Gia Darling needs to study some more...

[cheez]

http://www.theync.com/h121106higs.shtml
from the reality show my bare lady...
Gia totally murders Shakespeare.

[Quinn]

LOL.... It certainly does feed into some unfortunate stereotypes about adult entertainers, but you have to admit, she had a great sense of humor about the whole thing.

-Quinn

[n1nja2600]

They sell that show on iTunes.

If you have iTunes installed use this link:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=205683514&s=143441

[BeardedOne]

OK, OK, back up a bit.

It's pretty clear that "What's a Montague?" was written on the script they were reading. :lol:

It's clearly a setup, but c'mon, most people think Shakespeare is a wine or something. Especially in the US where the general public is so lazy and self-imposed illiterate that they have trouble getting past the front of a cereal box. :roll:

Did anyone else see the bad-timing-du-jour in the Philly Inquirer today? On the comics page is a strip called "F Minus" where one of the characters says "Shane, why are your grades so low? Are you having trouble at home?"

The front page of the same issue of the Inquirer features an article about a boy named Shane who, because of failing grades and trouble at home, blew his brains out with an AK-47 on school property yesterday.

Do you really think that anybody gives a rat's patoot about Shakespeare these daze?

Sorry, Will, but Americans can't seem to get past "Next screen" lately.

:soapbox

[cheez]

still I knew this jive when I was 15.
anybody who was educated outside the third world or that didn't grow up in a cave should at least have some idea of what they're talking about...

[GroobySteven]

still I knew this jive when I was 15.
anybody who was educated outside the third world or that didn't grow up in a cave should at least have some idea of what they're talking about...

Most of the third world scores better on education that some of the so-called 1st world - unless you're classing some states as third world.
Your making some mighty big waves for somebody onto their 6th post, Rocky.

seanchai

[Bic]

all i know is that chick with the black hair is fuckin hot. anyone know who she is?

OK, OK, back up a bit.

It's pretty clear that "What's a Montague?" was written on the script they were reading. :lol:

It's clearly a setup, but c'mon, most people think Shakespeare is a wine or something. Especially in the US where the general public is so lazy and self-imposed illiterate that they have trouble getting past the front of a cereal box. :roll:

And you're super smart, ain't ya?


Did anyone else see the bad-timing-du-jour in the Philly Inquirer today? On the comics page is a strip called "F Minus" where one of the characters says "Shane, why are your grades so low? Are you having trouble at home?"

The front page of the same issue of the Inquirer features an article about a boy named Shane who, because of failing grades and trouble at home, blew his brains out with an AK-47 on school property yesterday.

Do you really think that anybody gives a rat's patoot about Shakespeare these daze?

Sorry, Will, but Americans can't seem to get past "Next screen" lately.

:soapbox


Well seeing as Americans invented the Microsoft Windows and/or the Linux operating system you're using, as well as the IBM based computer systems you're using, i'd say we'll let you know where the "Next screen" is. And if you're using an Apple, same goes for you, too. And your computer mouse.... and microprocessor....

You're welcome in advance.

Get off our internet, too.

[cheez]

still I knew this jive when I was 15.
anybody who was educated outside the third world or that didn't grow up in a cave should at least have some idea of what they're talking about...

Most of the third world scores better on education that some of the so-called 1st world - unless you're classing some states as third world.
Your making some mighty big waves for somebody onto their 6th post, Rocky.

seanchai


really?
I used the third world primarily because they're not as likely to use white playwrights in their education and indeed they shouldn't with their own ethnic writers to call upon.
I do think it's a shame that people in general take education as a burden they don't want to deal with. I mentioned Gia, singularly because there's a good portion of folks here who would know her. I know just about all the GG's are, but listing them might be pointless, given the fan base here.
If I'm shaking the heavens with that, then dag I will curtail myself, because people putting themselves in a public forum such as a reality show open themselves up to this sort of scrutiny in most of the world, virtual and not.
But posting here is not worth a flame war that I have no interest in fighting.
If y'all are offended, take your shots, I won't fire back.
You win...

[Vicki Richter]

Seanchai,

I would have to argue that "most" of the... comment that you made. Considering that there are probably a quarter billion people in both China and India without any formal education, and most of Africa is still in the stone ages education-wise, I don't think that is a true statement. Now if you would have said, some of the third world countries have superior education systems in place for a small percentage of their upper class population, I would agree. However, you can't really say that M.I.T. or Harvard have any rivals in the world for their specialty areas.

