Sponsor spotlight: Housing Works' Geek Week

Thanks to loyal BQT fan Rachel Fershleiser, NYC's best bookstore (suck it, the Strand!), Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, is our second very special sponsor for this Monday's very special edition of the Big Quiz Thing, the Hail to the Trivial Presidential Quiz Spectacular. And how apropos it is: Starting on Saturday and running through the 25th, Housing Works presents Geek Week: 30 percent off sci-fi books, comics, vintage vinyl, all the awesome crap you wish you had a basement to keep in. Plus, some "live geekery": readings, concerts, a screening and—wait, really?—something called "Live Book Nerd Jeopardy." (Anyone for fielding a BQT supergroup? Watson won't be there.)

All the events are free, so no point in HWBC kicking in tickets, but Rachel will be supplying the presidential prize haul with some fine, fine volumes of historical importance: biographies of Lincoln (first President with a beard), Franklin Roosevelt (a character in the 1977 Tony winner for Best Musical), Obama (most followed politician on Twitter, just a few more than me) and Hamilton (not a President, but on the $10 bill, so a lot of people think he is), plus various other presidential-literary goodies. Score score score.

Monday night, Crash Mansion, 7:30pm, da-DA-da-DAAH-da-da-DA-da-DA-da-DAA-DAAA! (That's supposed to be "Hail to the Chief.")

Sponsor spotlight: The New-York Historical Society

Incredibly big news for incredibly big nerds like me (and, quite likely, you): We have an outstanding sponsor for the next NYC Big Quiz Thing event, the very special Hail to the Trivial Presidential Trivia Spectacular…The New-York Historical Society.

The N-YHS (yes, yes, the hyphen is correct—that's the way it was often styled, back in the long-ago era to which the Society traces its origin) just might be my favorite museum in the city, ever since I saw its vast collection of presidential campaign buttons and felt shame for my paltry bulletin board's worth amassed over a few money-wasting months on eBay. It's the single best spot in the city for presidential-history catnip. Last time I went, they had an extensive and fascinating exhibit Abraham Lincoln's relationship with our city, going so far as to map out his minute-to-minute route when he came here in 1860 to give his epochal campaign speech at Cooper Union ("The Speech That Made Him President," the reductionists like to say). Plus, I gazed directly at the original letter, written by an 11-year-old girl, that gave us this:
As you can imagine, I go nuts for this kind of thing. It helps to explain why I didn't have a date for senior prom.

When I concocted the plan for the big BQT presidential quiz, my dream sponsor was the N-YHS. And they're totally on board. For the prize haul, we got one-year memberships to the Society, a handsome coffee-table-worthy book published in conjunction with that Lincoln-in–New York exhibit, and the Society's latest factoid book, When Did the Statue of Liberty Turn Green?
I don't know the answer myself, and my initial guess—about the time the apes took over—is probably wrong.

The bad news is that the museum itself is currently undergoing a remodeling, which means much of it is closed till fall, when it will reopen twice as kick-ass as it was before. But no worries: History will always be with us.

So: Presidents' Day, Monday, February 21, Crash Mansion, 7:30pm. Vote for knowledge!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have champions

You know, people, New York City is one hell of a city. Millions of people, an unparalleled world cultural center, the site of uncountable historically significant event, home to the greatest thing in the world ever. But there's one thing NYC did not have…until now.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, New York City's undisputed masters of trivial knowledge: Fuckface Murray Abraham!
On the far right is Jonathan Corbblah, a familiar face at the BQT, but his teammates are only very occasional Big Quiz Thingees; tonight, they were playing as representatives of the weekly bar quiz at Pete's Candy Store in Williamsburg. Together, these four men—now $1,000 and four trophies richer—proved, beyond a doubt, that no one in the world's greatest city knows as much stupid shit as they do.

But let's backtrack a bit. FFMA won despite faltering in Round 3 on the question "What do these celebrities have in common: Ralph Nader, Doug Flutie, Salma Hayek and Frank Zappa?" 
(Jonathan insisted that "Each name has ten letters" should count, but despite his answer's accuracy, I called quizmaster's prerogative on that one.) I was thankful that there was very little whining at tonight's show, despite the high stakes—people were serious, sure (a Smart-Ass Point was hard to come by), but bless you all for excellent sportsmanship. No one cheated, as far as I could tell so I didn't have to subject anyone to this:
Great stuff all around—EDP, clad in sharp tuxedo, pulled out all the video stops for this one. Hardest question of the night? Probably this: Hillary Clinton is the only First Lady to later serve as a U.S. Senator. Who’s the only Second Lady to later be a U.S. Senator?


