“Take your time, and answer the question,” the quiz-master said in his plastic voice. A TV camera zoomed tightly on Elmo’s face. The popular theme music started playing. Elmo could feel sweat on his cheek, but lacked the awareness to wipe it clean. “Think, man. Think!” he said to himself. His mind drifted. He thought about Elma in the front row. He thought about his mom watching at home. He thought about today being gusty with a high of 15 degrees and Saturday having a high of 5, with a chance of snow. “Hmm. Snow,” Elmo said a little louder. The host jumped in, “That’s absolutely right! Snow is the stage name of rap artist Darrin O’Brien. Ed, tell him what he’s won!”
King of daytime TV
Published January 10, 1997
