63. Not Your Kids’ Trivia!

You first heard or experienced the answers to these questions back in the day! And if you can still recall them you get an A-plus in mental flexibility, recall, and just the fun of knowing you can tap into your brain first for answers instead of high-tailing it over to Google while listening. See if a 30-something can do that, you magnificent midlifer!

This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher. 

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Hi, and welcome to the Fire Up at 55 Plus Podcast, a show about how to put yourself first in your second act of life. I'm Certified Life and Weight Loss Coach Lori Adams, here to empower you to let go of guilt, take charge of your health, then find and fulfill your dreams. It's never too late, so let's get started. Welcome back and happy Independence Day. Welcome back with your midlife, unique, way cool expertise in Ta-da! Trivia, trivia of a certain era. The questions that follow here are not optimized for your kids, not for your grandkids. They are not about Harry Potter or Taylor Swift or the Golden State Warriors or Mr Beast or Zendia. Okay, I don't really know anything about the last two. I mention them because I know they are hugely popular with people ages twenty to thirty five, but I digress. Stay tuned, these are the questions for you all. The magnificent midlifers. The last thing I'll say before I commence with the trivia questions designed with you in mind is that answering quizzes isn't just entertaining. I'm doing it here because it also offers mental stimulation. That's always important as we age for vitality. So I'm gonna hang my hat on that as an excellent reason to commence with a fun episode. Trivia does challenge your brain, giving you an opportunity to recall a variety of facts from a variety of domains, times, places, and experiences of your life, and involving quick thinking and sparking some excitement. So here goes. And if you happen to be listening with an under forty something, well let's see how well they do. Ready, set go number one january first, nineteen seventy one was the last day that what aimed at women was seen on American television. Hmm The answer? It was a broadcast ad commercial for Virginia Slims on TV with the slogan You've come a long way, baby. It was aired at eleven fifty nine PM on january first, nineteen seventy one for the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson as the last cigarette commercial, then just banned from American TV. But you know I always have to give it a side note if I can. Johnny unfortunately kept smoking during the show for years afterwards, keeping his cigarette box on his desk on the set until his final episode. In 2005, at age seventy nine, he died of emphysema, a respiratory disease related to smoking. And in his final days he did some interviews where he talked about his regret for smoking. So many people fell into that during this era. Number two. According to the New York Times, who was the first president of the United States to wear contact lenses in public? Now this one surprised me. I kind of thought maybe, you know, handsome, charismatic John F. Kennedy? Nope, nope, nope. It was Lyndon Johnson. On TV wearing spectacles, Lyndon Johnson came across as a kind of Texas style Ichabod crane. For the sake of his image, the president at least temporarily discarded the glasses. This was from an article that appeared in that paper in December 1964. And what I've also read about Lyndon Johnson over the years is that he appeared so differently on TV than he did in real life. In real life, he was a powerhouse. Oh man, he walked in a room and he just took it over. He was very dominant, and he would shake somebody's hand or go up to them and just totally mesmerize them and empower himself, disempower them, and get people to do almost anything he wanted. But on TV he came off kind of apologetic and wimp like is what I remember. He spoke gently and I think in trying to make up or just please the camera or something, he just came off kind of strange, I thought. But when he didn't wear his glasses, he might have felt better. Anyway. Number three. What first lady of the following four was a ninth generation descendant actually of Pocahontas? Was that Helen Taft? Edith Wilson? Bess Truman, or Mamie Eisenhower? The answer is the wife of Woodrow Wilson, Edith. That surprised me too. four. What was the name of the character played by Marlowe Thomas in her successful nineteen sixties, seventies sitcom That Girl? Oh boy, didn't you wanna be that girl? I did. Anyway, it was kind of a strange last name. She was Anne Marie. I seem to remember one of the first episodes. There was some confusion because her father was then Lou Marie. She was Anne Marie, and there was some talent scout or somebody that didn't understand. But anyway, Anne Marie was her name, and I wonder how many people remember that. I think most people just remember her as Marlowe Thomas. She was stunning, so smart in that show, and continues to be to this day. Okay, so 60 years ago today, July 4th, as this episode drops, what was the number one song for the day out of the top songs on the Billboard 100? Okay, I'm gonna read the list and then just try to figure out which one was the top