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What do you think of The News Quiz?

Started by J Peasemould Gruntfuttock, May 21, 2022, 01:37:52 PM

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There was a time, back when it had people like Alan Coran, Richard Ingrams, John Wellsand Willie Rushton on it, that it was the highlight of the week's Radio 4 offerings for me. Now I can barely stand it. The panellists seem barely funny to me, and as for the Chairman, Andy Zaltsman, he just sounds eminently punchable.

Perhaps I've just become harder to please, I don't know.

The Guppy

I gave up on it a few years back. It felt like every single gag was aimed at people who are exasperated by the self checkouts in Waitrose.

Pink Gregory

I generally quite like Andy Zaltzman as a comedian but I have a real aversion to BBC topical comedy (and I don't like cricket) so I can never quite meet in the middle.

His really quite harsh joke about Marvin Gaye on RHLSTP is still one of my favourites -

"Want to hear my impression of Marvin Gaye? *adopts plummy northern accent* Hello dad!  You look cross!"


Bigfella

The Unbelievable Truth and Just a Minute are usually still worth your time.  The News Quiz has sadly devolved into a bunch of morons making painfully unfunny observations which you can see coming a mile off.  Like OP says, it was good fun in days gone by when they had witty guests.

oggyraiding

I listened quite a lot in the end of Toksvig's reign and the beginning of Jupp's. Very much a 'sensible chuckle' sort of thing. I don't think it raised anything other than a smirk, but it was inoffensive background noise. I can only really remember Jeremy Hardy as being the highlight, and obviously he's not on it anymore.

MojoJojo

I too stopped some time during Jupp's reign. I like him, and I think I stopped as sick of r4 comedy overall. Only listen to Unbelievable Truth and Finnemore stuff now.

Anyone know if Jupp was an unpopular host or not? He made some joke about "destroying a popular British institution" on UT which seemed to be about the News Quiz. But I'd have thought the audience would have been happy with a posh voiced privately educated host.

Gurke and Hare


Sebastian Cobb

I gave up mid-Jupp as well I think, I found it just got very samey both with the panellists themselves and the jokes. Can't see myself going back to it now Hardy's gone.

Johnny Yesno

Quote from: MojoJojo on May 22, 2022, 12:06:18 PMI too stopped some time during Jupp's reign. I like him, and I think I stopped as sick of r4 comedy overall. Only listen to Unbelievable Truth and Finnemore stuff now.

There's also Believe It!, of which I appear to be the only fan.

Have I missed any recent Finnemore stuff?

QuoteAnyone know if Jupp was an unpopular host or not? He made some joke about "destroying a popular British institution" on UT which seemed to be about the News Quiz. But I'd have thought the audience would have been happy with a posh voiced privately educated host.

If he was referring to the News Quiz, then I reckon he was being too hard on himself. He was pretty much the only reason I kept listening during his tenure. What killed it for me was the guest host season. You know it's all over for a show when they have guest hosts.

I've subsequently tried a couple of Zaltzman episodes but I just can't be doing with him.

pigamus

I used to quite enjoy it for what it was, but Jeremy Hardy's death did for it really. Alan Coren used to be the sort of king of it, and then handed the baton over to Hardy, but there's nobody of that calibre now.

superthunderstingcar

I first started listening to the News Quiz (along with all the other Radio 4 comedy shows) in the late '90s, which was when I lived on my own and needed something to fill the empty silence.

I stopped listening to the News Quiz during the era of "never mind all the awful things the government's been up to, what about CORBYN?"

mippy

I like The News Quiz if only because it is not The Now Show, and therefore there won't be a painful comedy song.

jobotic

Last time I listened to it Jeremy Hardy was on it.

Haven't listened to Radio 4 for years in fact.

Twonty Gostelow

Who did that remark about hearing Hugh Dennis announce "The Nowwww Showww" and injuring himself falling over as he ran to switch the radio off?

Ed Reardon maybe?

Consignia

I quite like Andy Zaltzman, although I much prefer Jupp, so I do keep listening to it. Largely something to listen to whilst running rather than tuning in eagerly every week. That said most of the guests on it are dreadful, mostly the terrible establishment journalists trying to pretend they aren't part of the system themselves.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: Johnny Yesno on May 22, 2022, 04:16:27 PMThere's also Believe It!, of which I appear to be the only fan.

Have I missed any recent Finnemore stuff?

If he was referring to the News Quiz, then I reckon he was being too hard on himself. He was pretty much the only reason I kept listening during his tenure. What killed it for me was the guest host season. You know it's all over for a show when they have guest hosts.

I've subsequently tried a couple of Zaltzman episodes but I just can't be doing with him.

