Calling All Pop Culture Experts: Pop Culture IQ Exam to Determine 'Wildcard' Team for New Original Series From VH1 and Entertainment Weekly, 'The World Series of Pop Culture'

Online Qualifying Exam to Take Place Wednesday, March 29 at 7:00 PM (EST) and 10:00 PM (EST) at http://www.vh1.com

NEW YORK, March 9 -- On Wednesday, March 29, pop culture fanatics throughout the country will have a chance to test their talents online and qualify for VH1 and Entertainment Weekly's upcoming televised competition, "The World Series of Pop Culture". VH1 and Entertainment Weekly will be hosting an online qualifying "Pop Culture IQ" (PCIQ) exam on Wednesday, March 29 at 7:00 PM (EST) and 10:00 PM (EST) at http://www.vh1.com/shows/series/world_series_of_pop_culture/pciq/index.jhtml.

VH1 and Entertainment Weekly's "PCIQ" exam is a standardized test designed to measure pop culture knowledge in the areas of television, movies, music, and pop culture news. Three of the top scorers from the online exam will join forces and become the 16th and final "wildcard" team in the tournament. The "wildcard" team will join the 15 other teams cast during in-person regional qualifiers. For more information including online test rules and guidelines visit http://www.vh1.com/shows/series/world_series_of_pop_culture/pciq/index.jhtml.

Exam Description & Instructions:

* The "PCIQ" exam will consist of six (6) sections including pop culture analogies, quote identification, lyric identification, and actor/actress body of work identification.

* Each section will contain ten (10) questions. Contestants will be given six (6) minutes to complete each section.

* Don't bring two No. 2 pencils -- the exam will be administered online.

* Contestants are advised to arrive at their computers by 6:55 PM (EST) for the 7:00 PM (EST) test or 9:55 PM (EST) for the 10:00 PM (EST) test.

* Contestants must begin the 7:00 PM (EST) test no later than 7:10 PM (EST), and the 10:00 PM (EST) test no later than 10:10 PM (EST). The system will not allow participants to start the test any later.

* Contestants may only work within each section of the "PCIQ" exam for the time allotted. Participants will not be permitted to go back to a section once that section has ended. Contestants are permitted to start the next section if they finish a section early.

* Applicants may take the "PCIQ" exam twice (i.e., once at 7 PM (EST) and once at 10 PM 9 EST)), but the average of their two test scores will be taken to form a final score.

Sample Questions from the "PCIQ" Exam:

Analogies

Steve Urkel is to Carl Winslow, as Erwin "Skippy" Handleman is to:

a) Steven Keaton

b) Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable

c) Daniel Tanner

d) Dr. Jason Seaver

Quote Identification

"You know how they say we only use 10 percent of our brains? I think we only use 10 percent of our hearts."

a) Wedding Crashers

b) Hitch

c) 50 First Dates

d) The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Lyric Identification

Pearl Jam, Jeremy: "Ooh, but we unleashed a lion / Gnashed his teeth

and ... "

a) Bit the recess lady's breast

b) Spit the pieces to his left

c) Quit his cryin' and confessed

d) Put his knuckles to the test

From the executive producer of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," "The World Series of Pop Culture" is the ultimate pop culture competition designed for teams to display their astounding range of knowledge about everything music, television and film. Hosted by NY1 News anchor Pat Kiernan, "The World Series of Pop Culture" is scheduled to premiere on VH1 in the summer of 2006.

The search for the country's best pop culture gurus will culminate when 16 teams face off in New York City and compete in the biggest team trivia challenge ever, where one team will be crowned the champions of "The World Series of Pop Culture" and could win up to $100,000 in cash and prizes.

VH1's "The World Series of Pop Culture" is executive produced by Michael Hirschhorn, Jim Ackerman and Matt Hanna of VH1 and Michael Davies for Embassy Row.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in nearly 84 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at http://www.VH1.com.

VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc. MTV Networks also operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.

Entertainment Weekly, a winner of four National Magazine Awards (two for General Excellence, one for Design and one for Special Interest) is America's leading consumer magazine of entertainment and popular culture. The magazine is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., and has a guaranteed circulation rate base of 1.725 million reaching an audience of 11 million readers.

SOURCE VH1
Web Site: http://www.vh1.com