Can a kid in India run circles around an USA kid of the same age in math and foreign language skills? I would say a chunk of their population who have access to their upper caste education system.

I would never compare our education system to a third world country or say most of the third world countries are superior in this respect. You have to give the USA credit for innovation. The best video games, 3D graphics engines, 3D graphics chips/cards, processors, medical advances, etc all came out of the melting pot. TFAN has good points here.

Finally, I am not saying things like racism are completely solved in the US, but I saw a disturbing thing on Real Sports with Bryant Gumble where in Europe, a chunk of the population will make "monkey chants" and throw bananas on the soccer field when a black player has the ball. They showed a few different videos where the entire stadium was doing it. Meanwhile, the United States invented interracial porn.



Vicki

[GroobySteven]

I don't know how old you are but I despair at the lack of education now compared to when I left school 20 yrs ago. It's easy to pick on the US which ranks something like 54 or less in education across the world but most Western nations have dropped massively. I don't think we need to revert to teaching Latin but we really need to look at increasing the use of our own language skills, learning how to do mathematics without a calculator, learning world history, knowing geography other then where we want to go on vacation and taking the sciences. I think this starts with parents showing interest in their kids - and taking it upon themselves to encourage.

I'm not sure if knowing Shakespeare or classic literature is really going to help anybody other than those wanting to follow a course in that but it might widen their horizons. At least they'd know where the word cunt came from!

seanchai

[Vicki Richter]

Seanchai has a point: Most of the people working today at fast food places are dumb as dirt when it comes to basic math. If their cash register is down, they are hosed. The computer and spellchecker is dumbing down society at large.

On that same note, I know a serious math genius who sucks at basic arithmatic (and admits it), but can do calculus like it was 1st grade cursive. It's a strange phenomenon.

[cheez]

I don't know how old you are but I despair at the lack of education now compared to when I left school 20 yrs ago. It's easy to pick on the US which ranks something like 54 or less in education across the world but most Western nations have dropped massively. I don't think we need to revert to teaching Latin but we really need to look at increasing the use of our own language skills, learning how to do mathematics without a calculator, learning world history, knowing geography other then where we want to go on vacation and taking the sciences. I think this starts with parents showing interest in their kids - and taking it upon themselves to encourage.

I'm not sure if knowing Shakespeare or classic literature is really going to help anybody other than those wanting to follow a course in that but it might widen their horizons. At least they'd know where the word cunt came from!

seanchai

Ok, just to answer your point about learning Shakespeare...
There are many plays in his body of work that are dated, uninspired and easily (and justifiably) overlooked.
Romeo and Juliet is not one of them.
It's a strong story and not only does watching great story structure in action help in virtually all levels of creativity, but to use your brain to understand the poetic scale also uses the left hemisphere.
Is it directly attributable to increasing your learning (i.e. akin to memorizing the periodic table for a chemist)?
No, but theoretically it makes you more creative.
There's a multitude of excellent reasons to read good literature.

[GroobySteven]

Seanchai,

I would have to argue that "most" of the... comment that you made. Considering that there are probably a quarter billion people in both China and India without any formal education, and most of Africa is still in the stone ages education-wise, I don't think that is a true statement. Now if you would have said, some of the third world countries have superior education systems in place for a small percentage of their upper class population, I would agree. However, you can't really say that M.I.T. or Harvard have any rivals in the world for their specialty areas.

Can a kid in India run circles around an USA kid of the same age in math and foreign language skills? I would say a chunk of their population who have access to their upper caste education system.

I would never compare our education system to a third world country or say most of the third world countries are superior in this respect. You have to give the USA credit for innovation. The best video games, 3D graphics engines, 3D graphics chips/cards, processors, medical advances, etc all came out of the melting pot. TFAN has good points here.

Finally, I am not saying things like racism are completely solved in the US, but I saw a disturbing thing on Real Sports with Bryant Gumble where in Europe, a chunk of the population will make "monkey chants" and throw bananas on the soccer field when a black player has the ball. They showed a few different videos where the entire stadium was doing it. Meanwhile, the United States invented interracial porn.



Vicki

I was being a little OTT when making the "most of" comment but the fact remains that for a country as rich as the US, the education system is woeful - or if not the system, the want for the people to learn. The comparison with third world countries isn't really too fair (Gia doesn't come from a third world country) but the US (as an example - but other Western countries also) have slipped massively. The US should be the most educated, smartest country in the world. It's no use pointing at Harvard and Yale (or Oxford and Cambridge), they should be smarter from the grass roots up.

