Summary
Overview
In this comedian special episode of Lateral, Tom Scott hosts Oliver Vorge, Davina Bentley, and Stuart Laws for a series of lateral thinking puzzles. The contestants tackle questions ranging from historical spelling mistakes and medical devices to celebrity disguises and wildlife-assisted sports victories, with Stuart Laws creating memorable tension by gleefully announcing when answers are wrong.
Opening Banter and Guest Introductions
Tom Scott welcomes three comedians to a special episode: returning champion Oliver Vorge, who performs English-language stand-up in Oslo; Davina Bentley, preparing for her Edinburgh Fringe show 'Dancing While Old'; and Stuart Laws, who enthusiastically announces his return to the show. The opening includes playful banter about the show's acronym and sets an energetic tone for the episode.
- Oliver Vorge discusses performing English stand-up comedy in Oslo and the challenge of winning over Nordic audiences
- Davina Bentley is performing 'Dancing While Old' at Edinburgh Fringe at 5:30pm daily at the Pleasance
- Tom presents multiple fake acronyms for LATERAL before revealing the 'official' version
" I think it's the case that once you get them, once they're on your side, it's a huge win. Because, yeah, it is a very tough audience. But, yeah, it feels very sweet once you've got them on your side. "
Goal vs Gaol: The Stonemason's Spelling Error
The panel investigates why the word 'goal' was once carved into a stone arch in Nottingham, England. After exploring theories involving Stuart Pearce and medieval sport, they discover it was simply a stonemason's spelling mistake from the 18th century. The correct spelling should have been 'gaol' (an old spelling of 'jail'), as the building was a county jail, and the error can still be seen today at what is now the National Justice Museum.
- The stone arch was part of a building constructed in 1772 that served as a police station, courtroom, and jail
- A stonemason incorrectly carved 'County Goal' instead of 'County Gaol' over the arch
- The spelling was later corrected, but remnants of the original O and A can still be seen underneath the current A and O
" Gareth Southgate. Yeah sure but everyone remembers and keeps on bringing up to me that time I appeared on Lateral. That's all they'll bring up. "
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