Posts Tagged ‘quizmaster’
How to Maintain the Integrity of Live Trivia Events
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…
Read MoreThe 7 Annoying People You Meet Hosting Trivia Nights
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…
Read MoreWhy Some Pub Quizzes Stink, And How to Improve Them
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…
Read More10 Clean Comebacks to Trivia Night Hecklers
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…
Read MoreHow to Identify Cheaters at Trivia Night
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…
Read MoreHumor Tricks for Struggling Quizmasters
So you’ve begun your gig as a quizmaster, hosting live trivia events at the local pub. You’re diligently armed with good public speaking skills, a happy demeanor, pens and an armload of fun, challenging trivia questions, and are ready to conquer the world. The only problem is, you’re not funny. As I’ve argued many times…
Read MoreTrivia Host Toolbox: A Primer for New Pub Quizmasters
So you want to be a trivia host? Awesome! The world needs more people like you. Chances are you are personable and witty, enjoy public speaking and aren’t afraid to make fun of yourself at a bar for 2 hours. Now that you’ve sold your local pub on the value of holding a regular pub…
Read More5 Ways to Keep a Trivia Audience Engaged
I’ve been hosting trivia for a while now, and am fortunate enough to have produced over 300 unique events. While hosting may be second nature to me now, I can still vividly recall when I was just starting out, and not sure what to do; there is no certification course to become a “quizmaster,” after…
Read MoreGuilty Pleasures of a Trivia Event Host
Naturally, I love creating trivia events. There’s just so many things about them that provide me with an opportunity to smile, I have fun just thinking about it! I do enjoy playing pub quiz, for sure, but believe it or not I’m actually not all that good a trivia myself- nor am I very competitive…
Read MoreThe Critical Importance of Timing in Live Trivia Events
There are many factors which contribute to the success – or failure – of a live trivia event. Obviously the questions themselves are critical, as are the host, venue and even the audience. However, whether it’s for a team building exercise, brand awareness event, corporate entertainment or a standard pub quiz, every live trivia event…
Read MoreLess is More When Hosting a Trivia Event
When people find out I host trivia events professionally, often they ask me, “what is it you do differently from other hosts?” One of the things they assume is that I talk a lot, in order to keep the event flowing nicely and to ensure a positive atmosphere. This assumption is actually correct- to a…
Read MoreMaking a Trivia Event Humorous Without Overdoing It
Having hosted over 300 trivia events over the last 5 years, I can say with relative certainty that the most important ingredient for a successful event is humor. How does humor play a role in trivia? Well for one, it allows people to enjoy themselves- who doesn’t love a good laugh- or two, or ten?…
Read MoreEnd 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…
Read MoreMaintaining a Packed House on Pub Quiz Night
By November 2006, barely 2 months after starting my new gig as the volunteer “quizmaster” at Manhattan’s Gael Pub, the bar had to buy a new laptop so that I could score the 30+ teams each week on Excel, rather than by hand. I was still in shock with the overwhelming response I’d received in…
Read MoreBuilding a New Pub Quiz from Scratch
As described in an earlier post about my start in the trivia events world, by September of 2006 I had only been hosting my new trivia night at The Gael Pub for a month, and had already been rewarded with a loyal turnout of…well, strangers! Over 50 of them, coming out of nowhere. Who WERE…
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