End of an Era – Saying Goodbye to a Longtime Pub Quiz

In the summer of 2006, I first stepped foot into a new bar that had just opened in my neighborhood on the Upper East Side. It was at this large Irish pub that I had my first experience with “real” Irish bartenders, played my very first trivia night and, not long thereafter, embarked on an exhilarating, highly unexpected journey as a “quizmaster.” Almost 5 years and over 200 Gael Pub trivia nights later, I can look back on many fond memories, a fantastic and unique experience, and the knowledge that I helped create one of the best, consistently well-attended trivia nights in New York City.

As a recently-married Brooklynite, however, I am now in a much different place than I was when I first started out. Much as I have enjoyed being the writer & host of one of the most popular trivia nights in town, TrivWorks has expanded significantly in the past year; in addition to servicing a rapidly-growing roster of corporate clients, we have also welcomed Pat Kiernan, NY1 morning news anchor and former host of VH1’s “World Series of Pop Culture” as our “Special Host.”

In order to continue providing our clients with the best possible trivia events, I will need to dedicate even greater time and attention to developing TrivWorks’ core business of corporate event entertainment and team building activities; as a necessary result, I am afraid that I can no longer devote my Tuesday nights to hosting pub quiz. Although it has been a truly incredible and unique life experience which I shall always cherish, I feel that the time has come for me to let go of my longtime UES trivia night, in order to take TrivWorks to the next level; as such, I am announcing today that I have resigned as the Gael Pub quizmaster.

I take great pride in having helped develop what is regarded as one of the best bar trivia nights in the entire city by New York Magazine, Time Out New York, CBS New York, Yelp and more, and am extremely grateful to the Gael’s owners, Gene Lennon & Billy Ferguson, for letting a little Jewish guy with zero alcohol tolerance work behind the bar. I wish the Gael the best of luck, and am confident that they will find a capable replacement to continue their Tuesday night trivia.

FYI I will be officially hanging up my microphone later this month, with my final night being Tuesday, April 12^th. I look forward to seeing you there, and can assure you that my last Gael trivia night will have some special surprises in store!

Please note that TrivWorks will still be hosting weekly Monday night trivia at Social Bar & Lounge in Manhattan, as well as monthly trivia nights at The Bell House in Brooklyn.

Thanks so much to the many, many trivia night enthusiasts who have attended Gael Pub quiz over the years, it’s been a great ride. As they say in Ireland, “Erin go Braugh” – which is Gaelic for, “L’Chiam!”