Peter Stolmeier, Trey Tackett, Gabrielle Scandrett, and special guest Garrett Wang welcomed Star Trek trivia masters to “Win Harry Kim’s Latinum: Trek Trivia” Friday evening in the Hilton Galleria 2–3. Clips from Star Trek: Voyager episodes which focused (naturally) on Wang’s character, Ensign Harry Kim, provided the material for the questions. Each clip gave Wang an opportunity to share a memory from the production. He commented on everything from the Janeway “look” to his first day on the set nerves. He even offered his own version of Janeway’s reaction to Kim’s death in the season two episode “Deadlock.” Rather than simply ask about the condition of Deck 8 when notified of Kim’s death, the good Captain should have declared (with the appropriate pained expression): “Never again will I hear him play his clarinet…. What about Deck 8?”
Wang’s sense of humor and creativity shined the entire hour. At one point Wang asked if anyone knew Kim’s middle names. No one could answer (although a couple tried). His character’s name was Henry S.L. Kim, and the production team never told him what the middle initials stood for. Wang decided to answer the question himself: Harry “Sushi Lovin’” Kim! One of Wang’s most creative moments came when he envisioned Ensign Kim ‘Borgified’ and leading a “Borg Seal Team” on an assault of Voyager to abduct 7 of 9.
There were even questions based upon Wang’s very first television role as Dr. Raymond Han on All American Girl, the short-lived series starring Margaret Cho. Wang noted that this was his first TV appearance that wasn’t a commercial, his very first appearance being a Burger King commercial. He had his parents at the set for production on All American Girl and proudly declared to them that he got to “play a doctor on TV.”
As for the trivia contest, correct answers earned contestants Isolinear chips. The contestant with the most chips earned a place in the final or “lightning” round, facing off against Wang himself. Overcoming obstacles is a hallmark of all Star Trek series, and true to form, a technical glitch left the lightning round contestants answering trivia questions about Star Trek: The Next Generation rather than Star Trek: Voyager. Both Wang and lightning round contestant Barry from Miami acquitted themselves well. Barry won the round by a score of 6 to 4 and secured the grand prize: Harry’s promotion to Lieutenant. Wang, whose character never received that coveted promotion on Star Trek: Voyager, stood back while Peter awarded the insignia of rank to Barry.
