What instrument do Joan Jett and Joni Mitchell play? I'll use a lifeline.

[Stringz]

How do these morons get on television anyway? It was like a $500 question on Millionaire and the guy couldn't answer without phoning a friend. They need to screen people more carefully if they can't get to $1000 without help.

[GAD]

Because not everyone knows everything about everything?

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?

GAD

[MrBoZiffer]

Because not everyone knows everything about everything?

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?

GAD


:roll

[Jahn]

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?
GAD

Awesome, I'd love to see that as the million dollar question on that show - can you imagine the look of WTF on the poor contestant's face?

[Stratofuzz]

Because not everyone knows everything about everything?

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?

GAD

What is placing it in water?


To the OP-I don't believe I've ever seen or heard Joni play electric so I would have to guess that the correct answer was "Gibson"?

[buddastrat]

Skin flute?

I give up?

[Jahn]

"Well Regis, I'd have to say...Guitar? Final Answer!"

"oooh I'm sorry Bob. The correct answer is a Melody Maker for Joan and a dulcimer for Joni. Thanks for playing!"

http://pro.corbis.com/images/DZ003128.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B594A0706-BDEA-4454-B9E1-9EBEEA5D1217%7D http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/jtb44/joan-melody-maker.jpg

[stevieboy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXBba77U1_Y

I think this one counts as an electric too--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7agB7jriyUU

[Jahn]

Hah! I can just imagine myself looking at the four multiple choice answers and having my head spin searching for the dulcimer! But yep, Joni and her JC120 were joined at the hip for a while, and she played a mean electric with Jaco and other jazzers back in the day.

http://pro.corbis.com/images/DZ006880.jpg?size=67&uid=%7B93BD4A19-BA4C-4584-8394-4F51B906521A%7D

Uh, that's obviously not Jaco, but you get the point!

[musicofanatic5]

How do these morons get on television anyway? It was like a $500 question on Millionaire and the guy couldn't answer without phoning a friend. They need to screen people more carefully if they can't get to $1000 without help.

I do not wish to label a fellow TGPer and person I do not even know with the designation he used (moron), but my reaction to the post is "You watch that crap?". There is little more than crap on teevee, and if the american teevee watching public would simply "not watch it", perhaps it would not get programmed. Take your teevee, throw it through the window and go out and support some live music, and then you won't havta get riled about what/who is on it. Ooops, is the preceding religion or politics?!?

[HoboMan]

This guy missed it on the first question. Bummer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMriTkE3igY

[stevieboy]

Because not everyone knows everything about everything?

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?

GAD



I think this one counts as an electric too--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7agB7jriyUU

Since that extra bit of wiring on the Parker in the video appears to be the pickup for a Roland GR-20 or some version, I guess "synthesizer" is in fact the right answer.

[MartinPiana]

Joni actually plays a lot of piano too....

[SGNick]

Because not everyone knows everything about everything?

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?

GAD

Gabriel Synthesis?

Chloromethane and potassium phthalimide react to form methylamine (simplified explanation of course).

[Stringz]

Because not everyone knows everything about everything?

How do you synthesize a methylated alkaloid?

GAD

That wouldn't be a $500 question. Under $1000 is common knowledge, or should be. If you can't get past $1000 without help, that's pretty sad.

[GCDEF]

I saw that. I was kind of wondering how they made it onto the top 100 guitar players of all time list too. The guy looked kind of young. I guess they're before his time.

[GAD]

That wouldn't be a $500 question. Under $1000 is common knowledge, or should be. If you can't get past $1000 without help, that's pretty sad.

OK, name the three Jonas Brothers.

or...

Who is the first rap star to receive a Grammy?

ANY question is based on the society from which it's posed. That's why IQ tests are often criticized.

If I ask someone from the rap culture who Joni Mitchell or Joan Jett even are, let alone what they play, I'd likely get a blank stare.

Trivia lets the people who know the answer assume a wonderful sense of superiority over those who don't.

There is no such thing as "common knowledge". Anything "common" is based on the society in question. Take a walk around London if you're from the US and you'll be amazed how quickly you'll realize that you're probably looking the wrong way last when crossing the street. Learned that one first hand. :)

Just because something is "common knowledge" to one group of people by no means makes it "common knowledge" to another group.

BTW my "methylated alkaloid" quote is from a move called "Love Potion #9". That line is worth sitting through the rest of the movie. :) Actually I'll admit that I quite enjoyed the rest of the movie...

GAD

[jtg116]

I saw Joni use a Parker Synth hook up too, sounded great

[Jim Soloway]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXBba77U1_Y

I think this one counts as an electric too--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7agB7jriyUU

Jaco may have been a genius, but he was horrible on Free Man In Paris. The whole thing just sounded like one big bass solo.

[Stringz]

The really sad part is that he phoned a friend for the answer and he didn't even know. He had to look up Joan Jett on Wikipedia and even quoted from her entry on the phone.