# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/161 "2004-12-03T05:04:50Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > Man, do I feel invisible. What do I have to do, drop anvils on your heads? > _sigh_ Maybe it’s just that no one thought my name was obscure enough? Yes I’m sure that’s it. ☹ Oh, come on – surely dropping anvils on a message board is the true acme of foolishness. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/162 "2004-12-03T05:21:58Z")
I’m not too hard to guess either 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/163 "2004-12-03T05:22:35Z")
> [@auliya](#): > > Feels like it sometimes, but no 😛 > > “AULIYA: In the Zensunni Wanderers’ religion, the female at the left hand of God; God’s handmaiden.” > > Obscure religious sect in Frank Herberts ‘Dune’ > > Also from the Koran “auliya” means friend or helper or protector. Grrr…so it was Dune. Although I got Auliya mixed up with Alia. Come to think of it, so did the Fremen… ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/164 "2004-12-03T06:01:28Z")
**Tracy Lord** is Katharine Hepburn’s character in _The Philadelphia Story_, as well as Grace Kelly’s role in _High Society_, a musical remake of the Hepburn film. A _Simpsons_ reference not yet covered: **Kwyjibo** , the word Bart makes up while playing Scrabble® with the family and defines (when challenged by Homer) as “a big, dumb, balding North American ape. With no chin.” **if6was9** is taken from the Jimi Hendrix song of the same (albeit differently-spelled) name. **Aslan of Narnia** is the lion in C.S. Lewis’s _Chronicles of Narnia_ series. **scott evil** is an homage to the son of the nemesis of filmdom’s international man of mystery, Austin Powers. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/165 "2004-12-03T06:14:17Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > **Tracy Lord** is Katharine Hepburn’s character in _The Philadelphia Story_, as well as Grace Kelly’s role in _High Society_, a musical remake of the Hepburn film. Huh! You learn something new every day. I always assumed it was a takeoff on porn star turned pop singer turned actress Tracy Lords. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/166 "2004-12-03T06:36:17Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > The classic story by Edgar Allen Poe? > > Made into movies one of which starred Bela Lugosi and a very young Jack Nicholson. > > Can’t be or you would quoth, “Nevermore!” Ummmm… erm… In that case… **Nevermore!** (umm) **?** …i think i deciphered that sentence right… time for bed…\* Sleep, those little slices of death, how I loathe them.\* ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/167 "2004-12-03T06:39:45Z")
> [@Wile E](#): > > I believe Hazel-rah is a Watership Down reference. Is Marlitharn, too? I’ve actually been looking for my copy of the book for a few weeks to reread it, I’m a bit rusty on it. It is indeed. It’s a combination of two lapine words, “marli” meaning either mother or doe, depending on the context, and “tharn” meaning dazed, befuddled, confused, terrified - like a rabbit in the headlights, a feeling my children manage to inspire in me almost daily. I was rooting for you the whole time, by the way, but that roadrunner didn’t really look like he had much meat on him… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/168 "2004-12-03T08:55:20Z")
**Mudshark** is a Zappa/Mothers reference, if I’m not mistaken. That’s right, you heard right, the secret word for tonight is Mudshark! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/169 "2004-12-03T09:13:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I suspect that **Aesiron** is a reference not to Max Payne, but to Norse mythology (which was presumably a source for the game). Correct. I’m a fan of Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies and tend to name myself after their minor gods. Previous names have included Deimosan (Deimos, a son of Ares) and Dioscurion (the Dioscuri, an alternate name for the Gemini). Aesiron is a break from tradition in that the Aesir obviously are not minor players in Norse mythology but I’ve always loved the way the word looks. I’ve never played any of the Max Payne games. And I must say that it’s pretty cool that I was mentioned in the OP as I’m typically not named in threads like these, especially not the initial post. ---
**Author:** ![Halfling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@Halfling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Halfling)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/170 "2004-12-03T09:57:31Z")
**well he’s back** : a reference to “Well I’m back”, the last words spoken (by Sam) in LotR; both book and film. ---
**Author:** ![VampyChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@VampyChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VampyChick)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/171 "2004-12-03T10:09:59Z")
> [@Lissla Lissar](#): > > Someone ( **Vampychick**?) missed the other Robin McKinley-ite. > > My kitten’s name is Aerin-sol, too. 😃 Your…actual kitten? Or someone you refer to as kitten? If the latter, I apologize, and have never encountered her. If the former, is she orange? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/172 "2004-12-03T10:11:19Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > **Alessan** is also a character in Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series. Really? Huh. I was never all that crazy about Pern, although I only read the first book. ---
**Author:** ![VampyChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@VampyChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VampyChick)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/173 "2004-12-03T10:14:12Z")
I thought it was F’lessan in the Pern books. Son of F’lar and Lessa. Or was Alessan Lessa’s father, who was dead before the books started? ---
**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 3, 2004, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/174 "2004-12-03T11:33:47Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > Huh! You learn something new every day. I always assumed it was a takeoff on porn star turned pop singer turned actress Tracy Lords. Who, before anyone asks, did not take her name from the Hepburn character. The surname is from Hawai’i Five-O’s Jack Lord, the first name because she always wondered as a kid why she had to have a boring name like Nora instead of an exciting-sounding one like “Traci”. ---
**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 3, 2004, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/175 "2004-12-03T11:36:55Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > [Bodhi is] also the name of Patrick Swayze’s character in _Point Break_. 😃 And you have no idea how much it annoys me. Why? Because he’s a _Bodhi surfer!_ \ I’ll be here all week, folks. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/176 "2004-12-03T12:12:48Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Mine is one of several on SDMB from the same source material. Yeah yours is from one of the suggestions for an additiona character to the itchy and scratchy show. They settled on a dog since that’s the animal chain of command. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/177 "2004-12-03T12:14:09Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > It’s also the name of Patrick Swayze’s character in _Point Break_. 😃 It’s also the type of tree Sidhartha Gutanma meditated under to attain enlightenment and become the Buddha It’s also the name of Directo Richard Elfman’s son. He’s a little known character actor and is married to jenna Elfman. I’m guessing no one will guess mine. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/178 "2004-12-03T12:38:40Z")
I’ve seen a poster named **Bernard Marx** , from _Brave New World._ My name is not a reference, I made it up. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/179 "2004-12-03T13:02:17Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > I’m guessing no one will guess mine. 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… ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544/180 "2004-12-03T13:24:02Z")
Mine refers to a couple of things… Pheonetically, it sounds like “Anarchy” as in the Sex Pistols song, _Anarchy in the UK_ …"…and I wanna be An Arky"… …because I’m from Arkansas, an Arkansas is sometimes referred to as an “Arky”… …and because of that stupid song, I forget what it’s called, that goes “The Lord told Noah To build him an arky, arky, build it out of gopher barky, barky Children of the Lord” …which, taken out of context, takes on a life of its own… :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-spot-the-obscure-movie-book-etc-references-in-dopers-nicks/277544.md?page=10)