun to remove paint from roads.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:44 pm**

Sally Gunnell has two right hands because the thumb grew on the wrong side on her left one.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 2:52 pm**

Mark Kermode and Mark Lamarr are cousins.

Genesis came up with their name after Phil Collins used a bible instead of a cowbell on the first track they recorded.

Due to a birth defect Chris Moyles has one testicle much bigger than the other. He calls it his Danny Dyer.

Bob Hoskins invented the current recipe for Haggis after the EU declared the traditional recipe unfit for human consumption in 1997.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 3:02 pm**

Irish men with moobs are known as Diddymen.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 3:12 pm**

This thread is confusing me, I've got no idea if people are repeating false stuff, repeating true stuff or making up their own. I blame Jim for not laying out the parameters clearly enough in the OP.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 3:24 pm**

Excellent work everyone, glad I started this now! I especially like

M. George Quinn wrote:Mark Kermode and Mark Lamarr are cousins.

just for its overall plausibility.

As for

Marc Meakin wrote:Marc Almond swallowed a pint of effluvia

I'm assuming you're referring to the urban myth that Marc Almond had to have a pint of semen pumped out of his stomach? If so, whilst it's a classic, the subject changes over the years. Funnily enough, the first time I heard it, Marc Almond was indeed the subject, but I think quite a few people have been at the centre of this one. I remember hearing an interview with Rod Stewart where he mentioned that he'd been the subject in exactly the same story (apparently following an encounter with some sailors in a bar in the US somewhere). I even have a vague memory of trying to find out where this story came from and I think it's based on a rumour about a Hollywood actress in the 1930s (possibly even 1920s) but can't pin anything more than that down.

Fred Mumford wrote:I would like to compile an entire quiz based on misunderstood trivia, kind of like they used to do on Shooting Stars - "True or false - the Great Wall of China can only be seen from outer space?" Etc.

I also would like to do this. You're not one of them telepaths are you, reading my mind? Because if you are, I wouldn't mind exploiting such an asset in a different environment, such as a casino.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:48 pm**

Peter Capaldi once shared a flat with Marco van Basten.

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 6:09 pm**

Jon Corby wrote:This thread is confusing me, I've got no idea if people are repeating false stuff, repeating true stuff or making up their own. I blame Jim for not laying out the parameters clearly enough in the OP.

I agree.

(Or do I? Maybe that is a silly factoid. But is it one I made up or one that I heard somewhere else?)

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 9:26 pm**

The mother of John Lucic was on the plane that crashed in Munich in 1958 ( the Munich Disaster ) she was heavily pregnant.
Prince Edward is a rampant homosexual in a long term relationship.
Clint Eastwood s father is Stan Laurel

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 10:43 pm**

Marc Meakin wrote:The mother of John Lucic was on the plane that crashed in Munich in 1958 ( the Munich Disaster ) she was heavily pregnant.

True, is that.

Also true:

- VHS took off rather than Betamax because much more porn was available on VHS
- In between Roxy Muxic and his solo career, Bryan Ferry made a living doing ad voice-overs for Birds Eye frozen peas
- John Major died in 2005 and has been replaced by a robot, but nobody has noticed

Posted: **Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:51 pm**

JimBentley wrote:
Marc Meakin wrote:The mother of John Lucic was on the plane that crashed in Munich in 1958 ( the Munich Disaster ) she was heavily pregnant.
True, is that.

No, it isn't. Not if you mean John Lukic, goalkeeper for Leeds and Arsenal, anyway.

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 12:20 am**

Paul McCartney died in 1967 and was replaced by a Canadian.
See also Avril Lavigne
Tom Cruise is gay
Michael Jackson was in Bugsy Malone

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:37 am**

Marc Meakin wrote:Paul McCartney died in 1967 and was replaced by a Canadian.
See also Avril Lavigne
Tom Cruise is gay
Michael Jackson was in Bugsy Malone

I suspect you're conflating deliberately silly factoids with tired urban myths and sleb 'rumours'.

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:14 pm**

At least one of my last list is actually true

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 2:16 pm**

Marc Meakin wrote:At least one of my last list is actually true

See also Avril Lavigne

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:12 pm**

Marc Meakin wrote:At least one of my last list is actually true

It's the costumier, isn't it? I thought that was still just a rumour, albeit a rumour that seems to be believed by just about everyone (including me)?

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:13 pm**

No, Michael Jackson really was in Bugsy Malone !!

Posted: **Thu Feb 18, 2016 10:23 pm**

JimBentley wrote: - VHS took off rather than Betamax because much more porn was available on VHS

I've heard that but also because the running time wasn't long enough to record an entire game of American football.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:00 am**

Jim Bentley was actually the session drummer on both Traveling Wilburys albums. Probably why he started this thread.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:18 pm**

Matthew Tassier wrote:Jim Bentley was actually the session drummer on both Traveling Wilburys albums. Probably why he started this thread.

Jeez, not even I'm that old! I'd have only been about 14 or so (edit: just looked it up and frighteningly their first album was 1988 so shit, I'd have actually been 16 or 17, so not completely implausible after all). I'm starting to believe it myself now!

