Whether or not it was the result of discrimination, the fact remains that she didn't win the prize. A question saying she should have is open to dispute, and not provable.

I agree with dippo, as well as Reeshy's suggested solution to the wording of the q. Opinions are not facts, despite how "noble" they may (or may not) be.

English film & TV actress; 'Pirates of the Caribbean'
Your answer: Kiera Knightley

Should spell 'Keira'.

"13. Paddy Ashdown
Your answer: British politician; Liberal Democrats leader"

Should be ex, or one time leader.

I don't feel it needs to be reworded, simply because it doesn't say "CURRENT xxx leader". If the question was:
13. Adolf Hitler
Your answer: Austrian-born German politician, Nazi party leader
would you still ask for "ex-Nazi party leader"?

or
13. Arthur Ashe
Your answer: American tennis star
would you ask for "former American tennis star" instead?

Considering that large numbers of folks in WAI are DEAD (which means they are ALL "ex" or "former" something-or-others, and that sports records are broken all the time), that would mean a HUGE amount of editing on someone's part - yikes lol.

I was thinking of folk outside the UK when I submitted that one. The current leader of the LibDems is Nick Clegg, who is also our Deputy Prime Minister. There is a chance that people outside of the UK may have heard of him, which may make them discount Paddy Ashdown for that question.

There can be more than one current tennis star, but there's only one leader of a political party at any one time.

Those of us who are far enough outside the UK just look for a name that might be English, and who we don't know for fame in some non-political field.

Jakeroo, your examples both consisted of dead people, and I think you're right in that dead people's definitions shouldn't read "ex-" at any point, but what about alive people? If a retired sportsman is included, I'm sure it would (or should) read "ex-footballer", for example, or "former pop star" for, of course, a former pop star. I do think Paddy Ashdown's definition should read "ex-" as well, because he's still alive and doing other things.

To get round the problem, something like "Paddy Ashdown, British politician and diplomat" would do - especially as his highest office was an international one.

Really both of these answers are correct, although I do see why the given answer is perhaps very slightly more correct by virtue of completeness:

11. Rev. Jesse Jackson

Your answer: African-American civil rights activist

The correct answer was American civic leader; clergyman; politician

This entry is bound to become stale.

"Australian politician; current Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency & Water
Your answer: Penny Wong".

The word "current" will not be correct in some years.

The way the government is going, there is a fair chance that it will not even be relevant by Christmas.

Today I came across Eric Cantona - the answer was that he is "French controversial footballer", but it should also have actor in his description, as that seems to be his current career choice. He's not just an extra, either, but has "stared" in a few roles, or at least received some of the top billing.

Chinese NBA Basketball player

Yao Ming

Ming retired from the NBA on July 20, 2011.

Today's 'Who Am I' quiz, Weds 3rd August 2011.

13 English former footballer

Bobby Charlton
Jean Renoir
Johannes Brahms
Phil Neal
Georges Simenon
Joseph Pulitzer

Bobby Charlton is an English former footballer, as is Phil Neal.

Bobby Charlton was not the correct answer. I am just wondering when he stopped being and English former footballer.

13. English former footballer

Your answer: Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton was: England team player; football superstar

The correct answer was Phil Neal

Bobby Charlton = (England team player; football superstar)
Jean Renoir = (French film director; actor; author; 'Grand Illusion' & 'The Rules of the Game')
Johannes Brahms = (German composer; friend of Schumann; known for his 'Lullaby')
Phil Neal = (English former footballer)
Georges Simenon = (Belgian novelist; created detective Maigret)
Joseph Pulitzer = (Hungarian-American publisher; noted for his Prizes)

Bobby Charlton retired from the English team in 1970, making him a former English footballer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Charlton

Sorry! Apparently I can't read. Good call AlPeesha.

13. English stage, film, radio & TV actor; writer; humorist; dramatist
Your answer: Charles Blondin


The correct answer was Peter Ustinov


I have some doubt about the word "English" in the description. Shouldn't it mention that he was of mixed descent (Russian, German and Ethiopian, according to Wikipedia)?

Why should it? Peter was born in England and was an English citizen. Pretty much everyone has mixed descent, so why should it be mentioned in this case? Because of his name? He was English.

It's already stale. Penny Wong became Minister for Finance and Deregulation after the August 2010 election. Perhaps a better answer would be "Australian senator" or similar.

Meredith Grey

Your answer: Fictional character; female surgeon on TVs 'Grey's Anatomy' played by Ellen Pompeo


The general description of the quiz refers to 'famous people'. Is a fictional character in a not particularly well known (worldwide) TV series a 'famous person'? I'm sure the process of elimination used by most people will ensure that this gets a high percentage correct, but I think I'd rather have Australian Beach Volleyball players than fictional TV characters (please don't take me up on that). Just a thought, but would the actress Ellen Pompeo qualify for inclusion in her own right?

Kenneth Grahame

British author; 'The Wind in the Willows'

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say he's a "Scottish author" given that he was born in Edinburgh, Scotland? I understand they both part of Great Britain, but I've seen many others referred to as "Scottish" not "British".

Thanks!

Oh please, leave my country alone!

What flopsymopsy would like is 15 questions in her set with Johnny Wilkinson as the answer! 1) JW: Fair to middling English rugby player. 2) JW: Blonde English rugby player 3) JW: Rugby player born in Frimley, 1979 4) JW: English fly half or centre. 5) English rugby player who can kick a bit.. etc etc etc Can anyone arrange that?

14) JW: Kicked drop goal in last minute of extra time to beat Australia in Australia
15) JW: Responsible for frozen look on Australian Prime Minister's face as he was forced to present the World Cup to a load of Poms!

This really isn't the thread for a rugby discussion!

Sorry spanishliz We have already taken the banter into PM as we thought it might not be the right time and place for it here!

It took my mind off the very serious issues I have with the arbitrary way Who Am I? treats the matter of my country's legal status and what makes people one nationality or another. I may be a lone voice crying in the wilderness but my country is still the United Kingdom and I am still British. As was Kenneth Grahame.

The the rest of the Scottish Who Am I answers should be corrected to all say British as well then. If all of them were labeled as British, I wouldn't have mentioned it. Consistency is all I ask.

In the US, even though Puerto Rico is a territory of the US we don't call them Americans, they are referred to as Puerto Ricans. Sheesh, I wouldn't have said anything at all if I knew it was such a huge deal. Sorry.

No, you're right to ask for consistency - I wouldn't mind quite so much if it was consistent but it's not. People who are Scots may get called that but English people mostly get called British. Or worse, Irish or Irish-born or Indian-born... It is complicated, quite often because of our Imperial past. We staffed our Empire with soldiers, civil servants, teachers, engineers, etc. but sending those people to India or Australia or Ireland didn't necessarily give them that nationality - maybe it did if they chose to live there after their contracts ran out but mostly it didn't. And it didn't give their children another nationality either, even if they were born overseas. I saw Rudyard Kipling described on FT recently as Indian... eh? There are many entries in WAI describing people as Irish when in fact they were often Anglo-Irish and sometimes plain English or Scots or Welsh... and in the same way I've seen Germans born in pre-war Czechoslovakia described as Czech when in fact they would never have called themselves that in a million years. It's not consistent and it clearly bugs me, lol.