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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now we conclude our New York, New Jersey geography quiz series. We've been going borough by borough and region by region and we wrap it up today with Staten Island's geo quiz. Call in if you think you know Richmond County or even know that it's called that. 646-435-7280, get two in a row right and you win a Brian Lehrer Show New York City skyline mug 646-435-7280.

I will say that this first set of geo quizzes that we've done has been so much fun that we're going to look for more ways to do more of them in the future. Maybe cut it geographically in different ways or whatever. We're going to play with that. We are so happy to have as our guest quiz leader for this, the Staten Island Borough President, James Oddo, who's leaving office at the end of the year because of term limits. He's been in office for eight years. Borough President, thanks so much for doing this. Welcome back to WNYC.

James Oddo: Hello.

Brian Lehrer: Hi there, now we have you. Borough President, can you hear me?

James Oddo: I can't hear you, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this. Now, wait before we go to our contestants, I mentioned Richmond County which a lot of people don't even know that Staten Island is, and they'll say, "I thought Richmond was in Virginia." How did Staten Island become Richmond County?

James Oddo: Brian, no one said I was going to be quizzed today.

[chuckling]

James Oddo: My word.

Brian Lehrer: A bit of obscurity that we will have to look up. Okay.

James Oddo: Actually, Brian, frankly, I don't even know the genesis of that, all jokes aside. It's a homework assignment for all the kids out there.

Brian Lehrer: That's right. As I've said before to other guests, there are a few things I respect more than a guest who's willing to say I don't know when they don't know, rather than try to fake it or make something up.

James Oddo: I just read a great book by Annie Murphy Paul called The Extended Mind. There's something called transactive memory where you put it out of your mind and you put it to where you know you're going to find it. Let's just chalk it up to-- I know where to get the answer to that. I don't need to have it in a crowded head.

Brian Lehrer: I understand. I'm going to look it up, and hopefully before the end of the segment. Let's play first with Mike on Staten Island. Hi, Mike, you're on WNYC. You're ready for a quiz question?

Mike: Yes, Brian. It's a pleasure to be on the air.

Brian Lehrer: Borough President, you have it.

James Oddo: I should be a wise guy, Mike, and say the first question is how is Staten Island Richmond County but I won’t.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs] Except neither of us knows the answer. Go ahead.

James Oddo: [chuckles] What cultural institution got its start when a shipping magnate left his family fortune in the State to the care of "aged, decrepit, and worn-out sailors"?

Mike: Oh, that would be Snug Harbor.

James Oddo: Correct.

Brian Lehrer: That is correct.

Snug Harbor: Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden.

Brian Lehrer: One more and you win Brian Lehrer Show New York City skyline mug. Borough President, hit him.

James Oddo: This says my former colleague Council Member Vinny Ignizio used to say is the greatest FU in the history of the Revolutionary War. The mansion called Conference House on the southern edge of Staten Island is the site of failed peace talks between the Americans and who? [chuckles] I just gave you a hint.

Mike: The British, yes.

James Oddo: There you go.

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James Oddo: No due to the fact that afterwards Ben Franklin and John Adams went to [unintelligible 00:03:49] Tavern for peace. That is not correct.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs] Mike, thank you. Hang on. We're going to take your address off the air and we'll send you a Brian Lehrer Show New York City skyline mug. Alex on Staten Island is our next contestant. Hi, Alex. Thanks for calling in. You're ready?

Alex: Yes, Brian. First time, long time.

Brian Lehrer: Glad you're on, Borough President, go for it.

James Oddo: Alex, I've always wanted to be on the other side of saying that, first time, long time.

[chuckles]

James Oddo: The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, we will not editorialize about the toll, connects Staten Island with Brooklyn. It was named after European explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano. The bridge name was notoriously misspelled thanks to a construction contract until recently 2018. How is it spelled now and what is the correct spelling of Verrazzano?

Alex: The correct spelling is V-E-R-R-A-Z-Z-A-N-O. I believe that it was spelled with just one Z before.

James Oddo: Don't show off now, Alex, you got it right the first time. It's correct. Two Rs and two Zs. Who says government is dysfunctional? They bought you all a second Z.

