Transcript of “Um, Actually Word Game”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette.
And from out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver.
The Lone Ranger rides it.
Oh, no, wait.
It’s John Chaneski, our quiz guy.
I am often mistaken, not for the Lone Ranger, but for the great horse Silver.
Very much so, yeah.
That was your thundering hoofbeats.
Yeah, those are my thundering hoofbeats, indeed.
So I was going to talk to you guys about game shows.
People are always asking me, what game shows do you like?
You work on game shows.
One of my favorite game shows is the college humor series, Actually.
Now, I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but the premise of the show is that host Mike Trapp reads out a series of facts about various geeky subjects.
But there’s always a mistake in each one of the facts.
And players have to ring in and correct him.
But they have to preface their correction with, actually, because that’s what geeks like to do, is correct people.
So this game is a tribute to Actually, in which I’ll read a sentence, and you tell me where I’ve gone wrong.
But the answer will always rhyme with.
For example, if I said, in rugby, play is frequently restarted with several players locking arms and gathering together in a formation called a huddle.
You would say, actually.
Scrum.
Yes.
Or I would say scrum, actually.
Scrum, actually, yes.
Really good.
I think you’re up to speed.
Terrific.
Here’s the first one.
In 1927, Chicago’s Cubs Park was renamed Wrigley Field in honor of William Wrigley Jr., whose baked bean company made him his fortune.
Gum, actually.
Yes, gum, actually.
I think it’d be better if you -actually and then gum-actually.
-actually, gum-actually.
Do we have to say it in a snotty tone?
Please do.
As snotty as possible.
My cousin Ringo plays the tambourine in a band, which is funny because a tambourine is typically classified as a kind of bell.
Actually, drum, actually.
Yes, it’s a drum, actually.
Speaking of music, it’s important that you blow very forcefully when you play the kazoo.
Actually, hum, actually.
Yes, you’re supposed to hum when you play a kazoo, not blow.
Florence Williams was saving a pair of peaches in the fridge, and when her husband, William Carlos Williams, took them, it inspired his poem, This Is Just to Say.
Nice.
Go for it, Martha.
Actually, plums, actually.
Yes, plums, actually.
Man, your plants are thriving so well.
You certainly have a green hand.
Oh, what could it be?
Actually, thumb, actually.
Actually, you’re right.
Actually.
Finally, oh, it was so scary when the giant chased after Jack, chanting, fee, fi, fo, fun.
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Actually, fum, actually.
Fum, actually, yes.
And on this sort of English thing, we’ll end this talking about English.
You guys are great.
Actually, you were fantastic.
Thanks, John.
We really appreciate it.
And we’ll see you next week.
Give our best to the family, will you?
Thank you.
You too.
Talk to you then.
All right.
Take care.
Bye-bye.
Besides goofing around with John Chaneski each week, we talk about language on the show.
And we’d love to hear from you.
And you can find a dozen other ways to reach us on our website at waywordradio.org/contact.
