#1 (jonyoung)
Realm: Saturday Morning TV
Subrealm: Yes, it's now Saturday Morning
Question: When the Caped Chameleon attempted to aid the Tick in his battle against the Idea Men, his powers backfired, leaving the big blue guy to face their naughtiness alone. What were the final words of this caped reptile of justice?
Answer: "Can't... Do... Plaid!" (Thud)
Song: "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club
#2 (maura)
Realm: Scotland
Subrealm: If it's not important paperwork, it's CRAP!
Question: Financial cutbacks aren't just happening in American businesses. The police force in Scotland are facing similar troubles. The police station in the small town of Tobermory were informed that confidential documents could no longer be burned, but their request for a shredder was turned down for budget reasons. How did they cope?
Answer: They bought 2 gerbils.
Song: "Opportunities" by The Pet Shop Boys
#3 (aylott)
Realm: If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!
Subrealm: Academia
Question: What unique degree program does James McIntosh teach at Carnegie Mellon University?
Answer: The world's only B.A. program in Bagpiping
Song: "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown
#4 (mark)
Realm: Williamsiana
Subrealm: Yes, this one favors the alumni
Question: With what words does the Lord High Sheriff of Berkshire County end each Williams College commencement ceremony?
Answer: "God save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts!"
Song: "The Real World" by Roy Orbison
#5 (karen maggie)
Realm: Number 5
Subrealm: Three Sir!
Question: The title of the movie The Madness of King George was originally The Madness of King George III. Why was the title changed?
Answer: The title was changed because test audiences wanted to know what they had missed in parts I and II.
Song: "Rock & Roll Part 2" by Gary Glitter
#6 (betsy)
Realm: Executive Privilege
Subrealm: But Officer, I didn't REALLY inhale!
Question: In the history of the United States, only two presidents have ever been arrested while holding office; who were the federal felons, and what did they do wrong? (One point for each president-crime pair.)
Answer: Ulysses S. Grant, for riding his horse too fast (he got a twenty dollar speeding fine) and Franklin Pierce, charged with running over an elderly lady with his horse (the charges were eventually dropped). Aren't you glad those dangerous animals have been replaced with safer cars?
Song: "Desperado" by Linda Ronstadt
#7 (maggie)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Cameo appearances
Question: In the movie "Dave" many people make cameo appearances as themselves, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay Leno, five United States Senators, the entire McLaughlin Group, and Larry King. Who plays himself as Larry King's guest, offering a theory that President Mitchell was replaced by someone else after having a stroke?
Answer: Oliver Stone
Song: "People Are Strange" by The Doors
#8 (aylott)
Realm: Psychology
Subrealm: Eminent Practioners of
Question: Name two shows that eminent fictional psychologist Dr. Bob Hartley has appeared in -- besides THE BOB NEWHART SHOW.
Answer: NEWHART, and MURPHY BROWN.
Song: "Situation" by Yaz
#9 (janettel)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Is this guy incredible, or what?
Question: In the Disney movie Aladdin, Robin Williams was able to take the character of the genie and run with it. His improvisation led to the genie impersonating numerous famous people. For 1 point, name 5. For 2 points name 10.
HINTS: Be generous.
Answer: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Nicholson, Carol Channing, Groucho Marx, Ed Sullivan, Rodney Dangerfield, Edgar Bergen, Pinnochio, Arsenio Hall, Bill Buckley, Alan Hale Jr. (the Skipper).
Note: No, the complete answer wasn't in the contest materials either. Yes, I think it was stupid to ask a question without the full answer. I was outvoted. -- aylott
Note: And a good thing he was, too. This was a terrific question, and I defended it to the hilt. Players had a lot of fun answering it. -- Mark Conger
Song: "Take a Chance On Me" by Abba
#10 (maura)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Stick with Jerry Lewis
Question: If you want something to sound impressive, say it in French. But sometimes things are radically changed in translation. The French title of the movie City Slickers sounds at once both deep & ridiculous. What is this 3 word title?
Answer: Life, Love, Cows
Song: "Rawhide" by The Blues Brothers
#11 (dan)
Realm: Transportation
Subrealm: I Brake for Cows
Question: In India, what do they call the local version of the rickshaw?
