Stephen Fry lets us all down

[david3103]

Caught a bit of QI on Friday night and heard Stephen Fry opine that 'Sainsbury's is really good because it keeps the scum out of Waitrose'

Now, that's

a) a rip off of the late great Alan Coren from a 2007 edition of the News Quiz

and

b) crass in using the word scum instead of the original which was 'riff-raff'

Reminded me of the Monty Python sketch about Oscar Wilde in which Wilde says "I wish I'd said that" and the cast respond "You will Oscar, you will"

I'd held Fry in high regard till lately - he appears to have become ever more snobbish and ever more prepared to make lazy jokes about people's names; appearance; beliefs and faiths.

QI is beginning to become Quite Ignorant

[kinboshi]

He said it tongue in cheek, and there was the implied nod to the original.  Well, that's what I thought anyway.

[AndrewT]

QI has gone to shit in recent series.

[david3103]

He said it tongue in cheek, and there was the implied nod to the original.  Well, that's what I thought anyway.

use of the S word suggested otherwise to me, but I was only half-watching since most of my attention was on the live stream from Genting Stoke as Lucy tore up the field in their Friday night £30 FO. She was on the feature table throughout and it was invlauable. I've played with her for years and saw more of her hole cards in those few hours than I have seen in all the time I've played with her!

[RED-DOG]

QI has gone to shit in recent series.

So has the prose and elegance of your critiques.

[outragous76]

QI has gone to shit in recent series.

So has the prose and elegance of your critiques.

He said it tongue in cheek, and there was the implied nod to the original.  Well, that's what I thought anyway. 

[snoopy1239]

I would have thought they have a team of writers who script the majority of what he says.

[The Camel]

Tired programme, well past its sell by date imo.

[Karabiner]

Shocking waste of a perfectly good apostrophe.

[david3103]

Shocking waste of a perfectly good apostrophe.

just noticed that myself - am very ashamed!!! and rushing off to edit

[Tal]

Fry also appeared in some tea adverts, in which he explained how posh he is and how only such fine things as Twinings Tea leave him adequately satiated.

My view was that he plays for comic effect on his perceived poshness (which is partly justified but he isn't exactly nobility) and that the QI gag did little more than continue the theme.

I assume that's why people laughed...couldn't have been many who thought he actually meant he thinks Sainsbury's keep the scum out of Waitrose. Must be one near the Emirates, I'd imagine.