long long long long

we're on hiatus, but i get the feeling this baby might see a revival at some point. just in case, submit questions for the vault.

pop culture showdown december 17th, at just past noon tokyo time

The first contender match has been played, and Sorro came away with a strong victory, defeating themickel 14 - 11.

Sorro started out very strong, jumping out to a large lead, but Logan made it interesting in the final few questions, nearly pulling out a comeback. The questions were tough, and just as in the inaugural match, several questions went unanswered by the contestants.

Here is the slightly edited transcript:

***

12:21 PM Sorro: this is a much more intimate pop culture showdown round

themickell: That new Iphone interfering with your chat skills sorro?

me: haha

Sorro: apparently

that and being on my mom's compy

themickell: Ah

I'm on dial-up internet

Sorro: that's almost as bad

themickell: so I may get booted off out of nowhere

12:22 PM me: okay, then. shall we get this going?

Sorro: let's rumble

themickell: Lets get this party started

12:23 PM me: alright. remember, once you have answered incorrectly, you have to wait for the other person to answer, and if they are also wrong you are both free to give a 2nd response

Sorro: ok

me: got it?

themickell: ok

me: ok here goes

1. Q: What Eminem album features the singles "The Real Slim Shady" and
"Stan"?

themickell: eminem

me: no

12:24 PM Sorro: the marshall mathers album

me: i will say yes

A: The Marshall Mathers LP

themickell: Wow.

me: that was very close to not being accepted though

themickell: I've never purposely listened to an Eminem song

Sorro: it was

not a huge eminiem man

to say at all

12:25 PM themickell: right

it's ok. You're among friends

me: okay sorro 1

12:26 PM sorry here goes

2. Q: In the 1992 film "Sneakers", David Strathairn's character (Erwin
'Whistler' Emory) has what disability?

themickell: blind

me: yes

themickel 2

themickell: and give him ... help whenever he needs it

me: here we go

12:27 PM 3. Q: Who provides the voice for Ned Flanders on "The Simpsons"?

Sorro: shearer

themickell: david castella

me: Sorro gets it, harry shearer

Sorro 2

Sorro: rockon

themickell: impressive

me: here goes

4. Q: In the HBO series, "Flight of the Conchords", Bret and Jemaine are
two musicians trying to make it big with what folk band?

Sorro: flight of the conchords

themickell: conchords

me: yes

Sorro 2

12:28 PM Sorro: love that show

me: it is great

here goes

5. Q: What was the last video game console Atari sold before exiting the
hardware business in 1996?

Sorro: jaguar

me: yes

Sorro 2

12:29 PM themickell: whoa. The last 4 answers all came at once

me: what do you mean?

themickell: I didn't even see that question until after Sorro answered

me: oh crap

that isn't good

themickell: that's the first time though

oh well. ganbaro

me: so the last one only?

themickell: yep

Sorro: that lag will kill you :S

12:30 PM themickell: Where's my iphone when I need it...

me: ok, well, say ok when i say here goes, just in case

Sorro: lol

themickell: ok

Sorro: k

Aaron has joined

Sorro: welcome aaron

me: and we won't count that one

12:31 PM the champion has entered the building, btw

Sorro: k

Aaron: hello

themickell: oh man, we're in the prescense of greatness

Aaron: Not for long, I'll be going home teaching in a minuet

or a minute

me: haha in a minuet

ok here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 6. Q: What is the name of the show-within-a-show" on the TV series "30
Rock"?

12:32 PM themickell: Canteen Boy

with Alec Baldwin

me: no

Sorro: the tina fey show?

me: no

(2nd)

Sorro: snl?

me: 10 sec

themickell: Cheeth's magical mystery tour?

me: no

A: "The Girlie Show", "TGS", or "TGS with Tracy Jordan"

here goes

12:33 PM Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 7. Q: What was the theme of 1955's big high school dance in the movie
"Back to the Future"?

