Answer Me This!
Encyclopedia
Answer Me This! is a weekly comedy podcast
by Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann in which they answer questions submitted by the general public. Recorded in Zaltzman's living-room in Crystal Palace
, it began in January 2007 and has since become one of the UK's most successful independently-produced podcasts. It has been named Podcast of the Week in the Radio Times
, the Times
, The Independent
and Time Out, as well as receiving plaudits in Q Magazine, the Financial Times
, the Sunday Express, the London Paper and Podwatch. The show became the first non-musical act ever to play the iTunes
Live Festival.
Answer Me This! was nominated for Sony Radio Academy Awards
in 2009, 2010, and 2011, in the category "Best Internet Programme"; in 2010, the podcast won the silver award and in 2011, it won the gold award.
and Radio 5 Live; Zaltzman has written and performed comedy on BBC Radio 1
and Radio 4
, and is a member of Robin Ince
's Book Club and School for Gifted Children. Zaltzman and Mann met at St Catherine's College, Oxford
, where they both studied English
. Austwick has a DPhil in Quantum Physics. In 2011 Helen Zaltzman and Martin Austwick married each other.
, with subjects ranging from personal problems to philosophical dilemmas or everyday petty quibbles. The episodes are punctuated by jingles, many of which feature comedians Joanna Neary, Holly Walsh
, Tom Price
, Lizzie Roper and Stuart Goldsmith, and musicians Martin White, Jay Foreman
, and Gavin Osborn.
Guests on the show have included Helen's brother Andy Zaltzman
, Ian Collins
, Pappy's Fun Club
, Josie Long
and Jon Ronson
.
charts, the Answer Me This! team spent one day in Luxembourg
attempting to crack the Luxembourg iTunes top 20. Their publicity stunts, including giving away free biscuits at the Christmas market and appearing on the ARA City Radio breakfast show (Luxembourg
's only English speaking radio station), saw them reach number 13 in the charts within only 24 hours. They then went on to reach number 3 by the end of the week.
Their Luxembourg endeavour was featured in the Telegraph, on Sky News
and is documented in a video on YouTube
.
, Time Out, Radio Times
, Q Magazine, and The Independent
. On 27 July 2009, the show was chosen by The Guardian
as one of its 'Top 10 comedy podcasts in the world'; the following day, The London Paper also named the show in its chart of the 'Top 10 homemade podcasts in the UK'.
on 31 December 2009. A second programme, called "Web 2010 with Helen and Olly" was broadcast on Radio 5 Live
on 4 July 2010.
and each focussed on one specific question, such as "Where is the best cup of tea in Britain?" or "Where is Britain's Hollywood?" The titles of all the videos are:
In addition, a sixth video was released called "Great British Bloopers" which featured various outtakes and bloopers from the filming of the other five videos.
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
by Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann in which they answer questions submitted by the general public. Recorded in Zaltzman's living-room in Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, London
Crystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
, it began in January 2007 and has since become one of the UK's most successful independently-produced podcasts. It has been named Podcast of the Week in the Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
, the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
, The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
and Time Out, as well as receiving plaudits in Q Magazine, the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, the Sunday Express, the London Paper and Podwatch. The show became the first non-musical act ever to play the iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
Live Festival.
Answer Me This! was nominated for Sony Radio Academy Awards
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
in 2009, 2010, and 2011, in the category "Best Internet Programme"; in 2010, the podcast won the silver award and in 2011, it won the gold award.
Cast
Answer Me This! is hosted by Helen Zaltzman, Oliver Mann (Olly), and Martin Austwick, a.k.a. "Martin the Sound Man". Mann wrote the 2006 play Bloggers and is a regular pundit on Sky NewsSky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
and Radio 5 Live; Zaltzman has written and performed comedy on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, and is a member of Robin Ince
Robin Ince
Robin Ince is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for presenting the BBC radio show The Infinite Monkey Cage .-Stand-up comedy:...
's Book Club and School for Gifted Children. Zaltzman and Mann met at St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...
, where they both studied English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. Austwick has a DPhil in Quantum Physics. In 2011 Helen Zaltzman and Martin Austwick married each other.
Format
The basic format of the show is Helen and Olly answering listeners' questions, submitted via email, answerphone or SkypeSkype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
, with subjects ranging from personal problems to philosophical dilemmas or everyday petty quibbles. The episodes are punctuated by jingles, many of which feature comedians Joanna Neary, Holly Walsh
Holly Walsh (comedian)
Holly Walsh is an English comedian and comedy writer from Guildford in Surrey, known mainly for her work on TV and radio in the UK.- Early life :...
