"Call Out My Name" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joyce

Going into this, your only other clue was a slip of paper with two names on it, both missing a word: "James ... DeWitt." You remember the mysterious voice's instruction that the only way to reverse the name-robbery is to proclaim aloud the missing part. It's not clear why this is so, but having figured out the name that links these particular individuals, you give it a try and call out, "Joyce!" As soon as you do, the two famous namesakes appear in a flash: James Joyce, the Irish author who penned such works as "Finnegans Wake" and "Ulysses," and Joyce DeWitt, the actress who portrayed Janet on the sitcom "Three's Company."

Curious as to how or why various people are being robbed of their names, you ask James Joyce if he has any answers. He replies with a quote he once gave when asked how to interpret "Ulysses": "I've put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that's the only way of insuring one's immortality." Whoever or whatever is perpetrating these thefts, he suggests, clearly wants to remain a mystery.

Joyce DeWitt, however, is decidedly unamused by the strange goings-on. She remarks that she has no idea what this is all about. "But if that's the way the game is played," she adds, "I don't want to play anymore."

The two Joyces thank you for bringing their names back, and then go their separate ways -- but not before handing you a crumpled-up piece of paper. 'I know not who or what these words refer to,' says the author, 'but I do believe you were the one who was meant to set things right again. Perhaps if you can figure out what is behind all of this, you can thwart it once and for all.'


[As a note: You may notice that when famous people speak, the dialogue alternates at times between 'single' and "double" quotation marks. The latter is used to indicate an actual quotation; other dialogue is purely fictional.]

Answer: Arthur

Taking the wadded-up paper and setting it down on the desk, you smooth it out until you can read the text on the crinkled page: "Bea ... Miller." Upon realizing the missing name, you call out, "Arthur!" Once again, in the blink of an eye, two famous people are standing before you. One of them is Bea Arthur, the actress who played the eponymous character in "Maude" and Dorothy in "The Golden Girls." The other person is Arthur Miller, the legendary playwright who penned "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible."

Bea quips that life was confusing enough already without having part her name go MIA. Her philosophy toward her career, she says, is that "I'm not playing a role. I'm being myself -- whatever the hell that is." She seems glad to at least have her complete name back. Beyond that, however, she is either unwilling or unable to discuss the matter further. Flustered by the whole ordeal, she sits down on one of the chairs and closes her eyes. 'Look, I'm as confused as you are,' she says after a moment. 'I'm sorry, but my mind is a complete blank, and everything is a blur. It all happened so suddenly. I can't help you.'

You turn to Arthur, who is contemplating this strange story he had found himself forced into. He quotes a short excerpt from one of John Proctor's lines in "The Crucible": "How may I live without my name? ... Leave me my name!" He adds that while he likes an enigma, he is not responsible for this one: "I cannot write anything that I understand too well."

The two famous visitors wish you luck before disappearing into the mist.

Answer: Buck

You decide to leave the small room and explore the long, dimly lit hallway. Near an unmarked door is a small notecard that has fallen to the ground. It reads simply, "Pearl S ... Owens." After a brief moment, you discern the missing name -- Buck -- and call it out. Sure enough, the moment you utter the name, two of its famous bearers emerge through one of the doors: Pearl S. Buck, the Nobel Prize-winning author of "The Good Earth," and Buck Owens, the country-music singer/songwriter.

Having restored his name, you approach Buck Owens. Do any of his twangy country songs have any insight into all this name-stealing business? He shakes his head. 'But I'll tell you what I DO know,' he offers. "I am who I am, I am what I am, I do what I do, and I ain't never gonna do it any different."

His words represent a way of asserting confidence in yourself. You appreciate the sentiment, but it doesn't really answer any questions or explain anything.

Before you can say anything, you feel a comforting hand on your shoulder. It's that of Pearl Buck, the novelist -- the other person you helped this time around. Perhaps this fount of knowledge may have some insight. She remarks, "Every mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied." Hmm. Could all of these broken names just be some sort of mistake rather than a deliberate scheme? You wonder about the possibility. Either way, you hope her words will prove true -- that whatever has gone awry and why, that you'll be able to continue to find the solutions.

An ornate grandfather clock down the hall chimes the hour as the two famous figures vanish.

