Inspired (sort of) by my frustration with the underrepresentation of modern music in FloridaGator’s Area Code Ring, I have devoted my first ever TD to my generation, a group of people who receive much flak in society - Millennials! No fear, though, you need not be a millennial to participate and win this TD. All of the questions are based loosely on the varying parts of current society and culture. Some may lean harder depending on your age and interests, but all of these questions should have easily accessible answers!
Traditional TD rules apply here:
1.) Answer one question in a given set you think others will not. Make sure to read each question to follow procedures; if I need a letter with your answer, give me the corresponding letter. The lowest score including bonuses will be the winner.
2.) You are permitted (but not required) to drop one question and sheep one other - there are no bonuses for answering all questions, so I highly suggest you utilize your drop at some point. A sheep will give you the same amount of points as the most popular answer without fear of giving a wrong answer.
3.) Incorrect responses will add five (5) points on top of the sheep’s total.
4.) Jeopardy! spelling rules apply - you’ll get dinged for misspelling if you change the word or name’s pronunciation (i.e., Vilnuis as opposed to Vilnius).
5.) No outside research, pretty please!
I hope you’ll bear with me as this is my first TD and surely something will go wrong. If you find something is incorrect or malfunctioning, please feel free to shoot me a PM or reply in the thread (use a spoiler if it pertains to a question). I’ll be happy to talk if we need to discuss a ruling or error. Submit responses via this form or by PM no later than June 18 at 11:30 p.m. EST. The reveal will tentatively begin Tuesday morning - if a request is made for more time, I can accommodate. This is my first time using Google Forms, so hopefully this works alright.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
1.) Born in the ‘90s
Many folks in my generation were born in the 1990s, yet “retro” TV is very much in, at least around some of the folks I know. Given an actor/actress duo and the dates of the show’s original run, name the 90s TV show.
- Jaleel White, Kellie Shanygne Williams (1989-98)
- Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton (1996-05)
- Ben Savage, Danielle Fishel (1993-2000)
- Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer (1994-2004)
- James Van der Beek, Katie Holmes (1998-2003)
- Tia Mowry, Marques Houston (1994-99)
- Ed O’Neill, Katey Sagal (1987-97)
- Larissa Oleynik, Darris Love (1994-98)
- Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves (1993-2004)
- Fran Drescher, Charles Shaughnessy (1993-99)
- Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty (1990-2000)
- Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann (1997-2002)
BONUS: (-1): Attempting to save money as more programming is watched via mobile and streaming, more and more millennials are ditching cable altogether- a practice referred to as what?
2.) Kids and Their Damn Technology
What are us kids good for these days? Spending all of our time in front of an iPhone, of course! Identify a popular social app based on its logo as shown.
3.) Degradation of Culture (NOT)
While millennials are constantly blamed for stuff, especially our glorification of … shudder… reality TV…. trust me when I say that fine arts are still alive and well. Name a Best Musical Tony Winner between 2000 (54th Awards) and 2018 (72nd Awards) (nineteen possible answers).
BONUS (-1): Which musical on this list identifies the main characters only as “Guy” and “Girl”, and features songs entitled “Gold” and “Falling Slowly”? (Answer may be repeated).
SECOND BONUS (-3): An original puppeteer and cast member of the 2004 winner on this list, John Tartaglia later went on to create and star in which Disney Channel show, aired in 2007 and 2008?
4.) High School: The Classics, Man!
As we progress further into the 2000s, high school students are subjected to read more “classics” in their English courses - at least I have, anyway. Take a stroll with me down memory lane! Given the title, name the author (AND GIVE THE CORRESPONDING LETTER) of one of these novels, plays or poems that I have read in the last ~five years. There are a few names that could be problematic spelling wise, so in this rare case I’ll try to be lenient.
- A.) Things Fall Apart
B.) Persuasion
C.) Endymion
D.) Frankenstein
E.) The Metamorphosis
F.) Their Eyes Were Watching God
G.) A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
H. ) The Crucible
I.) Heart of Darkness
J.) Hamlet
K.) To Kill a Mockingbird
L.) Rime of the Ancient Mariner
5.) Popularity Contests
I’ve been a sports buff my entire life - Football, Baseball, Golf, NASCAR (we’ll talk about that in another TD). However, the sports world with my friends has always revolved around basketball. Many celebrities and other young people around the world have taken a tremendous interest in the NBA in recent years for the game’s fast paced action, excitement and marketable stars such as Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Name any team to play in the NBA Finals since 2000 (13 possible answers).
