“One word. Schaudenfrade,” Rove says of his new show “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?”. Rove spoke to the Brisbane Times about the new show.

What were you best at in 5th grade?
English.

Give an example of a classroom triumph in your special subject.
I did a book report which I subsequently had to read out in front of class, and I was very proud about that. It was called Papio, about a baboon used in scientific experiments who escaped back into the jungle but he still had all these electrodes hanging out of his head.

How much of what you’ve learned have you retained?
80 per cent.

Why is that?
I have the kind of brain that likes to retain lots and lots of incidental information.

How often do you use the stuff you learned in 5th grade?
Every month.

Given that’s not very often, what’s the point of going to school?
The scratch’n’sniff cards. Did you have those? There was one with a picture of a car on it I especially liked. You scratched it and it smelt of petrol.

What proportion of the questions you ask in this show do you actually know the answer to?
80 per cent.

Why is that?
Well, there are a few that are multiple choice, and that helps. And because I do tend to retain useless information.

How often do you know the answer and they don’t?
Never.

How do you feel about that?
Relieved. It’s their job to know it. I might only be able to remember 80 per cent of the stuff I learned in 5th grade, but I can remember pretty much 100 per cent of the stuff about my job now. Same with them. Being a 5th grader is their job at the moment. They’re supposed to be totally across it.

How often do the kids hang shit on you?
Often.

What’s your comeback when they do?
I don’t really have many. When 10-year-olds are making fun of your height, there’s not a lot you can do about it.

Finally: are you smarter than a 5th grader?
No. I’m not smarter, I’m not more mature, and I’m certainly not taller. Fortunately, I’m just hosting the show. They’re the ones doing all the hard work.