Yo peeps, I got Spanish class today, so i gotta go do my homework, but i’ll be back this afternoon and post a bunch of stuff, including the results of last night’s challenge at the Vous, the collapse at the Black Sheep, and a couple more pizza spots I’ve hit. In the meantime, if you’ve got 10 minutes to kill, watch the 10th inning of game 6 of the 1986 World Series-as performed by RBI baseball. Pretty amazing. Also, very special birthday wishes being sent out to quizzo player Clare P., badass Thomas Jefferson, and my main man Lou Bega.
Questions at the Vous will be extra hard
I think a couple of big name teams are coming to challenge the Jams tonight at the Vous, so the questions will probably be a little harder than usual. Just thought I would give fair warning. Remember, if anyone beats the Jams, they get not only the gift certificate, but $20 cash from Johnny. There are rumors of both the Champs and the Sofa Kingdom making appearances. If you ever wanted to chance to match your wits against the best of the best, tonight is your chance. And yes, the Jams will get the $20 extra bucks if they win.
Odds and ends
This comes from Dan Gross in today’s Daily News. It’s about a guy who’s trying to raise finances for a movie he wants to put together: Mazzotta says that among the guests will be David Proval (Richie Aprile in “The Sopranos”); Johnny “Roastbeef” Williams; Doylestown’s “American Idol,” Justin Guarini; Abe Vigoda, and other actors. The $100 ticket includes a buffet, wine and beer, and a performance by Guarini. Wow, I get to see Justin Guarini live for only $100? Holy cow! Why don’t you up it to $125 and see if you can get Snow? By the way, the photo above is of Johnny “Roast Beef” Williams. There are rumors that Philly’s favorite quizmaster is changing his name to Johnny “Corned Beef” Goodtimes, but that has not been confirmed.
I posted a new poll on the right side, so vote when you get a chance.
In a political realm, I came across this write up about the threat of a nuclear attack on Iran via Blinq. It’s kind of long, but I think it’s worth the time. With Bush’s poll numbers at an all time low, I suspect that this talk of nuclear war is a way of getting the “base” excited. “Hell yeah, let’s blow stuff up,” they’re saying right now. “Let’s drop them nucular bombs on ’em. That’ll put ’em in line. Now toss me another Budweiser and pump up that Toby Keith.”
My doppelganger
There’s this thing that scans your face and then tells you what celebrity you look like. I apparently look like Haydn Christensen, which sucks because I think he looks like a doofus. Also, I have better hair. You have to sign up for this thing, but it only takes a second and it’s pretty funny. The celebrity who came up the second most like me was Enrique Iglesias, then John Ritter.
Quizzo for the Cause
Alright gang, this week we’re going back at it with Quizzo for the Cause. This month’s cause is the Urban Blazers, a group that provides “opportunities for urban, under-served young people to participate in outdoor activities that will stimulate the development of confidence and self-esteem and generate an understanding and appreciation for nature and physical fitness.” I will not only be looking for the $1 donation, but I will also be asking you to consider volunteering for this cause.
I think Philadelphia is at the crossroads. We can either become a world class city, or we can be just another place with a few good restaurants and bad pro sports teams. I’d prefer to live in a world class city, and I think that the only way that is possible is by us doing our part to make it such. I think that getting involved in programs like this are a great way to help the city head in that direction. I hope you guys will think about getting involved.
Question of the Week
Many people think that Shakespeare was actually the 17th Earl of Oxford. What was his name?
odds and ends
Hey peeps. You missed a hell of a night of Rock Paper Scissors at the Khyber last night. It was damn fun, although I was eliminated in the first round. It came down to the last throw. I had tried to psyche out my opponent, telling him I was going to throw scissors, which I then did. He threw them also. I then told him I was going to throw paper. I thought he would believe me and throw scissors. Then I would double back and get him with rock. But he was apparently hip to my game, as he shocked me with paper and sent me off a loser. The bartender made an amazing comeback in the finals to win.
In other news, voting has begun for Daneen and Graham. Please vote for them for the 10! shows ultimate wedding.
