Pointless Will Gompertz music howler

[underthecountertenor]

Tommy Pearson (formerly of R3) has drawn my attention to Saturday's edition of Pointless, in which the BBC's Arts Editor, Will Gompertz, teamed up with Katie Derham (who incidentally was described in terms which might have led an innocent viewer to think that she was in charge of the Proms).

The first round was a string of terrible haikus which were very easy clues to composers (whose initial letters were also given). Gompertz went first, and so had a clear run of the board. He plumped for this one:

"La Traviata is by this composer, whose English name's Joe Green (V)".

Gompertz's answer?

Vivaldi.

This, I repeat, is the BBC's Arts Editor.

[french frank]

Classical music inhabits a space outwith the parameters of the arts. [He don't speak Italian neither - he chose that question? ]

[underthecountertenor]

Barely disguised fury on Derham's face. It's fair to say that Gompertz looked mortified. He seemed to be trying to put it down as a slip of the tongue.

[gradus]

Interesting chap, perhaps he's more at home with theatre and visual arts. Nice to see a non-graduate working as a BBC editor.

[Stanfordian]

Tommy Pearson (formerly of R3) has drawn my attention to Saturday's edition of Pointless, in which the BBC's Arts Editor, Will Gompertz, teamed up with Katie Derham (who incidentally was described in terms which might have led an innocent viewer to think that she was in charge of the Proms).

The first round was a string of terrible haikus which were very easy clues to composers (whose initial letters were also given). Gompertz went first, and so had a clear run of the board. He plumped for this one:

"La Traviata is by this composer, whose English name's Joe Green (V)".

Gompertz's answer?

Vivaldi.

This, I repeat, is the BBC's Arts Editor.

Toe curling!

[LMcD]

I've never rated Will Gompertz. I much prefer David Sillitoe.

[Stanfordian]

Interesting chap, perhaps he's more at home with theatre and visual arts. Nice to see a non-graduate working as a BBC editor.

I hope that this message board welcomes both graduates and non-graduates!

[Dave2002]

I hope that this message board welcomes both graduates and non-graduates!

Seconded, though I think there are many of the former as contributors.

[LMcD]

My favourite dumb answer on Pointless remains:
Countries with names ending in two consonants.
Paris

[jean]

"La Traviata is by this composer, whose English name's Joe Green (V)".

Gompertz's answer?

Vivaldi.

I hope you've sent it to Private Eye for inclusion in Dumb Britian.

[underthecountertenor]

I hope you've sent it to Private Eye for inclusion in Dumb Britian.

I did think about it. Not sure that it would qualify for Dumb Britain, as it's not as egregiously stupid as, for example, the one quoted by LMcD above. But it does deserve a mention somewhere, I think, because the BBC's arts editor should surely have a better grasp of classical music than this.

[MrGongGong]

You mean you don't know who was the bass player in Metallica before Robert Trujillo ?

Shocking

[french frank]

You mean you don't know who was the bass player in Metallica before Robert Trujillo ?

Shocking

What was truly shocking was that he thought 'Vivaldi' was Italian for Joe Green(s)

[underthecountertenor]

What was truly shocking was that he thought 'Vivaldi' was Italian for Joe Green(s)

Good job he wasn't asked to identify his Quattro Formaggi.

[french frank]

Good job he wasn't asked to identify his Quattro Formaggi.

Wasn't that by Pizzetti?