WTF: Weekly Trivia File

• ‘There’s no business like show business. Except prostitution… there’s some overlap there.’ Marc Maron speaking at Just For Laughs, Montreal.

• James Corden is preparing to run the 280 miles from Paris to London in aid of Sport Relief, after being dared by John Bishop. He has begun training, and is about to see a doctor to see whether he is physically up to the task. He wrenched his knee three weeks ago, leaving him in agony.

• Steve Martin now wears false fingernails after damaging his real ones through his banjo-playing. He needs to have them redone every two or three weeks.

• Ricky Gervais has missed out on being a Rolling Stone cover star, because he refused to compromise over the picture he wanted: him being crucified, with the word ‘atheist’ written across his chest. Editors requested an alternative, and when Gervais refused, they went with a photo of Rihanna instead. Gervais said: ‘I think they decided it was a little strong for their demographic. To be fair when I described it to them over the phone weeks before the shoot they said they'd like an alternative, if I wanted a front cover. When it came to it I decided that I didn't want to do an alternative, as I knew they would go with that. I was right. They definitely would have gone with the alternative, but since I didn't give them one they went with Rihanna. Ha Ha. Fair enough. I stand by my decision.’

• Dave Chapelle got heckled off stage in Miami this week. After being booed and jeered, he started texting friends from the stage. And although he later apologised for his ‘bad attitude’, many people blamed the crowd. One audience member wrote on YouTube: ‘I was at this show and, yeah, the crowd was fucking stupid as shit. It was so sad to see one of my idols get treated like a fucking open-mic flop. Just terrible...’ Here's the end of the show:
  

• Harry Hill has dragged up for surreal new Sky Atlantic comedy This Is Jinsy, in which he plays Joon Boolay, who administers punishments on the fictional island.

• Forget scientists, it’s comedians who are out there doing the research that really matters. New York comic Mark Malkoff decided to test the tolerance of Apple Store employees, to determine what their breaking point was. Turns out, there’s nothing he could do that could get him kicked out, and that includes ordering a cheese pizza to the ‘genius bar’; having a date with his wife, complete with trumpet soloist; getting his iPhone fixed while dressed like Darth Vader; and bringing a goat in to the store. See for yourself:
  

• Tweets of the week:
  Gareth Aveyard (@GarethAveyard ): In France, a 'Jacuzzi' is the special bath you sit someone in, when you want to hold them accountable for something.
  jacques_aih (@jacques_aih): Fuck you, furniture polish, I won't do what you tell me. #RageAgainstMrSheen
  Paul Eggleston (@pauleggleston ): My neighbour on one side has a green triangular house. On the other side it's an orange octagon. I live in a quality street.

SOURCES: Chortle, The Sun, Q magazine, Tumblr, YouTube, Chortle, PC Mag, Twitter

Published: 29 Jul 2011