# The Dinner Party Scenario **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2002, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784 "2002-11-20T19:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/1 "2002-11-20T19:22:16Z")
Okay, here’s the deal. You get to throw a dinner party. You can invite five people. 1. Who are the five people (and why)? 2. What will you serve? 3. What music will you have in the background? Have at it! ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/2 "2002-11-20T19:30:02Z")
Oops! Almost forgot. You can have dead people as well as living people. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/3 "2002-11-20T20:40:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EchoKitty \* > \*\*Oops! Almost forgot. You can have dead people as well as living people. \*\* Eww… Stinky! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/4 "2002-11-20T20:58:58Z")
do i have to cook - or am i allowed to get an expert chef in? i’d hate to burn the dinner in front of Churchill… ---
**Author:** ![WavyDavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3da27b/32.png) [@WavyDavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WavyDavy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/5 "2002-11-20T21:07:42Z")
hmmmm… dead people eat less…so… 1. Catharine the Great. Dead…but a great conversationalist, if all accounts are correct. 2. Dr. Johnson. Ditto. 3. Dorothy Parker. Ditto. 4. Ernest Hemmingway. A hard drinker and good story teller. 5. Traci Lords. Entertainment quotient is high. Oysters on the half shell, roast vension, asparagus, and strwberries. Tchaikovsky. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/6 "2002-11-20T21:10:18Z")
Let’s see 1) a-Betty Page (circa 1955) - for aesthetic reasons b-Cleopatra - for her great asp c-Bob Crane - for party ideas d-The Marquise de Sade - for coaching tips e-Martha Stewart - for help with dinner, and I think she’d get along with “d.” 2)Oysters, lots and lots of oysters. And maybe a duck. 3)Wagner and Derrick May I’ll stop now ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/7 "2002-11-20T21:27:21Z")
1. Friedrich Nietzsche (before he became insane) 2. An English/German translator for Nietzsche 3. Laetitia Casta 4. An English/French translator for Laetitia Casta 5. Friedrich Nietzsche (after he became insane) Wait a sec, I can probably find a German/French/English translator for both Nietzsche and Laetitia so I’ll add…O.J. Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/8 "2002-11-20T21:32:32Z")
Oh. And I’ll have the Sex Pistols playing followed by Andrea Bocelli. And for dinner, Pizza! And for dessert, M&Ms for the others, Laetitia for me! ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/9 "2002-11-20T21:38:34Z")
1. Mel Brooks - Quite possibly the funniest guy ever. 2. Georgia O’Keefe - I love her work. 3. John Lennon - 'nuf said. 4. Ben Franklin - Never a dull moment with this guy. 5. Steven Hawking - The awe factor would be off the charts! Filet Mignon (smothered in mushrooms and onions), potato-leek soup, garlic bread, angel hair pasta with fresh tomato and basil. Champagne and wine. Pink Floyd, jazz piano, and the theme from The Deer Hunter ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/10 "2002-11-20T22:06:20Z")
1 Lee Harvey Oswald 2 Mark David Chapman 3 John Wilkes Booth 4 Richard Nixon 5 A young Ali to beat the crap out of the other guests I’d serve what ever Mr Ali wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/11 "2002-11-20T22:15:00Z")
Interesting question. I’m not sure that all my dinner guests will get along. I HAVE to meet: A) Frank Sinatra & Ava Gardner; and B) John F. & Jacqeline Kennedy (both A & B come as sets, because they are couples) C) Ernest Hemmingway D) James Dean E) Elizabeth Taylor I think this would be a completely interesting group. Ava and Ernest were good friends, and Jackie didn’t like Frank at all. haha Could make for interesting conversation. I think James Dean would be interested in talking to Ernest Hemmingway. Also, Frank Sinatra was REALLY very upset with JFK about a visit that went bad. I just think Elizabeth Taylor would make an interesting guest! I think a Chinese Buffet would be an interesting way to go for food. There are lots of things to choose from, and it is probably at least a bit exotic for the people I’m inviting. Music would be all about Frank. haha 🙂 In fact, I’ll just let him pick the music! ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/12 "2002-11-21T00:42:00Z")
