American Red Cross
-founded in 1881
-Clara Barton, famous founder
-Does really good work
-At every disaster
-Good fundraising techniques
Quintessential 1960’s historical event
The assassination of John F. Kennedy
–One of only four presidential assassinations in U.S. history
–Caught on film
–Everyone remembers where they were
Quintessential music video of the 1980s
a-ha’s Take On Me (1985)
- Combined real life with pencil graphic
- Masterfully done
- Known by almost everybody
- Won 6 MTV video awards
- Has over 830 million views on youtube
- Used on Family Guy and in a Volkswagon advertisement
Quintessential news hoax
War of the Worlds, 1938
- Happened during a Halloween-themed radio performance of the show *The Mercury Theatre on the Air *
- Orson Welles adapted War of the Worlds into news bulletins that interrupted regular programming
- Calls flooded radio stations broadcasting the show and mobs of panicked listeners took to the streets
- Newspapers added fuel to the fire, competing over disaster headlines
next: Quintessential propaganda piece
- iconic Uncle Sam image
- Everyone knows the line
- came out at an urgent time
- was everywhere at the time
Next Up:
Quintessential Survivor contestant(from the reality tv show in the US)
*either that or Rosie the Riveter
Rupert Boneham
Appeared on four seasons of Survivor
While he didn’t win any of them, he still received 85% of the fan vote to win a million dollars on a special episode of Survivor: All-Stars
Very distinct appearance
Former candidate for Indiana governorship (Libertarian party)*
*Interestingly, he lost to current vice president Mike Pence.
Quintessential Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
Leonardo
- Leo is their courageous leader.
- While all the Turtles are named after famous Renaissance figures, Leonardo Da Vinci is probably the most recognizable name from that period.
- fights with the most skill using a ninja sword.
Quintessential food item to grill outdoors
Hot dogs.
-Available everywhere
-Taste better grilled
-Come in all sorts of varieties, including vegetarian
-Really taste the grilling
-Lots of toppings for them
-Lots of side dishes
-Very easy to eat with hands while standing up
Quintessential American-style dish
corn dogs
- while the true origins of a hot dog and its’ ancestral sausage forebears may be a bit debatable, no one disputes that corn dogs are a purely American invention
- the food is designed around that most American quality - convenience
- a respectable food [sausage] was somehow bastardized and made into something inferior [corn dog]. What else can you expect from the country that unleashed Franco-American “spaghettios” on the world?
Quintessential science fiction movie since 2000
Inception
- not based on previously existing material
- soundtrack was immediately iconic
- was very creative with its “levels” of dreams
- very beautiful film with many practical effects
Next up:
Quintessential Straight Dope Thread
-A simple question leads to mayhem. Dopers at their best
-Started by poohpah chalupa who has since died.
-Gets resurrected every holiday season, like an old family ornament
-One of the funniest SDMB threads ever
-Pure holiday tradition at its best
Next up: Quintessential gay icon
Quintessential gay icon
Judy Garland
- Garland’s father and many friends were gay, tying her into community.
- Phrase “Friend of Dorothy” was code for gay.
- Many consider “Over the Rainbow” as the “sound of the closet”
- See has appeal as camp and as a tragic figure, which gay people identify with.
Next: Quintessential “Manly” man.
Terry Crews
- muscular
- successful in multiple careers(hosting, acting, sports)
- polite and considerate of others
- shows that men can be strong and compassionate
Next Up:
Quintessential disappointment in life
Adulthood
- we were all in a terrible hurry to get there but once we did quickly discovered that the downsides heavily outweighed the upsides. One will happily forego being able to purchase alcohol or telling kids to get off your lawn if it means not being responsible for things like mortgages, taxes, jobs, and jury duty.
- ends in old age which is a special subcategory that has its own special pains associated with it
Quintessential trouble that adolescents get into
Getting drunk
-It’s illegal to drink before a certain age
-Getting alcohol is extremely easy
-A sign of rebellion
-Until recently, considered “normal” adolescent behavior
Quintessential springtime activity
Skipping School or Class
- seems pretty bad when you are a kid
- first signs of outside the box thinking(I don’t HAVE to be there)
- also sign of awareness the world goes on without you
- very common beginning in middle school
Next up:
Quintessential national flag
Stars and Stripes
-Same flag for over 200 years
-Easy to add stars for new states, thus acknowledging them
- Has songs written about it
- When someone says “The Red, White & Blue” you know which flag they are referencing
- The sign of solidarity after 9/11, and still seen today every day
Quintessential Gordon Lightfoot song
Quintessential Gordon Lightfoot song
“Canadian Railroad Trilogy”
- theme is an homage to work that went into building Canadian Pacific Railway
- showcases more musical diversity than most of his songs
Next category: Quintessential regional store chain
Tyler Durden, in Fight Club
- The first reason is: it’s the source of his most famous line.
- The second reason is: it’s the source of his most famous line.
- Do an impression of Brad Pitt right now, without doing that line.
- Anyhow, it’s the one where he’s a bare-chested bare-knuckle brawler.
- No, not that one; the one where he spouts conspiracy-theorist rhetoric.
- No, not that one; the one where an impressed woman talks up bedding him.
Quintessential ‘courtroom drama’ movie.
To Kill A Mockingbird*
- American classic movie and book
- Tells a very compelling courtroom story
- The lawyer is the hero of the story
- Misjustice is so much more memorable than justice
Netup:
Quintessential sports championship
*12 Angry Men is my top choice, but I figure with the whole thing taking place in the jury room, it might not quite count.