On March 20th, 2005, at 4:00 P.M. EST (9:00 P.M. GMT), the XYZZY Awards Ceremony was held at ifMUD. Below is the transcript of the event, including side-comments that those in attendance made on the #peanut-gallery channel. Should you not wish to see those comments, an expurgated version is also available.

 

lpsmith exclaims, "And finally, here with the information you need to look erudite at the water cooler tomorrow: Eileen Mullin, with the award for Best Game!"
[peanut-gallery] Fang asks, "LYG?"
[peanut-gallery] Paul says (to **), "But few toilets nominated for prizes"
Jacqueline says, "snrk"
[peanut-gallery] Thrax says, "man, that game totally kicked head"
JoshuaH claps.
Rob claps
Ghogg says, "woo woo"
eileen approaches the stage slowly wheeling a stroller. Shhh, baby Ellis is sleeping!
Jacqueline claps for Eileen.
BrenBarn says, "woop eileen"
DavidW drops a drumroll. oops.
inky claps quietly
klimas claps!
[peanut-gallery] Jota says (to Fang), "Losing Your Grip."
Rob claps quietly
[peanut-gallery] Fang says, "Oh."
Paul mimes a cheer
Rob whisper-cheers
eileen stops. Uh oh, no such luck -- Ellis is wide awake.
Gunther claps loudly
lpsmith cheers baby names starting with "Ell"
Paul cheers extra-loudly!
Thrax peekaboos
eileen looks accusingly at the audience.
Rob says, "doh"
Thrax looks sheepish
Tommy sings a raucous lullaby.
jon goes home.
</jon> jon has disconnected from ifMUD.
eileen shrugs and extracts baby Ellis
[peanut-gallery] maga exclaims, "No children allowed in the auditorium without a martini!"
(From Thrax) Baby cries!
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline giggles.
eileen stops to let the paparazzi admire the baby's designer onesie and booties
Gunther pushes blender on stage.
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline clinks glasses with maga.
Rob says, "kitchie coo"
lpsmith ensures that no blenders are left in the auditorium.
Trumgottist joins Tommy in the singing.
Thrax exclaims (at Ellis), "shake your booties!"
[peanut-gallery] Fang drinks something not like candy at all.
eileen says, "OK! The nominees for the XYZZY Award for Best Game are..."
eileen says, "Blue Chairs, by Chris Klimas"
DavidW claps
JoshuaH applauds.
Jacqueline applauds.
rrafgon cheers
Tommy claps
eileen says, "Future Boy!, by Kent Tessman"
Bishop claps.
Tommy claps
klimas applauds.
DavidW applauds
maga says, "woo again"
Gunther says, "FB!!"
Rob applauds
eileen says, "Necrotic Drift, by Robb Sherwin"
Bishop claps.
rrafgon cheers
Gunther says, "ND!!"
Tommy claps
maga exclaims, "yay!"
lpsmith cheers!
Fang chants, "Blue chairs, blue chairs, blue chairs, blue chairs..."
klimas cheers.
Rob says, "hugo, the martin scorsese of the xyzzys"
eileen says, "Return To Ditch Day, by Michael J. Roberts"
Fang says, "oops"
Gunther says, "DD!"
Rob claps for mjr
Bishop claps.
Tommy claps
lpsmith says (to Rob), "Hee"
rrafgon cheers
Jacqueline claps.
BrenBarn says, "hooray"
JoshuaH claps.
Fang cheers.
DavidW claps double time
K-Y stomps
Gunther says (to Rob), "it's a damn shame"
[peanut-gallery] Paul says, "Man, I can't believe FB has gotten shut out up til now."
eileen says, "The Dreamhold, by Andrew Plotkin"
ctate says, "Future Chairs"
Gunther says, "DH!"
klimas cheers.
[peanut-gallery] Thrax says, "the curse of Hugo"
Bishop claps.
Tommy claps lots.
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "I bet it has to do with not enough people having played it because you have to buy it"
eileen looks at the baby, then looks at the stroller
[peanut-gallery] BrenBarn says, "ha ha"
[peanut-gallery] Thrax says, "which doesn't seem to affect Robb, of course"
DavidW cheers
[peanut-gallery] Paul says, "Very likely"
[peanut-gallery] ctate says (to Rob), "i wondered about that"
[peanut-gallery] Ghogg says (to Rob), "mm yeah"
eileen asks, "Now where did I put that envelope?"