Answer: A Tonga.
Song: "Beast of Burden" by The Rolling Stones
#12 (betsy)
Realm: Red Light District
Subrealm: Before there were red lights
Question: According to rumors, the Pharoah Khufu sent his own daughter into prostitution to raise money. What was included in her fee?
Answer: She charged her customers a block of stone to be used to build a pyramid for herself (and her pyramid contains over 20,000 blocks...)
Song: "Love is Like A Rock" by Donnie Iris
#13 (dan)
Realm: Television
Subrealm: Buttafuoco. Because nothing this evil ever dies.
Question: According to Amy Fisher as presented in the NBC TV movie "Lethal Lolita--Amy Fisher: My Story", what were the three reasons behind her murder attempt?
Answer: "He loves me. We have great sex. And he fixes my car."
Song: "Sex on Wheelz" by "Thrill Kill Kult"
#14 (aylott)
Realm: OJ
Subrealm: What could be more entertaining than OJ?
Question: Sure, ratings for the OJ Simpson trial have been going through the roof, but we've found at least one group of viewers who'd like to watch something else. The jury. In February, the jury at the OJ Simpson trial asked Judge Lance Ito to provide them with episodes of their favorite TV series -- not just the episodes they'd missed after being sequestered, but a guarantee they'd see future episodes. What TV series does OJ's jury love to watch?
Answer: "Melrose Place".
Song: "Give The People What They Want" by The O'Jays
#15 (aylott)
Realm: Beverly Hills 90210
Subrealm: Oh, quit your whining. We're not asking about the stupid TV show.
Question: Why does Agawam, MA have the zip code 01001?
Answer: The postmaster who established zip codes was from Agawam, and gave it the first zip code.
Song: "One" by Three Dog Night
#16 (aylott)
Realm: The Fine Art of Revenge
Subrealm: You really don't want to get this guy mad at you ...
Question: Years ago, noted science fiction writer Harlan Ellison ran into a problem. A less than ethical publisher was holding on to a book of his and refusing to give it back. Harlan begged, pleaded, threatened and pulled a number of stunts to get the book returned. What finally did the trick?
Answer: He mailed a dead gopher across the country to the publisher ... fourth class.
Song: "You Send Me" by Sam Cooke
#17 (dan)
Realm: Literature
Subrealm: Really Current Literature
Question: (3 pts) For one point, name 6 books (title and author) on either the May 7th New York Times hardcover fiction or non-fiction bestseller list. For two points, name 10.
Answer: (See attached - it's ok if some books come from one list and some from another.) Sadly, when HTMLed, this answer was no longer attached . . . -- aylott
Song: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
#18 (dan)
Realm: Royalty
Subrealm: Ears like you wouldn't believe
Question: Prince Charles once fended off an attack in Auckland, New Zealand. What non-lethal weapon did his assailant use?
Answer: A can of air freshener. The attacker reportedly wanted to "remove the stink of royalty".
Song: "The Air That I Breathe" by The Hollies
#19 (betsy)
Realm: Mortuaries
Subrealm: Death Becomes Her
Question: What "special treatment" did a dead Egyptian noblewoman receive before she was embalmed?
Answer: Her body was allowed a few days to ripen, so she wouldn't appear too attractive to the embalmers.
Song: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" by Joe Walsh
#20 (dan)
Realm: Television
Subrealm: Dead Celebrities
Question: What star of "Northern Exposure" died on January 8, 1994?
Answer: Morty the Moose.
Song: "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" by Steam
#21 (tim)
Realm: Music
Subrealm: Musicians and their pets
Question: In the group Echo & the Bunnymen, who is "Echo"?
Answer: Their former drum machine.
Song: "Human Touch" by Rick Springfield
#22 (maura)
Realm: Sports
Subrealm: Just do what?!?
Question: It would be difficult to prove that The New York City marathon is the most arduous marathon in the world. But on its 25th anniversary it did have a claim to fame. What modern convenience was installed at the start of the race?
Answer: The world's longest urinal (290 ft.)
