Jesse Russell knew he wanted to organize a pub quiz.
It s one of those evenings when trivia-heads gather around a table of cold beers, pitting their mental stores of fascinating but useless information against the similarly packed brains of competitors.
Russell, however, didn t want to hold just any old quiz.
He d participated in lots before. They shared a common fault.
I always felt they lacked enough Simpsons questions, he says.
So - Ay, caramba! Why not a pub quiz that contains only questions based on Springfield, Wherever s, most famous family?
Thus was born Madison s first All-Simpsons Pub Quiz, a marathon of minutiae from the 18-season animated series, happening at 8 p.
m. Sunday (March 11) at Cafe Montmartre. For the occasion, the club will be referred to as Cafe Moemartre.
It didn t take long for Russell (editor of Dane101.com,which is sponsoring the event) to fill up the roster of competing teams, who ve adopted names like Globex Corporation, The Flanderses or The Mayor Quimby for Mayor Mayoral Committee.
Each team is composed of four to five people.
A lot of people are saying there will two people (on their team) that actually know all the answers, says Russell, and two who will just be the eye candy.
Team registration is now closed, but spectators are welcome to spectate.
They ll see Russell preside over eight rounds in the competition, with 10 questions per round.
Whichever team wins the most rounds wins the best prize. Losers will go home with something, too, says Russell. Maybe a plastic action figure.
Russell plans one round that is all quotes from the show; teams must identify the source. Another might be the obscure character round, where Russell displays a picture of a Simpsons character who popped in for one episode, then vanished.
But he doesn t want questions to be too obscure.
I m taking some of them from the official Simpsons trivia game, but I m also dreaming up some questions, too, he says. The questions in that game are really hard. I m trying to get questions that aren t super-crazy hard, so anybody who has a general knowledge of the Simpsons can play.
That includes a couple of guys from The OuttaToons, the Madison band to perform following the crowning of a pub-quiz victor. Around since 2003, the group plays only covers of cartoon themes - from King of the Hill to Underdog. The biggest chunk of its 56-piece playlist, however, comes from The Simpsons - tunes like Bagged Me a Homer or Lisa s Protest Song.
Bass player Andy Shman D Russell first started the band by enlisting Adam Captain Beard Zar as vocalist. He chose Zar, he says, because he has the ability to remember tons of inane, stupid lyrics. I knew he d be perfect for it.
Other members include Larry Ler Braun on drums, Eugene Eug White on guitar, and Nathan Ropin Rodeo Nate Tredinnick on keyboards.
We re all in other bands, too, says Tredinnick, and this is just a good-timey thing. There s not a lot of bands as ridiculous as us, and there s not a lot of bands as uncool as us.
A lot of original cartoon themes are complicated, filled with orchestration, so the OuttaToons often simplify them, make them a little more rock and roll, Andy Russell explains.
The tunes are also lightning-short. And vary widely in style.
It goes from salsa to country to straight-up rock and roll, and everything in between. You have to get in a sort of musical character for each particular type of song.
Fortunately, tunes from The Simpsons tend to be easier to master.
And audiences spot them about as fast as a Marge Simpson hairdo.
I had thought that interest in the Simpsons had declined, says pub-quiz organizer Jesse Russell, so I was really amazed by the number of teams that signed up. It shows that people, deep down, still have a connection with The Simpsons.
1. What is the secret ingredient in a Flaming Moe cocktail?
2.
Stampy the Elephant likes to put what in his mouth? A) trees; B) People and pets; or C) Volkswagens.
3.
Who said, I hereby declare this day to be Snow Day, the funnest day in the history of Springfield ?
1. Cough syrup
2.
B
3. Mayor Quimby
What: All-Simpsons Pub Quiz, followed by cartoon music by the OuttaToons
Where: Cafe Montmartre, 127 E. Mifflin St.
When: 8 p.m. Sunday (March 11)
Admission: No cover charge.
Team registration for the pub quiz is now closed. Spectators are welcome.
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