Go Fact Yourself

***Listen to GFY on the radio!***
You can now hear the show LIVE on the radio in the Los Angeles area on NPR station LAist 89.3 FM. You can also stream the show live around the world at LAist.com (Click the big “Listen” button at the top of the page.)

Airtimes: Saturdays at 10am & 5pm. Sundays at 8pm. (All times Pacific)

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Let's nosh on a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Barry Sonnenfeld is a legendary filmmaker, responsible for directing films like the Men in Black series. He’s also the author of the new book, Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time. He’ll tell us a few stories from the book, including the iconic film that he passed up on and why sometimes success is all about having the right equipment.

Jackie Tohn is an actor, whose newest show, “Nobody Wants This,” is a huge hit on Netflix. Jackie is longtime friends with the show’s lead, Kristen Bell. She’ll tell us about the special banter they’ve developed over the years. 

Areas of Expertise

Barry: The film The Long Goodbye, Golden Oldies (or Olden Goldies), and  Swanson TV dinners of the 60s and 70s

Jackie: The film Little Shop of Horrors, “The Howard Stern Show,” and Jewish food. 

What’s the difference: Rookie Mistake

What’s the difference between a rookie and a beginner?

What’s the difference between a mistake and an error?

With guest experts:

Marc Canter: co-owner of the iconic LA restaurant Canter’s Deli.

Robert and Paul Cowsill: Members of musical group The Cowsills, who had eight singles in the top 100 during the 1960s.

Hosts: 

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

***Listen to GFY on the radio!***
You can now hear the show LIVE on the radio in the Los Angeles area on NPR station LAist 89.3 FM. You can also stream the show live around the world at LAist.com (Click the big “Listen” button at the top of the page.)

Airtimes: Saturdays at 10am & 5pm. Sundays at 8pm. (All times Pacific)

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Walk off with a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Josh McDermitt is an actor best known for his time playing Eugene on “The Walking Dead.” The role endeared him to a massive fanbase; but he’ll tell us about a humbling experience when he went to buy his character’s figurine. Josh was also an expert on episode 145 of “Go Fact Yourself.”

Sierra Katow is a comedian, who until recently was also a freelance coder because – surprise! – comedy isn’t always the most lucrative career. Sierra will tell us more about that, as well as her podcast on the MaxFun network, “TV Chef Fantasy League.”

Areas of Expertise

Josh: Country music from the 1990s, the 2010 Green Bay Packers who went on to win Super Bowl XLV, and Kirk Gibson’s game-winning home run from Game one of the 1988 World Series. 

Sierra: Season 3 of the animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” the book The Grapes of Wrath, and famous English bulldogs.

What’s the difference: Agree to Disagree

What’s the difference between consent and assent?

What’s the difference between a disagreement and a dispute?

With guest experts:

Steve Sax: Former Major League Baseball player and 2x World Series champion.

Michaela Jill-Murphy: Voice actor known for voicing the character Toph in “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

Greg Baldwin: Voice actor known as the second voice of Uncle Iroh in “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

Hosts: 

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

***Listen to GFY on the radio!***
You can now hear the show LIVE on the radio in the Los Angeles area on NPR station LAist 89.3 FM. You can also stream the show live around the world at LAist.com (Click the big “Listen” button at the top of the page.)

Airtimes: Saturdays at 10am & 5pm. Sundays at 8pm. (All times Pacific)

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Trivia is the sweetest thing on a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Sherry Cola has appeared in shows like “Good Trouble” on Netflix and films like Joy Ride. But she actually got her start on the radio, thanks to Carson Daly. She’ll tell us why it was a bit of a humbling, but important, experience and explain why she’s not a competitive person. 

Greg Proops is an actor and comedian, perhaps best known for his years on “Whose Line is it Anyway?” His new comedy album, Purple Shasta Raccoon, is available now. He’ll also tell us how he came up with the title for his last comedy album, French Drug Deal, and why he decided to improvise his entire set. You can hear Greg on his podcast “The Smartest Man in the World.”

Areas of Expertise

Sherry: The film A Walk to Remember, the film The Sweetest Thing, and the San Gabriel Valley.

Greg: The San Francisco Giants of the 1980s, Keanu Reeves in the movie Point Break, and Alexander the Great as a tween. 

What’s the difference: Speak Freely

What’s the difference between to speak and to talk?

What’s the difference between something free and something on the house?

With guest experts:

Chili Davis: Three-time World Series Champion and member of the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame.

Roger Kumble: Screenwriter, playwright, and director of The Sweetest Thing

Thomas Jane: Actor, known for films like Boogie Nights, The Punisher and The Sweetest Thing.

Hosts: 

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

At long last, the radio debut of Go Fact Yourself is upon us! 

On Saturday, October 12th at 10 a.m. Pacific, you can tune in to LAist 89.3 FM if you’re in the Los Angeles area; and if you’re anywhere else in the world, just go to LAist.com and click on the button at the top that says “Listen.”

And while you’re listening, go to GoFactYourPod.com to chat along J. Keith, Helen, and other listeners to celebrate the big day. 

The episode will re-air Saturday at 5 p.m. Pacific and Sunday at 8 p.m. Pacific.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye on 

GoFactYourPod.com/liveshows

 to find out more about our upcoming shows in Pasadena before the end of the year.

Welcome, foolish mortals, to a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Aida Rodriguez is a comedian who’s known that she wanted to perform ever since she was doing Richard Pryor impressions as a child. You can stream her comedy special “Fighting Words” on Max, which features not just her jokes, but also an intimate look at her family. You can also find Aida on tour. 

