By Tim Rich
I recently caught up with my teammate Matt Fischesser who made Overall TOTW in Week 11. I live close to the Greatest City in the World. We sat down to try the Chizza at KFC in Orphan turf, Tremont in the Bronx.
Tim : What do you remember about your performance in Week 11?
Matt: I didn’t really notice my own results until after the match was complete and posted on the OQL site. I was more focused on our team’s overall score and also, as acting captain, on distributing rebound attempts. I do remember being pretty happy about pulling James Cromwell from Six Feet Under and Succession, since The Queen was not a help for me at all.
Tim: Which question did you miss to not get the full house?
Matt: Part of the reason I didn’t realize I was doing well was because I got my round 2 direct (Mexico!) wrong. Obviously, based on the stats nobody else had trouble with this question. I just couldn’t get past the ‘few thousand miles from Colombia’ bit and blurted out USA. You could just as well say New York City is a few hundred miles from New Jersey. So yeah, I’m a bit saltier than necessary about that.
Tim: How did you first get into OQL-USA? Please tell us about your team and your Regions team.
Matt: Lockdown boredom, so I signed up after seeing it promoted on j-board. Both of my teams (Orphans and World Famous Original Rays) have been scratch teams, which has been great because I’ve met so many new people. And thanks to Original Orphan Eric Lee, who invited me to Learned League during our first season.
Tim: How did you first get into trivia as a hobby?
Matt: De niño, my dad would quiz me on things as we were driving around in his car. Usually asking me to name the song/artist that was playing on the AM oldies station. Also, when the Alex Trebek Jeopardy! started up, it aligned with our dinner time, and we’d watch together while we ate. He was pretty good, although we were always too busy eating to keep track of scores.
Tim: What is the trivia scene like in New York City? Are there any bars where you regularly play?
Matt: Like anything else in New York, you can probably find a trivia night any day of the week. There are different special events and one-offs, as well. I’ve been to a fun science-themed event at the Museum of Natural History, for example. There’s a regular Wednesday night quiz I attend in my neighborhood (181 Cabrini in Washington Heights; www.pubquiz.nyc), and my wife goes to a different one on Thursdays.
Tim: Have you ever been on any game shows and have you tried out for any?
Matt: I’m one of the many who’ve tried out multiple times for Jeopardy. I’ve had three in-person auditions and one via Zoom but, alas. As for actual appearances, I was on an episode of Cash Cab (I think it was 2008 Shark Week) where we made a little bit of money, and spent about four hours in ‘the chair’ on the Million Second Quiz. All I got from that was sleep deprivation and a handful of Subway gift cards.
Tim: What are the top highlights in your trivia career both as a player and as part of a team?
Matt: Well, I met my wife at a pub quiz, so that has to be a highlight. Team-wise I’ve really enjoyed playing and interacting with a whole new group of people on OQL, league matches and friendlies. No major ‘success’ there to speak of, but I’m not that concerned with wins and losses. Individually, my highlight is probably on the aforementioned MSQ, I won a head-to-head matchup against Ed Toutant (RIP). He was also sleep deprived, but a really nice guy, and it turns out we went to the same university and even had the same major. Small world.
Tim: What are your other interests besides trivia?
Matt: I have a six-year-old daughter who is my primary (and secondary…tertiary…) interest these days. I try to stay reasonably fit, and love to play beach volleyball. Live music when I can (not often), all kinds of puzzles, and cooking (not baking).
Tim: What is the dining scene in NYC like for you? Have you eaten at any Michelin starred restaurants? What is your favorite cuisine and beverage?
Matt: We don’t have the NYC-typical dozens of options in our neighborhood. Mainly one of every kind of restaurant (one Indian place, one Ethiopian place, etc), but the ones we have are pretty good. I just noticed a Filipino restaurant nearby that I’m interested in checking out as well. No Michelin stars that I can think of, but the fanciest places aren’t always the best anyway. I love good barbecue, really all Southern food. As for beverages, gimme a good Manhattan (maybe two if it’s not a school night).
Tim: What area of the country are you from and how did it compare to living in NYC?
Matt: Born in Indiana and raised in Kentucky. I really loved living in Louisville but I fell in love with New York the first time I visited. As freaky as you might be, in New York there’s always somebody freakier, and I find that comforting.
Tim: What teams do you follow in pro and college sports?
Matt: I’m a huge Kentucky basketball fan, so please pity me. Also love the Reds and the Bengals, although I have a hard time generating enthusiasm for football any more. I enjoy soccer and follow American players with their club teams, but have not become a fan of any single team. Maybe Barcelona, but that’s more because I love the city.
Tim: If you could have dinner and play trivia with any five people from history, who would you choose?
Matt: I generally play trivia with people I want to hang out with, rather than hanging out with people I want to play trivia with. With that in mind, I think I’d like to have dinner with a group something like Gertude Stein, Antoni Gaudi, Albert Einstein, James Baldwin and George Carlin.
Tim: What movies did you watch in 2023? What do you recommend and who did you want to win Oscars?
Matt: I don’t know how people find the time. I saw Migration and Haunted Mansion, and Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Oh, yeah, Elemental. The only grown-up movies I can remember seeing last year are Sisu and Last Voyage of the Demeter. I’d like to see Barbie and Wonka, and American Fiction, Zone of Interest. Maybe I’ll call in sick for a week or something. Obviously I had very little opinion on the Oscars.
Tim: What are your top five movies of all time?
Matt: Gosh. Okay: Raising Arizona; Alien; the Shining; 28 Days Later; Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Tim: How did you go about choosing the Orphans team name?
Matt: I hope it was a team effort, not just my choice. We were a scratch team, so Orphans did seem appropriate. And the full name was the Orphans Have a Real Heavy Rep. Maybe the Warriors should have been on my movies list.
Tim: Who do you want to win the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament?
Matt: Let’s say a finals of Matt Jackson, Amy Schneider (A Labyrinth represent!) and Chuck ‘Arthur Chu Should Pay Me Royalties’ Forrest. With Chuck winning one for the olds.
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