T2 CATCHES UP WITH QUIZMASTER BARRY O’BRIEN

What are your first memories of a quiz?

Well, I have three first memories. One is, I must have been three or four years old, as a child, holding my father’s (Neil O’Brien) finger, not his hand, and accompanying him to do his first quiz in 1966-67. I have been to every single quiz conducted by my father in Calcutta. And the memory of helping him cut and carry his questions... he used to write his questions in a piece of paper and we used to put it in baby food tins. 

Another first memory would be conducting my first quiz before my 17th birthday... an inter-school quiz... I myself was still in plus-two and I conducted it for the Class X students! One of the best memories as a participant would be when my brother Andy and I won a film quiz, beating all the hot favourites at Xavotsav when we were in college, representing Jadavpur University.

Who are your quizzing idols?

Well, obviously, quizzing idol would be my father because I just follow his tradition. I handwrite my questions on a card. I salute Mr Neil O’Brien for literally being the pioneer of quizzing, Siddhartha Basu for taking it into our homes through his television quizzes, my brother Derek for making it an industry and for Amitabh Bachchan for making people who have nothing to do with quizzing, want to sit through a one-hour quiz! And I take the credit for popularising it among young people, more than these four (laughs), on stage. 

What is your method of approaching a quiz?

I think the first thing I have in mind is that most of the questions should be answered. Secondly, it should be interesting. I mean the listener, or the participant or the viewer must say “Achcha? Oh jantam na toh!” A reaction. Another thing that I started doing is basically trying to frame questions where you will have to do some thinking. I do a lot of quizzes for schools... so I would try to put in as many questions, answers to which have no single source. I will give you an example. ‘What is the word that can be put before each of these words to form another word or term?’ So, basically questions where people have to think on their feet. And the last thing is something that I learnt from my father... the quiz should be balanced. 

What are some of the toughest or funniest questions you have come across?

I am not interested in tough questions! I mean toughest questions are the ones you forget! (Smiles) One of my favourite questions is ‘Why don’t polar bears run after penguins?’ So I ask it to schoolchildren and when they answer it without knowing... they don’t know, they have not read this question anywhere, they think, polar bears are toh North Pole and penguins are toh South Pole, how will they meet?! And I know that they are good quizzers! Sometimes getting people to think out of the box is interesting. The connect is not factual. I will show you pictures of masala, cheese, paper, and a smooth plain land. And I’d say find the connection and the hint is food. And the answer is dosa! 

Are your kids into quizzing?

The older ones... (Barry has three daughters). Zasha and Raisa, they are not crazy about quizzing but all three of them like quizzes and they always give me questions when I need questions on modern Calcutta, Harry Potter, modern music.... 

What is your take on the quizzing scene in Calcutta?

I think there is a wonderful circle of people who actually sleep, eat and love quizzing. And what I like about them is that they just go about their own things. They don’t think what others think of their style of quizzing. It is back with a bang. It never died. People thought Park Street had died, but just like Park Street is very much alive for entertainment, quizzing is very much alive thanks to this group of totally committed quizzers and quizmasters.

What are your tips for budding quizzers?

I would say that there are three types of quizzers. One kind loves it as a sport. So they know what to do. There is no advice for them. They should just go ahead and enjoy themselves. 

Then there are others whose children are interested in quizzing or their parents are interested that their general knowledge should improve or they should represent the school or those who use it as a learning tool. You cannot prepare for a quiz. If you love reading, you have to have a range of it, you cannot only read about the things that interest you. It is very difficult to find a person who says I read a lot but I am not a good quizzer. It is very rare. 

Basically being hungry for more. I mean the story that I love telling everybody is that on June 24, 2016 at 10.30am in the morning I said bye to this 82-year-old gentleman who is dying and I said I will see you in the evening. He could hardly speak and he asked, ‘Achcha what is the Brexit result?’ He could hardly say it... in a very, very frail voice. And I said it’s not yet out. I will give it to you in the evening. He passed away at 3 in the afternoon. My father Neil O’Brien. That’s the hunger! 

THESE QUESTIONS GOT US THINKING. LET’S SEE HOW MANY YOU CAN ANSWER! 

What is the full form of the word ‘bae’?

When a dog is happy, it wags its tail. What does a goose do?

Charuchandra Chakraborty’s writings were greatly influenced by the people around him. What did he do?

Which song released in 1966 by a big band became an anthem for the group of people who were against war, especially the Vietnam War?

‘Abide with me’ is associated with which sporting event since 1927?

Connect Lord Byron, Peter Pan, Bertha, Mandarin and Windsor.

In which Olympic event are the participants from the armed forces allowed to wear their uniforms?

Answers: Before Anyone Else; It stretches its neck completely; He was a jailer; Yellow Submarine by The Beatles; FA Cup; They are types of collars; Equestrian sports 

 

Text: Sulogna Ghosh
Pictures: Biswajit Kundu