Go Fact Yourself

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

Break out the hotdish -- it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Trace Beaulieu is best known for his time as one of the major creative forces behind the film-riffing series “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Between working on that show and being nominated for two Emmys, he’s gotten more than his fair share of Hollywood. Still, he’s glad he decided to move back to his home state of Minnesota, where he can still catch a fish in the St. Croix river whenever he wants.Trace is still riffing on movies with his latest project “The Mads.”Trace will compete against his fellow Minnesota resident: musician and playwright Jonatha Brooke. She’s got a lot of experience creating content for a live audience.That includes the play My Mother has 4 Noses which, appropriately enough, her mother inspired her to write. Like any performer, she’s missed the energy of a live crowd. To help settle that longing a little, she’s performed over 50 COVID concerts on YouTube… even if she’s had to get creative to make the audience feel r

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!David Pogue is an Emmy-winning “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent and an author who’s written over 100 books (mostly covering science and technology). That’s given him some special insight; like why published tech instructions are so terrible. David’s newest book is “How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos” and believe it or not, it’s actually a really hopeful read!David will compete against his colleague and fellow Emmy-winner from “CBS Sunday Morning,”: actor and writer Nancy Giles! She’s been seen on Broadway and in plenty of movies, but a lot of people may actually have heard her work elsewhere -- as the voice for medicine commercials. Nancy also has a podcast called “The Giles Files.”Our guests will discuss the magic of movies, superheroes and witches!What’s the Difference: Eggs-cuse Me!What’s the difference between an omelet and a frittata?What’s the difference between “excuse me” and “pardon me?

You can watch a video version of this episode! Follow us on social media (@gofactyourpod) and send us a direct message to receive the link.In space, no one can hear you trivia! This brand new Go Fact Yourself was recorded as part of Politifact’s  “United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking.”Hari Sreenivasan is an anchor and senior correspondent for "PBS Newshour." As a journalist, he’s dedicated most of his professional life to helping viewers understand facts from fiction. But even before that, he used to watch the news for another reason: to help his parents learn English. Hari’s opponent is fellow broadcaster Jessica Yellin. She began her career as a journalist with the goal of one day becoming a White House correspondent -- which she accomplished! Now she’s got a new goal: delivering “calm news” through Instagram to provide information without a panic attack. What’s the Difference: Just the FactsWhat’s the difference between “assume” and “presume?"What’s the difference between proof and evidence

G’day all! It’s a brand new Australia edition of Go Fact Yourself!Kate Mulvany is best known these days for her role on Amazon Prime’s “Hunters” where she plays a Nazi-hunting nun. But one of her most acclaimed roles was Shakespeare's Richard III. She’ll tell us about why the role was so deeply personal for her and explain why she still gets starstruck after all these years.Kate’s opponent is Josh Szeps. He’s the host of the podcast “Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps.” He wants his show to be a place that leans into discussions of heady topics like “What’s wrong with men?” and “Am I racist?” but with a sense of honesty and understanding. We’ll hear about some of the hilarious interactions he’s had with guests and the record-setting appearance he had on another game show as a kid. Our guests will also answer trivia questions about childhood fandom turning into lifelong passion.What’s the Difference: PiratesWhat’s the difference between “aye” and “aye-aye”?What’s the difference between a sea song and

Off the top rope for the three count fall, it’s the reigning defending champion of trivia: Go Fact Yourself!Colt Cabana is a professional wrestler who appears every week on All Elite Wrestling on TNT. Wrestling is a little different in the middle of a pandemic; but even though he can’t be in front of a crowd much, he’s found other ways to keep his audience engaged. He’ll tell us all about that and why his mother thinks of him as the “Hebrew Hunk” of wrestling.Colt takes on a fellow TV personality: Emmy-winning TV host Sukanya Krishnan. Her first day on a job was covering one of the most significant events of the last 20 years: the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But not all of her work is so serious: one of her latest projects is being the host of game show “90 Day Fiance: Love Games” on Discovery Plus -- a show J. Keith wrote!Our guests will also talk about ‘80s hits (music and movies) and winning gold (championships and Grammys).What’s the Difference: Weather or NotWhat’s the difference between weathering and erosi

