We know some readers only pick us up for the music listings or News of the Weird. To think that each reader carefully absorbs every word we’ve written would be flattering ourselves. And, deep down, we know better. But still, we’d like to offer a little challenge: an end-of-the-year final to determine how well you’ve been paying attention. And if you have a stack of old Flyers lying around, well, consider it open-book. — By Bianca Phillips and Chris Davis
1) City Council member Rickey Peete claimed he saw an increase of this in Memphis after Hurricane Katrina:
A. People coming to Memphis from New Orleans in need of shelter
B. FEMA trucks passing through our area en route to New Orleans
C. Downtown panhandlers
2) Prior to the Memphis opening of Craig Brewer’s Hustle & Flow, radio personality Janis Fullilove said this about the film:
A. “It’s the best thing since Wonder Bread.”
B. “I would have been much better in the role of Nola.”
C. “People already think Memphis is a backwater river town. It will just further their perceptions.”
3) After a state investigation, the Love in Action ministry was cited for:
A. Treating mentally ill patients without a license
B. Psychological abuse of children
C. Being a waste of parents’ money since, according to the American Psychological Association, “straight camp” programs don’t work
4) Why were some workers at The Commercial Appeal upset this year?
A. Co-workers of movie critic John Beifuss were jealous that the local band Scandaliz Vandalistz wrote a song about him.
B. They were tired of kid pictures in the neighborhood Appeal sections.
C. Various labor disputes
5) Why did some Memphians want a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest removed from the park bearing his name?
A. The statue makes him look fat.
B. They think that a monument honoring the former Ku Klux Klan leader is offensive.
C. To make way for a shiny, new statue of Willie Herenton.
6) In December, 18-year-old Jessica Booth was arrested after plotting to kill four Hispanic men over what?
A. A brick of cocaine
B. A pound of marijuana
C. A block of queso fresco cheese
7) What was the name of the film Memphis lobbyist-turned-FBI-informant Tim Willis partially shot in the offices of the feds’ fake company, e-Cycle Management? And what local luminary starred?
A. Bringing Up Baby 2 with Willie Herenton
B. Street Life with D’Army Bailey
C. Money Talks starring John Ford
Answers: 1) C; 2) C; 3) A; 4) C; 5) B; 6) C; 7) B
7 correct: Perhaps you should consider a career in journalism. Better yet, public relations. It pays more.
5-6 correct: Okay, so you may not know it all, but we can tell that you try to pick up the Flyer every week. You just can’t retain everything you read. And that’s okay.
3-4 correct: You’re one of those people who only reads the Flyer when you’re stuck at a bar by yourself.
0-2 correct: It was nice of you to pick up this issue.