The original MTV VJs: (from left and clockwise) J.J. Jackson, Mark Goodman, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn (Photo via Alan Hunter on Facebook)
They had to claw their way to the top, but the Jolly Jokers did it — winning tonight’s Trivia Ninjas Team Trivia Challenge at Zaffiro’s Pizzeria and Bar.
Back to that in a moment.
The biggest highlight turns out was a tie-breaker for two teams tied for third place that also put the fear of God in teams throughout the bar.
Bubba Hot Tep! and the Team That Changes Its Name Each Week (this week “Mumbledog in the Banana Patch, Damn You Autocorrect!”) tied for third at 3,341 points each.
How was the tie broken?
A robot dance-off, of course, to “Space Age Love Song” by Flock of Seagulls.
And after some stylin’ moves, the audience chose the dancer from TTTCINEW as the winner.
Be warned, teams. And pray for tie-less finishes. (Cue evil laughter.)
Now back to our winners this week. After a slowwww start (6th place after Round 1), the Jolly Jokers powered back with consistently strong rounds. Tying for second place in Round 2, taking second in Round 3, second in Round 4 and tying for first in Visual Trivia this week.
So, while they finished 546 points ahead of the second place Browncoats, for a second week, the contest was very close.
1. 3,966 — Jolly Jokers
2. 3,420 — Browncoats
3. 3,341 — Mumbledog in the Banana Patch, Damn You Autocorrect! (Audience- declared winner by Robot Dance-off)
4. 3,341 — Bubba Ho Tep!
5. 3,266 — Steel Curtain
6. 3,183 — Rinke Noonan
7. 3,124 — We Don’t Always Leave People in Suspense, But When We Do…
8. 359 — Chickadees
Great job, everyone!
Trivia Hogs
— Hail to Steel Curtain for their knowledge of Bull the bailiff’s real name on “Night Court.”
— And hats off to Zaffiro’s server Maxwell who helped Rinke Noonan earn 500 points for knowing Captain Kirk’s future birthplace.
New Trivia Features
Your Trivia Ninjas mixed things up a bit tonight. Let us know what you thought of the categories, music, dance-off and all the other little things that were new. What did you like? What didn’t you like?
Okay, that’s a wrap. Other than to say tell your friends and neighbors about Trivia Night at Zaffiro’s Pizzeria and Bar again next Wednesday, May 15th at 6:30 p.m. Watch this website and the Trivia Ninjas Facebook page for your Freebie Question next Wednesday.
PS: Seriously? Cookie Monster’s name was Sidney? Here’s the proof — a 2010 tweet from Sesame Street and the 2004 Sesame Street episode that revealed it.
Cookie Monster: Me wasn’t born with name “Cookie Monster”. It just nickname dat stuck. Me don’t remember me real name… maybe it was Sidney?
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) August 10, 2010