Arcana of the Day

I was watching a video of Conan O'Brien interviewing Tom Hanks, because the musical guest that show was Wolfmother, and Hanks was talking about filming the DaVinci Code in Paris. He wanted to see the city, so, instead of providing him a driver and car, the studio gave him a scooter. Previously Hanks had not understood the pout he always saw on Frenchmen riding scooters, but, once on the scooter, he had the pout, and the beret, and he always had a baguette sticking out of his back pack, and for good measure he had an accordion player on the back.

The tune Hanks hummed was the theme from the Third Man. I was very pleased that I recognized it, and to think if I had seen the interview when it initially aired in April (before I saw the Third Man), I would have not been able to appreciate it. I'll forgive Tom the mistake of using a song by an Austrian used in a movie filmed in Vienna for his Paris soundtrack.

Thursday morning I was watching the World Series of Pop Culture on VH1. One category was Live from New York, questions about Saturday Night Live. The two contestants, each with a chance to answer the question if the first one missed, got only two of the six questions right. I can't remember the sixth question, but of the five questions I remember, I knew the answer to four of them. I thought it odd that these people who entered a contest challenging their knowledge of pop culture, couldn't answer even half of the questions on a subject that prides itself on its immersion in pop culture. Here is your opportunity. I'll give you the questions and put the answers in the comments. I didn't know the answer to the fifth.

1. What popular Eddie Murphy character recorded an album that includes the songs "Wookin' Pa Nub" and "Fee Tines a Mady"? They got this one right.

2. What is the name of the fake NPR show on which Alec Baldwin plays Pete Schweddy, who touts his Schweddy Balls?

3. In a memorable Celebrity Jeopardy skit, Norm MacDonald plays which actor who insists that Alex Trebec call him Turd Ferguson?

4. In the SNL Digital Short "Lazy Sunday" with Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg, which two snacks equal "crazy delicious"? The girl had even recently seen this, but couldn't recall.

5. Which song do Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley dance to in their tryouts for the Chippendales?

[6. The first question which I forgot (thank goodness for re-runs), but both they and I knew was: In 1991 Rev. Jesse Jackson read which Dr. Seuss book on Weekend Update in a tribute to the author.]

Good luck.