[peanut-gallery] Ghogg says (to Rob), "Once and Future had a similar situation"
Paul cheers for all the Best Game nominees!
Rob claps
[peanut-gallery] maga says, "or 1894, or CoS"
Jacqueline claps for everyone.
eileen opens diaper bag and starts searching...
Fang cheers.
inky says, "ha ha ew"
klimas says, "ha ha"
[peanut-gallery] Paul says, "Still, too bad."
eileen pulls out a box of wipes. Hmm, nope...
[peanut-gallery] Fang says, "There was a free version of 1894"
Thrax exclaims, "your trophy: a new diaper!"
[peanut-gallery] two-star says, "Well, 1893, guys."
[peanut-gallery] maga says, "1894? um, that's, er, the sequel released to a few select fans"
inky says, "you might need those wipes, hang onto them"
Gunther leaves.
eileen extracts a spare Whoozit toy. Nope, not there...
[peanut-gallery] Fang says, "whatever. bleh"
ctate says, "yay Whoozit"
[peanut-gallery] Ghogg says, "and CoS was also free"
[peanut-gallery] Thrax says, "1894: Cleaning Up"
eileen pulls out a half-empty bottle of champagne
Rob says, "baby's been nursing on that"
BrenBarn says, "ha ha"
DavidW says, "uh oh"
[peanut-gallery] Tommy says, "Come on, Eileen."
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "heh"
eileen says, "Well, you see, at the last XYZZY Awards I was pregnant... I haven't been able to celebrate in style for awhile..."
(From Gunther) eileen pulls dead fish from cleavage.
[peanut-gallery] zarf says, "*gun*ther."
eileen hiccups
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "really."
[peanut-gallery] Gunther says (to zarf), "riff on storme's olounge"
eileen finally finds the envelope and tears it open
eileen frowns
eileen exclaims, "This is the doctor's note I got so that Ellis can join that baby swimming class!"
ctate asks, "the pediatrician's bill won the Best Game award?"
inky says, "ha ha ha"
eileen exclaims, "I must have turned in the award winner's info at the Y!"
Rob claps
[peanut-gallery] ctate says, "doh ILAC"
[peanut-gallery] (from inky) Baby snorkles!
Rob says, "ha ha"
Thrax exclaims, "doctor speech!"
BrenBarn says, "the winner is You Have Been Selected For Membership in the National Geographic Society!"
Kwi laughs.
Paul Hee
[peanut-gallery] Gunther says, "that was much better than my baby * would have been"
eileen says, "Good thing I have a backup..."
Thrax exclaims, "and now they're all sitting in blue chairs at the Y!"
Trumgottist cheers merrily.
Ghogg says, "You May Have Already Won A Million Dollars"
eileen pulls crib sheet out of baby stroller
Bishop says (to BrenBarn), "I loved that game. The credit-card info puzzle was great."
[peanut-gallery] ctate says (to klimas), "now you have to get a blue toilet"
eileen squints to read writing on sheet
eileen says, "Good thing I don't do the laundry so often anymore"
Thrax exclaims, "the winner is lint!"
eileen says, "The winner of the XYZZY Award for Best Game is..."
Jacqueline leans forward.
eileen says, "Blue Chairs, by Chris Klimas"
DavidW listens closely.
half says, "Hooray!"
Rob leaps to his feet and applauds and cheers!
Bishop applauds wildly.
Trumgottist exclaims, "Yay blue toilets!"
rrafgon applauds wildly.
Fang falls over.
inky says, "wow, hat trick"
Ghogg says, "woo woo"
JoshuaH chairs!
Rob says, "whooaaa"
zarf says, "yahoo!"
Jacqueline stands up again!
maga exclaims, "yay!"
reese applauds wildly
klimas says, "wow"
BrenBarn says, "huzzah!"
lpsmith cheers!
K-Y claps a lot
DavidW applauds!
eileen waves klimas back on up
two-star exclaims, "Yay!!"
Tommy cheers.
Jota applauds.
Gunther applauds some more.
Marvin exclaims, "Yay!"
