First broadcast 7th February 2014.
Lee Mack and a flock of celebrity guests are about to find out the answers to a whole host of questions in the riotous panel show that test-runs random bits of trivia and the world's wackiest facts by whatever means necessary.
Lee Mack
Simon Foster
Emily Grossman
David Wharton
John Sergeant
Dara O Briain
Melanie Chisholm (as Melanie C)
Ruth Jones
Dimitrios Tsivrikos
Caroline Rix
Lee Mack and a flock of celebrity guests are about to find out the answers to a whole host of questions in the riotous panel show that test-runs random bits of trivia and the world's wackiest facts by whatever means necessary.
Lee Mack
Simon Foster
Emily Grossman
David Wharton
John Sergeant
Dara O Briain
Melanie Chisholm (as Melanie C)
Ruth Jones
Dimitrios Tsivrikos
Caroline Rix
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00This is a show where we put unbelievable facts to the test.
00:24We've asked each of our guests to find their own favourite fact, which we'll be putting
00:27to the test to decide whose is the best.
00:29It's that simple.
00:31Speaking of simple, let's meet tonight's guests.
00:33A fact about my first guest is, she was persuaded to go into acting by Rob Brydon.
00:38Well, we've all looked at him and thought, if he can do it, anyone can.
00:41Please welcome Ruth Jones.
00:43A fact about my next guest is, he studied maths and theoretical physics at university,
00:52which makes it seem strange that someone so clever doesn't know how to spell or pronounce
00:55the words Darren or Brian.
00:57Please welcome Dara O'Briain.
01:02And a fact about my final guest is, because of wearing a track suit, she became known
01:07to us all as Sporty Spice, or as she's known in Liverpool, Smart Casual Evening Wear Spice.
01:12Please welcome Melanie C.
01:18This is a show all about extraordinary facts.
01:21For example, your earlobes are always in line with your nipples.
01:27True, your earlobes are always in line with your nipples.
01:30Is it going to be one of those kind of shows?
01:34Listen, I'm far too much of a gentleman to ask the ladies to take their tops off and
01:37demonstrate this, so, Dara, if you could ask the ladies to take their tops off and demonstrate.
01:46It's true, your earlobes are always in line, directly in line with your nipples.
01:50Yeah, I'm not thinking that one.
01:52Have a little draw, just draw the little line there.
01:55You have to be sitting upright, because when ladies lie down, their nipples can move around.
02:01I'm not speaking from experience.
02:03It's definitely when you're standing completely still, because if you, for example, move your
02:06head slightly to your left, your nipples then don't just move with you.
02:10That would be a good trade-off, wouldn't it?
02:11Because otherwise you could just swivel your head like that, it's fantastic, and tassels
02:14and the whole thing.
02:15But that would be good, you know, for those dancers that do that, if their nipples were
02:18joining them as well, they're so charming.
02:20Do you know what else, though?
02:22Always directly in line, you're not sure.
02:24Even I'm not convinced, because I'm thinking in my head, Gary Lineker, you know, it's like...
02:30I can't see any evolutionary benefit from cavemen going, oh, my nipples, they're right
02:35down there.
02:36Yeah, but there's no evolutionary benefit about that thing where you're that tall, are
02:40you?
02:40Everyone's that tall.
02:41Oh, oh, oh, I'm not.
02:43You're not that tall?
02:44No, no, no, my arms are so long, they're longer than I am tall.
02:47I was really hoping that when he went, you're that tall, you went, no, I'm not, I'm this
02:51tall.
02:54Are you really?
02:54Because I thought everyone was that tall.
02:56I don't think that's a thing.
02:56Can we measure you now?
02:57Yeah.
02:58I want to do this.
02:58I've played that game when I'm drunk.
03:00Right, use me as a wall, I'll stand over here.
03:03Okay.
03:03Right, so you have to do that, do you?
03:06Yeah, but I'm not quite sure where to touch you.
03:08Why don't you turn around?
03:10Now, why don't you try different options and we'll edit in what we like.
03:12Lie down on the front.
03:14Lie down on...
03:15No, she can do it that way.
03:16Lie down on the desk.
03:17On the table, yeah.
03:18That could work, yes.
03:18What?
03:20Right.
03:21This was about nipples a minute ago.
03:24So you measure your...
03:26Help her, Dara, help her use the table.
03:27Stretch your arms out.
03:29I've just realised...
03:31This hand has to go back to...
03:32But yeah, there we go.
03:33Love, when you're around me, your face is always near my heart.
03:36And we're here at this angle.
03:38This angle's great.
03:40It really is one of those shows.
03:42APPLAUSE
03:45I've just realised something.
03:47I'm so not needed.
03:48We could have just marked her finger.
03:51It's like, I'm not saying that this is like a nipple,
03:53but I want to walk in and go,
03:54nurse, what are you doing?
03:56I told you to prep the patient,
03:58but not that way.
04:00So, OK, so where are you up to?
04:02So from foot to thing, you're around about
04:04just at here, this little bit where your hair starts.
04:06Now, you keep your mark on my neck.
04:07I will keep marking you on your neck.
04:09And then I'll stand up, right.
04:10OK.
04:11This is a nasty superglue incident, innit?
04:13LAUGHTER
04:14So I'll take over there.
04:15He's at his pressure point now, I'll knock him out.
04:17Put your hand down, I'm right there.
04:19Now, are you...?
04:20No, you actually are...
