It’s not often adults get together, arrange themselves into teams, play games and win prizes. But Jamison Hemmert helps them do just that, as he hosts trivia nights regularly at the Prewitt in Plainfield.
“Everyone loves trivia,” Hemmert said. “It’s always fun to prove you know more than your friends and workers.”
Trivia is a six-round game, with every round lasting eight minutes. Questions are typically based on general knowledge, and it’s a game anyone can play; all ages and experiences are welcome.
Hemmert is a trivia host with an Indianapolis-based company called Hambone’s Trivia, owned by Matt Hammond. The company hosts trivia games primarily for the corporate world, promoting team building and company culture in workplaces all over the world.
Several years ago Hemmert’s tech company held a tech-themed trivia night at the Vogue in Indianapolis, hosted by Hambone’s Trivia. Hemmert had such a blast with his coworkers that he began to follow Hambone’s Trivia on social media. After playing a few more times, Hemmert found he had so much fun, he wondered if he could host trivia nights too.
He reached out to Hammond at Hambone’s Trivia to ask about hosting. He sent Hammond a recording of himself hosting a trivia night and told Hammond he’d love to be the company’s foothold on the west side of Indianapolis.
Hammond loved it, and the rest is history. Hemmert has been hosting trivia nights since September of last year. In November he began hosting regular trivia nights at the Prewitt in Plainfield. These evenings have begun to draw a healthy crowd including regular teams who are repeat attenders.
Hammond says his company has a penchant for running wildly successful trivia nights.
“Our secret sauce is that our questions require reason, not recall,” Hammond said. “Our trivia is about our collective shared experience. We make people remember these nostalgic moments in their life. It’s approachable, and none of it makes people feel stupid or silly.”
Hammond employs about 60 hosts in his company, and all are encouraged to make their trivia nights their own. Hammond insists this is what makes Hemmert stand out as a host in Plainfield.
“He really takes leadership and connects with the audience,” Hammond said. “They know him. He’s their friend. He has a true passion for what he does for us.”
Themes and questions are based on research done by Hammond and Hemmert. In fact, when Hemmert hosted a “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” trivia night, it was his first attempt at writing his own trivia questions.
“The lesson I learned is there’s a fine line between too hard and not hard enough,” Hemmert said. “It’s finding that sweet spot and dialing into the crowd. There’s a lot of workshopping involved.”
Hammond uses many sources such as Reddit, Guinness World Records and more. He’s also constantly watching current events and checking into trends.
“Since the Prewitt used to be a movie theater, we’ve leaned heavily into movies,” Hemmert said of his trivia nights. “We’ve done children’s Christmas classics, New Year’s-themed movie trivia, winter movies, “Harry Potter”, “The Office”, and of course Taylor Swift.”
Trivia nights often turn into regular events for fans, who make up teams with fun names like the Dewey Decimals or the Homerunners. The Prewitt usually hosts anywhere from 10 to 25 teams every Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. Hambone’s Trivia has hosted upwards of 50 teams.
Hemmert said trivia is fun because it’s for anyone. “It’s a very low-entry-bar activity that anyone can do,” Hemmert said. “I’ve seen families and even young kids come out and have a blast. If you don’t know the answer, you’ll learn it and so you’re learning new things. If you do know the answer, it feels great to win – and it’s free.”
Trivia prizes depend on the venue. The Prewitt often offers $25 gift cards to winners, but all winners get a yellow pig trophy, so winners can “bring home the bacon.”
“The reaction to this chintzy little trophy is just hilarious,” Hemmert said. “People are so happy.”
Hemmert loves working for Hambone’s Trivia because the nature of the game is warm and inclusive. Players are never made to feel unintelligent or unwelcome. He will often try to slide in a little extra information if people are struggling, to give it that extra human touch.
Hammond and Hemmert encourage anyone interested in a different kind of night out to try trivia.
“Never count yourself out,” Hemmert said. “I’ve seen teams turn it around at the last minute. Seeing them erupt and be so happy is just so fun. It’s why it’s a great game. You never feel like you’re not smart enough to come and play.”
You can find the schedule and themes for the Prewitt trivia nights at prewittdining.com.