Easiest question: During the DJ GB's expertly constructed "Slooow-FAST!-Slooow" audio round, "Poker Face" at double speed. It really didn't sound that different.

The Three-Way Finale: Well, I called it—non-BQT regular teams would be near the top. It was Fuckface Murray Abraham, Dempsey's Midnight Runners (representing one of the few other trivia events in the city that I'd recommend), and—not leaving my usual gang of nerds out in the cold—Fat Kids Waddle Into the Future. It was first player to three correct answers (not the usual two), and these gentlemen (oh yes, definitely all men) knew their stuff. Everyone got at least one point on the board—though I wasn't surprised that no one got "What verb, beginning with the letter g, retains its essential meaning when you change the g to a j and double the final letter?" But FFMA claimed ultimate, ultimate, super-ultimate victory with a confident ringing-in on "What 1988 movie was based on a 1982 TV show that lasted only six episodes?" Glorious.

The standings:

1. Fuckface Murray Abraham: Nice. That's the name you have to trivially worship for the next year. $1,000 and trophies.
2. Fat Kids Waddle Into the Future: Repping for the BQT. $400 plus other junk, including this very awesome thing.
3. Dempsey's Midnight Runners: They got the "super-secret prize": We paid their bar tab (up to $200, but they weren't remotely that drunk).
4. Hostage Crisis for Cutie (né Cash Cab FC)
5. The Fantastic Fournicators: Winningest team in BQT history
6. First Degree Nerder: Top team of the BQT's very early days; beware, for they have returned.
7. Team! The Musical/The Wandering Jews (tie)
9. Gerard Depardouche
10. Incontinental Congress/Les Quizerables

All of those teams won awesome shit. One last shout-out to our sponsors:
Time Out New York, Sony Music, The New York Burlesque Festival, The Coney Island Cyclone and the Coney Island History Project, The Gutter, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Babeland, the best of Off Broadway, Metro Metro's Board Game Olympics, Rock of Ages, Freud's Last Session, Accomplice: New York, Hussies from Hell

Endless thanks to the Highline Ballroom, to the B-Cuties, to my gal Sherry for making my awesome new Luxor-style jacket, and to you all for being there and helping to make it a such a ripping success.

Want more BQT? We're back with the familiar show, at an unfamiliar venue, on Tuesday, October 12: The Midtown Theater, 46th Street just off Seventh Avenue (yes, Times Square). More dates on the way here.

Sponsor spotlight: Burlesque!

Legions of people worship me, of course, and those folks may be aware that I occasionally find myself in the company of burlesque types. That wonderfully resurgent art form all about suggestive dancing, boobs, showmanship, boobs, fantastic costumes and boobs. What I like most about burlesque is that the women involved in are of various and many shapes and sizes, but almost without exception, they go out there and shake it with confidence and flair, giving 80 million percent. It's a philosophy that I share—who cares if I'm a dork, I'm going all out for a fucking trivia show—and, naturally, admire.

Through my burly-q connections, I've found myself hosting and/or appearing in a number of said events (this, this, and this), and I called in favors for this Monday's NYC Clash of the Trivia Champions: We got show tickets.

The eighth annual New York Burlesque Festival begins this Thursday, September 30, running through October 3 at a whole mess of venues. Nobody puts on a show like this people. It culminates on the 3rd at the soon-to-be-familiar Highline Ballroom for the spectacular Golden Pastie Awards. (Vote now! And no, I'm not nominated for anything, and while I've worn many odd things in my life, I've never put on a pastie.) We've got two passes to the opening-night party, Thursday the 30th at Brooklyn Bowl (which, by the way, is an awesome venue, even though a proposed plan to bring the BQT there fell through).

Plus, later in the burlesque season (I think I just invented that concept), get ready for Hussies from Hell, a spooktastic show on Sunday, October 31, also at Highline Ballroom. Details for this are sketchy at the moment, but I put that amazing poster at the top of the post, and I do think I will be blowing it up, framing it, and hanging it over my bed. (The ladies love me.) We got two passes for this as well.

All this and more, Monday night. Reg. Is. Ter.

Sponsor spotlight: CONEY ISLAND!

