Live, interactive, irreverent pub trivia since 2009
This year, Beat the Geek Trivia is celebrating 15 years of fun, irreverent, and challenging pop-culture trivia and games in the Pacific Northwest and around the world on Beat the Geek Trivia WIRED.
Thank you to all our players and patrons for supporting us since 2009. We look forward to serving you for many more years to come.
Famous Ricks
Tourist Destinations
Pictures - Lockpicker
Music - Songs of 2008
and Potpourri
BONUS - What is the Italian music that term means to play notes in a connected manner? It's the the opposite of staccato. - 3 pts.
Mythological Human Hybrids
Astronomy
Pictures - Star Trek Characters
Music - Songs of 1968
and Before and After
BONUS - What is the only seven-letter word to use all five vowels and the letter Q? - 3 pts.
Good Stuff
Breakfast Cereals
Pictures - Dog Breeds
Music - Good Songs
and In Other Words - RomComs
BONUS - Where is the Bonnaroo Music Festival held? - 3 pts.
Famous Couples on TV
Board Games
Pictures - Logos
Music - Barack Obama Sings
and Potpourri
BONUS - What prank call name did Bart Simpson use on Jack Bauer? - 3 pts.
Doctor, Doctor
The Year 2000
Pictures - TV and Movie Family Portraits
Music - Mashups
and Rhyme Time
BONUS - Which Beatle once provided the voice for Thomas the Tank Engine? - 3 pts.
Jurassic Park
Religions, Faiths, and Cults... Oh My!
Pictures - Dog Breeds
Music - Mashups
and Before And After
BONUS - Could William Shakespeare and Oliver Cromwell have ever met? - 3 pts.
NFL Stadiums
U.S. Citizenship Test
Pictures - Candy, Soda, and Snacks Logos
Music - Songs of 1989
and Potpourri
BONUS - Which NKOTB album was nominated for a Grammy Award? - 3 pts.
Butt Stuff
American History
Pictures - Rebuses
Music - Songs of 1988
and In Other Words - Action and Adventure Movies
BONUS - What was the name of Beyonce's 2008 alter ego? - 3 pts.
Famous Ricks
Tourist Destinations
Pictures - Lockpicker
Music - Songs of 2008
and Potpourri
BONUS - What is the Italian music that term means to play notes in a connected manner? It's the the opposite of staccato. - 3 pts.
Mythological Human Hybrids
Astronomy
Pictures - Star Trek Characters
Music - Songs of 1968
and Before and After
BONUS - What is the only seven-letter word to use all five vowels and the letter Q? - 3 pts.
Good Stuff
Breakfast Cereals
Pictures - Dog Breeds
Music - Good Songs
and In Other Words - RomComs
BONUS - Where is the Bonnaroo Music Festival held? - 3 pts.
Famous Couples on TV
Board Games
Pictures - Logos
Music - Barack Obama Sings
and Potpourri
BONUS - What prank call name did Bart Simpson use on Jack Bauer? - 3 pts.
Doctor, Doctor
The Year 2000
Pictures - TV and Movie Family Portraits
Music - Mashups
and Rhyme Time
BONUS - Which Beatle once provided the voice for Thomas the Tank Engine? - 3 pts.
Jurassic Park
Religions, Faiths, and Cults... Oh My!
Pictures - Dog Breeds
Music - Mashups
and Before And After
BONUS - Could William Shakespeare and Oliver Cromwell have ever met? - 3 pts.
NFL Stadiums
U.S. Citizenship Test
Pictures - Candy, Soda, and Snacks Logos
Music - Songs of 1989
and Potpourri
BONUS - Which NKOTB album was nominated for a Grammy Award? - 3 pts.
Butt Stuff
American History
Pictures - Rebuses
Music - Songs of 1988
and In Other Words - Action and Adventure Movies
BONUS - What was the name of Beyonce's 2008 alter ego? - 3 pts.
2000s Three on TV
The Goonies
Pictures - Celebs with Food Names
Music - Songs of 2004
and 2010s Movie Quotes
BONUS - From where did Neil DeGrasse Tyson earn his Ph. D.? - 3 pts.
State Capitals
The Seattle Seahawks
Pictures - Watercolor Cinema
Music - Blue Songs
and Disney Potpourri
BONUS - How many gallons is a hogshead of wine? - 3 pts.
