The rules were simple: Each contestant will be given the same word, and they had 30 seonds to use it in a limerick.
The contest went on for about an hour when it was narrowed down to two remaining contestants: An English professor with tenure, and a freshmen, Rastus Johnson.
While Rastus was offstage the professor was given 30 seconds to compose a limerick using the word 'Timbuktu'. It looked like he wasn't going to come up with anything. At the last moment he hit the buzzer, the professor smiled, and recited his limerick:
Miles and miles of drifting sand,The crowd applauded wildly for the professor, they knew it would be hard for young Rastus to come up with a limerick using 'Timbuktu'. You could see the look of fear in Rastus's eyes before he heard the word was 'Timbuktu', but with no hesitation, Rastus hit the buzzer and recited his limerick:
serpantine caravan,
camels marching two by two,
destination Timbuktu.
Tim and I a camping went,
met three maidens in a tent,
they were three and we were two,
I bucked one and "Tim buktu".