QI

Karl Marx once downed a pint in all 18 pubs between Oxford Street and the Hampstead Road; as an infant, Oliver Cromwell was abducted by a monkey; Catherine de Medici invented the fork, and Genghis Khan pioneered zero-tolerance policing. Such is the fibre of this collection - from the producers of the BBC2 show - of 68 breezy, witty mini-biographies of great, good and simply odd lives, from Epicurus to Tallulah Bankhead. It's a much wordier, longer book than previous QI spin-offs, though the irreverent, lively tone should inspire the recipient to ask for full-length lives of some of the fascinating subjects covered (Faber £16.99).

Last Thursday's edition of QI was interesting for the guest-appearance of US comedian/actor John Hodgman, a regular on The Daily Show and "PC" in the original "Mac Vs PC" commercials. Hodgman's a big fan of the show, and was recently filmed extolling the virtues of QI during a public appearance where rallied support for a campaign to get BBC America to broadcast it (article). Clearly someone at QI noticed Hodgman's support and he was here rewarded with an appearance on the gameshow itself. I'm sure he enjoyed himself, but it made for an awkward half-hour...

Put simply, Hodgman was one of QI's worst guests - although not as bad as scruffy Scotsman Phil Kaye. It didn't help that his presence (not just as a rare guest from overseas) was highlighted by the unfair decision to stick him in the middle of teammates Sandi Toksvig and Sean Lock for the show's first ever three-person team. It felt very much like Hodgman had been crowbarred into the episode, and the show thus felt unbalanced. It also brought too much attention to Hodgman, who was suddenly given a weight of expectation - after all, why else would they upset the delicate balance of QI if he wasn't going to be comedy gold?

Of larger concern was the fact that QI's brand of comedy generally relies on wit and a certain level of surrealism. Sean Lock and Bill Bailey have that corner of the market sewn up between them. Americans in general don't seem to have the madcap comedy gene in their makeup. I'm struggling to think of any US comedians who have similar acts to Monty Python, Eddie Izzard, Vic Reeves, or Harry Hill. So, Hodgman was instantly lost during most of the rounds, while everyone else swam around talking bizarre nonsense.

Maybe Hodgman would be able to find his footing if he came back for future editions, as I'm sure it was very nerve-wracking to suddenly find yourself in the show you dearly love and have publicly championed. It's also worth mentioning that the comedy panel show subgenre is practically unknown in America, so he came in a little unskilled. At times, Hodgman just settled for answering questions in a straight-forward manner (which helped him win the show), in-between forcing out a few half-hearted attempts to be offbeat and funny. Still, at least he actually DID get involved. There are far worse examples of British comedians guesting on panel shows and saying literally four sentences. Which is even worse when you stop to remember these shows can take hours to film and they edit it down to a half-hour of highlights.

QI: Review of Series G, Episode 1

QI is the cockroach of the television world. Not because it is a pestilent interloper disseminating disease and effluvia throughout the world. It's because that it seems impervious to the world surrounding it. Stephen Fry and four of his witty acolytes could be confined to a bunker while a nuclear holocaust unfolds outside, while they cheerily debate the merits of giving honey to a bee to keep it alive or savour the fantasy of sinking the entire French Navy.

New series: QI

QI, the intellectual and more sensitive alternative to Mock the Week, is still going strong in its seventh series.

BBC Trust rejects complaint over Brand's Thatcher gag

A complaint about a gag by comedian Jo Brand in which she claimed "Lady Thatcher" sounded like a hair removal device has been rejected by the BBC Trust. The body also decided not to uphold complaints about Brand's comments about incontinence which she made in the same edition of BBC1's QI earlier this year, which one viewer claimed were ageist and sexist.

'QI' is quizzically goofy

No doubt I am committing some sort of critic's breach of conduct, but I have discovered my new favorite television show, and it isn't even on television. At least not here. "QI," a comedy quiz show hosted by the redoubtable Stephen Fry (one of three or four living people who can accurately be described as redoubtable) is in its seventh season in Britain. As of yet, Americans must content themselves with watching broken bits via YouTube, though there were recent reports that Fry may be moving to Los Angeles, and one can only hope he'll bring "QI" with him, if only in reruns.

Did you know that Stephen Fry is on Twitter? Someone should report it. Anyhow, QI is his best work for about 10 years and shows no sign of tailing off just yet. He's joined by the person who will play him in the The Adventures Of Junior Fry, David Mitchell, Dara O'Briariaiaiaiaaiaaiaiain, reliable Rob Brydon and Alan 'Bloody' Davies. Perfect if watched through a red wine haze after a big meal.

QI gets arrested by the police

A quietly intriguing column from the brains behind QI, the BBC quiz show. This week: QI gets arrested.

QI returns from its holidays to make a fresh assault on our ignorance, and with something of a dream team: Dara O'Briain, Rob Brydon and David Mitchell - with Alan Davies in his usual right-handman role and Stephen Fry asking the obscure questions as our twinkling schoolmaster of a host. Preview DVDs were unavailable but QI is always a garden of comic delights - more so than ever tonight as Fry tests his pupils' horticultural knowledge.

QI Book of the Dead - exclusive extracts

QI author John Mitchinson introduces exclusive extracts from a new book from the brains behind the TV show - 'dead good' according to Stephen Fry.