Song: "Urgent" by Foreigner
#23 (noah)
Realm: The Olympics
Subrealm: Aren't you proud to be an American?
Question: Why did Gardner Williams, an American swimmer, lose his Olympic race?
HINTS: Paul Schaeffer wrote this song, and it's Homer Simpson's favorite
Answer: Gardner competed in an early modern Olympics in Greece, when the swimming competition was held in the Aegean Sea. As he dove into the sea, he yelled and jumped out. The water was too cold. (Accept "He wouldn't swim because the water was cold", or something like that.)
Song: "It's Raining Men" by The Weathergirls
#24 (stina)
Realm: Military Intelligence
Subrealm: Nothing gets by them...
Question: Recently, Sweden's defense minister admitted that what had been reported as Russian submarine intrusions into their waters weren't really Russian subs. What were they?
Answer: The activities of frolicking minks.
Song: "Ghost In You" by Psychedelic Furs
#25 (noah)
Realm: Vacations
Subrealm: Getting away from it ALL
Question: There's a hotel in Jukkasjaerui, Sweden, at which you can't possibly get a summer reservation. Why not?
Answer: It doesn't exist in the summer, because it is built entirely out of ice and snow. It is built each fall and melts each May.
Song: "Burning Down The House" by Talking Heads
#26 (aylott)
Realm: Cartography made Practical
Subrealm: They've got their priorities in the right places.
Question: When the first U.S. road atlas was published in 1789, it showed only 3000 miles of roads, running from Albany, NY to Williamsburg, VA. It may have been incomplete in geography, but in what way was this first atlas very complete?
Answer: It noted the location of every tavern on the roads.
Song: "Tequila" by The Champs
#27 (mark)
Realm: Williamsiana of the 80s
Subrealm: The best 13 daquiris I ever drank
Question: Back in the fabulous 80s, there was no rule at Williams about not being allowed to charge admission to parties that served alcohol. One particular party which occurred every year was Prospect House's Aruba Night, which cost a whopping $12 to get into, mostly because the door prize was a weekend for two in some exotic locale such as Aruba. $12 was, unfortunately, rather expensive for most students, and at least once there existed a concurrent rival party known as "Poor Man's Aruba Night." It only cost $2 to get into - but what was the door prize?
Answer: A trip for two to Florida... Florida Massachusetts, that is. (And dinner for two at McDonalds.)
Song: "The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful" by Jimmy Buffett
#28 (dan)
Realm: Music
Subrealm: Yeah, but who was the opening act?
Question: On December 10, 1993, the Miami Hard Rock Cafe canceled a scheduled performance by what rock band?
Answer: The band was called Dead German Tourist.
Song: "View to a Kill" by Duran Duran
#29 (noah)
Realm: International Relations
Subrealm: International Relations - the old-fashioned way
Question: Early this year, Muammar el-Qaddafi proposed a personal agreement with President Clinton that Qaddafi thought would encourage positive relations between Libya and the U.S. What arrangement did Qaddafi propose?
Answer: Qaddafi suggested that his son marry Chelsea Clinton.
Song: "Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo
#30 (noah)
Realm: Great leaders
Subrealm: Old-fashioned family values
Question: You all know that Newt Gingrich presented his first wife with divorce papers when she was in the hospital. But how did Newt meet his first wife?
Answer: She was his high school geometry teacher. (They married when he was in college.)
Song: "I Love You Period" by Dan Baird
#31 (dom)
Realm: Slang
Subrealm: Proud To Be One
Question: Are you a nerd? If you are, or even if you aren't, please tell us who first coined the word, and where it was coined.
Answer: Dr. Seuss in his work, "If I ran the Zoo".
Song: "Mr. Grinch" by Mojo Nixon
#32 (dom)
Realm: Religion
Subrealm: Opium for the masses
Question: David Joyner and Bob West - Together they are greater than the sum of themselves. They are either revered or hated, depending on which TV viewers you talk to. Or people who live with TV viewers. Why, who are they to provoke such feelings?
Answer: David is the guy inside the Barney suit (Suit? What are you talking about? AUGH!) Bob is the voice of Barney.