Answer: James

Looking around the now-empty hall, you see another small card -- this one with "Etta" and "Earl Jones" written on it. Without hesitation, you call out the missing name that you know links these two: "James!" And two very-famous figures instantaneously appear to express their gratitude for your assistance -- Etta James, the earthy-voiced contralto, and James Earl Jones, the actor with the legendarily deep baritone.

Flustered that this mystery still doesn't seem to have any real answers, you decide to ask Etta exactly what transpired. 'You may not believe this,' she says, 'but I was just sitting there reading when suddenly I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye -- like a fleeting shadow -- but there was nobody there. I said to myself, ''Well, your mind's playing tricks on you again, Etta'' -- and then I realized I didn't know my own last name!'

Etta proceeds to regale you and James with an impromptu performance of "At Last," one of her many famous R&B songs. After the song ends, she remarks, "Most of the songs I sing have that blues feeling in it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about. I don't."

You tap James on the shoulder. "Mr. Jones, you were caught up in this missing-name mess too. You and Etta had the name 'James' in common, until it went AWOL. I'm glad to know how to un-break the link, but what puzzles me is *why* calling out the name works. Any idea?"

He contemplates for a minute and says, "Speech is a very important aspect of being human. A whisper doesn't cut it." Maybe, he suggests, there's power in proclaiming a name aloud -- giving it back to those from whom it was stolen.

The two stand up, shake your hand, and say that they must be on their way. In the blink of an eye, both figures are gone to wherever they came from.

Answer: Luciano

You decide to sit down for a moment's rest. "This all seems like a bad dream." The brief respite is interrupted by a big, playful dog that wanders into the room, holding a torn index card in its mouth. The dog drops the paper at your feet, barks once, and scampers off. You pick up the notecard. It's damp with dog slobber -- yuck. "Ugh, forget the bad-dream idea," you mutter. "This is more like a badly written story!"

Nevertheless, you decide to read what's printed on the card. It's slightly smudged, but you're able to make it out enough to see the text. "Luciano!" you call out. Two men materialize: Charles "Lucky" Luciano, the infamous mob boss, and Luciano Pavarotti, the famed operatic tenor.

With more than a little uneasiness, you welcome the two men. Fortunately, Lucky is surprisingly pleasant. He seems to realize that you are the one who gave him back his name. 'Don't worry,' he assures. 'You didn't create the problem -- you solved it. I don't know who or what did this, but even a guy like me, the chairman of the board, has to have his identity, right?'

Although you can't help but wonder if a gun moll is going to suddenly appear by his side, he seems willing to talk about this ordeal. 'I'll tell you how I see things,' he says. "There's no such thing as good money or bad money. There's just money." That's my motto.' He continues, "When I looked around the neighborhood, I found out that kids wasn't the only crooks. We was surrounded by crooks, and plenty of 'em was guys that were supposed to be legit, like the landlords and the storekeepers and the politicians and cops on the beat. All of 'em was stealin' from somebody." He concludes, 'I never heard of stealing *names*, but I'm not surprised. Everyone steals, seems to me.'

Well, for a gangster, he seems oddly philosophical about it!

The other Luciano -- the robust, opera-singing one -- comes over and says, "I care about giving people a place where they can go to enjoy themselves and to begin to live again. To the man you have to give the spirit, and when you give him the spirit, you have done everything."

Before you can ask him further about himself or about this strange experience, he smiles and says, 'Grazie, amico mio. But there are other people, I am sure, who need your help. Take this piece of paper I found -- it will be of use to you.'

With their names restored and with a tip of their hats, the two Lucianos bid you farewell.

Answer: Foster

"Okay," you mumble with more than a little annoyance, "let's get this over with. I take out this paper that was conveniently handed to me, figure out what belongs in between, and shout it out." Personally, you think it would be a lot easier -- and less taxing on the vocal chords -- to just type each missing name into a website somewhere. "Now then: 'Jodie (blank) Brooks.'"

No sooner do you exclaim "Foster!" then the by-now-predictable result ensues: Two more guests are before you. The first is Jodie Foster, the prolific, multi-award-winning actress and filmmaker perhaps best known for her role in "The Silence of the Lambs." And beside her is Foster Brooks, the character actor and a frequent guest on Dean Martin's celebrity-roast series. They both come over and shake your hand.

"Ms. Foster, Mr. Brooks, I'm glad you're all right," you remark, not exactly sure what to say. "I don't know if you're aware, but there are a bunch of other famous people who have been having the same thing happen ... if you know what I mean."

