Mark “Baby Carrots” Ellis is one of the co-creators of the league. He is also a former teams champion and the winner of the 2016 Ultimate Schmoedown Singles Tournament. Here are his reflections on the show that we all love, in his own words.
Looking back on the Schmoedown, what is the most memorable moment that you were personally involved in?
It’s been a thrill to have been involved in virtually every memorable moment in the Schmoedown in some capacity…in undertaking the impossible task of whittling all of those special occurrences to my few favorites, I would have to say that as a competitor, it was bringing joy to the first Spectacular as Santa Claus when I took Dangerous Dan Murrell to the limit. Even in a losing effort, the fun and intensity still bring a smile to my face.
As an announcer, I’ve called everything from nail-biting championship matches to legendary comebacks to epic overtime clashes that seemed like they could have gone on forever. Cushing vs. Knopic, Witwer vs. Napzok, Smets’ return against Chandru, the 51-50 matches, they all hold a special place in my heart.
Walking onto the stage for the first time at a live event in New York was unreal…it was there that all the potential of this great game came together to produce an insane crowd whose energy was unbelievable. Goosebumps!
What is the most memorable moment that you were not involved in?
I still remember being on the sidelines watching the Free-4-All, in my carrot costume, and seeing Marc Andreyko clear the board. I hadn’t even considered that was a possibility, and the electricity in the room was strong enough to power the Snowpiercer for a week.
Which of your matches would you say is the best you played?
Haha it’s undoubtedly the one that I lost, even though I answered every question correct. Of all the distinctions one can hold in the Schmoedown, it feels like a badge of honor to have gone perfect and still take the L. That’s the comedian mentality for ya. (I wouldn’t change a thing about my strategy that day against JTE either.)
Which match that didn’t involve you would you say is the best you ever saw?
I remember being on the road and getting word that Lady Justice McKee had defeated Big Time Erwin at a taping at Scum & Villainy cantina, and thinking wow, she’s just cemented her legacy as a Mt. Rushmore contender (alongside Mr. Erwin, of course!). Meanwhile, Mr. Erwin still hasn’t officially told me “no, Iron Man will not be at your birthday party this year”. So there’s hope.
How would you describe the Schmoedown’s impact on you?
Ironically, a sport about movie trivia and a show that encourages loud personalities and silly jokes actually made me a much more responsible adult. As a comedian (who, word has it, is single), I had always enjoyed a life that was centered around yours truly, and my day-to-day was fairly isolated. Then the Schmoedown happened, and as it grew I came to realize that hundreds of people and hundreds and thousands of fans were relying on Kristian and I to be leaders, to deliver a quality product, and to ensure the well-being of everyone involved.
If you had asked me a decade ago if I’d be ready for something like that, I’d probably sprint in the other direction. But K and I trusted each other, we divided up the responsibilities when it was literally just us captaining the show, and my embracing of a much larger existence has been rewarded with lifelong friendships, valuable experiences, and getting to be part of the best team I’ve ever been on (and that includes the 4 rec league basketball teams that won championships ;)).
What will you miss most about the Schmoedown?
I’ll miss it all: the gameplay, the announcing, the camaraderie, the jokes (some of which actually landed), but most of all it’s coming together with a large group of individuals who I admire to make something special. At times the Schmoedown was a grind, it was tough, and gut-wrenching decisions had to be made. But I’ll miss all of that too…if you want to build a community, you have to take the bad with the good, the challenges with the celebrations, the defeats with the victories. You have to make compromises and sacrifices. No family’s home life is perfect; there’s always going to be struggles, trials, and tribulations…but that’s the sauce that makes the good stuff tastier. We went through this together. Collectively, we all took a house and turned it into a home. It may not always be pretty, it’s never perfect, but it was ours. We did it. Together. It ain’t the biggest house in the neighborhood, but it’s home. And it always will be.
Mark Ellis can be found on Twitter @markellislive.
