Herb Stempel

Overview... a bitter multiple-week champion of the popular ‘50s TV quiz show Twenty One. Herb is a genuine trivia machine, which fuels his initial success on the show. He’s also a social underdog who seems to capture the hopes, dreams, and attention spans of thousands of average Joes – until the ratings begin to plummet and Herb is quickly replaced by the producers. Upset at how quickly the show’s brass turned on him – especially compared his successor as champ, the photogenic WASP Charles Van Doren – Herb is determined to bring Twenty One down. His questionable motives aside, though, he may just be telling the truth.

Personality… stammering, knowledgeable, and morally questionable. Herb is your average American, at least the way he sees it. He lives in Queens and has a nice wife and kid. He wants to be a role model for his son, and his brief moment of fame on TV gave him just that. Without his TV appearances, though, Herb is unsure what he will do with his future. He misses the bright lights and badly wants to bring them back.