Laughter is the Best Medicine Trivia Quiz

Answer: Scrubs

'Scrubs' was a medical comedy show that ran for nine seasons from 2001 to 2010. The show focuses on a group of medical interns as they start and develop their careers as doctors. The central character, J.D. was played by Zach Braff, while Turk, J.D.s best friend, was played by Donald Faison. Dr Perry Cox was played by John C. McGinley, Cox is a more senior doctor at the hospital who is J.D.'s supervisor and mentor.

Answer: Carry On Surgeon

The 'Carry On' films are a series of thirty-one British comedy films primarily made in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. The main source of humour in the films is double entendres and innuendo after the style of British traditional 'saucy' seaside postcards. 'Carry On Nurse' was the second film of the series to be made and was released in 1959. 'Carry On Doctor' was released in 1967 and 'Carry on Matron' was released in 1972.

Answer: This is Going to Hurt

'This is Going to Hurt' subtitled 'Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor' is a 2017 nonfiction book by Adam Kay. The book is based on a diary Kay started keeping when he was a newly qualified doctor and covers the period from 2004 to 2010 ending with the stressful incident that led to Kay leaving the profession.

Although the book deals with serious themes at times, Kay also relates many humorous incidents and the book has been praised for the way it combines humour with serious subjects.

Answer: novel

The novel 'Doctor in the House' was first published in 1952 and was adapted for film in 1954. The TV comedy inspired by the book and the film was first aired in the UK in 1969. The 'Doctor' novels, of which 'Doctor in the House' was the first, were written by Robert Gordon and were a series of eighteen comic novels about the exploits of a group of young doctors. Gordon himself was a surgeon and anaesthetist who also wrote popular history books about medicine.

The 'Doctor in the House' film spawned six sequels made between 1955 and 1970 while the TV show was also followed by a number of subsequent series made under various names including 'Doctor Down Under' which was set and filmed in Australia.

Answer: Jo Brand

Jo Brand was born in London in 1957. She trained to be a psychiatric nurse at Brunel University in London and then worked in a number of mental health hospitals for ten years before starting a career in comedy. Brand is known for her stand up comedy and regularly features on TV and radio panel shows in the UK including multiple appearances on 'QI' on BBC TV and 'The News Quiz' on BBC Radio 4.

She has continued to be an advocate for mental health throughout her career as a comedian and is patron of the National Self Harm Network, an organisation that provides support to people who self harm.

Answer: Neil Patrick Harris

'Doogie Howser, M.D.' ran for 97 episodes across four seasons from 1989 to 1993. Actor Neil Patrick Harris, who is also well known for his role as Barney Stinson in 'How I Met Your Mother', played Doogie Howser, a boy genius who qualified as a doctor at the age of 14.

When the TV show starts Howser is a 16-year-old doctor and the show follows Howser as he balances being a doctor with being a teenager.

Answer: Nurse Jackie

Edie Falco played Jackie Peyton in 'Nurse Jackie' a dark comedy set in a hospital in New York that ran for seven seasons between 2009 and 2015. The show focuses on the character of Jackie and shows her trying to do her job while dealing with a pain killer addiction and having an affair with a pharmacist.

The behaviour of the character led to complaints from the New York State Nurses Association who were concerned that the unethical behaviour shown in 'Nurse Jackie' could damage public perception of nurses.

Answer: Robin Williams

'Patch Adams' was released in 1998 and is loosely based on the life of Dr Hunter "Patch" Adams. The plot of the film follows Patch Adams as he attempts to become a doctor but struggles as he feels using humour in medicine is important and helps patients, something that goes against the practice of the 1960s/70s when the film is set.

The American actor Robin Williams played the role of Patch Adams.

Answer: Yes

The 'Doctor, doctor' joke format is a classic English language joke format usually playing on humorous misunderstandings or double meanings that might occur between a doctor and patient. A classic doctor, doctor joke might be:
"Doctor, doctor I keep thinking I'm a pair of curtains."
"Oh for goodness' sake pull yourself together!"

This type of joke is a very old format with a version of a doctor, doctor joke having been found in a joke book from Roman times.

Answer: Green Wing

'Green Wing' was a British comedy TV program that ran for two series between 2004 and 2006. The series focused on the employees of the fictional East Hampton Hospital and featured administrative staff as well as medics. The show was known for its sometimes surreal and absurd humour and focused more on the interplay and personal lives of the various characters rather than having medical based story lines.