Rachel Cushing Levine is a former teams and Innergeekdom champion. She also competed in the singles division and is considered by many to be one of the greatest players ever. Here are her reflections on the show that we all love, in her own words.
Looking back on the Schmoedown, what is the most memorable moment that you were personally involved in?
For the fans, I’m guessing the most memorable moment I was involved in was when Ken “betrayed” me to go to the Lion’s Den and left me to play Andreyko and Burnett on my own (or maybe it was when Clarke and I cosplayed as Thor and Hela…lol). But honestly, the most memorable moment for me personally was my very first match with Ken vs Tuff Beats. I can never overstate how convinced I was that we would lose and that I would never play again (which was fine with me!), but fate had something else in store for me and I will always feel so proud of how well we did with that round 2 Oscars wheel slice 🙂
What is the most memorable moment that you were not involved in?
I had tears in my eyes when Marisol McKee won the Singles Belt…my one regret when I retired was that I couldn’t attain that height, but it was such a rush to see another powerhouse woman make history in a way that only added to the message Clarke and I set out to send: that women are just as tenacious, committed and capable of winning gold in the Schmoedown as men.
Which of your matches would you say is the best you played?
Part of me wants to say my IG Championship match win over Mike, but I had a pretty big miss during the betting round and then the buzzers did me dirty…lol. So the real answer to the best match I ever played was probably when I beat JTE and Kalinowski in a #1 contender 3-way Singles match. I played a perfect game (though I had to go to multiple choice on one round two question) and I never felt more confident in my movie trivia abilities than I did that day.
Which match that didn’t involve you would you say is the best you ever saw?
It’s hard to sift through all my Schmoedown memories, but I’ve always thought the match between Above the Line (co-starring my future husband) and Wolves of Steel (co-starring my future ride-or-die partner and friend) was a barn burner and exemplified the best the Schmoedown had to offer.
How would you describe the Schmoedown’s impact on you?
The easy answer to how the Schmoedown impacted me was that I got a husband out of it! But that is just one way in which it completely changed my life. The show gave me a sense of self and confidence I never believed I could have. It gave me a circle of friends I will treasure until the day I die. And it gave me a sense of purpose and belief that what I put out into the world actually makes a difference. Women are powerful. Introverts can shine in the spotlight. Nerds have a place in this world. Movie trivia may be silly, but the power of community, friendship, and empathy make life worth living. So I say thank you to everyone who made The Schmoedown what it was, its legacy shall not soon be forgotten.
What will you miss most about the Schmoedown?
I will miss the coming together atmosphere we had on shoot days and during live events, but I know the relationships and friendships will continue far into the future!
Rachel Cushing Levine can be found on Twitter @RachelCLevine.
