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Dissatisfaction.

There was a woman on yesterday’s Pointless who said she wasn't sure who the Rolling Stones were; I'd argue that if you don’t know that, you shouldn’t go on a game show.

I mean we’re not exactly talking niche information here; we're talking about The Rolling Stones: one of the most successful bands of all time, who’ve been together since rock's year dot, and whose front man Mick Jagger (no-one needs that reminder) is regularly in the news for dating someone who usually hasn’t been born yet. It’s not as if he’s got a face it’s hard to call to mind, particularly when his massive pout-mouth is the band’s logo. I wouldn’t be shocked if this contestant - who was in her twenties at most - owned an item of clothing with this iconic image emblazoned on it (such is its prevalence) without knowing what it represents.

As far as I’m concerned, the Stones are filed under the most general of General Knowledge, regarding popular music at least. I mean: FOR FUCK'S SAKE. Ask anyone with a semblance of a brain to name the five biggest rock groups of all time and I’m certain they'd come up; and if you couldn’t name a single song from their back catalogue, you’d at least be aware they exist (even if you only know about Mick's big lips).

This woman actually shot herself in the foot twice (which would have been an appropriate punishment). All she had to do was name a Top 40 Rolling Stones hit containing the letters A, N, G, I or E (see what they did there?). While I wouldn’t expect her to know what charted and what didn't, I also didn’t think her answer would be ‘Highway to Hell’. That’s not even strictly the right genre. Who did she think wrote ‘All You Need is Love’: QUEEN?



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