Australian Katrina Boswell arrived at LA airport to be greeted by an assistant PR person, camera-woman and soundperson.
Away to their right the candidate from the United Kingdom, actress and novelist Lisa Roughbottom, was besieged by the media, the CEO of the contest sponsors and a busload of semi-professional actors hired to create an orgy of excess in the ‘Welcome to America' animated revelry tailored to be selected as the lead item on the entertainment section of ‘News at Six'.
That is, unless sixteen people in the Middle East had blown themselves up making bombs or a heartthrob actor of the moment had been caught with his trousers down behind the wife of a Senator from the South.
The $1,000,000 Brains Trust of the Century contest organizers had made it quite clear that Lisa Roughbottom was to be fed the easy questions to ensure she won with Robert Tiplady from Texas to be runner up. They selected muddled Maggie O'Connor from Ireland as the other quarter-finalist.
Rigged? Of course not, it was simply accommodating sponsor's wishes to secure a satisfactory outcome for the viewing public and, of course, with the promotion corporation locking in sponsorship money for the staging of next year's contest.
Typical of people receiving ‘star' treatment, Lisa Roughbottom went by limo to the Oasis Haven where she was provided with a hunk taking the second lead in the "Adventures of a Randy Man'. The fact that Lisa was a dedicated lesbian had escaped the attention of the PR department.
Robert, Maggie and Kitty (she couldn't stand the name Katrina) were crammed into the assistant PR's small Japanese car and taken to the Motel Extraordinaire. The only thing extraordinary about this flea bit joint was that it managed to stay in business.
"That English woman has been picked to win this contest," said Robert.
"Over my dead body," Kitty simpered.
"What a body," oozed Robert.
"I want your body, Robert," Maggie sighed, wagging her eye lashes excessively.
"No sex for me until tomorrow night," Robert apologized. "I'm off to my room."
Maggie and Kitty watched his tight ass until the elevator doors closed behind it.
"Do you think he's gay?"
"Very happy I should think," Kitty responded.
"Oh, you misunderstood me – never mind. Do you drink?"
"A little bit, enough to drink and Irish girl under the table."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Right, let's waggle our asses to our rooms like Robert and come back down and find the bar."
Twelve drinks later Kitty had labeled Maggie as ‘Maggie ‘O Mammary ‘(they were 38c's} before Maggie slid to the floor unconscious, Maggie had dubbed her now white-faced and dangerously swaying companion, ‘Kangaroo Kitty'. Kitty adored her nickname and sang its praises in full-blown contralto when leading the two security men to deposit Maggie ‘O Mammary on to her bed.
The show to find the two finalists was held at Club Curacao and televised nationwide. The questions seemed unfair.
Master of Ceremonies, Freddie Peabody, resplendent in a gold, blue and silver iridescent body suit, swept his blonde wig back with a sweaty hand and began feeding the questions.
"Maggie: What is a moa – spelt m-o-a?"
"Nothing."
"Incorrect."
"Challenge!"
"Yes, Kitty?"
"Ask her what a moa was."
"Maggie, what was a moa?"
"A very large, flightless bird of New Zealand, now extinct."
"Correct, ten points."
"Robert: What is a rodeo?"
"A carnival to allow cowboys and cowgirls to display their skills."
"Correct, ten points."
"Lisa, what sea lies between Britain and Ireland?"
"The Scottish sea?"
"Is that your answer?"
"Yes, definitely."
"It's the Irish Sea – no points."
"Kitty, what is a swami?"
"An Indian title of respect for a Hindu saint or religious teacher."
"Er, are you sure?"
"Definitely."
"Er, ten points."
"Robert, define the meaning of a magnetic field."
"A field of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle in which another permanent magnet or moving charge experiences a force."
"Well done, Robert. That moves you to twenty points."
"Maggie, name two regions in which a mahout is indigenous."
"Um, India and...er...Pakistan?"
"I'm sorry, India and the East Indies according to the answer I have here. Fifteen points in total."
"Lisa, if the time on Big Ben in London is striking midnight, what time is it fifty miles south of London."
"Eleven o'clock?"
The master of ceremonies clutched at his ear-phone and nodded.
"Lisa. I suggest you carefully reconsider your answer, keeping in mind that the world is divided into time zones, each division being 15 degrees of longitude. Perhaps you may wish to reconsider your answer?"
The MC Freddie Peabody patted his sweating brow dry.
"Ten o'clock?" Lisa said brightly.
Freddie groaned, looking to the ceiling. "I am sorry; when Big Ben struck midnight it was exactly twelve midnight fifty miles south of London."
He wiped his brow again, looking anxiously to his right.
"Kitty, what is a Carolingian?"
"A member of the dynasty of the Carolingian Franks."
"Correct, ten points, taking you also to twenty points. So you and Robert progress to the final tomorrow evening."