I'd argue that most of the technical advances you mentioned don't originate with people who have came through the basic American school system but many would be foreigners who came to the US to study at post-grad level - or were educated abroad and came to the US with the entice of funding to do their research. Massive amounts of those industries you mentioned are also developed in Europe - not the US - where less political contraints allow them to have a more open policy.

Unfortunately, some parts of Europe do have a lot of racism and soccer brings out the worst of that yet we're still decades ahead on it than the US where a black kid still gets pulled behind a car for whistling at a white girl. It's a worldwide problem yet I see more racism in my travels across the US than every across Europe.
seanchai

[HornieHubbieinCT]

There a couple of issues here. One, probably the most important, is that Americans have this stupid idea that being smart isn't kool. I've seen studies that show that grade scores fall precipitously beginning at the 3rd - 4th grades. We have a culture that teaches that the upward path is not through academia, but rather on the basketball court or the recording studio.

In parts of Asia, kids dream about coming to America and getting into MIT. American kids dream about going to a club and fucking Paris Hilton. I tell my kids and their friends that if they don't want to learn about science, or math, or history or anything, really...they might as well just learn to eat with chopsticks because that's what this country will be doing.

HH

[GroobySteven]

There a couple of issues here. One, probably the most important, is that Americans have this stupid idea that being smart isn't kool. I've seen studies that show that grade scores fall precipitously beginning at the 3rd - 4th grades. We have a culture that teaches that the upward path is not through academia, but rather on the basketball court or the recording studio.

In parts of Asia, kids dream about coming to America and getting into MIT. American kids dream about going to a club and fucking Paris Hilton. I tell my kids and their friends that if they don't want to learn about science, or math, or history or anything, really...they might as well just learn to eat with chopsticks because that's what this country will be doing.

HH

Nothing wrong with eating with chopsticks - handy for picking up small items and eating healthy nutrious Asian food. Unfortuantely the Asians are forgetting how to use them as it's easier to eat McDonalds with your fingers.
seanchai

[ottorocket]

I don't know how old you are but I despair at the lack of education now compared to when I left school 20 yrs ago. It's easy to pick on the US which ranks something like 54 or less in education across the world but most Western nations have dropped massively. I don't think we need to revert to teaching Latin but we really need to look at increasing the use of our own language skills, learning how to do mathematics without a calculator, learning world history, knowing geography other then where we want to go on vacation and taking the sciences. I think this starts with parents showing interest in their kids - and taking it upon themselves to encourage.

I'm not sure if knowing Shakespeare or classic literature is really going to help anybody other than those wanting to follow a course in that but it might widen their horizons. At least they'd know where the word cunt came from!

seanchai



Do you know where the word F*** came from Sean? Kinda interesting...

[GroobySteven]

I don't know how old you are but I despair at the lack of education now compared to when I left school 20 yrs ago. It's easy to pick on the US which ranks something like 54 or less in education across the world but most Western nations have dropped massively. I don't think we need to revert to teaching Latin but we really need to look at increasing the use of our own language skills, learning how to do mathematics without a calculator, learning world history, knowing geography other then where we want to go on vacation and taking the sciences. I think this starts with parents showing interest in their kids - and taking it upon themselves to encourage.

I'm not sure if knowing Shakespeare or classic literature is really going to help anybody other than those wanting to follow a course in that but it might widen their horizons. At least they'd know where the word cunt came from!

seanchai



Do you know where the word F*** came from Sean? Kinda interesting...

There is more than one theory on this I think - there is one that is something like "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (!?!) which is Irish in origin (and should then be Feck!) but I think that one is false. What is your theory?
seanchai

[ottorocket]

I don't know how old you are but I despair at the lack of education now compared to when I left school 20 yrs ago. It's easy to pick on the US which ranks something like 54 or less in education across the world but most Western nations have dropped massively. I don't think we need to revert to teaching Latin but we really need to look at increasing the use of our own language skills, learning how to do mathematics without a calculator, learning world history, knowing geography other then where we want to go on vacation and taking the sciences. I think this starts with parents showing interest in their kids - and taking it upon themselves to encourage.

I'm not sure if knowing Shakespeare or classic literature is really going to help anybody other than those wanting to follow a course in that but it might widen their horizons. At least they'd know where the word cunt came from!

seanchai



Do you know where the word F*** came from Sean? Kinda interesting...