one for July 4th, 1964. Tell me why by Bobby Vinton The Little Old Lady from Pasadena, Jan and Dean Wishin' and Hopin Dusty Springfield. She was a Brit that was super popular. Don't let the sun catch your cryin' by Jerry and the Pacemakers Love Me Do the Beatles Rock Me Baby by BB King Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley I Don't Wanna Be a Loser Leslie Gore Under the Boardwalk by the Drifters All Alone Am I Brenda Lee Okay I don't think you're gonna believe this It was actually Don't Let the Sun Catch Ya Cryin Jerry and the Bacemakers I had a lot of fun researching this one because I got to listen to all the songs, so it took me a little while. I really went down the rabbit hole doing this podcast script, but it was fun. Who had a dozen number one hits between nineteen sixty four and nineteen sixty nine? Was it The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Dion Warwick, The Supremes, The Doors, or Patula Clark? You know, she was downtown. Okay, well, they all were hit makers during that period. But the winners were the Supremes. I would have probably thought the Beatles or the Beach Boys. But actually the Beatles didn't drop into America until 1964, and their first hit was I Wanna Hold Your Hand, and then they went on and on, of course. But even in that first five year period when they were there, the Supremes outsold them. Number seven, which of the following well known performers had or have a serious fear of flying that actually hindered their ability to travel for their performances? I'm going to list some and then you can figure out who you think of the group had that fear of flying. Jean Wilder, Julie Andrews, Cher, Harrison Ford, Johnny Cash, and Michael Boublet. Okay, the answer is all of them except for Harrison Ford. He is actually known for his love of flying. He's a licensed pilot and has been flying airplanes and helicopters for many years. Ford owns several aircraft and has been involved in various flying related activities, including participating in search and rescue missions. While he has experienced some accidents and close calls over the years, his passion for aviation remains strong. So he doesn't have the fear of flying, but the rest do, so it's more common than you would think. But I imagine it comes with the territory the more and more you fly, and you have those experiences, and starts to shake you. Okay, number eight. What insect shorted out an early supercomputer and inspired the term computer bug? Was it the moth? The roach? The fly or the Japanese beetle? Okay. Well my first answer would have been Japanese beetle. I mean, you know, Japanese technology. An unusual bug to put in the list, but I was wrong. It was the moth. Number nine. Who is the only scientist to have won a Nobel Prize in two different scientific categories? Well, well, well, it was a woman. And quite a while ago. Marie Curie. First for physics for her research of radiation phenomena in 1903. And second, oh I didn't put the date, but I think it was maybe about ten years later, in chemistry for the discovery of polonium and radium. Then Curie's daughter, Irene Joliot Curie, hope I said that right, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935, making the two the only mother-daughter pair to have won Nobel Prizes. And of Pierre and Irene Curie, the only father-daughter pair to have won Nobel Prizes by the same occasion, whilst there are six father-son pairs who have won Nobel Prizes by comparison. And the most Nobel Prizes awarded to women in a single year was way back in 2009, when five women became laureates in four categories. I think that's wonderful because they were certainly pioneers in education and pioneers, I'm sure, in the laboratory. ten Which musical was the longest running show on Broadway? There's so many. Well, it's the Phantom of the Opera. I remember watching old black and white movie of that as a kid for some reason was played over and over again on afternoon television, and it was cut way down. And I remember my brother who became a film editor, of course I've talked about him before. You know how guys did car models, but he also did figure models, and he did one of the Phantom of the Opera. I always thought it was a little scary. Guess I was a scaredy cat, but I sure did love it for the music and the staging as a show, and then the movie. Number eleven, which actor played James Bond in the most movies? Was it Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, or Timothy Dalton? I wonder if most of you think it was Sean Connery. He seems to be the macho one, the cool one that everybody thought was so great. But actually, Roger Moore had the most appearances in the movies, the James Bond movies. I remember the first one was Live and Let Die. I may have said this before, I remember it well because I saw it twenty six times. How could that be possible? It was because I was working as a movie theater usher at the time, and I counted. He was pretty thin, the movie was pretty hokey. Jane Seymour was in it, there was a lot of voodoo. The villain actually inflated and blew up at the end. And Roger Moore was suave. He was okay, but as time went on he got a little thick, a little slower, just to my mind. But don't you love the Bond movies? You just can't help