Song: "Cult of Personality" by Living Color
#33 (dan)
Realm: Television
Subrealm: Japanese Imports
Question: Name six members of the Might Morphin Power Rangers - one for each color.
Answer: Give them the colors, and request names: Pink: Kimberly; Yellow: Trini or Ieeja; Black: Zack or Adam; Red: Jason or Rocky; Blue: Billy; White: Tommy
Song: "Kung Fu Christmas" by National Lampoon
#34 (kevin)
Realm: Science/Technology
Subrealm: Unusual marketing strategies
Question: In 1994, the president of the U.S. Nuclear Control Institute dared the president of the Japanese Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Corporation to take the "Pu Challenge" to justify a recent public relations campaign. What was the Pu Challenge?
HINTS: Pu is not an acronym, the u does not stand for university, Pu is a chemical symbol (for Plutonium); and think Pepsi
Answer: The head of the NRC dared his counterpart to drink a glass of water containing one gram of plutonium, which is highly radioactive and acutely toxic, and called it the Pu Challenge. In a public relations campaign for a breeder reactor they were building, the Japanese had claimed that drinking such a glass was perfectly safe.
Song: "Handle With Care" by Travelling Wilburys
#35 (karen)
Realm: Mottos
Subrealm: A kinder, gentler city
Question: The official motto of the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico is now "The Sunbird City". It wasn't always, though. What used to be the motto of Alamogordo?
Answer: "Have a blast in Alamogordo." (Alamogordo is near the site of the first nuclear bomb tests.)
Song: "Fallout" by Henry Mancini
#36 (betsy)
Realm: Geography
Subrealm: Think big
Question: What was the original name of "Mountain", West Virginia?
Answer: Molehill (I guess they didn't get no respect)
Song: "Build Me Up Buttercup" by The Foundations
#37 (betsy)
Realm: What's in a name?
Subrealm: I paid for it, you'd BETTER name it after me!
Question: What was the original name of Chapin Hall, and why was it changed?
Answer: It was originally called "Grace Chapin Hall" after Mr. Chapin's wife; but after Mr. C remarried, his wife objected to the building being named after her predecessor, so the first part of the name was dropped. (Incidentally, that explains why the inside is studded with women's heads - replicas of Grace's own physique!)
Song: "The Breakup Song" by The Greg Kihn Band
#38 (mark)
Realm: Minor league hockey
Subrealm: With a touch of puckish humor
Question: A few years ago the city of Flint, Michigan got a new IHL Hockey team and so they asked for suggestions on a name for it. Eventually "Flint Spirits" was selected, disappointing supporters of what other name that was a strong contender?
Answer: "The Flint Stones"
Song: "Bedrock Anthem" by Weird Al Yankovic
#39 (derek)
Realm: Sports
Subrealm: Dubious distinctions
Question: Major league baseball player Dave Winfield has the distinction of being the first player traded during the strike that wiped out the 1994 World Series. The Minnesota Twins traded Winfield to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later, as well as additional compensation. What was this compensation, unique in the history of baseball?
Answer: A dinner. Since Winfield never got to play for Cleveland in 1994 (the strike didn't end as hoped), the teams agreed that the Cleveland execs would treat the Minnesota execs to a meal.
Song: "Junk Food Junkie" by Larry Groce
#40 (dom)
Realm: Literature For The Ages
Subrealm: Are we hungry yet?
Question: Winnie-The-Pooh. It reminds me of Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, and Roo. Do you recall what their favorite foods were?
Answer: Pooh - honey; Piglet - haycorns; Tigger - extract of malt; Eeyore - thistles; Roo - watercress (sandwiches)
Song: "Good Stuff" by The B-52's
#41 (derek)
Realm: Television
Subrealm: So cute you just want to eat them alive...
Question: Technical advisors for the TV series "Chicago Hope" have discovered the perfect way to make a baby look like a newborn for birthing scenes on the show. What recipe do they use to achieve that fresh-from-the-womb look?
Answer: They lather the baby with a mixture of soft cream cheese and blueberry preserves.
Song: "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard
#42 (karen)
Realm: Acronyms
Subrealm: S.L.A.
Question: In informal hospital terminology, certain patients are referred to as "GOOMERs". What do the letters in GOOMER stand for?
Answer: "Get Out Of My Emergency Room"
Song: "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Jim Nabors
#43 (aylott)
Realm: Medicine
Subrealm: Coming to a health plan near you?
Question: A medical mainstay as far back as the Napoleonic Wars, this technique was all but abandoned in the United States by the 1940's with the advent of sulfa drugs and antibiotics. It's back, though, in a big way -- a doctor in Long Beach, California has treated over 100 patients with this technique in the last four years. What's this new, cutting edge, bio-surgical technique for fighting infection and removing necrotic tissue?
Answer: Maggot treatments -- placing maggots in a wound, where they eat the necrotic tissue and leave the healthy tissue alone.
Song: "Eat The Rich" by Motorhead
#44 (karen)
Realm: O.J.
Subrealm: If you can answer this, you've been watching too much.
Question: The bench from which Judge Ito has been presiding over the O.J. Simpson trial has the usual array of items on it - legal briefs, books, Ito's laptop, etc., but Ito isn't all work and no fun, there are some knick-knacks up there as well. Specifically, a collection of what item, in various shapes and sizes?
Answer: A collection of hour-glasses.
Song: "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone" by Glass Tiger
#45 (mark)
Realm: Big rubber things
Subrealm: Big rubber things from Ohio
Question: The most recent Good Year blimp to be commissioned was named the Spirit of Akron in honor of the city which is the home of Good Year. All previous Good Year blimps, however, were named in a particular manner. What was it?
HINTS: One might have been called "The Stars and Stripes"
Answer: They were all named for winners of the America's Cup yacht race.
Song: "Orinoco Flow" by Enya
#46 (karen)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: In-flight entertainment
Question: What scene is cut from the version of the movie Rainman that was shown by nearly every airline?
Answer: The scene in which Raymond explains that "only Quantas has never crashed."
Song: "Tragedy" by the Bee Gees
#47 (karen)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Slim Pickens
Question: What were the names of the two nuclear missiles in the movie Doctor Strangelove?
Answer: "Hi There!" and "Dear John"
Song: "Let It Ride" by Bachman Turner Overdrive
#48 (betsy)
Realm: Personal Hygene
Subrealm: Personal Insults
Question: Members of the French Resistance in WWII had a special expression for using the bathroom- what was it? One point for answering in English and two points for answering in French.
Answer: "Pardon me, I have to go telephone Hitler" and "Pardonnez-moi, je vais telephoner a Hitler".
Song: "Der Fuhrer's Face" by Spike Jones
#49 (noah)
Realm: TV
Subrealm: Culture on FOX?
Question: On The Critic, what is the name of Jay Sherman's favorite French restaurant, and what does it mean in English?
Answer: L'Ane Riche - The Rich Ass.
Song: "Rich Girl" by Hall & Oates
#50 (mark)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Cartoons
Question: The rule for including classic cartoon characters in the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was that all characters had to have appeared on screen in 1946 or before, since 1946 was the date the movie supposedly took place. This rule was broken in the case of only 2 characters. Which ones, and why?
Answer: Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, because they were the director's favorite characters.
Song: "Running Down a Dream" by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
#51 (paul)
Realm: Cartoons
Subrealm: Dog's best friends
Question: Over the years, lots of celebrities have hobnobbed with Scooby Doo. There were the Harlem Globetrotters, the Addams Family, the Three Stooges, Jeannie, the Partridge Family, and many others. What we'd like to know, though, is the names of Scooby's 4 original companions, who stuck with him through thick and thin. (Until Scrappy (a.k.a. Yoko) came along, and messed it all up!)
Answer: Shaggy, Daphne, Thelma, and Fred.
Song: "I'm Gonna Haunt You" by Fred Schneider & the Shake Society
#52 (noah)
Realm: High finance
Subrealm: Cheap rich guys
Question: In 1994, Eli Broad purchased a painting by Roy Lichtenstein for $2.5 million. How did Mr. Broad go about making his purchase, and why?
