S03.E09: Everything's Coming Up Jonas

[slowpoked]

and if I heard Gravity, I'd think Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. 

 

Exactly, and wasn't he just the voice at the beginning of the film there? I would totally blank out on Ed Harris on a film that he's not even seen in. Unless you're just a total Ed Harris superfan, then yeah.

 

Paul Giamatti I'd have a harder time with. I know his name, know he's an actor, yet nothing he's done comes to mind easily.   I'd probably eventually remember Sideways, but that's about it.

 

Aside from Sideways, I know him from The Negotiator as one of the hostages, but even if you mention that movie, the first thought would be Kevin Spacey and/or Samuel Jackson. That's the key of the game - who would be a fan's first thought when a movie or show is mentioned, because there's just not a lot of time to go through a lot of clues.

Edited September 3, 2015 by slowpoked

[peeayebee]

If I were receiving the clue, Sideways or John Adams would easily lead me to Paul Giamatti, so obviously I would start with those. Actually, I might start by saying, "He's an actor, kind of schlubby." I just looked at his IMDB page. A younger person might know him from Big Fat Liar, where Frankie Muniz turned him blue. 

[BoogieBurns]

Forest Whitaker. The Butler. 

[Scott]

Honestly, for Ed Harris, the first thing I'd think of is The Right Stuff, but I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have made the connection the other way (trying to guess his name, given the title).  

 

My answer-deducing was a mixed bag this episode.  I was agreeing with Jane on most of the "everybody in the room knows this!" calls, but I also almost went down the strawberry path for Raspberry Beret.  Wouldn't have known the Carlton if it had bitten me.  I can take comfort knowing that, even though I don't watch The Walking Dead, I could have figured out Atlanta and zombie.  Oh, and that I'd be better than Cheryl Burke.  

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Cheryl Burke Fails To Dance Her Way Into America's Hearts In Her Hollywood Game Night Debut / It may seem unfair for a team without a professional dancer to face off against one with a professional dancer in a dancing challenge. Then it's not.

[dcalley]

The most recent credit I can think of for Paul Giamatti is God on Inside Amy Schumer, but I would not expect that show to come up on this one.

[needschocolate]

I am known among my friends and family for having a really good memory, but I my memory is absolutely horrible when it comes to names.  There is no way I would ever go on this show, because a lot of the answers involve knowing the name of a celebrity.  Even if I magically happened to win, I would bomb the final game. I have heard of most of the Forest Whitaker roles people have mentioned on this thread, but it wouldn't have been enough for m to remember his name.  Even if they went with "the black actor with the droopy eyelid" I would have been able to picture him in my head but probably not say his name.  My best hope would have been if they said "his first name is a place with a lot of trees" or "his first name is the same as the guy with the last name Gump" 
 

Oh, I also forgot to say that I was getting irritated by Jane's "all the people in this room knows this but you" comments. I don't offended easy and whatnot but damn you don't have to make people feel dumb like that. Secondly, it's not always that easy for everyone. I had no fucking idea what the Lucy Lui one was. I never heard of that song and I couldn't tell that was Lucy Lui.

 
My first thought was "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend."  Like Jenna, I also thought of Strawberry Fields Forever when I saw the one for Raspberry Beret - the beret sort of looked like the leafy "cap" of a strawberry.   I should probably wear my glasses when I watch this show - and stop doing other things at the same time.

Edited September 3, 2015 by needschocolate

[sinkwriter]

 

The most recent credit I can think of for Paul Giamatti is God on Inside Amy Schumer, but I would not expect that show to come up on this one.

 

He was also in a terrific spoof of Twelve Angry Men, on Inside Amy Schumer, which was hilarious. But that might be too obscure to reference. Overall, he's just a tough one to get someone to think of immediately. Though I think, if anything, for me Sideways probably would have done it.

[Irlandesa]

He was also in a terrific spoof of Twelve Angry Men, on Inside Amy Schumer, which was hilarious. But that might be too obscure to reference. Overall, he's just a tough one to get someone to think of immediately. Though I think, if anything, for me Sideways probably would have done it.

