Go Fact Yourself

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Comedy
**Go Fact Yourself**

Twice a month, host J. Keith van Straaten and co-host Helen Hong quiz the smartest celebrities they know to find out why they love what they love! Recorded before a live audience in downtown Los Angeles, this game show features comedians, actors, and musicians answering arcane questions on topics they claim to be experts in. But don’t worry; if they slip up, there are real experts on hand to give us the facts!

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 146.5 - Clint McElroy & Ella McLeod BoCo Preview! (#McsFunDrive) Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

Just say yes to a preview of the members-exclusive BoCo from Go Fact Yourself!

In the full episode…

Guests:

Clint McElroy is a former radio broadcaster and the father of the McElroy podcast siblings Justin, Travis, and Griffin. Clint is one of the voices behind “The Adventure Zone” podcast where he plays Dungeons and Dragons along with his sons. Clint will tell us what it’s like turning podcasting into a family business and what it’s like to turn an audio show into a graphic novel.

Ella McLeod is one of the hosts of “Comfort Creatures,” an animal enthusiast podcast. But that doesn’t mean that she’s in love with every animal. For instance, she’s not a fan of pigeons. Ella is the author of the upcoming book The Map that Led to You.

Areas of Expertise:

Clint: The musical Guys and Dolls, the TV show “Star Trek: The Animated Series,” and fantasy football.

Ella: Greek gods and goddesses, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Taylor Swift.

What’s the difference: Everyday Grind

What’s the difference between every day and everyday?

What’s the difference between a cup and a mug?

Experts:

Trey Fanjoy: Award-winning director, whose work includes several music videos for Taylor Swift.

You can see a picture of Clint McElroy with Taylor Swift on our showpage at Maximumfun.org

Faith Prince: Actor, whose legendary performances include winning a Tony award for Guys and Dolls (And who loves Michael Jeter’s Tony Awards performance).

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Supporting GFY in the MaxFunDrive by YOU – Go to maximumfun.org/join

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 146: Listener Tournament Finals: Ashley Pagnotta & Rich Permenter (#MaxFunDrive!) Mar 22, 2024

Show notes

This episode is part of The #MaxFunDrive! If you love Go Fact Yourself, please go to Maximumfun.org/join to become a MaxFun Member, or to upgrade or boost your existing membership. For a monthly contribution as little as $5 a month, you have a direct hand in helping this show continue.

Plus, you have a chance to BE on the show!

Happy #MaxFunDrive! We’ve got more fun and surprises for you than ever before. Listen to the pledge breaks for details on all the exciting stuff. And thank you for your support!

In this episode…

Guests:

Rich Permenter is a team leader at a large financial firm in Missouri. He’ll tell us how being a finalist in the Listener Tournament is the culmination of a lifelong love of trivia … at least until he gets on “Jeopardy!”. Rich was so dedicated to joining the podcast that he actually delayed a procedure for his son!

Ashley Pagnotta is a professor of physics and astronomy at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Her research focuses on the science behind exploding stars – which she says aren’t a problem for us here on Earth. Ashley is currently on sabbatical working on a new project: Astronomer in Residence at the Grand Canyon!

Areas of Expertise

Ashley: The Killer B’s of the 1990s Houston Astros, Formula One racing from 2018 to the present, and the movie Clueless.

Rich: The TV show “Boy Meets World,” 1980s baseball cards, and the band The Aquabats.

What’s the difference: A glimmer of hope

What’s the difference between to glimmer and to shimmer?

What’s the difference between a hope and an aspiration?

Experts:

Christian Jacobs: lead singer and founder of The Aquabats.

James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi: icons of auto racing and hosts of the Off Track with Hinch and Rossi podcast.

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Supporting

GFY in the MaxFunDrive by YOU – Go to maximumfun.org/join

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 145: Ify Nwadiwe & Laurie Kilmartin (#MaxFunDrive!) Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

This episode is part of The #MaxFunDrive! If you love Go Fact Yourself, please go to Maximumfun.org/join to become a MaxFun Member. For a monthly contribution as little as $5 a month, you have a direct hand in helping this show continue.

Plus, you have a chance to BE on the show!

Happy #MaxFunDrive! We’ve got more fun and surprises for you than ever before. Listen to the pledge breaks for details on all the exciting stuff. And thank you for your support!

In this episode…

Guests:

Ify Nwadiwe is a comedian, actor, and one of the hosts of Maximum Film!, which he and his co-hosts describe as “a movie podcast that isn’t just a bunch of straight white dudes.” On the show, Ify prides himself on getting to express his unique taste in film, like his opinion that Pacific Rim is a perfect movie.

