Go Fact Yourself

This week on Go Fact Yourself, it’s not just a game of trivia: it’s a game of hardcore roller derby AND a game of Super Mario! You probably know Adam Conover from his TruTV show, "Adam Ruins Everything," where he uncovers the complicated, and often problematic, backstories behind topics like voting, football, Hawaii and more. He’ll also tell us about his own complicated backstory: as the only member of his family without a PhD. Adam can also be heard on the podcast "Factually!". Adam’s opponent is comedian and writer Jill-Michele Melean. She was the first (and last) Latina cast member on “MADtv.” She was known for her celebrity impressions, most notably for Britney Spears and Drew Berrymore. And don’t worry… she’s happy to demonstrate. Jill-Michele can be seen in her stand up special "White/Latina" on Amazon Prime. The guests will also discuss topics like clean eating, public transportation and the value of tasteful plastic surgery. This episode is sponsored by Trivia Con, happening April 3-5, 2020 in Las V

Whether you’re in the mood to surf some waves or binge some TV, this episode of Go Fact Yourself is for you! As an actor, Quinn Cummings saw success at an early age. She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film The Goodbye Girl. It was a great experience, but one that put a bit of a strain on her relationship with her mother… and her hair. She’ll explain. Quinn can be heard on the podcast "Quinn Cummings Gives Bad Advice". Like Quinn, Greg Behrendt also has experience giving others advice, especially with relationships. He’s written several books about love, including He’s Just Not That Into You and serves as a private life coach. What exactly are his qualifications? Just a 30-year comedy career, multiple books on the New York Times bestseller list and the fact that he survived cancer (twice). The guests will compete to answer trivia questions about surf music, animated Netflix shows and their respective expertise on cats and dogs. This episode is sponsored by Spencer Marks’ new science-fiction n

It’s another helping of Go Fact Yourself in Chicago, now more delicious and savory than ever! Peter Sagal is the host of the NPR program "Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!" But his experience with trivia shows goes all the way back to when he was a contestant on "Jeopardy"… and quickly found himself in the negative dollars. That doesn’t mean he’s bad at trivia; he’s just bad at pressing buttons. He’ll tell us about that and why he’s so dedicated to disrupting the narrative of Chicago deep-dish pizza. Opposite Peter is author Rebecca Makkai. Her book The Great Believers earned her the distinction of being a finalist for the Pulitzer prize. It’s a truly special accomplishment -- but she had an even bigger dream as a child: teaching dogs how to talk. The guests will discuss the local food scene, whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich and, yes, a lot of discussion about the windy city. What’s the Difference: The Windy City What’s the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon? What’s the difference between a tornado w

It’s the first episode of Go Fact Yourself from Chicago! Two-time Peabody Award winner Bill Kurtis is a news anchor with one of the most famous voices in television and radio. You may have heard him as the scorekeeper for the program "Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!", but he’s also known for his narration in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. He’ll explain how that role changed his life forever and share other stories from his extensive career. Bill will compete with his fellow broadcaster and fellow Peabody Award winner Sarah Spain, host and contributor for ESPN. She’s often seen on the sports debate show "Around the Horn." She’ll tell us how she crafts an effective argument on the show and how she’s battling the negativity that comes with being a woman in the sports industry. Also, doggies! The guests will answer questions about war veterans, improv comedy characters and the windy city. What’s the Difference: Cubs & White Sox What’s the difference between a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout? What’s the differenc

This episode of Go Fact Yourself features quick wits and facts about hit flicks! Jena Friedman is a comedian and longtime contributor to television, perhaps her best known work was as a producer on "The Daily Show." She’ll talk about how she was so dedicated to her work on the show that she was willing to risk her life if it meant getting the shot that she needed. Jena’s new series "Soft Focus" is on Adult Swim. Jena’s opponent is Jack O’Brien, co-host of "The Daily Zeitgeist" podcast. Before that, he was the co-founder of Cracked.com. How did he turn the website into such a success? Well, he decided to take everything that worked about the original Cracked magazine… and completely ignore it. He’ll explain. The guests will take a deep dive into the lore of the Jaws franchise, the history of comedy and why it is never a good idea to take a bath at a funeral. What’s the Difference: Emergency What’s the difference between a fire engine and a fire truck? What’s the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic? A