04:21Yeah, no, it does actually write, I'm afraid.
04:23So the whole thing was pointless, Mel, thanks very much.
04:25LAUGHTER
04:27APPLAUSE
04:33I realise the mistake you've been making in the past
04:35is you haven't been taking your shoes off.
04:37LAUGHTER
04:38OK, let's get on with the show.
04:39All of tonight's guests have brought in a fact
04:41that they really love, but who's his best?
04:43It's time for round one, Fact Off.
04:45APPLAUSE
04:47Dara, you're up first, what's your fact?
04:49My fact is, touching somebody's upper arm
04:51will help you guess what you want from them.
04:53Does it matter which arm?
04:55No, no, it doesn't.
04:57I don't think there's any particular preference.
04:59It just means the creation of a little bit of intimacy,
05:01just breaking down the little barrier,
05:03nothing too saucy, nothing to cup the boob.
05:05I'm just saying...
05:07That's possibly lingering.
05:09LAUGHTER
05:11I now feel like I should be doing a gun show.
05:13LAUGHTER
05:15But, yeah, just a slightest of...
05:17I'm sorry, whichever, you wouldn't...
05:19You know, that little touch like that
05:21markedly increases...
05:23Improves your chances of getting what you want.
05:25OK, let's try this out. Ruth, touch me on the top of the arm
05:27and ask if I'll sleep with you.
05:29LAUGHTER
05:31Oh, I like that.
05:33LAUGHTER
05:35Oh, I tell you what, that was so sexy, it's too late.
05:37LAUGHTER
05:39APPLAUSE
05:42Go on, clap that.
05:44Go on, clap that.
05:46Genuinely, though, if I'm saying to you,
05:48Ruth, could you go and get me a cup of tea?
05:50Does this feel different? Ruth, could you get me a cup of tea?
05:52Yeah. Do you feel something straight away?
05:54I do, actually. I feel that you have confidence in my tea-making.
05:57Yes. There's an endearing quality to it.
06:00There's a caring quality to it.
06:02Yeah. And yet it turns out I'm manipulating you
06:04and just want a cup of tea. Yeah.
06:06You're actually grooming me, aren't you?
06:08Let's not say grooming. No.
06:11I... Can I just name drop? Please do.
06:14I once was very lucky enough to meet President Obama.
06:17Oh. Yeah.
06:19And he touched my arm. Did he?
06:21Yeah, and I melted.
06:23So I think it does work. But did he ask you for anything?
06:26He was kind of making fun of my accent at the time.
06:29I went very Welsh, cos I was very nervous.
06:31And he said,
06:33that's a really interesting accent.
06:35Brilliant. Fantastic.
06:38Why doesn't he use that technique?
06:40Instead of going, get rid of your nuclear capabilities, North Korea,
06:44why doesn't he go, why don't you get rid of your nuclear capabilities?
06:48I met Clinton once, which is, you win, but...
06:51Really? Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.
06:54I met Keith Chegg win once.
06:58But did he touch you on the arm? He touched me.
07:00Be careful what you say. Yeah, but it was a different climate back then.
07:04Clinton does the thing where he does the double handshake,
07:07where he'll shake your hand but then put his hand on top of your hand.
07:10But that's so well-known in American politics.
07:12If you see the American presidential debates, for example,
07:15where both candidates know that what you do is...
07:17It's this weird festival of each of them.
07:19It's like that game you play as a kid,
07:21trying to be the one who finally ends up calling each other up,
07:24desperately to be the one.
07:26It would depend, though, if it was someone you really didn't like,
07:29and you really didn't want to do it.
07:31Yeah, I'm not sure... You'll go from neutral to liking somebody,
07:34but if somebody you dislike gets a cup of tea there, love,
07:38then, yeah, even worse.
07:40There's probably a curve in the chart as well.
07:42So I go, can you make me a cup of tea? No.
07:44Can you make me a cup of tea? Yes. Yeah.
07:46Make me a cup of tea? Yes.
07:48Make me a cup of tea!
07:53Well, that's what we think,
07:55and let's see what happened when we got all touchy-feely
07:58in the name of science.
08:02TOUCHING STRANGERS
08:05Touching strangers.
08:07It's not something that we're particularly comfortable with.
08:10But if it's true that it helps you get what you want,
08:13perhaps we need a rethink.
08:15Let's see what the expert has to say.
08:17Touching is an important aspect of non-verbal communication.
08:21So simply by touching, we can really alter people's behaviour,
08:25thinking and rationale.
08:27This theory has been tested in so many forms since the 70s.
08:30Research suggests that touching
08:32is an important aspect in a retail environment.
08:35When people are being touched on the upper arm,
08:37they're more likely to stay longer in a shop,
08:39they're more likely to spend a lot more,
08:41and they're more likely to review a product in a positive light.
08:45However, the most interesting example of this theory
08:48takes place in restaurants.
08:50It has been observed that when a waiter
08:52touches slightly their customer on the upper arm,
08:55the customer is inclined to leave a bigger tip.
08:58This phenomenon is referred to as the Midas touch.
09:02It's a wonderful theory, but does it really work?
09:05To put it to the test, we need a restaurant
09:08and two waitresses of similar experience.
09:11Meet Vera and Michelle.
09:14And finally, some customers,
09:16who have no idea that their tipping is being monitored.
09:21Our waitresses will serve exactly the same number of people.
