Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Con Panel Bingo



So there we were in the audience of a panel that started at 10pm. We were already a little less than perfectly sober, and my husband and I started playing 'Panel Bingo.' I tweeted some snippet, and a couple folks said they'd like to see that for realz. I couldn't believe that it didn't already exist, but a cursory Google search didn't bring up anything quite like what I had in mind. So here is what I've got so far. As you can see, there are still empty spaces--please help fill them! We've all been there, we've all got various panel pet peeves--here's the place to share. Thanks!

If the image isn't coming through well on your browser, here's what I've got so far:
  • [Center] "This is less of a question, more of a comment"
  • "Well, actually..."
  • "...Therefore..."
  • Audience member with more expertise than panelists
  • Knitting
  • Ranting Audience member
  • Author with fort made from own books
  • Ranting Panelist
  • Shameless name-dropping
  • Question that takes more than 1 minute to ask
  • Panelist interrupting other panelist
  • "I don't know why I'm on this panel..."
  • Author answering question with reference to own books
  • Totally unqualified panelist
  • "I'd like to ask the panelists to introduce themselves..."
  • Audience member who thinks they have more expertise than the panelists
  • ???

8 comments:

Niall said...

Awesome.

How about

-- moderator who thinks they're a panelist?

-- panel totally ignores the ostensible topic

Niall said...

Oh! Oh! Nic reminds me that you should totally have "Moderator calls up friend from the audience who has written a song relevant to the topic."

Niall said...

Actually, the general form "audience member invited to join the panel" might be worth having.

Karen Burnham said...

I like the first two, although the 'panel ignores topic' could get blended with Graham's "Spending >50% of the panel attacking the description."

Might split the next one into "Audience member invited to join panel" and "Filking in any non-filk panel."

Curtis has reminded me of "...so-called..." and I might add "Panelists outnumber audience members" in a corner somewhere.

Matt Denault said...

Too. Much. Fun. Here are a few more:

- Panelists (in panels of 3+) are all white men

- A panelist is late or absent

- Audience member with unmuted phone

- Margaret Atwood is mocked (for her stance on SF -- includes implicit references to "talking squid in outer space")

- Audience member launches into long recounting of Tolkien minutiae to refute panel statements

Karen Burnham said...

Matt-Excellent additions! I'm inspired to add:

Average age of panel is > 50 years old.

I'll put up a new version soon.

redhead said...

that is hilarious! and brilliant!

so, did you get a bingo while sitting through the panel? and were you sober enough to not jump up and scream "BINGO!"?

Karen Burnham said...

redhead - Thanks! I pretty sure we did get a Bingo (and with Matt's addition about Tolkein minutia we'd have definitely made it). Luckily, I was sober enough to tweet instead of shout. ;-)