Go Fact Yourself

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 tea. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Gaby Dunn Dwayne Perkins With guest experts: Amy Shira Teitel, space flight historian, author and YouTuber. Larry Thomas, Emmy-nominated actor who’s appeared on the TV shows “Scrubs,” “Arrested Development” and “Seinfeld.” Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 the difference between an oven and a range? What’s the difference between a deer and an antelope? Areas of Expertise Mindy Sterling: How to put on makeup, decorating your apartment and "Project Runway." Dylan Brody: Nikola Tesla, Korean Martial Arts and the John Byrne/Chris Claremont era "X-Men" comics. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Mindy Sterling Dylan Brody With guest experts: Kentaro Kameyama, fashion designer who won season 16 of "Project Runway." Chris Claremont, New York Times bestselling author and writer of the bestselling comic book issue of all time. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 and a sea lion? What’s the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise? Areas of Expertise Margaret Cho: Korean revenge movies, YouTube beauty wars and The Beach Boys Jamie Kaler: The Dirty Harry film series, the basketball player Larry Bird and potty training. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Margaret Cho Jamie Kaler With guest experts: Gary Holland, longtime high school basketball coach, whose players included Larry Bird. Gary Griffin, keyboardist, vocalist and music producer who’s played with The Beach Boys. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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, the film Wayne’s World and giving advice. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Allie Goertz Jason Stuart With guest experts: Penelope Spheeris, director of films such as The Decline of Western Civilization parts 1, 2 and 3 and Wayne’s World. Mikal Vollmer, cereal box collector, lecturer and historian and creator of the online zine about breakfast cereal Free Inside. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 Helen Hong Suzy Nakamura Mark L. Walberg With guest experts: Stephen Tabor, rare book curator for the Huntington Library. Bianca Bulle, principal ballerina for Los Angeles Ballet. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 Madison Bumgarner, why Halloween is better than Christmas and climate change. Xeni Jardin: Golden retrievers, the film Blade Runner and marijuana. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Dave Anthony Xeni Jardin With guest experts: Doctor Alex Hall, director for the UCLA center for climate science. Tommy Chong, comedian, writer, actor and cannabis activist. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 two Coreys.What’s the difference: Mail/MaleWhat’s the difference between certified mail and registered mail?What’s the difference between a bull and an ox?Areas of ExpertiseSara Schaefer: Joni Mitchell, crafting and Tudor EnglandKurt Braunohler: Science-Fiction literature, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and movies that feature both Coreys Haim and Feldman.Appearing in this episode:J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Sara Schaefer Kurt BraunohlerWith guest experts:Dr. Muriel C. McClendon, UCLA professor whose area of research is Tudor England.Larry Niven, author of numerous science-fiction books, including the Ringworld series.This episode is sponsored by CA Trusts.Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles.Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 the process! What’s the difference: Coffee/Coughy What’s the difference between a teapot and a coffee pot? What’s the difference between phlegm and mucus? Areas of Expertise Emily Heller: The TV show "Frasier", the musical group Indigo Girls and how to have a good time at Disneyland. Guy Branum: Academy Award nominees for best actress, the TV show "30 Rock" and grains. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Guy Branum Emily Heller With guest experts: Emily Saliers, Grammy Award winning musician and one-half of Indigo Girls. Margaret Cho, comedian and actress. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 van Straaten Helen Hong Greg Fitzsimmons Shawn Pelofsky With guest experts: Leslie Kendall, chief historian of the Petersen Automotive Museum. John Melendez comedian and author of the book "Easy For You To Say". This episode is sponsored by CA Trusts. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

"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 Simpsons" seasons 3-9. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Sasheer Zamata Samm Levine With guest experts: Cat Thomas, award-winning costume designer for film and television. Jay Kogen writer for "The Simpsons" This episode is sponsored by The Big Quiz Thing and the Maximum Fun Jumbotron program. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

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 the Kardashians” and condiments. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Jenny Yang Scott Thompson With guest experts: Dylan Sittig, community-focused urban and environmental planner for the city of Los Angeles . Peter Winkler, author of the book The Real James Dean: Intimate Memories from Those Who Knew Him Best. This episode is sponsored by Scott Langteau's new children's book Sofa Boy and the Maximum Fun Jumbotron program. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