09:27Vera will touch each of her customers lightly on the upper arm,
09:31but Michelle will make no contact whatsoever.
09:35Time to find out if a simple touch
09:37really does lead to bigger tips.
09:43A woman's touch. A woman's touch.
09:47A woman's touch.
09:49The magic of Aladdin couldn't do much.
09:53She's a wizard, she's a champ,
09:55and she doesn't need a lamp.
10:00As service draws to a close, it's tipping time.
10:03So did Vera, our touchy waitress,
10:06really make more in tips than our non-toucher Michelle?
10:11Well, Michelle received a total of £21,
10:14representing 11% of her total bills.
10:17Not bad, but Vera received a total of £26,
10:21representing 14% of her total bills.
10:25Success, or is it?
10:28You could argue that Vera got more tips
10:30because she is the better waitress.
10:32So just to be sure, we did the whole thing again.
10:38Only this time, Michelle will do the touching,
10:41and Vera will touch no one.
10:43In theory, Michelle should now receive more in tips than Vera.
10:47Let's see how they got on.
11:06With the bills paid and tips all counted,
11:08it's time to find out if the touching paid off for Michelle.
11:14Overall, Vera took £19 in tips,
11:17representing 10% of her total bills,
11:20whereas Michelle took £23,
11:23representing 13% of her total bills.
11:27So there you have it.
11:29If you want someone to give you their money,
11:31touch them very gently on the upper arm.
11:34Easy.
11:38There you go.
11:39Pretty good science.
11:41There is an element, basically, of saying
11:43if you touch somebody, you'll get a fiver,
11:45which is essentially prostitution.
11:48What kind of prostitutes are you seeing where it's a fiver?
11:51Well, you know, the upper arm is a fiver.
11:54OK, what do we think, Mel?
11:56Are you won over by the evidence?
11:58If my waiter or waitress in a restaurant kept touching me,
12:02I'd think that was a bit weird.
12:04You're eating your meal,
12:06and someone kind of just kept doing that to you.
12:08Wouldn't you think that they were trying to...
12:10It would start annoying you.
12:12I think we're seeing the highlights of it.
12:14I don't think every ten seconds she was going,
12:16how's the bread? How's the wine?
12:18Do you want more eggs?
12:20Prodding you repeatedly.
12:22Trying out a variety of things, sticking fingers in their ears.
12:24Ah! Right on eggs!
12:26So, time to give your marks out of ten.
12:29Based on what you've seen, what are you giving it, Ruth?
12:35I think there is a lot to be said about it.
12:38I'm going for six out of ten.
12:40Six out of ten for that. That's quite good.
12:42That's a six. Good start, Mel.
12:44Yeah, I think it depends on the person touching,
12:46and the toucher and the touchy.
12:48So, it all depends.
12:50So, I will... Actually, I'll go for a seven.
12:52Seven. Well, I'm going to give it a seven as well.
12:54So, let's see what your total is, Dara.
12:56Dara, storming ahead with 20 points.
13:01So, we've heard Dara's favourite fact,
13:03but after the break, it's Mel's turn to try
13:05and win us over with hers. Don't go away.
13:09CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
13:12Welcome back to Don't Clap, Don't Echo,
13:14the show that puts extraordinary facts to the test.
13:16Still with me are Ruth Jones, Melanie C and Dara O'Brien.
13:22Before the break, Dara won 20 points for his fact
13:24about touching somebody's upper arm
13:26and how it helps you get what you want from them.
13:28Melanie, you're next. What fact have you got for us?
13:30OK, my fact is...
13:32..dog pee glows under UV light.
13:36LAUGHTER
13:38What specialist website did you get this from?
13:41Do you know what? Although I know this fact,
13:43I've never tested it out, so I'm quite keen to see it,
13:46but I do believe it's true.
13:48Maybe you should go to the people's houses with your UV torch.
13:51With your UV torch? Who's got a UV torch?
13:54Why do you have a UV torch?
13:56Clearly, you test by bringing a dog to a nightclub.
13:59Yeah. No, I always take dogs from nightclubs.
14:02LAUGHTER
14:05APPLAUSE
14:07Would you like to know some of the science?
14:09I would love to know some of the science.
14:11OK. Well, animals with a high-protein diet,
14:14there's some chemical reaction in the wee
14:17when the UV light goes in it that it glows.
14:20But recently, humans eat a lot of protein.
14:23A lot more, don't they? We have these high-protein diets
14:25and everyone's cutting the carbs.
14:27So you're saying now that we would...
14:29So I just think we should just test our own pee.
14:31It's time to get back on the table!
14:33LAUGHTER
14:35The UV light thing, right, you probably haven't had...
14:38I don't know if you've ever had one of those facials.
14:40There's this certain one that you have where you're in the dark
14:44and they put this UV light... Have you ever had that?
14:47Oh, my God, and they give you a mirror,
14:49and you can see where all your skin damage is.
14:53As if you want to see that, and you go, oh, OK.
14:55Yeah, but it turns out it's not skin damage,
14:57a dog's been weeing on your face.
15:00Have you got a dog? I don't... I'm allergic to dogs.
15:03Are you? I'm allergic to cats. I'm allergic to cats as well.
15:06And horses and rabbits. And horses.
15:08Yeah, and guinea pigs.
15:09So how's it going with you living on this farm?
15:13Are you really allergic to all those things?
15:15I'm allergic to everything furry, and it's such a shame.
15:20Once, a horse sneezed in my eye.