There is more than one theory on this I think - there is one that is something like "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (!?!) which is Irish in origin (and should then be Feck!) but I think that one is false. What is your theory?
seanchai


What i "heard" and it may be just one of those rumors, is it stood for Fornication Under the Consent of the King. How exactly it the King would give consent, and to who, i'm not clear about...but I kinda like you're Van Halen theory too..lol

[LG]

I'm not a professional linguist, but I have looked at the etymologies of taboo words in some detail as a hobby and I can tell you that none of the word "fuck" isn't an acronym. It is probably from the Middle English "fucken" or "fuken", I think which in turn is from the Saxon "ficken" meaning to beat. This in turn, may have its origins in Latin or Greek. The are similar words to "fuck", with the same meaning in Dutch, modern German and Norwegian.

I think the word was first used in its current meaning around the 16th or 17th Century but was banned from dictionaries until the mid 20th Century. Some publications would feature it with a slight change in spelling so that it could get past the censors and this has been done on TV as well ("fug", "feck" etc).

I don't think Shakespeare used the word at all. He did however use lots of sexual double-entendres and also wrote of making "the beast with two backs" (a favourite expression of mine) in Othello, I think. Shakespeare also used the words "come" (probably denoting its current sexual meaning), "bum" (British English for what Americans call an ass and what Brits spell "arse"), "make love" and "leak" (for the act of urination) and wrote of someone having a "great tool" (a big dick, to you and me).

Chaucer used the word "swyve" (I think with a "y") instead of fuck. He also used the word "shitten" which was the older version of "shitty"

See? Literature is worth a look after all.

[Ecstatic]

You beat me to it, LG. For more, see the Online Etymology Dictionary:


a difficult word to trace, in part because it was taboo to the editors of the original OED when the "F" volume was compiled, 1893-97. Written form only attested from early 16c. OED 2nd edition cites 1503, in the form fukkit; earliest appearance of current spelling is 1535 -- "Bischops ... may fuck thair fill and be vnmaryit" [Sir David Lyndesay, "Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaits"], but presumably it is a much more ancient word than that, simply one that wasn't likely to be written in the kind of texts that have survived from O.E. and M.E. Buck cites proper name John le Fucker from 1278. The word apparently is hinted at in a scurrilous 15c. poem, titled "Flen flyys," written in bastard L. and M.E. The relevant line reads:

Non sunt in celi
quia fuccant uuiuys of heli

"They [the monks] are not in heaven because they fuck the wives of Ely." Fuccant is pseudo-L., and in the original it is written in cipher. The earliest examples of the word otherwise are from Scottish, which suggests a Scandinavian origin, perhaps from a word akin to Norw. dial. fukka "copulate," or Swedish dial. focka "copulate, strike, push," and fock "penis." Another theory traces it to M.E. fkye, fike "move restlessly, fidget," which also meant "dally, flirt," and probably is from a general North Sea Gmc. word, cf. M.Du. fokken, Ger. ficken "fuck," earlier "make quick movements to and fro, flick," still earlier "itch, scratch;" the vulgar sense attested from 16c. This would parallel in sense the usual M.E. slang term for "have sexual intercourse," swive, from O.E. swifan "to move lightly over, sweep" (see swivel). Chronology and phonology rule out Shipley's attempt to derive it from M.E. firk "to press hard, beat." As a noun, it dates from 1680. French foutre and Italian fottere look like the Eng. word but are unrelated, derived rather from L. futuere, which is perhaps from PIE base *bhau(t)- "knock, strike off," extended via a figurative use "from the sexual application of violent action" [Shipley; cf. the sexual slang use of bang, etc.]. Popular and Internet derivations from acronyms (and the "pluck yew" fable) are merely ingenious trifling.

- http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=fuck

[LG]

You beat me to it, LG.

Yes, Ecstatic, but no matter. We are both such cunning linguists.

:D

[Ecstatic]

Fellatio, wherefore art thou, Fellatio?

:)

[BrendaQG]

This all reminds me of a scene from Malcolm in the middle. Reese went to work at a chicken place. The manager is explaiing to him how the cash register works. It has pictures on the buttons..

Reese: Wouldn't it be easier if there were words on the keys?

manager: Ahh....A man of letters. Better keep that to yourself. Don't want to make the others jealous.

{Funny to me even now}

The fact that such a scene is believeable says allot about us. Nothing good I'm afraid.

OTOH. I have never read shakespear either and I'm pretty damm educated, I think.

[GroobySteven]

I believe the first usage of the word "cunt" is in Taming of the Shrew - "She is blessed in manners of the cuntry/country" a double entendre to show she was a prostitute.
Or that might be a myth as I've never seen that play.

