Posts Tagged ‘quizmaster’
How to Maintain the Integrity of Live Trivia Events
Tuesday, June 28th, 2011
Think about your favorite trivia-themed TV game show. What does it look like? Whether it’s a classic show like “JEOPORDY!” or a more contemporary one like VH1’s “The World Series of Pop Culture,” the basic structure is the same: a select number of contestants, an obedient studio audience, well-thought trivia questions, and a lot of money up for grabs. In a word, these game shows maintain a high degree of integrity, to ensure that the gameplay is fair, well-balanced and beyond reproach.
With live trivia events, however, this is not the case. Whereas the television studio is a controlled environment, trivia events in live settings – be they pub quiz nights, corporate team building activities or brand engagements for experiential marketing – are essentially out in the wild. While challenging, it is still important for the quizmaster to keep the game as honest as possible, regardless of the prize.
Below are crucial steps to impose at live trivia parties, to ensure that the integrity of the event is maintained throughout:
Enforce the “No Cheating” Rule – Perhaps the most obvious difference between television and live trivia, contestants on “Family Double Dare” aren’t liable to Google the answer on their Smartphone. The quizmaster, event hosts, bar staff and participants themselves must be constantly vigilant of cheaters, in order to keep the game honest.
No Shouting Out the Answers – This is more of an issue with public events rather than private ones, but it’s never good to have someone yell out the answers to questions as they are asked. At bar trivia nights, the guy who shouts answers out is usually A) just walking into the bar halfway through the quiz and doesn’t know the rules; B) drunk out of his mind; or C) a plain old jerk. Either way, shouters ruin trivia nights, and need to be kept in check.
Maintain Accurate Scorekeeping – Not all of the trouble keeping live trivia events clean comes from the audience. The quizmaster/scorekeeper needs to be on the ball, and make sure that A) all of the answer sheets are collected and scored; B) the scores have been added correctly; and C) the scores have been properly transcribed to the score sheet or laptop.
No Hyper-Specialized Rounds – Remember that famous episode of Cheers where Cliff goes on “JEOPARDY?” TV’s favorite mailman was given such softball categories as “Stamps,” “Beer” and even “Bar Trivia.” Though it’s not easy to predict for public events, to keep things fair trivia should cover broad categories; if a group of postmen came into pub quiz on the same night there was a “Stamps” round, that would be highly suspect. This is easily remedied at private trivia events, where the questions are all customized.
No Special Treatment for the Quizmaster’s Friends – Here’s one that every pub quizhost across the globe should learn well. No matter the situation, if the host’s friends are playing trivia and coming up to socialize during the game, everyone will take notice. It is INCREDIBLY important, therefore, to avoid even the perception that the host has got the fix in for his/her team to win. Hosts should be conscious of this whenever friends are playing, so as not to unnecessarily upset the other teams.
Do you host or attend trivia nights? What are some other ways you can think of to help maintain the integrity of live trivia events? Please let us know by leaving your responses in the space below!
The 7 Annoying People You Meet Hosting Trivia Nights
Thursday, June 9th, 2011
I read a great article yesterday posted on The Awl, entitled “The Seven Annoying Friends You Meet At Trivia Night.” The gist of the article, which every pub quiz enthusiast from Manhattan to Long Beach will enjoy, is that every trivia team has at least one or more characters who fit a certain mold- that mold being someone who, despite their best intentions, brings the event down in some way (the “compulsive Smartphone checker,” the guy who” reflexively shouts out the correct answer” etc.). I thought that this article was spot-on, and was glad to see someone stating what everyone who loves trivia nights knows, but does not say (a-la Jerry Maguire).
Thus was the inspiration for today’s blog post. Since most trivia night enthusiasts experience the event as participants, I thought it would be fun to paint a similar picture of the 7 annoying characters encountered by the trivia host:
1) The Complainer – This is the person who will always find something to gripe about, from the questions being too hard (or EASY-??!) to the air conditioning not being on high enough. In fact, even if everything is perfect and the other 99 people in the bar are having a great time, this person will find something – ANYTHING– to vent about to the hapless quizmaster.
2) The Nitpicker – Always seeking “points of clarification” and submitting answers which are “technically right,” this guy sucks the fun out of an event like a leech on a juicy love handle. For God’s sake, just relax and have some fun already!
3) The Loud Talker – Whether two feet away or on the other side of the bar, this person can’t seem to use their inside voice. Whether the host is announcing questions, answers or reading out draft numbers, this person is so wrapped up in whatever they’re talking about that they are completely oblivious to the trivia game going on. Take up smoking or something, just please- go outside.
4) The Drunk – Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean you can’t get hammered. This inebriated fool will find his way to “the guy asking questions” and annoy him relentlessly, making half-mumbled comments about the trivia, the bar, the Mets or whatever else comes floating through his imbibed head.