C’est l’heure pour un nouvel épisode de Go Fact Yourself*! (In case your French is a little rusty: It’s time for a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!) Jim Beaver is an actor who’s known for his roles in TV shows like, "Breaking Bad," and, "Justified," where he’s earned a reputation as a "tough guy"-type who’s usually associated with guns. He’s also done a lot of research on major Hollywood figures from other eras. He’ll explain why he didn’t let the technological limitations from his youth get in the way of his research of actor John Garfield. Jim Beaver can be seen in the final season of "Supernatural". Jim will face off against Erica Rhodes, who’s currently tearing it up on NBC’s "Bring The Funny" and who had a memorable turn on "Modern Family". She’s been involved in show-business since she was 10 as a voice on the radio-drama "Prairie Home Companion". Erica’s newest comedy album is "Sad Lemon" and she’ll explain how she settled on the title after a little crowdsourcing. The guests will discuss classic music

Go Fact Yourself is coming to Chicago! Join us on August 9 & 10 at Sleeping Village. Visit gofactyourpod.com for tickets and details. Our patented mind-control techniques compel you to hear this episode of Go Fact Yourself! Jamie Kennedy is a comedian and actor. He’s spent most of his life working in film and television with some big names like Frank Oz and David O. Russell. But how did he decide that he wanted to spend his life in Hollywood? It all goes back to his minor background role in a classic Robin Williams film. Jamie Kennedy can be seen in the upcoming film Ad Astra. Jamie will face off against a frequent collaborator of his: comedian Melissa McQueen. These days, she’s known for wearing sequins and sparkly outfits while performing on comedy stages across the country. But she’ll tell us about how she used to work to help other people perform on stage… as a karaoke KJ. The guests will chat about government secrets, child-actors and the value of passing on deceased relatives' clothing. What’s the D

  Go Fact Yourself is coming to Chicago! Join us on August 9 & 10 at Sleeping Village. Visit gofactyourpod.com for tickets and details. Cristela Alonzo is a comedian and former guest on Go Fact Yourself. This week, she’s stepping in as the co-host! Her new book "Music to My Years" will be out in October. Jessica McKenna is known for the podcast "Off Book" where she and her co-host Zach Reino improvise a full musical with special guests… even if the guests aren’t totally aware of what’s going on when they first join the program. Jessica is also a voice-artist who’s cornered a very specific portrayal: scrappy ten-year-old boys. She’ll explain what’s behind her expertise. Jessica will face off against someone who also knows a lot about musicals: actor Anthony Rapp. He was part of the original cast of Rent and now stars on the CBS show "Star Trek: Discovery." You could say he’s a pretty accomplished guy, but he’ll tell us about his formative years where he got some unsolicited advice from legendary stage ac

It’s Go Fact Yourself…. IN SPAAAAACE! Or at least with a lot of discussion about space, plus tons of comedy and trivia! Gaby Dunn is the author of the book Bad With Money and the host of the podcast of the same name. That makes her something of an authority on personal finance. And her findings on commerce are supported by some conspiracy theories that are equally insightful. Opposite Gaby is comedian Dwayne Perkins! His star has risen in recent years with him getting his own comedy special. That success has earned him a lot of love from his peers… and just a hint of resentment as well. You can find Dwayne on the podcast Movie Night. Our guests will talk about money, sitcoms and iconic supporting actors. What’s the Difference: Colors What’s the difference between purple and violet? What’s the difference between a tint and a shade? Areas of Expertise Gaby Dunn: The TV show “Law & Order: SVU,” The OJ Simpson Trial, NASA’s Apollo Missions. Dwayne Perkins: Jay-Z lyrics, The TV show “Seinfeld,” Flavors of te

Are you a true fashionista? Are you surrounded by the lore of classic comics? Do you just want to laugh and learn some great trivia? Whether you check one or all of those boxes, this episode of Go Fact Yourself is for you! Mindy Sterling is an actor who’s perhaps best known for her role in the Austin Powers films. She’s also had several TV roles, earning her two Emmy nominations! The only problem was that those two nominations happened in the same year… and in the same category. You can find Mindy on Twitter and on Instagram. Mindy will face off against author and humorist Dylan Brody! Dylan has made a career out of being funny. But he’ll explain why that’s changed in that profession as he got older. These days, he’s also interested in helping other people overcome their creative barriers to make what they’ve always wanted. To learn more, go to his website. Our guests will discuss their passions, kitchenware and the finer points of telling jokes as a grown-up. What’s the Difference: Home on the Range What’s t

