things that are fascinating when you're hopelessly obsessed

[kindkit]

The other day I watched the "Ignorance is Bliss" debate from the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In his opening speech, Paul McDermott mentions a study by a Professor Dawson Langbein (sp?) of the University of Ottawa, and describes it using a lot of impressive-sounding jargon about the hypothalamus, etc. Now, being me, I googled. There's no such person as Professor Dawson Langbein; however, a number of DAAS skits give Tim's full name as Timothy Dawson Langbein Ferguson. (Whether that's actually true, I have no idea.)

I find the whole business tremendously entertaining, because:

1) Paul went to the trouble of making up a very convincing fake citation to mention at a fake debate.

2) Nobody caught the fact that it was a fake citation.

3) Paul naming his fake scientist "Dawson Langbein" beautifully supports my pet scenario that he thinks about Tim all the fucking time.

4) I'm geekily proud of myself for noticing what Paul probably thought of as a silly little private joke.

*is not in any way unhealthily obsessed, oh no, not at all*

Comments

[pixiestikks]

I've seen Tim's middle names spelled Dorcen Langbene more often than any other spelling... not sure if that's correct, though. But I really do think those are actually Tim's middle names, because it's just too good not to be true... you know what I mean? And they ALWAYS switch around the fake middle names for the other two, but Tim's two middle names remain Dorcen (Dawson?) Langbene, forever and ever, amen.

[kindkit]

It sounds very much like "Dawson" to me, and I've never seen a name spelled Dorcen. On the other hand, when I watched The Sideshow I thought La La Parlour was "La La Pa La" until I saw it in the credits. As for "Langbein," I spelled it that way because that seems to be the most common spelling.

they ALWAYS switch around the fake middle names for the other two

I cherish the hope that Richard's middle name actually is Cynthia.

[pixiestikks]

Okay, this probably makes me weirdly obsessive, but I just googled "Dorcen" and got a couple results on facebook, which were actually people's names- one a last name, one a male first name. So it's possible. I always heard it as Dawson, too, though, and never thought of that spelling until I actually saw it.

I like Anna Karenina and Fellatio as well as Cynthia, if not more. XD

[kindkit]

Heh. I'm hardly in a position to call anybody else "weirdly obsessive"! Well, unless they're an actual stalker or something.

I like Anna Karenina and Fellatio as well as Cynthia

And we mustn't forget Warren.