Brian Lehrer: A second Z. Didn’t something similar-- I don't expect you to know the answer to this and I don't know it for sure myself. I think when they made the Throgs Neck Bridge that they took a G off the original name of whoever Mr. Throgg was to save money on the signs. That went from two Gs to one G. I know I've heard that, so I would have to confirm if that's a true fact.

James Oddo: We don't want to talk about how much the extra Z cost because it was more than a few shekels. Let's move on, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: There you go. One more, Alex, and you're going to win a mug. Borough President.

James Oddo: Alex, what hip hop group, some say the greatest of all time, called Staten Island Shaolin?

Alex: Wow, that's just got to be the Wu-Tang Clan.

[music]

James Oddo: Correct.

Brian Lehrer: Wu-Tang Clan definitely did not make that fanfare but it's the only one we got so, Alex--

James Oddo: Let me sample it.

Brian Lehrer: [chuckles] Good one. Alex, hang on there, we're going to take your dress off the air and you will get a Brian Lehrer Show New York City skyline mug. I did say people don't have to be from Staten Island to play. Here's Katie in Little Italy. Hi, Katie. You're on WNYC. Are you ready for a quiz question?

Katie: Hi, Brian. Love the show. I am from West Brighton originally though, so I'm thrilled to rep my home borough on the air. Hi, Borough President.

James Oddo: Hello there.

Brian Lehrer: An immigrant all the way from Staten Island to Lower Manhattan.

Katie: [laughs].

Brian Lehrer: Over that bridge with all the Rs and all the Zs and eventually-- [crosstalk]

James Oddo: Just had a meeting this morning with DEP in the parks about Clove Lakes Park, so let's ask a question about Clove Lakes Park. It is home to Colossus, the oldest and biggest living thing in Staten Island. That's got to be a misprint. We all know that Senator Andrew Lanza is the oldest living thing on Staten Island.

Katie: [laughs].

James Oddo: Colossus. Who or what is Colossus, the oldest and biggest living thing?

Katie: A tree.

James Oddo: A 300 tulip tree.

Katie: I'm guessing.

Brian Lehrer: That is right.

James Oddo: You're correct.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, wow.

Katie: Tree.

Brian Lehrer: I didn't know that one.

James Oddo: Well done. Somewhere Henry Stern is looking down smiling.

Brian Lehrer: How big is it? Do you know?

James Oddo: It's big, Brian. [chuckles] It's big, it's big.

Brian Lehrer: As a kid from Queens, I was astonished as I'm sure many people from the East are when I first went to California and stood among the giant redwoods. I had heard there were giant redwoods but, oh my God. I took one of those photos of me looking like a little ant standing in front of the tree trunk. I would love to go to Close Lake Park one of these days and see this tree which has a name. You said it's called Colossus, right?

James Oddo: Colossus. Brian, on a serious note and in all seriousness, we should all be spending more time in nature. I'm a big believer in the concept of forest bathing. I think what you also experienced was awe. The social science and the behavioral science and the neuroscience of awes is something I think we all should embrace considering how we're at each other's throats, we should understand our very small place in the universe.

Brian Lehrer: My producer Lisa on the ball chimes in, in 2000, The New York Times wrote 119 feet tall and 21.4 feet in circumference so that is a big tree. One more and Katie will win a mug/ Borough president.

James Oddo: No Yankees score from last night because they're playing golf.

Katie: [chuckles].

Brian Lehrer: Ouch.

James Oddo: Yes. Bobby Thomson was a New York baseball player who had the nickname Staten Island Scott. He hit "the shot heard around the world," a dramatic three-run homer in 1951 to win the pennant for his team. Which New York baseball team?

Katie: '51, Oh. I don't know. Was it the Dodgers?

James Oddo: Oh, incorrect.

Brian Lehrer: Oh.

Katie: Oh, no, it was the Giants? Oh.

Brian Lehrer: Yes. One of the most famous radio calls in baseball history after that home run, the Giants win the pennant.

James Oddo: The Giants win the pennant

Brian Lehrer: The Giants win the pennant. Katie doesn't win the mug. I'm sorry. Thanks for trying.

James Oddo: Sorry, Katie.