15:23In your eye? Oh, my Lord.
15:25I was at, like, a donkey rescue place
15:28and I was, like, taking some friends and children around and stuff,
15:31and I keep my distance because, obviously, if I get too close,
15:34it gets snotty and sneezy and itchy, blah.
15:37But this horse sneezed and I'm stood quite far back,
15:40but the snot just goes right in my eye.
15:42In your eye? Yeah.
15:43I'm not just saying it's exactly the same thing happened to me,
15:46that is, the gospel is true.
15:47I went to a donkey sanctuary, a donkey sneezed in my eye,
15:50and my penis, the next day...
15:52I've never had a cure for it.
15:54Unbelievable.
15:56My sister got bitten by a zebra.
16:00What happened to her?
16:02Please tell me she developed superpowers.
16:07She was able to cross the road wherever she wanted to.
16:12Right, I think we need to see this for ourselves,
16:14but before we do, let's see the science behind it.
16:17Dogs pee everywhere.
16:19But why would their pee glow under UV light?
16:22Well, according to experts,
16:24although urine is made up primarily of water,
16:26in the case of some animals,
16:28it also contains high levels of chemicals called phosphors.
16:32Phosphors are the by-product of a high-protein diet,
16:36so dogs produce a lot of this chemical when they digest their food.
16:40When a UV light is shined on a phosphor,
16:43it creates a chemical reaction that makes the phosphor glow.
16:49So, Melanie, if your fact is true,
16:51then this should be pretty simple.
16:53Here we have a load of puppies.
16:58Yes, they're cute.
16:59Well, they're going straight back to Spatsy Dog's home.
17:01Can I just say, we had a gag lined up there,
17:03but as the camera panned over, he did a massive poo.
17:06Now, these puppies have been...
17:09I'm trying to work out, cos I'm worried now,
17:11cos you said you had an allergy,
17:12and I'm trying to work out if you're giggling
17:14or you're having some sort of attack.
17:17Not again!
17:22LAUGHTER
17:24Who's the father, Mr Whippy?
17:28These puppies have been peeing in this pan,
17:30so all we need to do is turn the lights down
17:32and use these, thank you, my glamorous assistant,
17:34to get up close and personal and see if it glows.
17:37And, by the way, if you're wrong about this,
17:39I will rub your nose in it.
17:41OK, let's turn the studio lights down
17:43and see if this really does glow under UV lights.
17:46We have to get quite close, apparently.
17:48Oh, it is glowing, it is glowing.
17:50I mean, to be fair, this sometimes happens to my urine as well,
17:53but only after I've been drinking Sunny Delight.
17:57And I should just point out, these are genuinely just normal puppies,
18:00they're not from Chernobyl or anything.
18:04It actually does work.
18:05Dog pee really does glow under UV lights.
18:08APPLAUSE
18:11APPLAUSE
18:17So, we've tested Melanie's fact, but how impressed were you?
18:20Dara and Ruth, time to give your marks out of ten. Dara?
18:24I mean, it's quite an effect, you know,
18:27but it's a bit unpleasant as a fact.
18:30Yeah, I think only five because I found it a bit weird.
18:32You found it a bit weird, that's fair enough. Ruth?
18:35I think it could be harnessed and used to some good effect.
18:39I don't know what that effect is. It's a fun fact.
18:41Yeah, I think it has potential.
18:43It's not going to change the world, it's a fun fact.
18:45So, I'm going to give you seven for potential.
18:47Oh, that's kind. Potential as a fact.
18:49See, I think you're being both quite harsh.
18:51I'm actually going to give it a nine.
18:53Let's add that up and see where you are on the leaderboard.
18:55Melanie, Sue, you're in the lead with 21 points.
19:00Last but not least, Ruth, it's your turn.
19:03Tell us your fact.
19:06In an attempt to appear normal,
19:09people will copy the actions of a group
19:12even if they know the action is really stupid.
19:16So, for example, I noticed earlier at the end of a round,
19:20Mel started clapping, then you started clapping, Dara,
19:24and then I joined in.
19:26I think that is a really good point.
19:28See? It works. It works.
19:32It's like, you know, you watch sheep in a field, right?
19:35Sheep are... I always imagine that they kind of talk to each other
19:38and they go, come on, I'm going over there.
19:40Do you want to come? Yeah, come on, let's go, let's go.
19:42And they all kind of follow each other and they're like,
19:44yeah, it's great over here. Oh, I'm going to go over there.
19:46Yeah, I'm coming too.
19:48Your head is like a Disney film, isn't it?
19:50All I'm seeing is...
19:52Well, that's the only thing, because otherwise that whole,
19:55er, gotcha, er, game of...
19:58I don't know.
20:00I find it funny, Dara, when you can't get away with that.
20:02Why? You can't go like that and pretend you're cobing your hair.
20:05It's funny when they're looking.
20:07Why is that boy stroking himself?
20:09I don't know.
20:11No, but it's true.
20:13There's one thing within that, though, which, yeah, we do conform,
20:16right, because we think that's the thing to do, right?
20:18But yours is slightly more than that.
20:20Yours includes the phrase, even when we think it...
20:23That it's completely ridiculous.
20:25That's the one that makes it slightly more...
20:27I can understand us all doing a thing for safety or whatever,
20:30but even when we know it's wrong or stupid, we still do it?
20:33We still do it.
20:35We want to trust that somebody else knows best.
20:37There's safety numbers.
