Evil Grimace

The 2025 list is the first since 2014 that does not have a Nobel laureate on it. They had either Jimmy Carter or Henry Kissinger, sometimes both, for any given year from 2015 to 2024. Given their longevity and waiting a nearly decade for two hits, maybe laureates just aren't the best picks.

Update 18 January Second hit: Linda Nolan Teams with hit: 9 Teams with joker: 0 Punters: Summer in Transylvania, theoldlady, Funeralopolis, ladyfiona, DoorSlammer, Clorox Bleachman, The Old Crem, Redrumours, Wormfarmer Second (consecutive) hit: Summer in Transylvania, theoldlady, Funeralopolis, ladyfiona, DoorSlammer, Clorox Bleachman, The Old Crem, Redrumours Nolan was picked by a little over a third (9/26) of punters. As Le Pen was so widely picked, it is not a surprise that 8 of 9 who got the hit now have their second consecutive hit, one hit shy of the 3 hit bonus. Updated Score Nolan Bendee87 -13 Book -15 BuffaloPhil -16 chilean way -16 Clorox Bleachman -16 1 arghton -17 Bibliogryphon -17 ladyfiona -17 1 gcreptile -18 Great Uncle Bulgaria -18 The Old Crem -18 1 Fox B -19 The Daredevil -19 Funeralopolis -19 1 Redrumours -19 1 livingbygrace -20 theoldlady -20 1 DoorSlammer -20 1 LizLemon -21 Summer in Transylvania -21 1 trome -22 Grimgrass -22 Sleepiestpeep -23 diego -23 Wormfarmer -24 1 Steve -31

Update 18 January First hit: Jean-Marie Le Pen Teams with hit: 25 Teams with joker: 0 Punters: Everyone except Wormfarmer Well, this is the big one. 25/26 punters picked him, he was the bookie's favourite, so those 25 get 2 points for the hit and bookie bonus. And it changes nothing on the rankings! It does give nearly everyone a good start to the third hit bonus. It does feel like the DL CL answer to Hank Scorpio's question, "By the way, what's your least favourite country, Italy or France?". Updated Score Le Pen Bookie's Fav Bendee87 -13 1 1 Book -15 1 1 BuffaloPhil -16 1 1 chilean way -16 1 1 arghton -17 1 1 Clorox Bleachman -17 1 1 Bibliogryphon -17 1 1 gcreptile -18 1 1 ladyfiona -18 1 1 Great Uncle Bulgaria -18 1 1 Fox B -19 1 1 The Daredevil -19 1 1 The Old Crem -19 1 1 Funeralopolis -20 1 1 livingbygrace -20 1 1 Redrumours -20 1 1 theoldlady -21 1 1 LizLemon -21 1 1 DoorSlammer -21 1 1 Summer in Transylvania -22 1 1 trome -22 1 1 Grimgrass -22 1 1 Sleepiestpeep -23 1 1 diego -23 1 1 Wormfarmer -25 Steve -31 1 1

Baseline points Here are the baseline points for all runners. The following penalties are in place: incorrectly predicted (-1 for each 'hit') + (-2 out by 5 on total hits; applies to all runners at this point) + (-2 for having joker incorrect; applies to all runners at this point) = current score. For example @Bendee87 is at -15. Calculated = -1 * 11 hits + (-2) + (-2) = -11-2-2 = -15 Here's the starting ranks. Bendee87 -15 Book -17 BuffaloPhil -18 chilean way -18 arghton -19 Clorox Bleachman -19 Bibliogryphon -19 gcreptile -20 ladyfiona -20 Great Uncle Bulgaria -20 Fox B -21 The Daredevil -21 The Old Crem -21 Funeralopolis -22 livingbygrace -22 Redrumours -22 theoldlady -23 LizLemon -23 DoorSlammer -23 Summer in Transylvania -24 trome -24 Grimgrass -24 Sleepiestpeep -25 diego -25 Wormfarmer -25 Steve -33

Statistics section updated with the full details and to the second hit (Nolan). Three updates to follow: 1) baseline points 2) Le Pen - the bookies favourite and a choice of 25 of 26 players, yet not jokered, so don't expect much change in the rankings 3) Nolan - a pick of 9 of 26 players, not jokered, should make some waves

Counting my chickens before they hatch, so here goes... I've got four hits so far: Rinder (8), Yarrow (9, D40 confirmed), Black Bart (10, D40 confirmed), now Nolan (11, D40 retained?) for a total of 38. Total is 35 if Nolan lost D40 status. Surely that is enough for Team of the Month? I'm certain many of these are jokers for others, and with two of the others could edge me out. @Death Impends did Nolan retain D40 status? (Edit - in 2024 she was on 138 teams, so I am certain she did for 2025).