Mythological Human Hybrids
The Year 2000
Pictures - Watercolor Cinema
Music - Black Songs
and I'm Outta Here
BONUS - 17-year-old Fred DeLuca founded what restaurant in 1965? - 3 pts.
Personal Care Products
Clowns and Mimes
Pictures - Logos
Music - Mashups with TV Themes
and Rhyme Time
BONUS - Origami! - 3 pts.
U.S. License Plates
October in History
Pictures - Fashion Logos
Music - Musicians who Died in a Plane Crash
and Before And After
BONUS - According to The Bloodhound Gang, what are the 10 coolest things about New Jersey? - 3 pts.
The Cold War
Mythical Creatures in Pop Culture
Pictures - Watercolor Cinema
Music - 90s Alternative
and Potpourri
BONUS - What is Austin Powers' middle name? - 3 pts.
In 2010...
Good Stuff
Pictures - Rebuses
Music - Songs of 1988
and One of These Things is not like the Others
BONUS - Where did Julianne Moore get her BFA? - 3 pts.
Famous Sidekicks
Washington State Drivers License Exam
Pictures - Movie Posters
Music - Songs of 2018
and Breakfast Cereals
BONUS - Who is the president of the YKK Corporation (the company that makes your zippers - 3 pts.
Ad Slogans
80s Action Movies
Pictures - Rebuses
Music - Songs About Body Parts
and In Other Words - RomComs
BONUS - How many times was iconic horror actor Boris Karloff married? - 3 pts.
U.S. License Plates
Drugs
Pictures - Celeb Shots - Bad Hair Dudes
Music - 80s New Wave
and October in History
BONUS - What monumental album was released on November 30, 1982?
Disney Deaths
Serial Killers
Pictures - Celeb Shots - Vampires
Music - Halloween Songs
and Halloween Rhyme Time
BONUS - Your host loves spiders. Draw a scary spider - 3 pts.
Are you interested in a private trivia party or event for your group or organization? Beat the Geek Trivia does:
and more!
Beat the Geek Trivia is a great way to entertain your customers and keep them coming back week after week. If you’d like to learn more about regular Beat the Geek Trivia shows at your bar or restaurant, Contact Mark for details.
Beaumont Cellars Winery – Woodinville
The Bellevue Club – Bellevue
Buzz Inn Steakhouse – Lake Stevens
Collector’s Choice – Snohomish
Churchkey Pub – Edmonds
Crave 80s – Marysville
DeLille Cellars – Woodinville
Daman’s Bar and Grill – Redmond
Fairwood Golf and Country Club – Renton
Juanita Cantina – Kirkland
Legion Sports Bar – Bellevue
The Lime – Kirkland
The Lucky 7 – Kirkland
Northwest Spirits – Woodinville
Ounces Taproom and Beer Garden – West Seattle
Page Cellars – Woodinville
The Pizza Coop and Alehouse – Woodinville
The Point – Arlington
Rustic Cork – Lake Stevens
Rustic Cork – Mill Creek
Redmond’s Bar & Grill – Redmond
Rooney’s – Woodinville
Sam’s Tavern – Bellevue
Thrasher’s Corner Pub – Bothell
Tony’s Sports Bar – Kirkland
Who’s on First – Snohomish
Woodin Creek Kitchen and Tap – Woodinville
Gameplay
Beat the Geek Trivia is a live, interactive pub trivia game. You can play by yourself or as a team. Trust us, it’s more fun with friends. If you don’t have any friends, you can probably find some on Amazon.
There are five rounds of trivia – two standard Q&A rounds, a self-paced visual round, a music round, and a final round. Your host will read each question out loud; you write your answer in your answer booklet.
Team Sizes
The maximum team size is eight players (limits may vary per venue). If you have more than the maximum number of players, you should split into smaller teams. You can play with more than the maximum number of players, but your team will be ineligible for a prize.
Prizes
If you and your team score more points than all the other teams, that’s called “winning”. YAY YOU! Winners get a prize – Prizes vary per venue. Regardless, you should call your mom right away and let her know that she raised a winner!
1. "No Googlewebbing on your iBerry"
Do not use your cell phones or other electronic devices to look up answers while playing Beat the Geek Trivia. To avoid the appearance of cheating, put your phones away during the questions segments. It's good trivia etiquette.
Besides, you've looked at your phone enough already today, so why not engage with the people in front of you instead.
2. “Don’t yell out the answers!”
Confer quietly with your teammates and write the answer down in your answer book. Remember, other teams are sitting close by so keep your discussions between yourself and your teammates.