Sideways and John Adams would have worked for him but the 12 Angry Men parody might have worked because when this was filmed, it would have likely recently aired.  (Assuming this was taped in May.) And that video had gone viral. 

 

We often talk about the celebs avoiding mentioning the race or size of a name they're trying to convey so I was happy when the first thing Seth said was "black actor" for Forest Whitaker.

[smrou]

For me the quickest way to get me to guess Forest Whitaker would have been to mention Last King of Scotland (that would have done it instantly) and Good Morning, Vietnam (for that he would be my second guess after Robin Williams). But I can understand how he'd be a kind of challenging pull for a lot of people, so I think it might have been a good idea to clue his first name either by something like "His first name is the name of a place with lots of trees. A synonym for 'woods'" or "Has the same first name as Mr. Gump, the Tom Hanks character". Because if you can get the person trying to come up with an actor with a first name of Forest I think most people would get it. Basically, a lot of the time if a person's name is also an actual word I think it's a good idea to consider cluing the word rather than only describing the person.

Edited September 4, 2015 by smrou

[ddlou]

When that guy was trying to get Jenna to guess "virus" by saying "HIV is a..." I half expected her to say "state of mind." Didn't she make some remark like that years ago?

[Racj82]

Also, it's a deep cut for Whitaker but I also remember him as basically the only black person of note in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

[Kel Varnsen]

This is maybe the first episode I've seen where both of the civilians seemed more on the ball than all of the celebrities. I felt really bad for the woman in the final round because, even in spite of a lot of the celebs being difficult to guess, Seth and Jenna were really giving terrible clues, including just the wrong movie title altogether: Forrest Whitaker was in Ghost Dog, not Ghost Ship, you ding-dongs. Also, has everyone forgot he was in The Crying Game? Good Morning Vietnam? His career goes back a long way - there is a lot to choose from there.

Speaking of wrong clues, but was it just me or was Jenna Elfman about to reference The Green Mile for Forrest Whitaker before catching herself, thinking that he was Michael Clarke Duncan. I think for the final round they need to treat it like how my profs in University used to tell me how to do exams. Run through it one time first and do all the easy ones, then go back and use your remaining times to do the hard ones. I know the celebs can't pass, but if someone who is more of a character or supporting actor comes up, they should almost say "you need to pass" right away, and hope that the next one name will be George Clooney or Bill Clinton or something and also hope that there are 10 easy ones like that in the pool of names.

[harrie]

Also, it's a deep cut for Whitaker but I also remember him as basically the only black person of note in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

 

Same here - he was great in King of Scotland, Ghost Dog and lots of other stuff, but at that moment Fast Times is the one thing that came to mind, and it would not leave. (Not that I was there, I only play at home.) 

[Dewey Decimate]

Gah, that was an unpleasant episode to watch. I couldn't figure out if something went down between the male contestant and the women on his team or if they were just kinda assholes and he was not totally into the game.

 

Tough final round. It's fun to see how different everyone's most-known references are. For Forest W. I though The Crying Game, and Paul G. it was Sideways and American Splendor. Seth did a great job on Demi Lovato - she's a name and face I know, but couldn't tell you anything else about her, her songs, her relationships. Getting there via Demi Moore was well done.

 

But then I also think Seth Green is kinda hot. Great hair, nice smile, and terrific sense of humor. Loved how at the end in the shot before the final game, it was Seth + three Amazon blondes.

[Rinaldo]

Seth was eye-catching even back in his child-actor days, embodying a young Woody Allen in Radio Days, with Michael Tucker and Julie Kavner as parents and Dianne Wiest for an aunt.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Rinaldo

[sinkwriter]

Years ago, photographer Véronique Vial created photo books called "Women Before 10am" and "Men Before 10am too" and she included a very attractive shot of Seth:

 

"Seth before 10am"