'I should say so,' says Jodie. 'Word travels fast. I can hear the voices -- some of them sound so very confused, not being able to identify themselves by name, as if it never existed. And then there are other voices speaking of a kind person who called out their name and rescued them. That's you they're speaking of, you know.'

"But do you understand any of this?" you ask. Before Jodie can reply, Foster Brooks interjects. 'I've heard some stuff too,' he says in a slurred voice. Stammering punctuates his remarks: 'Folks say some-somethin' just came and stole p-part of their name. What is it that's d-doin' this? Well, you may not realize it -- I certainly don't -- but may-maybe it's some kinda ghost. You ever suppose? I think we oughta contract -- contact -- the spirit realm.'

Bewildered, you turn to Jodie and mutter, "I think he's already contacted enough spirits...!"

'Oh, didn't you know? That's just his act,' she replies with a laugh. 'He made himself a famous comedy act playing a tipsy gentleman, but it's just a put-on.'

'That's true,' he comments, now in a normal voice. "As I once told a reporter, 'I never drew a sober breath from Friday night to Monday. Eight years ago I quit. Fellow made me a $10 bet I couldn't quit, and I haven't had a drink since. At the time I needed the $10.'" He chuckles.

'I'll tell you what's ironic to me about this whole name-stealing business. Have you ever seen me in ''Taxi Driver''?' Jodie asks, turning back to you.' She continues, "I think it's one of the finest films that's ever been made in America. It's a statement about America. About violence. About loneliness. Anonymity. Some of the best works are those that have tried to imitate that kind of film, that kind of style."

'But now,' she observes, 'this is a different kind of anonymity, when your name is suddenly just spirited away. It's unnatural ... eerie ... to realize you don't know who you are.'

The Fosters decide not to overstay their welcome, so you open the door for them and thank them for the visit.

Answer: Lewis

The lamp on the desk flickers, as if struggling to keep going. "Oh, I know how you feel," you comment to it. "This thing just drags on and on. ... Hey, what's this?"

Neatly tucked under the base of the lamp is another card. "Here we go again, I guess. Let's see: 'Meriwether ... Carroll.' Oh, that's not hard. Lewis!" The paper falls back onto the table as you meet the next name-linked pair: Meriweather Lewis, the politician and co-leader with William Clark of the famous 'Corps of Discovery', and Lewis Carroll, the brilliant mathematician and author-creator of fantastical realms.

"This is different," you muse. "These two are from a lot further back in the past than the other people who've been summoned here." But before you can give that much thought, you find yourself shaking hands with the two great men, both of whom seem not entirely sure about what has been going on or where they are.

"Well, I'm not really sure how to explain it," you begin. "But someone or something is ... somehow ... robbing people of their name, and they suddenly have no idea who they are. And it always happens to two people at a time -- two individuals, past or present, who happen to share part of their name. For example, you're Lewis Carroll, and you're Meriwether Lewis."

You pick up the little card from the desk. "Pieces of paper keep showing up, with the common name blanked out. Apparently, the only way to give people back their full name is to call out the part that was stolen ... and then they end up here, in this room, I guess to let me know they're all right. It all sounds pretty ridiculous, I know."

Lewis Carroll, who has been contemplating your words carefully, suddenly perks up at the last comment. 'I've heard plenty of the absurd. Some things prove real, and some are not,' he jovially remarks. "Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!"

He proceeds to mention that his story about a little girl named Alice featured a chapter, called "The Pool of Tears," in which she too found herself perplexed. He recites, quoting Alice: "Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, THAT'S the great puzzle!"

Meriwether takes out one of his journals and explains that this entry was when he first sighted the Rocky Mountains, in 1805: "When I reflected on the difficulties which this snowy barrier would most probably throw in my way to the Pacific, and the sufferings and hardships of myself and party in them, it in some measure counterbalanced the joy I had felt in the first moments in which I gazed on them; but as I have always held it a crime to anticipate evils I will believe it a good comfortable road until I am compelled to believe differently."

You reflect on this for a moment and then ask, "Do you mean that whatever is responsible for all this, perhaps it is not necessarily something evil?"

He nods. 'I make no claim to know what is the truth in this ordeal, but there is always a possibility that this thing intends no harm.'

Well, he does have a point. Maybe there is more to this than meets the eye. But somehow, you can't help but suspect that whatever force is at work, it is not benign.

The two men signal that they must return home. "It's been an honor to meet you both, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Carroll," you say. They return the sentiment and thank you again for all your help. With that, the lamp flickers once again. As it does so, the two figures fade from view.

Answer: Lorne

While wondering where the next piece of paper may come from, you realize another is already in your hands. Deciding not to bother wondering about this improbably convenient twist, you read it out: "Marion ... blank ... Michaels." After considering for a moment, you call out, "Lorne!"

The call works, and two new figures emerge. The first is Marion Lorne, the elegant theater actress who later endeared herself to TV audiences on "Bewitched" as bumbling Aunt Clara. Beside Marion is Lorne Michaels, the mastermind writer and producer who created the iconic "Saturday Night Live."

As you greet Marion Lorne, you can't help but recall reading that she was a highly regarded actress, much more than most people know. Among other roles, she was hand-picked by Alfred Hitchcock for a role in his thriller "Strangers on a Train." After a while, the conversation shifts to the mystery at hand. Thinking back to her role as the often-confused Aunt Clara, she offers an anecdote about stumbling over her lines. 'One day, the producer came over and said, "Honey, don't worry about it, you're going to screw it up anyway,'" she recalls. 'And I said to him, "You don't understand. I have to know exactly how to say it before I screw it up."'

Lorne Michaels, who has been patiently waiting, comes over laughing, having overheard Marion's quip. "You know, you created one of the longest-running sketch-comedy shows in television history," you remark to him. "You heard what I was saying about this name-stealing and calling-out business. How would you write for it if someone forced you to work around this premise?"

He thinks about this and replies simply, "To me, there's no creativity without boundaries. If you're gonna write a sonnet, it's 14 lines, so it's solving the problem within the container."

"What -- what does that have to do with anything?" you exclaim, frustration getting the better of you for a moment. "For once wouldn't someone *please* just just give me a straight answer? This whole thing still doesn't even make sense."

'All I'm saying,' Michaels replies, 'is that sometimes you just acknowledge and accept whatever limitations within which you're being asked to operate. Whether you're devising a puzzle or solving one, there are only so many ways to do it. A lot of times, if you know the rules, you have to decide for yourself if you're willing to just go along with something, even if the premise is far-fetched."

A pale blue light envelops Ms. Lorne and Mr. Michaels. 'Well, I guess that's our cue to go,' Marion chuckles. 'Oh, by the way, dear, I noticed one of those scraps of paper you spoke of. It's on the ground by the wastebasket.'

The friendly pair wave goodbye as they disappear along with strange blue light.

Answer: Stephen

Stooping down to pick up the most recent scrap of paper, you hope that whoever the next two visitors are, they'll be able to shed some light on things. "James Fitzjames ... Hawking" is written on the paper. The first half doesn't immediately ring a bell, but you have a pretty good idea who the other might be, so you call out, "Stephen!"

Two very-different-looking men enter the room. The first is a tall, distinguished-looking gentleman in formal attire. This is James Fitzjames Stephen, the renowned 19th-century English philosopher and judge. The other man is, indeed, none other than Stephen Hawking, the brilliant cosmologist.

Justice Stephen has a stern, though not unkind, countenance. You approach him with a touch of trepidation. From what you know of him, this man made profound contributions to reforming and modernizing England's criminal code. In his view, without a society guided by religion and virtue, man would decline into immorality, and feared the potential consequences of giving too much individual freedom. But he offers an intriguing remark: "Originality consists in thinking for yourself, not in thinking differently from other people."

Regarding the current perplexing situation, he acknowledges his awareness that something unnatural occurred -- as well as your role in bringing back his name. He offers another comment: "In all important transactions of life we have to take a leap in the dark. ... If we decide to leave the riddles unanswered, that is a choice; if we waver in our answer, that, too, is a choice: but whatever choice we make, we make it at our peril."

Wow. You turn to the other great mind in the room. You pay little heed to the fact that he uses a motorized wheelchair and a speech synthesizer -- such things hardly matter. This is a man who had revolutionary insights in theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, black holes and more, and who worked on the "Theory of Everything," an attempt to effectively explain everything in the cosmos. "It's an honor, Mr. Hawking," you say.

He notes that he too has been considering what exactly is going on. In fact, he has a theory. 'Back in 2012, I gave a lecture and explained the idea that our universe is part of a larger framework where multiple parallel dimensions exist,' he explains. But, he adds, 'we wouldn't know if we could perceive such things.'

