Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Transcript

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:

Welcome back to ASK ME ANOTHER, NPR and WNYC's hour of trivia, puzzles and word games. I'm Ophira Eisenberg and let's meet our next two contestants, Susan Poliniak and Drew Kostic.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: So because we had so many contestants who wanted a second shot, we asked them to sort of prove to us why they deserved it more than other people. So Susan, why did you say that you deserved to come back?

SUSAN POLINIAK: Well, let's see, the last time I was here, I was still married. Now I'm divorced and my life is all about second chances.

EISENBERG: Nice.

(APPLAUSE)

DREW KOSTIC: For the win.

EISENBERG: What about you, Drew?

KOSTIC: Well, I originally sent boudoir photography, but that got rejected. So I actually wrote a poem about the question that I got wrong in the final round.

EISENBERG: OK, what was the question?

KOSTIC: It was all about fish. And it was he could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean. Now, it's a nursery rhyme I know and most of the people here know obviously, but what I didn't know is that a sprat was a fish. And I blame you guys for that.

EISENBERG: Yeah, we made you learn.

KOSTIC: Weirdly. I looked up a lot of pictures of sprats after that one.

EISENBERG: And you wrote a poem?

KOSTIC: And I wrote a poem about it.

EISENBERG: OK, I think we need a couple lines.

KOSTIC: All right, so I'm going to give you a couple of stanzas - or a stanza, I should say.

EISENBERG: Yeah, that's right.

(LAUGHTER)

KOSTIC: (Reading) This time around, it won't be a question of sprats and rhymes. And that vomiting feeling I get when I'm eating fish and chips will finally go away in time. Because I will be victorious, the Ken Jennings of AMA. And I will lord over the Bell House, for everyone to say that this silly - but way studley - lawyer will be forever in time the sprat-free king of AMA - both in and out of rhyme.

(APPLAUSE)

KOSTIC: I'll be doing book signings after the show, by the way.

EISENBERG: OK, well, you'll be happy to know that this game pays tribute to America's favorite pastime - baseball.

KOSTIC: All right.

EISENBERG: Every answer is a word, phrase or proper noun that contains a baseball term - ha, it's a word game.

JONATHAN COULTON, BYLINE: Or fish, or a fish.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: All right, here we go. Chris Matthews talks politics on this weeknight MSNBC show.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Drew.

KOSTIC: "Hardball."

EISENBERG: "Hardball" is correct.

COULTON: This Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor is really named Willard.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: Drew.

KOSTIC: Mitt Romney.

COULTON: Uh-huh.

EISENBERG: Do you think people would run around going that Mitt's a catch?

(LAUGHTER)

POLINIAK: I hope not.

COULTON: Probably, my dad goes around saying that.

KOSTIC: Paul Ryan did.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: It's the ability to correctly identify, match or sing any musical note.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Susan.

POLINIAK: Perfect pitch.

EISENBERG: Perfect pitch...

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: ...Is perfect. Memorably featured in the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," this dessert is baked in a special ring-shaped fluted pan.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Susan.

POLINIAK: A bundt cake.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

(APPLAUSE)

COULTON: It's tricky to identify this musical group by its members real names - Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniel's and Jason Mizell.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: Drew.

KOSTIC: Run-D.M.C.

COULTON: That's correct.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: You got crazy with the buzzer on this one, like you were freaking out. Are you a big fan?

KOSTIC: I'm actually on steroids. Also baseball.

(LAUGHTER)

KOSTIC: AMA steroids.

EISENBERG: That'd be so sad.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: Professor Aron Axe discovers the sea monster he's been hunting is actually a submarine in this classic Jules Verne novel.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Drew.

KOSTIC: "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea."

EISENBERG: That is correct.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: Puzzle guru Greg Pliska, how did our contestants to?

GREG PLISKA: Drew is our big winner.

(APPLAUSE)

PLISKA: We'll be seeing you for the Ask Me One More final round at the end of the show. Thank you, Drew and Susan.

(MUSIC)

KOSTIC: I feel so old now. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.