The stage is on fire. The audience is in splits. The quiz master walks away with the applause. That’s a typical Brand Equity Quiz from The Economic Times which takes your IQ few notches up. If not, at least makes you feel that way. Whatever, one finally walks away from the venue with his head in the sky and with a feeling that the day is made. That’s precisely what happened at The Taj Deccan in Hyderabad on 28th March 2008, when Derek O Brien struck hearts with his perky remarks. I am an ardent fan of Derek, because he has a deadly sense of humor that catches people off guard. Or throws them off guard. Either way it’s hilarious to watch. Incidentally, I regret missing out on the last two years Brand Equity Quizes 2007 and 2006. By the time I realized the quiz was actually happening , it was over and gone! So, this time I kept track of it, and nailed it. I was there even before the quiz began, and was the last person to leave the venue, ensuring that I didn't miss out on the high voltage excitement.
With Derek, the excitement simply never stops. He comes up with lines that can slit one’s personality to ribbons while the audience is on the floor rolling with laughter. Of course, the guy who is getting whacked by his humour feels the other way. But then, what’s life if one can’t take a joke on himself every now and then? Besides, the rewards that kept flowing to the ones with the right answers in the audience would make anybody’s jaw drop. Talking of flowing…well there were bottles of Scotch, Whisky…etc as winners’ gifts apart from gifts like Nokia cell phone worth Rs. 15,000, a free air trip to anywhere in India, etc. Simply mind-blowing!
Every year, Derek, has a theme for the quiz and dons his dress in synch with the theme. This year, the theme was Hindi movies. The participating teams too were given names like “Sholay’ “Caravan” “Saudagar” “Anand” etc. Derek as always was dressed to kill aka the old Hindi filmi hero - Jitendra. He donned white Jeans; running through the loops was a three inch silver-studded belt. Along with it he wore a dazzling red shirt, which had red sparkling discs clinging. Moreover, tied around his neck was a huge polka-dotted handkerchief, that stuck out like a sour thumb, just like it did with the old actors. You can literally see Jitendra clinging on to Derek. Or maybe vice versa. Moreover, with the old songs like Dum Maro Dum….Mehabooba Mehabooba… being played in the background… The evening literally transported everyone into the late 70s.But the quiz brought us back into 2000s. So, it was like watching the past for sometime. And the present for sometime. The switch, however, was seamless. I knew most of the answers in the quiz. Then, I was wondering why I didn’t ever think of participating. Maybe I should. Maybe I shouldn’t. I guess I need time to think on that. Time like one year...Until the next Brand Equity Quiz
With Derek, the excitement simply never stops. He comes up with lines that can slit one’s personality to ribbons while the audience is on the floor rolling with laughter. Of course, the guy who is getting whacked by his humour feels the other way. But then, what’s life if one can’t take a joke on himself every now and then? Besides, the rewards that kept flowing to the ones with the right answers in the audience would make anybody’s jaw drop. Talking of flowing…well there were bottles of Scotch, Whisky…etc as winners’ gifts apart from gifts like Nokia cell phone worth Rs. 15,000, a free air trip to anywhere in India, etc. Simply mind-blowing!
Every year, Derek, has a theme for the quiz and dons his dress in synch with the theme. This year, the theme was Hindi movies. The participating teams too were given names like “Sholay’ “Caravan” “Saudagar” “Anand” etc. Derek as always was dressed to kill aka the old Hindi filmi hero - Jitendra. He donned white Jeans; running through the loops was a three inch silver-studded belt. Along with it he wore a dazzling red shirt, which had red sparkling discs clinging. Moreover, tied around his neck was a huge polka-dotted handkerchief, that stuck out like a sour thumb, just like it did with the old actors. You can literally see Jitendra clinging on to Derek. Or maybe vice versa. Moreover, with the old songs like Dum Maro Dum….Mehabooba Mehabooba… being played in the background… The evening literally transported everyone into the late 70s.But the quiz brought us back into 2000s. So, it was like watching the past for sometime. And the present for sometime. The switch, however, was seamless. I knew most of the answers in the quiz. Then, I was wondering why I didn’t ever think of participating. Maybe I should. Maybe I shouldn’t. I guess I need time to think on that. Time like one year...Until the next Brand Equity Quiz
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