Cory Doctorow is an author who was extremely busy during the height of the pandemic – he wrote a total of nine books, including one that was the end of a saga that he hadn’t published yet. He’s also known for popularizing the term “Ensh*ttification” about how big tech has made the services they provide worse than ever. Cory’s latest book, The Bezzel, is out now.

Areas of Expertise

Aida: Norman Lear sitcoms, the Prince album Purple Rain, and Puerto Rican slang.

Cory: The Disney ride The Haunted Mansion, anti-war chants of the 1980s and ways to get robbed in Geneva, Switzerland. 

What’s the difference: Fixer-upper

What’s the difference between to renovate and to remodel?

What’s the difference between a summit and a peak?

With guest experts:

Susan Rogers: Record producer with several multi-platinum albums, including Purple Rain.

Kat Cressida: Voice artist who’s worked on video games, movies, and TV shows … and in Disney’s The Haunted Mansion ride. 

Hosts: 

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

It’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself that’s totally bossa nova!

In this episode…

Guests:

Taran Killam was a six-year cast member of “Saturday Night Live” and has performed in more dramatic material like the film 12 Years a Slave. He also sang on Broadway as King George in Hamilton and won big as a contestant on “The Price is Right!”

Jen Kober is a comedian and actor who’s been expanding into some really colorful fields: She appears on the “The Mandalorian,” and now performs as part of “Mad Apple,” a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas. She’ll tell us more about those projects and how her upbringing in the South colors everything in her life. Check out Jen’s new stand-up special, “No Flies on Me.”

Areas of Expertise

Taran: Frank Capra, Batavia’s Graveyard, and The 1990 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Jen: The TV show “Roseanne,” the Encyclopedia Brown book series, and political strategist Lee Atwater’s work from 1980 to 1991.

What’s the difference: Perfect pitch (or pitch perfect)

What’s the difference between perfect and flawless?

What’s the difference between pitch and tone?

With guest experts:

Bobby Herbeck: Film producer and screenwriter known for 1990s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film.

Robby Rist: Actor, whose work includes voicing Michaelangelo in all three Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle films. 

Michael Fishman: Actor, producer, and director, best known for playing D.J. in “Roseanne.”

Hosts: 

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

It’s a brand new joyful joyful episode of Go Fact Yourself!

In this episode…

Guests:

Lisa Ann Walter endeared herself to an entire generation for her role in The Parent Trap. She was so grateful to embody such an iconic character and never expected to impact audiences like that again… but then she got her role on “Abbott Elementary.” She’ll tell us more about her varied career and how her mom helped her win “Celebrity Jeopardy!” 

Tre’vell Anderson is a writer and journalist who’s been busy: they published not one, but TWO books in the same year. One, We See Each Other, explores the seminal moments of black and trans people in film and television; the other, Historically Black Phrases, covers some famous lines from the culture like “Do you got McDonald's money?” You can also hear Tre’vell on the podcast “What a Day.”

Areas of Expertise

Tre’vell: The film Sister Act 2, the trans pioneer Lucy Hicks Anderson, and Madea – the character played by Tyler Perry, particularly in the plays. 

Lisa: Oscar-nominated films before 1975, Fleetwood Mac lyrics, and ballroom dancing.

What’s the difference: flexible flier

What’s the difference between flexible and pliable?

What’s the difference between a zeppelin and a blimp?

With guest experts:

Bill Duke: Actor and filmmaker, known for appearing in films like Commando and Predator and for directing films like Deep Cover and Sister Act 2.

Anna Trebunskaya: Dance champion and 11-time pro on “Dancing With The Stars.”

Hosts: 

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

J. Keith shares an update on Go Fact Yourself's upcoming radio debut on NPR station LAist 89.3 -- plus a preview of our debut episode!

Starting September 14th, you can look forward to the show on the radio regionally and online globally --  Saturdays at 10 AM and 5 PM and Sundays at 8 PM (All Pacific Time)

Credits:

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun’s Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Co-Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our next live-audience shows in LA by YOU!

It’s trivia for the whole family on this episode of Go Fact Yourself! 

In this episode…

Guests:

Negin Farsad is a comedian and host of the comedy and news podcast, Fake the Nation. Her career has taken her on some pretty interesting journeys – including an actual psychedelic trip. She’ll tell us about that and why she thinks humanity is actually a lot of fun right now.

Shane O’Neill writes The Style Memo newsletter for The Washington Post (which you can sign up to read for free). He’ll provide some insights into the link between power and style, what it’s like to write for such a big audience and why he’s thrilled that fat pants are making a comeback. 

Areas of Expertise

Negin: The TV show “Modern Family,” what to do with a kid in New York City, and Paris.

Shane: The B-52s, Sandra Bernhard, and the history of New York nightlife from Studio 54 to the present. 

What’s the difference: petrified forest

What’s the difference between fossilized and petrified?

What’s the difference between a forest and the woods?

With guest experts:

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons: actor, best known for playing Lily on the show “Modern Family.”

Sandra Bernhard: performer, actor, singer, and author, now touring her one-woman show, Easy Listening.

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 showsin LA by YOU!

Go for gold with this Best of the Olympics special of Go Fact Yourself! 

In this episode…

Erin Foley from ep. 72

Heidi Gardner from ep. 78

Denise Crosby from ep. 108

Liz Miele from ep. 110

George Hahn from ep. 135

Ify Nwadiwe from ep. 145

Frank Turner from ep. 154

With guest experts:

Julie Heldman: Olympic Gold Medalist and one of women’s tennis’ Original Nine. Her book, Driven: A Daughter’s Odyssey, is available now.

Des Linden: two-time US Olympian, world-record holder in the 50k, and winner of the Boston Marathon.

Tara Lipinski: Olympic Gold Medalist and member of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Kimberly Vandenberg: Olympic Medalist swimmer with Team USA.

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 shows in LA by YOU!