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Trivia Y2K set to strike

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
The 33rd annual WWSP-90FM Trivia Contest is a week away, but activities start this weekend.

Called "Trivia Y2K: The Bug Strikes," the contest runs from 6 p.m. Friday, April 14, to midnight, April 16.

But at midnight Friday, April 7, and midnight Saturday, April 8, the trivia movie "Being John Malkovich" will be shown at Marcus Campus Theater as the Trivia Movie.

Then teams can register on Monday through Thursday, April 10-13, from 3 until 7 p.m. and on Friday, April 14, from noon until 6 p.m. at the WWSP offices in the Communication Arts Center. Registration is $30 for each team.

At registration, teams can also register for the annual Trivia parade, which begins at 4 p.m., Friday, April 14.

Each question in the 54-hour contest will run for two songs, except for singing questions that run for three songs and the final question that runs for one song.

The contest expects 12,000 people to gather in central Wisconsin for trivia, which includes a running question at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and the Trivia Stone, which gives participants clues to follow a path around the area.

"And at no time will we be sending people across the Clark Street bridge," said Jim "The Oz" Oliva, who has headed the contest by writing questions since 1979, referring to the Trivia Stone clues, adding that the contest will also try to avoid construction areas.

Oliva chuckles as he recalls some of the funniest moments he's encountered through the years.

Many years ago, he said, players from the team Zeba Harlots took him to their playing site and put down the 10 Commandments of Trivia they had received at the foot of Mount Oliva.

They had robes on and were holding candles on either side of the reader, he said. "They were hysterical." Through all of the proceedings, he added, "these two little kids holding the candles never cracked a smile."

Oliva also laughs about the first time he was kidnapped by a team called The Choir Boys, consisting of a number of local law enforcement officers. They entered the radio station wearing camouflage with SWAT team gear and toy guns, running through the station and scaring everyone, he said.

They took him from the station and "treated" him to sauerkraut and beer, which doesn't agree with his digestive system, he said.

Oliva chuckles about the first time that the team One-Eye Wonder Worms showed up with its vehicle and parked in front of the station while the team's Captain Trivia went inside.

A couple of students walked by and inspected the car, which was customized by taking the roof off with a blow torch, Oliva said. As the students looked at the worm on the front of the vehicle, the driver, who was still sitting in the car, activated the windshield washer, spraying the students, he said.

And then, he said, there was the year trivia gave away cans of Spam at the trivia movie. "The next day there wasn't a can of Spam on any grocery store in the county," he said.

There are also some low points.

The least memorable, he said, was the year the station went off the air for an hour because of transmitter failure.

Then there was the first hour of the contest last year. "There were so many computer problems that had to be fixed," he said, adding that the problems were all his fault. Those problems were even worse than the year that they lost everything that was on the computer, he said.

The first hour of the 1998 contest is also among the least memorable, he said, because "Discover Wisconsin," a television show about the state, wanted to tape him on the air and crowded into the small announcer's booth, which is big enough for about one person.

He could barely move during the interview, he said, and then when it was over, a television station came in to interview him, prolonging his agony in the booth.

Now he's decreed that he will only give interviews outside the station.

One thing Oliva has already missed this year is the company of John Buatti, his partner in Mom's Computers who died Dec. 24, 1999.

While Buatti didn't play trivia, Oliva said, "He would always come in and check the pictures for the contest."



	Trivia Y2K set to strike By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette The 33rd annual WWSP-90FM Trivia Contest is a week away, but activities start this weekend. Called "Trivia Y2K: The Bug Strikes," the contest runs from 6 p.m. Friday, April 14, to midnight, April 16. But at midnight Friday, April 7, and midnight Saturday, April 8, the trivia movie "Being John Malkovich" will be shown at Marcus Campus Theater as the Trivia Movie. Then teams can register on Monday through Thursday, April 10-13, from 3 until 7 p.m. and on Friday, April 14, from noon until 6 p.m. at the WWSP offices in the Communication Arts Center. Registration is $30 for each team. At registration, teams can also register for the annual Trivia parade, which begins at 4 p.m., Friday, April 14. Each question in the 54-hour contest will run for two songs, except for singing questions that run for three songs and the final question that runs for one song. The contest expects 12,000 people to gather in central Wisconsin for trivia, which includes a running question at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and the Trivia Stone, which gives participants clues to follow a path around the area. "And at no time will we be sending people across the Clark Street bridge," said Jim "The Oz" Oliva, who has headed the contest by writing questions since 1979, referring to the Trivia Stone clues, adding that the contest will also try to avoid construction areas. Oliva chuckles as he recalls some of the funniest moments he's encountered through the years. Many years ago, he said, players from the team Zeba Harlots took him to their playing site and put down the 10 Commandments of Trivia they had received at the foot of Mount Oliva. They had robes on and were holding candles on either side of the reader, he said. "They were hysterical." Through all of the proceedings, he added, "these two little kids holding the candles never cracked a smile." Oliva also laughs about the first time he was kidnapped by a team called The Choir Boys, consisting of a number of local law enforcement officers. They entered the radio station wearing camouflage with SWAT team gear and toy guns, running through the station and scaring everyone, he said. They took him from the station and "treated" him to sauerkraut and beer, which doesn't agree with his digestive system, he said. Oliva chuckles about the first time that the team One-Eye Wonder Worms showed up with its vehicle and parked in front of the station while the team's Captain Trivia went inside. A couple of students walked by and inspected the car, which was customized by taking the roof off with a blow torch, Oliva said. As the students looked at the worm on the front of the vehicle, the driver, who was still sitting in the car, activated the windshield washer, spraying the students, he said. And then, he said, there was the year trivia gave away cans of Spam at the trivia movie. "The next day there wasn't a can of Spam on any grocery store in the county," he said. There are also some low points. The least memorable, he said, was the year the station went off the air for an hour because of transmitter failure. Then there was the first hour of the contest last year. "There were so many computer problems that had to be fixed," he said, adding that the problems were all his fault. Those problems were even worse than the year that they lost everything that was on the computer, he said. The first hour of the 1998 contest is also among the least memorable, he said, because "Discover Wisconsin," a television show about the state, wanted to tape him on the air and crowded into the small announcer's booth, which is big enough for about one person. He could barely move during the interview, he said, and then when it was over, a television station came in to interview him, prolonging his agony in the booth. Now he's decreed that he will only give interviews outside the station. One thing Oliva has already missed this year is the company of John Buatti, his partner in Mom's Computers who died Dec. 24, 1999. While Buatti didn't play trivia, Oliva said, "He would always come in and check the pictures for the contest."