Thankfully @Bibliogryphon and @The Old Crem those joker confirmations are in under the Linda Nolan wire. The 'worthless gremlin' @drol was only picked by a third of teams, but no jokers. The second update will change things up.

@The Old Crem and @Bibliogryphon - I need jokers from you both. Please reply to this message with your selection, keeping in mind that Le Pen is not a possible choice. For everyone else, team entry is ongoing, but as a sneak peak, virtually all teams have Le Pen so the first update will be uneventful. We have at least one Designated Survivor in Angie Dickinson so far.

Yes, @Joey Russ is correct. Le Pen's death triggered 'Der Kaiser' rule, so I cannot accept your late entries @Etushispushingupdaisies and @Hell.

@gcreptile and @Bendee87 - noted and accepted.

@Bendee87 As your entry was in before closure, I'll allow it (I likely would have asked while entering teams). Please post it in reply to this message or yours. And as you've said, Le Pen is not possible.

The list of team entries, in the order they have been recieved, either posted in this forum thread or by PM. All participants have had entries acknowledge by a 'Like' to their post or written message via PM. Nice total of 26, with 17 having entered within the first 24 hours! The List Summer in Transylvania arghton Fox B theoldlady trome The Daredevil LizLemon gcreptile Funeralopolis BuffaloPhil ladyfiona Sleepiestpeep Great Uncle Bulgaria Grimgrass diego Bendee87 DoorSlammer Clorox Bleachman chilean way livingbygrace Book The Old Crem Bibliogryphon Redrumours Wormfarmer Steve

CLOSED FOR ENTRIES! The death of Jean -Marie Le Pen just announced ~10 minutes ago on the forum has triggered 'Der Kaiser' rule which states: 'The contest shall close on January 10 23:59 or at the time of the reported death of a pick on the forum, whichever comes first' Tabulation of team entries was scheduled for after the 10th, I'll see what's possible.

In no way did I expect Rinder to be a Unique, although he was in 2024 (!!). Just the picture with no commentary isn't a good sign. His early November YouTube videos he has difficulty speaking. The last update there is 28 November and he does look puffy in the Christmas update photo.

Written here so that I can complain later about my poor decisions. Drops from 2024 Jeanette Lee (52) - despite terminal ovarian cancer, due to taking Lynparza suggest she has a hereditary/mutation variant that can be managed; late December pictures show she's looking good; one to keep watching... Yoko Ono (91) - only room for one 90-something with D40 points to justify their inclusion (it was Chomsky) Michael Bibi (33?) - had show dates in 2024 and more lined up for 2025, in remission Nigel Starmer-Smith (80) - despite D40 points, hit 80, so -1 pt; again limiting 80-something picks (retained Tilson-Thomas) and I'm leary of dementia picks Gavin Robertson (58) - has a postive outlook and looks great; yearly habit of end December interviews - and he looked great as of 28th Rebecca Schull (95) - my failed attempt at a Unique last year; no new acting credits since 2022, so an easy drop No room and my likely regrets Jose Mujica (89) - I wanted to find room, but as he's likely to hit 90 and drop in pts, I couldn't have another 90-something; my most likely error Frank Caprio (88) - hard not to include a pan can pick, but age and he seems to be doing well Julian Glover (89) - again likely to reach 90; his hit-and-miss attendence at events/comic cons makes me wonder, plus slowing down on acting credits (many in 2023), one I figured could make the main DL Judith Viorst (93) - writer, widow since 2022; I have a cryptic note from Sept '24 that seems important but can't make sense of it now! Well into 90s anyway.