5) The Rude Jerk – No “please,” no smile- just grabs a pen and answer sheet, throws down the completed questions without so much as a look in the eye, and leaves without saying goodbye. And this is after sitting within spitting distance of the host for 2 hours! You don’t have to be best friends with the quizmaster, but come on- at least acknowledge the existence of the guy entertaining you for the night.
6) The Solo Weirdo – You know this guy. He came into the bar alone, halfway through the event, and wants to play. His team name is “Team Tim” or something, and all of his answers are wrong. A bit socially awkward, he tries to strike up conversations with the host about trivia, in between trying to chat up the waitress about anything at all. Usually leaves somewhere before the final round – but typically waves goodbye when he does.
7) The Other, Superior Trivia Host – “Hey man, I’m Jimmy. I host a monthly trivia night at a dive bar in Paskataway. Have you ever done a ‘name that cold cut’ round? You should, dude.” Duly noted.
It should be said that vast majority of trivia night attendees are in fact smart, friendly, fun and engaging. However, for those of us who host bar trivia for the public, we’re bound to encounter at least one of the above at any given pub quiz. I should close by admitting that the person with highest chance of being labeled “annoying” at trivia night is the host – after all, he’s the guy talking the most, thinks he’s hilarious, and he’s got a microphone. Am I guilty of annoyance at trivia night? Perhaps. But hey- I’m clearly in good company.
Have you encountered any annoying people at quiz night? Tell us about them below!
Why Some Pub Quizzes Stink, And How to Improve Them
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
A recently published article in the BBC News Magazine caught my eye this week, entitled “Can pub quizzes survive in the Smartphone era?” The gist of the piece, as you might imagine, is that in a world where everyone texts and has Google in their pocket, can the traditional pub quiz night ever be the same- or be viable at all? I discussed this phenomenon myself in a recent blog post about how to thwart cheaters at quiz night, but as I see it, this is only one factor in an even broader problem for enthusiasts: namely, that some pub quizzes are just plain terrible altogether.
Between hosting, producing and playing, I’ve participated in more trivia nights than most, and can say with a fair degree of certainty what the worst aspects of these otherwise incredibly enjoyable events are. Here is my list below, in no particular order:
Host with No Personality – Let’s face it, we’re not only here to play trivia, but to be entertained. If all the host does is read the questions & answers in a flat monotone, that stinks! The host MUST be funny, or at the very least have fun with the event.
Questions That are Too Hard – Fact: nobody likes to feel stupid, and as such nobody likes trivia nights where the questions are too hard. Make them challenging, but come on- a math proof? Really?
Taking Forever In Between Rounds – In an era of laptops and Microsoft Excel, there is really no reason why scoring answers should take forever. Even with dozens of teams, you can quickly grade, input and sort.
No Audience Involvement – By it’s nature, an event held in a local pub should be about fostering community. If people aren’t encouraged to cheer, participate or even heckle, it’s just not as fun as it can be – and should be.
Drunks Who Shout Out the Answers – Hard to control, but still a problem that affects the event, and shouldn’t simply be ignored. This is really something that the pub should deal with, as they are the ones serving the booze; however, every effort should be made by the host, bartenders and even other attendees to keep these chucklehead boozehounds in line.
Lame Prizes – I firmly believe that people go to trivia nights for the competition, not for the prizes. That said, the prize still has to be something worthwhile, at least a $25-$50 bar tab or equivalent. A bar that asks people to play trivia for hours, and then offers a round of kamikaze shots to the winners, well- that’s just silly. The prize doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it at least has to appear valuable.
I’m a huge lover of pub quiz, and you likely are, too. What other observations do you have about how bar trivia nights can be improved?
10 Clean Comebacks to Trivia Night Hecklers
Friday, May 27th, 2011
It’s probably one of the most understated guilty pleasures of the bar trivia experience, for both the host and the audience: watching a heckler get slapped down. Trivia nights are fun and informal, and when done right there is a free and open engagement between the participants and the quizmaster. At my events, I actually encourage heckling, so long as it’s humorous- then again, I’ve been known for my quick-witted comebacks since middle school (only now it doesn’t land me in detention).
Here are 10 common heckles, followed by clean comebacks to lob at hecklers who – in good spirit or bad – try to take the quizmaster down a peg. Sometimes the audience wins, which is good- I don’t mind being the butt of jokes, so long as they’re funny! However, after hosting these events for so long I’ve gotten pretty reflexive in my heckler hit-backs, so watch out!
All of the below heckles & family-friendly comebacks have been used on the field of pub quiz combat – and, I’m proud to say, I’ve emerged as the undisputed victor every time. Enjoy!