, Tom Price
Tom Price (actor)
Tom Price is a British actor, voice over artist and stand up comedian. He is married to TV producer Beth Morrey, who is most noted for being the creator of hit Channel 4 quiz format Wogan's Perfect Recall.-TV and Film Career:...
, Lizzie Roper and Stuart Goldsmith, and musicians Martin White, Jay Foreman
Jay Foreman (comedian)
Jay Foreman is a British musical comedian based in London. His brother is Beardyman, the UK beatboxing champion. They have collaborated on stage several times....
, and Gavin Osborn.
Guests on the show have included Helen's brother Andy Zaltzman
Andy Zaltzman
Andrew "Andy" Zaltzman is a British comedian and author who largely focuses on political material. He has worked extensively with John Oliver; their work together includes Political Animal, The Department and The Bugle.-Early life:...
, Ian Collins
Ian Collins (radio presenter)
Ian Collins is a British radio and television presenter & journalist. He was the presenter of The Late Show on national talkSPORT Radio. The show was non- sport and took a comedic/observational look at news & current affairs...
, Pappy's Fun Club
Pappy's Fun Club
Pappy's is an English sketch-comedy team consisting of comedians Ben Clark, Matthew Crosby and Tom Parry. After 5 years as the four-man team "Pappy's Fun Club", the group decided to change the name to "Pappy's" and continue without fourth member, Brendan Dodds...
, Josie Long
Josie Long
Josie Long is an English comedian.-Background:Long spent her early life in Orpington, South East London, where she attended Newstead Wood School for Girls in Swift House. She also attended GIFT Ltd. summer schools. She began performing stand-up comedy at 14, winning the BBC New Comedy Awards at...
and Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson is a Welsh journalist, documentary filmmaker, radio presenter and nonfiction author, whose works include The Men Who Stare At Goats. His journalism and columns have appeared in British publications including The Guardian newspaper, City Life and Time Out magazine...
.
Luxembourg audience
In December 2007, frustrated at having only reached as high as number 21 in the UK iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
charts, the Answer Me This! team spent one day in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
attempting to crack the Luxembourg iTunes top 20. Their publicity stunts, including giving away free biscuits at the Christmas market and appearing on the ARA City Radio breakfast show (Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
's only English speaking radio station), saw them reach number 13 in the charts within only 24 hours. They then went on to reach number 3 by the end of the week.
Their Luxembourg endeavour was featured in the Telegraph, on Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
and is documented in a video on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Critical success
The show has been Critic's Choice in numerous national publications, including The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, Time Out, Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
, Q Magazine, and The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
. On 27 July 2009, the show was chosen by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
as one of its 'Top 10 comedy podcasts in the world'; the following day, The London Paper also named the show in its chart of the 'Top 10 homemade podcasts in the UK'.
Radio show
Helen and Olly made broadcasting history in December 2009, becoming the first podcasters to be given their own national radio show. "Web 2009 with Helen and Olly" was broadcast on Radio 5 LiveBBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
on 31 December 2009. A second programme, called "Web 2010 with Helen and Olly" was broadcast on Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
on 4 July 2010.
Great British Questions
In Summer 2010, Helen and Olly released a series of five videos called "Helen and Olly's Great British Questions". These were made for VisitBritainVisitBritain
VisitBritain is the name used by the British Tourist Authority, the tourist board of Great Britain incorporated under the Development of Tourism Act 1969....
and each focussed on one specific question, such as "Where is the best cup of tea in Britain?" or "Where is Britain's Hollywood?" The titles of all the videos are:
- Episode One: Cheese
- Episode Two: Film
- Episode Three: Romance
- Episode Four: Tea
- Episode Five: Bathrooms
In addition, a sixth video was released called "Great British Bloopers" which featured various outtakes and bloopers from the filming of the other five videos.
Book
In October 2010, Helen and Olly revealed that they had written a book adaptation of the podcast. Called "Answer Me This!", the book was released on 4 November 2010 and features questions from the podcast as well as brand new ones.External links
- Answer Me This!
- The Internet Programme Award Nominees Sony Radio Awards 2009
- Answer Me This! Wikiquote
- Answer Me This TV Tropes