20:39You don't want to look like the person who's...
20:41It's a bit different.
20:43Yeah, I mooned once.
20:45Did you? Only once, but I regretted it afterwards.
20:48But at the time, it seemed like a really good idea.
20:50Where were the people mooning? Yeah.
20:52I joined in. Did you? How old were you?
20:54I'd have to go, mm, 29.
20:56That's too old for that.
20:59I don't see mooning any more.
21:01No, it's a bit of a dying art.
21:03It's terrible they've gone out now.
21:05Let's bring mooning... Let's do it now.
21:13OK, you've heard what we think, but join us after the break
21:15when we'll see how easily led people really are.
21:19CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
21:21Welcome back to The Scott Blackstone Echo,
21:23the show that puts brilliant but bizarre facts to the test.
21:26Before the break, Ruth told us, in an attempt to appear normal,
21:29people will copy the actions of a group,
21:31even if they know those actions are ridiculous.
21:33So let's see the experiment.
21:43Social conformity is all around us,
21:46whether we're dressing the same
21:48or keeping up with the Joneses.
21:50But are we so desperate to appear normal
21:53that we'll copy the abnormal actions of a group?
21:56Let's hear from an expert.
21:59Conformity is a change in behaviour
22:01as a response to perceived group pressure.
22:07We conform for many reasons.
22:09To fit in, to avoid being ignored,
22:12or to avoid feeling inferior to others.
22:15Humans are social animals,
22:17and we therefore conform to help protect the society we value.
22:20This is why we sometimes go against our own instincts
22:23to fit in with a group.
22:27So, let's see just how far we'll go to fit in.
22:33So, let's take this to the streets.
22:38Our five actors position themselves on this ordinary walkway.
22:43And one by one they looked up.
22:45Not at a bird, nor a plane,
22:48but at a boring, nondescript building.
22:53But would members of the public join the group and conform?
23:02To start with, people walked by and stared briefly.
23:07But slowly, some of those who stared also stopped.
23:14And interestingly, when one person stopped,
23:17others felt compelled to join them.
23:20Until we had ourselves a group of conformists,
23:24all staring at absolutely nothing.
23:29For our final test, let's raise the stakes a little.
23:32We invited some members of the public to our studio,
23:35telling them we were testing their cognitive processing speeds.
23:39But what we were really doing
23:41is recreating another psychology test from 1951
23:45to find out if they'll follow the crowd
23:48even when the crowd is obviously wrong.
23:52One by one, the participants joined our test group,
23:55which was made up of our actors.
23:58All the group had to do was identify which line,
24:01A, B or C, matched the original line, X.
24:05For the first few questions, the actors all gave the right answer.
24:09And then they had to guess which line, A, B or C,
24:13matched the original line, X.
24:15And then they had to guess which line, A, B or C,
24:19all gave the right answer.
24:21A.
24:22A.
24:23A.
24:24A.
24:25As did the volunteers.
24:27A.
24:28A.
24:31But on specific questions,
24:33our Stooges were instructed to unanimously give the wrong answer.
24:38And incredibly, the volunteers followed suit.
24:41C.
24:42C.
24:43C.
24:44C.
24:45C.
24:46C.
24:47They also worked with maths.
24:494 times 7 equals...
24:5327.
24:5427.
24:5527.
24:5627.
24:5727.
24:58And even general knowledge and logic.
25:01How many sides does a hexagon like the one in this picture have?
25:058.
25:068.
25:078.
25:088.
25:098.
25:108.
25:11Very much.
25:12Proof, therefore, that people really do copy the actions of a group,
25:16even when those actions are wrong or ridiculous.
25:25So, Melanie, what's good?
25:27Well, yeah, I think that's a good but sad fact.
25:30I think we should be more sure of ourselves and make our own decisions.
25:34Instead of being with a group, you should just be on your own.
25:36And yet when Gerry said that to you lot, you went mental.
25:40APPLAUSE
25:46So, Melanie, your score?
25:48Yes, I'm going to go for 7.
25:50OK, you're going to go for 7. Dara?
25:52I'd like to say I think it's good.
25:54I'm going to give it slightly more than I give to you.
25:56I'm going to give it a 7.
25:58I think 7's about right. I'm going to give you a 7.
26:01So let's see where that puts you on the leaderboard.
26:04You're in first place with 21 points.
26:07OK, Melanie, Steve and Ruth are sitting at the top of the leaderboard with 21 points,
26:10but everything could change in our next round.
26:12It's time for Fact Finder.
26:16Yes, it's not just my guess, important facts,
26:18we've also asked our studio audience to bring in those too.
26:21Melanie, Ruth and Dara have had a look at them
26:23and picked out their favourite one in the hope that it will win them the most points.
26:27Dara, you're first. Whose fact have you picked?
26:29I'm going for a fact from John Reynolds.
26:32John Reynolds. Where are you, John?
26:34And where are you from, John?
26:35From Swindon.
26:36From Swindon. And what do you do?
26:38I'm a business analyst.
26:39Ooh, what do you analyse?
26:41Pretty much anything. Yeah, business.
26:43You analyse anything?
26:45Are you going to tell me what business?
26:47Banking.
26:48What bank is it?
26:49I'm a contractor, so I skip from bank to bank.
26:51You skip from bank to bank?
26:52Yeah.
26:54God, I know you bankers are happy, but you're rubbing it in now, aren't you?
26:58With your swag bag?