It’s a trivia mix of film, TV and the internet this week on Go Fact Yourself with two of the creative forces behind Netlfix's “Mystery Science Theater 3000!” Elliot Kalan is a newly published children’s author of the book Horse Meets Dog. He’s also the host of fellow Maximum Fun podcast The Flop House. The show is all about discussing bad movies, but Elliott’s made sure that that never impacts his love of great films… even if he can only watch them on his iPad these days. Facing off against Elliott is actress Felicia Day. She’s most known for creating and starring in the online series The Guild. She’ll tell us all about some of her favorite topics and explain some of things she’s learned as she navigates motherhood. In this episode, about 90’s sitcoms, classic films and the everlasting star-power of dinosaurs. What’s the difference: Intention and Prevention What’s the difference between “purposely” and “purposefully”? What’s the difference between “cease” and “desist”? Areas of Expertise Elliott Kalan: Dinosaurs, Alfred Hitchcock, and Abraham Lincoln. Felicia Day: The TV show “Dharma and Greg”, the board game “Settlers of Catan,” and baking cookies. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Elliott Kalan Felicia Day With guest experts: Veronica Cartwright, actress who has had roles in films like Alien and The Birds. Alan Rachins, actor who’s had roles in series such as “L.A. Law” and “Dharma and Greg.” Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Happy National Trivia Day! Let’s celebrate with a collision of journalists who also host podcasts! Cara Santa Maria is the host of the podcast Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria. She’s also a science communicator and there’s a chance that her proficiency in STEM will lead her to victory in this trivia battle. Her opponent is Glen Weldon, panelist on NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. He’s written the book on Batman and Superman (literally) but will that knowledge be enough to guide him to victory? In this episode, we’ll learn about fashion, drag queens and art with deceased creatures. What’s the difference: Top and Bottom What’s the difference between a shirt that is “button-up” and “button-down”? What’s the difference between “below” and “under”? Areas of Expertise Cara Santa Maria: Hold ‘em poker, the artist Christopher Marley and the Olive Garden menu. Glen Weldon: Wine tasting, Rupaul’s Drag Race and Catherine O’Hara. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Cara Santa Maria Glen Weldon With guest experts: Christopher Marley- international artist. Brian Firkus- actor, singer and embodiment of drag-queen Trixie Mattel. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Nerdy media of the past and present collide on this edition of Go Fact Yourself! Lea Thompson is an actress, perhaps best known for her role in the classic Back to the Future series. But lately, she’s developed a reputation for losing reality TV competitions to such illustrious pop culture fixtures like Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong and Alfonso Ribiero. But she’s ready to end that trend on this show! Competing against Thompson is Sandeep Parikh, star of the series The Guild. Growing up, he worked really hard to learn about things that would help him fit in and make friends. Luckily, that helped him gain knowledge that could help him win today's game. In this episode, we’ll learn about classic Hollywood movies, baseball and the color green. What’s the difference: Green What’s the difference between “jealous” and “envious”? What’s the difference between a grove and an orchard? Areas of Expertise Sandeep Parikh: The Boston Red Sox, Hindu Mythology, and the film The Princess Bride. Lea Thompson: Roseville Pottery, designing houses and the film Harold and Maude. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Sandeep Parikh Lea Thompson With guest experts: Dan Shaughnessy, sports columnist for the Boston Globe. Ellen Greer, actress who’s appeared in more than 100 projects across movies, television and theater. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

It’s the very first couple-edition of Go Fact Yourself! Wil Wheaton is an actor, writer and geek-culture legend. He’s been in everything from Star Trek: The Next Generation where he starred as the character Wesley Crusher, to his YouTube series TableTop. He’s glad to come onto the show and answer trivia questions about his interests; but he also is eager to prove that he knows these subjects well enough to stump the hosts too. Competing against Wil is Anne Wheaton, author of the children’s book Piggy and Pug, which is as adorable as the title makes it sound. The book also reflects her background as an animal lover, which has shown in her professional life as well as her personal one. Anne also happens to be married to Wil. In this episode, we’ll learn about secrets from classic arcade games, musical theater and how Anne and Wil met and fell in love. What’s the difference: High or Low What’s the difference between “altitude” and “elevation”? What’s the difference between “less” and “fewer”? Areas of Expertise Anne Wheaton: 1980’s Arcade games, Atari 2600 video-games and puns. Wil Wheaton: 1980’s Arcade games, Atari 2600 and baking sourdough bread. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Wil Wheaton Anne Wheaton With guest experts: Gene Lewin, owner of Vintage Arcade Superstore. Owen Rubin, game designer who helped make classic arcade games for Atari. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Go Fact Yourself has returned to Los Angeles! Jordan Morris is a podcasting savant. For years he has endeared himself to listeners as one of the hosts of the Max Fun podcast Jordan, Jesse Go!. But these days, he’s getting more attention for the sci-fi/comedy show Bubble, which wrapped up its initial season (spoiler alert: he’s going to tease the future of the series in this episode). Completing our pair of podcasting guests is Alison Rosen, host of Alison Rosen is Your New Best Friend. She’s also the author of the book Tropical Attire Encouraged (and Other Phrases That Scare Me). She’s got a reputation of being very funny in her work, but also very warm in a way that encourages people to share personal insights with her. But that’s not what makes her successful. What is? Well… she’ll explain In this episode, we’ll learn about the Harlem Globetrotters, sweet treats and prehistoric poop. What’s the difference: Feast or Famine What’s the difference between “ice cream” and “gelato”? What’s the difference between “to deny” and “to deprive” when referring to food? Areas of Expertise Jordan Morris: The Simpsons, the La Brea Tar Pits, and the 90’s third-wave ska revival. Alison Rosen: In vitro fertilization, The Facts of Life, and analogies. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Jordan Morris Alison Rosen With guest experts: Dr. Mairin Balisi, National Science Foundation postdoctoral research fellow. Gloria Loring, singer and actress. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at The Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

It's another episode Go Fact Yourself recorded in New York! Ophira Eisenberg is used to being on trivia shows as the host of NPR’s Ask Me Another. But here’s the thing: she doesn’t consider herself a trivia buff. Like, at all. That said, she’s chosen topics that she thoroughly understands… and most of them involve being a proud Canadian. Charles Busch is a Tony-nominated actor, playwright, and drag legend. He’s the creator of the film and play Die, Mommie, Die!, which will soon be produced as a radio show. Even though he’s spent most of his professional career performing in women’s clothing, he still finds some of the clothes a bit uncomfortable… but that’s one of the best parts of being an actor. In this episode, we’ll learn about street-building materials, fashion, and the undervalued cuisine of Canada. What’s the difference: The streets of New York What’s the difference between “cement” and “concrete”? What’s the difference between a “freeway” and a “highway”? Areas of Expertise: Ophira Eisenberg: Canadian Geography, Canadian food, and the film Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Charles Bush: Women’s fashion of 1930’s, The film Rosemary’s Baby, and Bette Davis Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Ophira Eisenberg Charles Busch With guest experts: Marcel Simoneau, owner of the Brooklyn-based Canadian restaurant Up North. Eugenia Paulicelli, professor and author of the book Fashion under Fascism. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show was recorded at Caveat in New York City. Theme Song by Jonathan Green Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

It's the first episode of Go Fact Yourself recorded in New York! Fashion stylist Stacy London is a New York Times Bestselling author. And for ten seasons, she was best known as the host of What Not to Wear on TLC. And while she still prides herself on being a fashionista, she insists her advice for others… but Helen still remembers when that wasn’t the case. Scott Rogowsky can be seen on the popular app-based trivia gameshow HQ. He’s also known for the theater talk show Running Late with Scott Rogowsky. It’s all helped him reach a level of fame that allowed him to fulfill a lifelong dream: play in the Celebrity softball game where he got to pitch against Shaquille O’Neil. In this episode, we’ll learn about the subtleties of cocktail ingredients, learn about how to have a proper “mid-life renaissance” and why sweet desserts are superior to savory ones. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between “Manhattan” and an “Old-fashioned” cocktail? What’s the difference between “Manhattan” and “New England” clam chowder? Areas of Expertise Stacy London: The best desserts in New York City, the film Tootsie and French existentialism. Scott Rogowsky: The show Seinfeld, Woody Allen movies and minor league baseball teams. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Stacy London Scott Rogowsky With guest experts: Christa LiTrenta, director of culinary training for Magnolia Bakery. Dick Cavett, actor and broadcasting legend. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at Caveat in New York City. Theme Song by Jonathan Green Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Maria Bamford is a comedian, and star of the Netflix series Lady Dynamite. She’s normally not one for small talk, but this podcast has just the right amount of organized conversation to make her feel comfortable. Grant Imahara is a former member of the B-Team on Mythbusters, and can currently be seen on Netflix’s White Rabbit Project. He’s a HUGE robotics fan. Why? Two words: Star Wars. In this episode, we’ll get an answer to what happens when a bull is actually let loose in a china shop and learn about the robots Grant has created--including a BB-8 that he has at his shop. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between “magma” and a “lava”? What’s the difference between “baking” and “roasting?” Areas of Expertise Maria Bamford: 12 step programs, self-help and pug aging. Grant Imahara: Star Trek, X-Men comics and “La Di Da Di” by Doug E. Fresh. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Grant Imahara Maria Bamford With guest experts: Dr. Christine Dresser, pug breeder and health liason for the Pug Dog Club of America. Gabriel Koerner, digital effects artist who appeared in the documentaries Trekkies and Trekkies 2. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Matt Besser is a comedian, actor, writer, director and founding member of The Upright Citizens Brigade. He also hosts the weekly podcast improv4humans. He tells J. Keith about the two word prompts he’s banned at shows (hint: one’s a type of fruit and the other is a type of animal), and how it came about that he’s featured on his very own Topps baseball card. Lyric Lewis is an actress and Groundlings Theater performer who’s perhaps best known for her role as Stef on NBC’s A.P. Bio. You may also recognize Lyric from Comedy Central’s Drunk History, and she tells us about an upcoming episode she did about “Cleopatra’s punk ass little sister”. In this episode, we’ll learn about how Matt adapted the visual format of improv to an audio-only medium, how Lyric used astrology to sort out potential dating prospects, and why Matt claims his memory is spotty, even though Lyric has a hard time believing him. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between “damping” and a “dampening”? What’s the difference between “club soda” and “seltzer?” Areas of Expertise Matt Besser: Arkansas cults, Arkansas Razorback football post-1978 and the film Repo Man Lyric Lewis: The film Jurassic Park, Greek mythology and astrology. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Matt Besser Lyric Lewis With guest experts: Debby Schriver, an author whose book Whispering in the Daylight: The Children of Tony Alamo Christian Ministries and their Journey to Freedom is about to become a documentary. Jody Duncan, the author of numerous books about the making of movies. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Glynn Washington is the host and creator of the public radio show Snap Judgment. Fun fact: He actually got his radio show started by winning a radio contest. Snap Judgment is all about “storytelling with a beat,” and, with a little help from Helen Hong, Glynn will explain why. Alison Becker is an actress who’s perhaps best known for playing Shauna Malwae-Tweep on Parks and Recreation (people still recognize her for it to this day). She’s also the star of the Max Fun Podcast Bubble. In this episode, we’ll learn about Glynn’s attitude towards producing quality stories, why puppets are a perfect way to combat social justice issues and Alison’s amazing moment where she made out with Jon Bon Jovi, one of her musical heroes. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between a “lake” and a “pond”? What’s the difference between an “arrowsmith” and a “fletcher?” Areas of Expertise Glynn Washington: The original Star Trek, the New King James Bible, Michael Jackson. Alison Becker: Divorce ranches, Seinfeld episodes, Bon Jovi. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Glynn Washington Alison Becker With guest experts: Jason E. Hill, Musician, puppeteer and former United Methodist Clergy. Theresa Iker, teacher of history at Stanford University. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Jodi Miller is a stand-up comedian and actress. She’s also known for her appearance on America’s Got Talent where she explained how guys are like cats. Her comedy album No Child Left Behind is available now. Tom Bergeron has been a fixture on ABC for decades, hosting shows like Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos. In this episode, we’ll hear about Jodi’s experience on America’s Got Talent and why her relationship with her cat might be an abusive one. We’ll also learn about Tom’s career as a host and a particularly embarrassing moment that he had to deal with on television. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between a “handrail” and a “banister”? What’s the difference between a “coat” and a “jacket?” Areas of Expertise Jodi Miller: The Exorcist, serial killers, and Jack Daniels. Tom Bergeron: Silent-film comedians, The Andy Griffith Show, and the curious casting history of The Wizard of Oz. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Jodi Miller Tom Bergeron With guest experts: ET Tecosky, U.S. Brand ambassador for Jack Daniels. Clint Howard, an actor with a 50+ year career, with appearances in recent project Solo: A Star Wars Story and the upcoming festival film Apple Seed. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Louis Virtel is a comedian and a co-host of the podcast Keep It. He’s also the winner of Jeopardy, whose Double Jeopardy celebration went viral shortly after it aired on TV. Laraine Newman returns to Go Fact Yourself, this time as a contestant. Newman is best known as an original cast member of the Not Ready for Primetime Players on Saturday Night Live, and she was a founding member of the legendary Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. If she sounds familiar to you, you may recognize her as the voice of Crab Lady on Sponge Bob Square Pants, Nana from Trollhunters: Tale of Arcadia and lots of other shows. In this episode, we’ll learn how Louis’s love of publicly answering trivia questions stems from a 3rd-grade spelling bee that he came up short in and why the winners of Jeopardy love keeping in touch with each other after their victories. Laraine will explain why she never tires of hearing people announce her name in the fashion of SNL’s Don Pardo, and how she decides what the voice of each of her characters sound like. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between a “thumbs up” sign and the “okay” sign in SCUBA diving? What’s the difference between a “Dead-End” and a “No-Outlet” on the road? Areas of Expertise Louis Virtel: Jeopardy, world capitals, and Aimee Mann. Laraine Newman: Electronic Dance Music, cooking, Universal horror movies from the 1930’s and 40’s Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Louis Virtel Laraine Newman With guest experts: Jerome Vered, writer and all-time winner of Jeopardy. Donnie Dunagan, U.S. Marine Corp Drill instructor and the voice of the titular character in the Disney movie Bambi. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Jonathan Ames created several TV shows, including Bored to Death and Blunt Talk. He’s also the author of many books, including You Were Never Really Here, which was recently adapted into a movie. Janet Varney stars in the TV show Stan Against Evil and hosts of the podcast The JV Corner. In this episode, we’ll learn about Jonathan’s experience with having his book transformed into a movie and why, for all his literary expertise, he still has trouble pronouncing certain words. We’ll also hear more about Janet’s involvement at the annual Sketchfest and why she enjoys talking to women about their awkward teen years. And both Janet and Jonathan wonder what Jodie Foster is up to while they are on stage. Is she watching TV with someone while getting a nice neck massage? We may never learn the answer to that question. But GFY listeners will learn other things by listening to this episode. What’s the difference? What’s the difference between a “Presidential Pardon” and “Presidential Commutation”? What’s the difference between “Avenge” and “Revenge”? Areas of Expertise Jonathan Ames: 1990’s New Knicks, Detective Novels/Noir Literature and the works of Pema Chodron. Janet Varney: Jodie Foster movies from the 1970’s to the 1990’s, New York Times crossword puzzles, Alt. Rock 1990’s bands Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Jonathan Ames Janet Varney With guest experts: Tom Nolan, crime novel reviewer for the Wall Street Journal and author of several books. Johnny Whitaker, actor who’s had roles in shows like Family Affair and General Hospital Go Fact Yourself is coming to New York for two live tapings on July 21st and 22nd at Caveat NYC! For information on guests and to buy tickets go to gofactyourpod.com. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Susan Orlean is a staff writer for the New Yorker and the author of books like The Orchid Thief. Paul F. Tompkins is a comedian whose voice you’ll recognize as the character Mr. Peanutbutter on Bojack Horseman. In this episode, we learn about why Paul can’t stop spoiling upcoming episodes of Bojack Horseman for his wife, and why he should be considered the king of coining new catchphrases. And we’ll also learn which animals in Susan’s life have been named after characters from Bojack(hint: not horses), and why it’s important to learn the title of an author’s book before interviewing her in a public forum. Plus, Susan explains more about her upcoming book and Paul discusses what makes him love podcasting so much. Do YOU Know the Difference? What’s the difference between a “Labyrinth” and a “Maze”? What’s the difference between “Distinguish” and “Discern”? Areas of Expertise Susan Orlean: Women’s fashion, 80’s music from the Congo and chicken husbandry Paul F Tompkins: SCTV, Neil Gaiman’s comic The Sandman and the film Jaws Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Paul F. Tompkins Susan Orlean With guest experts: Dr. Linnea Newman, Director of Global Technical director of poultry for Merck Animal Health Carl Gotlieb, Screenwriter of Jaws and author of The Jaws Log. Go Fact Yourself is coming to New York for two live tapings on July 21st and 22nd at Caveat NYC! For information on guests and to buy tickets go to gofactyourpod.com. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, we learn about the time Jackie Kashian’s father hit on Maria Bamford. It was at Jackie’s wedding. To find out how Maria reacted, take a listen. Also, if anyone books a guest-starring role on NBC’s Speechless, John Ross Bowie will not only have your back, but he’ll show you where the craft service table is on set. Plus, if you ever wondered, “What’s it like growing up in the Theater District in New York?”, you’ll soon find out. Do YOU Know the Difference? Areas of Expertise John Ross Bowie: The West Wing, Stephen Sondheim and 1986 New York Mets Jackie Kashian: Marvel Comics since 2004, romance novels, and chicken. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong John Ross Bowie Jackie Kashian With guest experts: Former baseball player and current podcaster, Bobby Ojeda. Comic book writer, Mark Waid. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, J. Keith van Straaten is reunited on stage with fellow thespian Andrea Savage. You may recognize Savage from her starring role on TruTV’s I’m Sorry, and dozens of Angelenos will recognize her from a junior high production of a pirate musical, which also starred J. Keith himself. Alas, Fred Willard did not appear in that seminal musical. He was probably off filming This Is Spinal Tap or SCTV at that time. In any event, fate brought Andrea Savage and Fred Willard together to compete for trivia supremacy. Do YOU Know the Difference? What is the difference between a bagel and a bialy? What is the difference between theater that is off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway? Areas of Expertise Fred: WWII-era Baseball, '50s Rock & Roll, Silent film history Andrea: Little House on the Prairie, Playing Poker, Talking to your kids about beginning puberty Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Andrea Savage Fred Willard With guest experts: Alison Arngrim, the New York Times bestselling author and actress known for playing Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie. Dr. Joe Price, Co-Director for The Institute for Baseball Studies at Whittier College. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green. David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, actor and comedian Drew Droege faces off against Chelsey Crisp of “Fresh Off the Boat”. We learn lots of interesting facts about Drew and Chelsey in this episode. Chelsey, now a vegan, recalls what it was like eating leeches on Fear Factor. Before Drew began starring in the Charles Busch play Die, Mommie Die!, he was most recognized for his Chloe Sevigny videos. Ever wonder what it’s like to achieve a certain level of fame doing impressions of someone even more famous...and then run into that person at a party? Droege does. On Go Fact Yourself, it’s not uncommon for the guest experts to be as accomplished as our guests, and Chelsey and Drew were thrilled to meet their respective experts. In fact, one of our experts shares some news about a certain French Canadian chanteuse that’s never been revealed in public before. Do YOU Know the Difference? What is the difference between a AMIABLE and AMICABLE? What is the difference between REFUTE and REBUT? Areas of Expertise Chelsey’s Crisp: Celine Dion music, Vegan Food, and Self-tanning tips Drew Droege: 1970s Movies, Serial Killers, “Saturday Night Live” Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Chelsey Crisp, Drew Droege, With guest experts: Laraine Newman Songwriter Michael Jay Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

This week, actress Edi Patterson and comedian Wayne Federman will go head-to-head, answering such biting trivia as the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard, the politics of Beverly Hills and the finer points of childbirth. It’s a competition as funny as it is eclectic! But first, Edi will explain how her time at the Impro theatre primarily leads to the creation of full-length, fully improvised plays (yeah with an intermission and everything). And Wayne will explain what it’s like teaching stand-up comedy… as an actual class at a University. Edi’s areas of expertise include The Lost Boys, Midsouth Championship Wrestling from the 1980’s and Howard Stern’s Sirius XM radio show. Wayne’s area of expertise includes films that have won the Academy Award for Best Picture, drummers who sing while drumming and fast-food. As always, listen to find out if your trivia knowledge surpasses those of our guests. J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Edi Patterson Wayne Federman With guest experts: Podcaster and pro-wrestling historian Jim Cornette. Box-office analyst and author of several books on movies Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

This week, radio host Stephanie Miller and Let’s Make a Deal’s Jonathan Mangum compete to determine who’s the facting champion of Go Fact Yourself! But before they show off their trivia prowess, they talk a little about who they are. Stephanie explains how she decided to channel her frustration with politics into a comedy tour and Jonathan discusses why he wants to continue producing Let’s Make a Deal forever, and the story behind why the show’s audience members and contestants wear crazy costumes. Stephanie’s areas of expertise include The Bionic Woman, Soul Cycle and cheap wines, beers and liqueurs from the 1970’s (her enthusiasm for one of these helped her outsmart J. Keith’s question format). Jonathan is knowledgeable about analogue keyboards, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Arc and World of Warcraft. Tune in to this episode to see if your knowledge of trivia surpasses those of our guests. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Stephanie Miller Jonathan Mangum With guest experts: Member of the Moog foundation Brian Kehew. Herbie J. Pilato, Executive Director of the Classic TV Preservation Society and author of The Bionic Book Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

