# Unanswerable questions and eternal mysteries of pop culture (SPOILERS). **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453 "2005-12-13T19:04:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/1 "2005-12-13T19:04:10Z")
[Which state do the Simpsons live in?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=349199), for example. Frequently hashed over, impossible to answer. _Pulp Fiction_: What’s in the briefcase? Theories abound, while definitive answers are not forthcoming. Who did Carly Simon have in mind when she wrote “You’re So Vain”? Theoretically answerable, but she’s opted to keep the answer secret. And a classic, from Sherlock Holmes: was Dr. Watson injured in the shoulder or the leg? Or both? Or what? Another classic: the lady or the tiger? What other questions from movies, books, TV, and other pop cultural media come up often, are frequently debated, and can’t be (or won’t be) answered – at least, not with any real authority? ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/2 "2005-12-13T19:06:50Z")
Who killed the chauffer in “The Big Sleep”? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/3 "2005-12-13T19:35:33Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > Another classic: the lady or the tiger? What is this one referring to? ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/4 "2005-12-13T19:40:42Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > What is this one referring to? [_The Lady or The Tiger_](http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Frank_R_Stockton/The_Lady_or_the_Tiger/The_Lady_or_the_Tiger_p1.html) by Frank Stockton ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/5 "2005-12-13T19:46:55Z")
Mickey’s a mouse, Donald’s a duck . . . what’s Goofy? A dog? No, wait, **Pluto’s** a dog . . . (The Master speaks, but briefly: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_077.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_077.html)) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/6 "2005-12-13T19:49:40Z")
The meaning of “American Pie.” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/7 "2005-12-13T19:51:37Z")
Donald Duck wears a sailor coat and no pants. But when he steps out of the shower, he wraps a towel around his waist. Why? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/8 "2005-12-13T19:52:19Z")
Why, in a cartoon, gravity doesn’t work unless you first look down. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/9 "2005-12-13T19:55:30Z")
> [@Interrobang!?](#): > > [url=“[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=349199](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=349199)”] > Who did Carly Simon have in mind when she wrote “You’re So Vain”? Theoretically answerable, but she’s opted to keep the answer secret. > > ? Actually, she has answered this question…but we’ll probably never know what it is. She auctioned off the answer to the highest bidder a few years ago with the stipulation that he never tell anyone. Oh well…I know it sounds vain but I always thought the song was about ME! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/10 "2005-12-13T19:57:12Z")
Why _does_ Kim Possible have a glamour-shot of Shego inside her locker? [Only one plausible answer,](http://www.galactanet.com/comic/543.htm) but you will be hard-pressed to hear Disney corp. acknowledging that fact. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/11 "2005-12-13T20:00:11Z")
> [@interrobang!?](#): > > Pulp Fiction: What’s in the briefcase? Theories abound, while definitive answers are not forthcoming. My cousin worked in Hollywood around when this movie was made, and he had it on good authority that the suitcase contained Marsellus Wallace’s soul. It makes perfect sense in the context of the movie. I actually haven’t heard any other theories. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/12 "2005-12-13T20:03:11Z")
How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie-Roll center of a Tootsie-Pop? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/13 "2005-12-13T20:05:23Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Actually, she has answered this question…but we’ll probably never know what it is. She auctioned off the answer to the highest bidder a few years ago with the stipulation that he never tell anyone. We’ve had a few threads about this song. There was some very solid evidence that it’s about Warren Beatty. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/14 "2005-12-13T20:07:08Z")
The eternal question among Middle Earth fans and geeks. Did the Balrog have Wings? Jim ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/15 "2005-12-13T20:07:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > We’ve had a few threads about this song. There was some very solid evidence that it’s about Warren Beatty. Theories discussed here: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You're\_So\_Vain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27re_So_Vain) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/16 "2005-12-13T20:09:46Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The meaning of “American Pie.” From [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American\_Pie\_(song):](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pie_%28song%29:) > [@](#): > > During its initial popularity, guessing about the meaning of the song’s lyrics was a popular pastime; many radio stations and disc jockeys published unofficial interpretations. Over the years, assisted by the collective power of the Internet, something approaching a “standard interpretation” of the song has emerged. How much of it was actually in McLean’s mind, consciously or unconsciously, when he wrote the lyrics is a matter of popular debate among fans. > > According to this interpretation, the song is a tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper, though most especially Holly. With the deaths of these three, McLean felt that dance music was gone. > > Contrary to popular belief, McLean has discussed the meaning of the song on multiple occasions. In his 2000 Starry, Starry Night video he said, “I’m very proud of the song. It is biographical in nature and I don’t think anyone has ever picked up on that. The song starts off with my memories of the death of Buddy Holly. But it moves on to describe America as I was seeing it and how I was fantasizing it might become, so it’s part reality and part fantasy but I’m always in the song as a witness or as even the subject sometimes in some of the verses. You know how when you dream something you can see something change into something else and it’s illogical when you examine it in the morning but when you’re dreaming it it seems perfectly logical. So it’s perfectly okay for me to talk about being in the gym and seeing this girl dancing with someone else and suddenly have this become this other thing that this verse becomes and moving on just like that. That’s why I’ve never analyzed the lyrics to the song. They’re beyond analysis. They’re poetry.” [1] > > The Straight Dope author Cecil Adams published an interpretation of the lyrics based on a supposed interview of McLean by DJ Casey Kasem in his May 14 column of 1993. McLean later confirmed the Buddy Holly reference in a letter to Adams but denied ever speaking to Kasem. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/17 "2005-12-13T20:12:10Z")
Who stole the keishka? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/18 "2005-12-13T20:16:52Z")
> [@Ghanima](#): > > My cousin worked in Hollywood around when this movie was made, and he had it on good authority that the suitcase contained Marsellus Wallace’s soul. It makes perfect sense in the context of the movie. I actually haven’t heard any other theories. Oh, please. There are dozens of other theories around (most likely – it merely contains a McGuffin), and the “soul” is just plain silly, as is bluntly stating there is a definitive answer. Add this to the list: What did Billy Murray whisper to Scarlett Johansson in the last scene of **Lost in Translation**? And the all-time classic: Who was the third murderer in **Macbeth**? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/19 "2005-12-13T21:00:20Z")
Who let the dogs out? Who, who, who, who, WHO?! ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453/20 "2005-12-13T21:16:09Z")
[QUOTE=Interrobang _Pulp Fiction_: What’s in the briefcase? Theories abound, while definitive answers are not forthcoming. [/QUOTE] Isn’t it obvious? It’s the stuff dreams are made of. Well, Actually I think Tarentino said it was. A.) A light attached to a battery. B.) Whatever you want it to be. So the stuff dreams are made of is rather fitting with B. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unanswerable-questions-and-eternal-mysteries-of-pop-culture-spoilers/335453.md?page=2)