Kicked Out?! Quiz | In Common

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This British singer had a busking-style trip to the European continent at the start of his career, travelling around with folk singer Wizz Jones amongst others. Sleeping rough, he was sent "Sailing", having got kicked out of Spain in 1963 for vagrancy. He might also have sung "I Don't Want to Talk About It" when he got back home to London. Who is this?

Answer: Rod Stewart

Very much at the start of his career, Rod Stewart's solo career didn't start to take off until the end of that decade. An attempt at a soccer career came before the musical one and grave digging was a job at one time.

Rod Stewart's "Sailing" was released in 1975 and reached the top of the charts in the UK, Ireland and Holland - it managed number 58 in the US. "I Don't Want to Talk About It" reached the top of the charts in the UK, Germany and Holland in 1976.

2. Kicked out of a job as researcher and bilingual secretary at Amnesty International in London, this 'muggle' turned to fantasy writing whilst struggling on the breadline. Finishing the first book in a series of seven in 1995, it was published in 1997. Now worth hundreds of million dollars, who is this author?

Answer: J K Rowling

The "Harry Potter" series of seven books follows a young wizard and his friends through several years of school as they face various challenges and come of age. Several book-selling records were broken in the process. The books have been successfully transferred to the silver screen in eight films. 'Muggle' is a derogatory term used by certain witches and wizards in the books for those without magical ability.

3. This person effectively got fired from his own company before getting back in there and making a success of the place. The company's name got him into hot water with the Beatles, the music group, for a few decades. Maybe the name of the company should have been iCom (or something similar), it would then have tied in with its product line. Who was this person?

Answer: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs founded Apple Inc with Steve Wozniak in 1976. He was ousted in 1985 and returned to the fold in 1996. He was very much the figurehead of the company but died in 2011. There is an almost 30-year history of trademark disputes between Apple Corps, the Beatles holding company, and Apple Inc., although they seem to have patched their differences at the moment.

4. Author of books such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "In Cold Blood", this person was sacked from his job as copy boy at the New Yorker after upsetting the poet Robert Frost. Who was this author?

Answer: Truman Capote

The story goes that Truman Capote was feeling unwell and left in the middle of a poetry reading by Robert Frost. Frost was incensed and, knowing where he worked, persuaded the New Yorker to sack him.

The success of Truman Capote's short story "Miriam" led to a contract with Random House and his first novel "Other Voices, Other Rooms".

5. Squirting Dunkin' Donut's jelly over customers got this lady the boot. She was not a "Material Girl" then, maybe "A Girl Gone Wild". A strange way to "Express Yourself" perhaps. Who got kicked out of Dunkin' Donuts?

Answer: Madonna

In 1978 Madonna dropped out of college and moved to New York with little money. Work at Dunkin' Donuts helped pay some bills whilst pursuing a dance career.

Music-wise she initially joined the band Breakfast Club and did some of the drumming before she got to sing. She has now sold over 300 million records and has been a big influence in the world of music.

"Material Girl", "A Girl Gone Wild" and Express Yourself" were hit songs for Madonna from 1984, 2012 and 1989 respectively.

6. This American travel writer, known for such books as "The Great Railway Bazaar" and "Riding the Iron Rooster", got himself kicked out of Malawi in 1963 for helping an opponent of the then Prime Minister escape to Uganda. Who upset the PM?

Answer: Paul Theroux

Theroux was an early Peace Corps member and worked as a teacher in Malawi. As well as being kicked out of Malawi, he got sacked from the Peace Corps and so moved to Uganda and took up another teaching job as well as some writing. His first book "Waldo" was written during his Ugandan stay.

7. Deported from Germany in 1960 for being too young to work in a nightclub didn't stop this guitarist from going on to greater things initially with another fab three musicians. Maybe the deportation was why he wrote "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Who was he?

Answer: George Harrison

George Harrison was auditioning at the age of 14 to join the Quarrymen, which later changed their name to the Beatles. He was 17 when deported from Germany. Following the break-up of the Beatles in 1970, he had a solo career and also formed the Traveling Wilburys in 1988. He died in 2001 of lung cancer.

8. Falling foul of politicians can result in difficulties. Although not actually deported, this silent film comic actor found that his re-entry visa back into the US in 1952 was revoked after his satirisation of the country's anti-communist stance upset the establishment. Who was this person?

Answer: Charlie Chaplin

British actor and film director Charlie Chaplin made the transition from the silent film era to 'talkies' reluctantly. At the same time he started getting overtly political with films like "The Great Dictator". His popularity waned, not helped by marriages to women much younger than him.

After leaving the US, he settled in Switzerland. He returned only once to the US in order to receive an Honorary Academy Award in 1972. He died in 1977.

9. Removed and/or Fired as co-anchor from a six o'clock news programme in Baltimore in 1977, she eventually ended up in Chicago in 1983 where it all came good. She has become a highly influencial and wealthy person as a result of TV. Who is she?

Answer: Oprah Winfrey

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" became the highest-rated talkshow in US TV history and ran for 25 seasons to 2011. Oprah was the wealthiest African-American woman of the Twentieth Century. She has turned her hand to acting in films (such as "The Color Purple"), producing for TV and writing. She is also a philanthropist, having given away about $400 million for educational purposes by 2012.
She was removed as co-anchor of the six o'clock news at WJS-TV in Baltimore to lower profile positions (early morning and noon newscasts).

10. This British singer was denied entry to the US in 2004 when he was apparently mixed up with a "Youssef Islam", whose name appeared on the No Fly List maintained by the US Government's Terrorist Screening Center. A case of "Father and Son" confusion? "Morning Has Broken", he no doubt observed as he was put on a return flight the next day. What name did this singer used to be known by?

Answer: Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens converted to Islam in 1977 and soon changed his name to Yusuf Islam. Following his deportation, two British newspapers supported the US action and claimed that he supported terrorism. They lost the libel case which followed, paid damages and acknowledged his innocence of their claims as well as his award of Man of Peace from the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Various people petitioned the US and Yusuf Islam was subsequently allowed into the US in 2006.

"Father and Son" was released by Cat Stevens in 1970 as part of the "Tea for the Tillerman" album with "Morning Has Broken" in his 1971 "Teaser and the Firecat" album.Father and Son

Source: Author suomy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Snowman before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Kicked Out?! Trivia Quiz

Really? These folk have all been shown the door at one time or another. Has that hindered them? You judge, but first see if you can work out who has transgressed.

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