I really respect the German's for calling their airplanes Fokkers - so the RAF could repeatedly use the line "I've got the Fokker in my sight".

seanchai

[Fox]

This all reminds me of a scene from Malcolm in the middle. Reese went to work at a chicken place. The manager is explaiing to him how the cash register works. It has pictures on the buttons..

Reese: Wouldn't it be easier if there were words on the keys?

manager: Ahh....A man of letters. Better keep that to yourself. Don't want to make the others jealous.

{Funny to me even now}

The fact that such a scene is believeable says allot about us. Nothing good I'm afraid.

OTOH. I have never read shakespear either and I'm pretty damm educated, I think.

Hahaha, I remember. Love that show. <3

[Zentow386]

Well at leas Gia didn't think that Shakespeare was a women like the one lady did!

[sucka4chix]

There's a multitude of excellent reasons to read good literature.
This is a perfect example of the failure of our education system.The quoting of Shakespeare is not going to solve ANY of the problems that we will face in the future.
The biggest benefit of having such knowledge is to impress a boss or the bosses wife or to become a champion on Jeopardy.
We spend 2 years in college learning useless nonsense in the name of creating a "thinking mind" when we should be teaching people strong math and science skills AND showing them ways to turn those skills into a profitable career.
Here's another example of the failure of our education: you study spanish for 10 years-- yeah you can conjugate the hell out of a verb, but can't understand anything on Univision! Useless!

[whatsupwithat]

Well seeing as Americans invented the Microsoft Windows and/or the Linux operating system you're using, as well as the IBM based computer systems you're using, i'd say we'll let you know where the "Next screen" is. And if you're using an Apple, same goes for you, too. And your computer mouse.... and microprocessor....

You're welcome in advance.[/quote]

Dude...stop living in the past.You may not see it in your lifetime, but at the rate where going third world status is not too far away for the good old USofA.

Off to see Lou Reed perform!

[Ecstatic]

There's a multitude of excellent reasons to read good literature.
This is a perfect example of the failure of our education system.The quoting of Shakespeare is not going to solve ANY of the problems that we will face in the future.
The biggest benefit of having such knowledge is to impress a boss or the bosses wife or to become a champion on Jeopardy.
We spend 2 years in college learning useless nonsense in the name of creating a "thinking mind" when we should be teaching people strong math and science skills AND showing them ways to turn those skills into a profitable career.
Here's another example of the failure of our education: you study spanish for 10 years-- yeah you can conjugate the hell out of a verb, but can't understand anything on Univision! Useless!
I couldn't disagree more. If all we need are math and science skills and the mechanics of transforming those skills into profit, we might as well be Cylons. No other writer in history has so deeply explored so many aspects of the human psyche as Shakespeare--and he did so hundreds of years before the dawn of psychology as a science. Shakespeare and other writers hold mirrors to our minds and hearts and society, reflecting all the dimensions of the human and penetrating into the nature and character of our being, our relationships, our history, and our possible futures. Without art there would be no science.

[Smog Boy]

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

[BeardedOne]

Well seeing as Americans invented the Microsoft Windows and/or the Linux operating system you're using...

I thought Torvalds was Norwegian. :shrug

You've listed acheivements of people that actually made an effort in their fields of programming, engineering, intellectual property, etc. What I was ranting about (And I should do my ranting earlier in the day so the concept is clearer) is the overall attitude that this country has taken towards education and basic day to day skills such as simple arithmatic, problem solving, and communication.

A simple and common example: Making change for a purchase. Counting money and making change is something I learned at such a young age that I honestly can't remember when it was. I'm guessing around first grade level (I'm also the product of a municipal school system that ranked so high in state scores that the United States Navy bussed their kids across two counties to attend there, rather than enroll them in the city schools that were within walking distance of the base because the latter didn't come near the quality of education the USN required). Yet this very simple task, something that you'd think most people could do on automatic, almost without thinking about it, is becoming more and more troublesome as the student factories push people onto the streets without much of the schooling embedded in their brains.

On days when I am feeling especially cruel, I play a game I call "In The Headlights". At the store or restaurant, as my purchase is rung up and totaled, I'll hand the clerk/cashier the money and then place my hand over the display that shows the change amount. I explain that I'm doing a little experiment and that we're imagining that the power failed right as the cash drawer opened and they have to count out the change without benefit of the display. More often than not, a look of fear seeps into their eyes as they stare at the back of my hand, hoping to somehow psychicly read the display behind it. :shock: Ergo: "In The Headlights".

