Klaus Otto Nagorsnik is a librarian in the Stadtbücherei Münster. He does not his own TV since 1989, because he thinks that reading gives us the possibility to process information better. He won several times the Germany Cup of the German Quiz Association. In 2014 he became German Quiz Master in doubles.
Mr. Nagorsnik, you are considered a Brain Teaser Master or quiz master of various riddle programs. The television has made you known in Germany. How did it all start and what was your motivation?
Quiz and brain teasers have been a small passion of mine for a long time. Since the 1990s there are the various fields of activity on the Internet or at the pub quiz. The fun must be in the foreground, even the fun of your own performance. And the fun has not diminished yet.
How do you keep yourself mentally fit and do you think that a special talent is needed?
Someone who wants to do something for his muscle growth goes to the gym and torment himself.. Anyone who wants to do something for his head solves brain teasers – and sometimes torments himself also. Talent? I don’t know. That sounds like “innate property”. I’m very skeptical about that.
How did the television become aware of you – and did that immediately lead to an invitation?
When I heard in 2012 that the German edition of the World Quizzing Championship of the International Quizzing Association is taking place in Duisburg, I went spontaneously, out of curiosity. To my surprise, I was then the second best German there. And because the result lists were also published on the Internet, then some casting companies responsible for the candidates suitable to the television quiz formats, have become aware of me and we looking for the contact. The first motivation of mine was pure curiosity: “Let’s see what the TV people do”.
Are the steps particularly stressful for you or is there a certain amount of self-assurance and serenity?
I see the whole thing more casual and relaxed. Of course concentration is necessary, but concentration is not a stress.
Did your knowledge also give you financial benefits?
As a “hunter” in the show “asked – hunted” you get a fee. I am glad that I do not have to live from it.
Were you able to contact popular people or the other way around did they contact you because of your knowledge?
During the recordings, one occasionally encounters more prominent or popular persons. Some are nice. I think of, for example, Anna and Katharina Thalbach as “opponents” or of Alexander Bommes, with whom one can wonderfully “squabble”. Or you overcome the others when the red light goes out. But there are hardly any permanent contacts. There are so many fleeting encounters in this business that the need to cultivate all sorts of contacts is not there at all. I believe that is mutual. There can of course be exceptions.
Is there an age limit, after which you say, now it is enough for me?
It is silly, when somebody wants to fix it to particular date! As long as it goes, it works. And if it does not work, it was at least and hopefully nice before.
Helmut Tewocht