Go Fact Yourself

It's #MaxFunDrive time!Support this show for as little as $5 a month and earn great gifts! Go to Maximumfun.org/join. You can also boost your membership for as little as $1/month!Plus… YOU could be a guest on the show!All new, upgrading, and boosting members can opt in to play in our tournament, whose winners get to record a mini-episode of Go Fact Yourself!And listen for details on our stretch goals for even more opportunities. THANK YOU for supporting our show. We literally couldn't do it without members of MaxFun. Hopefully that includes YOU.Will you please join, upgrade, or boost at maximumfun.org/join?Grab the burger of the day and switch on the cable TV – it's a new episode of Go Fact Yourself! In honor of week two of the #MaxFunDrive, we’re joined by two more hosts from the Maximum Fun Network! Travis McElroy is part of the brotherly trio behind the hit shows “My Brother, My Brother and Me” and “The Adventure Zone.” In fact, he and his brothers were so successful that they eventually decided to write t

Sit your booty on the floor or in a chair for a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself! In honor of #MaxFunDrive, we’re joined by two hosts from the Maximum Fun Network! If you’d like to support this show for as little as $5 a month and earn great gifts in the process, go to Maximumfun.org/join.John Hodgman is the namesake of the “Judge John Hodgman” podcast. On the show, he plays the role of a judge who hears litigants’ disputes and decides who’s right and who’s wrong. John will tell us about what it’s like being a fake judge on the internet and about his role on the animated FXX series “Dicktown.”Danielle Radford is one of the hosts on MaxFun’s pro wrestling podcast “Tights and Fights.” Professional wrestling doesn’t have the best reputation for… much of anything really. But Danielle and her fellow hosts have tried to create a space for everyone who’s ever loved the art form, but rarely felt like it loved them back. Plus: find out about Danielle’s life as a paralegal!Our guests will go deep with trivia on co

No full episode this week, but there are exciting things coming up in the world of Go Fact Yourself!MaxFun Drive is from April 25th to May 6th. On April 29th and May 6th there will be back-to-back episodes of GFY featuring contestants from other MaxFun shows – plus all the great special experts that you would expect.Not only that, but MaxFun Members can look forward to an exclusive bonus episode of Go Fact Yourself featuring the hosts of “Dr. Gameshow!”Finally, Go Fact Yourself is returning to a live audience! It’s happening at the Los Angeles area public radio station KPCC’s Crawford Family Forum. For free tickets go to KPCC.org/gofactyourselflive.Appearing in this episode:J. Keith van StraatenGo Fact Yourself was devised and is produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. Theme Song by Jonathan Green.Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.Becoming a Max Fun Member by YOU!

Hold your loved ones close because it’s a wonderful trivia life on a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Rabia Chaudry is a really accomplished journalist, author and attorney. But she may be best known for her advocacy for incarcerated individuals to receive better assistance in the justice system – topics covered on her popular podcast “Undisclosed” and book, Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice after Serial. She’ll tell us what it’s been like to help out so many people… and some of the other less serious projects that she’s also been a part of. Rabia’s upcoming book is entitled Fatty Fatty Boom Boom.Adam Richman is a TV host whose work has famously centeredl around food. He’ll tell us about how he got his start on the show “Man v. Food.” where he tackled monstrous meals and described the experience for the audience. That opened the door for him to host the shows “Modern Marvels” and “Adam Eats the 80s” where he helps tell the human stories behind meals.Our guests will answer questions about family c

Turn the lights down… the show is about to start! It’s the “Best of Movies” special of Go Fact Yourself, featuring new behind-the-scenes commentary!The movie industry has adapted a lot in the past two years, and so has our show. These clips are back when we recorded with a live audience (something we plan to do again this year!).You’ll hear from guests like Paul F. Tompkins, Cristela Alonzo, Anthony Rapp, and many more as they discuss films like The Goonies, Jaws and Young Frankenstein.Roll film!Appearing in this episode:J. Keith van StraatenHelen HongCristela Alonzo guest host from Episode 40Pamela Ribon from Episode 3Jason Kravits from Episode 7Paul F Tompkins from Episode 15Allie Goertz from Episode 36Anthony Rapp from Episode 40With guest experts:Jeff B. Cohen, Former Goonie and Co-founder of the entertainment law firm Cohen Gardner LLP.Danny Goldman, Actor who appeared in Young Frankenstein.Carl Gotlieb, Screenwriter of Jaws and author of The Jaws Log.Penelope Spheeris, director of films such as The Decl