Brian Lehrer: Let's go next to Angel. Oh, let me interrupt for a second to say that Lisa also looked up the derivation of Richmond County and we've got it from Wikipedia, which means it might even be true. It says the name derives from the title of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, which this calls him, we don't use this word anymore, but an illegitimate son of King Charles II. Somehow, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond had something to do with power over Staten Island and got that name on it, at least according to Wikipedia. Angel on Staten Island, you're on WNYC. Are you ready for a question?

Angel: Did you say Angel?

Brian Lehrer: Yes. That was you.

Angel: Oh, that's me. Thank you so much for taking my call. Hi, Brian. Hi, Borough President. How are you doing today?

James Oddo: Hi, Angel.

Brian Lehrer: Borough President, go for it. Oh, did you want to say something, Angel? You can.

Angel: I just want to say as an employee of the parks department here on Staten Island, a huge thank you to the Borough President and the Deputy Borough President for being such huge supporters of our borough parks. It is much appreciated. Yes, very much.

James Oddo: Thank you for everything you and the department do.

Brian Lehrer: By the way, I think another baby just made their radio debut on the Brian Lehrer show. It has happened many times. Angel, what's your kid's name there?

Angel: Absolutely. That is little Luther Ellers, one of the newest Staten Island residents.

Brian Lehrer: Hi, Luther. That's enough of that. Borough President, go ahead.

James Oddo: New York City officially observes Groundhog Day at the Staten Island Zoo. [chuckles] Pennsylvania have Punxsutawney Phil, we have? Blank.

Angel: We have Chuck.

Brian Lehrer: That's right. Staten Island Chuck.

James Oddo: Normally known as? This is extra credit.

Brian Lehrer: This is extra credit. You have one right, that's secure. Officially more formally known Staten Island Chuck as?

Angel: Formally?

Brian Lehrer: Yes. Not previously, more formal.

Angel: Right, because there have been various iterations, right?

James Oddo: Yes.

Angel: I don't know.

James Oddo: That's okay. Charles G Hogg, an interesting-

Angel: Wow.

James Oddo: -two Gs on Hogg. I'm not sure who paid for the second G, probably the taxpayers.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs] That's right. Tell Mr. Throgg. One more and Angel will win a mug. Borough President.

James Oddo: Now this is like an inside question here. Oh, this is right up your alley. How much of the landmass of Staten Island is Parkland? 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2.

Brian Lehrer: She's like a ringer for this, works for the parks department

Angel: Of the landmass of Staten Island is parks. That's a really hard question because there are lots of green streets and street trees that count as park property. Can you repeat the options again?

James Oddo: Sure. 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2.

Angel: I'm going to say a third.

James Oddo: Wow, very well played. Very well played.

Angel: Really?

James Oddo: That is correct.

Angel: Yay.

Brian Lehrer: Ding, ding, ding. We're going to play that known Wu-Tang Clan fanfare. There it is.

Angel: [chuckles] It makes perfect tense with Fresh Kills and the greenbelts and all of our other New York City parks, and we have state parks and federal parks as well. That makes perfect sense. Yes, I get a mug.

Brian Lehrer: Angel, hurray, you get a mug. We're going to take your and Luther's address off the air, so hang on. Wow, 1/3 of Staten Island is Parkland. That is really a lot.

James Oddo: We continue to add to it. Obviously, the former Fresh Kills Landfill, which is a question I think coming up, is a huge part of it. Staten Island will never go down in the history books on how to plan, but our forefathers got it right when it came to creating the greenbelt. We have these beautiful woodlands right in the heart of Staten Island, and it's a wonderful thing.

Brian Lehrer: You know what? Angel wins the last mug because we're out of time for the segment. Like a lot of our other geo quiz segments in this series, this has been so much fun. Borough President, you've been a great sport. You want to say in 10 seconds if you've announced it yet, I don't know if you have, I don't want to put you on the spot actually, what you're going to do now that you're term-limited?

James Oddo: As soon as I tell my 87-year-old mom and my wife, I'll come back on and I'll let you know.

Brian Lehrer: That is fair. Borough President James Oddo, thanks for playing along. We really, really appreciate it.

James Oddo: Very well, Brain. Thank you for everything you do. Bye-bye now.

 

 

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