it. Number twelve. The black and white television show Father Knows Best is set in which of the following fictional towns that shares its name with the home of the animated Simpsons family. Is that town Mayfield, Springfield, Mayberry, or Springville? The answer is Springfield. And according to the US government, thirty four states have a Springfield. But neither the fifties comedy Father Knows Best nor The Simpsons identifies a state in which they are set. By the way, Mayfield, also on this list I told you about, is the home of the Cleavers in Leave It to Beaver. No state. Mayberry is the setting for the Andy Griffiths show. There also was a Hooterville, which hosted both Petticoat Junction and Greenacres. None of these shows had a state, apparently, although Andy Griffith has said to have based Mayberry on his hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina. The Adventures of Leah Thompson, also known outside the United States and Canada as Leah's World, is an American animated television series created by Steven Spielberg for NBC. It was set in the fictional town of Springville in a place called McGuire Manor in nineteen ninety seven. Okay, here's a favorite. Number thirteen, what did Lucille Ball try to sell in a commercial on I Love Lucy? It was Vitamita Vegamin. I love that episode. I think Lucy did too. fourteen. It came on at eight thirty PM on february twenty eighth, nineteen eighty three. But what sitcom aired right before it? Was that memorable? Of the four following, which one was it? Was it Private Benjamin? Square pegs, Alice or Newhart? Jeez, I love Newhart, set in Chicago, where I live. The answer is Alice. Based on the movie, Alice doesn't live here anymore. But funnier. Alice doesn't live here anymore. Really wasn't funny. It was a drama. fifteen. Which country is named the sugar bowl of the world? Well it's not the US for Hawaii. It is actually Cuba. sixteen. What club did astronaut Alan Shepard use to make his famous golf shot on the moon? Was it a nine iron? A sandwich? A six iron, or a seven iron? And the answer is you golfers, hopefully no, a six iron. I don't think I ever golfed enough to use a six iron. I remember using a sandwich quite a bit. Number seventeen. The original classic painting, American Gothic by Grant Wood, is housed in the Art Institute of Chicago. This iconic painting of a farmer holding a pitchfork aside his supposed wife, or perhaps his sister, has been part of the museum's collection ever since it won a bronze medal and a cash prize of three hundred dollars in a nineteen thirty art contest. So who did artist Grant Wood use as the model for the farmer? Was it a traveling salesman? The local sheriff? His dentist or his butcher? The answer is his dentist. So I guess the dentist did a little modeling on the side. eighteen. Which TV host initially refused to book Elvis Presley? But then eventually gave in and made his performances even more famous. Well, of course it was Ed Sullivan. Ed Sullivan, I remember in our house, Ed Sullivan was on every Sunday night. But my parents did not make me watch Lauren Swelk. And Ed Sullivan, well, let's see, he had some groundbreakers, the Beatles for one. Number nineteen. Mork of Mork and Mindy was from which planet That would be Ork, of course. Mork from Orc. Number twenty. Who was Samantha's nosy neighbor in Bewitched? Gladys Kravitz Always peeking through the curtains, tiptoeing around. She would drive me to drink. I think she drove the Stevenses to drink because there was cocktails in that show all the time. twenty one. What company, whose trademark included a dog listening to a gramophone, sold the first mass produced colored television set starting in nineteen fifty four. That was RCA short for the Radio Corporation of America. twenty two. two The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary or was number three among them The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein four A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline Langell next Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzu Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Rold Dahl The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell Which of those books were the three most popular internationally? Okay, those would be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a whimsical story about a young boy named Charlie and the chocolate factory owner Willy Wanka about Charlie's tour of the amazing chocolate factory that he won as a prize. Also The Giving Tree by Shell Siein. It tells a moving story about the relationship between a boy and a tree and it's a staple in children's literature. And then the fun fun where the wild things are. It's renowned for its imaginative story distinctive illustrations. This gem by Maurice Sendick has sold millions of copies worldwide. So then for sure I was going to include a question about best selling or best loved, or just the best toys of all time that originated in our era. Well, way down the rabbit hole, probably a couple of hours later, I gave up. There's got to be an entire episode on this, or at least a shopping trip. Anyway, just for fun, I encourage you to look up the toy that emerged during your birth year that took kids and their parents' wallets by storm. For me, the