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Wikishuffle

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Wikishuffle
Wikishuffle Logo
Presentation
Hosted byJack Stewart, Chris Wallace, Philip Sharman
GenreComedy
LanguageEnglish
UpdatesEvery Tuesday
Length30 to 60 minutes
Production
No. of episodes104 Edit this on Wikidata
Publication
Original release14 April 2015 –
29 March 2017
Cited forWinner Best Comedy, 2015 UK Podcasters Awards
Provideracast
Related
Websitehttp://www.wikishuffle.co.uk Edit this on Wikidata

Wikishuffle was a UK comedy podcast presented by Jack Stewart, Chris Wallace and Philip Sharman, reliant on the Wikipedia random article button for content.

On 12 September 2015 Wikishuffle was awarded the title of Best Comedy Podcast at the 2015 UK Podcasters Awards hosted by New Media Europe.[1]

Format

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The subject material for the podcast is determined by pressing the random article button in the English Wikipedia. Each episode features between one and four articles discussed by the host, with excerpts read directly from the article and commented upon. New episodes are released every Tuesday with occasional bonus episodes focusing on articles chosen by the presenters, suggested by listeners, or occasionally brought in by guests.

The podcast is hosted by Jack Stewart, who is also responsible for the technical and editing duties.[2] Philip Sharman takes responsibility for reading out the articles, while Chris Wallace provides interjections. The tone is generally humorous, but the show also covers serious articles, such as the 2011 San Fernando massacre, and discusses political and current affairs topics in the context of the random articles that are selected.

The show also features more general news items in relation to Wikipedia and advocates the importance of the site as an educational and societal resource, and encourages listeners to donate to the Wikimedia Foundation.

The format is dependent upon a high level of listener interaction, with communication encouraged via social media and through the post.

Various running jokes have been established, including the prevalence of moth articles, the disproportionate number of articles covered which make reference to Scranton, Pennsylvania and Sharman's age and inability to keep up-to-date with modern technologies and culture.

History

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Stewart and Wallace began podcasting in early 2015, with a podcast called Not This Again, recorded in Stewart's spare room[3] The show was interview based and, after the pair began to find difficulty in securing a regular supply of interviewees, they started to look for an alternative format to differentiate them from the large number of independent podcasts available.[2]

Philip Sharman had been a guest on Not This Again and spoke with Stewart and Wallace about an idea he had for developing a Wikipedia podcast. The initial idea was for a serious, documentary style podcast, using the random article button to seed stories. However, it became clear that the three presenters were better suited to a more lighthearted approach, resulting in the development of the current format.

The first three episodes were released together on 14 April 2015, hosted by the Swedish podcasting service Acast.

In August 2015, the recording of the podcast moved from Corby to a dedicated recording studio in Kettering, Northamptonshire, referred to in the podcast as Wikishuffle HQ.

The 50th episode of Wikishuffle was released on 2 February 2016. On 24 January 2017 the podcast celebrated its 100th episode with a special 2 hour long entry featuring articles selected by the presenters.[4] In episode 101 it was announced that Jack would be leaving the podcast indefinitely to go find himself in Asia.[5] Two more episodes were released with friend of the show Ruth Bradley filling in for Jack, and a two year hiatus then followed the release of episode 103 on 28 March 2017.[6] In 2019, a compilation episode was released, entitled Wikishuffle: The Best Bits. This contained over 90 minutes of clips from previous episodes, interspersed with Jack providing context for some of the clips, as well as explaining that various attempts had been made for the 3 to record together but had been unsuccessful.

In May 2020, the 104th episode was released. This was recorded during the UK's first COVID lockdown, and was described during the episode as a "one-off special", and "probably" the final episode. Jack, Philip and Chris updated the listeners on their lives, and covered an article on Wojtek, a bear who had been adopted by a Polish army corps during World War II. The article was selected by Chris, as one of the show's running jokes involved Chris' fondness of "animals with jobs".

