›› TRiViA CAFÉ
by Howard Rachelson
1.The population of Marin County increased dramatically after what April 18, 1906, event? 2. What season begins on Dec. 22 in the Southern Hemisphere? 3. Pictured, right: Identify the title and author of the 1822 poem that begins with the line “’Twas the night before Christmas.” 4. What three U.S. cities have hosted the Summer Olympics? 5. What is one fundamental difference between a physician and doctor? 6. Pictured, right: What actors and 1997 film are pictured here? Which of these won acting Oscars for that film? 7. In 1995, President Clinton appointed what woman as the first female secretary of state? 8. British explorer Richard Burton set out to Africa in 1858 to search for what? 9. In 1936, Hialeah in Florida was the world’s first horse racetrack to make use of what new innovation? 10. “Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” was the subtitle of what 2006 film sensation?
›› THAT TV GUY by R ic k Po lito
3
6
BONUS QUESTION: What was the world’s most populous city 100 years ago? Howard Rachelson welcomes your questions (we’ll give you credit) and invites you to live team trivia contests at the Broken Drum in San Rafael on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm. Contact him at howard1@triviacafe.com.
Answers on page 31
SATURDAY, DEC. 17 The Story of Santa Claus This animated feature explores Santa Claus’s early career and what possessed him to dress in flamboyant red outfits, surround himself with elves and keep voyeuristic lists of children’s innocent behavior. CBS. 9pm. DC Cupcakes A baked good 6 feet tall and shaped like a nutcracker is no longer a cupcake. It’s a threat to humanity. TLC. 9pm. CMA Country Christmas A country Christmas is just like any other Christmas, but instead of celebrating the birth of Christ, they ask to see his birth certificate. ABC. 9pm. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town He doesn’t even bother with a naughty or nice list any more. He just follows you on Twitter. ABC Family. 10pm.
MONDAY, DEC. 19 Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special Apparently the true meaning of the holidays has something to do with animals that fight and wear pants. ABC. 8pm. Terra Nova This is the season finale, in which sinister businessmen from the future figure out a way to go back in time and exploit the prehistoric world. It’s like a Rick Perry commercial. Fox. 8pm. Who’s Still Standing? In this new trivia game, wrong answers trigger a trapdoor that opens beneath the players plummeting them into darkness with no money to show for it. It’s like the economy, but with a comedian host. NBC. 8pm. Got a Hero or a Zero? Please send submissions to e-mail nikki_silverstein@yahoo.com. Toss roses, hurl stones with more Heroes and Zeros at ›› pacificsun.com
TUESDAY, DEC. 20 The Postman Kevin Costner plays a survivor of a nuclear apocalypse who takes on the mission of delivering the mail in hopes of rekindling a spirit of civilization and national unity. In his tireless mission, he faces armed warlords, roving gangs of bandits and vast radioactive wastelands. But he guarantees secondday delivery. (1997) SyFy.7pm. Rick Steves’ European Christmas It’s a lot like an American Christmas but with less time driving around parking lots looking for spaces. KQED.9pm.
FRIDAY, DEC. 16 Christmas in Washington There are plenty of people in Washington who’ve been naughty this year, but we’re not sure any of them deserved Justin Bieber. Whatever happened to coal in the stocking? TNT.8pm. Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas The saber tooth tiger, the mammoth and that rat thing visit Santa where the saber tooth is happy to meet Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Eaten. Fox.9pm. CSI: NY When a food truck explodes at a festival, investigators have to determine if the explosion was accidental and also whether the combo plate was a good deal. CBS.9pm. Christmas lists of only 140 characters! Saturday, 10pm. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21 The Tonight Show Ron Geek Love We’ve never Paul looks past his camheard of “Sci-Fi Speed Dating”but it sounds paign and the potential to keep the debate hijinks going in a dinner theater format. NBC. like a 100 percent effective form of birth control. TLC. 8:30pm. 11:35pm.
SUNDAY, DEC. 18 Alien Invasion: Are We Ready? No. But we could pull out the couch and use an inflatable mattress in the den. Discovery Channel. 8pm. All American Muslim It’s not easy being Muslim in America, but choosing where to shop for hardware just got easier. TLC. 10pm.
by Rick Polito
Neither rain, nor sleet nor nuclear winter... Tuesday at 7.
Gaga by Gaultier The pop star and the designer have a conversation.We’re convinced they’ll solve world hunger, cure cancer and find the Higgs boson by minute 32. CW. 9pm.
THURSDAY, DEC. 22 The X-Factor The winner is announced tonight, awarded with a cash prize, a recording contract, an agent and the option to block Simon Cowell’s calls. Fox. 8pm. Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice The elf’s secret technology falls into the hands of a naughty child.This seems to be happening a lot lately but the kid doesn’t share the technology with the Chinese or demand an international apology. ABC. 8:30pm. I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown Rerun celebrates Christmas with Snoopy and his canine companion, Spike, because nothing teaches us more about the meaning of Christmas than a lonely child hanging out with a pair of anthropomorphic canine siblings separated since infancy when they were sold as commodities. ABC. 9pm. < Critique That TV Guy at letters@pacificsun.com.
Turn on more TV Guy at ›› pacificsun.com DECEMBER 16 - DECEMBER 22, 2011 PACIFIC SUN 9