27:02So, tell us your interesting fact.
27:04The turkey vulture, its defence mechanism is to vomit on its predators.
27:10Who are the predators? Bernard Matthews?
27:15We've heard of a turkey vulture.
27:16Turkey vulture? Is that a vulture that attacks a turkey?
27:20No, it's like a breed of a vulture, so it's from North America.
27:24It's a breed of vulture?
27:26A breed of a turkey, sorry.
27:27A what?
27:28A breed of a turkey.
27:29So it is a breed of turkey?
27:30It's a breed of turkey, yeah.
27:31Whoa, I need to have a little bit of you.
27:33Surely it's the vulture turkey?
27:35No, it's the turkey vulture.
27:38Do you say... Have you got any animals at home?
27:40I've got a fish.
27:41You've got a fish?
27:42Is it a goldfish, or do you call it the fish gold?
27:48See, in Welsh, though, you put the adjective after the noun.
27:52Teabach is little house, but it's house little.
27:56So it's house little prairie on?
27:59Basically, yeah.
28:01OK, so this turkey is vomiting on... I'm still confused.
28:04They're vomiting on the...?
28:06On the predator. Something attacks the turkey,
28:08and the turkey defends itself by puking on it.
28:11It's like a night out in Cardiff.
28:16Do you want to dance, love?
28:20Is that a no? Sorry, no is that.
28:25They're Welsh, Lee, they're not Yoda.
28:28APPLAUSE
28:33OK, well, what do we think?
28:35Do we think there's any possibility that this is true?
28:37Yeah, I'm sure that's in nature. A bit of that goes on.
28:40A bit of vomiting.
28:42OK, so Mel's believing it. Dara, you're thinking...?
28:45I like the idea of it.
28:47You like the idea of it?
28:49I like the idea of it, yes.
28:51Are you turned on by it?
28:53No, I'm not aroused by it.
28:55You're not aroused by it?
28:57I'm just saying it would be a very effective defence mechanism.
29:00You don't think so?
29:02I'm just not sure how much of a defence mechanism...
29:04If you've got this big sort of animal,
29:06a bit of vomit that's just going...
29:08There's acid in the vomit, it would burn the animal that attacks them.
29:11Are we saying it's like aliens now?
29:14I'm not saying it would vaporise the animal.
29:17I'm not saying it would go...
29:19And then it's just like steam rising up
29:21and an empty patch of ground burns.
29:23Like a raccoon's feet.
29:25OK, so that's what we think of Dara's chosen audience fact.
29:28Now, we can't test it because we've only just heard it tonight,
29:31so we've got a panel of brain boxes to do the hard work for us.
29:34So please welcome rocket scientist Dr Simon Foster,
29:36expert in cell biology and genetics Dr Emily Grossman,
29:38and chemical engineer David Walton.
29:40It's our Verifiers.
29:44Are we all well? Very well, thanks.
29:46Any truth in this?
29:48Well, let's establish a few things to start with.
29:51It's a vulture that looks like a turkey.
29:54The vulture does vomit,
29:56but we don't think it's actually vomiting at the predator.
29:59It's such a big bird, it's about 6ft wingspan,
30:02it lives, as you said, in North and South America,
30:05but in order to fly with this huge wingspan,
30:08it needs to lose weight.
30:10So one reason it could be vomiting
30:12is to reduce the amount of weight
30:14so it's easier for it to take off.
30:16But also, if it's approached by a predator,
30:19the predator will become more interested in the vomit
30:22than in the bird flying away,
30:24which just shows some birds are so disgusting
30:27they'll eat vulture vomit rather than vultures.
30:30I've known birds like that.
30:34OK, we'll score it end once we've heard everyone's facts.
30:37Now, your next, Melanie. Whose facts have you gone for?
30:39I've got Corina Copeland-Murray's fact.
30:42Where's Corina? Where's Corina?
30:44What's your amazing fact, Corina?
30:46My amazing fact is regular didgeridoo playing
30:49is an effective treatment for snoring.
30:52Yes! Oh, not a euphemism, you mean...
30:54LAUGHTER
31:00How do you know this?
31:02Long story short, I was in Australia with my husband
31:05and was really struggling with my asthma
31:08and somebody told me that didgeridoo playing would help my asthma.
31:11Right. Wasn't going to learn it on my own, made Stuart join me,
31:14and I discovered that he started to snore less.
31:17Oh!
31:19Tell me about the didgeridoo.
31:21Do you blow into it?
31:23Or do you go...
31:25Oh!
31:27It's a bit of both.
31:29Could you make the noise now?
31:31Go on. Err!
31:33I always wondered that.
31:35Your lips, like a trumpet...
31:37It's not a kazoo. You actually have to blow into it.
31:40You blow, but that, er, noise is coming from...
31:42You hold it to your mouth and go,
31:44didgeridoo!
31:46Wouldn't that be great if that's what you did with every instrument?
31:49Trumpets!
31:51Trumpets!
31:54OK, are we...
31:56I hope it's true, because snoring's a big problem in lots of relationships.
31:59Are you a snorer? No-one's ever complained that I snore.
32:02But in relationships, often, it can be a problem.
32:05It can be a problem. And people have separate bedrooms...
32:08Do you know what would also be difficult to sleep through?
32:11I don't know if there's a cure, but somebody in bed going...
32:14HE SNORES
32:18Like an aboriginal man dancing...
32:23So it's time for our verifiers to give the verdict.
