Trivia Q&A: June 24

We had a new record of 25 teams take part in Trivia Night on Tuesday night, back to its old night and time. It was great to see so many regulars and others back on the regular Tuesday night, especially my friends from The BLOHARDS, who came out for the festivities. The numbers were fairly strong throughout the contest, and I got back some positive feedback about the "Movie Characters Trivia" category. (I will bring it back sometime down the road, but I'll make them harder!)

The numbers were really good for that category, as well as for General Knowledge. But IQ Trivia is where we separated the contenders from the pretenders. There were 15 teams within five points of the lead going into it.

Only three teams got as many as three of the five questions correct, and We Thought PacMan Was Yellow came from five points behind to get 18 in the IQ Trivia round to pull out the victory by three points. (Nice job by my buddy Alex, who was solo, getting 16 in the round to finish second.) Congratulations to them on a great finish and win.

Current Events
1. This American comedienne was kicked off a British TV talk show last week for uttering two expletives live on the air.
2. This Hollywood actor apologized last week when it was revealed that he used racist language in a voicemail sent to his now ex-wife.
3. Martha Stewart was banned from visiting this country because of her obstruction of justice conviction in 2004, but she got a warm welcome last Friday in Poland.
4. Former Giants defensive lineman George Martin completed a 3,000 mile journey last Saturday as he walked across the us from NYC to San Diego. For whose benefit was he doing it?
5. Militants in this African nation blew up a Chevron oil pipeline last Saturday, which stopped Chevron's oil production cold.
6. This longtime staple of NBC News was picked to replace the late Tim Russert as host of "Meet the Press" through this November's election.
7. Typhoon Fengshun struck this Asian country last weekend and capsized a ferry off its coast with hundreds of people still missing.

Answers: 1. Joan Rivers; 2. Charlie Sheen; 3. England; 4. Ill 9/11 first responders; 5. Nigeria; 6. Tom Brokaw; 7. Philippines.

Movie Characters Trivia
1. Tony Montana
2. Holly Golightly
3. Gordon Gekko
4. Nathan Detroit
5. George Bailey
6. Hedley Lamarr
7. Sarah Connor

Answers: 1. "Scarface;" 2. "Breakfast at Tiffany's;" 3. "Wall Street;" 4. "Guys and Dolls;" 5. "It's a Wonderful Life;" 6. "Blazing Saddles;" 7. "The Terminator."

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. By definition, a Black Hole is invisible.
2. Kugel is a type of baked noodle pudding.
3. Adlai Stevenson once lost two consecutive presidential elections.
4. Author and pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock once won an Olympic gold medal in sailing.
5. Fisherman's Wharf is a popular tourist site in Seattle.
6. Oakley is best known for making fashionable sunglasses.
7. John Nash, the inspiration for the film "A Beautiful Mind," was a philosophy teacher.
8. Just 5 MLB players have ever hit as many as 600 home runs.
9. The Basque people live in a region that lies in the countries of Spain and Portugal.
10. In 1986, Ivan Boesky paid a $100 million fine after pleading guilty to insider trading.

Answers: 1. true; 2. true; 3. true; 4. false, rowing; 5. false, San Francisco; 6. true; 7. false, mathematics; 8. false, six players have; 9. false, Spain and France; 10. true.

General Knowledge
1. What is the first word of the first verse of the Old Testament?
2. What currently circulated US coin shows a president on the front and his memorial on the back?
3. What religious group is best known for putting Bibles in hotel rooms?
4. The video for what 1986 song features a young woman who enters a black-and-white comic book world?
5. In the 1994 movie "Pulp Fiction," Uma Thurman and John Travolta do what dance at the theme restaurant?
6. In times of war, the phrase "the fifth column" refers to what group of people?
7. What legendary musician had a groundbreaking album called "Kind of Blue?"

Answers: 1. in; 2. penny; 3. Gideons; 4. "Take on Me;"5. the twist; 6. enemy sympathizers; 7. Miles Davis.

IQ Trivia
1. John Chapman was the real name of which legendary American folk hero? ( 4 points)
2. Guitarist Brian Setzer played what 1950s late musician in the 1987 movie "La Bamba?" ( 5 points)
3. After oxygen, what is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust? ( 3 points)
4. Noted medical school professor Dr. Joseph Bell was the inspiration for what fictional character? ( 4 points)
5. In 1976, a court ruled that George Harrison's song "My Sweet Lord" infringed the copyright of what 1960s pop song? ( 4 points, and 1 bonus point for knowing the artist)

Answers: 1. Johnny Appleseed; 2. Eddie Cochran; 3. silicon; 4. Sherlock Holmes; 5. "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons.