Knowledge War

The trivia challenge at Keegan's tonight should be monumental. With the squad of Hugh Hewitt-recruited ringers arrayed against us, we knew it was going to be tough. This picture shows exactly how tough.

Yes, that earnest, horn rim spectacled young man is Michael Medved appearing on the CBS game show "Scholarquiz" in 1964. On a championship team, according to his bio. It seems he's been preparing his whole life, in hopes of one day defeating Fraters Libertas in the public forum.

Well, to quote John Kerry, from his original draft of his acceptance speech, "commence with your efforts!"

Sure, Medved may excel with hoity toity categories such as Poetry and Literary Heritage and Long Division. But this ain't the Scholarquiz. This is Irish pub trivia, aimed at the unwashed masses. And that's us (or at least it's the Atomizer, who's been preparing by refusing to shower all week). All the memorized Walt Whitman verse in the world isn't going to help the Hewitt All Stars when it comes to knowing what Marge Simpson's maiden name is.

And that stuff, we know. Come to think of it, Hewitt team member James Lileks knows that stuff too. Damn, advantage negated! Here's hoping Frater-for-a-Day Mike Nelson is a Sex and the City fanatic, because we generally get screwed on those questions, and they may be our only hope.

By the way, Mike Nelson (yes, THAT Mike Nelson of MST3K fame) is now blogging. And he's stumbled across a way to generate revenue without resorting to those annoying Blog Ads:

I have decided to post my own pictures and a diary in the hopes that strange men will be motivated to send me cash, cars and, instead of jewelry, please, audio visual equipment. Rest assured, there is nothing untoward about this arrangement, nothing implicit. It is a simple transaction wherein I post things and you send me stuff.

The trivia starts tonight, 9 PM at Keegan's. Be aware, this isn't a feature match. The public is encouraged to bring their own teams (max of 4 people) to challenge us all. Although we sternly discourage the attendance of teams of strange men motivated to give Mike Nelson things.

If you're coming, you better arrive early. Space may be short, and believe me, you don't want to miss it.