Dolphins and music and sports, oh my! It’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself! Margaret Cho is a comedian and actress, known for her role in "30 Rock" as Kim Jong-il, for which she received an Emmy nomination. Margaret is also heavily tattooed, but she’ll explain why she’s ready to slow down the body art now that she only has space on her bodies that would be painful. You can find her tour schedule on her website. Margaret will face off against fellow comedian and actor Jamie Kaler! He rose to prominence for his role in the TBS series "My Boys." He’s also a former Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He’ll explain why the punctuality he developed as a Navy man was a poor preparation for a career in Hollywood. Jamie can be found in the YouTube series "Dads in Parks" and the "Father Time" podcast Our guests will reminisce about their careers and answer trivia questions about marine life, basketball and celebrities from the ‘80s and ‘90s. What’s the Difference: Something fishy What’s the difference between a seal a

This episode of Go Fact Yourself is part of a balanced breakfast of trivia and comedy! Allie Goertz is a writer who hosts the fellow Max Fun podcast "Everything’s Coming up Simpsons". As if that didn’t give her enough funny things to surround herself with, she’s also the first woman editor for MAD Magazine! She’ll explain why even the silliest MAD content requires a lot of hard work. Allie faces off against Jason Stuart! He’s a comedian and actor. He’s appeared in a number of films like Birth of a Nation stars in the new TV series "Smothered." He’s always been openly gay in his showbiz career. But these days he says he’s, "only gay on the weekends." He’ll explain. Our guests will discuss breakfast, math and seminal "Saturday Night Live" films. What’s the Difference: Make it Count What’s the difference between a number and a numeral? What’s the difference between arithmetic and mathematics? Areas of Expertise Jason Stuart: LGBTQ History, Barbra Streisand, and breakfast cereal. Allie Goertz: The Beatles movies,

It might be the most highbrow episode of Go Fact Yourself yet! Suzy Nakamura is an actor who’s been seen in shows like "Dr. Ken" and "The Goldbergs". Her work has endeared her to a large number of fans, but she’ll explain what she’s had to correct them about an unfortunate number of times. Suzy’s opponent is Mark L. Walberg! He’s the host of shows like "Antiques Roadshow" and "Temptation Island" (and is not to be confused with the actor who shares his name). Mark will tell the story of how his son inadvertently helped him win another trivia game show, "The Weakest Link." Our guests will discuss minor league baseball, math, and traditional holiday ballet. What’s the Difference: Mean What’s the difference between "facetious" and "sarcastic"? What’s the difference between a median and a mean in mathematics? Areas of Expertise Suzy Nakamura: The Gutenberg Bible, the city of Chicago and Instagram cats Mark L. Walberg: The film Pitch Perfect, moonshine and ballet. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten He

This week’s episode of Go Fact Yourself features topics that are really scary and really funny! Dave Anthony is a comedian, but he loves making people think just as much as he loves making them laugh. He hosts the podcast "The Dollop" where he tells people about the U.S. history that they probably didn’t learn in school. That includes some less-discussed details about George Washington’s teeth. Dave’s opponent is Xeni Jardin! She’s the co-editor of one of the premier blogs on the internet: "Boing Boing". As someone who’s worked with websites for years, she’s got a lot of thoughts on what makes the internet such a great platform for conversation… and why it’s often not-so-great as well. Our guests will take deep dives into trivia, advocate for important causes and even get to meet a personal hero. What’s the Difference: Warship/Worship What’s the difference between a battleship and a destroyer? What’s the difference between a church and a cathedral? Areas of Expertise Dave Anthony: San Francisco Giants pitcher

Grab your favorite science-fiction novel and settle into your 1400's English outfit for this episode of Go Fact Yourself! Sara Schaefer is an accomplished comedian and writer. She won an Emmy for her time as a blogger on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." And yes, you can win an Emmy for blogging! But that was not her first Emmy nomination, that came during her time as a writer for a show that might help her out today: "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Sara's new comedy album "LIVE LAUGH LOVE" is available now. Sara's opponent is Kurt Braunohler! He's the host of the Los Angeles comedy show "Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen". These days, he's got a pretty great professional life, but that wasn't always the case. He'll recount some of the roughest parts of his career, including when he performed an hour of stand-up to an audience of three people. You can see Kurt in the Showtime series "Black Monday" As our guest's trivia prowess is pushed the limit, we'll learn more about the postal service, barnyard animals and the