Sorro: enchantment under the sea

themickell: enchanment under the sea

me: yes

themickell: dammit

me: Sorro 2

Sorro: that was close

me: it was. tough break

themickell: I wrote "enhancement" and had to change it

me: haha

Sorro: lol that';s sweet

me: here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

12:34 PM me: 8. Q: What is the name of Steve Zissou's ship in "The Life Aquatic With
Steve Zissou"?

Sorro: the jaques cousteau

me: no

themickell: no idea

me: 2nd response?

themickell: I like the dance he does with the music piped into his helmet though

me: haha

Sorro: i got nothing...never seen it

me: A: "The Belafonte"

Sorro: nice

12:35 PM themickell: lol

me: here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 9. Q: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson
performed and recorded together as a band under what name?

themickell: The rockwell brothers

Sorro: the jonny cash project

me: no

2nd

12:36 PM Sorro: the men in black

me: no

themickell: The ring of fire...

me: no

A: The Highwaymen

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 10. Q: What was the first single released by R.E.M.?

themickell: stand

me: no

Sorro: the end of the world as we know it

me: no

12:37 PM themickell: losing my religion

me: 2nd

no

Sorro: monster

me: no

A: Radio Free Europe

themickell: drive

me: you guys are in a funk

Sorro: we are

themickell: yeah. these are hard

me: the champ must be licking his chops

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 11. Q: What is the highest selling video game of all time?

themickell: pac man

me: no

Sorro: super mario 3

me: no

12:38 PM 2ned

Sorro: super mario bros

me: yes

Sorro 1

ok here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

12:39 PM me: 12. Q: What is the name of the producer that created both New Edition and
New Kids on the Block?

Sorro: rick rubin

me: no

themickell: no idea

me: 10 sec for 2nd

i mean for themickel

themickell: Believe it or not, I stopped listening to New Kid's a while back...

me: no

Sorro: that[s a shame

me: 2nd?

12:40 PM Sorro: brian eno

me: no

themickell: pass

me: A: Maurice Starr

Sorro: never heard of him

me: what can i say? here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 13. Q: What year did the MTV series "Unplugged" premiere?

Sorro: 1991

me: no

themickell: 1992

me: no

12:41 PM 2nd

Sorro: 1990

themickell: 1993

me: ye

Sorro 1

A: 1990

here goes

themickell: k

me: 15. Q: What hand-held console did Atari release the same year as Nintendo's Game Boy?

Sorro: k

lynx

me: yes

Sorro: i know my atari

me: Sorro 2

themickell: wow

12:42 PM Aaron has left

me: here goes

Sorro: that must've been intimidating for aaron he left

lk

themickell: or boring...

me: haha

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 16. Q: At what university was the band Phish formed?

Sorro: harvard

12:43 PM me: no

Aaron has joined

themickell: berkley

me: no

2nd

themickell: georgia tech

me: no

Sorro: umass

me: no

A: University of Vermont

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 17. Q: Name any one of the 4 teams (city and mascot) in the video game
"Double Dribble"

12:44 PM themickell: new york eagles

me: yes

themickel 2

Sorro: i couldn;t get the nicknames

me: A: Possible answers: Boston Frogs, New York Eagles, Chicago Ox, LA
Breakers (or LA Waves)

themickell: love the breakers...

me: themickel with signs of life. let's take a slightly belated halftime here

themickell: their mascot looked like a large blue [knowing this is a prize for those who have played the game]

me: haha

Sorro: lol that was hilarious

is their halftime show ours?

12:45 PM me: any comments/heckling, champ?

themickell: I feel humbled...

Sorro: he's speechless

themickell: though I never anticipated having to know the NKOTB's producer...

Sorro: yeah, that was out of left field

themickell: and I actually have no desire to have that knowledge taking up room in my head

Sorro: lol

12:46 PM themickell: cheeth, can you do me a favor?

me: yes

themickell: will you take that 'large blue [yeah yeah yeah]' comment out of the transcript?