Answer: With his American Express card - for the 2.5 million frequent flier miles.
Song: "Plastic Fantastic Lover" by Jefferson Airplane
#53 (dan)
Realm: Art
Subrealm: Hello, Dali!
Question: Noted surrealist clock-melter Salvador Dali once said, "I never took drugs". Finish the quote by giving us Dali's reason for not taking drugs.
Answer: "I never took drugs because I am drugs".
Song: "What I Am" by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
#54 (derek)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Your move
Question: You know the scene in "Pulp Fiction": Vincent Vega and Lance are in Lance's home arguing over how to revive Mia Wallace from her overdose. During the chaos, the audience gets a glimpse of a table with two board games sitting on it. Name them.
HINTS: The games are appropriate for the scene (which includes the World's Largest Needle).
Answer: "Life" and "Operation."
Song: "Rumble" by Link Wray and His Ray Men
#55 (maggie)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Movies about TV about movies
Question: "Quiz Show" examines the true story of the game show "21". Contestant Herbert Stempel was a winner because he was coached, and then was a loser because he was coached. He was instructed to give an incorrect answer to the question of which film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1955. What answer was Herb told to give, and what answer did he actually know to be correct?
Answer: Herb answered "On the Waterfront", while knowing all the time that the correct answer was "Marty".
Song: "Give It Up" by K.C.
#56 (dan)
Realm: Sports
Subrealm: Well, barely.
Question: What was President Clinton's explanation when he was caught cheating at golf last year in San Francisco?
Answer: He said he was granting his mis-hit ball a "presidential pardon".
Song: "Rose Garden" by Lynn Anderson
#57 (dan)
Realm: The Penal System
Subrealm: Huh huh n huh, I said "Penal" huh huh
Question: In January of 1994, a prisoner in Lancaster, California attempted a daring prison break. What went wrong?
Answer: He attempted to escape in the back of a garbage truck, was compacted into a bale of garbage, and deposited at a landfill.
Song: "Pressure" by Billy Joel
#58 (noah)
Realm: OJ
Subrealm: No, it wasn't signed in blood.
Question: In his famous note to the public shortly after Nicole Simpson's murder, what was rather incongruous about OJ's signature?
Answer: He put a smiley face in the O.
Song: "Sealed With A Kiss" by Brian Hyland
#59 (betsy)
Realm: Military Tactics
Subrealm: Now that's using your... well, something
Question: What strategy did the king of Kadesh employ when first attacked by Egyptian cavalry circa 1500 B.C.?
Answer: He tried to distract the horses with a mare in heat.
Song: "Sex (I'm A...)" by Berlin
#60 (stina)
Realm: Military Technology
Subrealm: Those clever Swedes
Question: Sweden has recently developed a prototype structure to house offices, hospitals, and helicopter bases. This structure sustains only minimal damage when shelled by 155mm artillery and is invisible to the sensors guiding smart bombs. What building materials did they use?
Answer: Ice. It's an igloo.
Song: "Ice, Ice, Baby" by Vanilla Ice
#61 (aylott karen)
Realm: Char-gogga-gogg-manchaugg-agogg-chaubuna-gunga-maugg
Subrealm: Let's say it again. Char-gogga-gogg-manchaugg-agogg-chaubuna-gunga-maugg!
Question: That 45 letter name belongs to a lovely lake in Webster, MA. What does "Char-gogga-gogg-manchaugg-agogg-chaubuna-gunga-maugg" MEAN?
Answer: "You fish on your side, I fish on mine, nobody fishes in the middle." (Exact wording not necessary.)
Song: "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" by Mac Davis
#62 (janettel)
Realm: Fashion
Subrealm: What you see is what you get
Question: In the latest delightful issue of the "Venus" catalog, there are some interesting new names for bikini swimsuit bottoms. What does "Venus" call their thong style?
Answer: Tonga.
Song: "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel
#63 (mark)
Realm: Awards Shows
Subrealm: Acts we would like to have seen
Question: Steve Martin was a presenter at the 1989 Tony Awards. Shortly after coming on stage he announced, "And now, a salute to disco, performed by characters from Mother Goose!" What excuse did Steve give when the act didn't materialize?
