Be a JUNIOR DETECTIVE!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL with this facetious ZANY QUIZ!


a. What was the overall budget for the recording and mixdown of Murder Under a Malathion Moon? (Clue: Lower... no, lower... keep going... )


b. Who are the four rockers singing “Iron brain! Iron brain!” in the background of the opening song?


c. Which scene was written and recorded last, after NPR acquired the show? (Clue: Episode 3 was a few minutes short...) Guess who lived in the delapidated ‘50s diner in Oakland where they taped it. Come on, guess!


d. Which characters also appear in The Tabloid Torture of Tess Von Tosterone? Which of those are played by different actors? And which actors in that sub-group have played similar characters in other shows, or portrayed actors on stage who write similar shows, not counting Dinner Theater? And of those, which have played actor or played doctor at another time in their career, or enjoy “acting-out” the violent dramas performed in front of them as a child by their insensitive parents?


e. Name the people in Murder... who studied acting at Los Angeles City College with Erin and Jackie.  Name which ones never really studied anything but just faked it...


f. “The Shreib” has a famous papa. Who is it?


g. Guess which pairs of actors were romantically inclined at the time of this recording! Guess which ones are no longer!


h. Name which actor had a baby sucking on her titty while she recited such evil lines as “I’m thinking of doing my next piece on human sacrifice - - wanna volunteer!?”


i. What was the name of Danny & Erin’s band that flourished during this era?  Well, okay, flourished might be the wrong term, I know... How ‘bout sprang forward?  Or flew fearlessly?  Faced fishnets?  Oh, I know - - found their footing!  Yeah, yeah, that’s good, found their footing!  Or maybe...


j. Guess how many tracks we were forced to cram all the voices, music and effects on to? Name the guy we borrowed the quarter-inch reel-to-reel recorder from!


k. Who was Marcee Zari and how the hell did Erin meet her?  How many hours did Chris spend holed up in her home-studio editing all the voices and inserting sound effects and Dawn’s music as well as mixing the damn thing?  (Bonus question for which you’ll receive nothing: What Mad Cocoon recording did Marcee play mandolin on?)


l. Where were the voices for Murder Under a Malathion Moon recorded?  And where exactly in L.A. was that illegal basement apartment located?  And can anyone really hear echoes in that park?  How many blankets were used to lamely soundproof Erin’s living room for voice recording?  What did they smell like?  Who manufactured them?


m. Is it true that we didn’t know which scene would actually end (or begin) each episode until the whole thing was nearly finished?  Is it true that Erin scribbled out the brilliant plot-synopses at the last minute to save the day?


n. Who was originally cast in the part of BiBi?


o. How come no one at Lana’s party makes a peep as she throws herself through a plate-glass window?  Highly illogical!


p. Why don’t they ever just say “Good luck” in da bizness?  Who the hell ever told anyone they couldn’t wear ostrich feathers in a theater!?  And why don’t those old boats float?


q. What is the only un-altered famous brand name heard in Murder... ?  Why wasn’t it changed?


r. At whose wedding reception did we record a lot of the background crowd sound-effects heard in the show?  What exactly did one audience member mean by “Oh look - she only has one shoe!?”


s. Name the actor who plays “Fancy Nails.”


t. What number one smash hit song did Dawn Richardson play drums on a couple of years after she did the music for Murder...?  And exactly why wouldn’t they let any blondes in the band?


u. Which sultry voice went on to personify the animated Aeon Flux for MTV?


Extra credit: Drive around L.A. and try to find a decent painting of a female hand on the window of any nail salon. (Clue: She can’t have six fingers or look as if she’s crippled by arthritis.) Good luck!


[Answers can be obtained by using your SINI RIGOTINI DECODER PEN.]

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