This past summer was something of a renaissance for my most beloved of Brooklyn 'hoods, Coney Island. The new Astroland is no Six Flags, but it's a great little family amusement park, shiny, clean and idiosyncratic. There was plenty of fun to be had at the freak show and on the Boardwalk, including yours quizzly hosting a super-fun T-shirt contest. Everything was the way Coney should be: grungy and great. And of course, the Cyclone: my favorite roller coaster, badder and better than ever.

Next summer promises to be even better, and you can get a jump on the fun. At Monday's NYC Clash of the Trivia Champions, we've got two Coney-affiliated sponsors…

The Coney Island History Project, "a not-for-profit organization that aims to increase awareness of Coney Island's legendary and colorful past and to encourage appreciation of the Coney Island neighborhood of today." An excellent cause. And for the prize haul, they're kicking in a nice little prize package: a copy of the book Coney Island Lost and Found…
…a couple DVDs of the Coney-set documentary Up on a Roof, and some T-shirts. And: the Cyclone!

A bunch of free rides (and T-shirts) on the greatest roller coaster in the galaxy. The season's over, but put the passes in a safe place and whip 'em out when the '11 season begins in April (put them where you kept your Pavement tix). Monday night!

And here it is, from the front car:

Other sponsors: The Gutter, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Babeland, the best of Off Broadway, Metro Metro's Board Game Olympics

Sponsor spotlight: Metro Metro

Here's an interesting one: Metro Metro, an NYC operation that organizes various BQT-fan-friendly events: scavenger hunts, a monthly Board Game Olympics, etc., etc. Basically, they join the Big Quiz Thing among the small fraternity (if only there were a fraternity) of NYC organizations that allows a social life for people like us.

Their events are extremely well organized and very friendly—which is how I managed to make contact with them, basically just showing up at the last Board Game Olympics and hyping the NYC Clash of the Trivia Champions (one week away!). They're on board (heh) as a sponsor, kicking in two free passes to the a future BGO, a $60 value. When I visited, there was a dizzying array of games on offer—Taboo, Trivial Pursuit, Memory and—appropriately, in the marquee position—the great, great Jenga.

Each pass is good for a team of four, and it takes place one Sunday a month at Union Hall, an extremely attractive venue in Brooklyn. Details on Metro Metro's site.

I leave you with this: Some genius somewhere having unauthorized fun with a Jenga set. Bring one of these to the Board Game Olympics and all the girls will want to get to know you:

Other sponsors: The Gutter, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Babeland, the best of Off Broadway

Sponsor spotlight: The best of Off Broadway

So far, I've told you about a handful of the many prizes on tap for the NYC Clash of the Trivia Champions (nine days away!)—the Gutter, Babeland, UCB Theatre. Lest we forget one of the BQT's standby prizes: theater tickets.

You've heard me talk ad infinitum about The 39 Steps, but (a) it's that good and (b) they keep offering us tickets. So I'll keep taking them and giving them to you. We got a pair in the haul for the Clash. Plus…

— Stomp. Oh, yes, It's been playing at the Orpheum Theater in the East Village for what seems like forever (though I did see the original production of Little Shop of Horrors in that space in the '80s; first musical I really loved), a seemingly impossible feat, considering the energy those performers expend. Nonstop choreographed dance and percussion. If this show doesn't excite you, you have no pulse. Video preview:

— The Gazillion Bubble Show. This I have not seen, so maybe I'll steal these tickets. "The first and only multimillion dollar stage production created by using bubble media," it's billed as. I mean, come on! It's fucking bubbles! How can you resist that? Sure, the website prominently features a quote from Regis Philbin, but otherwise, this is amazing! Here's head bubblemaster, Fan Yang, in action:

That and so much more. But you can't win unless you play. Register, register, register!

Sponsor spotlight: UCB Theatre

BQT regulars know that the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre—without question the city's premier improv theater—is a semiregular contributor to the prize haul, specifically passes to its marquee improv show, ASSSSCAT 3000. It attracts round-the-corner lines every Sunday night, but BQT winners get to cut past the comedy nerds and walk directly into that famously low-ceilinged den of laughter.

You never know who will take part, but you're guaranteed quality performers (UCB doesn't give its top spots to just anyone; as an embittered former mediocre improviser, take it from me). They might even be famous performers: I love how the UCB site wisely words it: "possible special guests" from the panoply of TV comedy favorites: SNL, The Daily Show, Conan, and of course, The Goldbergs.

And yes, they're on board for the New York City Clash of the Trivia Champions, only 11 days away. A pass for two to ASSSSCAT 3000, for one of our lucky, lucky teams. Never too late to register, my friends.

Here's a video of the original UCB players doing the ASSSSCAT thing. The YouTube page says this was filmed in the UCB Theatre, which would defy the laws of physics; thankfully, Amy Poehler clears things up pretty quicky:

Sponsor spotlight: Babeland

Okay, get ready. You will find this either hot or awkward—maybe both:

Babeland, New York City's premier women-oriented sex shop is on board with the NYC Clash of the Trivia Champions. Apropos, since the Big Quiz Thing is the world's premier women-friendly quiz event (maybe; never thought of it that way, but perhaps now I have a new marketing angle).


Babeland declares that it offers "sex toys for a passionate world," so this is not as left-field a sponsorship choice as you may imagine: Participants at the Clash of the Trivia Champions will be very passionate. See how I did that?

No confirmation yet what exactly they'll be kicking in, though it looks like it'll be a few tickets to the various workshops on offer, and maybe even items from their celebrated line of high-quality vibrators.
By the way, none of this is a joke.

Ladies, check out everything Babeland has to offer on its website. Gentlemen, check it out for a different reason, if you're inclined. And remember that if you win one of the vibrators, don't give it to a girl you like until you've been on at least a few dates first. Learn from my mistakes.

ROOMS for everyone

All right, so, the spigot of free theater tickets is back on. This Monday, we're giving away more seats to ROOMS: a rock romance. In coming BQTs, look out for Irena's Vow and more of the Hitchcockalicious 39 Steps.

But, even better news: For Big Quiz Thing customers, we're being offered fantastic discount offers on all three shows, starting with ROOMS. See below for a word from our sponsor (and a reprise of that nice poster photo; I like a woman with the Union Jack covering her boobs)…

ROOMS a rock romance
New World Stages
340 West 50th Street (btwn 8th & 9th Aves)
www.roomsarockromance.com

A New Musical in the Tradition of Rent and Spring Awakening

“HIT ALERT! ROOMS ROCKS! SEE IT!” -Talk Entertainment

“A SWEET LOVE STORY, DELICIOUS COMIC MOMENTS. Ms. Kritzer is funny and fabulous. Mr. Kreeger is solid and strong. They mesh perfectly.” – The New York Times

“DELIGHTFUL, CLEVER AND POIGNANT! Fun musical theatre rock ‘n’ roll with an edge, youthful romance and fresh comedy! Fast-rising star Leslie Kritzer is positively ebullient! The talented Doug Kreeger is the perfect counterpart. A PLEASURE TO WATCH!” - Associated Press

“TERRIFIC! Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger are two of the most talented performers I have ever seen! YOU WILL LOVE THIS SHOW!” - WOR Radio

“ENTERTAINING, ENJOYABLE! With canny staging and strong performances.” - Variety

“RIGHT AT HOME AND WORTH CHECKING INTO! Sharp and energetic direction by Scott Schwartz.” - NY Daily News

“WE HAVE A NEW CONTENDER FOR BEST MUSICAL OF THE SEASON!” - BroadwayWorld.com

ROOMS a rock romance begins in 1970s Glasgow where Monica, an ambitious singer/songwriter meets Ian, a reclusive rocker. The two quickly become entangled creatively and sexually. Their music takes them to London and ultimately to New York City, where they become part of the vibrant new music scene and create an intimate partnership, their love deepening while their personalities drive them apart. A five-piece rock band accompanies these two characters as they search for the balance between ambition and happiness. Starring Leslie Kritzer (A Catered Affair, Legally Blonde) and Doug Kreeger (Les Miserables, Thrill Me).

DISCOUNT OFFER
Tickets as low as $46.50! (Reg. $69.50)

HOW TO ORDER:
1. VISIT www.BroadwayOffers.com and mention code RMSHARE309
2. CALL Telecharge at 212.947.8844 and mention code RMSHARE309
3. BRING a printout of this discount to New World Stages, 340 West 50th Street.

RESTRICTIONS:
Offer valid for select performances NOW thru 6/28/09. Price includes a $1.50 facility fee. Offer not valid on Sunday evening performances - all seats $39.50. Limit 8 tickets per customer. Additional blackout dates may apply. Subject to availability and prior sale. Normal service charges apply to phone and Internet orders. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts and not valid on prior purchases. Offer may be revoked at any time. All sales final -- no refunds or exchanges.