WAMC's Ian Pickus and resident quizzer Mike Nothnagel celebrate summer with the first in a series of dog days shows.
Last week's challenge
Start with the name TREY GRAHAM. Change one letter to a T (not the one that's there already, of course), and rearrange the result to spell a two-word slang term (four letters in the first word, six letters in the second) for something inside your head. What is the term?
Answer: If you change the H to a T, you can spell GRAY MATTER.
THIS WEEK'S CATEGORY: DOG DAYS OF SUMMER #1: "DO- G-"s
It's summer, and the hottest part of the season is often called the "dog days." The term comes from the Romans' belief that when Sirius (the Dog Star) appeared in the sky at sunrise, it caused the oppressive heat. So we'll do a few shows inspired by the dog days of summer, starting with this week's quiz, in which each correct answer is a famous person whose first name starts with DO and whose last name starts with G.
1. An 1890 novel by Oscar Wilde tells the story of a man who wishes he could sell his soul so that a painting of him would age rather than he. Who is the title character of this book?
2. Currently 10th on the list of most performed operas worldwide, what Mozart work is based on the legend of a man who devotes his life to seducing women, and ends with his death after he fails to repent for his actions?
3. Likely named after the author's niece, what literary orphan was created by L. Frank Baum and has been portrayed by, among others, Judy Garland and Diana Ross?
4. From 1959 to 1963, a sitcom chronicled the "many loves" of what teenager, whose aspirations to be popular were supported by his beatnik friend Maynard G. Krebs?
5. By what familiar name do we know the New York Mets pitcher who, in 1984, was the youngest player to appear in a ajor league All-Star Game, and in 1985 became the youngest winner of the Cy Young Award?
Extra credit
1. Beginning his NPR career in 1986 by reporting on Detroit's automobile industry, what journalist is currently NPR's national political correspondent?
2. What two-time winner of the James Beard Foundation Award co-wrote Baking with Julia in 1996 and is a frequent guest on the public radio show The Splendid Table?
This week's challenge
Start with the name DOROTHY GALE. Change one letter to an F, and you can rearrange the result to spell a three-word phrase (five letters in the first word, two letters in the second, four letters in the third) that names something a good person is said to have. What is it?
ANSWERS
On-air questions
1. Dorian Gray
2. Don Giovanni
3. Dorothy Gale
4. Dobie Gillis
5. "Doc" Gooden
Extra credit
1. Don Gonyea
2. Dorie Greenspan
