Kristen (aka Kris10)

What is the best part about being a trivia host?
The best part for me is hosting nostalgic ’80s and ’90s theme nights, music trivia, and Music Bingo. Give me an excuse to dress up, talk about old toys, TV shows, pop culture, and iconic songs, and I’m in my happy place! I’ve always been incredibly nostalgic, so I love watching people light up when a trivia question or song unlocks a memory they haven’t thought about in 30 years. The best moments are when an entire room starts laughing, singing along, and sharing stories because they’re suddenly transported back to another time in their lives. It’s never really about stumping people with the question or song for me. It’s about helping people rediscover little pieces of themselves they forgot were there!

What is a skill, hobby, or passion you have outside of hosting?
Outside of hosting, I own a business specializing in decluttering, downsizing, and home staging. I have a knack for helping people make decisions about the things they own and somehow turning it into an enjoyable experience. (Out-of-control mug collection, anyone?) I also have a natural resemblance to the toddler phenomenon Ms. Rachel and enjoy impersonating her at children’s birthday parties. I’m incredibly nostalgic, so one of my favorite hobbies is attending concerts and seeing artists from every era perform the songs that helped shape different chapters of my life!

What is your go-to coffee order, drink order, or favorite snack?
An Iced Pecan Oatmilk Latte from Starbucks. Taro bubble tea from Kung Fu Tea. NERDS Gummy Clusters or Combos when I’m feeling a little reckless.

What is a book, podcast, TV show, or movie you are always recommending to people?
Umm, so many. Documentaries and docudramas are my thing! I loved Inventing Anna, Fyre, Sour Grapes, and The Dropout. Apparently, I have a fascination with Ponzi schemes, money laundering, elaborate scams, and watching ambitious people make spectacularly bad decisions from the safety of my couch. To be clear, I’m a complete goody two-shoes and rule follower, which somehow makes these stories even more fascinating to me. As for TV shows, The Office, This Is Us, Friday Night Lights, Abbott Elementary, St. Denis Medical, and The Fall & Rise of Reggie Dinkins are my top-tier recommendations. I read nonfiction books 99% of the time. That remaining 1% is reserved exclusively for Abby Jimenez.

If you were a professional wrestler, what would your character name be and what would your entrance theme song be?
Kris10 B. Ware, entering the arena to “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West. Full confidence, no notes, and no muscles lol.

If your life was a movie, what genre would it be, and who would play you?
A docudrama starring Sandra Bullock. One minute I’m decluttering a basement, the next I’m hosting trivia, entertaining toddlers, or standing in my kitchen trying to figure out how I’m making dinner with the frozen meat I forgot to thaw… again. The camera would basically follow me as I chase experiences, make memories, and follow the fun wherever it leads! The underlying plot is me trying to fit 30 hours into every day and somehow pulling it off just often enough to keep trying.

What is one business buzzword or phrase you absolutely cannot stand?
#BossBabe.

What was your very first job?
“Welcome to Burger King. Would you like to try a value meal?” Burger King was my first job, and I absolutely thrived working the drive-thru and juggling five balls in the air at once. I loved being the welcoming voice over the speaker, greeting customers face-to-face, and keeping things moving quickly. Assembling burgers in under 20 seconds was a challenge I didn’t mind. At the same time, I was also working at the mall, conducting consumer research surveys about important topics… like whether America was ready for purple Heinz ketchup. Looking back, it’s clear I’ve been asking adults life’s most pressing questions for most of my life!

What was your favorite childhood cartoon?
Listen… I’m an only child. In the ’80s. Asking me to pick ONE is criminal! Rainbow Brite, Care Bears, Popples, Heathcliff, Jem, and Strawberry Shortcake practically raised me. Between the cartoons, toys, and Saturday mornings, we really had it all. If you disagree with that bold statement, we can discuss it during a future trivia tiebreaker!

If you had a time machine that only worked once, would you visit the past or the future?
Definitely the past. I’d love a peek at my grandparents’ lives during the Great Depression, experience my mother’s Italian-American upbringing in the 1950s, ride along in my father’s antique street rods at the racetrack, or relive my own 1980s childhood for just one more day. I’ve always been incredibly nostalgic. I treasure the stories, people, places, and little moments that make up a life.

If you taught a 45-minute class at CNP University, what would you be the professor of?
I would be the professor of Getting Adults to Listen Like It’s Circle Time. If I had a penny for every time someone at trivia called me Ms. Rachel, I’d be rich. Apparently, I have a knack for getting distracted adults to stop talking, pay attention, and follow directions… even after a few drinks.

If you had to choose an animal sidekick that speaks fluent English, what animal would you choose?
Starlight from Rainbow Brite, of course! Loyal, colorful, nostalgic, and ready for adventure. The only non-negotiable is that Chris Rock would need to be the voice because the commentary would be spectacular!

If you could only eat one specific meal from the CNP cafeteria for the rest of your life, what would you be eating?
An Italian sub from my hometown in New Jersey with a Snapple iced tea. And if this magical cafeteria includes an Italian bakery, I’d happily finish with a cannoli and rainbow cookies. Some flavors just taste like home! If those desserts aren’t available, however, I’d like to speak to a manager.

What theme trivia would you absolutely come in last place at?
Star Wars. Lord of the Rings. Marvel. Zero points across the board.

If our trivia company was stranded on a deserted island, which host do you think would survive the longest?
Josh M. He can function under extreme pressure, little sleep, limited information, and somehow troubleshoot literally anything. If our trivia company were stranded on a deserted island, I have no doubt he’d figure out a way to contact civilization using a coconut, a shoelace, and three random objects that shouldn’t work together. Meanwhile, I’d be organizing the coconuts into categories and trying to improve island morale while Josh tracked down the single grain of sand that somehow knocked out the island’s Wi-Fi.