British Comedy Guide

Sportybot

GARRY:We have Professor Donald Staverley with us in the studio today who has invented a robot which predicts the outcome of any sporting event.

PROFESSOR: That’s right: Sportybot. We’re still loading all the statistics into it for many sports so obviously it is less accurate on some than others.

GARRY: Can we try it?

PROFESSOR: Certainly. I’ll just turn it on.

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot ready for input.

PROFESSOR: Now just ask it any question you want.

GARRY: Umm..OK… Who is going to win Euro 2008?

FX: BLEEPS, WHIRRS ETC.

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot calculating…calculating…Sportybot predicts that Lewis Hamilton will win 3 sets to 1 in the 3:15 at Chepstow.

PROFESSOR: Uh…that’s not quite right. Hang on.

FX: BUTTONS BEING PRESSED, BLEEPS ETC.

PROFESSOR: Try it now.

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot ready for input.

GARRY: Who will win Euro 2008?

FX: BLEEPS, WHIRS ETC.

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot calculating…calculating… Sportybot predicts that Andy Murray will go three under par to win by a technical knockout in the fourth round…and the bonus ball will be number 27.

GARRY: I’m not sure any bookies would take that bet…

PROFESSOR: Sorry, sorry. It’s still not quite right. Let me try something.

FX: SOUNDS OF HAMMERING ON METAL

PROFESSOR: Sorry, it worked perfectly before, please try one more time.

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot ready for input.

GARRY: Who will win euro 2008?

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot ready for input.

PROFESSOR: What’s wrong with it now? Sportybot, who will win Euro 2008?

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot ready for input.

FX: MORE HAMMERING

SPORTYBOT: Ready for input.

FX: FRANTIC HAMMERING

SPORTYBOT: Sportybot ready to destroy Human Race.

PROFESSOR: What?!

FX: LOTS OF HAMMERING

PROFESSOR: (OFF) Work, you useless piece of scrap metal!

SPORTYBOT: Calculating…calculating…Sportybot predicts that Didier Drogba will get four penalty points for refusing at the 5th fence.

FX: LOTS OF HAMMERING WHILE SCREAMING

PROFESSOR: (OFF) ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

GARRY: I think we’ll come back to Professor Staverley a bit later to see if he’s managed to fix Sportybot.

REPRISE

GARRY: Let’s see how Professor Staverley is getting on with Sportybot.

FX: HAMMERING

PROFESSOR: (OFF, SOBBING) Why won’t you work? Please work!

SPORTYBOT: (MONOTONE) Laa-la-laaa…la-la-la-la-la-laaaa. Sportybot predicts a riot.

FX: SCREAMS FROM PROFESSOR AND HAMMERING

GARRY: I think we’ll leave that there. Thank you Professor Donald Staverley and Sportybot.

Very funny.

I might be inclined to give Sportybot the last word.

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