Critical response

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Wikishuffle has received favourable reviews from an international audience.[7][8][9]

On 12 September 2015 Wikishuffle won the Best Comedy Podcast category at the inaugural UK Podcasters Awards hosted by New Media Europe [10] sponsored by Spreaker. The award was accepted by Wallace and Sharman at the ceremony which took place at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.[11]

Articles covered

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The following Wikipedia articles have been covered by Wikishuffle:[12]

No. Episode Title Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Article 4 Release Date Notes
001 Pilot List of civilian casualties in the war in Afghanistan (2011) Coleophora berdjanski A77 motorway (Netherlands) - 14 April 2015 No Longer Available
002 Down 'n' Dirty Wendy Richard Kelly Bell - - 14 April 2015 -
003 Shuffle it Again, Sam Play It Again, Sam (film) Gust of Wind - - 14 April 2015 -
004 Okay, Mother 1950–51 United States network television schedule (weekday) - - - 21 April 2015 -
005 Bruce Chickinson Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson The Iron Maidens Sible Hedingham - 28 April 2015 -
006 Other Buttons Dump digging Scripps National Spelling Bee - - 5 May 2015 -
007 Double Bogey Amber Leaf Charles Lynch (judge) Relentless (Jo O'Meara album) Hole in One (2010 film) 12 May 2015 -
008 Man Don't Give a Fuck Robin Friday - - - 15 May 2015 Bonus episode – Jack's selection
009 The Flabbergasted Traveller Queen of Sheba You've Got a Friend in Me - - 19 May 2015 -
010 The False Prophet Eevee Demob suit 2005 in England Hervé This 26 May 2015 -
011 But then there's this 2011 San Fernando massacre Bambi II - - 2 June 2015 -
012 Phil 'em Up K.C. Rivers Marvin Mitchelson List of Arab Astronauts List of celebrity appearances in video games 9 June 2015 -
013 Keith Ferrari Ghostwatch - - - 12 June 2015 Bonus episode – Chris's selection
014 D-I-V-O-R-C-E Mr. Snuffleupagus Underachiever Wanda Ramey - 16 June 2015 -
015 (Television Carpenter) National Bingo Night (U.S. game show) Æthelred of Wessex - - 23 June 2015 -
016 On Board with the Nazis List of number-one hits of 1996 (Germany) Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead - - 30 June 2015 -
017 Juicy Brian Kendrick Peter Moore (businessman) - - 7 July 2015 -
018 Ode to Bin Laden The Landt Trio Samantha Lewthwaite - - 14 July 2015 -
019 Got Blood? List of sexually active popes - - - 17 July 2015 Bonus episode – Phil's selection
020 All Aboard HMS Blazer 47th Primetime Emmy Awards Ben Fogle - - 21 July 2015 -
021 No Marine Biologists Vandellia Jazmin's Touch - - 28 July 2015 -
022 Goths Really Love Puns Hot blast The Sick's Sense - - 4 August 2015 -
023 ConCATenated Oscar (therapy cat) Adamski - - 11 August 2015 First episode recorded at Wikishuffle HQ
024 Into the Void Toby Terrier Eliza Winston Vantablack - 18 August 2015 -
025 Dave Days & Lemonade Mouth Josias Philip Hoffman Who Says (Selena Gomez & the Scene song) - - 25 August 2015 -
026 Cowboys and Antmen Head spade George Scarborough Ant (comedian) - 1 September 2015 -
027 Marvel Universe Phase Nine Goldballs Nela Zisser February 2010 Lower Dir bombing - 8 September 2015 -
028 Love Buffet Parfait Tic! Anthomyia Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday - 8 September 2015 -
029 Too Cool for Poole Poole Danny Orleans Nasal septum perforation - 22 September 2015 First episode after winning UK Podcasters award
030 Hairy Hat Men Letterland Pinnated Bittern The Beggar's Benison - 29 September 2015 -
031 Fifty Shades of Pink Lin Wang Shades of pink Sinchon massacre - 6 October 2015 -
032 Chitterling Chatter Donkeyskin Black pudding Goldeneye (estate) - 13 October 2015 -
033 S Club 0.2857 Brum (TV series) Seth Neddermeyer Negotiate with Love - 20 October 2015 -
034 Toilegami Friday the 13th (1989 video game) Hotel toilet paper folding Betty Boop's Big Boss - 27 October 2015 Halloween Special
035 It's No Joke Living in Barnsley Round the Bend Ferret-legging John Titor - 30 October 2015 Bonus episode – listener selection
036 A Bit Gamesy Thronesy Robert Barclay Allardice Nepalese royal massacre - - 3 November 2015 -
037 Viva von Babenhausens Adrian Carton di Wiart - - - 5 November 2015 Bonus episode – listener selection
038 Bronze Beaver Goldy Gopher Rattlesnake Annie - - 10 November 2015 -