3. “I am the judge, jury, and executioner…”
The trivia host has the final say as to whether an answer is correct or incorrect. We use multiple sources when researching and verifying our facts, so our answers are correct 99.999% of the time. If there is a question or dispute, please consult with your trivia host at an appropriate time (i.e. between rounds or during a break).
And just so you know…
Q. Where do you get your questions?
A. I write my own questions. I stare at a wall for hours until inspiration strikes. I drink a Marktini, do some research on the interwebz, and then carefully script out the questions.
Q. Can I suggest a category for your trivia game?
A. Sure, if it’s a good category and I can write 10 good questions for it. If you have an idea, let me know.
Q. Do you host for private parties and events?
A. Yup! Beat the Geek Trivia does several private parties and custom events all year long. Contact me and we can talk about your event.
Q. What’s up with the AC/DC - Thunderstruck?
A. It’s a great song! That wicked riff and thundering drums always fires me up! I've tried a few times to mix things up and use a different opening song, but you guys didn't like it.
Q. The songs you pick for the music round are... (pick one)
A. I have regular players with ages ranging from 20 to 70. I try to cater to several time periods and genres in popular music. Considering the vast amount of music there has been in the last 50 years, if you only know half of the songs I play you should feel good about yourself. If your team is struggling with the music round, my suggestion is to add a couple of team members who know more music. Or, just feel good about the fact that you are being exposed to something new and different.
Q. What are you drinking?
A. Usually too much. I like Rum & Coke, Jack & Ginger, or a Marktini.
Q. What is a Marktini?
A. This is a Marktini. The more Marktini's you drink, the better they are!
Q. Are you looking for new places to do Beat the Geek Trivia?
A. Sure, contact me.
Q. Are you looking for more trivia hosts?
A. I've always got my eyes open for enthusiastic, interesting, and engaging people. Ask me for an audition. If you're good, we'll move forward. If you suck, I'll let you know. Email me.
Beat the Geek Trivia uses recycled paper made from post-consumer waste for all regular trivia show answer booklets, hand-outs, and internal use. This accounts to 94% of all paper used by Beat the Geek Trivia. Please join us by not only reducing, re-using, and recycling as much as possible, but purchasing products made from recycled materials.
Mark Ricker
Owner, Host, Jedi Master
I started Beat the Geek Trivia in 2009 when I was recently divorced, unemployed, and a little drunk. I had always had a head full of trivial knowledge, but just knowing things like Albert Einstein’s middle name wasn’t getting me very far in life. So I put that useless knowledge to use and started a pub trivia show. Since then, Beat the Geek Trivia has grown beyond my expectations and is now a full time job for me.
Before Beat the Geek, I worked in IT, sales and business development, and mortgage lending. I shaved my head in 2001 and never looked back. I don’t have any kids or pets, but I’ve kept a houseplant alive for over 10 years (I think I might be ready for a goldfish now). I was born in New York, but I’m a Chargers fan. In my spare time, I invent new ways to insult Ariana Grande and trash the movie Armageddon. My go-to drink is the legendary Marktini.
Mike Faris
Host, Manager, protocol droid fluent in over 6 million forms of communication
I gave the worst performance of my life as an 18-year-old at summer camp while emceeing a talent show. After that night I may have never picked up a microphone again except that later that year my college dorm wanted me to host the school-wide lip-syncing contest. Not bad, but not all that good either. These days I’m pretty comfortable behind the microphone whether it’s as the public address announcer for high school basketball games, the master of ceremonies for more wedding receptions than I recall, or hosting trivia for years now.
Highlights in my life up to this point are riding the bike from the ET movie at Universal Studios, winning the grand prize in a radio station giveaway for a Felix Hernandez signed baseball and discovering I don’t like Waldorf salad. My geek credentials include that I’ve willingly been to a Star Trek convention, I read tech blogs every day, and that my mother-in-law says that I’m “good with the computers”. Next time you’re at trivia, fill me in on some of your geek cred.
David Zazzo
Host, Marksman Stormtrooper
Hi there, I’m David – but most people call me Zazzo.
My best friend and I stumbled across Beat the Geek Trivia in 2016 at one of our guys’ nights and have loved it ever since. After playing for several months, I thought to myself, “it would be really fun to be a trivia host.” I talked to Mark, gave it a shot and auditioned, and here we are!
