Erma Bombeck Trivia

1. Writer Erma Bombeck was born in the United States to Erma and Cassius Fiste. By estimating her age, can you guess Erma's birthdate?

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: February 21, 1927

At that time the family lived in a working class area home that included Erma's elder half-sister, Thelma. Cassius Fiste died when Erma was nine. Two years later, her mother married a man named Albert Harris.

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: Dayton, Ohio

A midwesterner from birth until 1971, Erma originally attended Ohio University at Athens, but left after one semester due to lack of funds. She later enrolled in the University of Dayton, a Roman Catholic school. She converted to Catholicism in 1949. The University of Dayton now holds annual writers' workshops in Erma's name.

From Quiz You'll do nothing!

Answer: By all accounts I should be hanging from a charm bracelet!

Erma pondered on the number of women on the Titanic who had waved off the dessert cart. I was inspired by this quote to enact my own human tragedy on a carrot cake. R.I.P. Cream Cheese Cake named Carrot. It was for you, Erma! The diet quote was from "Forever, Erma: Best-Loved Writing From America's Favorite Humorist."

From Quiz You'll do nothing!

Answer: At Wit's End

Erma Bombeck wrote for the "Dayton Journal Herald" as a reporter and a columnist. She wrote the column "Operation Dustrag" as well as the syndicated "At Wit's End." She did write for a school publication called "The Exponent" but that was the University publication for the "Roman Catholic University of Dayton," not the name of a column. I made up the Roses title. The information about Erma's columns came from the online site "Amazing Women Rock."

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank

This book about life in the suburbs struck a chord not just with women, but with thousands of readers all over America. The pages were brimming with witty tales of picture windows, home parties, school functions, neighborhood nomads, perfect housewives, and not-so-perfect vacations. The TV movie was intended to serve as a pilot for a series that never materialized (due to the movie's low viewership).

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: Good Morning America

Erma did some humorous commentary, gag segments, interviews with interesting people, and occasionally touched on more serious matters with prominent subjects. Her tenure on the show was from 1975 to 1986, with varying frequency. Not only was Erma at the height of her popularity during this time, but so was "Good Morning America". The years it was hosted by David Hartman garnered the highest ratings, which continued to increase when Joan Lunden joined the show in 1980.

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: Maggie

"Maggie" lasted for eight episodes before before its inevitable cancellation due to lack of viewership. It starred Miriam Flynn (only 29 at the time), who would later be known as Cousin Catherine in the "Vacation" movies, and the voice of Maa, The Very Old Ewe in the 1995 film "Babe". Also in the cast was Doris Roberts, who would go on to win four Emmys as an overbearing mother on "Everybody Loves Raymond". Despite the ratings, CBS was pleased with the series and asked Erma to try again, but she didn't want another series to tie her to Los Angeles and keep her away from her family in Arizona. She turned down the offer.

From Quiz You'll do nothing!

Answer: Checkout Time is 18 years.

Erma had three children: Betsy (adopted), Andrew, and Matthew. She was told that due to an incurable kidney disease (polycystic kidney disease) for which she was diagnosed at age 20, she would probably not be able to conceive. After adopting Betsy in 1953, she and Bill Bombeck were able to also have a son, who was born in 1955, and later another son Matthew in 1958. So the Bombecks both knew about raising children, in practice. The plaque quote was on a cross-stitch framed in my cousin's apartment; it is not mine or Erma's. The other quotes were made up by me.

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: The Equal Rights Amendment

In 1978, Erma was involved in the Presidential Advisory Committee for Women. She traveled the country lecturing on the importance of the amendment, which proposed equal opportunity and treatment of Americans regardless of gender. Critics of the ERA claimed that if passed, women would be drafted for military service in the event of war, and would not be exempt from even the heaviest physical labor in employment. Although she had always kept politics out of her columns and books, some booksellers removed Erma's books in protest at her stance.

From Quiz You'll do nothing!

Answer: Three. It takes one to say, "What light?" and two more to say, "I didn't turn it on."

The answer was "Three Children" - not a coincidence that that is how many Erma and Bill Bombeck raised. It is obvious that Erma Bombeck knew children, but viewed them with humor. How did that feel like growing up with a columnist who spoke of the foibles of children? Dr. Nancy Berk of Parade.com interviewed Bill Bombeck, Erma's husband, as well as Betsy and Andy, two of her children. In 2014, Berk asked the children for insight they had about their mother's fame and how it affected their growing up. The children were kept separate from her fame, they said, but Dr. Berk concluded that they had "gotten their love of books and words, humor, and volunteer spirit from Erma and Bill Bombeck." Betsy said to Berk that their mother did push them to read her books. Berk said "Betsy told me that one year brother Andy's Christmas gift to their mother was a book report he did on one of her books that he finally had read. Now that Andy Bombeck is a father, he's seeing his mother's family-driven humor differently than he did as a child-'I think the book report would definitely be different.' " Of course they still miss their mother, and said in the interview that "she would have been a great grandmother."

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: A Marriage Made in Heaven...or Too Tired for an Affair

The other three selections are titles of books by Irene Kampen, another of Erma's witty predecessors whose 1961 book, "Life Without George" was the basis for "The Lucy Show". Unlike most of her previous work, "A Marriage Made in Heaven..." contained some serious wisdom along with Erma's usual humor. She shared a story of how she and husband Bill dealt with the untimely death of a young friend, their financial struggles in the early days, and their son's wedding. It was a welcome glimpse into the life a famous couple whose union had lasted over 40 years.

From Quiz You'll do nothing!

Answer: She did her own housework.

" 'If I didn't do my own housework, then I have no business writing about it,' she said. 'I spend 90 percent of my time living scripts and 10 percent writing them.' " said Lawrence Van Gelder in Bombeck's 1996 obituary in the "New York Times." Erma Bombeck lived honestly, and with bravery and humor, despite years of living with illness. Bill Bombeck shared with the "St Louis Post-Dispatch(MO)" some words he gave in a private funeral service for Erma. He was quoted in that article as saying "I have met astronauts, war heroes, firefighters and police officers, but I have never known anyone with more courage than Erma. Courage has been called grace under fire. I would propose we call it Erma under fire." You are missed, Erma Bombeck.

From Quiz Erma B: Portrait of a Humorist

Answer: Forever, Erma

The subtitle, "Best-Loved Writing From America's Favorite Humorist", summed it up perfectly. Editors Donna Martin and Alan McDermott completed this tribute one year after Erma passed away from complications following a kidney transplant April 22, 1996. She was 69. Erma's husband Bill was later remarried, to a woman named Carol who had coincidentally lost two sons to kidney disease as well. One of Erma's sons, Andrew, would also undergo a transplant a decade after her unsuccessful surgery, with his wife as the kidney donor. And in addition to the writers' workshops in Dayton, there is now a dialysis unit at the Phoenix Children's hospital in Erma's name (made possible by a substantial donation from Bill and Carol Bombeck), and an Organ Donor Awareness Project as well. The phrase, "gone but not forgotten", certainly applies. Thanks for playing!

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