I’m well aware that these answers are coming days later than promised, but I seem to have been granted temporary reprieve from the pestilence that continues to have its way with us barndwellers.

I’m not sure that I’m out of the woods entirely, but my energy has returned just a bit, and so, without ceremony or further preamble, I will proceed to the business at hand, revealing the answers to Matthew Draws IX.

I gave you this:

Let’s be honest. This one was a bit of a softball. Almost every single one of you correctly identified this as Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, though a few other guesses included: Verne Troyer (the actor who played Mini-Me), Jean Luc Picard, and “Ghandi pondering his next hunger strike.”

Next up was:

Here the guesses spanned a wider range. Some of my favorites include Lady Gaga, Sarah Palin, Amelia Earhart, Harry Potter, Janis Joplin, and “Hilary Clinton after she’s been set on fire.”

But more than half of you correctly identified this flamboyant fellow as Elton John.

Then, apparently, I threw you a curve ball:

The stunning array of incorrect guesses read like a laundry list of Hollywood A-listers: Hilary Swank, Demi Moore, Kelly Preston, Helen Hunt, Miley Cyrus, Keira Knightly, Alyssa Milano, Amanda Peet, Megan Fox, Cate Blanchett, Mary Louise Parker, and Courtney Love (ok-she probably doesn’t make the A-list category). A few other creative guesses included “Bare-Boob McGee,” “Lady Gaga after her meat dress got ripped off,” “Blair from Facts of Life at her night job,” “lady confused about what happened to the rest of her shirt” and “random Hollywood star trying to make it.”

But exactly one of you made my day by correctly guessing Julianne Moore.

Then came #4.

Most of you had the sense that I had turned back the clock a bit with this one. As such, you guessed Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth I, Mona Lisa, Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, and (surprisingly enough) George Washington. How often do you think it happens that a drawing elicits guesses for both the husband and wife of a pair? This might be the most damning indictment of my drawing ability to date.

More contemporary guesses included Kathy Bates, Helena Bonham Carter, and Michelle Duggar (ouch!).

I also enjoyed, “a Picasso model,” “a German housefrau,” “Cabbage Patch doll, “Marie Antoinette with a deflated wig,” and “no idea, GO DUKE!!” (I’m tempted to give this last person a prize [was it you, Mom?]).

I’m shocked that anyone got this one right, but three of you correctly tagged this fine lady as Mary Todd Lincoln (I’m just glad that no one guessed Abe).

For the bonus question, Robbi asked:

What is person #4 thinking or saying?

You people did not disappoint. Here are a few of my favorites.

1) Lay back and think of the empire. Lay back and think of the empire. Lay back and think of the empire…
2) You and I both know you’re not really trying to read my shirt.
3) Knit one, pearl two. Knit one, pearl two.
4) I could totally oppress Africa today.
5) I think I’d like some cheese.
6) Oh Abe, something exciting ALWAYS happens at the theater!
7) We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all women are born with an inalienable right to high fashion, regardless of the bumpiness of their bodies or cat-like nature of their damn creepy eyes.
8) There he goes, rail-splitting and emancipating again.

Thank you all, as always, for taking the time to grapple with my bad hand. That’s all for now. Time to grab a Kleenex. But rest assured that, as soon as this flu has run its course, I’ll trade in the sickbed for the drawing board.