6.) Selfies. Lots and lots of selfies
Because we did this to the world.
Identify a famous person in one of the selfies below - those with two people featured will be scored together. NOTE: If requested, I will break up this image into a gallery.
BONUS (-2): Which EDM group produced a song entitled #Selfie in 2014, which peaked at 16 on the Billboard Hot 100?
7.) You Said You Want a Revolution?
March for our Lives was staged by.. Guess who!.. students and young adults back in March 2018. My brother and a few of his classmates were among the millions who trekked to Washington advocating for gun control measures. While extraordinarily powerful, this isn’t the first time such a rally has taken place. With a brief bio of events, answer a question about past protests, unionization and movements.
- In 1960, four black teenagers sat-in at which five-and-dime store in Greensboro, NC?
- What notable 1911 fire helped spur the growth of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union?
- Who is referred to as the “Apostle of Cuban Independence”, speaking out on this issue through his writing before his death in 1895?
- While his humanitarian efforts have gone largely unnoticed, what 49ers quarterback made waves in 2016 for various protests, notably refusing to stand during the National Anthem?
- What leader of the Teamsters disappeared in 1975?
- The American Railway Union went on strike in 1894 protesting what man (and his company) over stagnant wages and increasing rent prices in his city?
- In one of the nastiest .. literally… strikes in history, what group of people went on strikes, notably, in Memphis and New York City in 1968?
- What hashtag made headlines as women revealed encounters with sexual assaulters in late 2017? (There are 2 answers that will be acceptable and scored together)
- Which noteworthy 19th and 20th century activist and suffragette once quipped that bicycles liberated women more than anything else?
- While 500,000 people marched in Washington to protest the Vietnam War, this president proved tricky to find - he reportedly spent the day watching college football.
- Many people have come forward as LGBTQ or have become “Allies” of these people. The official flag representing this group displays the colors of what?
- Protesters occupied this New York City locale in September 2011 to protest economic inequality
8.) Prom Night - No More Moldy Oldies!
What do you at your high school’s prom? Dance to all of the greatest pop hits, of course! We’ve had way too much music from the stone age in recent TDs, so let’s restore the balance of power. Given the selected lyrics, name the singer of the recent hit (LETTER REQUIRED).
- A.) “I’m in love with the shape of you/We push and pull like a magnet do”
B.) “Body like a back road/Drivin’ with my eyes closed”
C.) “Rain Drops/Drop Tops/Smokin’ on cookie in the hotbox”
D.) “I need a one dance/Got the Hennessy in my hand”
E.) “Hello from the other side/I must have called a thousand times”
F.) “Baby I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight/I love cheap thrills”
G.) “I’ve got new rules I count ‘em/I’ve gotta tell them to myself”
H.) “Send me your location/Let’s focus on communication
I.) “Sit Down/Be Humble”
J.) “Havana ooh-na-na/Half of my heart is in Havana ooh-na-na”
K.) “Now that I’m without your kisses/I’ll be needing stitches”
L.) “Because you know I’m all about that bass/’Bout that bass/No Treble”
M.) “Poopy-di-scoop/Scoop-diddy-whoop/Whoop-di-Scoop-di-poop”
9.) Off to College
College is a hot topic amongst kids - especially as costs rise. Test your college knowledge by answering one of these questions!
- The first co-ed college in the United States, located in Ohio, was also the first to award a doctorate to an African-American woman, in 1862
- What major U.S. City is Villanova located in?
- Chartered by King George IV, Marty the Martlet is mascot of what Montreal based school?
- Hopefully you can “spell” the name of this Claremont, California school - no “bee” here
- In 1996, Southampton College gave what muppet an honorary doctorate in Amphibious Letters, as well as a chance to speak at their commencement?
- Tom Lehrer’s “Element Song” states that the news of every element discovered has been brought to which Ivy League institution, while acknowledging others but they “haven’t been discovered”?
