Last-Minute Plans: B News Update Annual Quiz Show At Bernice's Tavern

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 23, 2010 5:40PM

Friends of Chicagoist B News Update hosts an annual quiz show at Bernice's Tavern in the wunnerful Bridgeport area. The quiz runs the gamut of Chicago history, from stuff you should have learned in kindergarten to things that make you go, "hmm."

Here's a sample question from a previous quiz show: "This inventor received the first patent for the world's first pig-skin scraping machine, an invention that revolutionized the stockyards. This inventor's last name is also the name of a popular Lincoln Park bar."

The answer? William W. Kincaid invented the first "hog-scraper" in 1876. The machine allowed pigs to be scraped in the matter of seconds — a job that would take specialists hours before the invention. Sometimes the questions veer into "WTF?" territory, like what radio station Bill Simonson was working at when he was beat up at Jimbo's ten years ago. It's that mix of important moments in Chicago history with arcane neighborhood tidbits that make B News's quiz show an event. Kevin and I participated in one years ago, placed well in the competition, and we've both been dying to go back.

Bernice's Tavern also makes the perfect host for the show. With its collection of ceramic bar ephemera and tchotchkes spanning decades, Bernice's is the basement bar every man should strive to build in his home. Bernice's also has one of the best remaining jukeboxes in the city to play CDs.

B News Holiday Quiz Show, 7:30 p.m. tonight at Bernice's Tavern, 3238 S. Halsted.