Answer: "Oh, sorry, I thought this was the Oscars." (This was shortly after the "Rob Lowe sings Disney" incident at the Oscars.)
Song: "Celluloid Heroes" by Joan Jett
#64 (mark)
Realm: Williamsiana
Subrealm: Natural disasters
Question: In the fall of 1985, Williamstown found itself in the unfamiliar position of being threatened by a hurricane - Hurricane Gloria, to be exact. Not knowing what to expect, then Dean of the College Stephen Fix agonized over what, if anything, to do about it, and eventually decided to take the unprecedented step of cancelling afternoon classes on the day the hurricane was scheduled to arrive. However, in the end all Gloria bestowed upon Williamstown was some rain in the morning and a lot of "hurricane parties" around campus. By afternoon the sun was shining, people were playing frisbee on Baxter lawn, and Dean Fix found himself in Stetson Hall, feeling a little chagrined. There he met a faculty colleague who walked up, looked at him sympathetically, patted him on the shoulder, and said... what?
Answer: "Wimp."
Song: "Gloria" by The Shadows of Knight
#65 (noah)
Realm: Sports
Subrealm: Those wacky Japanese!
Question: Takeji Harada, 16, wanted to become a sumo wrestler, but was 6 inches short of the 5'8" height requirement. How did he overcome that problem?
Answer: He had six inches of silicone implanted in his head.
Song: "Big Time" by Peter Gabriel
#66 (noah)
Realm: Military intelligence
Subrealm: At least he didn't have any mineral water
Question: A Navy investigator accused Cpl. Craig Haack of being gay. What apparel did the investigator seize, claiming that it was evidence of homosexual conduct?
Answer: A pair of platform shoes.
Song: "Johnnie Are You Queer?" by The Go-Go's
#67 (noah)
Realm: The Olympics
Subrealm: Battles of the sexes
Question: Rythmic gymnastics is one Olympic sport that is not open to men. But, for argument's sake, assume that a man was able to enter the event. What automatic point deduction would that man almost certainly not have to worry about?
Answer: The one-point deduction mandated if a gymnast's bra strap shows.
Song: "Support System" by Liz Phair
#68 (maggie)
Realm: The Academy Awards
Subrealm: Those wacky fashion designers
Question: Lizzy Gardiner won this year's Academy Award for Best Costume Design for "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". What did she wear to the awards ceremony?
Answer: A dress made out of American Express gold cards.
Song: "The Way That You Love Me" by Paula Abdul
#69 (mark)
Realm: Foreign Movie Titles
Subrealm: Why beat around the bush?
Question: At the 67th Oscar awards this year, what did David Letterman say was the significance of the name of the film, "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman"?
Answer: "It was how Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Maria Shriver out on their first date."
Song: "I Like 'Em Big and Stupid" by Julie Brown
#70 (maggie)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Sex in the movies
Question: "Circle of Friends" contains a frank discussion of how sex is kind of a funny thing to want to do. According to Bennie, it's sort of like wanting what?
Answer: It's sort of like wanting someone else to put their finger up your nose.
Song: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
#71 (karen)
Realm: Movies
Subrealm: Are you sure you're old enough?
Question: What were the first movies to earn, respectively, a PG-13 and an NC-17 rating?
Answer: Red Dawn (1984) and Henry & June (1990).
Song: "Let's Put the X Back In Sex" by Kiss
#72 (mark)
Realm: Entertainers who are no longer in the spotlight
Subrealm: And the questions we saved about them
Question: How does Arsenio Hall explain the fact that "Arsenio" is an unusual name for a black man?
Answer: "It means Leroy in Latin."
Song: "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce
#73 (derek)
Realm: Television
Subrealm: "You have no idea of the power of the Dark Side."
Question: In recent years, Mark Hamill of "Star Wars" fame has had two recurring roles on TV series--but both roles have been bad guys! Name the two shows and the villainous maniacs he's portrayed.
HINTS: The characters are somewhat similar; think super-villains.
