# Game: spot the obscure movie/book/etc.. references in doper's nicks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544 "2004-12-01T19:00:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/241 "2004-12-07T06:45:18Z")
**WordMan** sounds like it should be one of the guys mentioned in the They Might Be Giants song Particle Man. But it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/242 "2004-12-07T10:23:22Z")
Can anyone guess the inspiration for my nick? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/243 "2004-12-07T11:08:39Z")
> [@Caractacus Pott](#): > > Can anyone guess the inspiration for my nick? Why would we need to guess? Chitty Chitty Bang Bang isn’t exactly obscure, even if you _did_ miss off the last “s”. ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/244 "2004-12-07T15:11:58Z")
> [@Evil Death](#): > > Why would we need to guess? Chitty Chitty Bang Bang isn’t exactly obscure, even if you _did_ miss off the last “s”. Thanks for the attention to detail, Mr. Death. I left off the last “s” so that the connection between the nick and “crackpot” is more obvious. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/245 "2004-12-07T15:22:43Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > That is the nickname that Eddie Wilson gave to Tom Berenger’s character in _Eddie and the Cruisers_. Ding! We have a winner - well done. (crossing fingers and holding them out) “Words and music - they go together” ---
**Author:** ![dearissues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@dearissues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dearissues)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/246 "2004-12-08T07:53:45Z")
> [@rolandgunslinger](#): > > Hmmmm. 😉 I looked through this thread a bit and I don’t believe I saw anyone comment on your name or reply to you. However, I may have overlooked it somewhere - or it may not be obscure enough to be commented upon. Anyhow, I love it! I wanna move to MidWorld and adopt a billy-bumbler! Do you have a truck? ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/247 "2004-12-08T17:12:15Z")
While my username is literary in origin\*, when reading these threads I always wish I’d have been a little more obscure or creative. - could be from either _Flowers For Algernon_ and _Importance of Being Earnest_, but my intended reference was to Flowers. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/248 "2004-12-08T20:57:03Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Banzai. Along with **Emilio Lizardo**. I’ve also just learned that we also have a **[Reno Nevada](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5437717&postcount=161)** who I would guess is another one of us from the same source. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/249 "2004-12-08T21:27:23Z")
**Zakalwe** is the protagonist in one of the best SF novels ever written, “Use of Weapons” by Iain Banks. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/250 "2004-12-08T21:54:09Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Evil Death > > No, my nick is hard to guess because it was indirectly inspired. Figuring out what inspired it not only requires knowing my habits and likes, but also possessing an encyclopaedic degree of knowledge about them. My posting history might help a little … if you have a near-eidetic memory or are an ubergeek. > > Do you have brothers called Blood & Guts, perhaps? Evil, you never confirmed/ refuted my suggestion. Was I right? ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/251 "2004-12-08T22:51:13Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > I’m hoping it’s not a King Crimson reference, because IMO that song truly sucks, and I’m a fan of KC in general. Ugh, now it’s playing in my head. The horror… Nope not King Crimson, unless the version I used was a cover. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/252 "2004-12-09T06:39:45Z")
> [@Caractacus Pott](#): > > Thanks for the attention to detail, Mr. Death. I left off the last “s” so that the connection between the nick and “crackpot” is more obvious. Actually, the filmmakers added the “s” – the name is indeed Caractacus Pott in [Ian Fleming’s book.](http://www.ianflemingcentre.com/index.cfm?page=chitty) ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/253 "2004-12-09T18:35:46Z")
> [@Big\_Norse](#): > > I’ve also just learned that we also have a **[Reno Nevada](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5437717&postcount=161)** who I would guess is another one of us from the same source. Somebody noticed me! Gosh! Yes, I did take my nick from the Hong Kong Cavalier. Now, am I really the first to mention the lovely and talented **Una Persson** , named after a character in many Michael Moorcock novels? ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/254 "2004-12-09T18:50:58Z")
> [@Reno Nevada](#): > > Somebody noticed me! Gosh! > > Yes, I did take my nick from the Hong Kong Cavalier. Since my nick is from such an obscure character from B.B. I felt obligated to give a shout out to one of our more famous representatives. Besides, as a fellow lurker, I’m impressed by your extreme lurkiness. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/255 "2004-12-23T22:40:14Z")
Oh, and for the record, **Mr. Miskatonic** got his name from the fictional northern coastal Massachusetts river in H. P. Lovecraft’s stories. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/256 "2004-12-24T02:24:33Z")
Someone way back in the thread mentioned they thought my old username, **Henry Spencer** , was taken from a real person. Now that I don’t go by that name anymore, I can reveal the secret (which lots of people know anyway) - it’s the name of the lead character in **Eraserhead** , although I’m almost positive it’s never used in the movie itself, but only appears in the credits. My current username is not a reference to any one work of art, but the whole genre of tv shows, books, etc which have the title ‘Junior (something)’, and I just always wanted to be out in space 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/257 "2004-12-24T02:38:46Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Sigh. Forgotten again. Ah, well. I’ll just assume mine is so obvious no one felt the need to mention it. At ease, smeghead, i got you. Good reference to once great sci-fi comedy, and a much safer bet than Rimmer. ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/258 "2004-12-24T02:48:17Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Picking some at random off the forum pages… > > [ **bubastis** is another name for the Egyptian cat goddess, Bast, and was Ozymandias’ mutant lynx in the “Watchmen” comic series Yay!!! Its always nice to be recognised. Yeah, its his cat. You, scotandrsn, can match ozzy himself as the smartest man in the world. I’d never even heard of Bast, well, untill i read the Sandman. I think we all like a pat on the back for our witty or referential names, maybe reaching out to be recognised by like minded individuals who are on our wavelength… Maybe thats why this thread is proving to be so damn popular. Me? i can only spot a few, like Roger Thornhill and Dewey Finn (there is a Dewey Finn, right? School of rock?). Now, I gotta go think up an even more obscure name! Oh, and Peter Morris? The dwarf in the Jack Rabbit Slims Diner in Pulp Fiction is paging a Phillip Morris, any relation? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/259 "2004-12-24T04:01:37Z")
**Marlitharn** , I’ve always admired your name. Of course **hazel-rah** is also a Richard Adams reference; I think we also have a **Hyzenthlay** , which means “Fur shining like dew” and who was the rabbit known as the Marli Tharn, I believe. Then there’s **Fiver** , and we also have a **Hazel** , who is either the rabbit or the 60s-era sitcom housekeeper, I’m not sure. Lots of good unused name possibilities in W.D. – Keehar? Bigwig/Thlayli/Peegveeg? Woundwort? My screenname is merely a play on my actual name. Yawn. I want to mention **minor7flat5** , which is the 7th four-note diatonic chord in a major scale. One of my favorite names here. Someday someone will register as **Half diminished** and he will have a board soulmate. **Primaflora** , I always think of [this](http://www.casentinostudyabroad.net/Primavera-Botticelli-2.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Algul\_Siento](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Algul\_Siento](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algul_Siento)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/260 "2004-12-25T20:37:52Z")
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