AQA 63336 celebrity answers with Stephen Fry

AQA's a big fan of Stephen Fry, so when he let it slip that he uses AQA 63336 we thought we'd ask him a few questions. Stephen graciously accepted AQA's challenge, taking time to ponder questions suggested by our researchers, and we're publishing 10 of them below. What would you like to know? You can ask a free question here.

Q. Who is Stephen Fry?
A. A man trying to get through life without hurting or being hurt. Failing, but trying. For further information, ask AQA.

Q. What's the meaning of life?
A. It has no meaning. The medieval vision of a bird flying from the cold darkness briefly through a loud, warm room and then out again into the freezing night is as good as any. Or Corliss Lamont's "We do not ask to be born; and we do not ask to die. But born we are and die we must. We come into existence and we pass out of existence. And in neither case does high-handed fate await our ratification of its decree." But this isn't necessarily as grim or pessimistic as people might suppose.

Q. What's your favourite AQA answer?
A. "If AQA could predict the lottery numbers for Saturday, the service would cost more than £1. Here is a suggestion: 8, 9, 21, 25, 37, 44. Good luck." (they didn't come up, btw – if they had should I have shared?) I also liked, "AQA believes that Tom Cruise is more obviously attractive than Tom Stoppard, however Tom Stoppard has an intensely rugged charm which AQA prefers."

Q. What gadget yet to be invented would you most like to see?
A. A good mayonnaise making device. Liquidisers and food processors just can't do it. I don't mind making it by hand, but it would be so pleasing to have an elegant device that did it.

Q. Would you consider managing Norwich City for the rest of the season?
A. Oh lor. We have troubles enough without me muscling in.

Q. What's your funniest joke?
A. I stooped to pick a buttercup. Why people leave buttocks lying around, I've no idea.

Q. Was it your appearance in Spiceworld the Movie that set your career alight?
A. Everything else since then has been anticlimax.

Q. What questions would you like answered before you die?
A. What is electricity? No really, what is it? How can one write without smoking?

Q. Does writing come to you easily or is it hard graft?
A. The latter, I'm annoyed to say. Very annoyed.

Q. What is your favourite word?
A. Puszipajtas, pronounced pussy-pie-tosh. It's Hungarian and hard to translate. "A friend you know well enough to embrace" sort of covers it.

Stephen Fry's latest book, QI, The Book of General Ignorance, is on sale at Amazon, as is the AQA book.

For more information contact:

Donald Parish donald.parish@shinecom.com
Shine Communications Tel: +442071007100