Answer: The Trickster on "The Flash"; voice of the Joker on "Batman: The Animated Series" (also known as "The Adventures of Batman & Robin").
Song: "Flash's Theme" by Queen
#74 (maggie)
Realm: TV
Subrealm: Not Star Trek
Question: On what TV show have Big Bill Shatner, Leonard "stop tweaking my ears" Nimoy, James "I kenna eat any faster" Doohan, and George "They cut my scene!" Takei all acted besides Star Trek?
Answer: The Twilight Zone
Song: "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath
#75 (mark)
Realm: Computers
Subrealm: Software marketing
Question: Everyone's heard of IBM's operating system OS/2 for the PC. The "Warp" version, which has been advertised on TV requires that you already have Microsoft Windows to run Windows Applications. There is a "Professional" version of OS/2, however, that has MS-Windows capability assimilated into it. What does Jerry Pournelle, science fiction author and columnist for Byte Magazine, call the stand-alone version?
HINTS: The key word is "assimilated".
Answer: "OS/2 Borg"
Song: "Heart and Soul" by T'Pau
#76 (tim)
Realm: Space Exploration
Subrealm: It sort of loses something without the wind...
Question: Name the three flags that can be found on the moon today.
Answer: USSR, US, and UM (the University of Michigan, that is. 2 astronauts on Apollo 15 had attended the U of M.)
Song: "Star Spangled Banner" by Jimi Hendrix
#77 (aylott)
Realm: Sex and Violence
Subrealm: The Bond Women
Question: They're beautiful. They're dangerous. They're educated in all the right ways. When Bond love-interest Dr. Holly Goodhead clobbers a bunch of thugs in the movie "Moonraker", Sir James can't help but wonder where she learned her moves. "The CIA?" he guesses... but no. Where DID Dr. Holly Goodhead learn to beat the snot out of thuggish guys?
Answer: Vassar.
Song: "My Old School" by Steely Dan
#78 (aylott)
Realm: Homicide
Subrealm: Life on the Street
Question: Baltimore homicide detective Meldrick Lewis has certainly met his share of odd suspects. He's a little non-plussed, though, when he encounters an eloquent cycle gang leader named "Preacher". Preacher is a bishop in a mail-order ministry, but what does Meldrick's partner find out to be the REAL reason for Preacher's well-spoken nature?
Answer: Preacher attended Williams College.
Song: "Panama Red" by New Riders of the Purple Sage
#79 (dan)
Realm: Sports
Subrealm: It's not what you think.
Question: Baltimore, MD, June, 1994. The winner produced a one-pounder measuring 12 inches. What was the contest?
Answer: Rat-catching.
Song: "Rats" by Pearl Jam
#80 (betsy)
Realm: Sports
Subrealm: Imagine if they did this today...
Question: The Aztecs enjoyed a primitive version of one-on-one basketball, using a solid rubber ball to be shot through a stone ring. The loser was put to death. What did the winner get?
Answer: All the spectators' clothing.
Song: "Every 1's a Winner" by Hot Chocolate
#81 (karen)
Realm: TV Ads
Subrealm: "Just Do It"
Question: A recent Nike ad features Kenyan tribesmen wearing Nike sneakers. The ad ends with a tribesman speaking in his native language, with the subtitle "Just Do It" underneath him. That's not what he was saying, though. What was he really saying?
Answer: "I don't want these. Give me big shoes."
Song: "Time Loves a Hero" by Little Feat
#82 (mark)
Realm: SCTV
Subrealm: Adriennnnne!
Question: When John Candy parodied "Rocky" on SCTV, what was printed on the back of his jacket?
HINTS: What was on Rocky's jacket?
Answer: "The Croatian Dalmatian"
Song: "Dogs of War" by Pink Floyd
#83 (noah)
Realm: TV
Subrealm: The times, they are a changin'
Question: The MTV comedy sketch group The State wrote a spoof of Beverly Hills 90210 in which teen heartthrob Dylan McKay is confused with Bob Dylan. Why did the sketch never make it on the air?
Answer: MTV execs rejected it, saying that the viewers wouldn't know who Bob Dylan was.
Song: "Who Do You Think You Are" by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods