Students no longer have to leave campus to partake in trivia nights.
Trivia company Geeks Who Drink debuted its first UCLA trivia night Monday at Wolfgang Puck Express in Ackerman Union. Attendees were welcome to participate solo or with a team and were tested on a wide variety of topics, ranging from television shows such as “Breaking Bad” to sports teams like the Oakland Raiders. Trivia nights will take place every Monday at 6 p.m., and unlike trivia nights at Barney’s Beanery or Rocco’s Tavern in Westwood, attendees of all ages can participate.
Monday’s trivia night consisted of eight rounds, two of which were audio rounds and one visual, with eight questions each. The audio rounds tested participants through song snippets and various voice recordings from speeches and announcements, while the visual round asked participants to name television shows based on screen captures. During the rounds, guests were asked to gather clues from Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” identify stills from shows such as “Silicon Valley” and answer questions about Irish coffee.
Other rounds featured more specific themes. One centered on Oprah Winfrey’s life, quizzing participants on fellow alumni from Winfrey’s alma mater and her Oscar nomination for “Selma.” However, as the night continued, the topics of interest grew increasingly varied, ranging from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to bundt cakes.
Danny Brennan, the general manager of Wolfgang Puck Express at UCLA, said he reached out to Geeks Who Drink in early April, hoping to integrate lively activities during the restaurant’s dinner hours. After introducing karaoke nights on Thursdays, Brennan said he wanted to add trivia to the restaurant’s agenda.
“We’re … trying to think of fun things that aren’t really going on on campus so that we can become more of a part of the UCLA community,” Brennan said. “This seemed like a fun way to get more people to come check (Wolfgang Puck Express) out and also have a really good time on campus without having to go into Westwood for entertainment.”
Teni Adewumi, a doctoral candidate in environmental health sciences who played for a couple of rounds, said she is excited about trivia coming to UCLA’s campus. Adewumi said she also appreciated the structure of the game and enjoyed the questions despite joining the game a few rounds late.
“It’s so close and also eating here supports students,” Adewumi said.
Doctoral candidate in electrical and computer engineering Cameron Gunn said Geeks Who Drink at Wolfgang Puck Express offers more of a laid-back atmosphere compared to trivia nights at Westwood bars.
Brennan said attendees less inclined to consume alcohol can also enjoy meals, trivia and socializing. While many bar-hosted trivia nights distribute alcoholic beverages as prizes, Geeks Who Drink at Wolfgang Puck Express handed out gift cards for the most correct answers.
The evening hosted solo players and teams of two or three who stayed for the duration of the event and others who stopped by for a half hour. In total, approximately 12 trivia players participated throughout the event. John Owens, the Geeks Who Drink moderator, said he hopes more guests of all ages will attend in the coming weeks.
Most venues that host Geeks Who Drink cater to adults, but Wolfgang Puck Express is one of the few places where trivia participants of all ages are welcome, Owens said.
Anticipating more buzz, Brennan said he hopes the event will grow in popularity in coming weeks and plans to host Geeks Who Drink at Wolfgang Puck Express for at least 12 weeks, excluding a summer hiatus.
“The students can have a place to hang out and have a good meal. It’s nice to be able to offer that to students without them having to leave campus,” Brennan said. “All of that community feeling can be had right there.”