Games

No Brains, No Lightbulbs: A Trivia Podcast

Trivia Mafia co-founders Chuck Terhark and Sean McPherson have lived and breathed trivia for 19+ years as the leaders of one of the biggest trivia companies in the country. Join them as they hang out with amazing writers/players and personalities from the Trivia Mafia universe and play trivia, ask random questions and generally bring a little bit of the trivia night into your earbuds.

Latest Episodes:

I Thought There Would Be More Boos: Halloween Trivia with a Horror Lover Oct 31, 2026

Show notes

Happy Halloween. This episode has ghouls, ghosts, candy, and John Burgess. Burgess runs Purgatorio Video: YouTube's hottest (and only) short-form Horror Host show set in a video rental store in the afterlife. He also left handwritten notes inside the tape cases of a video store's entire horror collection. He's a hoot at parties and he makes a mean soup.

Trivia rounds:

A Halloween Trivia Playlist

Trivia Night Massacre!

A Man Synced

Hollow Wee

➡️ Answer the Homework Question! ⬅️

😱 🔪 Check out Purgatorio Video on YouTube!

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Insufficient No More: Trivia with a Cottage Cheese-Eating King Oct 24, 2026

Show notes

Peter Goldberg bikes way too much, but he did give a technologically enhanced 3x diaper to his wife as a birthday gift. He's won multiple cottage cheese eating contests and he knows his elements. He's a listener who had the misfortune of earning a dubious nickname at our live show last summer, so we invited him on to clear his name. And boy, did he!

Trivia rounds:

(02:18): Blues Clues

(20:20): Build a Bike Workshop

(27:50): The Period Table

(45:10): Alphabet Snakes (Music Edition)

➡️ Answer the Homework Question! ⬅️

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

In with the Arctic Foxes: Trivia with Sean's Dad Oct 17, 2026

Show notes

Michael McPherson is a nationally known economist and a locally known father of Steve and Sean McPherson. He knows an uncomfortable amount about higher education and Sean McPherson. He's written more books than his kids ever will.

Trivia rounds:

(02:56): Battle of the Sexes

(19:57): Like Father, Unlike Son

(26:24): Difficult Questions About the History of Higher Education

(36:20): State a State

(48:35): The World Series

➡️ Answer the Homework Question! ⬅️

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Whip it Well: Trivia with a Friendly Grammar Nerd Oct 10, 2026

Show notes

Mary O'Regan wants to be friends. And she wants you to walk around the lake with your neighbors. But don't worry, she's got advice that'll help you. And she's very well at grammar.

👬 Follow Mary on Insta and improve your friendships!

Trivia rounds:

(00:52): It Happened 30 Years Ago, KQ Edition

(03:18): If They Played in the NFL

(18:02): Copyedit the World

(24:35): Classic Rock Friends

(39:24): Misplaced Foods

➡️ Answer the Homework Question! ⬅️

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Britpop Blind Spot: Trivia with a Radio Whisperer Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Steve Nelson probably made your favorite radio station or podcast better. He's been a COO at Lemonada Media, and a programming executive at National Public Radio and Minnesota Public Radio. He can juggle.

Trivia rounds:

(03:24): Who You Gonna Call?

(18:02): Get to 2000

(31:31): Call Letters

(47:01): Let Us Get Serious About October 3

➡️ Answer the Homework Question! ⬅️

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

As Immobile as a Restaurant: Trivia with Sean's Brother Sep 26, 2026

Show notes

Steve McPherson is almost 50 years old. He wrote the theme song for No Brains, No Lightbulbs. Those are the big headlines but if you want to know what else he's up to, you can find him writing The Glean, an awesome newsletter at MinnPost, and playing in the bands Big Trouble, 120 Minutes, and Catfish Blue. He's a gem. We made Steve ask some trivia questions and we tested his knowledge of people who are as equally ancient as he is.

Trivia rounds:

(02:45): Stupid Answers

(27:20): Trivia in Reverse

(41:54): People as Old as Steve

(55:15): SOS Trivia

➡️ Answer the Homework Question! ⬅️

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Mentioned in this episode:

Country Cabin Vol 3 Read Down

What Mr. Ouch Means to Me: Trivia with an Artist and Writer Sep 19, 2026

Show notes

Andy Sturdevant is an artist and writer whose creative output is every bit as voluminous and titillating as his facial hair. The author or co-author of four non-fiction books, Andy is also the proprietor of Birchwood Palace Industries, an independent publisher of zines, newsletters, found art, and reference chapbooks. We tested his knowledge of 20th-century U.S. politics and Twin Cities dive bars, which tells you something about his range. We also played a couple of fun rounds about movies and women’s suffrage, and learned about the finer points of partying with monks.

Trivia rounds:

(02:38): Let’s “C” a Movie

(19:49): Tic-Tac-Trivia

(26:55): Watering Holes of the Twin Cities

(52:00): Women’s Suffrage

Buy Andy’s latest book, “Keep Clear: Scenes of Injury and Death in International Safety Signage,” right here!

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Just Don't Call Him a Gym Teacher: Trivia with a Physical Educator Sep 12, 2026

Show notes

Today's guest is Will Johnson! But he's cool with you calling him Wilber. Proudly bald, Will is a long-time Trivia Mafia host and player, a kickball team whisperer, and a physical education teacher who's ensuring that, while future generations might be terrible at trivia, at least they'll be good at dodgeball.

Trivia rounds:

(03:35): Thesaurus Abuse: Video Games

(18:50): Jim Class

(26:55): E-M-O Bands

(48:10): Never Forget/Spellcheck

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Stay Away from My Wife, jeremy messersmith! Trivia with a Singer-Songwriter Sep 05, 2026

Show notes

Today's guest is jeremy messersmith, debonair Twin Cities singer-songwriter who may or may not be radioactive. The man can wear a pair glasses, and he knows his Star Wars, his ukulele, and his Bible, which is great because that's what we asked him trivia questions about. He also shared his favorite potato preparations and his dastardly plans to seduce Sean's wife and honestly that all sounds just fine.

Trivia rounds:

(02:11): "C" Food

(19:35): Stop with the "Uke" Already!

(24:30): Biblically Speaking

(31:20): Blurt!

(44:54): The 49 Days of Liz Truss

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

No Notes for Sharks: Trivia with a Music Director Aug 29, 2026

Show notes

Today's guest loves long count-offs, pianos over guitars, and basketball. Joshua "Jellyfish" Williams is an awesome musician and bandleader, supporting the likes of Dessa and Lady Midnight. Now watch him squirm as we make him shoot baskets while making him play basketball trivia!

Today’s trivia rounds:

(01:50): Alma Mater Rhyme Time

(14:45): Mystery Round

(22:27): Basketball Trivia

(44:37): Last Name Round Up

👉 No Brains, No Lightbulbs is a trivia podcast produced by the world’s greatest trivia company, Trivia Mafia, in the great state of Minnesota.

📍 Find a Trivia Mafia trivia night near you!

📥 Sign up for “The Morning Rounds,” Trivia Mafia’s amazing daily Trivia trivia newsletter!

🫶 Join our Patreon for exclusive member perks and other goodies!

Mentioned in this episode:

Country Cabin Vol 3 Read Down