Anyone with any passing knowledge of British comedies post-Fawlty Towers has doubtlessly heard a litany of jokes about how Channel 4 offers a wide variety of outlandish, anti-establishment programmes that seem to cater to the craziest, most lunatic fringes of British society. At least that was the popular joke in the 80s and 90s; these days, of course, you can just take the same outlandishness, repackage it as a game show or a Jackass rip-off, thrown in a celebrity has-been, and get a 20 share. On that note, let’s play the friday5.org Friday Five!
1. If you were on a game show and could phone a friend for help, who would your lifelines be for sports, arts & music, literature, history and geography, and science?
(Okay, I swear I wrote the game show thing above before I even looked at this week’s Friday Five.) With the exception of literature — I can think of a few professors of mine from UT I could phone there — of all the people I’m close with, I think I know more about those subjects than anyone else I know. My mind tends to latch onto trivia and weird minutae, although not to the extent that I’d ever consider going on Jeopardy! or another similar show.
2. When you need someone with muscles to help you with a task, who’s the first one you call?
My father, although since that’s kind of a given since he lives here and all.
3. When you need some creative help with ideas for a project, who’s the first person you call?
My creative process tends to be very insular and I don’t like soliciting outside help on matters like these. If I ever want to brainstorm anything, though, Mom is likely to be the first person I ask for help from.
4. When you have a moral dilemma and need advice, on whom do you rely most?
Mom, no question. She and I don’t always agree on anything, but the fact that we have similar thought processes means that even if we disagree on something, I’ll have a better idea of why I believe the way I believe after hashing it out with her.
5. When you need to know the best way to get somewhere, which of your directionally-gifted friends do you call upon first?
I don’t call on friends in matters like this, although given how frequently I get burned by the online map/driving direction services I’ve tried, maybe I should.