Vamissimo!

     You might also remember that I’d thought about reading the works that had been adapted into Oscar-winning screenplays.  I’m going to do that, too, and you can read and watch whatever you want along with me.  I modifying the plan, but I’ll keep you informed.  For one thing, I don’t know how easy it’ll be to find copies of the books/movies, since I live in a small-ish town.  Also, I’ll be skipping some things if I think the book or the movie is explicit in all the wrong ways.  I’ve already read Accidental Billionaires and watched “The Social Network,” and I am skipping Push because my aunt already tells me the book is no good.  I wanted to read the novel True Grit by Charles Portis, even though the movie did not win an adapted screenplay Oscar.  My library’s website says it’s on the “Bookmobile.”  I didn’t know the library had a “Bookmobile,” but strangely, I happened to see it driving down the street on my way to the library. ? Anyway the book wasn’t there.  I picked up Q and A by Vikas Swarup, from which “Slumdog Millionaire” was adapted.  I’ve seen the movie already.
     I will still keep track of my Coryats and post them (and try to boost them!), but I am through comparing them to those of the contestants on the show.
     Speaking of contestants, here are today’s:

Beth Watkins

Boomie Aglietti

Silas Crawford

     Boomie came into today’s episode a two-time champion.  Four-time champ Ryan Chaffee recently pointed out to me that he mentioned Boomie in my interview with him, published way back in September 2010.  Very cool!
     I also know that Boomie is an occasional pub quiz player at O’Brien’s on Wednesday nights in Santa Monica, CA.  I wonder if he was there last night to celebrate his wins!  I’m so glad I knew about the quiz when I was in L.A. to tape Jeopardy!, as the pub is crawling with former champs.  I wasn’t gonna miss that even if the door to the pub was on fire.  I got to meet the legendary Jerome Vered, College champ/ToC finalist Cliff Galiher, and one-time crush/five-time champ/ToC finalist Stefan Goodreau.  *Sigh!*  It could only be described as a total thrill.  Marty Butterick kindly let my sister and I join his team that night.  No doubt we looked as lost and out of place as we felt, at first!  Thank you to Mark May and the pub for being gracious hosts.
     On the show today, Mr. Trebek said his wife, 91-year-old mother, and cousin were in the audience.  The camera was on them, but who was who?  No one looked 91, to me.
     Silas fell for the same trap I did in Burns, Baby, Burns (surely a category after Trebek’s own heart): “Finish the Burns line: ‘Give me a spark o’ nature’s fire!/that’s a’ the learning I…'”  Boomie picked it up, and to add to the bummer for Silas, the next clue was the Daily Double.  Boomie had 4200, Silas had 400, and Beth had 2600.  I wonder why Boomie did not wager it all instead of 1200.  This was the clue: “Steinbeck took note when Burns wrote, ‘The best-laid schemes o'” these two things ‘gang aft agley.'”  Boomie and I got it right.  At this commercial break, I was 13/15, and I’d swept “S” as in Simile.  At the end of the round, I was 23/30.  Boomie had 7000, Silas had 3400, and Beth had 4800.
     Beth found the first Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round, in Churches and Cathedrals.  She had 10800, Silas had 7800, and Boomie had 13000.  She wagered 3000 on this clue: “Teddy Roosevelt spoke to a crowd of 10,000 at the laying of the foundation stone for this Cathedral in 1907.”  She and I got it right.
     Boomie seemed like he was looking for the next Daily Double next time he had a chance, but Beth found it in Times Past.  She had 16600, Boomie had 15000, and Silas still had 7800.  Beth wagered 2000 on this toughie: “In the Congress system of 1815-25, nations tried to solve conflict diplomatically, starting with the Congress of here.”  She got it wrong, but she regained the lead with this next clue, just as tough: “By 878, the Vikings had conquered all of England except for this southern kingdom controlled by Alfred the Great.”
     Now how was this next clue in the same category a triple-stumper?: “The 1987 Meech Lake Accord was a failed attempt to recognize this Canadian province as a ‘distinct society.'”
     At the end of the round, Boomie and Beth were tied with 18600, while Silas had 8600.  The final category was American Authors.  This was the clue: He was born in NYC on April 3, 1783, toward the end of the Revolutionary War, & named for one of the war’s heroes.”  This was an instaget, for me.  Silas and Beth got it right, too.  Beth wagered everything.  Boomie missed it, and he too wagered everything.  So we’ll see Beth tomorrow.  My Coryat today was 22800.
     Heck, one more time: All together now! – VAMOS!