Second Life Game Show - "The First Question"

While at the Conference on Virtual Journalism on April 6th, I ran into a Pooky Amsterdam, and we had a talk. She told me she hosted a show on SLCN.tv called “The 1st Question,” and invited me on Tuesday April 28th as a contestant. It’s not every day one gets a chance to be on a game show, so I agreed.

The show's website (click HERE to go there) on describes the show as “The fast-paced, fact-based, fun hour of science related merrymaking, audience participation, prizes, wit & wisdom.” It takes place every Tuesday at 7 PM SL time in the Studio Dome over Spendthrift Island. Pooky Amsterdam hosts the show with Hydra Shaftoe as co-host, with four contestants competing to win. The show is broadcast on SLCN on compatible viewers in SL, and is done in front of an audience of a few dozen. Old shows can be seen in the archives.

I was asked to show up by 5:30 PM SL time, and did so. “You’d be surprised how many show up at 5:31 or 5:32“ Pooky told me. The other three contestants were also involved with Second Life Media in some way. PaulLevinson Freenote, Paul Levinson in real life, is a science fiction writer publicizing his work in SL, appearing with book in hand and a monocle. Chantal Harvey is noted for her work with Machinima, as well as organizing the MaMachinima International Festival in February 2009. Jackson Vantelli is the head of Q-media, an SL magazine publisher. Last, or “closest to the audience” as Pooky put it, was me. We were each briefed on how the show went, and each of our sound systems looked at to keep problems away, or at least at a minimum. Co-host Hydra showed up not in his usual wolven avie, but a black jackal in Ancient Egyptian wear.

After the opening and our introductions, first, was a little science humor. What element on the Periodic table did we think best represented us? Paul Levinson answered Mercury, though when told it was “incorruptible” joked he might have to make another choice. Me, I commented iron as that’s what newspaper typeset is made out of, “then again, some wise-guys would also say it gets rusty.”

Next was “Yea Me or Nay Me,” a series of trivia questions with yes or no answers. Then came “Mind Wresting,” in which we would each ask a question to the other contestants. I gave an American Civil War history question. Then we had to answer the following question, “You are in charge of the first newspaper at the first inhabited planet discovered. What will the name of your newspaper be?” I mentioned how in one science-fiction story, some planets were named after the first thing spoken after landing, “The Wemadeit Viewscreen.” But Chantal explained hers so well, the audience loved it best.

Before the show, I thought Paul Levinson would be the winner. Instead, it was soon clear that Chantal was the one heading to victory. Me, I stuttered and stammered a little, and slight nerves may have cost me a question or two. But at least it was a friendly audience. At the end, Chantal emerged the clear winner with Paul Levinson a distant second. Jackson and I tied for third.

I had a few lucky guesses, but what stood out was one question in the “Yea Me or Nay Me.” Although I was using push-to-talk with voice, I still had the volume a little low to keep from interfering with the others. I heard one question as “Did Alfred Hitchcock have a blue button?” That confused me a little, and I answered no. To my surprise, the question was if he had a *belly* button, and as it was removed in a surgery, I got the credit.

Once the cameras were off, Chantal was briefly taken somewhere to get some prizes, and everyone was invited to port to a nearby location to party for a while. Pooky congratulated every one of the contestants, insisting it was a job well done by all.

As of the writing of this article, the recording of the show was being shown on the SLCN.tv main website (click HERE to go there). It should be available on “The 1st Question” website (click HERE) soon.

And no, I didn’t know I sounded like that.

Bixyl Shuftan