32:26This is actually true.
32:28When you go to sleep, all your muscles relax,
32:30including the muscles in your airways,
32:32and then they can actually get narrow, causing you to start snoring,
32:36or they can actually contract and you'll start choking
32:38and you start waking up, and this is a really big problem.
32:40Now, scientists discovered that amongst didgeridoo players,
32:43this problem was a lot less,
32:45so they took a study group of people who had this problem,
32:47taught one group the didgeridoo, the other group they didn't,
32:50and they found that amongst the players of the didgeridoo,
32:53their symptoms were significantly reduced.
32:55So this is actually true.
32:57Wow!
33:02OK, finally, Ruth, whose facts have you picked out?
33:04Oh, right, OK. Alison Burr.
33:06Alison Burr, where are you? Hi, Alison.
33:08Where are you from, Alison? I'm from Luton.
33:11Luton, and what do you do in Luton?
33:13I'm administration officer for a software company.
33:15I love the fact that you're looking at the mic as you speak.
33:18I love the fact that you're living in some sort of 14th-century world
33:21where you think, I'd better look right into the magic machine,
33:23otherwise it'll never work and it might take my soul.
33:27Yeah. So, no, you can look at me, it's fine.
33:29Let's give you some body language like you like me.
33:31That'll be fantastic.
33:33So, sorry, what do you...?
33:36APPLAUSE
33:38That's a lot of body language.
33:41Now, tell us, what's your interesting fact?
33:43Peeing while sitting allows for a longer and healthier sex life.
33:48Peeing when sitting down, why would that...?
33:50Sorry, do you mean for women, or do you mean...?
33:52Obviously for women, women are always sitting down.
33:55Sorry, hang on, what, there's no choice for women?
33:57You know, cos really, those women who stand squatting over the toilet
34:01have fewer sexual partners than...
34:05Cos, like, I'm sorry, do you do that...?
34:07Yeah, but you're not my wife, what's wrong with you?
34:09But look on the bright side, at least I'm not a snorer.
34:15So, you're talking about men, obviously,
34:17cos women, women are famous for sitting down.
34:20Unless you're... You're not going to mention the Shiwi, are you?
34:23You know the Shiwi? I was thinking of the Shiwi.
34:26Cos I only found out what this was, I genuinely...
34:28Shiwi, do you know what a Shiwi is?
34:30I genuinely, until recently, thought a Shiwi was a transsexual Kiwi.
34:35Is there any reason why they're having a healthier sex life?
34:38Well, I got that from my dad.
34:50And I don't want to say this, but you brought it up,
34:52has your dad got a healthy sex life?
34:55Yes.
34:57OK, I'm trying to work out, did your dad give any reason
34:59for why he thought that that would be the case?
35:02I'm not sure, but I do get...
35:05When I... My partners, I kind of get them to sit on the toilet seat.
35:09Is your partner here tonight? No, I'm single.
35:18OK, let's see what our verifiers think.
35:20Well, although this does sound ridiculous,
35:22a Swedish political party are trying to use this fact
35:26to ban urinals in office toilets,
35:28because they're saying not only is it more hygienic,
35:31but it's also healthier.
35:33And according to them, some new medical research has shown
35:36that sitting down to pee helps men to, like,
35:39empty their bladders more efficiently,
35:41and they claim that this reduces the risk of prostate problems
35:45and helps men to achieve a healthier and longer sex life.
35:49Now, however, none of this research has been published anywhere
35:53other than in a Swedish newspaper.
35:55So, at present, the rest of the scientific community
35:58think that it's nonsense.
36:00So, don't go rushing to change the way that you pee,
36:03although it would certainly create less mess.
36:06So, we've heard the facts, but how many points will our verifiers give them?
36:09After the break, we'll find out who picked the best one
36:11and who will be tonight's winner,
36:12and get the honour of helping me prove my very own fact.
36:14Don't go away.
36:19Welcome back. Before the break, each of our guests
36:21chose their favourite fact from the audience.
36:23Our verifiers have given us their verdict,
36:25but how many points have they awarded each one? Let's find out.
36:27Dara, remind us of your chosen fact.
36:29Well, my fact came from John Reynolds,
36:31and it was that the turkey vulture,
36:33sometimes known as the vulture turkey,
36:35its primary defence is to vomit on its predators.
36:38And, verifiers, what score are we going to give that?
36:41Well, once we had established that it was, in fact,
36:43a vulture, not a turkey, we thought,
36:45it is basically true that it does do that,
36:47so we reckon eight points for that.
36:49Eight points. That's good.
36:51Melanie, which fact did you go for?
36:54Well, Corina Copeland-Murray gave us the fact
36:56that regular didgeridoo playing
36:58is an effective treatment for snoring.
37:00Verifiers, what do you think?
37:01Well, this is actually really important,
37:03because snoring does ruin lives,
37:05well, mainly the person that you have to kind of sleep with,
37:07so we're going to give it a nine.
37:09Nine. That's good.
37:12And, finally, Ruth, remind us of your chosen fact.
37:15My fact came from Alison Burr,
37:17and she said that peeing, sitting down,
37:19allows for a longer and healthier sex life.
37:22Verifiers, what are we giving that?
37:24Well, we do claim that this is true,
37:26but they haven't really told us why or how,
37:28and seeing as anyone can publish anything,
37:30especially in a newspaper,
37:32then we thought, until it's been scientifically verified,
37:34we don't really trust it,
37:35so we're only going to give it a three, I'm afraid.
