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Universally Challenged: Quiz Contestants Say the Funniest Things
"Universally Challenged" brings together all those unintentionally hilarious moments when members of the public make complete asses of themselves on TV and radio quizzes. It is packed with gems such as:
Anne Robinson: What "T" are people who live in a house paying rent to a landlord?
Contestant: Terrorists.
(The Weakest Link)
Les Dennis: Name a bird with a long neck.
Contestant: Naomi Campbell
(Family Fortunes)
Bamber Gascoigne: What was Gandhi's first name?
Contestant: Goosey?
(University Challenge)
In this book, you can relive classic clangers provided by foolhardy contestants as you sit smugly on your sofa, safe in the knowledge that the ridiculous answers you shout at the TV go unheard by anyone but the cat.
Anne Robinson: What "T" are people who live in a house paying rent to a landlord?
Contestant: Terrorists.
(The Weakest Link)
Les Dennis: Name a bird with a long neck.
Contestant: Naomi Campbell
(Family Fortunes)
Bamber Gascoigne: What was Gandhi's first name?
Contestant: Goosey?
(University Challenge)
In this book, you can relive classic clangers provided by foolhardy contestants as you sit smugly on your sofa, safe in the knowledge that the ridiculous answers you shout at the TV go unheard by anyone but the cat.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 5, 2020
A seriously laugh out loud collection of some of the unbelievable answers contestants have given on quiz shows such as Family Fortunes, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Weakest Link, Beat The Nation etc… also US and radio quiz show answers. This book is packed with gems, that are that much better because they were initially aired on public media. 7 out of 12.
January 27, 2015
“Quiz contestants say the funniest things” is the subtitle to this collection of quiz show blunders. A more accurate subtitle would probably be “Quiz contestants sometimes give wrong answers” since while almost all the answers in the book are incorrect they're mostly not funny. Even that wouldn't be totally accurate since in one or two of the entries the contestant gives a correct answer to the question, haha! How hilarious.
Most of the entries are just transcriptions of all those amusing YouTube videos of game show fails, like this one or this one. Those videos are pretty funny because you can watch the contestant give the answer and usually then realise what a stupid answer it was. Meanwhile the host tries to maintain a straight face and the audience doesn't. Baldly written down, the answers lose all that.
There's also some arts-bias snobbery in the text. Somebody naming the wrong Shakespeare play is supposed to be hilarious because everyone knows the plot to every Shakespeare play. Meanwhile the chapter on maths and science questions is prefaced by the author's explanation that no one knows anything about maths or science, but the contestants in the chapter know even less than that.
That's not to say that none of the entries are funny; I did chuckle a little bit every few pages. Indeed, some of the answers read more like Christmas cracker jokes, which are of course the highest form of humour. Still, the most pointed review probably came when one of my relatives saw what I was reading. “Go on then,” they said, “tell us a funny one.” And thus followed an awkward few minutes as I scrambled through the pages looking for one, muttering “Uh, hang on, I'm pretty sure I read a funny one a minute ago…” Except I probably hadn't.
Most of the entries are just transcriptions of all those amusing YouTube videos of game show fails, like this one or this one. Those videos are pretty funny because you can watch the contestant give the answer and usually then realise what a stupid answer it was. Meanwhile the host tries to maintain a straight face and the audience doesn't. Baldly written down, the answers lose all that.
There's also some arts-bias snobbery in the text. Somebody naming the wrong Shakespeare play is supposed to be hilarious because everyone knows the plot to every Shakespeare play. Meanwhile the chapter on maths and science questions is prefaced by the author's explanation that no one knows anything about maths or science, but the contestants in the chapter know even less than that.
That's not to say that none of the entries are funny; I did chuckle a little bit every few pages. Indeed, some of the answers read more like Christmas cracker jokes, which are of course the highest form of humour. Still, the most pointed review probably came when one of my relatives saw what I was reading. “Go on then,” they said, “tell us a funny one.” And thus followed an awkward few minutes as I scrambled through the pages looking for one, muttering “Uh, hang on, I'm pretty sure I read a funny one a minute ago…” Except I probably hadn't.
August 27, 2019
A fun little compilation of silly answers given on television and radio game shows, the majority of which are from the UK with some from America too. There are some real howlers here which appeal to me greatly, although I did find that at least half of the answers weren't really exceptional and didn't need to be included. It's the kind of book you flick through looking for something amusing to share with others.
May 15, 2022
Question: A pain in the muscles or bones of the lower legs, often suffered by sporstmen, is know as shin...?
Answer: ...dler's List?
This is one these books which a lot of fun if you're reading it and probably incredibly irritating if you're in the same room as the reader because they just can't resist but share the hilarity. Frequently.
Answer: ...dler's List?