Yeah he probably kept me hanging on for longer too, he had quite a rude and sometimes quite cutting streak that he got away with due to his jolly posh veneer I think.

Jittlebags

Quote from: Twonty Gostelow on May 22, 2022, 05:48:50 PMWho did that remark about hearing Hugh Dennis announce "The Nowwww Showww" and injuring himself falling over as he ran to switch the radio off?

Ed Reardon maybe?

Was Ed Reardon, but I think it was in relation to another comedy show though, not the Now Show. Possibly the Cheese Cricket episode where he ends up hosting a pilot for a comedy panel game show himself. And I think he may have stepped on Elgar's tail rushing to the radio, for who's vet bill his fee for Cheese Cricket went.

Sebastian Cobb

I wasn't aware Zaltzman was doing it. I liked him on 7 Day Sunday and The Bugle although I grew a bit tired of that when they started using rotating guests after John Oliver left, although I think they realised that wasn't working and started making Alice Fraser permanent, I thought she was good although had lost interest by that time. I did go and see the live one they had up here though, with Andy and Chris in person and her on a video link.

Twonty Gostelow

Quote from: Jittlebags on May 22, 2022, 06:57:59 PMWas Ed Reardon, but I think it was in relation to another comedy show though, not the Now Show. Possibly the Cheese Cricket episode where he ends up hosting a pilot for a comedy panel game show himself. And I think he may have stepped on Elgar's tail rushing to the radio, for who's vet bill his fee for Cheese Cricket went.
That rings a bell. I'll see if I can find that somewhere.

KennyMonster

Quote from: superthunderstingcar on May 22, 2022, 04:38:22 PMI first started listening to the News Quiz (along with all the other Radio 4 comedy shows) in the late '90s, which was when I lived on my own and needed something to fill the empty silence.

I stopped listening to the News Quiz during the era of "never mind all the awful things the government's been up to, what about CORBYN?"

This 100%, safe, middle class, middle aged, middle of the road "satire" it doesn't mock power as  a way to hold it to aaccount, it props it up.

On Wedsnesday there's a new series starting of the Baddiel invention "Heresy", which apparently has a Jeremy Cromblins joke in it.

I don't listen to any r$ comedy now aside from Alexei Sayle's and Rob Newman's stuff (and Mark Thomas if he still does it?), they've got something different to say.

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on May 22, 2022, 06:59:16 PMI wasn't aware Zaltzman was doing it. I liked him on 7 Day Sunday and The Bugle although I grew a bit tired of that when they started using rotating guests after John Oliver left, although I think they realised that wasn't working and started making Alice Fraser permanent, I thought she was good although had lost interest by that time. I did go and see the live one they had up here though, with Andy and Chris in person and her on a video link.

I gave up with the Bugle a good few years ago when it was him and the Aussie woman doing a piece on Venezuela.

Previously Zaltzmann and Oliver had mocked Chavez's overtly verbose speeches which was OK I suppose but this time it was just alonf the lines of,

"Venezuela has hyper inflaton!
Whoa!
Crazy Inflation!
They must need need wheelbarrows to carry money around just to buy a potato!
Whoa!
Crazy Economy over there by their leader Maduro"

Maybe mention that the US wants their oil and have a military enforced trade embargo on the country next time eh? mr Colin Hunt's stunt double.



idunnosomename

I heard a bit the other day where Mark Steel did one his RANTS with all the exact same INFLECTIONS hes been doing for the last TWENTY YEARS


But yeah at least its not the now show fucking hell

pigamus

I like Mark Steel really but I wish to fuck he'd realise they have microphones

See also: Andrew Maxwell

bobloblaw

I'm quite liking Zaltsman on it... I wasn't that familiar with the comedians on the recent episode but any feelings towards them took second place to the unabashed joy that they'd for once forgotten to book Zoe Lyons

Captain Z

Never listened to this, but I can't turn the TV off quick enough whenever Toksvig appears. As for Miles Jupp, I used to think he was OK based on Live At The Apollo or whatever, but I had to stop his standup show 'Fibber In The Heat' after about 15 mins. Basically, it's about how, during a 'difficult' period of his early comedy career, he blagged his way into becoming a cricket journalist during the 2005 Ashes tournament, despite having no experience and little knowledge of cricket. A funny premise, but essentially hinges so much on his privilege and well-connected social circle. A friend who happens to be a senior BBC Sport chief happily gives him the necessary passes and reference. Him 'planning a trip to India to write a book' that coincided with an England cricket tour of the country. Maybe there was some more humility or self-awareness later in the show, but I didn't get that impression from the bit I watched.