By Randy Cohen
According to Houston psychiatrist Dr. David Krueger, “Part of the reason so many women take these types of drugs is that men tend to have trouble admitting they have a problem.” What types of drugs?
by noon ET Thursday to e-mail your answer to newsquiz@slate.com.
Responses to Tuesday’s question (No. 139)–“Notions”:
Toys, comic books, nail polish, and jewelry. What’s the connection?
“Things John Glenn played with while the other astronauts were doing actual work.”–Jon Hotchkiss
“Items currently preferred as currency over the Russian ruble.”–Alex Balk
“Oh, God. Is there another ‘new look’ for Superman on the way?”–Andrew Solovay
“Items that members of the Blair Cabinet have officially been ‘urged to discard.’ From their offices, anyway.”–Steve Bodow (David Rakoff and Dan Ricci had similar answers.)
“Tie-in merchandise from The Siege that Ed Zwick gave to kids at the Al Iman School to ‘smooth things over with the Arab-American community.’ “–Daniel Radosh
Click for more responses.
Randy’s Wrap-Up
It is, of course, the juxtaposition of childish amusements and adult ornamentation that makes this list so pleasingly perverse. Similarly, it is the odd juxtaposition of references that makes “News Quiz” responses so perversely pleasing: (click for more, and you really should because there’s terrific stuff on Page 2) Susan Sontag and Michael Jackson’s ass, glue sniffing and the ruble, IPOs and Adam Sandler, MacGyver and 1998. It’s the kind of high-low juxtaposition–of reference, of language, of moral importance–that Woody Allen executes so wonderfully, such as in this excerpt from “The Scrolls”: “Whosoever shall not fall by the sword or by famine shall fall by pestilence, so why bother shaving?” Now, sadly, his personal life is itself reduced to a comic juxtaposition. And if you enjoy that sort of thing, here’s a little juxtaposition game you can play when you spot odd pairings of the bald and the beautiful; it’s a betting game called “Date or Daughter?” Enjoy.
Parochial Answer
As Daniel Radosh and others knew, students may not bring any of these items to Al Iman School in Queens, one of 24 Islamic schools in New Jersey, Long Island, and New York City.
In New York state, 480,000 students–one in five–attend one of 2,400 registered parochial schools, which are mostly Catholic or Jewish. Nationwide, about one in 10 of the 50 million schoolchildren attend religious schools, of which more than 200 are Islamic.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a ruling permitting taxpayer-financed vouchers to send kids to Milwaukee parochial schools.
The court also let stand a ruling giving royalty rights to the Kingsmen for their 1963 hit recording of “Louie, Louie.” But don’t try singing it in the halls of Al Iman.
Dream Team Extra
Match the 60 Minutes II correspondent with the impressive attribute ascribed to him or her by gushing executive producer Jeff Fager.
Dan Rather
Bob Simon
Vicki Mabrey
Charlie Rose
A. “An amazing hunger for stories.”
B. “A workhorse like no other.”
C. “A fresh face.”
D. “Fishlike gills that let him breathe underwater.”
E. “The Beatles of the puppet world.”
F. “A fatuous worldview expressed in banal language.”
G. “Which one is he again?”
Answers
A. Charlie Rose
B. Dan Rather
C. Vicki Mabrey
D. Aquaman (not signed by CBS News)
E. How Caroll “Big Bird” Spinney describes the late Jim Henson (not signed by CBS News, but wouldn’t you be more inclined to watch if he were?)
F. Some wise guy describing Dan Rather (OK, it was me)
G. Same wise guy on Bob Simon
Disclaimer: All submissions will become the property of Slate and will be published at Slate’s discretion. Slate may publish your name on its site in connection with your submission.
