I was in a restaurant with my daughter in Los Angeles and I had an accident involving a stomach upset. That was mortifying for both of us.
Which moment embarrassed you most?
Question
What would you like to be remembered for?
Death & what remains
Question
What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?
Failure & regret
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
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When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Question
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Failure & regret
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What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Time & hindsight
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A verbatim recurring question in The Guardian's Q&A series.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
My paso doble on Strictly Come Dancing would be hard to beat.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 10 June 2023 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 126 →Giving a speech in high school at a pep rally that wasn’t going so well and the dean unplugged the mic. Apparently, I was rambling and the spirit of the cafeteria was being weighed down.
Paapa Essiedu
British actor
In order to raise money to pay for myself to go to the National Youth Theatre, I performed a medley of my drama school speeches and some songs for my entire school. Considering I can’t sing, this was terrible. I did U Remind Me by Usher and Hey There Delilah by the Plain White T’s. They paid £2 each – basically, to laugh at me.
When my trousers split on stage in Burn the Floor in Australia. I had always been warned to wear my flesh underwear and I did not that day.
More from Richard Coles
View profile →With an international holiday.
“I could never love you like that.”
A great composer. I wrote to Benjamin Britten to tell him this and that he was my third favourite composer. For some reason he didn’t feel moved to reply.
Technically, Ibiza 1990, because of the amount of ecstasy I’d taken.
My financial incompetence.
Don’t overcook pasta.
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- If you could edit your past, what would you change? 211 answers
- What is the worst thing anyone has said to you? 130 answers
- How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a favourite failure? 82 answers
- What is the hardest thing that has happened to you, and what did you carry out of it? 41 answers
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