It’s the freshest podcast on the shelf – the 100th episode of Go Fact Yourself!  #GFY100You can WATCH the unedited archived video of this episode from our livestream with KPCC public radio. DJ Jazzy Jeff is a DJ legend and hip-hop pioneer. He’s produced tons of hits over the years– including the theme song for the show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” on which he also played a role as himself. Now the show has been reimagined as “Bel-Air” on Peacock, with another actor playing Jazz. He’ll tell us about what it’s like to see someone play him on screen and how he’s trying to help the next generation of DJs.Faith Salie is a multiple Emmy-winning contributor to “CBS Sunday Morning.” She’s also a regular panelist on the show “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” where she gets to show off her competitive spirit. She’ll tell us about how her love of winning goes all the way back to trying to win her high school pageant. You can hear Faith on her new podcast “Broadway Revival.”Our guests join us on our 100th episode to talk ab

NOTE: We’ve renumbered all of our shows to accurately reflect all of the bonus episodes we’ve done. Look forward to our 100th episode next month!It’s third down and goal to go for a trivia touchdown on Go Fact Yourself!Meg Rowley is managing editor of Fangraphs, and a host of the baseball podcast “Effectively Wild.” She’s endeared herself as an authority on all things baseball, from analytics to the bodily functions of the players. In addition to America’s pastime, she’ll tell us more about why she thinks Arizona is a very underrated state. Wajahat Ali is a columnist for The Daily Beast. He’s just released a new book Go Back to Where You Came From (And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American). He’ll tell us about how the book was inspired by some of the less helpful recommendations he’s gotten over the years. Plus, he’ll explain why being a lawyer isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Our guests will talk about ball games both on the field and on the diamond.What’s the Difference: Knot Again!What’s

*****Come see us LIVE (on video) for our 100th show celebration! Livestreamed on Wednesday, February 16 at 6pm PST. Scheduled guests DJ Jazzy Jeff & Faith Salie! Get your FREE tickets at bit.ly/GFY100 and brought to you by public radio station KPCC!*****Hey! What a wonderful kind of day! To get along with a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Simon Adler is senior producer for the hit show Radiolab. He recently wrapped up a documentary series for the show all about cassette tapes – what he says led to some of the earliest examples of on-demand audio throughout the world. Then, he’ll tell us about how to use film techniques when working with sound and the secret to making a great podcast.Sophie Saint Thomas is a writer, whose pieces about sex and drugs have appeared in publications like GQ, Vice and Forbes. She’ll explain how the first time she pitched an article about sex got her kicked off of her school newspaper. Plus, she’ll tell us more about the magic that is goth karaoke.Our guests will answer trivia ab

It’s time to celebrate love, both true and tragic, on a brand new Go Fact Yourself!Hari Kondabolu is a comedian. He got a lot of attention for his film The Problem with Apu, where he pointed out the issues he had with the character Apu on “The Simpsons.” Even though he also got a lot of expected negative responses to the film, he’ll tell us why some of the reactions left him pretty confused. Hari’s standup special “Warn Your Relatives” is available now on Netflix. Sofie Hagen is also a comedian who’s worked all over the world. She’ll tell us why behavior that that she learned in Denmark led to her being unintentionally rude when she moved to England. Plus, she breaks down why she’s such a strong advocate for fat liberation (not to be confused with body positivity). Sofie is also the voice behind the podcasts “Who Hurt You?” and “Bad People”Our guests will answer trivia about foreign languages, foreign audiences and inaccurate portrayals of foreign characters. What’s the Difference: Upstairs MaidWhat’s the dif