Laurie Kilmartin is a former writer for “Conan” and one half of the podcast The Jackie and Laurie Show. Every week they discuss the state of women in comedy with their peers. Even though the industry still has a long way to go, they’re happy to report that things HAVE gotten better! Laurie’s new comedy special, “Cis Woke Grief Slut,” is available now.

Areas of Expertise:

Ify: MTV’s “The Challenge,” Black hockey players, and Godzilla.

Laurie: The TV show “The Walking Dead,” Living British royals, and the Irish Republican army.

What’s the difference: Drilling for oil

What’s the difference between a drill sergeant and drill instructor?

What’s the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil?

Experts:

Jordan Wiseley: Actor, athlete, and four-time champion of MTV’s “The Challenge.”

Josh McDermitt: Actor, famous for portraying Eugene Porter on “The Walking Dead.”

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Supporting GFY in the MaxFunDrive by YOU – Go to maximumfun.org/join

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Go Fact Yourself #MaxFunDrive Kick-off Spectacular featuring Danielle Radford, John-Luke Roberts, Brea Grant, and Mallory O'Meara Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

This special network wide event is a celebration of the MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join.

We’re kicking off the most exciting time of the year for the MaxFun Network with a trivia game show featuring hosts from tons of great podcasts.

J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong from “Go Fact Yourself” are joined by:

Danielle Radford - “Tights and Fights”

John-Luke Roberts -“Sound Heap with John-Luke Roberts”

Brea Grant & Mallory O’Meara -“Reading Glasses”

If you’d like to hear more hosts competing for trivia supremacy, visit Maximumfun.org for the full version of this show.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 144.75: Some Favorite Moments (and a preview of MaxFunDrive!) Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

In this special mini-episode, we look back on some of the first 144.74 episodes of Go Fact Yourself!

As we approach the beginning of the #MaxFunDrive, listeners and GFY staff discuss some of their favorite moments through the years – everything from meeting iconic actors, to literally bowing before your heroes, to personal connections in times of trouble.

Plus, we preview some of the special treats coming for you in this year’s drive – starting March 18!

In this episode…

Guests:

Listener Lyn on Bill Kurtis and John Ullinskey from episode 44.

Listener Bobby on Adam Ferrara, Ethan Russell, and Glyn Johns from episode 95

GFY sound engineer Dave McKeever on Ed Saxon from episode 120

GFY Editor and Associate Producer Julian Burrell on Jordan Morris and Yeardley Smith from episode 56

Helen Hong on Ryan Kalil, Yeardley Smith, and Anthony Daniels from episode 75

J. Keith van Straaten on Xeni Jardin and Tommy Chong from episode 34

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Supporting us in the MaxFunDrive and seeing our next live-audience show in Los Angeles by YOU!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 144.5: Best of Comic Books Mar 01, 2024

Show notes

Face front, true believers! It’s the Best of Comic Books special from Go Fact Yourself!

The superheroes of Marvel and DC comics are everywhere in pop culture, so it makes sense that a lot of our contestants over the years would choose them as their areas of expertise.

In this omnibus collection, you’ll hear from guests like John Hodgman and Jackie Kashian discussing characters like Spider-Man and the Legion of Super-Heroes.

In this episode…

Guests:

Jackie Kashian from episode 14

John Hodgman from episode 102

Dylan Brody from episode 38

Hal Lublin from episode 60

Myq Kaplan from episode 132

Experts:

Mark Waid: Comic book author who’s written stories for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Boom Studios.

Paul Levitz: Eisner and Inkpot Award-winning writer and editor, who was president of DC Comics and wrote The Legion of Super-Heroes for over a decade.

Chris Claremont: New York Times bestselling author and writer of the bestselling comic book issue of all time.

Matt Forbeck: New York Times bestselling author whose books include Captain America: The Ultimate Guide to the First Avenger.

Marv Wolfman: Legendary and award-winning comic book author and editor, whose career includes creating the character Black Cat for Spider-Man.

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience show in Los Angeles by YOU!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 144: Sarah Wayne Callies & Michael Yo Feb 16, 2024

Show notes

Remember it, write it down, take a picture: it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Krystina Arielle is a host and actor, currently fronting “Star Wars: The High Republic,” a multimedia series about stories from the franchise. She appeared on episode 105 of GFY and joins us today as guest co-host.

Guests:

Sarah Wayne Callies is an actor, perhaps best known for her roles in “Prison Break” and “The Walking Dead.” She recently launched Caliber Studios, a company devoted to creating podcasts. One of her first projects is her “Prison Break” rewatch series. It’s a big step for Sarah, but not just because of the new business venture; it’s also one of the few times she’s watched her own work.