By day, I work at a local software company doing cloud-y things. By night, though, I indulge my strong passion for technical arts and production – lighting design, audio engineering, video engineering, etc. When I’m not geeking out on that stuff, you can find me at Sounders FC home games cheering on the boys in Rave Green.
I’m excited to be your Beat the Geek Trivia host!
Clint Cheves
Host, C-3P0’s Psychotherapist
Hey!
I’m Clint and I am one of those stupid millennials. I have a fear of change. I still live 15 minutes from where I was born, and I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. Pop culture, movies, music, technology, ancient history, and general nerdom have always been a big part of my life; just ask the people that cheated off me in high school.
While the rest of my friends were scoring touchdowns, I spent my nights reading an episode-by-episode synopsis of Scrubs. It took until the seventh grade for me to get out of my pre-pubescent cocoon and, despite my Coke machine-like physique, I started playing sports. I never forgot my first love of knowing things that probably won’t matter, though, but it now included athletics.
I love sports, technology, religion, the Lakers, and [censored]. My other loves are Jameson, a good light beer, and [censored]. I’m super stoked to be doing trivia for you guys. Let’s get drinks and talk pop culture!
Jax Alspaugh
Host, Palpatine’s Cosmetician
I’ve worked in a variety of industries and positions – marketing, customer correspondent for a prostate supplement company, barista, birthday party hostess at a bowling alley, apartment complex manager, CNA, laser hair removal technician, snowboard instructor, and car saleswoman.
At my audition, I bragged about being the MC in 5th grade for my elementary school’s talent show. I love entertaining, having done both stand up comedy and performed with a band playing a mean cowbell. I also currently host karaoke on the weekends.
Besides trivia, I LOVE cheese, wine tasting, breweries, dancing, gaming, brunch, a GOOD bloody Mary, a well crafted/ironic mustache, live music, roller skating, vintage style/thrift store clothes shopping, supporting my community, and time with my family. Seeing my only son graduate from WSU in 2020 with his Bachelor’s in Social Sciences will be my proudest moment.
It should go without saying, but I’ll say it again, GO COUGS!
Ben Brockman
Host, Ordained Ewok Funeral Officiant
I am proud to be known as the first ever inductee to the “Beat the Geek Trivia Host Hall Of Fame,” an honor I bestowed upon myself without the knowledge or approval of anyone else.
When not memorizing release dates and chart/sales performance of every popular movie and album released since the 1970’s, I can be found crashing neighborhood parties throughout the Puget Sound region, where I serenade confused attendees with “Wonderwall,” the most under-performed guy-with-a-guitar song of all time. I avoid being depressed during the wet and dreary months by cheering on our local sports teams live and in person as they inevitably fail in the biggest moments.
I can also beat the original Super Mario Bros on NES in 8 minutes and 30 seconds; it’s not a record time or anything, but I think it’s a pretty decent effort.
Krystie Ritchey
Host, Bassist for Figrin Dan and the Modal Nodes
I’m Krystie Ritchey, and I approve this message.
I’m originally from Detroit, but grew up all over the world while my dad served in the military, and I just can’t help myself but continue moving every so often as an adult. I’ve loved performing ever since I embarrassed my parents in a cafeteria, belting out Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All”, when I was 3 years old. I’ve continued being an absolute ham on stage/behind a microphone ever since, including a stint in community theater, playing bass guitar and singing in a few bands, and now hosting trivia. I was a regular Beat the Geek player–and frequent winner–until I decided to take a Ken Jennings turn and apply to host. Previously, I’ve worked in retail, mortgage sales, customer service, and teaching English as a Second Language.
I’ve always loved music, and my superpower is being able to identify songs and artists within seconds of hearing them. I’m a language geek and I’ve got a linguistics degree to prove it; I’ve studied 6 languages (English, German, Spanish, Latin, Swedish, Icelandic) to lend me additional geek street cred. Also, I’m obsessed with Iceland, and I can tell you anything about RuPaul’s Drag Race, both the US and all international versions. My go-to drinks are vodka pineapple, amaretto sour, and non-IPA beers. Cheers!
Dan Filowitz
Host, Jedi Academy Day Care Center Administrator
Residing in the suburbs of Seattle by way of Chicago and New Jersey with brief stops in Indiana, California, Toronto, and Vancouver. (Scent of a Woman Al Pacino voice) I’ve been around, you know.
Once, when I didn’t have kids, I spent a lot of time on stage, in Chicago, writing and performing. Improv, sketch comedy, theater, that sort of thing. Then I had kids and moved and don’t do all that anymore. So, I’m very excited to be back at it again hosting Beat the Geek Trivia (nothing happened to the kids other than getting older, in case you were worried.)
As mentioned, I have kids. Two. And pets. Four. I work in marketing strategy during the day, which is enjoyable but not particularly funny. I also spend time rooting for the New York Knicks and the New York Jets, which most of the time is neither enjoyable nor funny (to me, it does tend to make other people laugh. At me.) Hosting trivia is enjoyable and generally funny, so I’ve got that going for me now, which is nice.
Kelsey Yost
Host, Rancor Veterinarian
When I started playing Beat The Geek Trivia in early 2021, I thought to myself “I could do that!”, and look at me now! While my trivia team never had much success, we always had a blast and I knew I wanted to be a part of the world of trivia hosts.
When I’m not hosting Beat the Geek Trivia shows, I’m a school psychologist wrangling middle school students. Dealing with rowdy children and endless questions is something I’m very used to, so ask me anything! I have two dogs and a cat whom I will happily show you too many pictures of if you ask (or don’t ask, I show them to everyone).
My nerdom knows no bounds, but I’m particularly fond of anything in book form. I’m always looking for recommendations, so let me know what you’ve recently read that I should add to my ever-growing TBR.
Kaitlin Hughes
Host, R2D2’s Personal DJ
I have been playing Beat the Geek Trivia since its beginning. My friends and I started going to Beat the Geek Trivia back in 2009/2010 and we loved it!
I have lived in the PNW for about 25 years. I grew up in California, but you couldn’t pay me to move back there (unless I could somehow live in Disneyland). My husband and I love to travel and go camping with our dog, Georgia. When I’m not travelling, I’m getting more tattoos! I’ve had all sorts of jobs in the past – spin instructor, barista, cake decorator, and I was a host at The Harry Potter Exhibition. I love working with and being around people.
In my down time, you can find me baking, working on some sort of grandma-hobby craft project (knitting, cross stitching, crochet, etc.), or watching The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser with my dog. I also binge-watch Parks and Rec, New Girl, or MASH for the 97th time with my husband.
Virginia Bacon
Host, Chewbacca’s Speech Therapist
Hey y’all!
In 2016, I started playing Beat The Geek solo to kill some time while waiting on my daughter. Over the weeks, I invited my friends to play and built up a pretty successful team. We always had a great time! The kiddo is now in college, so now I’m ready to host some of that trivia fun with all of you.
In the real world, I take care of buildings. It’s not as much fun as it sounds. I grew up in Issaquah and Bellevue with a recent, brief hiatus in LA. In my previous life (before daughter), I was a singer and actress, performing in local theaters since the age of 6. I have a degree in Hospitality Management, and love playing host in all aspects of life.
I love to cook, to read, and I’m a certified word nerd. I have a dog and a cat and we all love bingeing Friends, The Office, and Parks and Recreation and anything Disney. My favorite movie is The Princess Bride. Let’s chat about it all!
Alex Wyruchowski
Host, Jabba’s Wardrobe Coordinator
Playing Beat the Geek was my first experience with bar trivia and most of my earliest bar experiences. Once my home bar stopped overlapping steak night with trivia, I knew it was time to spread my wings. I have played bar trivia all over the greater Seattle area and still can’t ever come up with a good team name. After graduating from Central Washington University in 2019, I auditioned for Mark, was slated to start in March 2020, and due to unforeseen circumstances, I make my wondrous return in 2024!
Between bars and Jeopardy!, trivia is my main inside hobby, and often will follow one of my many outside hobbies! Those include: snowshoeing, camping, trying to hike, climbing, ultimate frisbee, kayaking, bird watching, and throwing rocks at people who feed wild animals. When it comes to hosting, would I say that I will be the greatest, most engaging, most handsome host we have ever seen? No, I’m much too humble for that, but literally everyone else is saying it…
Kasey Stutsman
Host, Wamprat Wrangler
They call me Kasey, but my real name is Belch. I live in a cave and my only friends are the slugs and worms who live in the cave with me. I collect sticks and dead leaves from the woods around my cave. Sometimes, I eat the leaves, but not the sticks – that would taste bad. I’m sorry if I smell bad.
You?
Host
Beat the Geek Trivia is always looking for energetic and funny trivia hosts. If you think you sound good on a microphone, you like talking in front of a crowd, and you’re not a moron, you should audition.
email Mark if you’re interested.