For immediate release
Chicago, IL - March 3, 2021
Calling all Chicago trivia nerds! In THE GREAT CHICAGO QUIZ SHOW, a new, fast-paced weekly series premiering on Friday, March 26 at 8:00 pm on all WTTW platforms, Geoffrey Baer puts socially-distanced contestants from across Chicago and the suburbs -- and viewers at home -- to the test as they contemplate all things Chicago.
The contestants are as fun and interesting as the questions themselves. They include a high school student from Lakeview, a Chicago-born Hollywood producer who now hosts a podcast about sex, a South Side father who creates Chicago history videos on TikTok to educate his kids, famous rapper Lupe Fiasco, a sports radio host, a social scientist who also writes a comic book character, Chicago-born “Cheers” star George Wendt, a clown who cheers up hospitalized kids, and many more. Geoffrey’s quiz covers history and politics, architecture and geography, arts and culture, business, and sports. Tune in to watch contestants answer questions like:
The four stars on the Chicago flag represent Fort Dearborn, The Chicago Fire, The World’s Fair of 1893, and what?
Songwriter Thomas Dorsey created the first gospel choir while working as the music director for what Chicago church?
Three First Ladies of the United States were born in Illinois, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and who?
Chicago’s annual Bud Billiken Day features the largest African American parade in the nation. Who was Bud Billiken?
Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. president to have a patent. What was it for?
ANSWERS: The World’s Fair of 1933; Ebenezer Baptist Church in Bronzeville; Betty Ford; A fictitious mascot of the Chicago Defender newspaper’s youth club and section; A device to free steamboats that ran aground
The companion website – wttw.com/quiz – will feature an interactive quiz visitors can play wherever they are. Quiz takers will see in real time how their knowledge stacks up against others – question by question – and can share their scores for bragging rights on social media. For an upcoming special in June 2021, viewers can also acquire a box of curated trivia cards, perfect for playing the game at home.
“In THE GREAT CHICAGO QUIZ SHOW, our inherently curious audience will learn about the vibrant and fascinating city we live in and have a laugh along the way,” said Sandra Cordova Micek, President & CEO of WTTW. “Only WTTW can bring you entertaining family content that enriches lives, engages people across our communities, and activates the explorer in all of us.”
“For Chicago trivia geeks, those who miss trivia nights with friends, and the all-around curious, this series is the perfect Friday night activity,” said host and writer Geoffrey Baer. “I imagine viewers sitting on the edges of their couches trying to outguess the contestants. Win or lose, everyone learns something and has fun, including me!”
THE GREAT CHICAGO QUIZ SHOW is hosted, written and executive produced by Geoffrey Baer and produced and written by Eddie Griffin. Director: Marc Shaykin. Editor: Paul Thornton. Graphic Design: Reed Marvine. Producer: Dan Andries. Associate Producer: Brendan Brown. Executive Producer: Geoffrey Baer. The website is produced by Meredith Francis, designed by Justin Henderson, developed by Nate Beversluis, and executive produced by Anne Gleason.
Lead support for THE GREAT CHICAGO QUIZ SHOW is provided by The Negaunee Foundation. Major support is provided by Joyce and Matt Walsh, The Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation, the Mollenhauer Progressive Philanthropic Fund in honor of Ida Mollenhauer, and Carl Buddig & Company (as of 3/2/21).
Geoffrey Baer is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning public television writer, producer, and program host. Known for feature-length programs about the architecture and history of Chicago, including most recently Chicago by ‘L’ and Chicago from the Air, he has hosted the PBS primetime series 10 that Changed America about the built environment across the country and the PBS primetime special Weekend in Havana. Geoffrey has been a docent for the Chicago Architecture Center since 1987. He has been honored by the American Institute of Architects Chicago, the Society of Architectural Historians, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the Chicago Headline Club.
Eddie Griffin is a three-time Emmy Award-winning producer, and has produced the WTTW documentaries Chicago from the Air, Chicago by ‘L’, Chicago on Vacation, The Chicago River Tour, Navy Pier: A Century of Reinvention, Chicago’s South Side, and the street quiz show Where in Chicago?, all with Geoffrey Baer. In 2007, he took over the long-running WTTW independent film series Image Union, which garnered two Emmy Awards.
WTTW is the PBS member station in Chicago, committed to creating and presenting unique media content across distinct television and digital channels – WTTW, WTTW Prime, WTTW Create, WTTW World, WTTW PBS Kids 24/7, wttw.com, and the PBS/WTTW video app. Recognized for award-winning journalism and local productions – such as Chicago Tonight, Black Voices, Latino Voices, The Great Chicago Fire, Chicago from the Air, Chicago by ‘L’, Check, Please!; digital-first series FIRSTHAND, Urban Nature, and Foodphiles; and national productions Prehistoric Road Trip and Nature Cat – WTTW presents the very best in public affairs, arts and culture, nature and science, history and documentary, and children’s public media content. Connect with WTTW on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