Michael Yo is an emmy-nominated host, actor and comedian. His new special “I Never Thought” is streaming on YouTube. He’ll tell us about how his comedy has evolved over the years and the impact that his jokes have had on his parents. You can hear Michael Yo almost every day on Sirius XM.

Areas of Expertise:

Sarah: The sonnets of Edna St. Vincent Millay, lyrics from Paul Simon’s Graceland album, and the movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Michael: The movie Friday, the movie Gladiator, the 2001 Miami Hurricanes championship football season.

What’s the Difference:

No Strings Attached

What’s the difference between twine and string?

What’s the difference between attach and affix?

Experts:

Angela Means: Chef and actor, best known for her role as Felisha in the film Friday.

Stephan Elliott: Award-winning writer and director, whose work includes The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Krystina Arielle

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience show in Los Angeles by YOU!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 143: David Wilcox & Gretchen McCulloch Feb 02, 2024

Show notes

Trivia and podcasting are a love story for the ages on a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

David Wilcox is an award-winning singer and songwriter, who happens to be one of J. Keith’s very favorites. His lyrics showcase his passion for intense and often very personal storytelling, so personal that some people have commissioned him to write songs about their lives – with surprising results. David’s album My Good Friends is available now.

Gretchen McCulloch is a bestselling author and award-winning linguist. How did she discover how much she loved linguistics? It all started with a stolen book… and ended with her writing her own book. Gretchen is the host of the podcast Lingthusiasm, where she’s posed important questions to listeners like “Is frowning something you do with your forehead or your mouth?”

Areas of Expertise:

David: Donald Fagen’s album The Nightfly, model year changes on air-cooled Volkswagens from 1949 to 1973, and plumbing.

Gretchen: The YouTube show “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” the musical SIX, and unexpected recipes that you can make with rhubarb.

What’s the Difference:

Birds of a Feather

What’s the difference between a nest and a roost?

What’s the difference between denizens and citizens?

Experts:

Will Lee: Grammy award-winning musician, whose thousands of album appearances include The Nightfly.

Ashley Clements: Award-winning actor, who starred in “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” and hosts the YouTube show, “The Look Back Diaries”

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Show engineer is Dave McKeever.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next

live-audience show in Los Angeles

by YOU!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 142: Billy Gardell & Gina Yashere Jan 19, 2024

Show notes

Pod hearts a trivia show-la on a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Billy Gardell is one of the stars of the CBS sitcom “Bob Hearts Abishola.” He’s had an extensive career across film and television, but people are always surprised to learn that he’s also a comedian. He’ll explain. Plus, he’ll tell us all about his life-changing weight loss journey.

Gina Yashere is a comedian and writer who can also be seen on “Bob Hearts Abishola.” She was one of its creative voices behind the scenes. She’ll tell us about how she influenced the development of the show, including creating a role for herself.

Areas of Expertise:

Billy: The Pittsburgh Steelers, the TV show “The Honeymooners,” and marriage

Gina: Pickleball, 1990s hip-hop, and elevators

What’s the Difference:

Snob Hearts Gorgonzola

What is the difference between a “snob” and an “elite"?

What is the difference between “gorgonzola” and “blue cheese”?

Experts:

Ahmad: Hip-Hop artist who earned a Gold Record for the song “Back in the Day.”

James Farrior: All pro linebacker, two-time Super Bowl champion, and member of the Pittsburgh Steelers hall of honor

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience show in Los Angeles by YOU!

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joingofact

Ep. 141: Philip Bowen & Nafis M. White Jan 05, 2024

Show notes

It’s a hair-raising brand-new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Philip Bowen is a singer and songwriter. Many discovered him on the latest season of “America’s Got Talent,” where he played a System of a Down cover on… the violin. He’ll explain why his biggest competition on the show wasn’t from other musicians… but from dogs and children. Philip’s debut album “Old Kanawa” is out now.

Nafis M. White is an interdisciplinary artist. Her main medium? Hair! Check out her complex works that are held together only by bobby pins. She’ll tell us about how she considers the observer’s entire experience – including why the sounds, smells, and a place to sit. Nafis’s next exhibition will be in San Francisco at the Museum of the African Diaspora in March.

Areas of Expertise:

Philp: West Virginia University Mountaineers athletics, The Wheel of Time series, and coffee.

Nafis: Coach Prime Deion Sanders, Durand Bernarr’s Tiny Desk concert, and slime molds.

What’s the Difference:

Turf Tow

What is the difference between “turf” and “lawn"?

What is the difference between “tow” and “haul”?

Experts:

Jed Drenning and Owen Schmitt: Former West Virginia University athletes and hosts of the “In the Gun” podcast.

Durand Bernarr: Singer, songwriter, and producer.

Hosts:

J. Keith van Straaten