20 LISTENER MARCH 10 2018
QUIZ SHOWS
“It’s true.” Growing up in
London, he faced down some
challenges. “I wanted to be a
lawyer when I was 11 years
old. Back in the 70s, when
you were a young black boy
and you wanted to be a pro-
fessional, you weren’t exactly
supported education-wise.”
He was admitted to the bar in- “It’s still to date the best
thing that ever happened to
me, because I talked the talk as
a young boy and I’ve walked
the walk. Even though I did
have the odd setback along
the way, I didn’t allow those
setbacks to prevent me from
achieving my ambitions and
goals.” In 1999, he was also
admitted to the Jamaican bar.
He doesn’t waste a lot of
time worrying about those
challenges. “Guess what?
There’s underlying racism
everywhere in the world. I
don’t go looking for it and the
best way to beat people who
are racist is to use your talent
to rise above it. That’s the way
I’ve done it.”
He sounds quite driven.
He’s a member of three quiz
teams – “I quiz four nights a
week,” he says – and practises
every day. “I record all the
quiz shows and spend two
hours just answering ques-
tions. I’m not interested in
the questions I get correct. I’m
interested in the questions I
get wrong. That’s what helps
me remember.”
He doesn’t tape shows
such as QI. “It’s entertaining
but it’s not a quiz.” No joke
buzzers for him. “I prefer
question-based quiz shows
so I can actually answer the
questions.”
Quizzing is a serious busi-
ness, though the show’s
celebrity specials, in which
the likes of Nigel Havers,
Jimmy Carr, Germaine Greer
and even Basil Brush play
for charity, add a touch of
glamour. What’s that like?
“It’s a different slant from
the ordinary shows, because
if you had the same type
of questions, to be honest
I don’t think the celebrities
would win.” Is he saying
celebrities aren’t too bright?
“I wouldn’t dream of saying
that,” he says airily. “If you
gave ordinary celebrities
highbrow-type questions,
they’re not going to know
it.” Fair enough. Most people
go on the show because they
fancy themselves to be good
at quizzing. “Exactly.”
It’s all good fun until a
chase goes wrong. “The low
moment is when you lose.
I don’t like to lose. I don’t
even like to get a question
wrong. But I recognise that if
the Chaser won all the time,
who would want to go on the
show? That’s why I’ll go and
see the contestants afterwards
if they win, because they
deserve it. They beat me fair
and square.”
Awkward moments? He’s
had a few. “It is awkward
when you lose a lot of money.
I’ve lost £90,000, £75, ...
I feel a responsibility. It’s a lot
of money. The best way to
overcome that is to appear on
the next show and make sure
you win.”I
n the UK the Chasers have
become celebrities in their
own right. Wallace has an
autobiography coming out
called, naturally, Chasing the
Dream. He hopes to get down
our way to promote it. It’s
about giving something back,
he says.
“There are a lot of celebri-
ties who are selfish, who don’t
want to help other people
achieve a foot on the ladder
because they’re frightened
of the competition. I want
people to realise that, 14
years ago, I could walk down
the road and nobody would
know who I was. Life hasn’t
always been a bed of roses.
“I want people to beinspired by the fact that,
despite some adversity in
your life, you can overcome
obstacles and achieve your
dreams. That’s why I like
to go into schools, colleges
and prisons sometimes
to talk about my life, my
experiences. I’m really happy
about how my life’s going
and I think it’s important
to try and inspire the next
generation not only to be
like me, but to be better than
me.”
There is a downside to
being a quiz-show legend: the
tabloid sledging. Does it get to
him? Please, he’s a champion.
“Not interested. They can
say what they like. The only
people I answer to are the
producers. As long as they’re
happy with me, then that’s
fine. If they’re not, then
you know what? They get
somebody else. It’s as simple
as that. I’ve had a great time,
whatever.”
Well, more than eight years
in, it all seems to be going
pretty well. “Long may it
last. I don’t take the fact that
I’m on the show for granted.
That’s what keeps me hungry
and motivated.”
Win or lose, he’s up for it.
The Dark Destroyer persona
isn’t all an act. “The reason
I put on the dour exterior
is because I’m not there to
muck about. I’m there to
win.”THE CHASE, TVNZ 1, weekdays,
4.55pm; 7 DAYS, THREE, Friday,
9.00pm.Answers to The quiz quiz on
page 15: 1. Pop! Goes the
Weasel. 2. Anthea Redfern. 3.
Louise Wallace. 4. Would I
Lie to You? 5. Doctor Who.- Snatch Our Booty. 7.
Accomplices in the audience
coughed at the right answers. - Out of the Bag. 9. Slice of
Seven. 10. William Barnes of
Havelock North.
“I never in my life saw myself as
a game show host. I don’t want
to be a traffic cop.” Steve Harvey
(Family Feud in the US).
“The beauty of the brain is that
you can still be as greedy as you
like for knowledge as it doesn’t
show.” Stephen Fry.
“It’s not often I find myself in a
group of four people, thinking
I’m the most normal, sane and
balanced person, but I’m happy
to feel that today.” Stephen Fry
on QI.
“I literally can’t believe my luck.
Torturing Americans should not
only be easy, but a pleasure!”
Jimmy Carr on hosting a US ver-
sion of his game show Distraction.
“It is the most brilliant blend of
entertainment and education.
To be old-fashioned about it, it
is Reithian in its principles. It is
really perfect telly.” New QI host
Sandi Toksvig.
“Mirror mirror on the wall,
who’s the dumbest of you all?”
Anne Robinson, host of The Weak-
est Link) in the UK.
“Our politicians all seem like
game-show hosts to me.” Sting.
“There are panel shows overseas
that are all of a similar ilk, but
the great thing about 7 Days is
there’s not much international
news in it, it’s very local. It gives
people a sense of belonging
and a sense of ownership of the
show.” Paul Ego on 7 Days.
“Unlike any other art form,
comedy, I believe is the most
honest. You can’t fake laugh-
ing.” Dai Henwood.
“A lot of the time I’m thinking,
‘Really? What? This is made up,
surely? This can’t be true. How
many moons has Jupiter got?
Rubbish.’” Bill Bailey on QI.
All joking aside