12:47 PM me: ok, sounds good. btw transcripts will be on a new blog i created

Sorro: lol, don't you want his site having lots of hits from people searching for large blue [knowing this is a prize for those who have played the game]?

themickell: Or at least release it only on the Pop culture two thousand diggity-seven "Uncensored" version?

me: yeah, we will have a director's cut. anyway, we are ready for the halftime show

Sorro: sweet, a pcttds blog

themickell: The cover could be sorro in naught but a sumo diaper...

12:48 PM Sorro: i'd do that

me: http://www.jokefrog.com/flash/worst-halftime-show.shtml

please enjoy, if possible

but stop watching after a little bit so we can get going again

12:49 PM Sorro: this is stunning

me: isn't it, though?

themickell: by the time my browser loads that, it will be time to go to work tomorrow

Aaron has left

Sorro: lol

me: haha

Sorro: they're simply the best

me: let me know when you are ready to start again

Sorro: i couldn't even identify the song until the chorus

i can start

themickell: I'm ready

12:50 PM 2nd half is where I shine

me: also, our halftime score is Sorro 11, themickel 4

themickell: ouch

me: here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 18. Q: Name the failed "Cheers" spinoff that aired for 13 episodes in 1987?

12:51 PM Sorro: um...woody's

themickell: Flaming Moe's

me: 10 sec

no

2nd

10 sec

Sorro: spitfire grill

me: no

A: "The Tortellis"

themickell: Carla's hubby...

Sorro: i'm surprised it went 13

12:52 PM me: good point

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 19. Q: Name one of the three villians in Superman II.

themickell: zed

me: no

Sorro: guy with widows peak, evil woman, beardy mcgee

me: no

2nd?

10 sec

12:53 PM themickell: zod

me: yes

themickel 1

Sorro: nice work

i've just got descriptions

me: A: Possible answers: General Zod, Ursa, Non

themickell: Knew it was a z-d

I like beardy mcgee

me: me too

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 20. Q: Name a playable character from Mortal Kombat.

themickell: scorpion

Sorro: raiden

themickell: sub zero

sonya

raiden

me: yes, themickel 2

themickell: johnny cage

lui kang

12:54 PM kano

Sorro: he spent a lot of quarters on it

me: is this the equvalent of punching after the bell?

Sorro: break it up, break it up

me: [two guys pull themickel off]

themickell: I've got to answer when I can...

me: A: Possible Answers: Johnny Cage, Kano, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sonya Blade, Sub-Zero

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 21. Q: What is the name of Bon Jovi's third studio album, widely recognized as vaulting them to superstardom?

Sorro: slippery when wet

12:55 PM me: yes

Sorro 2

Sorro: love that album

themickell: [something themickell did not want published]

jk

me: haha

Sorro: lol

me: 22. Q: Who sucks?

themickell: cheeth, will you take that out too?

Sorro: is that really q 22?

me: yes, if you answer this correctly

Sorro: donarudoson

12:56 PM me: A: Phil Collins

Sorro: lol

me: not really 22 of course

Sorro: k

me: here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 22: Q: What is the first name of Tom Cruise's character in the film "Rain Man"?

themickell: john

me: no

Sorro: raymond

me: no

2nd?

Sorro: wapner

me: no

12:57 PM 10 sec

themickell: lenny

me: no

A: Charlie

Sorro: you had the ie part

me: here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 23. Q: What video game was included as an "Easter egg" in the first release of Microsoft Excel 2000?

themickell: minesweeper

me: no

12:58 PM Sorro: spider solitare

me: no

2nd

Sorro: pinball

me: no

themickell: pac man

me: no

A: Spy Hunter

Sorro: really?

wow

12:59 PM me: yeah, quite strange. look it up sometime

here goes

themickell: k

Sorro: k

me: 24. Q: In what state of the U.S. was Chris Farley born?