year 1956, it was Mr. Potato Head. And I do actually have memories of using the accessories, you know, parts of the face, the hat, etc etc, on real potatoes from my mom's cupboards. Maybe we had to share the base, or maybe we split the toy with some other family, but anyway, I actually remember using a genuine spud instead of the toy body, but it was fun. Okay, number twenty three. What do liquid paper, fire escapes, non glare glass, bulletproof vests, disposable diapers, and windshield wipers all have in common? Well the audience that mostly this podcast is aimed at women. Women invented them all. Oh and let's not forget the square bottom paper bag. And that, thankfully, was in 1871. See what I mean about the research rabbit hole? twenty four. In nineteen fifty five a woman refused to give up her seat on a bus in Alabama. What was her name? That, of course, was the courageous. courageous, quiet, unassuming Rosa Parks. twenty five. The Vietnam War technically lasted from nineteen fifty five to nineteen seventy five. So the presidents leading the US involvement during its stages were Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon, all leading during different stages of the Vietnam War. Well I just finished reading The Women, discussed by my two book clubs, by Kristen Hanna. It's historical fiction whose subject is women nurses who served in Vietnam. It made me wonder if any of the first ladies of these presidents had significant behind the scenes influence during her husband's administration. I kind of doubted it, but I did wonder and I found one. Turns out Lady Byr Johnson had a notable influence during her husband's administration nineteen sixty three to nineteen sixty nine, which covered a considerable portion of the Vietnam War. While Lady Byrd might not have been involved in the detailed policy making or military strategic decisions, she did provide counsel and support to President Johnson during a very challenging period of his presidency. She was privy to many discussions about the war and helped shape public perception of the administration's policies. Lady Bird Johnson also took an active role in domestic initiatives aimed at beautification and conservation and I remember this because she spearheaded the removal or the barring of billboards across the U.S. on federal highways I believe and so the landscape was somewhat preserved not so junked up by commercialism. She was also aware of the intense scrutiny and division Vietnam caused the country her efforts were very much extended to trying to boost morale at home as best she could and managing strains that came with the war and there was so much conflict at home and overseas about it, as we all know. Anyway, I'm going to give you another question it's a bit departure from the quiz and for me personally. So by the end of the summer I'm going to do something my protective brain never would have permitted get a tattoo. My old mindset formed mostly by my mother and the era in which I grew up was well tattoos were for sailors and a little dicey. So now that I'm taking the big fun leap, I wanted to know what song lyric is most commonly used as a tattoo. So down the rabbit hole again I did some research which one of the following lyrics do you think is most commonly used as a tattoo a powerful inspirational message of self-affirmation that people are willing to put on their arm or their leg or wherever I guess here's your four choices you're gonna hear me roar from the song Roar by Katie Perry. I'm a warrior from the song Warrior by Demi Lovato Like a small boat on the ocean sending big waves into motion from the song Fight Song by Rachel Plattin and finally I will survive from the iconic song by Gloria Aynor Which do you think? Or maybe one or more of you has a tattoo like this already Whoa, this answer surprised me. I thought for sure it would be roar or secondly I will survive it actually is like a small boat on the ocean sending big waves into motion from Fight Song by Rachel Platton. I like that lyric but honestly I'm not sure if I'd be able to withstand the tattoo process for that many words. Hmm Well I hope you enjoyed expanding your brain and smiled all the while during this summer episode. So no one on one coach in your life yet no problem besides tips from these podcasts you can get started on your own the same way a coach would guide you using my free three steps to start your weight loss like a boss checklist. To get your copy just send an email with the subject line steps to hello at LoriAdamsCoaching dot com. That's Lori spelled L A U R I E. So send it to Hello at LoriAdamsCoaching dot com to get started in a doable way. And you can use that same email if you are interested in coaching one-on-one and just want to schedule an easy conversation with me. Or if you want to weigh in on a suggested tattoo phrase or tattoo art for me, please send that idea or advice along. At this date, the date I'm recording this, I still have an open mind. Thanks hey thanks for listening. To contact me directly please reach out via email to hello at laurieadamscoaching.com and I invite you to take a look at my flaming hot webpage fireup at fiftyfiveplus.com That's fireup the word at 55plus com. And until next week make the most of your sizzling second act