Get settled on the couch and grab some snacks: it’s another “Best Of” edition of Go Fact Yourself!As we all were stuck inside for most of the past year, TV was one of the only sources of entertainment that didn’t go away. We’ve collected some of our favorite contestants from the early episodes of the show who chose TV shows as their area of expertise.You’ll hear from tons of great guests like Cristela Alonzo, Pete Holmes and many more, as they talk about shows like “Mad Men,” “The Golden Girls,” and “Jeopardy.” Happy binging!Appearing in this episode:J. Keith van StraatenHelen HongCristela Alonzo from Episode 4Pete Holmes from Episode 9Louis Virtel from Episode 17Alison Rosen from Episode 24Glen Weldon from Episode 27With guest experts:Jim Colucci, Entertainment writer, radio reporter, editor at CBS Watch magazine and author of Golden Girls Forever.Allan Havey, actor and comedian, from “Mad Men.”Jerome Vered, writer and all-time winner of “Jeopardy.”Gloria Loring, actror and singer-songwriter from “The Facts

Make sure to listen to our second pledge break for a very special announcement that could put YOU on an episode of GFY...It’s all about that classic trio of music, movies and medicine this week on our second #MaxFunDrive episode of Go Fact Yourself!Justin McElroy’s podcast career spans multiple shows including the hugely popular “My Brother, My Brother and Me,” and “The Adventure Zone.” Through it all, he’s never lost sight of the things he owes his career to: a lifetime of insulting his brothers and the recently shut down Yahoo Answers service.Justin will compete against his wife Dr. Sydnee McElroy. She shows off her medical expertise on the podcast “Sawbones” (which she hosts with Justin!) and “Still Buffering” (which she hosts with her siblings). Sydnee’s also asked to display her knowledge in other unconventional places… mainly at family functions and to strangers who want her to check their moles. This episode is a special Max Fun Drive edition of trivia competition. To become a Max Fun Member and suppor

Go Fact Yourself is joining forces with Politifact for the United Facts of America -- a (virtual) festival of fact checking -- May 10-13. To get 30% off tickets to the event and to see a special video edition of Go Fact Yourself, visit bit.ly/FactsFest and enter the promo code “FACTS2021” at checkout.And… make sure to listen to our second pledge break for a very special announcement that could put YOU on an episode of GFY...Whether you want to sing about Summer lovin’ or the Big Bang, we’ve got you covered on this special #MaxFunDrive episode of Go Fact Yourself!Dave Shumka is one of the hosts of Maximum Fun’s “Stop Podcasting Yourself,” which has been around for 13 years. While things have certainly changed in the world of podcasting, Dave says their longevity can be attributed to their show’s vague initial premise of “bland white people.”Dave’s opponent is Laura House, the voice behind one of Maximum Fun’s newest shows, “Tiny Victories.” The show is meant to be a celebration of the little things in life. La

Sing a Broadway hit from your favorite local landmark and get ready for the newest episode of Go Fact Yourself!Lewis Black is famous for his brand of curmudgeonly comedy. He’s been a constant presence on “The Daily Show” since it was hosted by Craig Kilborn. But despite that tenure, people are still surprised to learn that he remains part of the show now that it’s hosted by Trevor Noah. He’ll tell about how his role has changed over the years and how he got his Emmy for an unexpected reason. Lewis’s comedy special “Thanks for Risking Your Life” is available now.Helen Zaltzman is a podcaster of the highest order. She’s the host of “The Allusionist” and “Veronica Mars Investigations.” In addition to hosting her own shows, she also does her best to provide assistance to her peers with her podcaster support group. She’ll tell us about that and why her grandmother’s gravestone is one of the funniest things she’s ever seen.Our guests will answer trivia questions about big windmills for small towns and big stage rol

Grab a roundtrip ticket and go for the gold, it's a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Heidi Gardner is a cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” known for her kooky characters and celebrity impressions. Now that she’s in her fourth season with the show, she’s experienced it all. That includes some celebrity encounters with people she’s imitated on TV. Orlando Leyba is a stand up comedian. Between his appearances on "The Tonight Show" and his new special "Adorable," he has one goal with his comedy: to radiate joy. He’ll tell us about how that mission has led him through a fun career path...and some bizarre encounters with fans. “Adorable” is streaming now on HBO Max. Our guests will answer trivia questions about ice skating, flight taking and code breaking!What’s the difference: Code of ConductWhat’s the difference between a cipher and a code?What’s the difference between a train engineer and a train conductor?Areas of Expertise:Heidi Gardner: Figure skating, the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team” and the movie Plane