Sorro: illinois

me: no

themickell: cali

me: no

2nd

Sorro: ohio

me: no

themickell: pac man

me: no

Sorro: lol

me: A: Wisconsin

haha good answer though

1:00 PM Sorro: heck of a good answer

me: here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 25. Q: What Lionel Richie video featured a blind student sculpting a likeness of Richie's head?

themickell: dancing on the ceiling

Sorro: man in the mirror

me: no

no

2nd

themickell: all night long

Sorro: sex machine

me: no

A: Hello

Sorro: i don't think either of those are lionel richie

songs

1:01 PM me: let me point out that neither of Sorro's answers were lionel richie songs

yes

ok here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 26. Q: Complete this memorable line from the film Billy Madison: _____ RULES!

themickell: odole

odoyle, i mean

me: yes

1:02 PM themickel gets 2. i mean have pity on the poor guy

themickell: yeah, the "y" key stuck

me: no more cokes near the computer for you

here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: I think it was actually baby vomit

k

Sorro: nice

me: 27. Q: Who is the heroine of the "Tomb Raider" video game franchise?

themickell: lara croft

Sorro: lara croft

themickell: boo yah

me: themickel 2, by a nose

1:03 PM Sorro: man

a nose hair even

themickell: coming back...

me: here goes

themickell: k

Sorro: k

me: 28. Q: What was the name ESPN originally an abbreviation for?

themickell: especially sports network

me: no

Sorro: entertainment sports programming network

me: yes, Sorro 1

A: "Entertainment and Sports Programming Network"

Sorro: shazam!

me: last two questions

1:04 PM here goes

Sorro: k

themickell: k

me: 29. Q: What is the name of the Def Leppard Drummer who famously lost one arm in an auto accident?

Sorro: one armed andy

themickell: lars mulwich

me: no

no

2nd

Sorro: karl vannistelrooy

me: no

themickell: pass

me: they are english, by the way

A: Phil Allen

1:05 PM here goes

Sorro: a fine christian name

k

themickell: k

me: lol

30. Q: In the film Tango and Cash, what actor plays Tango, and what actor plays Cash?

themickell: sly and kurt russel

Sorro: tango: kurt russell cash: sly stallone

me: that is unclear

no

themickell: sly is cash, tang russ

me: no

themickell: sly tango russ cash

me: yes

1:06 PM but themickel missed his first and second answers

Sorro: i feel like the utah jazz right now

me: A: Tango; Sylvester Stallone, Cash; Kurt Russell

Sorro: fading down the stretch

themickell: ah crap

me: ok let me tally this

1:07 PM Sorro 14, themickel 11

is correct, i believe. please verify

Sorro: wow

me: it got close

themickell: sounds good

Sorro: that sounds right

to me to

o

me: congratulations, Sorro

1:08 PM Sorro: thank you, thank you

good match there themickel

me: you are the winner of today's showdown, which i never did give a proper title

themickell: Those questions were much more vague than I had thought.

good job sorro

Sorro: all that useless knowledge finally being put to use

me: so today's showdown will forever be know as pop culture showdown december 17th, at just past noon tokyo time

themickell: I don't know, didn't sorro score as many points as aaron did?

1:09 PM me: he was close if i remember right

so it may be a good match

themickell: I'm rooting for you sorro.

Sorro: i'm rooting for me too

themickell: Since I know you and not aaron, I am completely in your corner.

me: haha

1:10 PM themickell: Go get him, Ray!

name that movie. (it should be "go get HER, Ray."

Sorro: ghostbusters

yappari

themickell: nice

1:11 PM me: well, nice work out there today, boys

themickell: all right, got to get off the line so the wife can use the phone.

Sorro: i better get my can home to put alyssa to bed...it was fun playing. thanks for the good old timey memories

themickell: see you guys

Sorro: see ya!

themickell: love you guys

me: themickel really showed some spunk toward the end for a respectable score

Sorro: he did

themickell: but not in the way you're thinking...

in a more ROMANTIC way

Sorro: that's good, i was thinking the way you're thinking

1:12 PM me: see you next time, as we set up the next matches. they include shane vs captain emus, and sorro vs aaron

Sorro: wink wink

me: good night

Sorro: gnight

me: uh, bye