Social butterflies like me have a few weapons in our arsenal when the conversation flags or when it has died and gone to bed, the sort of hypothetical questions that get people talking.

— If you had to marry three people but keep it secret from them and the police, who would it be?

— If you could have any superpower but had to murder anyone who asked the question “what superpower would you pick,” what superpower would you pick?

— You can be any species of clam. Pick one.

— What’s the color of the sky in your world?

And that old stand-by:

— Do your parents know where you are?

One of the best is “Who’s Coming to Dinner?” Choose six people, alive or dead, and a restaurant in any place and time. I’d pick the following:

Ricky Gervais

Stephen Merchant

Steve Coogan

Mike Nelson

Vanilla Ice

Nikki Minaj

The place: Emperor Qianlong’s palace in Beijing, 1762.

Even if you like Chinese food it’s a strange mix, right? I think the first four would be a laugh and Ice and Nikki would either get drunk and make out or raise hell together. Either way, it’s a good show.