Is That Your Final Answer?: Funny Answers to Quiz Show Questions

by Myles Byrne

We’ve all been you’re asked a question at a special event or work presentation; you have to say something, think fast, say anything ! So you blurt out the first thing that comes in to your head, which turns out to be something idiotic, embarrassing, or just plain wrong. So, imagine how much more intense that sense of panic must be if you are on a TV quiz show, under the bright lights, with a camera pointing at you and the studio audience giggling at your discomfort. Or live on the radio, with your foolish words being broadcast to everyone you know …

Like the contestant who, asked "Which member of the crow family native to the UK has a bare face?" answered "Russell."
Or another who, asked "What might a blind date conveniently forget to mention bout himself," answered "He’s blind!"

One of the great pleasures of watching a quiz show is sitting smugly at home, shouting answers at the television and savoring the brain fades and stunned reactions that are celebrated in this book. So, sit back and enjoy the wonderful laughs to be found within—and perhaps spare a thought for the poor individuals who have suffered the excruciating embarrassment of actually having uttered them!

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

272 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Jamie Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny collection of quiz show disasters, when contestants just crumble at the pressure and give the completely wrong answer, but it turns out to be very funny.

[Colin Murtagh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that come from a remainder shop, and to be honest it's not overly surprising. Private Eye run a column of these every issue, but a whole book of them, does feel a bit like overkill, and certainly shouldn't be read in one sitting, this is more of a bathroom book. The compiler does at least try and break it up a bit, by grouping them off by show, or by theme, which does at least break it up a bit.
As is suggested by the title, this is worng answers given in quiz shows, either on radio or on the TV with the shows being split mainly across the UK and US. I wouldn't say they are all funny, some of them are quite sad, and some are completely understandable.
It's mildly amusing in places, feels a bit snarky in others, not a book I would come back to

[David Campton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moderately amusing and relatively disposable look at some of the more bizarre and rude answers offered on various English-language quiz shows on TV and radio. Many of them were already on the internet, and some are urban myths (though the author identifies those where known), but some are simply a case of people simply not knowing the answer and saying anything to just fill the space, and in some quizzes that may actually be a wise, if potentially embarrassing tactic. As such the cumulative effect of the book was the feeling of sneering at such people. The author does address some of that in his closing statements, but by then I had largely stopped enjoying the book.

[Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

A rare DNF. I love a quiz show and I love stupid answers even more, probably why this book was gifted to me.

However, I would prefer if this book came as a YouTube complication video. The context and reactions were missing, and that’s the best part, I struggled to keep reading

[Ali Baddley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious omg.