# Lateral Thinking Puzzles. Let's do it again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [October 23, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193 "2019-10-23T21:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 132
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2621 "2020-03-22T19:33:35Z")
Is this a real story, or fictional? Is Vinnie his real name? (I’m guessing there aren’t too many Slovenians named Vinnie, but thought I’d make sure.) ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2622 "2020-03-22T19:54:33Z")
Does New York refer to the city? Was the event organized by the United Nations? Did Vinnie perform on stage? Did he receive an award? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2623 "2020-03-22T20:45:05Z")
**reply to SurrenderDorothy** : Was he famous for something to do with his birth? **No** His childhood? **No** Was it something he himself did or something that happened to him? **did** Was he involved in a famous/historic event? **No** Are the painting and forklift driving relevant at all? **No** Could he just as easily be, say, a butcher who enjoys modern dance? **Yes** Did he not realize he might be famous for anything throughout this whole process? Like if someone had said, “Hey, you’re famous,” would he have been like “Oh yeah, because of xyz” or would he have been totally confused? **I think is someone had come up to him before the phone call he would have been totally confused. After the call he must have understood some of it. He did not realize the extent of his celebrity, according to him, until the applause and autograph request**. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2624 "2020-03-22T20:50:48Z")
**reply to Larry Borgia** : Is this a real story, or fictional? **real** Is Vinnie his real name? **I “adjusted” his name in case someone knew of him.** ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2625 "2020-03-22T20:54:49Z")
**reply to kk fusion** : Does New York refer to the city? **Yes** Was the event organized by the United Nations? **No** Did Vinnie perform on stage? **No** Did he receive an award? **No** ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2627 "2020-03-22T21:00:50Z")
> [@tim4rmthe](#): > > cure for coronavirus [https://lukepharmacy.com/product/remdesivir-1mg/](https://lukepharmacy.com/product/remdesivir-1mg/) Reported. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2628 "2020-03-23T00:35:03Z")
> [@tim4rmthe](#): > > cure for coronavirus [https://lukepharmacy.com/product/remdesivir-1mg/](https://lukepharmacy.com/product/remdesivir-1mg/) **No. Vinnie(y) did not cure the coronavirus.** ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2629 "2020-03-23T01:13:45Z")
Did he do something related to arts/entertainment? Was he in a stock photo? Was he part of a team that did something? Was he involved in some technological innovation? Some act of heroism? A sports achievement? Did he survive something? Like a plane crash or the Holocaust or something? Was he famous because someone else wrote/talked about him? Like he came up in someone’s memoirs? Was the thing he’s famous for something he would be proud of (some kind of accomplishment) or sort of embarrassed by (like becoming a meme or joke) or a mixture? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2630 "2020-03-23T01:30:07Z")
Would it be helpful to know the historical time frame when this happened? Is the fact that he was from Slovenia relevant? Could the same basic sequence of events have happened to someone from Western Europe? From the United States? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2631 "2020-03-23T01:57:44Z")
**reply to SurrenderDorothy** : Did he do something related to arts/entertainment? **No** Was he in a stock photo? **No** Was he part of a team that did something? **No** Was he involved in some technological innovation? **No** Some act of heroism? **No** A sports achievement? **Yes** Did he survive something? \*\*Yes \*\* Like a plane crash or the Holocaust or something? **No** Was he famous because someone else wrote/talked about him? **Sort of.** Like he came up in someone’s memoirs? **No** Was the thing he’s famous for something he would be proud of (some kind of accomplishment) or sort of embarrassed by (like becoming a meme or joke) or a mixture? **Mixture** ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2632 "2020-03-23T02:01:09Z")
**reply to Fretful Porpentine** : Would it be helpful to know the historical time frame when this happened? **Yes, probably.** Is the fact that he was from Slovenia relevant? **Not specifically**. Could the same basic sequence of events have happened to someone from Western Europe? **Less likely**. From the United States? **Almost certainly not**. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2633 "2020-03-23T02:19:32Z")
Did the event that made Vinnie famous occur prior to the breakup of Yugoslavia? During the Communist era? Pre-Communist era? Was Vinnie unaware of his fame due to government censorship? Are the Olympics involved? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2634 "2020-03-23T02:26:53Z")
**reply to Fretful Porpentine** Did the event that made Vinnie famous occur prior to the breakup of Yugoslavia? **Yes** During the Communist era? **Yes** Pre-Communist era? **No** Was Vinnie unaware of his fame due to government censorship? **Not sure, but probably. It certainly didn’t help matters.** Are the Olympics involved? **No**. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2635 "2020-03-23T02:52:39Z")
Was Vinnie filmed doing a particular sports event? And was that film used in a TV show, possibly paired with iconic voice over? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2636 "2020-03-23T03:01:28Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Was Vinnie filmed doing a particular sports event? > > And was that film used in a TV show, possibly paired with iconic voice over? **I think we have a winner.** ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2637 "2020-03-23T03:27:28Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Was Vinnie filmed doing a particular sports event? > > And was that film used in a TV show, possibly paired with iconic voice over? I hope you felt the thrill of victory, **Telemark**. [Story here](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/17310907/happened-agony-defeat-ski-jumper&ved=2ahUKEwjqr_T70q_oAhU0ZDUKHTvGC4cQFjAPegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw3gnwpQqrL_7oH3VkYUyqwG). ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2638 "2020-03-23T15:04:15Z")
I remember that video clip. Nice to know he managed to recover his life. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2639 "2020-03-23T15:14:12Z")
**[Moderating]** PLEASE do not quote spam. It’s hard enough to delete the original spam, with the way the board is currently acting up. But when it’s quoted, we have to delete all of the quotes, too. And we can’t do that all in the same step, unless you want to get banned along with the spammer. You’re making a lot of unnecessary work for the moderators. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2640 "2020-03-23T16:15:05Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > I hope you felt the thrill of victory, **Telemark**. [Story here](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/17310907/happened-agony-defeat-ski-jumper&ved=2ahUKEwjqr_T70q_oAhU0ZDUKHTvGC4cQFjAPegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw3gnwpQqrL_7oH3VkYUyqwG). It was the Yugoslavia reference that triggered my memory. I thought he might have been from there and I remember an interview with him (perhaps from this event) where he said he had no idea that people were watching him every week. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193/2641 "2020-03-24T13:48:38Z")
Makes sense that **Telemark** would have been the one to get that one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=131) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lateral-thinking-puzzles-lets-do-it-again/842193.md?page=133)