1) “You Suck!”
Response: “Yes, but I’m not wearing a baseball hat.”
2) “This round is boring!”
Response: “This from the guy drinking water.”
3) “Lame question!”
Response: “Yes, but the host is adorable.”
4) “Lame answer!”
Response: “Don’t blame me, blame Wikipedia.”
5) “This is old person trivia!”
Response: “We should start carding at the door again.”
6) “This trivia night blows!”
Response: “We’ll refund your entrance fee.” (only works at free events)
7) “Nice sideburns!” (okay, maybe this is kind of specific for me)
Response: “At least I have hair somewhere on my head.”
8) “Why are you going so fast?”
Response: “Why are you so drunk on a Monday?”
9) “Repeat the question!”
Response: “No.”
10) “F*^# you!”
Response: “This is a family bar, my friend- so F*^# you!” (okay, not so clean. But sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire. Whatever. I have a microphone).
So long as the heckling isn’t mean-spirited, derogatory or downright offensive, I welcome it at bar trivia, and view it as a positive addition to an already enjoyable experience- the same goes for corporate events, if the crowd seems like they can handle it, which they often can.
Hit me with your best heckle in the “Leave a Reply” section- see how fast I come back!
How to Identify Cheaters at Trivia Night
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
Cheating and trivia night are thought to go hand in hand, especially in today’s smartphone world. Go to any pub quiz, and you’re bound to find it: people Googling the answers, using music recognition apps like Shazam on ipod rounds, texting friends not in the bar, and likely a host of other ways to beat the system.
Not only is cheating at trivia night unfair to everyone else trying to partake in good, clean fun, but it’s also stealing when the culprits actually take home the prize. No matter where you are or how much is at stake, cheaters will always find a way to worm their way into the pub quiz night, and ruin things for everyone else. Everyone despises cheaters, including quizmasters – especially when it’s a free trivia night. I mean, really- cheating at a free event? Come on!
Having hosted over 300 bar trivia nights in New York City, I’ve seen my fair share of cheaters, and caught many in the act. Although there is no surefire way to stop cheaters at trivia night, here are some tips I’ve discovered to help identify those who simply can’t overcome the urge to whip out their mobile devices, and look up the answers:
Employ Audience Eyes & Ears – When starting the event, the first rule to announce is obviously “no cheating.” Rather than just leave it at that, though, ask people to keep an eye out for cheaters, and to call them out if spotted; some well-timed peer pressure (and possibly humiliation) from the next table may be all that’s needed for a would-be cheater to cut it out.
Manage by Walking Around – While it’s tempting for the trivia host to remain at his/her post for the duration of the event, it’s important to walk around every now and then and just check out the teams up-close. Doing so allows you to catch possible cheaters stealthily looking up the answers under the table, as well as sends the message that the “no cheating” rule is indeed being enforced.
Look for Score Leaps – After the first or second round of trivia, it’s usually pretty clear which handful of teams are going to be breaking away from the pack and competing for the prize. However, when a team which was doing poorly suddenly picks up steam out of nowhere – especially on rounds where “good” teams struggled – alarms should go off. Flag this team, and make a special point to visit their table- chances are, they’re cheating.
Nobody Gets Everything Right – While it’s theoretically possible to get every trivia question right, this never happens in the real world. At my live trivia parties, where the rounds are ten questions each, I am instantly suspicious of teams who get ten of ten – and doubly so if it happens more than once.
Post Disinformation – This is an extreme move – actually, more like entrapment – designed to flush out cheaters. Before the trivia night, post some “sample questions & answers” on your trivia Website or blog (if you have one), or tweet out a question/answer via your trivia Twitter feed. Here’s the thing, though- include incorrect answers. During your event, casually mention that you’ve posted some questions from the event for people to share tomorrow with friends, coworkers etc., and be sure to read out the planted questions. While scoring sheets, any teams which puts down the planted incorrect answers is obviously a bunch of lame, cheating scoundrels, and should be called out. This move clearly takes some extra effort, and should only be used when your trivia night is suffering from a particularly bad cheating epidemic – but believe me, it works (FYI, Joaquin Phoenix’s birth name was NOT Leif Ericson – and yes, someone once fell for that).
Cheating has been, and always will be, a challenge for those who want to enjoy a clean, good-natured live trivia party, as well as those who host them. However, constant vigilance here by the quizmaster and the participants themselves will help identify the perpetrators, and keep the event as fair as possible.
Do you have any suggestions for identifying cheaters at pub quiz night? If so, please share below! We’d love to hear your ideas!
TrivWorks founder David Jacobson blogs daily on a wide range of topics relevant to corporate event entertainment, team building and live trivia. 
