It's time once againto turn our attention to Woodologists, i.e. those super-devoted Ed Wood experts who transcend mere fandom. In the past, I've quizzed author James Pontolilloand filmmaker Keith Crocker. This week, though, the person I want to quiz is you!
That's right. I want to see how much you know about Edward D. Wood, Jr. and his various personal and professional associates. See if you can answer the following ten questions. If you can, you're seriously obsessed!
So how'd you do? Was this a breeze or were you utterly baffled?
BONUS QUESTION: For which group did Eddie briefly serve as a chaplain after the war?
I'll answer these questions and many more you never thought to ask in future installments of this series.
The funny, interesting, and awesome logo for Doctor Dinamite.
The Doctor's online avatar.
There are many, many, many countdown-style videos on YouTube, but there is only one Doctor Dinamite. As you probably already know, the popular site is positively strewn with documentary-style "infotainment" videos that bombard viewers with obscure (sometimes bogus) trivia, crazy (occasionally dubious-looking) clips, and bizarre (often Photoshopped) images, all of it linked together with quippy commentary and eye-assaulting graphics. If grotesque, unsavory trivia is your thing, especially when combined with snarky narration, YouTube has you covered. Thoroughly. Sometimes, it feels like half of YouTube is devoted to one, big, never-ending episode of Ripley's Believe It Or Not.
So how do you stand out from the crowd? In Doctor Dinamite's case, the answer is: be even crazier than the stuff you're counting down. I don't quite know how to explain the Doctor to you, mainly because I know next to nothing about him. He has a sketchy, near-useless blog and a sketchy, near-useless Twitter account, both of which seemingly exist only to publicize his YouTube videos. When it comes to Doctor Dinamite, the videos are all that really matter. I know nothing of the man behind them or why he does what he does. His official YouTube description only says: "Let's bring a bit of originality in the world of countdowns, where information is copied all over and over again."
So what will you find on the Doctor's channel? Just as his own description implies, it's the same stuff you'll find on most of the other countdown videos and at content-aggregating sites across the web: Photoshop fails, tacky tattoos, dubious parenting choices, photos taken at just the right moment, etc., etc. Typical Internet clickbait. It's the Doctor's personality that makes these videos stand out. I'm not sure what nationality this YouTuber is, perhaps Russian, but his accent is fairly heavy and his approach to the English language is, to put it mildly, idiosyncratic.
His caffeine intake must be substantial, too, because he's an incurable motormouth who seems to have rage issues. His videos often seem like a cross between a used car dealer's desperate sales pitch and a psychotic rant by a street corner weirdo. Watching a Doctor Dinamite video -- or, better yet, watching five or six of them in a row -- is like tuning into a weird Twilight Zone version of the Home Shopping Network at three o'clock in the morning.
I don't have any particular recommendations as to where one should "start" with Doctor Dinamite's videos. They're all pretty much the same. I'll semi-arbitrarily pick "20 photos that will make you mad" as it contains the classic Doctor Dinamite quote: "I hate Harry Potter! But now I hate him even more!" His anger at this moment seems genuine.
Trivia. Whether you're appearing on a quiz show or just trying to make sparkling conversation at a dinner party, there's nothing like it. And yet, there never seems to be enough trivia around when you need it. Fortunately, Dead 2 Rights is here to help. Below, you will find 17 trivial statements which you are welcome to use in any social or professional situation. Enjoy!
If you could drive your car straight upwards, you probably wouldn't want to.
George Washington was never President of the United States. The rumor that he held this nation's highest office dogged him to the end of his days.
Strictly speaking, berries are not berries, but cabbages are.
There is no "i' in "March."
If the sun were hollow, we'd all be in a great deal of trouble.
Contrary to that old wives' tale, cats do in fact feel pain.
"Hullabaloo" isn't Latin for anything in particular.
That country between Spain and Germany? Surprise! It's France!
The melting point of iron is a mystery which science has yet to solve.
The earliest library card dates back to the time of Christ. The first book checked out was Garfield At Large by Jim Davis.
Napoleon's last word was "bonkers."
Without adjusting for inflation, items today cost much more than they did a hundred years ago.
Former astronaut Neil Armstrong sadly wound up a derelict.
Saying "celery soup" into a mirror three times is entirely safe and will have no unfortunate consequences. Try it yourself and see!
Though famous for his plays, William Shakespeare would rather be remembered for his astonishing sexual prowess.
Experts agree that the funniest word in the English language is "belch."
Even the strongest ant is no match for a full-grown man.
Feel free to add your own in the comments section. Feel just as free not to add your own in the comments section.
This ongoing Zomby!!! project, of course, requires me to spend lots and lots of quality time with the original Ziggy cartoon feature by Tom Wilson. As well as being a sure path to madness, this experience has also shown me just how repetitive Ziggy is. I have, for instance, noticed that Ziggy -- and therefore Zomby -- spends a great deal of his time dealing with generic female functionaries who sit placidly behind very tall desks. I think it's the same woman working at all these places, and she just slightly alters her hairdo when she switches jobs. Her nurse/waitress uniform remains a constant no matter where she's working.
Anyway, I've decided to turn this into a little game. Here are five generic female functionaries who have appeared recently in both Ziggy and Zomby!!! See if you can match them up with their respective places of business. (ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION.)
A. Airline B. Bank C. Bookshop D. Computer Dating Service E. License Bureau