37:37Three?
37:38I'd have thought a number two would have been more appropriate.
37:41Let's put all that up onto the leaderboard
37:43and see the final scores.
37:45In third place, Ruth Jones, Dara O Briain in second place,
37:47but tonight's winner with 30 points is Melanie C!
37:50CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
37:52Well done, Melanie, you've won tonight's show,
37:54but, more importantly, that means you get to help me prove my fact,
37:57which is it is possible to stick a grown adult to the ceiling
38:00and hang them upside down by their feet
38:02using only household superglue.
38:04Bet you're glad you won.
38:06So, let's test it out.
38:08It's time for Max Facts.
38:13We've made an exact replica of Melanie C's front room
38:17to make her feel more at home when she's glued to the ceiling.
38:20This is what your front room looks like, isn't it?
38:22Absolutely, yeah.
38:23Just so we don't ruin our shoes,
38:25we are going to stick these boots
38:27and get superglued down to this steel plate.
38:29Now, once the glue has dried,
38:31we will get winched upside down to the ceiling and prove my point.
38:34Don't worry, Melanie, lots of people have come back
38:36from serious head injuries to have good careers,
38:39like Richard Hammond and the cast of Towie.
38:42So, whilst we get changed into something more suitable
38:45for just hanging around, here's Dr Foster
38:47with the science behind how super superglue is.
38:50Superglue works because of two factors.
38:52The first is actually the glue itself and the chemical inside it,
38:55and it's called cyanoacrylate.
38:57Now, when it's a liquid, it can be full of, like,
38:59separate links of a chain, all floating around.
39:02But when it comes into contact with water,
39:04all these links join up and form a really long, strong chain
39:07that's a solid.
39:09Now, the second factor is the thing that it bonds to.
39:11Now, the surface here might look really smooth,
39:14but if you looked at it really closely,
39:16you'd see it's full of cracks and holes
39:18into which the glue can seep when it's a liquid.
39:21Now, when it solidifies, it becomes really tough and locked in place.
39:25Now, if you've got two pieces of a substance
39:27and have glue in between them and bond them together,
39:30both these factors come into play,
39:32and it's impossible to pull them apart,
39:34hopefully, as we're about to find out.
39:36APPLAUSE
39:38So, science says the fact is true.
39:40Right, let's get glue down.
39:44So, what we're going to do is we are going to stand on this board here.
39:48If you'd like to join me, Mel.
39:50Get on here. Yeah.
39:52And then... Come on.
39:53..they're going to stick superglue on us now.
39:55And what can only be considered great television,
39:57we're going to wait a long time whilst the glue dries.
40:02This is great.
40:03I feel like this is an arranged marriage that you can't get out of.
40:08Oh, I feel like I want to go bowling.
40:14What is the maximum weight to hang someone upside down,
40:16glued them to the ceiling?
40:18Do you know?
40:19Ask Kev.
40:20He says, I think I should know why.
40:22Cos he's on strike.
40:24It's a bowling ball job.
40:27You get it?
40:28Very good.
40:31I've got another one later, a spare one.
40:34That's another one, another bowling job. I'm out now.
40:36It's not a full-time job, he's just temping.
40:40That's four.
40:41That's good.
40:42Four.
40:44He's thinking, yeah, laugh it up, I'm not going to glue you properly.
40:48Right, this glue must be dry now.
40:50Kev, do you have my safety gear, please?
40:52So, I'll just put this helmet on.
40:54Where's my safety gear?
40:56Unfortunately, we've only got one.
40:59Right.
41:00Swivel us around.
41:01Here we go.
41:02Cos we've obviously got to face the other way,
41:04because when we're upside down, we'll be facing...
41:06What's that squeaking on?
41:08Is that my bum?
41:09So...
41:11OK.
41:13Oh, hello.
41:14This feels really dangerous.
41:19Oh, I've got to get a proper job. I'm forty-fucking-five.
41:24OK, I'm scared now.
41:26We're just going to plummet to the ground into a big mound of flesh.
41:29But if we go together, then two would become one.
41:31That's what you'd want, isn't it?
41:36Right, here we go.
41:37Which is up?
41:38We'll be OK.
41:39Oh, hello.
41:40That wasn't at all nerve-wracking.
41:43Oh.
41:44My.
41:45God.
41:46Holy shit!
41:54Well, that feels like a steady hand, doesn't it?
42:00Shall we hold on?
42:03So, there you have it.
42:04We've proved faithfully that it's possible to stick a grown animal to the ceiling
42:07and hang a man upside down by the feet using only household superglue.
42:11That's about all we have time for, so before I pass out,
42:14a big thanks to my guests, Daryl Breen, Ruth Jones,
42:18and, of course, Melanie Street.
42:20And if you get me down safely, I'll see you next time.
42:22Good night!
42:27Just keep going.
42:28It's just going to get faster. Don't panic.
42:30Go on, son! Come on!
42:32Keep going! Keep going!
42:34First question, how are you feeling?
42:36Er, a bit nervous.
42:38Oh, my God!
42:40I'm not getting very far!
42:46If you enjoy Duck, Quack, Stone, Echo and want your family to see it without some of the naughty bits,
42:51tune in to Sky 1 HD this Sunday at 7.30.
42:54But coming up next, back-to-back episodes of A League Of Their Own.
43:06APPLAUSE