About half the time they will give me the incorrect change, most often in my favor. Some will resist with an arrogant "Ha, ha, very funny! Now move your hand!" because they've been caught out and don't want to reveal that they =can't= count the change. If you really want to see a look of terror, pay the lesser portion in coin so that the change comes in even dollar amounts (If the purchase is $4.15 pay with $5.15). The most common error in this scenario is the overpayment of a full dollar and there are still others that will dig through the coin slots even though no coin is needed for the transaction.

These were generally not stupid people (Stupid is sticking your tongue in a light socket because you heard you could get free cable that way), just too lazy to learn and use some very basic skills. The demographics vary widely as well, so age, region, and level of education can't always be the excuse.

I agree that making fun of someone because they don't know Shakespeare is rather pointless. Hell, I don't know Shakespeare and I've gotten on pretty well anyway. However, I do know a smattering of references ('Slings and arrows', 'whether 'tis nobler', 'kill all the lawyers' - A particular favorite :) - 'curse on both your houses', etc.) and it helps in conversations from time to time.

I know what a Montague is and a Capulet is that thing I took for my cold last nite, right? :wink:

[BeardedOne]

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

Maybe it's the same as our bemusement at watching Hugh Grant try to wrap his mouth around 'fuggedaboudit' in Mickey Blue Eyes. :lol:

[Smog Boy]

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

Maybe it's the same as our bemusement at watching Hugh Grant try to wrap his mouth around 'fuggedaboudit' in Mickey Blue Eyes. :lol:

I liked it in Scary Movie when a chick refers to Shakespeare as "Shake-a-spear". :lol:

[BeardedOne]

Why is it that to us Brits there's something cute about Yanks attempting Shakespeare?

Maybe it's the same as our bemusement at watching Hugh Grant try to wrap his mouth around 'fuggedaboudit' in Mickey Blue Eyes. :lol:

I liked it in Scary Movie when a chick refers to Shakespeare as "Shake-a-spear". :lol:

Heh. I've done that. :lol:

[sucka4chix]

Shakespeare is a tool used by the upper class to separate the nobility from the peasants. A good knowledge of the bard shows CULTURE not intellect.And just because you don't know Shakespeare doesn't mean you can't write a play or a sonnet or don't know what iambic pentameter is... it just means you don't know Shakespeare.

[BrendaQG]

I wonder how much Shakespear Einstein read? I imagine not allot. I wonder how much Einstein all the geniuses who know Shakespear have read and understood. Again, I imagine, not much.

As Dr. Einstein said "There is an art to science....Beyond certain basic skills creativity is more important than knowledge." (or something like that).

I wonder how many people really need to know any of that crap for what they do anyway. I basically agree with Bearded one.

Obviously this was done for a comedic effect. How about a more pertinent test of acting ability? I would like to have seen any of those ladies act out a scene from "Training day." You know the monologue where Denzel says "King Kong aint got shit on me!". But you know put their own spin on it.

[demmie]

I kind of agree with cheez.

Americans might've invented the computer, but most parts and all are made somewhere else. So you can't really say the computer is ours.

And good literature never hurt anyone.

Willie knew what he was doing when he wrote his plays.

And for a pornstar who stars in movies all the time, Gia could be a little less--"wooden".

[chocolate ts freak]

Shakespeare is a tool used by the upper class to separate the nobility from the peasants. A good knowledge of the bard shows CULTURE not intellect.And just because you don't know Shakespeare doesn't mean you can't write a play or a sonnet or don't know what iambic pentameter is... it just means you don't know Shakespeare.I totally disagree. I'm a professional actor and understanding Shakespeare and being able to speak verse isn't something your average american is capable of. And it does show a level of intelligence. Because you have to understand what your saying. For some this could take years.

[chocolate ts freak]

I wonder how much Shakespear Einstein read? I imagine not allot. I wonder how much Einstein all the geniuses who know Shakespear have read and understood. Again, I imagine, not much.

As Dr. Einstein said "There is an art to science....Beyond certain basic skills creativity is more important than knowledge." (or something like that).

I wonder how many people really need to know any of that crap for what they do anyway. I basically agree with Bearded one.

Obviously this was done for a comedic effect. How about a more pertinent test of acting ability? I would like to have seen any of those ladies act out a scene from "Training day." You know the monologue where Denzel says "King Kong aint got shit on me!". But you know put their own spin on it.Ah, that would be someone who earns a living performing Shakespeare. But civilians could learn a lot from Shakespeare as well.