[REDACTED] – Pack 3
1.Motivation for this theory comes from the fact that the victim might have dumped one rap-star for Damon Dash. It’s surprising that this conspiracy rarely seems to involve the victim’s creepy relationship with that strange, horrible human being R. Kelly. Matthew Knowles is sometimes involved in this event, whose theories sometimes include Jay-Z placing a bomb on an aircraft. The fact that the (*) Roc Nation-signed Rihanna could not achieve her smash success until this plot was enacted is sometimes given as motive. Certainly the most hilarious of explanations for how this plot was carried out involves a certain R&B superstar overloading the luggage compartment of a plane with Destiny’s Child albums causing a crash over the Bahamas in August, 2001. For 10 points, identify this theory that suggests that the most powerful black couple in the world were somehow involved with the death of the Princess of R&B.
ANSWER: TheKnowles-Carter family or Jay-Z or Beyoncecaused Aaliyah’s plane crash
2. There is no solid evidence to the contrary of this fact other than a vague claim by a second-hand account, and the discovery of eagle-embroidered silk stockings on a corpse that went unverified by anyone. The subject of this fact owed his reputation to his swift conquest of a Florentine Duchy, and his strong diplomatic skills that, among other things, secured a marriage to an unnamed daughter of George VIII. Stamatis Spanoudakis has written an elegy (*) in refutation of this fact, while it is widely believed that the Eastern Orthodox Church has withheld a certain canonization due to this fact. This fact was facilitated by the intervention of an angel and the internment of the resulting statue near the Golden Gate. FTP, what is this fact pertaining to the Marmaromenos, who will become the Immortal Emperor once he finally decides to emerge from his secret underground lair to reclaim his throne from the Turks?
ANSWER: Constantine XI Still Lives (accept anything to do with Constantine XI not having died in 1453)
3. Pausing the music video to the Skrillex and Diplo song Where Are U Now at the right moment actually shows a phrase associated with this family. A YouTube video Part 2 about the most influential families in the world corrects a prior video, in that this family was not as wealthy as the author originally thought, but instead they have influence from their political power.An unsuccessful assassination attempt that would have increased this family’s power is made suspicious by the fact that (*)John Hinckley Jr. was a friend of this family. Hinckley supposedly made that attempt because of his obsession with Catcher in the Rye and Jodie Foster, but some believe it was an attempt to propel a member of this family into the presidency. A South Park episode suggested that an administration lead by a member of this family was not responsible for a major terrorist attack but wants people to believe it did. For ten points, identify this family of American politicians, one of whom did 9/11.
ANSWER: Bush
4. Boy George believes this is partially true because the person in question went up to him and playfully strangled him at a party. The person at the center of this theory was able to catch a falling microphone during a performance of Hey Jude with the definitely fake Paul McCartney. A one-armed hug soon after Oprah buys the central figure a car and a time he took a picture of Michael Jackson both strengthen this theory. Bomani Jones believes this because the person in question bought three plasma televisions and that his work includes references to “flicking on the lights” and “writing something nasty on the wall”.To some, a joke the central person made about (*)Braille at the 2016 Grammys is evidence for this belief. Jones contrasted the subject of this belief with Ray Charles, who was older when he developed the condition that this belief refuses to acknowledge. For ten points, identify this theory about a musician who should not quite understand what a Golden Lady would like or how superstitious writings on a wall would be.
ANSWER: Stevie Wonder is not blind (accept reasonable equivalents)
5. One of the first articles to draw attention to this theory, written by Norman Spector, was almost immediately pulled from the internet by the newspaper for which he wrote it; the links to the television interview that that article was based on have now been rendered dead, as has the link to a prior article that first spurred Spector’s interest in the topic. That Norman Spector article about this theory was written in response to a surprise Christmas interview, the first joint interview for two people since one of them was elected to their country’s highest office; Spector speculated that the interview was an attempt to quash this theory. In spring 2015, the Prime Minister from that interview used anti-terrorism legislation to prevent information about his (*) family life from becoming public; that legislation was Section 37 of the Canada Evidence Act. This theory prominently features a female RCMP officer and claims that the wife of that Prime Minister had moved out from 24 Sussex to live in the Chateau Laurier. For ten points, give this theory that speculates on the sexual orientation of the wife of Canada’s previous Prime Minister.
ANSWER: The theory that Laureen Harper is a lesbian [Accept equivalents] [Accept “Stephen Harper’s wife” in place of “Laureen Harper”]
6. Some believers in this superstitions theory claim that it ended with an event that resulted in 16 year-old Lee Gavin losing two of his teeth, though it is traditionally held to have ended about two months after that. After believers in this theory vandalised a street sign, authorities left the vandalism in place until after that traditionally held date of this theory’s ending. This theory, which was formulated by Dan Shaughnessy, began with an action performed to finance the Broadway musical No, No, Nanette, and it was later notably extended by such figures as Bucky “Fucking” Dent and Aaron “Fucking” Boone. This theory was also ended during a year known as the (*) “Impossible Dream”, and it had earlier been extended by Enos Slaughter’s Mad Dash. The end if this theory relied on “the Steal” and the Bloody Sock, and the year before, Grady Little’s decision not to extend Pedro Martinez had led to this theory’s final act. For ten points, name this failure-related conspiracy theory, whose most famous event was Bill Buckner’s error and which explained a formerly dominant team’s remarkable championship drought after selling Babe Ruth to a rival.
ANSWER: Curse of the Bambino
7. The earliest mention of these types of creatures comes from the medieval poem Pa Gwr, which describes one of these creatures as the offspring of the monstrous sow Henwen. That creature, the Cathpalug was slain by Cei after it had slain and eaten “nine score warriors”. These creatures include one in the Cotswolds known for killing deer (*), the ‘Beast of Bodmin’ captured on video in the early 1990’s, and the ‘Beast of Exmoor’ which was hunted, but never captured by the Royal Marines. Despite numerous sightings, attacks on humans, and DNA testing done on hairs found in Devon by Durham University, experts deny the existence of these creatures which may have been isolated since the Ice Age. FTP, what are these creatures, often referred to as ABC’s, which menacingly roam the countryside of a particular island, as evidenced by the 1980 capture of a puma in Inverness-shire?
ANSWER: British Big Cats
9. Perhaps the greatest piece of evidence for this theory is the cryptic message “In exactly 29 moves, the queen will topple the king”, which was announced every night during the Sticky & Sweet Tour. Newprophecy.net suggests that following the success of the central event of this theory, a spooky performance of (*) “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” was performed, either to shield the perpetrator from her own death curse, or to celebrate her victory over the man who owned Bubbles the chimpanzee. This theory asserts that the biggest female popstar of the ‘80s killed the biggest male popstar of the ‘80s. For 10 points, identify this theory that claims that the recording artist behind “Like A Virgin” murdered the artist behind “Thriller”.
ANSWER: Madonna killed Michael Jackson
10. The fact that this event did not lead to a federal inquiry fuelled a theory that this event was linked to its central participant being a covert Chinese spy, while The Bulletin claimed it was a result of the central participant’s depression. This event led to one of its nation’s largest ever search operations, which in turn led to the creation of a vernacular phrase meaning (*)“to disappear without explanation”. This event led to the naming of the first American warship to be named after a foreigner, the ascension of John McEwen to power, and the dedication of an ironically-named swimming centre in Melbourne. FTP, what is this event which allegedly happened on Dec. 17, 1967, in which an Australian PM “did th’ ‘arry” [pronounce in Aussie] while swimming at Cheviot Beach with some friends?
ANSWER: Disappearanceor Drowning of Harold Holt