Re: 80 questions about the 80s.

I Find Karma (adam@cs.caltech.edu)
Sat, 1 Jun 96 18:54:13 PDT


I was sitting around watching CNN at 4am yesterday, and they were doing
a poll of American college seniors. There were all sorts of scary
numbers of things they didn't know, but the one that sticks in my mind
is that 79% of US college seniors could not name who wrote _The
Republic_, and 86% of US college seniors didn't know who was the
American president during the Korean War. Is that stuff considered
trivia like the 80 questions about the 80s, or is it real bits these
stupid American college seniors should know?

In response to Rob's attempt at trivia munching...
> Actually, that's 80 trivia about TV, film and music... which probably
> explains why I can hardly answer any of them.

Yes, well, to be fair, if you were an American teenager in the 80s, it's
a lot easier to answer the questions.

> > 2. Name six members of the Brat Back
> One of them was Charlie Sheen, right?
> (1/6 point <- my estimate)

Yeah, I'll give that to you. The Brat Pack had like a dozen or so
members, though, and I think half of them are children of Martin Sheen.
Let's see, the ones I can name are Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Anthony Michael
Hall, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Andrew McCarthy,
Mare Winningham, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson, Eric
Stoltz, and Mary Stuart Masterson.

> > 4. Who had the trademark saying "Nanoo Nanoo?"
> Was it Mork?
> (1/2)

Yeah, Robin Williams. So you get a full point.

> >17. What, according to GI Joe, was "Half the battle"?
> "The start is half the battle"? (saying which I never associated with
> GI Joe).
> (1/2)

You got this right too - and like you, I'm not sure how GI Joe was able
to plagiarize this into profits. But he did. Another full point.

> >19. Who lamented about "No chocolate-covered candy hearts to give away
> > and no wedding Saturday within the month of June"?
> Blind piano guy. It's on the tip of my tongue...
> (0)

How many blind piano guys are there? Come on, it's either Ray Charles
or Stevie Wonder, and you know Ray Charles didn't do squat in the 80s
(except star in some really bad Pepsi commercials). So Stevie Wonder.

Which reminds me of a joke. What's "endless love"?
Answer: Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles playing tennis.

Hey, you know what? In tennis, when you got nothing, it's called
"love". There's something deep in that. But I digress.

I'll give you half credit, Rob.

> >20. What famous Wham! frontman went on to record a multiplatinum record
> > in 1987?
> George Michael?
> (1/2)

Yup. He's got a record that just came out 2 weeks ago, too.

> >21. What was Dustin Hoffman's character's name in "Rain Man?"
> Raymond.
> (1)

5 minutes to Wopner...

> >27. Who was the original singer of Los Lobos' 1987 hit "La Bamba"?
> That guy who died in a plane crash.
> (0)

Yeah, I know Ritchie Valens' name was on the tip of your tongue.

> >39. What was the name of Michael Knight's car?....now, what was the name
> > of his boss?
> Kit.
> (1)

I'd forgotten how popular David Hasselhorf is in Europe...

> >44. Which red-head won Star Search and then went on a shopping mall singing
> > tour that took America by storm in 1987 and 1988?
> American with red hair, one of those Judd people? I'm clutching at straws...
> (0)

It's Tiffany, and the question lies. She lost on Star Search.
Michelle met her sister-in-law last year, by the way.

> >55. What was the name of the bartender on "The Love Boat"?
> Sam???
> (1/4)

No, you're thinking Cheers. Issac was the bartender on the Love Boat;
unlike Gopher, he did not go on to a prestigious career in the US
Congress.

> >56. Who was the head villian on "The Smurfs" and what was his cat's name?
> Gargamel?
> (1/2)

Gargamel is right, and the cat, like all cats, is irrelevant.
Just put him in a box and then ask yourself what the probability is that
he's dead.

> >65. What speed did Marty have to reach in order to activate the flux
> > capacitor? (once you remember the movie, this should be easy)
> 80mph?
> (1/2)

Close, but no cigar. Try 88. For no good reason.

> >66. Name the two mega-popular bands which got their start on college-radio
> > in Athens, Georgia?
> R.E.M. was one, I guess. (Who else is from Athens apart from Magnapop?)
> (1/2)

Lots of groups are from Athens. Indigo Girls, Georgia Satellites, and
B-52s, to name just a few.

> >78. Who got his 100-meter dash gold medal stripped away due to
> > his steroid use in the 1988 Olympics?
> Canadian dude. Ben Johnson?
> (1)

We have a wiener. By the way, see "Welcome to the Dollhouse" if you
haven't yet. I loved that movie.

> Total estimated score: 6 and 5/12 out of 80 i.e., 8%. So what's my
> real grade?

Rob, you're a grade A all the way.

> And since when does media-trivia-knowledge qualify one to be an Xer?

You have some other qualification in mind?

> Reminds me of the time we were hanging out in a bar in Phoenix,
> Arizona and some babes came around flogging free tequila to those who
> could answer "general knowledge" questions. Turned out that the
> questions were obscure americana so Adam had no problem but I was
> screwed (figuratively) and couldn't answer a single question! Beer
> didn't help either. The girl must have felt sorry for me for being
> such a neanderthal so she gave me a shot anyway.

I think she just liked you.

> We chugged 'em and
> then hid the glasses so soon another girl came around and we got a
> second round... then a third.

Was that in the Bladder Buster place? Wow, what a great road trip -
Rob, Rohit, and Adam, in Phoenix. Those were the days.

> THAT reminds me of one time in a Hollywood club where I was hanging
> out on a slow night and so was Dan Ackroyd. So we chatted a bit and
> then some totally hot chicks arrived to give out whiskey. They had a
> Polaroid camera so we got them to take pictures of us. I kept one
> (see http://pauillac.inria.fr/~harley/pics/avas.jpg). Ah, memories!

The Viper Room just isn't the same without you.

> PICS rating: doubleplusungood.

I can't get the song "Standing Outside a Brown Phone Booth with Money in
my Hand" by the Primitive Radio Gods, out of my head. What's wrong with
me?

:) Adam