"If you could simplify, sir," you request. "This is all really complex."

"There could be shadow galaxies, shadow stars and even shadow people," he replies. 'This is what I believe you have crossed paths with -- a shadow that can somehow break apart names.'

While you sit down to think about all this, you wonder if the truth will ever be made known. As you ponder these bizarre concepts, the judge and the physicist discreetly make their exit.

Answer: Kendrick

For a brief moment, things seem quiet -- and normal. Is this strange journey any closer to over? Or will more people with missing names continue to arrive? Well, the answer comes decidedly quickly. In comical fashion, a silly-looking toy duck attached to a string descends from above, with yet another index card in its bill. "What is this, 'You Bet Your Life'?" you mutter, chuckling at this absurdity.

"You know, you've got it backwards!" you holler to perhaps nobody. "The duck is supposed to come down *after* you say the secret word!" Taking the card, you read it aloud: "Anna ... blank ... Lamar." After a moment's thought, you call out, "Kendrick!"

Well, what a surprise. Two more people appear. On the left is Anna Kendrick, the versatile Broadway and film actress who has appeared in such productions as "Twilight," "Into the Woods" and "Pitch Perfect." Beside her is Kendrick Lamar, the prolific, Grammy-winning rapper and songwriter known for his thought-provoking lyrics, unique storytelling and powerful social commentary.

'Thank you for helping me,' Anna says. 'Don't worry, I'm aware of what's going on and your efforts to fix it. It's all quite strange, isn't it?' She pauses. 'It's funny, though,' she muses. "I rarely get recognized. It's always a shock when someone notices me. I always think they must be confusing me with someone else."

"I guess today must have come as an unexpected surprise," you remark. "I can't imagine the idea of suddenly not even recognizing myself. But you've made quite a name for yourself, starring in all those Broadway shows and musicals and then branching out into movies. You have a lovely soprano voice."

She thanks you for the compliment. Kendrick Lamar looks around and says, 'You know, I always felt a person's sense of identity was important, but this whole mess I found myself in ... man, you sure this isn't The Twilight Zone?'

"No, it's definitely not that," you reply. "This plot isn't nearly well-written enough." Mr. Lamar picks up on the touch of sarcasm.

The two of you take a few moments to reflect on his career and social activism. Then you say, "Would you believe that Stephen Hawking thinks he knows what's causing all of this?" You proceed to summarize the idea. "But even if he's right -- and I don't know, maybe he is -- when this all began, a voice told said to me, 'Call out my name if you want to stop this thief.' I still don't get why that's so important."

'Well, let me just give you a little food for thought,' he replies. 'I once said, "If I'm gonna tell a real story, I'm gonna start with my name." If people don't even have their name, how can they tell their own story?'

"But shouting it out loud?" you ask.

Anna joins the two of you and quips, '"Call out the name"? Maybe that's just its calling card.' The three of you laugh.

'Then again," she opines, 'we live in a world of possibilities. Maybe we're all just characters in someone's story, and this is just the way the author decided to have things work.'

Ms. Kendrick and Mr. Lamar realize they need to get going. 'You know,' says the latter, 'these special-effects entrances and exits aren't my scene. I think we'll just go out the normal way -- through the door.'

Well, that was twenty people you've dealt with. Suddenly, a faint humming sound fills the air, and the very room before you seems to recede into the distance. Whatever's going on, you know that this bizarre -- and improbable -- adventure isn't over yet.


[Sources for quotations: The quote from James Joyce is from Wikibooks.org.
The quotes from Joyce DeWitt, Buck Owens, Etta James, James Earl Jones, Lorne Michaels, Anna Kendrick and Kendrick Lamar are all courtesy of "BrainyQuote".
Quotes from Bea Arthur, Arthur Miller, Pearl S. Buck, Charles Luciano, Lewis Carroll and James Fitzjames Stephen are from "Goodreads". Foster Brooks and Jodie Foster's quotes are courtesy of the "Internet Movie Database". Luciano Pavarotti's quote is from his "New York Times" obituary. Meriwether Lewis' quote is online at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Marion Lorne's quote is from Herbie Pilato's book, "The 'Bewitched' Book." And Stephen Hawking's quote from his lecture was quoted from a transcript on "GeekWire".]