British Comedy Guide
QI. Image shows from L to R: Alan Davies, Sandi Toksvig. Copyright: TalkbackThames
QI

QI

  • TV panel show
  • BBC Two / BBC One / BBC Four
  • 2003 - 2025
  • 324 episodes (22 series)

Panel game that contains lots of difficult questions and a large amount of quite interesting facts. Stars Sandi Toksvig, Stephen Fry and Alan Davies.

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Series A, Episode 8 - Albania

CB Fry

Topics

- Elephants can become drunk by eating fruit which ferments in their stomachs. Correction: This is a myth. The fruit they eat does not ferment in their stomachs. The only way an elephant can get drunk is to have an alcoholic drink.

- A "Bradford" is a cocktail that is shaken, not stirred. The "Vesper" cocktail was invented in Casino Royale.

- Tangent: There is a type of cocktail called a "Blowjob". It is made with either Drambuie or Bailey's, with whipped cream on the top and served in a shooter glass. You are not allowed to use your hands to drink it.

- C. B. Fry could jump backwards onto a mantelpiece from a standing position without losing his balance, held the world long-jump record, played in an F.A. cup final, could speak several languages, and was offered the throne of Albania, but turned it down.

- Tangent: It is possible to jump across a canal by using weights and skimming across.

- The Albanian language has several words for eyebrows. A Vetullushe is goat with brown eyebrows.

- The "Pink fairy" is a type of armadillo. The "Green Fairy" is a nickname for absinthe.

- Benjamin Franklin thought it would be a good idea to find a way to stop flatulence from smelling bad.

- Tangent: Franklin was not allowed to draft the U.S. constitution for fear he would jokes in it.

- The first processed food sold by H. J. Heinz in 1869 was horseradish. (Forfeit: Tomato Ketchup; Baked Beans)

General Ignorance

- Fingernails and hair do not grow after you die. The skin tightens creating the illusion of growth.

- Bananas come from an herb. (Forfeit: Trees)

- Tangent: Banana plants walk up to 40 centimetres in a lifetime.

- A "Lili" is the offspring of a liger and a lion. A "Titi" is the offspring of a tigon and a tiger.

- The phrase, "Survival of the fittest" was invented by Herbert Spencer, who also invented the paper clip. (Forfeit: Charles Darwin)

Scores

- Clive Anderson: 37 points
- Linda Smith: 30 points
- Sean Lock: 25 points
- Alan Davies: -30 points

Notes

For the correction, see The Second Book of General Ignorance.

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 30th October 2003
Time
10pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Stephen Fry Host / Presenter
Alan Davies Regular Panellist
Guest cast
Clive Anderson Guest
Linda Smith Guest
Sean Lock Guest
Writing team
Samantha Ball Researcher
Adam Jacot de Boinod Researcher
Sophie Johnstone Researcher
Molly Oldfield Researcher
Adam King Researcher
Production team
Ian Lorimer Director
John Lloyd Producer
Phil Clarke Executive Producer
Nick King Editor
Jonathan Paul Green Production Designer
Howard Goodall Composer

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