Hey, Trivia Buffs!
No one really knows where National Trivia Day came from. People have been using the word “trivial” since the 15th century to refer to something of little or no importance. Since most trivia questions are quick bits of dry facts about petty knowledge of popular culture, the name is a good fit.
But it wasn’t until February 5 of 1965 that anyone had ever heard of a ‘trivia question’. Made popular by two students of Columbia University, Mr. Ed Goodgold and Dan Carlinsky. It was these two guys who created the first trivia contests. The earliest contests were challenges between colleges called quiz bowls.
Since its early years, trivia contests caught on like wildfire and the fun of trivia was realized all over the country. It took less than 20 years for Hasbro to jump on the trivia wagon and put out their infamous game Trivial Pursuit which has now become a classic choice for game nights and trivia aficionados.
Trivia contests have also increased in popularity for many restaurants and bars where friends enjoy grabbing a bite to eat or a couple drinks while racking their brains and straining their memory over topics that ultimately don’t matter.
So what can you do to celebrate Trivia Day? Celebrate Trivia Day by playing a heated game of Trivial Pursuit with your family and friends! You could eat out at a restaurant that hosts trivia contests. Or simply by impressing your friends and family with the little nuggets of knowledge that you know.
Here’s one to get you guys started: Did you know that Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street was actually orange in the first season. His explanation in the second season for his green appearance was that he fell asleep in a swamp and turned this new color overnight.
Happy Trivia Day to one and all!
- John