Charles Van Doren, a Quiz Show Whiz Who Wasn’t, Dies at 93

The New York Times ^ | April 10, 2019 | Robert D. McFadden

[Verginius Rufus]

“Antidisestablishmentarianism” was later replaced as the longest word (ca. 1961) by “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis.” Or should that be “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis”?

[EveningStar]

I remember Elfrida Von Nardroff but not that particular episode.

[sparklite2]

The days when we turned on the TV and believed what we saw

---

You’ll recall those were also the days of payola. Even the music we listened to on the radio was manipulated to seem a lot more popular than it was, just to boost record sales.

[sparklite2]

Can’t get all the way through that word in one sitting.

Reminds me of the kid asked by his teacher to spell ‘banana.’
He said, “I know how to spell it. I just don’t know where to stop.”

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Dang, and here I had always been lead to believe the longest word in English is, “Supercallifragilisticexpialadosous”.

[MayflowerMadam]

Exactly what you said. Turturro was excellent in “Quiz Show”. The Van Doren actor ... meh. But the actor played a great weasel.

[MayflowerMadam]

“I plan to take the qualifying test tonight.”

Good for you! Break a leg. You’ll let us know if/when you’re scheduled to appear, right?

[morphing libertarian]

yes but I lost my cherry when the bay of pigs hit That was the day i never stopped questioning things especially media and government

[Empireoftheatom48]

My SIL’s Brother was on Jeopardy last year. Didn’t win though. They had some crazy guy who would pick the highest value questions first.

[x]

After his disgrace, Charles Van Doren worked with Mortimer Adler - a guy who got a lot of underserved grief from the media.

His uncle Carl Van Doren's ex-wife Irita was Wendell Willkie's girlfriend. Willkie's and Roosevelt's people had a de facto truce: neither side could reveal their opponent's sexual adventures because they had their own to worry about.

[minnesota_bound]

#23 Now it is likes and views at Twitter, Facebook, Youtube. Can be bought so you appear popular.

#21 Supercalifragilisticexpialidociousjulieandrewsis

[sparklite2]

Yes, not to mention polling data from biased polling and/or interpreting results to fit a narrative. I love the political bubble I live in. Sure, there’s as much manipulation going on as anywhere else, but it makes MY head nod. LOL

[stevio]

Was this the guy who knew how many times the word “one” appeared on the one dollar bill?

[sparklite2]

On “The Rookie” last night, the rookie cop is told his oral interview test will be difficult. He says not to worry, as he know the books backwards and forwards.

So the other guy says, “”Policy & Procedures” section 12, page 446.”

Rookie smiles and nods his head.

The other guy says, “How many commas on the page?”

LOL

[sparklite2]

I don’t remember the BOP specifically, but was in high school when Castro was fightint the revolution and we talked about going to Cuba to ‘fight for Castro.’ This was when the US saw defeating Batista as a good thing. “Surprise surprise!”

[morphing libertarian]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion

[sparklite2]

I know what it is, but don’t remember it happening. I would have been in the final weeks of boot camp, where we didn’t watch a lot of news. LOL

I was right in the middle of the Cuban quarantine, though, and know it very well.

[Larry Lucido]

I still think Clark Griswold is the master of quiz game shows. (The answer was "Clark." The losing team confused "upper basal ganglion" with "lower basal ganglion.")

[Larry Lucido]

And then there is Dimitri, the third floor janitor (the answer was minus 8 pi alpha).

[Larry Lucido]

And while I'm hijacking the thread, "The answer is tungsten or wolfram."