Hey! Aren’t you supposed to get 12 people? My list always includes: James and Dolley Madison Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Charlotte Bronte Oscar Wilde Charles Darwin Rabbi Moses ben Maimon Now who have I forgotten? I don’t know about food and music. I’m really bad with those things. I’d probably hire a caterer, and let the guests wander over and pick from my dismal CD collection. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/13 "2002-11-21T01:17:05Z")
I think a lot of the more erudite people from ages past (Thomas Jefferson being a good example) would not be nearly as interesting as one might think, just because the cultural differences would make communication difficult. So he would be on my list for the intellectually-challenging-and-stimulating dinner. For the just-plain-fun dinner party, it would be: Mike Meyers Phil Hartman Janeane Garofalo Robin Williams Steve Martin or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/14 "2002-11-21T12:23:08Z")
think mine would be 1. Bernard Montgomery 2. Erwin Rommel 3. Napoleon 4. Wellington 5. Julius Caesar 6. Pompey the Great (Who tried to stop Julius from destroying the Republic) Think this combination would make for some great "Oh come on! admit you were lucky! moments. Oh yeah, and it would be an early dinner - i’d be planning a massive lan-gaming session with them all afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/15 "2002-11-21T13:12:40Z")
1. Alec Stewart 2. That bloke from Baywatch (NOT Hasselhof, the younger sexy one) 3. Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys 4. The main actor Bryan(?) from Queer as Folk US version 5. Casper Van Dien I will not serve food, I don’t cook, we will order in Chinese or Pizza. Music will probably be Pet Shops Boys, due to Neil’s presence. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/16 "2002-11-21T14:31:03Z")
Just for fun, I’ll have the party to hell. 1. Osama bin Laden 2. Mullah Mohammed Omar 3. Saddam Hussein 4. Yasser Arafat ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/17 "2002-11-21T14:36:22Z")
D’oh! I hit ‘submit’ too soon! Let me try again. (Mod, please kill my previous post.) Just for fun, I’ll have the party to hell. 1. Osama bin Laden 2. Mullah Mohammed Omar 3. Saddam Hussein 4. Yasser Arafat 5. Dread Pirate Roberts I’ll serve wine (and sparkling grape juice, in case anybody stays away from alcohol), Arabian tea, chicken soup, glazed chicken, and fruit cup. And **iocane powder**. Iocane in every drink, iocane in every course, iocane even in the salt shaker. Music: A selection of the best contemporary Persian singers. Followed, at the appropriate point, by Motzart’s Requiem, “We Are the Champions,” and “Hava Negila.” I’ll split the bounty with Dread Pirate Roberts. As much as he wants, even the full $25 million, in return for him giving me an antidote to iocane. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/18 "2002-11-21T15:01:46Z")
1. Thomas Jefferson - He was reportedly the master of the art of dinner conversation, and could steer the conversation to nearly any topic. Interestingly enough, he often didn’t say much, but did take notes about what other people had to say. 2. Julius Caesar - I’d like to hear him, Jefferson, and Lincoln talk shop. 3. Dorothy Parker - I have a feeling she’d get sort of nasty after a few drinks, but she’d keep the talk light and witty 'til then. 4. Abraham Lincoln - A great story-teller by all accounts, if a little homespun. Plus, he didn’t eat much and that’d give him more of an opportunity to talk. 5. Nina Totenberg - I’ve met her a few times in real life and she’s very charming. Plus, she’s well read and funny (and only about 3 feet tall - I’ll have to get a booster seat). The menu: Steamed mussels, a green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, poached rockfish, new potatoes, my father’s homemade cat-head biscuits with butter, and my chocolate/amaretto flour-less cake with raspberry sauce. I’ll let Jefferson pick the wines - he was an expert. The music: Vivaldi, Hayden, Mozart ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/19 "2002-11-21T15:41:24Z")
Hmm…I’ll invite Godel, Turing, Newton, Gauss, and Archimedes, and just stay out of the way. I’ll serve pizza and coffee, and play some Mozart. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784/20 "2002-11-21T16:01:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EchoKitty \* > \*\*Oops! Almost forgot. You can have dead people as well as living people. \*\* You mean for the main course or appetizers? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dinner-party-scenario/137784.md?page=2)