This is one these books which a lot of fun if you're reading it and probably incredibly irritating if you're in the same room as the reader because they just can't resist but share the hilarity. Frequently.
September 18, 2019
Tbh it made me feel stupid lol
July 19, 2020
Good for a giggle
Great speedy ready for a sunny afternoon in the garden. Kept chuckling all the way through. Will leave you with a big smile on your face.
Great speedy ready for a sunny afternoon in the garden. Kept chuckling all the way through. Will leave you with a big smile on your face.
December 19, 2022
A quick, entertaining read with a few laugh out loud anecdotes. Good concept though, and I quite enjoyed working out what the correct answers should've been.
August 26, 2013
Having been on University Challenge (if only as the subject of a question) I had a natural interest in the book Universally Challenged, quiz contestants say the funniest things. It was a slight let down that most of the contents have nothing to do with that august quiz show, featuring rather less academic ventures, but it doesn't stop the responses being entertaining.
What we have here is a whole stream of wrong answers from the downright dumb to the entertainingly wacky (I like 'What insect is commonly found hovering over lakes?' - 'Crocodiles.') There were a few questions where I doubted the selection, because the answer made too much sense. There was, for instance, 'Name a place where you take your clothes off beside home?' to which the apparently funny answer was 'School.' Now, I can see why this was funny, but in fairness to the contestant it was also correct - most people have taken off clothes at school to change into games kit. But even these were interesting because it meant you could feel superior to the editor of the book (it's not exactly being an author), Wendy Roby, because you know better than she did.
I read the book through while on holiday, which was possibly a mistake, as apart from the truly hilarious and wildly eccentric answers, it could feel a little flat, just reading question and answer after question and answer. It may be it's a better book to dip into - perhaps to keep in the loo. But there is no doubt that it makes a great combination of entertainment and mind boggling at humanity's ability to get it wrong - and it would make a great gift.
What we have here is a whole stream of wrong answers from the downright dumb to the entertainingly wacky (I like 'What insect is commonly found hovering over lakes?' - 'Crocodiles.') There were a few questions where I doubted the selection, because the answer made too much sense. There was, for instance, 'Name a place where you take your clothes off beside home?' to which the apparently funny answer was 'School.' Now, I can see why this was funny, but in fairness to the contestant it was also correct - most people have taken off clothes at school to change into games kit. But even these were interesting because it meant you could feel superior to the editor of the book (it's not exactly being an author), Wendy Roby, because you know better than she did.
I read the book through while on holiday, which was possibly a mistake, as apart from the truly hilarious and wildly eccentric answers, it could feel a little flat, just reading question and answer after question and answer. It may be it's a better book to dip into - perhaps to keep in the loo. But there is no doubt that it makes a great combination of entertainment and mind boggling at humanity's ability to get it wrong - and it would make a great gift.
August 26, 2011
This fits into the category of what are known in our household as "toilet books"... Short chapters of amusing anecdotes... In this case only mildly amusing... Sadly it didn't live up to its initial promise as many of the answers are drawn from Family Fortunes or its American equivalent Family Feud, where the questions are formed in such a way to elicit stupid or saucy answers from the largely non-intellectual contestants...
September 4, 2021
read aty 2021: Cover has more than than two people
Pros: Entertaining and gave the family a lot of laughs.
cons: quite a drag at times and including questions where the contestant just passed was poor. Also whole section of inappropriate jokes based on the feeble excuse that they were ok at the time.
Pros: Entertaining and gave the family a lot of laughs.
cons: quite a drag at times and including questions where the contestant just passed was poor. Also whole section of inappropriate jokes based on the feeble excuse that they were ok at the time.
December 28, 2012
Would actually like to give this 2.5 stars, as I did laugh out loud at times - particularly at the stories when people have a discussion about the answers. However, there isn't anything more than quiz show questions and funny answers - a good stocking filler!
April 26, 2011
Quite funny but it did get a bit predictable at times.
July 29, 2011
A collection of some of the daftest answers given on television and radio game shows and quizzes. Worth a look for a laugh or two and a nice quick read if you have a spare hour or so
August 11, 2011
Just a fun little book to read bits of now and again.
Could probably also be used to give ideas for quiz questions at home!
Could probably also be used to give ideas for quiz questions at home!
May 30, 2012
Can make you feel smart.
April 13, 2014
Although it wasn't the funniest books I have ever read there were a few in here that genuinely made me laugh out loud
Read
July 11, 2014Love this book, still can't believe some of the answers people gave...lol
May 31, 2015
Fun to read but gets repetitive.
September 14, 2020
This book isn't funny unless you know the real answer, so be warned if your general knowledge isn't up to scratch!
June 28, 2013
A vaguely amusing book of weird answers given by contestants on quiz shows. None were super funny.
January 22, 2015
Mostly cruel, very little of it actually funny.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews