WTF: Weekly Trivia File

• In his memoirs, Frank Skinner, wrote: ‘You would be able to tell when my career was in ruins because I would start saying I was passionate about radio.’ He is now a presenter on Absolute Radio, of course – but at least he has a sense of humour about it. At the recent Sony Awards, he told the audience: ‘I don't know if you’re familiar with my own petard, but it’s very good for hoisting I’ve discovered.’

• A comedy club punter has launched a legal action after troubled comedian Andy Dick allegedly rubbed his genitals on his head. Robert Tucker claims the incident occurred when the comic, who was in drag, left the stage and came into the audience in Dallas. Tuck says he asked Dick for his autograph, whereupon the comic sat down on a barstool next to him, pulled down the skirt he was wearing and rubbed his balls in his face. According to the lawsuit, ‘Andy Dick then took control of Plaintiff’s head with his left hand and pulled down his costume skirt with his right hand, exposing the fact that he was not wearing underwear beneath the skirt. Defendant Dick then, while still controlling Plaintiff’s head with his hand, forced his genitals against the left side of Plaintiff’s face. Plaintiff immediately pulled away.’ The court seeks unspecified damages for offensive physical contact, infliction of emotional distress and defamation of conduct.

• Comic Raymond Mearns has been supporting Pete Doherty on tour, and says: ‘I’m brilliant at drinking, so I worry I'm a bad influence on the boy.’

• Comedy wunderkind Bo Burnham thinks he pissed off Stewart Lee at the last Edinburgh Fringe, for accidentally suggesting his style was behind similar American comedians. ‘Someone asked me about the Eighties comedy boom in the States. I was saying that since our comedy boom happened a long time ago, this kind of self-referential stand-up happened a lot earlier for us. I then said that Stewart Lee is such a great example of that in the UK – and I think he hated me for saying that. I didn't intend it, but in two weeks I made an enemy out of Stewart Lee, the most popular Edinburgh comedian.’

• But one person who is a fan of Lee’s is Rush bassist Geddy Lee. He says: ‘My wife and I come to London a lot and we go to a couple of the comedy places, and one time we saw Stewart Lee. He’s fantastic. So funny. I’d never seen this British show Top Gear and then I went to see one of Stewart Lee’s performances and he was absolutely destroying these people. I was laughing but I didn’t know what I was laughing about. Then my wife and I returned quickly to Canada and watched Top Gear on BBC World or whatever, and then it all made sense. Everyone should know that Stewart Lee is truly brilliant.’

• Stand-up John Moloney writes material for Joe Pasquale, who he calls 'one of the nicest, kindest blokes on the planet'.

• Another story about the late Malcolm Hardee from his friend JohnFleming's blog: After Hardee sent his driving licence to the DVLA in Swansea – one of several times he had to do that – they sent him back a new one in the name of 'Malcolm Hardy'. He pointed out the mistake and they sent him another , with the correct spelling. But he never returned the first licence, this leaving him with two licences so, he reckoned, if he was ever banned from driving, he could show the police the 'other' non-suspended licence should he ever be pulled over again.

• It’s not quite up there with Jim Jefferies, but American Comedian Luke Capasso has been attacked by heckler at the Toriano pub in London's Kentish Town. And here’s the footage:
  

• What a strange way to announce your own show. The official BBC press release for the new series of Mock The Week, which returns next month, doesn't exactly list the guest lined up to appear, but presents it as unattributed online speculation. 'Names touted on Twitter include Chris Addison, Micky Flanagan, Ed Byrne, Greg Davies, Milton Jones, Ava Vidal, Stewart Francis and Zoe Lyons' it says. Surely they would know?

• Ricky Gervais is adamant he won’t be replacing Steve Carell in the US version of The Office. ‘It really would be fucking mental,’ he blogs. ‘You don't start a company to work on reception.’ Frontrunner to be the new boss at Dundler Mifflin? Catherine Tate…

• The Simpsons have apologised to comedian Kristen Schaal in the only way they know how… a blackboard joke. She was owed the apology after animators misspelt her name in the closing credits for the episode in which she made a guest appearance earlier this month. After playing Taffy, a potential love interest for Milhouse in the episode called Homer Scissorhands, the Flight Of The Conchords star was billed as ‘Kristen Schall’. But on last week’s episode the error was correct as Bart wrote out his lines on the school blackboard. ‘Wow! Simpsons,’ Schaal tweeted after seeing it. ‘Thank you for the chalkboard correction. I can't stop smiling. No one's ever been that nice.’

• Tweets of the week:
  Jimmy Carr (@jimmycarr): TV bosses have announced that Taggart is to be axed after 27 years. Just what Britain needs. One more unemployed Scot.
  Tony Cowards (@TonyCowards ):I've baked a Violent Pie, right, who wants some?
  Jason Cook (@jasonmarkcook): Clown poo. Now that's some funny shit.

SOURCES: The Guardian, Radar Online, GQ, Metal Hammer, The Scotsman, Dave, thejohnfleming.com, YouTube, BBC Press, RickyGervais.com TV.com, Twitter

Published: 20 May 2011