It's definitely true that H out of Steps (aka The Good Ian Watkins) was one of the students featured on early BBC Big Brother-style experiment The Living Soap.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:58 pm**

JimBentley wrote:
Fred Mumford wrote:I would like to compile an entire quiz based on misunderstood trivia, kind of like they used to do on Shooting Stars - "True or false - the Great Wall of China can only be seen from outer space?" Etc.
I also would like to do this...

Is this not just QI's General Ignorance section?

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:09 pm**

Ryan Taylor wrote:
JimBentley wrote:
Fred Mumford wrote:I would like to compile an entire quiz based on misunderstood trivia, kind of like they used to do on Shooting Stars - "True or false - the Great Wall of China can only be seen from outer space?" Etc.
I also would like to do this...
Is this not just QI's General Ignorance section?

Perhaps you could answer a question for me - what's the difference between the General Ignorance section and the rest of the programme? I've never been able to notice any difference.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:26 pm**

Ryan Taylor wrote:
JimBentley wrote:
Fred Mumford wrote:I would like to compile an entire quiz based on misunderstood trivia, kind of like they used to do on Shooting Stars - "True or false - the Great Wall of China can only be seen from outer space?" Etc.
I also would like to do this...
Is this not just QI's General Ignorance section?

Shooting stars did stuff like that but nothing as ordinary as seeing the Great Wall of China from space. They did stuff like;

True or False: Bill Cosby was the world's first black man. (False, it was actually Sidney Poitier)

Macaulay Culkin is a child, but can you name an adult? (This was not as easy as it seemed, as the only acceptable answer was Tom Petty)

True or false - Cupboard doors open outwards. (This proved to be true as Vic asked the question from "the perspective of a trapped cat")

True or false - William Shatner's real name is Bill Schitz? (it turned out to be false)

True or False: Paul Daniels' head is wider than it is tall. (This was proven to be true due to measurements from a composite sketch)

True or False: Jeremy irons? (sic) (false; but there is not a given answer.)

Name a type of bee that produces milk. (The correct answer was 'boobies')

True or False: Snakes are used as belts by some Hindus.

Name a junction on the M6 (The guest star almost always got the answer wrong).

True or False: In Judo there is a move where in which the recipient of the blow reaches instant orgasm, leaving them wide open to attack.

True or false: Can Michael Barrymore swim?

"Love me for a reason and let that reason be..." (It was answered "love", as the correct title of the Boyzone song. However, Bob replies "No, my 27 and a half inch penis")

The Lady in Red is about;

a) Chris de Burgh's recently murdered wife
b) Chris de Burgh's recently un-murdered wife
c) A granary loaf
or d) A & E

(Correct answer was b) Chris De Burgh's recently un-murdered wife)

Who is the latest game show host to say "Come on down, The Price Is Right"? (It was answered with Bruce Forsyth, but Vic Reeves replied with "No. It was me... just now."

True or False: Pavarotti has two stomachs; one for food and one for drink.

Which country has the most Cable cars? (Japan has over 800 million cable cars. Everyone in the country's got one.)

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:19 pm**

Shooting Stars did do the Great Wall of China question because I saw it! The bit that made it silly was questioning whether it could ONLY be seen from space. Ulrika said true and Vic pointed out that you could be stood right next to it.

I think the General Ignorance of QI can cover any topic whilst the rest of the show is tied to a specific theme and letter of the alphabet.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:36 pm**

Gavin Chipper wrote: Perhaps you could answer a question for me - what's the difference between the General Ignorance section and the rest of the programme? I've never been able to notice any difference.

Well, I think it's just that the questions they ask in General Ignorance are often questions to which we think we know the answer, or at least give an obvious answer, but in fact are proved otherwise. Whilst the bulk of the show covers things that you are less likely to know about and is more Fry-led.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:42 pm**

Fred Mumford wrote:Shooting Stars did do the Great Wall of China question because I saw it! The bit that made it silly was questioning whether it could ONLY be seen from space. Ulrika said true and Vic pointed out that you could be stood right next to it.

Sorry yeah. Had over looked the only bit.

Posted: **Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:38 pm**

Long-forgotten also-rans of the NWOBHM, Trespass's drummer's son is Justin Hawkins out of The Darkness (or whatever shite he's doing these days).

Posted: **Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:08 am**

JimBentley wrote:Long-forgotten also-rans of the NWOBHM, Trespass's drummer's son is Justin Hawkins out of The Darkness (or whatever shite he's doing these days).

Also, the Darkness used vellum for their drum skins.

Posted: **Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:08 am**

Ian Volante wrote:
JimBentley wrote:Long-forgotten also-rans of the NWOBHM, Trespass's drummer's son is Justin Hawkins out of The Darkness (or whatever shite he's doing these days).
Also, the Darkness use vellum for their drum skins.

Posted: **Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:09 am**

JimBentley wrote:Long-forgotten also-rans of the NWOBHM, Trespass's drummer's son is Justin Hawkins out of The Darkness (or whatever shite he's doing these days).

Also, the Darkness use vellum for their drum skins.

Posted: **Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:52 am**

Posted: **Mon Feb 22, 2016 1:19 pm**

JimBentley wrote:

Oops!

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