This episode is sponsored in part by Cancer Support Community Los Angeles and their fundraising comedy game show, “Funny On Purpose” -- hosted by J. Keith! Featuring scheduled guests (and former GFY guests) Ophira Eisenberg, Laraine Newman, Mindy Sterling and more! Go to http://bit.ly/FunnyonPurpose to watch the show on April 1!You’ve been served some out-of-the park trivia on the newest episode of Go Fact Yourself! Jason Benetti is the play-by-play announcer for the Chicago White Sox, and Jason had a firsthand look at the strangest baseball season in history. Even though there weren’t any crowds, each game did showcase some not-safe-for-work dialogue from the players. Jason will tell us some of the ways he managed to cover that up for viewers and what it was like calling a no-hitter in an empty stadium. Jason’s competitor is Liz Feldman, an Emmy award-winning writer who’s worked in comedy for years. Now, she’s reached new career highs with the Netflix series “Dead to Me.” She’ll tell us all about why she’s d

**J. Keith is running for office! If you live in Los Angeles, please check out the Progressive Slate he’s on for Mid City West Neighborhood Council at mcw2021.com! Register for your ballot by March 9 and mail it in by March 16**Sing a song, watch a movie and let it go on this brand new Go Fact Yourself!Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning songwriting couple. They’re best known for music they’ve made for Disney movies, including Frozen and Coco -- and now the theme music for “WandaVision!”They’ll give us a crash course on how they’ve written such memorable songs over the years -- everything from deciding which story beats demand to be sung to how to incorporate math into dramatic lyrics.This will be a couples contest for questions on commercials, constipation and comedy.What’s the difference: Number TwoWhat’s the difference between the name suffixes “Jr.” and “II”?What’s the difference between a laxative and a stool softener?Areas of ExpertiseKristen Anderson-Lope

Head to Tosche station and make a stop at the royal palace, it's a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Yeardley Smith has been the voice of Lisa Simpson since 1989. Yeardley’s normal voice actually sounds very similar to the voice of her famous character, but she’ll explain the subtle ways that it’s changed over the years. You can hear Yeardley on “The Simpsons” and on the true crime podcast “Small Town Dicks.” Plus, she was an expert on episode 57 of Go Fact Yourself!Ryan Kalil is a ten-year veteran of the NFL. He played center for the Carolina Panthers for most of his career. Even though he’s spent most of his life as an athlete, his early passions were steeped in pop culture and comedy. He’ll tell us about how his love for superheroes led to him becoming a jock. Ryan is also the founder of the production company Mortal Media.Our guests will answer questions about the dark side of the force, the strong side of sports and the Walt Disney family of entertainment.What’s the difference: Tinder and BumbleWhat’s the

Check in with your doctor and take a seat in the makeup chair, it’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Cady Huffman has been seen in TV shows like “The Good Wife” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” She’s also a Broadway star, perhaps best known as her role in the original cast of The Producers -- for which she won a Tony! She’ll tell us about how being up for a prestigious award doesn’t mean that you can take the day off from performing on-stage. You can see Cady on the webseries “Cady Did.”Jonah Ray is a comedian and actor who hosted the revival of the series “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” He’ll tell us about what it was like to see the famous spoof comedy show tackle movies that he grew up with. We’ll also learn more about what could be his crowning achievement: Being friends with Weird Al. Jonah is the host of the podcast Jonah Raydio.Our guests will answer questions about hot flashes, cold-hard facts and the best places to keep your major awards.What’s the difference: You got dissedWhat’s the difference between