- This other Ivy League school, not in New England, holds down the #1 slot in U.S. News and World Report’s top college list for 2018
- Despite being nowhere close to Australia, the University of Missouri-Kansas City made what marsupial their mascot?
- What university affiliated with the Church of Latter Day Saints has campuses in Utah and Hawai’i?
- Up until 2009 this Ohio school, appropriately, played football in the Rubber Bowl
- As of 2017, there are now 17 schools with varsity programs devoted to this sport where athletes play, among others, League of Legends and StarCraft?
BONUS (-3): Name the college that I currently attend - no hints other than that it’s located in Massachusetts… this is a three point bonus, after all . No penalty for an incorrect guess.
10.) Moving Out! (Sort of)
Living with mom and dad for a while is in these days (I too will be following this trend as a commuter student in the fall). But when they move out, where do they go? I grew up in a few small towns, where everyone promptly moved out after graduating high school. This means they go where the opportunity is, particularly the big cities. Given the clue, identify the fictional city in the anagram (from TV, comics, movies, etc.)
Best Known from TV Shows
- Their 2007 movie was first screened in a Vermont town with the same name: fling spider
- Which geological era again?: rob deck
- Ironic considering the vampires; Bill Raftery and his onions need to stay away: Delay nuns
- Futuristic space life? Yes, please!: Biotic try
- Craig McCracken’s brainchild: Lint vowels (cartoon)
- 1998 film starring Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon, going back in time: patella snivel
- Setting of a Lagomorphic “Mystery”: Now Tonto
- Setting of a 1978 slasher with a holiday for a title: Hidden Adolf
- City name clashes with the ruby slippers: meet acridly
- No joker-ing around in this city: mythic goat
- Includes a phone booth near you: Eliot romps
- Take a pass on visiting here unless Donald puts on some trousers: buck drug
- Archie, Jughead and Cole Sprouse play there: arid lever
11.) Someday We’ll Rule the World Too
When the rest of you die off, we’ll be the ones to carry on as stewards and citizens of the world. Love us or hate us, you can’t deny this. Given the current political figure, name the country they represent.
- Donald Trump
- Justin Trudeau
- Theresa May
- Shinzo Abe
- Xi Jinping
- Malcolm Turnbull
- Emmanuel Macron
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- Moon Jae-in
- Nicolás Maduro
- Evo Morales
- Rodrigo Duterte
- Giuseppe Conte
- Jacinda Ardern
BONUS - 2010's Fads
INCLUDE THE CORRESPONDING LETTER and answer as many questions as you can about these trends or fads made popular in the 2010s - silly or not. Seeing as how these are bonus questions, these are supposed to be on the tougher side, but if you’ve been following the news and have a decent memory (or cringe reflex) you should be able to answer a handful of these. Each correct answer will deduct 1 point from your score, and if you manage to answer the whole set, you will receive ten points plus an additional two points for “sweeping the category”, for a maximum loss of twelve points. This can drastically change the final results, so I encourage you to take time and answer as many as you can. There are no penalties for incorrect guesses.
- A. ) Afflicted with the disease he wanted to raise money for, former Boston College pitcher Pete Frates is credited as the brainchild of what viral phenomenon?
B.) During his 2015 MVP season, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton popularized which arm gesture, where one drops their head into the crook of their arm?
C.) Rob Gronkowski took to TV and social media in late 2017 to discourage kids from eating what household product in a popular social challenge?
D.) Instead of simply asking face to face, high school students (including yours truly back in his junior year) have started asking out prospective prom dates in creative and usually over the top methods, referred to as what portmanteau word?
E.) A technology of the future (....I guess…), 2015 saw this popular wheeled toy come under fire … literally.
F.) What Rae Sremmurd song served as the official soundtrack to the viral Mannequin Challenge in late 2016, where people stand still while a moving camera films them?
G.) Based off of a novel by Jay Asher, Selena Gomez joined the production staff of this controversial Netflix teen drama/anthology that recently came out with a second season.
H.) Who hit #1 with the viral “Harlem Shake” in 2013?
I.) Celiac disease can be treated if you abide by what type of popular diet, which notably excludes wheat, barley and rye?
J.) What slang term, in a social setting, means an invitation to get together and watch a certain streaming platform?