http://thisistrue.com/contest.html (Internet on a CD, 07/1998)
This is True®
by Randy Cassingham
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"Randy Cassingham has made it his mission in life to
bring unusual stories to the attention of a Net-using audience."
--London Daily Telegraph
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For several months, we ran contests among readers to see how they would
respond to a bit of interaction. The result: readers want to read,
not interact. It was fun while it lasted. We especially liked the limericks
from Contest #3.
Results from Contest #4
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Contestants were asked to write a better
tagline for any This is True story run in February. The "tagline"
is the follow-on comment that Randy makes at the end of each story. It's
the part after the story source (in parentheses), and begins with an
ellipsis (the "...").
While not the intent of this contest, I have to say that most of
the entries to this contest affirms for me one Great Truth: I really,
really don't have to worry about competitors replacing me on this
gig! =:-o
A couple of decent entries had to be tossed out since the submitter
didn't follow the rules! But the winner did, and received an autographed
This is True book.
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The Winner: Dan Morris, Lecompton, Kansas,
who chose this story:
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Not Tonight, Dear: A study by the National Opinion Research Center at the
University of Chicago finds that, in general, better educated people have
less sex. Of 10,000 American adults studied, those with "some college"
average 61 times per year, and it declines from there, with college grads
averaging fewer couplings, and those with graduate degrees even less.
Meanwhile, researchers at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., say
that a survey of 13,345 Americans shows that better-educated people have
more tension headaches, with the highest incidence among those who had
attended graduate school. (UPI, Reuters) ...Sometimes, it takes a second
study to fully understand the results from the first study.
Dan's Tagline: ...Kind of makes it difficult to explain the
value of a college degree to a high school student.
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Runner Up: Don Henley, San Antonio, Texas,
who chose this story:
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To Insure Peaceful Standoff: Miami, Fla.,
police had surrounded a house after a man barricaded inside threatened to
kill himself. During the tense standoff, a food delivery man walked up to
the officers. "This is for the guys surrounding the house," the delivery
man said, handing over containers of soup, salad and fish ordered by the
man in the house. "This has never happened before," a Miami-Dade Police
spokesman said, adding the officers never had time to eat the food. The
man surrendered about an hour later and was taken for mental evaluation.
(UPI) ...Good. Soup and fish? For lunch? Clearly insane.
Don's Tagline: ...What do you tip for something like
that?
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Entries came from U.S.A., Germany and Canada
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Results from Contest #3
Contestants were asked to write a This is True
limerick. There were some terrific entries for Contest #3!
For the first time, as chief judge, Randy had to step in since there was
not a clear number-one winner chosen by the outside judges. His decision:
two first place winners; both winners received a free copy of
a This is True book autographed by Randy Cassingham.
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Winner #1: Scott Crevier, De Pere, Wisconsin
I can't wait to click on the queue,
And open the new "This is True".
It helps me relax
To read all the facts,
And then see the postscripts from you.
Winner #2: Ruth Disraeli, San Diego, California
These tales of whale-sized goiters
And of poor slobs and rich hoity-toiters
All sound like they're fake,
When in fact they are jake
And come straight out of AP and Reuters!
Second Place: Jeffrey Eliasen, Evergreen,
Colorado
A mayor, a real man of honors,
Took nude pictures of women on squad cars;
While browsing the net,
Some students found it,
And now the mayor's behind bars.
Al Gore said that he's the "good look"
In a best-selling love story book;
The author said, "He lied!"
Now Gore's press people tried
To convince us that we were mistook.
In the courtroom a judge turned down motions
To perform a curse from across oceans;
He said, "So sorry,
But there's rules here, you see,
So you'll have to avoid blood and potions."
All this stuff is in "Premium True"
Once a week Randy sends it to you,
So quickly log on
to thisistrue.com
To discover what subscribing will do.
Third Place: Werner Breitenstein, Stutensee,
Germany
A German like me has two ills:
No humor and no English skills.
So what can I say
With True night and day
My life is just filled with big thrills.
Honorable Mention: Igor Urbiha, Zagreb, Croatia
There was a girl of excellent wit.
Her body was quite a great hit.
She thought I was hot,
I thought of her not,
As I was looking at Randy's "TiT".
Entries came from U.S.A., Canada, Croatia, Japan and Germany
Results from Contest #2
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Contestants were asked for their suggestion on
how we can increase True's online readership without resorting to
"spam" (or spam-like mailings). The winner received a free copy of a
This is True book autographed by Randy Cassingham.
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The Winner: Toddy Hosfelt, Cherryvale, Kansas
Get Paul Harvey to mention your web site. We owned a weekly newspaper
and when Harvey mentioned our newspaper we heard from all over the
world. One funny story involved a skeleton found in a closet at the high
school (identity was a 40 year ago Hide & Seek Champion), prompting a
Japanese Magazine to call the Superintendent.
...Not a bad idea, actually -- most of our growth has come from plugs
from mainstream media mentions like newspaper and magazine articles
like these. Radio is a good offshoot that we
perhaps should concentrate on more.
Results from Contest #1
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Contestants were asked to say why they should be the
winner of the Contest, with a caveat that "originality, creativity, humor,
clarity, brevity and wit all count". The winner received a free copy of a
This is True book autographed by Randy Cassingham.
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The Winner: Tim Burnett, Arlington, Texas
Sitting with my dying mother, I kept sane by reading
True. The folks at the hospital wondered why there was loud
laughter coming from the room with a dying patient. Each time a nurse came
in, I read her a story. They kept coming back, so mother was very
well taken care of. But I need another book! Dad is dying... and my
brother... and my sister....
...It is entirely possible that once Tim's family reads this,
he may soon be dying in the hospital.
Second Place: Alex Santa-Pinter, Choctaw,
Oklahoma
To prove to my co-workers that I am not not a loser,
that I can be the most popular person in cubicle-land. Or, to gain respect
from my family for acquiring something I didn't pay for. Failing this,
I'll have an entertaining book to keep company in my motel room.
...Alex, you are not a loser. You are a runner-up.
Third Place: Karl Hartronft, Dallas, Texas
Honorable Mentions:
Dan Dunn of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Ken Gagne from Leominster, Massachussets
Entries came from Bermuda, Canada and U.S.A.
Copyright 1998 by Freelance Communications, All Rights Reserved
worldwide. May not be copied, stored or redistributed without
prior, written permission.
"This is True" is a registered trademark of Freelance Communications.
Page Updated 9 June 1998
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