Set the kettle to a full boil and put on a quality flick! It’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Alice Ripley is a Tony Award-winning Broadway icon, whose trailblazing performances include Side Show and Next to Normal. She recently appeared in the one-woman show, The Pink Unicorn, which is being adapted into a film. She’ll tell us all about that… and why she’s one of the reasons that this podcast exists! (Hint: She would be the expert if J. Keith were a guest!)Lee Wilkof is an actor who originated the role of Seymour in the musical Little Shop of Horrors -- and he appeared with Alice Ripley in a revival that was headed to Broadway … until it wasn’t. Lee has been acting for decades on stage and screen -- including the badge of honor for any performer: numerous appearances on “Law & Order.” You can see Lee in the short film Any Song and as an expert on episode 67 of Go Fact Yourself.Our guests will answer questions about high-quality tea, high-quality gold and high-quality movies.What’s the difference: Silv

We’re down 40-Love, but we’re gonna turn this prison escape around! It’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!Freddie Wong is a filmmaker and host of the podcast “Story Break” right here on the Maximum Fun Network. If you haven’t heard it, Freddie and the rest of the panel improvise silly stories for movies. That includes sequels for movies series like Star Wars and Boss Baby. What’s their secret for such creative ideas? It all starts with the basic understanding that every creative idea is stupid on some level. You can also hear Freddie on the “Dungeons and Daddies” podcast.Competing against Freddie is Erin Foley, host of the podcast “Sports without Balls,” where she interviews women athletes and sports enthusiasts. She’ll tell us all about her favorite conversations that she’s had on the show and explain once and for all which sport is sexiest. Erin Foley’s comedy album “Deep Dive” is available now.Our contestants are joined by guest co-host Allie Goertz in a show that was recorded earlier this year in front o

Can we get a price check on podcasts? It’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself -- featuring stars from the hit NBC sitcom “Superstore”!Ben Feldman is an actor known for playing quirky and lovable characters on shows like “Mad Men” and “Drop Dead Diva.” But he’ll tell us about one role that allowed him to showcase his talent of portraying a jerk… and Helen Hong was there to see it in person! Ben is in the upcoming series “Monsters at Work” on Disney+.Ben’s opponent is renowned comedian and actor Lauren Ash. Like Ben, she also stars in “Superstore.” She’ll tell us about how the show has helped her navigate uncharted waters, including life in a pandemic and stan twitter. Lauren also hosts the podcast “True Crime and Cocktails”This week, our contestants will answer questions about the joy of competition and the magic of true love.What’s the difference: CopycatWhat’s the difference between “Imitate” and “Emulate”?What’s the difference between cat hair and cat fur?Areas of ExpertiseBen Feldman: The play and move Glen

Here’s the story… of a lovely podcast! It’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!David Lindsay-Abaire is a playwright, lyricist and the first Pulitzer prize-winning contestant in the history of our show. He’ll tell us all about the great productions he’s made for broadway and how he managed to win such a prestigious award... when he wasn’t even nominated for it.Rachel Dratch has had a storied career in comedy. She endeared herself to “Saturday Night Live” when she co-created and embodied the character Debbie Downer. She’ll tell us about how she developed the bit along with the signature trombone sound that plays in her segments. This week, our contestants will answer questions about classic skits, classic comedy and classic families -- that were all on TV!What’s the difference: Shear MadnessWhat’s the difference between shears and scissors?What’s the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath?Areas of ExpertiseDavid Lindsay-Abaire: Boston slang words, notable graduates of Sarah Lawrence College and the TV g

Do you hear the people sing? It’s another edition of Go Fact Yourself!Jim O’Heir is best known for his role as Jerry/Larry/Terry/Garry on NBC’s beloved comedy “Parks & Recreation.” But despite the show’s monstrous fanbase, he says that he still hears people confuse it with another beloved NBC comedy. You can probably guess which one. He’ll tell us all about his career and why he was so shocked when he won his first Emmy award.Dulcé Sloan is a frequent correspondent on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.” What’s one of her most memorable things about working on the show? It’s gotta be the costumes -- she’s dressed up as everything from a Christmas Tree to God with an afro. Plus, she’ll tell us about how she feels right at home with Korean culture, from the history to the TV to the food.Guests answer questions about (and shed some tears for) intergalactic voyages, international plays and the perfect Korean meal spread.What’s the difference: Trust but VerifyWhat’s the difference between “distrust” and “mistrus