h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Last night was an adventure.
Questions pour un Champion is a TV game show on public television, and my parents watch it regularly. My sister and I watch it too, but notion a regular basis.
Two weeks ago my sister told me the show was going to hold selections in my town.
The plan was to tell our Mum that I'd like to go, but not on my own. We knew she would go alone, and we knew she had the culture to get through.
But she refused.
My sister said she'd go with me. (Remember the previous JoPo? That was the phone call there)
I also managed to convince four colleagues to go too.
In the end my sister had to give up due to little G being I'll. (He's 2 months old).
It started at 6pm, we arrived around 5:30. The average age in the waiting room dropped dramatically: five 20-to-30-year-olds in a room full of retired people. Everyone was very polite and nice. There were around 80 candidates.
At 6 sharp they opened the door. Two people, a man and a woman, were waiting for us.
We were handed a sheet of paper each. On one side of it were several questions about ourselves (who are you? What are your strongest subjects? Why do you want to take part?).
Then came the serious part.
That's what the other side of the sheet was for.
The lady had a list of 40 questions on many different subjects. She read each question twice and we had to write down our answers. Spelling wasn't important, since the TV game is not written, but titles had to be complete and first names had to be the right ones (but no first name was fine, so when in doubt, don't put it!).
At the end of the series, we swapped sheets and the lady read out the answers as we corrected our neighbours.
Everyone who had 20 or more correct answers was allowed to go on to the second round.
Two colleagues had to leave, three of us five were left.
The second round was the same, 40 questions, but more difficult. We three failed to get 20 good answers, and only ten people managed to go through to the third and last round (an interview I front of a camera).
All in all it was a fun evening, we had a laugh, and they're holding another selection I the area next year so I'm hoping to drag my Mum and sister along this time!

Were you one of the 10? This is so exciting. I love that programme and have been doing the online version for ages. (http://www.h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/classic/F56786?thread=3284092&post=38432278#p38432278) The problem with the online version is that, while it copes with occasional typos, if the answer is, say, a person's name, it only recognises the answer with the first name, or sometimes without. There is no way of knowing which. Sometimes if it asks for a name of an American, it is counted as wrong if you use the American version of the name. Hard to explain, because the questions are off the screen so quickly, so I can't quote any examples. Anyway - this was the most exciting journal I've read for ages. Well done you!

Oh curses - link doesn't work like that, does it?

Here's a Ripley link

186?thread=1866/thread/3284092" >F56786?thread=3284092

go to Post 8

[Amy P]

Since my conversations list is being flooded with stuff I never signed up for (I've been told the term "spamming" is offensive), I'm unfriending you for the duration of this thing. If you want me back in December, you can come find me then.

No, TC, I wasn't.
I didn't really want to go on TV, so it doesn't matter much.
It was a fun night.

Mala, sorry to see you leave, but I understand.

Deb