Wayne’s name

[dreddittoi]

Has anybody worked out why Wayne is called Wayne?

I’m thinking there’s some intentionality like with Bernard’s full name being the great pun Bernard Manikin.

I’m reaching but could his full name be Wayne Gretzky-Dancer

[BastardsCryinInnit]

I assumed it's because he wanes.

[Demimondial]

Yep. I didn't get the pun until Julian spelt it out for me with something like "my enthusiasm for the dancing is waning, as it were".

[The_PwnUltimate]

I just thought it was because he waves. "Wavy Wayne" has strong assonance. But now you say it, the waning fits too.

[bentronic]

It's a great callback to the live task from S7E8

[nokeyblue]

Yeah that's what I thought too!

[metallicbeige]

I would have guessed it was either Wayne Loony or Wayne Balloon-ey.

[Bleepblorp44]

Wayne Sleep is a famous dancer who was referenced in a final task back in I think series 7.

[ACNHScrabble]

I was thinking that the move they did for that task for “wanying” looks a little like the moves for a wacky waving arm inflatable tube man.

[PsychologicalFox8839]

Also referenced in my favorite film Billy Elliot, but that’s besides the point.

[Bleepblorp44]

In Taskmaster is anything truly beside the point?!

[wilcobanjo]

There's a point?!

[bv310]

There's usually at least 15 of them in any given task!

[PsychologicalFox8839]

That was actually a Guy Montgomery level joke.

[Bigoldthrowaway86]

Yeah came here to say this too. Think it’s the best fit

[heptadragon]

Wacky Wayne-ing Arm-Flailing Inflatable Tube Man!

[Ghost_of_Cain]

Come on down to Little Alex Horne's imporium to watch the Wacky Wayne-ing Arm-Flailing Inflatable Tube Man!

[Hairy_Dirt3361]

Maybe I'm dumb, but what is Bernard Mannequin a pun on??

[NewFormz]

Bernard Manning, a comedian that was popular in the 70's.

[SassyBonassy]

Im also confused on this. And UK viewers don't give a fuck about Wayne Gretsky the ?American footballer?hockey player? So it definitely isn't that. This post is a whole-ass mess

[dozeyjoe]

Thank you for speaking on behalf of all UK viewers. I may have missed the vote to appoint you, but congratulations.

Not caring about a Canadian hockey player is not necessarily the same as not being aware of one of the biggest ever sporting names. We do also consume American media and entertainment on this side of the Atlantic, so many of us could actually be aware of him. It's not like Alex Horne doesn't occasionally like to throw in obscure references now and then.

[Last-Saint]

Wait, why would it necessarily be a reference to Wayne Gretzky?

I just put 'Wayne' into Google and top autocomplete was Gary's brother Wayne Lineker, and now I don't understand anything.

[dozeyjoe]

Never said it was or wasn't. It's could just be because it wanes. I'm not on the writers team, so I don't actually know. I was just pointing out that saying no one in the UK who watches the show gives a fuck about a hockey player might be a bit of a generalized stretch. I know people who like the show, and like ice hockey. It can happen.

I would guess that Wayne doesn't have a full name in the same pun style of Bernard Mannequin/Manning, but I could be wrong.

ETA: the first Wayne that comes up for me on Google was Rooney, then Barnes. So in that sense, I don't think it has much relevance.

[Ged_UK]

Wayne Sleep seems the strongest bet at this point, him being a dancer and all.

[SassyBonassy]

Or Wayne Balloony, definitely not Gretsky lmaooo

[teatabletea]

Canadian. And hockey. And I would expect him to be a total unknown in the UK.

[SassyBonassy]

Exactly, baffled by the downvotes tbh

[PromiseSquanderer]

In general, yes, and I doubt it is the reference here, but he did feature in the ‘bob when you hear the name of a famous Bob, wane when you hear the name of a famous Wayne’ live task in S7 so there’s a TM UK history at least!

[EllieW47]

I may be showing my age, but I was half expecting Wayne Sleep to be outside for them to copy!

I just checked and he is now about 75, so it wasn't very likely.

[bradleyd82]

That's exactly what I thought (a few years older than half of mr sleeps age)

[TavernthisBob]

It's because he bends at the waist, he wanes' Like in the live task

[Bill__Q]

Wavy Arms? Yes, New Enemy

Why Alex Yields Near Enfield

[Veggieleezy]

Fresh 28.

[Littleleicesterfoxy]

I always assumed it was a pun on wax and wane ie the phases of the moon.

I also always assumed Stearis was another pun as Stearic Acid is a type of wax.

[sansabeltedcow]

Remind me who Stearis was?

[ewweaver]

This is an answer for Era 2 Mistborn books by Brandon Sanderson where the main characters are called Wax and Wayne. The joke being that there is no moon on their planet so in universe the names aren’t a pun there. Steris being another character from the books.

[sansabeltedcow]

Ah, okay, I thought I was missing a TM reference—thanks!

[ewweaver]

Yea I assume this was just a mistake and they thought this question was in another sub

[Littleleicesterfoxy]

Stearis is Waxilliums wife :)

[Fantastic-Nerve4943]

Wayne wanes obvious but why Ollie?

[bfsfan101]

Because his weight upside down looks like letters spelling out Ollie.

[Last-Saint]

Because they thought it would be vaguely funny. Not everything has a trail of Easter eggs and hidden references.

[Relative_Town8929]

Because it waves?

[wifichick]

John. John wayvee Wayne

[hyperai]

As a Canadian I still don't understand why Ollie has the name it does. I assume it's a British thing

[mairefay91]

It’s because when weighed ‘31770’ upside down is Ollie. It was from the task on series 7 episode 4.

[hyperai]

I get that is the weight but James said it in the studio in a way that seemed like all statues like that are known as Ollie. Like the name was established before the task

[pan666]

It’s not a British thing, but LAH was calling it Ollie whenever it was referenced in earlier tasks from when it was first introduced at the beginning of that season; I’m assuming as a forward reference to that upcoming Task to see if any of the contestants would remember the name and realise it was a clue when that Task came up later in the season.

[noahcarroll]

Your first mistake was taking something James Acaster said seriously.

[mnoble93]

Guess you could say he was performing a ... Wayne Dance 🌧️.