Hecklers and Inappropriate Players
How to handle hecklers or harassment
There is no one correct way to manage unruly players. Sometimes it's not about You - they're just yelling. Sometimes they are putting you on the spot about the content, or about the scoring. Sometimes, they're hitting on you or otherwise getting too personal.
If you ever feel unsafe, let a manager or bartender know you feel uncomfortable talking to this person and they should handle the situation. You should also share this in your Host Feedback, or with the Host Manager!
Hecklers/Yellers
The most common kind of annoyance is someone who thinks it’s funny to yell out answers (wrong or right), or “clever” comments. The first time, remind them calmly that one of the rules is not to shout out answers. After that, it is often best to ignore those patrons while you're on the mic. They will often tire out or get shamed by the other patrons who are trying to play or just enjoy their evening. If it doesn’t stop, ask the individual in a calm tone to stop yelling things so others can enjoy the trivia night, then continue.
Address them directly, off-mic, between questions and face-to-face. This will frequently diffuse the situation and remind them that you’re a human person just trying to do your job. Perhaps point out that you don’t yell at them when they’re at work! Invite them to play along and always (try to) take the high road in graciousness. Only engage a heckler on the mic if you feel confident about being able to shut them down quickly; you don’t want to get sucked into a shouting match in front of the whole bar. If they're just seeking attention, don't give it to them.
Complainers about Content or Scores
If a player becomes aggressive or offensive in their complaints about our content, a host can always use the line, "I don't write the questions, I just read them!" Refer to how we recommend evaluating giving credit and use your best judgment. However, if they get salty about the fact that we use "actor" as a gender-neutral term, or speak about climate change as a fact and not a theory, we don't want you to get into an uncomfortable spat about it. We believe that we are philosophically and logically in the right, but you can stay entirely neutral and not engage on the topic. Say that you hear them, they're allowed to disagree, and either change the subject or disengage entirely.
Other Jerks
If there is a player or staff of the location who is encroaching on your personal space, making comments about your appearance, asking for your number, etc etc, then shut it down however you are comfortable doing so.
If it's a patron, reach out to the staff for support in either reseating or removing that person. You may also ask to be escorted to your car afterwards.
If it's someone who works there, try to speak to their manager if available, or reach out to the Host Manager so we can advocate on your behalf. You should not feel uncomfortable going to work! Being friendly as part of your job to facilitate an event does not extend to tolerating any kind of bothersome overtures from the people around you. We cannot control every environment that we send our hosts into, but we will absolutely have your back and do what we can to facilitate support with our customer contacts. If they are not supportive, we feel that our staff are more valuable, and we have terminated contracts when they have not worked to create safe and respectful spaces for our people.