In honor of the #MaxFunDrive, Go Fact Yourself presents a special network crossover! Guy Branum is a comedian and host of the podcast "Pop Rocket". He's also a pop culture savant, as detailed in his book My Life as a Goddess. If you want to know more about the pop culture he loves, you'll have to read the book… but he's happy to provide a glimpse through some of his answers today. His opponent is a fellow comedian for whom he has a lot of respect (and fear): Emily Heller! You can hear her as the host of the podcast "Baby Geniuses". Her show is all about explaining things. Today she’ll key in on a very important topic: Martha Stewart's barnyard animals. From personal heroes to classic television to the subtleties of regional coffee pot designs, this episode has it all. This show is directly funded by our Maximum Fun Members. As part of our annual #MaxFunDrive, you can sign up for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/donate to help support this and other Max Fun shows you listen to AND earn great gifts in

Our regularly scheduled episode has been moved to next week for the #MaxFunDrive. This mini-episode of Go Fact Yourself was recorded as part of a live open for Judge John Hodgman. First, Bailiff Jesse Thorn gives a warm welcome to the audience. Then J. Keith and Helen will share some laughs and get to know members of the crowd. After that, the games begin: Two rounds of “What’s the Difference?” featuring the following topics: What is the difference between a cruise ship and an ocean liner? What is the difference between a casket and a coffin? Finally, we’ll finish with a round of Fast Facts! Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell.

Fans of comedy, cars and Howard Stern rejoice: This episode of Go Fact Yourself is sure to delight! Shawn Pelofsky is a comedian whose special "Stretch It Out" is available now. She’s ready to be quizzed about her favorite things; But she’s also excited to share a personal experience with one of her greatest loves: Bette Midler. Shawn goes up against comedian Greg Fitzsimmons, who you can hear hosting two podcasts: "Ftizdog Radio" and "Childish." He tells us about why his brief time as an athletic swimmer helped his future career in the entertainment industry. The show touches on everything from cool janitors to chemistry to presidential prank calls. What’s the difference: Silent "E" What’s the difference between silicon and silicone? What’s the difference between whisky and whiskey? Areas of Expertise Greg Ftizsimmons: Classic Mustangs, President John F. Kennedy and antidepressants. Shawn Pelofsky: Howard Stern, the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" and gay culture. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith va

"The Simpsons," Quentin Tarantino and comedy come together on Go Fact Yourself! Sasheer Zamata is best known for her roles on "Saturday Night Live" and as the host of the variety showcase Sasheer Zamata Party Time. She’ll tell us about why a very... confusing invasion of her privacy has her so protective of her personal possessions. Sasheer will go up against actor Samm Levine, who you may know from the Quentin Tarentino film Inglorious Basterds. He’s also in the beloved, but short-lived, TV series "Freaks and Geeks." He’s heard from a lot of fans who say they wish that show hadn’t ended so abruptly. But good news: he’ll share his solution to keeping "Freaks and Geeks" going for just a little longer. What’s the difference: Space What’s the difference between a meteor and a meteorite? What’s the difference between a nook and a cranny? Areas of Expertise Sasheer Zamata: Beyonce, the films Kill Bill: Vol. I and Kill Bill: Vol. II and show choir. Samm Levine: The first three Die Hard movies, poker and "The Simpso

It's a collision of comedians on this episode of Go Fact Yourself! Scott Thompson is known for being part of the famed comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. How did he become a part of such a well-regarded group of funny people? Let's just say that it all started with a table full of donuts. He'll explain the rest. Scott faces off against comedian Jenny Yang. Growing up, she thought that she was destined for a career in political activism. But through a long road that included lobbying and poetry readings, she became a comedian and TV personality on the E! Network show "Busy Tonight". In this episode, we'll learn about timeless movie stars, city planning and the expansive network of UCLA alumni. What’s the difference: On the Water and Under the Ground What’s the difference between a cruise ship and an ocean liner? What’s the difference between a casket and a coffin? Areas of Expertise Jenny Yang: LA city planning, social justice leaders and Taiwanese food. Scott Thompson: James Dean, the show “Keeping up with t