Vote YES for a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Kevin Allison is best known as creator and host of the podcast “RISK!” The show is all about encouraging people to tell stories that they never thought they’d share in public. He’ll tell us why people want to share some of their biggest secrets – and how more than one person’s secret involves cannibalism.Parker Molloy is a writer, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast and more. But she’s also been described as “Everyone’s first Twitter follow.” She’ll tell us where that moniker came from and explain why she has so much love for her life in Chicago.Our guests will answer questions about princes, new girls and boxers.What’s the Difference: All WetWhat’s the difference between a liquid and a fluid?What’s the difference between a submarine and a submersible?Areas of Expertise:Kevin: The Tao Te Ching, ADHD, and Prince’s House Party Playlist.Parker: Musicians on the Saddle Creek Records label, Chicago Cubs baseball from 199

Stand en pointe and tune up that guitar – it’s a high-art filled episode of Go Fact Yourself!Alicia Coppola is an actor, seen in shows like “Jericho” and “Why Women Kill.” But her career on camera actually began as part of a game show: MTV’s “Remote Control,” where she learned so much from people like Adam Sandler and Colin Quinn… including some experiences she never thought she’d need to go through. You can hear Alicia Coppola on her podcast “Bootstrap Bitch.”Alicia is joined by her former on-screen husband from “Why Women Kill,” comedian and actor Adam Ferrara. Alicia has also been a guest on “The Adam Ferrara Podcast,” which Adam says is all about him and his friends trying to be better people. How’s that going? Not so well… but he’ll tell us why he doesn’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Our guests will answer questions about classic dance, classic rock, and the heroes who helped make them happen. What’s the Difference: Country Bumpkin!What’s the difference between straw and hay?What’s the differenc

A 14-letter phrase for a trivia podcast: It’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Jaret Reddick is best known as the lead singer and songwriter for the band Bowling for Soup. Between his band and the theme song for  “Phineas & Ferb,” his music has been a fixture for children -- but so has his iconic role as the voice of Chuck E. Cheese. You can hear more of Jaret’s voice in his podcasts “Jaret Goes to the Movies'' and “Rockstar Dad.”Jaret’s opponent is Time magazine journalist Molly Ball. She’s known for her political scoops and her book about Nancy Pelosi, but Molly got involved in covering politics almost entirely by accident. Plus, she’ll tell us about what it was like to win big money on the show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”Our guests will answer trivia about comedy, crosswords, scents and censorship!What’s the Difference: Something Stinks!What’s the difference between a scent and an odor?What’s the difference between “instinctive” and “instinctual”?Areas of Expertise:Jaret: John Hughes movies

We’re on our way to where the air is sweet on a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Jackson Galaxy is the host of the TV show “My Cat From Hell.” On the show, he showcases his skills as an expert on cat behavior to help people better understand their problematic kitties. These days he can’t go into anyone’s home, but he’s learned how to share his special tips over Zoom. Here’s a big one: Don’t stack litter boxes on top of each other!Jackson’s opponent is comedian Shalewa Sharpe. She’s been seen on Comedy Central, the podcast “2 Dope Queens,” and on a viral video from “The Tonight Show” where she shared her love of the movie Black Panther… before being surprised by an appearance from Chadwick Boseman! You can hear Shalewa on her podcast “The War Report.”Our guests will answer questions about big cats, big books and Big Bird!What’s the Difference: Must I?What’s the difference between odors that are musty and musky?What’s the difference between “obligated” and “obliged?”Areas of Expertise:Jackson: Rock n Roll music

Practice that evil laugh -- it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Saladin Ahmed is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer who prides himself on showcasing truly lived-in worlds. He says that whether you're writing a story set in the Marvel universe or Detroit, the little details matter. But he’s also helped affect things in our world too -- like when he helped call out some racist art on a box of Corn Pops. You can find Saladin’s creator-owned imprint at copperbottle.net.Talia Lavin’s writing has appeared in The New Yorker and The Washington Post. But her most well-known work may be the viral joke that she made as a contestant on “Jeopardy.” That wasn’t the only time she took a big risk either; she’ll tell us about the time that she catfished a white supremacist dating site. Talia’s book about that adventure, Culture Warlords, is available now. Our guests will face off in a trivia battle about timeless nerdy inspirations.What’s the Difference: Pain in the ButtWhat’s the difference between “tortuous”

Go Fact Yourself and Depresh Mode with John Moe got together to celebrate MaxFun Block Party!If you enjoyed this conversation we had with host John Moe, be sure to subscribe to Depresh Mode with John Moe on maximumfun.org.

Listener beware, you’re in for a scare -- It’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Roxane Gay is an award-winning writer and culture critic. Her books and blogs feature tons of biting insight that’s endeared her to millions of readers. Her best advice for aspiring professional writers? Be relentless. She’ll explain that and why she still has blind spots when people ask her for the answers to their problems. You can also see Roxane’s writing in her newsletter, “The Audacity.”Ricky Duran is a singer-songwriter who first made a name for himself on the NBC show "The Voice" in 2019. The show is all about joining up with one of four professional musicians to both win the show and help with your career. Ricky will tell us what he got from his mentor, Blake Shelton who still helps him to this day! Ricky’s new single “Waiting on You” is available now.  Our guests will answer trivia questions about childhood movies that could thrill, chill and delight!If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the Nationa

You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here -- It’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Bridger Winegar is a writer and podcaster who’s worked on shows like “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Since he started as a Production Assistant, he knows the early parts of show business are pretty thankless; so he does his best to be helpful to those just starting out-- even if he’s sometimes a little too helpful. He’ll tell us all about that and why it was hard to interview his former boss on his podcast “I Said No Gifts!”Ginny Hogan is a comedian whose writing has appeared in The Atlantic and The New Yorker. Between her writing and her work in the condiment industry, you could say she’s done it all… so why can’t she use her real name as her twitter account? Her greatest accomplishment might be her research blog where she analyzed the profiles from all of her online dates and discovered some startling revelations about herself. Ginny's scripted podcast “Yes We Mustard” is available on Audible. O

Note: due to technical difficulties, J. Keith’s audio sounds worse than usual. We’ve taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.Grab your Batmobiles and thingamabobs, it’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Nina West is a drag performer who won Miss Congeniality on the TV’s “Rupaul’s Drag Race.” Since then, she’s focused on making kindness her brand -- especially since she’s got such a massive audience of kids watching her work. Nina’s also taking part in a national tour of the musical Hairspray later this year.Brandon Collins is a film critic, comedian and podcaster. You can hear his reviews on the podcast “Medium Popcorn,” where his critique eventually got the show recognized by rogerebert.com and Rotten Tomatoes. Brandon also hosts the podcast “Drunk Black History” where he showcases under-discussed black historical figures -- and if you support the show on Patreon, he’ll even arrange for a certain celebrity to call and say thanks.Our guests will answer questions about heroes from Disney, comic books a

We’re getting the band back together and playing the hits on a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Kitty Felde fills in for Helen Hong as our special guest host for this week! She was previously a guest on episode 51.John Fugelsang can be heard every weekday on SiriusXM radio as the host of the show “Tell me Everything with John Fugelsang.” He’s interviewed tons of guests from different industries for years. So what’s the secret to having great conversations with people? It all comes down to practice -- and learning how to find someone’s geek zone. Thao Nguyen is a songwriter, whose newest album “Temple” is out now. It was actually inspired by something that was truly special to her: her first trip to Vietnam with her mom. She’ll tell us about why the journey was so meaningful -- plus, how her onstage performance helps with her road rage issues. Our guests will answer trivia questions about sobs, jobs, and Bobs!What’s the Difference: Life and DeathWhat’s the difference between an autobiography and a memoir?

Drop a dope beat and lock it in your pocket, it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Alison Leiby is a comedian who’s written for successful shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” But for all her success at making people laugh, she’s actually really interested in horror… but not enough to actually watch any scary movies herself. She’ll explain more about how this led to her podcast “Ruined.”Alison faces off against her fellow comedian Seán Devlin. He really enjoys performing pranks -- both for laughs, like when he was part of the team that put together Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, and to affect political change, like when he helped wall off a Canadian Prime Minister from his work to make a point about food shortages. Seán’s debut comedy album “Airports, Animals'' is available now.Our guests will answer trivia questions about freshwater mammals, fresh beats and a fresh prince!What’s the Difference: Rare Earth!What’s the difference between something being “rare” and something being “scarce?”What’s the dif