And finally, a happy birthday to former Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. I don’t know anything about him, but his name sounds funny, especially if you try to say it with a lisp.
Johnny Grabs Pizza with high school buddy
On Wednesday, I got an email from my old high school and college buddy Bryan Sterling (middle, with me on the right and my buddy Rob on the left**), aka Creamy B. He said he had a business meeting in Philly on Thursday, and did I wanna grab lunch? So I though to myself, “I gotta get this guy in on the Great Pizza Hunt.” I wanted to go to Marra’s, at least partly because that was the name of a girl who broke both of our hearts in high school. But we didn’t have time, so we went to By George’s at the Reading Terminal. The pizza looked really nice, but it was completely unmemorable. Kind of bland, no real excitement. There are definitely better places to eat at the Market. Of course, before we headed back to the train station, I had to get him to try the Amish pretzels dipped in butter. Those things are freaking incredible. Anyway, here was Bryan’s take:
The “healthy” slice of pizza was surprisingly good. The whole wheat crust was delicious, but the chef pushed the envelope a little too far by topping this pizza with celery. Once I removed the celery this slice was quite enjoyable. My second slice of pizza was a more traditional pepperoni and sausage. Although I did not feel healthy eating it, it went down well and forced me to think about a third slice. I’d rate this pizza experience a 2.5 out of 5 pepperonis (vs. stars). The pizza was good but I know Philadelphia has much better pie to offer.
Yeah, I gotta go with Bryan on this one. 2.5 at best.
***About five years ago, Bryan, Rob, and I (photo, above), who all grew up within half an hour of each other, were all dating women who grew up along the New Hampshire/Mass. border, within 30 miles of each other, by sheer coincidence. The girls didn’t know each other beforehand. Rob and Bryan both got married to theirs. I eat a lot of Chinese takeout.
Rock Paper Scissors League Starts tonight
Jam Master Sean, aka C. Urbanus, is known for more than just hosting quizzo at the Dive. He also runs the local RPS league, which kicks off tonight at the Khyber at 8:30 p.m.. JGT might make an appearance, though there are rumors that Jam Master couldn’t meet Johnny’s appearance fee ($5,000 standard). So far, not a single event organizer in Philly has met Johnny’s fee. Johnny, as you may remember, hosted the first annual Keystone Classic. But enough about Johnny, read more about the new league after the jump:
Continue reading “Rock Paper Scissors League Starts tonight”
Pepperoni rolls at Zio’s
Alright, we ran into our first controversy on Friday at Zio’s (111South 13th Street). I have been eating a lot of your standard triangular pizza lately. So at Zio’s, which I went to with Rob from MAGMA, I decided to try the pepperoni roll. Now, when I was at college at Radford, we had a restaurant that was very famous for serving crusties, which were essentially pepperoni rolls that you could get stuffed with anything you want. With a hunger fueled by gallons of beer and occasionally the inhalation of deadly marijuana, crazed college students would order dozens of these things at 2 in the morning. So seeing these pepperoni rolls at Zio’s took me back, and I had to order one, although to keep things even, I also ordered a BBQ chicken standard slice. The BBQ chicken slice was fine, nothing amazing, a good solid 3 pepperoni slice. But the pepperoni roll gets a ho-ho-ho my goodness. It is the best pizza product I have had on the search so far. Soft and doughey and stuffed with just enough cheese, it blew my doors. But what can I classify it as? I mean, it’s not really pizza, per se. So can I hand out pepperoni’s based on something that’s not pizza? Let me mull over that while you read Rob’s take:
I give my Sausage 3 1/2 roni–thin crust that is good and doughy, sausage which tasted fresher than alot of the crap you get around the city. Cheese slice–3 roni–not as good as last time, but maybe that is because
last time I was hungover, dunno.
Alright, I can’t give ’em a four because the pizza isn’t four worthy. But they get a three and a half…and you have to try the pepperoni roll (they also have a spinach one, which I heard is good). Oh, and when you get it, ask for a side of ranch. Word.
