If someone seemed really unintelligent, would you dumb it down?

[Sanshin]

Was watching Ali G last night where he was interviewing professors etc. He asked one if he believed the conspiracy theory that the moon was real.
He asked another if it would be possible to replace an old fashioned heartbeat with something that sounded a bit more drum and base which would encourage youngesters to look after their hearts more.

In another sketch he asked a police officer why they use dogs instead of dolphins and asked why they don't get current police dogs to interview potential police dogs to save officers time ...

In all these examples the people actually tried to explain things properly to him at what they assumed to be his level ("well dolphins would require big tanks which would be impractical" etc!!

Would you dumb it down like this and actually get into it or would you assume that anyone this thick was taking the piss?? Would you be scared to make that assumption in case the person really was thick?

I mean, on big brother you get people who think the most ridiculous things and seem genuine about it? When I was doing my degree a woman asked during a lecture if Einstein was still alive and she thought Steven hawking was a made up character!! AIBU to think it's impossible to be this daft? (Not including special needs of course).

Lots of people have no general knowledge and I guess if your parents don't teach it to you and you don't get taught it in schools, where would you pick it up from? Nearly all the people on University Challenge etc had the privilege of growing up in affluent homes with highly educated parents and being privately educated. Not quite so easy having all that knowledge if you have parents with no interest in learning and are stuck in a huge comprehensive school where studying is for 'losers'. Not knowing facts does not make someone thick as such. With the Einstein thing, it's not like he lived hundreds of years ago- he only died 60 years ago or so. So, I wouldn't say that is the height of ignorance- I have heard worse.

I used to think people couldn't possibly be quite that stupid (coming from someone who's not exactly the brightest), But over the years I have to the conclusion that yes people are either really that stupid, or want you to believe they really are that stupid for the attention it brings

Well in the example you give wrt Ali G he is taking the piss, as is for example Al Murray's Pub landlord.

But in general life, no I'd just clarify the point without being patronising. I don't think knowledge = intelligence.

you give an appropriate response using appropriate language for the audience

do you talk to toddlers the same as adults?

No, and instead of treating them like they know nothing (because how would I know what they know?), I would instead educate them.

I would assume they had some SEN and dumb down my response to their level. I knew some friends of friends (back in the day) who never attended school and came from a poor background. So I guess they might not have much general knowledge?

Well the interviewee must have known they were being filmed hence the polite and patient explanations. IRL they’d probably laugh and tell him to eff off.