Not sure I have warmed to Amol Rajan…he always has a ‘too cool for school’ air…much preferred the detached schoolmasterly distain of Paxman…maybe I’ll be proved wrong
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Tuesday, 9 April 2024 19:48 (three weeks ago) link
I think it's good that he's on the contestants' side. Social media too often treats contestants horrifically, I think a host who isn't sneering at them really helps to humanise the whole thing.
(Yours observantly, someone trolled on social media for going on telly to do a quiz)
― ailsa, Tuesday, 9 April 2024 21:38 (three weeks ago) link
Thinking that paxman is any good just feels like a kind of Stockholm syndrome for forelock wankers tbh
― subpost master (wins), Tuesday, 9 April 2024 21:49 (three weeks ago) link
I also like the idea that Rajan doesn't think it's beneath him to ask questions about video games or knitting.
― trishyb, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 07:59 (two weeks ago) link
and doesn't berate people for not knowing obscure classical composers
― koogs, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 08:05 (two weeks ago) link
Ailsa it was a real delight to watch you on OC (and then to read back up this thread and see you gradually saying "hey, maybe I should try and go on OC")
I for one have kinda enjoyed the UC shift from affronted schoolmasterly "good lord how could you be so dreadfully wrong" to a coolly dismissive "nah, bro, that's kinda embarrassing" response. I hope to live long enough to see lots of different modes of shaming contestants applied
― ን (nabisco), Wednesday, 10 April 2024 15:14 (two weeks ago) link
There was a round about 80s rap which concluded with Amol gently berating the team for not listening to enough hip-hop. I think that sealed the deal for my fandom of him - IMAGINE Paxo saying that.
― chap, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 16:36 (two weeks ago) link
On a bit of a tangent, it was funny to see Only Connect alumnus Michael Joel Bartellein the first episode of The Regime.
― trishyb, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 16:41 (two weeks ago) link
Yeah, I went into this season expecting AR to be a bit crap, but he’s turned out to be adorable and I like what UC has evolved into under his stewardship. And of the contestants, I particularly liked ailsa’s mate, the Open University captain who knew her female punk singers and rocked some fierce looks.
― mike t-diva, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 21:09 (two weeks ago) link
She popped up on BBC London news recently on the panel auditioning buskers for the Tube.
― chap, Wednesday, 10 April 2024 22:38 (two weeks ago) link
Yeah, she works for TfL and is just an all-round fantastic person. I was so happy she got the questions on female punk singers!
Also, thanks Nabisco!
― ailsa, Thursday, 11 April 2024 14:30 (two weeks ago) link
She looked so pleased and confident about that one! (As opposed to the relatable share of people who, getting a topic they're familiar with, immediately panic at the prospect of still being stumped, which is almost certainly what I would do)
― ን (nabisco), Thursday, 11 April 2024 17:26 (two weeks ago) link