Paul exclaims, "Whoa! Sudden Blue Chairs surge!"
Kwi applauds wildly.
Jacqueline applauds.
JoshuaH cheers, even!
Rob says, "wow, zap"
ctate says, "awooga awooga"
Fang gets up and delivers a standing ovation.
Bishop exclaims, "Congrats!"
Ferret exclaims, "Yay Dundalk!"
Recchi applauds!
eileen gives Best Game 2004 XYZZY to klimas.
Thrax says (to Paul), "TMI"
[peanut-gallery] Gunther says, "and it's official: I haven't finished, or mostly even played, a single winner."
DavidW says, "Chairs for everybody!"
Paul exclaims, "Hooray Chris!"
klimas says, "Wow, indeed."
Rob says, "stop hoggin' all them xyzzys"
[peanut-gallery] BrenBarn says, "I haven't even played a single nominee, man"
Fang gives klimas a cruel pat on the back.
[peanut-gallery] Bishop says, "I get the impression Dundalk is not even slightly yay-worthy."
Thrax says, "yay chairs"
maga exclaims, "yay!"
eileen puts Ellis back in stroller and strolls offstage
[peanut-gallery] Ghogg says, "I'm not even sure what this "IF" thing is"
klimas says, "It's cool to be back -- you guys are awesome."
[peanut-gallery] Ferret says, "Well, no, but it's an inside joke"
Rob claps
cendare gets the clap -- no, wait, that's not right...
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline says (to Ghogg), "heh"
[peanut-gallery] DorianX says, "I spend a lot of time in dundalk"
Thrax exclaims (at klimas), "recipes! recipes!"
klimas says, "Here's hoping next year it's Rybread taking home this prize."
[peanut-gallery] ctate says (to DorianX), "i'm sorry."
klimas sits down.
BrenBarn says, "ha ha"
[peanut-gallery] DorianX says, "cf. #angst"
Kwi laughs.
BrenBarn says, "yay"
Rob claps for all winners.
Rob claps for all nominees, too.
Trumgottist claps a lot.
BrenBarn claps for all games!
zarf applauds
BrenBarn claps for all of humanity!
klimas claps for everybody.
lpsmith exclaims, "Thank you all for coming! And let's give one more round of applause to this year's nominees and winners!"
[peanut-gallery] Thrax says, "Rybread the misunderstood IF genius"
maga claps furiously
JoshuaH applauds.
Fang claps for non-nominees, nominees, and winners.
Jaybird yay
Rob asks (of BrenBarn), "what, even the bad guys and vermin?"
Trumgottist claps even more.
Tommy applauds.
reese claps and claps
rrafgon claps and claps and claps
K-Y claps on
Kwi applauds and cheers.
Paul claps as the credits roll.
Marvin claps and stuff.
two-star claps for all those who cannot clap!
BrenBarn says (to Rob), "yes, just this once"
eileen exclaims, "Thank you everyone for coming today too!!"
Rob says, "oh ok"
Thrax says, "yay all nominees"
inky says, "yeah, specifically, thanks to Star Foster, Daniel Ravipinto, Jon Ingold, and Rob Wheeler for presenting"
Jacqueline says, "Thanks, Eileen."
Rob says (to eileen), "thanks eileen!"
Fang applauds.
Thrax says, "I have no hands and I must clap"
inky says, "and to Lucian Smith and David Welbourn for both organizing and presenting"
eileen exclaims, "Thank you and you!!"
Fang hoots.
Rob says, "thanks to me! yeah! me, baby!!"
Trumgottist produces a trumpet and plays a fanfare for all the winners!
baf cheers generally
half claps for the presenters.
Gunther gives fake_hands to Thrax
klimas says, "yay everbody!"
lpsmith says, "If you'd like to stay for some post-ceremony discussion, go west, north, and up. I think. It's the Carousel Bar and Grill, at any rate."
inky says, "and to Eileen for the website and everything else"
Gunther leaves the auditorium to the west.
Thrax says (to Gunther,), "hey, fake_Jon_Ingold needs those"
Bishop leaves the auditorium to the west.
Rob leaves the auditorium to the west.
maga says, "yay MCs"
baf leaves the auditorium to the west.
lpsmith exclaims, "Thank you all, and good night/evening/morning!"