TBS Pilots U.S. Version Of British Panel Show ‘Have I Got News For You’

COMMENTS (13)

• Sam Seder is a fantastic talent and the BBC format is always satirically entertaining. I’ll be tuning in (if it’s on Hulu).

  Comment by Sam is Fab — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 4:28pm PST  Reply to this post

• I recommend everyone listen to “The News Quiz” on the BBC website. But bring diapers (‘nappies’ in Britain), you’ll need them when you pee your pants with laughter. Sandy Toksvick is the Sweedish, lesbian Jon Stewart.

  Comment by anotherwgamember — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 5:43pm PST  Reply to this post

  • Sandy is Danish. She could also be called the Danish Lesbian Stephen Fry.

    Comment by She's Danish — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 5:57pm PST  Reply to this post

    • Of course she is. I should know better. I will try to be more accurate. A big slap in the face with a fish for me.

      Comment by anotherwgamember — Wednesday November 14, 2012 @ 11:16am PST  Reply to this post

• I want to say this is great news, but I am worried that Turner will manage to bugger it up.

  Comment by OzMan — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 6:06pm PST  Reply to this post

  • Give TBS some credit. They saved Cougar Town, are sticking with two new struggling shows (one of which, Men at Work, got a horrible rep after an awful pilot), they are actually airing Wedding Band, and now they’re doing this. That’s pretty cool.

    Comment by Zachary — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 6:25pm PST  Reply to this post

• The jokes had better be a WHOLE lot better in the U.S. version. Humor seldom travels well from the U.K. and blond Eggs Benedict really put a wet blanket on the show.

  Comment by Dee Dee — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 6:55pm PST  Reply to this post

• I’ve never seen this but if it’s anythiing like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me I am in! Clip was very funny … doesn’t get better than Benedict Cumberbatch though. Can he guest host for us too?

  Comment by Shannon — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 7:37pm PST  Reply to this post

• Won’t work as described. The reason the British show works so well (and much better than the News Quiz, which is still very funny in other ways) is that you have a dichotomy between political figures and comedians. Ian Hislop is very funny, but as the editor of a satirical magazine he sort of bridges the gap with politics, and the guests are usually a mix between comic talents and politicians. I don’t see the American version attracting quite as successful a cross section. To work it’d need to shoot in DC, but even then I just can’t see American politicians signing up.

  Comment by Steve — Tuesday November 13, 2012 @ 8:06pm PST  Reply to this post

  • Sam Seder is definitely part of the political world. He co-hosted The Majority Report on AirAmerica, and once Janeane Garofalo left he solo hosted under the name The Sam Seder Show. He has been involved in various other political talk shows, got kicked out of the 2004 National Republican Convention (for trying to find a homosexual republican to interview!), and was even on Spin City.

    The only person I would consider more qualified for the job is Al Franken, his colleague from AirAmerica.

    Comment by Zachary — Wednesday November 14, 2012 @ 10:51am PST  Reply to this post

• They have several excellent panel shows of this format in the UK and I’ve long said I wish we had just one. BBC America tried with Would You Rather which was awful. But really our best show of this genre is Wait, Wait… on NPR. Instead of importing the British version, we should just move the NPR radio show to television, it’s hilarious and deserves a bigger audience.

  Comment by PJ — Wednesday November 14, 2012 @ 5:19am PST  Reply to this post

• Why this won’t work here in the US:

  1) HIGNFY USA is employing TWO comedians as opposed to the perfect mix of Paul Merton, a comedian, and Ian Hislop, an actual, working journalist. Hislop’s involvement in reporting the news gives him a deeper perspective than another stand up comic would or could.

  2) Often on HIGNFY UK, members of Parliament sit in as team members, adding an even more biting take on the news that is often about them or their parties. Could you imagine John Boehner or Michael Bloomberg sitting on a panel and taking the ribbing that comes as a result?

  3) REVOLVING HOSTS. While HIGNFY UK started with a static host (who later was embroiled in scandal and promptly made fun of while still on the show), it evolved into a revolving group of guest hosts, from London Mayor Boris “Running Joke” Johnson to William Shatner, only adding to the entertainment value.

  In short, HIGNFY is great because it NEVER plays it safe, but the TBS version will do everything in its power to REMAIN safe, and as such, blow away like a fart in the wind within one season.

  Right now, the closest we will EVER get to HIGNFY is either the comedy of Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, or the biting with of what Bill Maher does on Real Time.

  Comment by Hashim — Wednesday November 14, 2012 @ 7:54am PST  Reply to this post

  • Sam Seder is a comdedian, but also fits the Ian Hislop criteria. He has an extensive history in politics.

    Comment by Zachary — Wednesday November 14, 2012 @ 11:00am PST  Reply to this post