Geddit?
Half Eye Cot Gnus Four U?
Have I Got News For You?
Geddit?
NyeahahaHAHAHAH!!!!!!!
Of course all inhabitants of the British Empire know that Ian Hislop and Paul Merton are the stars of the British panel comedy show Have I Got News For You, now known with typical British understatement as HIGNFY.
The format is simple. The presenter puts a question to two teams about some event in the news, usually accompanied by some photograph or video. Points are awarded based on the answers which are expected to be accompanied by witty brouhahah.
The two teams consist of a captain - one of the permanent panelists, Ian Hislop or Paul Merton - and guests who are usually well-known celebrities. The guests range from comedians and actors to politicians, including members of parliament.
Ian is the long time editor of the British magazine Private Eye. The topics that the magazine covers - politics and current events - made Ian a natural as a HIGNFY team captain. Paul had been the host of Room 101 (yes, the name is taken from George Orwell's 1984) where celebrities would come on to talk about a topic they dislike. The subjects ranged from modern Country Music (Rich Hall's complaint) to loud actors (a topic brought up by Kirsty Young). At the end of the discussion the topic might be dropped into Room 101.
From the beginning of HIGNFY in 1990 through the 2002 season, the presenter was Angus Deayton. However, due to what may be called, well, personal difficulties, Angus was replaced with a guest host which changed each week. Originally the plan was to find a new permanent host but changing hosts each week (also selected from comedians, actors, and even the occasional politician) proved so popular that the producers decided to stick with the more flexible format.
Many regretted Angus's departure since his dead-pan delivery was a perfect counter-balance to Paul's impromptu and often forceful replies and Ian's smilingly delivered jabs and barbs. However, Paul explained the problem was that Angus staying on was limiting the material they could use. It would be impossible - or at least difficult - to entertain questions about some politician engaging in frolicsome activities when the host had been so involved himself. Not everyone agreed with the assessment and in support of Angus some celebrities refused to appear on the show.
Despite its at times biting satire, HIGNFY carefully selects its wording when dealing with specific individuals. So the panelists and presenter will often insert a humorous "allegedly" at an appropriate place in a sentence. Of course the UK tends to have strict standards for reporting about public figures. In the United States it is understood that a story about a public figure can contain errors as long as there had been an honest effort to report the truth and there had been no reckless disregard for the facts. Proof to the contrary lies with the subject of the story not the writer or publisher. In England, on the other hand, published stories about anyone must be true and the burden of proof is on the writer of the story. However, recently England has also added that "serious harm" to the individual must occur if objection is to be taken.
It took over thirty years for the most popular comedy show in the Empire Upon the Sun Used To Never Set to have its former Colonists host their own version. Without detracting from the undoubted comedic ability of the Yankee Cousins Across the Water, we have to admit that British humor remains vastly superior to the American variety.
Complicating the picture is that not all Americans are aware of the show, either the Albion or New World versions. Even if they are, they might not be able to watch it. In America the times are long gone that everyone could tune in to any television program with no cost beyond the initial purchase of the set. But now viewers are more and more limited to whatever subscription services they are willing to pay for. So as generalized American viewership has increasingly decreased, a goodly chunk of the population may not even know there is an American HIGNFY much less the British version. Naturally they would likely not know the stars of either show.
Still, there are some cross-over celebrities although the crossing can still remain one way. This was driven home in 2012 when the guest host on the English HIGNFY was none other than William Shatner. Of course, William - Bill to his friends - is well-known on both sides of the Atlantic and he received thunderous applause when he entered the set through a sliding Star Trek-like automatic door.
A surprise to Bill's English fans is that although he is Canadian - part of the Commonwealth - the evidence (allegedly) suggests that he had not known about HIGNFY even before he was asked to be the host. In fact in a later interview he mentioned hosting the show but couldn't even remember the name. As the show wrapped up it became apparent that Bill had not known of either Paul or Ian and probably not the two guests either, the funny and amiable Andy Hamilton and the somewhat more acerbic Charlie Brooker.
Bill
He didn't remember.
Of course, at that time Bill had been living in the United States for over 60 years and the names of some other English residents seem to have given Bill trouble. He stumbled over the name of Chelsea footballer, Didier Drogba ("Why doesn't he change his name?" he asked). Then when it came to the end of the show he referred to Ian as "Ian Hilsop" and Paul as "Paul Morton". Naturally Ian and Paul played this faux pas for a laugh. But Bill didn't catch the error even after everyone else broke up into laughter ("What did I say?" he asked). So it seems that he had not known of either Ian and Paul before the show.1
Footnote
When actors are hired to do a show it's not unusual that they show up and not know who the co-stars will be. They come in, shoot the scenes, and then leave. It's possible that two actors who appear in the same television show or motion picture may not even meet.
In fact, when Bill was hired in his pre-Star Trek days for The Project Strigas Affair episode of The Man From Uncle one of the other extras was none other than Leonard Nimoy. Even though they were in two scenes together - one of which they were engaged in a close conversation - Bill later said he had not remembered meeting Leonard.
But at least before the show ended Bill did what everyone had hoped.
Yes, Bill sang "Rocket Man".
References and Further Reading
Have I Got News For You, Paul Merton, Ian Hislop, Angus Deaton (presenter, 1990-2002), 1990-current, Hat Trick Productions, BBC.
"Antidotes", Stephen Fry (presenter), Alan Davies (permanent panelist), Jo Brand (guest panelist), Howard Goodall (guest panelist), and Danny Baker (guest panelist),Qi, Series 1, Episode 6, BBC, 2003.