Tonight’s Gig

Hmm; — interesting evening tonight.

For starters, I didn’t expect anyone to get tonight’s bonus question, which eventually got to £30•75p.

It was one by Girl Power, at the bottom of the evening’s Hall of Fame photos. Who were very pleased to correctly answer “‘When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.’ is the first line of which book, by which science fiction author?” Which the science fiction fans amongst one will immediately know is the first line of John Wyndham’s utter classic middle class catastrophe, “Day of the Triffids”.

The ladies walked away from the night, feeling VERY pleased with themselves about that!

And a mildly ticked off, but also pleased Quiz master; — I like seeing the bonus prize go. It gives teams an extra prize to go for, and one that’s seen as winnable.

That achievability is crucial, I always think.

Many pubs have some description of bonus, or jackpot question, at the end of the evening’s quiz. It usually rolls over, and —in many pubs— is usually some MAJOR headline figure, that hasn’t been one for years. The last I knew, for example, The Bull’s bonus prize was at some stupid amount —approximately £600, I’m told— and many of the players who’ve done both my, and The Bull’s, feels it’s un-winnable. Deliberately so, was the distinct impression I got.

So it helps that a team can put the word around, I think.

I hope!

Anyway, on to the main even, at this point.

Up at the top, there, is the combined might of 79’s Students, and Dave’s Fat, the latter of whom won, tonight, with 58 points. (The Students coming in last, and walking away with a T-shirt.)

Under them are Men Aloud, whom came in third, and walked away with a Mars Bar, each, and 49 points. Underneath them are Girl Power, who not only walked away with thirty quid, and came in second, with 51 points. What can I say?

But there’s something I feel I should add, at this point, however.

I managed to quietly catch one of the team members in the team photoed at the top of the page fiddling with my amp —he knows who he— and quietly ticked him off.

Maybe I was wrong to do so and it certainly earned me a mouthful of denials from the man* concerned. I apologized then, and will apologise,now, to the rest of his friends, as well, and hope it won’t put them off coming back to the Hutton’s quiz.

But …

But, when I turned round and told him I’d seen him playing with the volume controls and unplugging the mic, he admitted he’d “…played with it”.

And then denied unplugging the mic and asked if I seen him do it.

I said yes.

He didn’t reply to that, just grinned guiltily.

And THEN started kicking up the fuss, when he got back to his mates.

I’m no kind of expert, and don’t claim to be, but have seen this before, and probably will again, and don’t, haven’t, and never will find this sort of juvenile behaviour acceptable.

A large part of this is a result of getting bullied at school; — the usual hiding of possessions, mostly, which may be expected from schoolyard bullies. It was unacceptable victimisation, then, from a bunch of fourteen year olds, and is still unacceptable, from an adult, however drunk they may well be.

It’s also something I’ve seen happen to other quiz master’s and pub entertainers. It’s something that most of my fellows I’ve talked to tolerate as an upshot of the jobs we do.

Please note I say ‘tolerate’.

Not like.

We, as a group, provide an entertainment service, and do our best to give customers an entertaining, fun, enjoyable evening, and do our best to polite, civil, and pleasant as part of the service we provide. After all, we don’t want to alienate the people that pay our wages.

But I, and others, expect to be treated the same way.

We also like to make sure that our equipment isn’t being interfered with, or damaged. After all we earn a living with it.

Just a point.

Anyway, moving on from this, here’s the table round I’ve used, tonight: — it’s something, that I’ve called … The Gong Show …

Q1) Fourteen year Paralympian swimmer, Eleanor Simmonds, became the youngest person, this year toe get a … what?

A1) MBE

Q2) Which jazz musician got a CBE, in the 2008 New Year’s Honours?

A2) Courtney Pine

Q3) Which author was named as a Knight, this year?

A3) Sir Terry Pratchett.

Q4) Which shoe obsessed swimmer got named as an OBE?

A4) Rebecca Adlington

Q5) Andrew Ramroop got an OBE, in the new years honours list; — he was the first black tailor to own a business … where?

A5) Saville Row

Q6) Which dragon got a gong, this year?

A6) Peter Jones

Q7) Nick Partridge got a knighthood, this year, for his services as head of which medical charity?

A7) The Terrence Higgins Trust

Q8) An MBE was awarded to which Child protection campaigner?

A8) Sara Payne

Q9) Derek Carrick received an MBE for raising almost £200, 000, running marathons dressed as which cartoon character?

A9) Roger Rabbit

Q10) Anne Owers got made a Dame, this year; – she’s Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of … what?

A10) Prisons.

Anyway, that’s enough, for now. I’ll post the Review of the Year Quiz, in the morning, once I’ve had some sleep.

But, as a final point …

HAPPY NEW YEAR.