I really should have let you all known all about this a week ago so you could see the first episodes, but if I know VH1, they'll be replying these things like they were I Love the 80s 3D part deux. And besides, I had no idea that this trivia game would be so enjoyable.
The key The World Series of Pop Culture's success is this: no stupid scripts; real questions that aren't always easy and which the players take seriously (or at least as seriously as is appropriate to the question what film starred Vanilla Ice); and no quirky young hip host to pander to an executive merchandiser's idea of our generation.
Instead, in a brilliant move, they chose NY1's own Pat Kiernan (have I told any of you lately how much I love NY1?). He's a timeless host who adds class to phrases like “What you gonna do with all that ass?”. The contestants too, so far, have been totally bearable and even, at times, somewhat likeable, and from all sorts of backgrounds.
I shouldn't be so surprised the production is well done as VH1 collaborated with Entertainment Weekly on this project (now in it's second year). I'm a fan of the publication and should have given them credit for knowing how to put together a pop culture championship. For all my fellow nerds steeped in pop culture, you couldn't ask for anything better to watch after a long day at work.
And for the record, I do fairly well myself at the game, but I do tend to fail at anything music related after 2000, especially American Idol questions and this thing the kids are calling “hip hop”.
But what do you think?