Welcome the prodigal Andria from Austin, Texas back to the AMT fold:
I’ve been a listener since about episode 21. I had stopped listening for a while for one boring reason or another, and this past Christmas my husband, who was my boyfriend when I started listening, gave me a device chock full of all the episodes I’d missed that allowed me to listen once again from the comfort of my car on my long commutes to work. Since that time I have caught up on episodes 140 through 200.
I cannot tell you the immense pleasure it brought me, like being reacquainted with long lost friends. I absolutely giggled with glee when your parents visited on episode 200 and just grinned though the whole experience.
I am so glad to be listening regularly again, but hope I don’t burn myself out, as I often do on things I love, by overindulging. Which brings me to my question. Answer me this: what pleasurable experience have you ruined for yourself by indulging in it ad nauseam until you hated not only it, but yourself?
Making this podcast.
Readers! Tell us in the comments which of your pleasures have become torments. I’m sure that behind your civilised facades, you’re all Michael Fassbender in Shame.
Our next correspondent Lennox explains themselves as being English, but currently residing in Saint Lucia. This is germane to the question:
I moved to Saint Lucia when I was seven and I am now 16 and will be moving back to England in August. This is a wonderful thing because I miss England so very much. The only thing is I am a little nervous that I will not fit in or not know what to talk about. So answer me this: how will I overcome this and be able up fit in? What can I do now, before I go?
Prepare some standard chat by visiting the showbiz pages of any of the major tabloids. Observe which people crop up the most often, then acquaint yourself with the most car-crashy aspects of their lives. (Do not bother researching their work, as chances are they don’t do any.) Retain a few pointed observations about these people to drop into casual conversations about popular culture.
Next, practice saying, “Lovely day, isn’t it?” with a note of surprise in your voice, because presumably in Saint Lucia, clement weather is pretty much a given and therefore not worthy of comment. You will, of course, quickly become accustomed to daily conversations about the weather; these may seem pointless to you after nine years away, but remember that they are the only way that true Brits can communicate emotion. Do NOT compare the weather unfavourably to that back in Saint Lucia, however, unless you fancy a taste of the famous English delicacy, the Knuckle Sandwich.
Accompany your training with at least eight cups of tea. Dunk biscuits into it, even if you don’t want to.
Readers, do you have any pointers for Lennox’s reintegration into English life? Please help out in the comments.
My girlfriend was listening to AMT207 and told me that one of the topics of conversation was regarding the role of Continuity Announcers. Which is funny. As that’s what I do.
You seem pretty clued up about it all, but just to confirm, all main channels have live continuity announcements. Well, 1-4 definitely do; I’m not too sure about Channel 5.
Whilst a lot of digital channels have historically been pre-recorded, more and more of the larger ones (especially the entertainment ones, such as E4, BBC3, ITV2, etc) are now live during the evenings, to sound more immediate and “in-the-moment”. Since the advent of Twitter and what’s rather pretentiously known as “real-time water-cooler moments”, live announcing is more in-demand than ever.
And it’s not just talking on the telly that we do. Sometimes we make cups of tea too.
But of course – proper throat lubrication is essential in a profession requiring vocal excellence. Each cup of tea should be covered by some Occupational Health mandate.
Saint David, you’ve been lucky to have your own Day for so long, but it’s time to move over, because you know what March 1st is? JUSTIN BIEBER’S 18th BIRTHDAY! His song has more than 700m views on YouTube; how many people saw your ‘greatest’ miracle? Which was what, again? Oh, yes – you created a new hill. In Wales. You managed to find the only bit of Wales that wasn’t already a hill, and turned it into a sodding HILL! Now the monks don’t have a flat cricket pitch! Thanks a bloody bunch. Sit the heck down, and don’t even dare complain while they turn your charming cathedral into a bouncy castle for Justin to play in on his Bieberthday.
Also happening today: Answer Me This! Episode 207.
Plus: Olly has a Celebrity Row over the controversial revamped Clissold Park cafe; Helen has a split personality, if the Myers-Briggs test is anything to go by; and Martin the Sound Man is the Voice of the Yoof, much to the sorrow of the Yoof themselves.
This week’s Bit of Crap on the App (available for iDevices or Android) is concerned with the plight of Ben from Durham, who has lost an eyebrow. Wax in haste, repent at leisure, as my grandmother never had to say because nobody would EVER have been so foolish in her day.
We always want your QUESTIONS, and this week is no different: email them to answermethispodcast@googlemail.com or leave a voicemail on the Question Line (dial 0208 123 5877 or Skype answermethis).
Answer Me This! Podcast 