039 The Bollock Hurdle Smut (fungus) GAZelle John Rann - 17 November 2015 -
040 Spiteful Conkling Roscoe Arbuckle Alfie and His Secret Friend - - 24 November 2015 -
041 Chocolate Lady Mousse Boab Prison Tree, Wyndham Naked Jungle - - 1 December 2015 -
042 Sinking Ship Benjamin Guggenheim Aqua (band) - - 8 December 2015 -
043 For the Good of Mankind 1998 Hell in a Cell match Jamie Vardy - - 15 December 2015 2015 Christmas special 1
044 The Perfect Blend Gold Blend couple Unit 731 - - 22 December 2015 2015 Christmas special 2
045 Ya Still Tickle Me April O'Neill The Notorious B.I.G. - - 29 December 2015 2015 Christmas special 3
046 Tropical House: A Beginner's Guide List of mentally ill monarchs Jolly Jack's Lost Mine - - 5 January 2016 -
047 Runaway Twain BonBon-Land Derek Hersey The Naked Woman and the Gun - 12 January 2016 -
048 Welcome to the Hippo Campus Martin van Butchell Death from laughter - - 19 January 2016 -
049 Henry Maar's Sinister Twisting Roy Mackal Thankful villages Balloon modelling - 26 January 2016 -
050 Lying to the Pizza Man Victorian mourning dolls Blobfish Sentinelese people Bernard Matthews Ltd 2 February 2016 -
051 All You Can Diddle Habbo Titus Young - - 9 February 2016 -
052 The Lizard Layer David Icke - - - 12 February 2016 Bonus episode with Alex Haddow from the-pool.com
053 Unsolicited Dick Pics The Joy Of Text The Tale Of Tsar Saltan 2016-02-16
054 Death By Orange Soda Paul is dead Denver International Airport 2016-02-19 Bonus episode with Alex Haddow from the-pool.com
055 Some Indecent Proposals List of scandals with "-gate" suffix Thousand-yard stare 2016-02-23
056 AKA Buster U2charist Gatsby (sandwich) Sunday Sport No Scrubs 2016-03-01
057 Box Hunt with Des O' Connor Lisa Niles Pole Chudes 2016-03-08
058 Chubby Little Despots Kaspar Hauser Superman curse 2016-03-12 Bonus episode with Owen Hughes from failedcritics.com
059 Thinky Box Brain House Intracortical encephalogram signal analysis Blue Peter pets 2016-03-15
060 Work on Bank for 1 Money The Terror The Samsonadzes Phubbing 2016-03-18 Bonus episode with Owen Hughes from failedcritics.com
061 Poor Little Eoghan Quigg Zayn Malik MegaChip 2016-03-22
062 One of the Least Sexy Cancers Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo A Horse for Mandy 2016-03-29 2016-03
063 The Three Seashells Cryonics 2016-04-05
064 Cricket With Gary Barlow Living statue Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It 2016-04-12 One year anniversary
065 Guinea Pig Shaving Stanley Green 2016-04-15 Bonus episode with Keith Clark
066 Iustus id Somnus Polo neck Seasteading 2016-04-19
067 Wax Lacks Whack Slacks List of animals with fraudulent diplomas Heroes of Wrestling Grunge speak 2016-04-25 Bonus episode with Keith Clark
068 Lifehack Your Lagging Pool noodle Disconnection 2016-04-26
069 The Gems of Azamore The Mystery at Lilac Inn Ghettopoly Colin the Caterpillar 2016-05-03
070 Floaty Sex Dirt Nepenthes jamban H. L. Hunt - - 2016-05-10
071 Vadge Bishop Masturbate-a-thon 2016-05-13 Bonus episode with Stacey Taylor from Stacey's Pop Culture Parlour

References

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  1. ^ UK Podcasters Awards Winners 2015 Archived 22 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, ukpodcasters.com Retrieved 31 January 2016
  2. ^ a b Wikishuffle Interview, Youtube Retrieved 31 January 2016
  3. ^ NTA Interview with James Edward Bagshaw, Youtube Retrieved 31 January 2016
  4. ^ acast (25 January 2017). "100 – A Centennial Extravaganza – Wikishuffle on acast". acast. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  5. ^ acast (8 February 2017). "101 – Unexpected Item in Bagging Area – Wikishuffle on acast". acast. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  6. ^ acast (29 March 2017). "103 – Lovevenge – Wikishuffle on acast". acast. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  7. ^ Clicks for Laughs Archived 5 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Nassau Tribune Retrieved 31 January 2016
  8. ^ Play it Again, The Audit Retrieved 31 January 2016
  9. ^ Podcast Review, 7-on-7 Retrieved 31 January 2016
  10. ^ UK Podcasters Awards Archived 19 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, newmediaeurope.com Retrieved 31 January 2016
  11. ^ UK Podcasters Awards Ceremony, Youtube Retrieved 31 January 2016
  12. ^ Wikishuffle Episodes acast.com Retrieved 31 January 2016
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