High School Quiz Show’s Celebrity Questions Delight Fans and Teams

February 12, 2020

Updated October 18, 2023

High School Quiz Show, WGBH’s televised battle of the brains, has been on the air for more than a decade. In addition to serving as a showcase for high school students from across the Commonwealth, High School Quiz Show has been delighting contestants and fans with celebrity questions since the first episode aired in 2010. That’s more than 200 household names, including athletes, actors, politicians and scientists, who volunteered their time to surprise contestants and viewers with a video question during an episode of the show.

Before production for Season 11 even began, the High School Quiz Show team generated a wish list of celebrities they’d like to feature, with bonus points for that person also having a Massachusetts or New England connection. Along with other members of the team, Senior Producer Phillipe Vieira and Communications and Media Relations Specialist Chris Gilligan worked together to reach out to the celebrities, provide the scripts and record video questions.

“I reached out to the publicists and managers for the celebrities we wanted to feature, and then I coordinated with Phillipe [Vieira] and other production staff to either set up a short recording session at WGBH or have the celebrity staff record remotely," said Gilligan. "Then, we worked with the question writer to make sure that the questions we used were accurate and specifically tailored to the life and work of each celebrity, sometimes tying the questions to a recent project to help with their own publicity work.”

The celebrities recruited for Season 11 will join a long list of renowned personalities who have asked questions related to their lives and careers in previous seasons of High School Quiz Show.

Here are just a few of High School Quiz Show’s past celebrity questions. Do you know the answers to their questions? Watch High School Quiz Show Season 11 to see who will be featured this year. The show premiered on Saturday, February 8 at 6pm on WGBH 2 and can be viewed online at highschoolquizshow.org and on YouTube.

Who better to honor the spirit of High School Quiz Show than Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, who has served in that role since 1984.

Actress, writer and comedian Mindy Kaling was born in Cambridge, MA.

Can you answer this question from Keith Lockhart, the Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra? Keith participated in the Celebrity Edition of High School Quiz Show in Season 3.

A lesson in journalistic integrity from journalist and former CBS Evening News host Katie Couric.

The story behind former New England Patriots wide receiver Malcom Mitchell’s question is touching.

Weird Al Yankovic tests the players’ musical knowledge.

Acton, Massachusetts native Steve Carell of The Office fame presents contestants with a musical stumper. Steve and The Office cast members were the first major celebrities to record questions for Quiz Show.