This episode is SO MUCH FUN! Pete Holmes and Annabelle Gurwitch grace Go Fact Yourself with their wit, joy and, yes, abject frustration. And we learn fun facts about the performers. For example, Pete Holmes reveals that The New Yorker rejected his avocado cartoon, and calls into question the magazine’s editorial judgment. J. Keith reminds Annabelle Gurwitch that they both appeared in a pilot together that was so unmemorable...he had to tell her what it was. J. Keith Van Straaten and Helen Hong sink to new lows with questions like, “What’s the difference between a treaty and an accord?”, and “What’s the difference between arbitration and mediation?” It’s madness! In the end, we’ll find out which of our guests can be crowned the winner. Pete Holmes’ areas of expertise are Vegan Nutrition, Judd Apatow Movies, and Mad Men. Annabelle Gurwitch claims to know about Joni Mitchell's Blue, Commercials from the 1970s, and Secessionist Painters in Vienna. You know, painters like Gustav Klimt and Rudolf von Alt. Spoiler alert: Gurwitch does not get a chance to demonstrate her expertise of that subject. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Annabelle Gurwitch, New York Times bestselling author whose new book Wherever You Go, There They Are is available for purchase Pete Holmes, of HBO’s Crashing, just picked up for a third season With guest experts: Allan Havey, actor and comedian Rodney Allen Rippy actor and former fast food pitch man Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, we have the hilarious Lennon Parham of Playing House and the podcast Womp It Up . She faces off against TV & film’s Paul Scheer, who also co-hosts the popular movie podcast How Did This Get Made? J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong will test whether or not Scheer and Parham are as knowledgeable as they claim to be. Did you know that Paul knows a lot about Disneyland, parenting and Paw Patrol? He tries to prove his knowledge in at least one of those areas. And Lennon will get a chance to showcase her knowledge of one of the following areas: childbirth (unmedicated childbirth, to be specific), Michael Jackson and communicating effectively with a customer service rep. For anyone who struggles with customer service representatives, Parham shares one of her signature techniques. Do you want to see if you’re smarter than Scheer and Parham? Can you explain the difference between “expedient” and “expeditious”? What about the difference between “Great Britain” and “The UK”? Tune in to this episode to see if your knowledge of trivia surpasses those of our guests. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Paul Scheer Lennon Parham With guest experts: Jazz singer Paulette McWilliams Disney historian Joseph Titizian Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Julian Burrell Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, J. Keith and Helen play host to Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds) and Jason Kravits, who is very recognizable from his many many appearances on the big screen and the small screen, as well as Broadway. We learn that Kirsten considers herself an expert on Duran Duran, female sexual anatomy, and vegetarian food. Jason fancies himself an expert of intercontinental geography, crossword puzzles and Young Frankenstein. Will Kirsten be able to name the differences between apes and monkeys? Will Jason know the difference between “imply” and “infer”? Find out on this episode of Go Fact Yourself! Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Jason Kravits Kirsten Vangsness With guest experts: Lyndsey Parker, Author of the book Careless Memories of Strange Behavior: My Notorious Life as a Duran Duran Fan Actor Danny Goldman of Young Frankenstein Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Christian Dueñas Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, J. Keith and Helen play host to comedians Lizz Winstead and Alonzo Bodden. Lizz is the founder of Lady Parts Justice and was the co-creator and head writer of The Daily Show. Lizz’s topics of expertise were: fitted sheet folding, Scrabble, and the 1980s Minneapolis music scene. Winstead also demonstrates that loose lips sink...one’s chances to succeed at game shows. Alonzo won the third season of Last Comic Standing and is a regular panelist on Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! His areas of expertise are: Motorcycles, LA Clippers, Contemporary Jazz. Bodden shares tales from his time hanging out with elite soldiers, as well as elite musicians. It’s a really fun episode so pop your headphones on and enjoy! You can also enjoy this episode without headphones. Up to you. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Alonzo Bodden, Lizz Winstead, Co-creator and head writer of The Daily Show and Lady Parts Justice League founder With guest experts: Marcus Miller, Two-time Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist jazz fusion artist Alan Stern, former Guinness World Record Scrabble player and Director of NASPA Los Angeles Scrabble Club #44 Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Christian Dueñas Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, writer, comedian and International Waters host Dave Holmes competes against Save Ferris’ Monique Powell. Holmes shares his number one piece of advice for game show host newbies like J. Keith, and Powell tells us about her hard-partying ways on last year’s Warped Tour. Monique’s areas of expertise include: cat behavior, home remedies, and brisket. Dave’s areas of expertise are: Broadway musicals, beer commercials and Melrose Place. Before their professed expertise is put to the test, however, J. Keith Van Straaten and Helen Hong will ask if their guests can explain the difference between venom, poison, and toxin, as well as the difference between a homonym, a homophone, and a homograph. Do YOU know the difference? Find out! Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Dave Holmes, Host of International Waters and editor-at-large for Esquire Magazine Monique Powell of https://saveferris.com/ With guest experts: Jessica Morgan, TV-recap writer extraordinaire and co-founder of the celebrity fashion blogGo Fug Yourself Dr. Rachel Malamed, Veterinary Behaviorist Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Christian Dueñas Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, Maz Jobrani reveals how much he makes per episode on Superior Donuts, and Cristela Alonzo leads the audience in a sing along of one of her favorite songs. In What's the Difference, Cristela and Maz share their theories on the difference between eternal and everlasting, and prison and jail. Maz's claimed areas of expertise are: Iran, shaving one's head and bad accents. Cristela claims to know a lot about The Golden Girls, bad 1980s movies and 1980s Radio Hits. Who will triumph in this useless game of trivia? Find out! Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Cristela Alonzo, host of her new podcast To Be Continued Maz Jobrani, star of Superior Donuts With guest experts: Jim Colucci,Entertainment writer, radio reporter, editor at CBS Watch magazine and author of Golden Girls Forever Eliza Jane Schneider, Accent and dialect coach Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Christian Dueñas Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, comic book author and Moana screenwriter Pamela Ribon faces off against former Daily Show correspondent and host of The Frank DeCaro Show, Frank DeCaro. Ribon’s three areas of expertise are: The Goonies, The Outsiders, and Beastie Boys lyrics. DeCaro professes a deep knowledge of The Munsters, the original Batman TV series, and Broadway musicals. Who’s the better expert? Find out. Plus, J. Keith and Helen Hong ask the question that’s on EVERYBODY’S mind: What’s the difference between continual and continuous? If you don’t know the answer, drop everything and listen to the show. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Pamela Ribon Frank DeCaro With guest experts: Robert Skir, TV writer whose credits include X-Men Evolution, Disney's Gargoyles and Batman: The Animated Series. Jeff B. Cohen, Former Goonie and Cofounder of the entertainment law firm Cohen Gardner LLP. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. Theme Song by Jonathan Green David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher The show is edited by Christian Dueñas Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

In this episode, Ologies podcaster and CBS science correspondent for Innovation Nation, Alie Ward, and actor Phil LaMarr (Mad TV, Family Guy) are grilled about bugs, baseball and bicycles. Can either of our charming guests tell the difference between a layover and a stopover, or the difference between corned beef and pastrami? Can YOU? To find out, pop in your ear buds or tell Alexa to play Go Fact Yourself, and let hosts J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong increase your knowledge of useless trivia. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

It's the inaugural episode of Go Fact Yourself! Hosts J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong test whether comedians Jimmy Pardo ("Never Not Funny") and Beth Littleford ("Dog with a Blog") are as smart as they think they are about topics they love. For Jimmy, it's 1980s music, the band Chicago and Post-90s Chicago White Sox, while Beth professes in-depth knowledge of old school funk music, artificial sweeteners and therapy. Beth and Jimmy may say they know about these subjects, but DO they? To find out, J. Keith and Helen enlist the help of actual experts, and pepper them with fascinating, but useless, trivia questions about things they might know and things they should know along the way. Go Fact Yourself was devised by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, and produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun. The show is recorded at the Angel City Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. David McKeever is the Live Sound Engineer. Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher. The show is edited by Christian Duenas. Happy MaxFunDrive! Right now is the best time to start a membership to support your favorite shows. Learn more and join at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact