Go Fact Yourself

Practice that evil laugh -- it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Saladin Ahmed is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer who prides himself on showcasing truly lived-in worlds. He says that whether you're writing a story set in the Marvel universe or Detroit, the little details matter. But he’s also helped affect things in our world too -- like when he helped call out some racist art on a box of Corn Pops. You can find Saladin’s creator-owned imprint at copperbottle.net.

Talia Lavin’s writing has appeared in The New Yorker and The Washington Post. But her most well-known work may be the viral joke that she made as a contestant on “Jeopardy.” That wasn’t the only time she took a big risk either; she’ll tell us about the time that she catfished a white supremacist dating site. Talia’s book about that adventure, Culture Warlords, is available now. 

Our guests will face off in a trivia battle about timeless nerdy inspirations.

What’s the Difference: Pain in the Butt

What’s the difference between “tortuous” and “torturous?”

What’s the difference in the function of the anus and the rectum?

Areas of Expertise:

Saladin: Mythological monsters, 20th Century American poetry, and action figure cartoons of the 1980s

Talia: The TV show “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” author Terry Pratchett, and the “Monkey Island” video games

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Saladin Ahmed

Talia Lavin

With guest experts:

Alan Oppenheimer, actor, who has appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies for over six decades -- including as Skeletor!

Denise Crosby, actor and producer whose numerous film and television roles include playing

Lieutenant Tasha Yar (and her daughter) on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

Go Fact Yourself and Depresh Mode with John Moe got together to celebrate MaxFun Block Party!

If you enjoyed this conversation we had with host John Moe, be sure to subscribe to Depresh Mode with John Moe on maximumfun.org.

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

Listener beware, you’re in for a scare -- It’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Roxane Gay is an award-winning writer and culture critic. Her books and blogs feature tons of biting insight that’s endeared her to millions of readers. Her best advice for aspiring professional writers? Be relentless. She’ll explain that and why she still has blind spots when people ask her for the answers to their problems. You can also see Roxane’s writing in her newsletter, “The Audacity.”

Ricky Duran is a singer-songwriter who first made a name for himself on the NBC show "The Voice" in 2019. The show is all about joining up with one of four professional musicians to both win the show and help with your career. Ricky will tell us what he got from his mentor, Blake Shelton who still helps him to this day! Ricky’s new single “Waiting on You” is available now.  

Our guests will answer trivia questions about childhood movies that could thrill, chill and delight!

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 74174.

What’s the Difference: Sure Shot

What’s the difference between “ensure” and “insure"?

What’s the difference (to a bartender) between a jigger and a shot?

Areas of Expertise:

Roxane: 1990s hip-hop, the movie Pretty Woman, and the fictional world of Clive Cussler novels.

Ricky: Slasher movies, planets of our solar system, and Jimi Hendrix.

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Roxane Gay

Ricky Duran

With guest experts:

Heather Langenkamp, award-winning actor and producer, whose many credits include playing the lead character in A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Laura San Giacomo, award-winning actor, whose many credits include the shows “NCIS,” “Just Shoot Me,” and the film Pretty Woman.

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here -- It’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Bridger Winegar is a writer and podcaster who’s worked on shows like “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Since he started as a Production Assistant, he knows the early parts of show business are pretty thankless; so he does his best to be helpful to those just starting out-- even if he’s sometimes a little too helpful. He’ll tell us all about that and why it was hard to interview his former boss on his podcast “I Said No Gifts!”

Ginny Hogan is a comedian whose writing has appeared in The Atlantic and The New Yorker. Between her writing and her work in the condiment industry, you could say she’s done it all… so why can’t she use her real name as her twitter account? Her greatest accomplishment might be her research blog where she analyzed the profiles from all of her online dates and discovered some startling revelations about herself. Ginny's scripted podcast “Yes We Mustard” is available on Audible. 

Our guests will answer trivia questions about great music of the 1990s and a great show of the 2000s!

What’s the Difference: Minnie Driver!

What’s the difference between “small” and “little”?

What’s the difference between all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive?

Areas of Expertise:

Bridger: The movie Clifford 1990s Power Pop, and Utah Cuisine

Ginny: The TV show “Gilmore Girls,” The history of Facebook, and Sobriety Memoirs

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Bridger Winegar

Ginny Hogan

With guest experts:

Dan Wilson, Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and performer, who helped lead the 1990s power pop movement with Semisonic.

Keiko Agena, actor, from “Gilmore Girls,” whose recent credits include “Better Call Saul” and “Prodigal Son.”

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

Note: due to technical difficulties, J. Keith’s audio sounds worse than usual. We’ve taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

Grab your Batmobiles and thingamabobs, it’s a new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Nina West is a drag performer who won Miss Congeniality on the TV’s “Rupaul’s Drag Race.” Since then, she’s focused on making kindness her brand -- especially since she’s got such a massive audience of kids watching her work. Nina’s also taking part in a national tour of the musical Hairspray later this year.

Brandon Collins is a film critic, comedian and podcaster. You can hear his reviews on the podcast “Medium Popcorn,” where his critique eventually got the show recognized by rogerebert.com and Rotten Tomatoes. Brandon also hosts the podcast “Drunk Black History” where he showcases under-discussed black historical figures -- and if you support the show on Patreon, he’ll even arrange for a certain celebrity to call and say thanks.

Our guests will answer questions about heroes from Disney, comic books and history!

What’s the Difference: Car Sick!

What’s the difference between the purpose of shocks and struts?

What’s the difference between a sign and a symptom when referring to illness?

Areas of Expertise:

Nina: 1990s Disney Animated Movies, The musical Wicked, and Columbus, Ohio.

Brandon: The movie The Dark Knight, Why Scream is the best horror film ever, and Googling

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Nina West

Brandon Collins

With guest experts:

Ron Clements and John Musker, award-winning film directors, who spent over three decades at Disney.

Eric Roberts, multiple Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated actor.

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

We’re getting the band back together and playing the hits on a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Kitty Felde fills in for Helen Hong as our special guest host for this week! She was previously a guest on episode 51.

John Fugelsang can be heard every weekday on SiriusXM radio as the host of the show “Tell me Everything with John Fugelsang.” He’s interviewed tons of guests from different industries for years. So what’s the secret to having great conversations with people? It all comes down to practice -- and learning how to find someone’s geek zone. 

Thao Nguyen is a songwriter, whose newest album “Temple” is out now. It was actually inspired by something that was truly special to her: her first trip to Vietnam with her mom. She’ll tell us about why the journey was so meaningful -- plus, how her onstage performance helps with her road rage issues. 

Our guests will answer trivia questions about sobs, jobs, and Bobs!

What’s the Difference: Life and Death

What’s the difference between an autobiography and a memoir?

What’s the difference between grieving and mourning?

Areas of Expertise:

Thao: The author Toni Morrison, Making vegan Phở, and 1990’s “Entertainment Tonight”

John: The Godfather films, The Beatles after their breakup, and Jesus.

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Kitty Felde

John Fugelsang

Thao Nguyen

With guest experts:

Laurence Juber, multiple Grammy-winning composer and musician, who worked with several Beatles.

Bob Goen, television personality whose storied career includes hosting several game shows,  pageants, and “Entertainment Tonight.”

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

Drop a dope beat and lock it in your pocket, it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Alison Leiby is a comedian who’s written for successful shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” But for all her success at making people laugh, she’s actually really interested in horror… but not enough to actually watch any scary movies herself. She’ll explain more about how this led to her podcast “Ruined.”

Alison faces off against her fellow comedian Seán Devlin. He really enjoys performing pranks -- both for laughs, like when he was part of the team that put together Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, and to affect political change, like when he helped wall off a Canadian Prime Minister from his work to make a point about food shortages. Seán’s debut comedy album “Airports, Animals'' is available now.

Our guests will answer trivia questions about freshwater mammals, fresh beats and a fresh prince!

What’s the Difference: Rare Earth!

What’s the difference between something being “rare” and something being “scarce?”

What’s the difference between the ingredients in garden soil and potting soil?

Areas of Expertise:

Alison: Otters, Mid-Aughts celebrity tabloid culture and  gossip blogs, and “The Soup” episode of the TV show “Seinfeld” (NOT “The Soup Nazi”).

Seán: The Toronto Raptors, The TV Show “The Office,” and the career of Will Smith.

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Alison Leiby

Seán Devlin

With guest experts:

Dr. Nicole Duplaix, senior instructor at Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences and the founder of the International Union of Conservation for Nature’s “Otter Specialist Group.”

DJ Jazzy Jeff, actor, producer and hip-hop pioneer. 

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

Break out the hotdish -- it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Trace Beaulieu is best known for his time as one of the major creative forces behind the film-riffing series “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Between working on that show and being nominated for two Emmys, he’s gotten more than his fair share of Hollywood. Still, he’s glad he decided to move back to his home state of Minnesota, where he can still catch a fish in the St. Croix river whenever he wants.Trace is still riffing on movies with his latest project “The Mads.”

Trace will compete against his fellow Minnesota resident: musician and playwright Jonatha Brooke. She’s got a lot of experience creating content for a live audience.That includes the play My Mother has 4 Noses which, appropriately enough, her mother inspired her to write. Like any performer, she’s missed the energy of a live crowd. To help settle that longing a little, she’s performed over 50 COVID concerts on YouTube… even if she’s had to get creative to make the audience feel real.

Our guests will answer trivia about royalty, hot dogs and cute cows.

What’s the Difference: High Anxiety!

What’s the difference between “your majesty” and “your highness” when addressing royalty?

What’s the difference between fear and anxiety?

Areas of Expertise:

Jonatha: The TV show “Schitt's Creek,” the Twitter account @M_Crouton, and Cults.

Trace: Monty Python, Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s Monster, and Minnesota Cuisine.

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Trace Beaulieu

Jonatha Brooke

With guest experts:

Crouton, the most popular resident of Squirrelwood Equine Sanctuary, who has over 60,000 followers on Twitter.

Beth Hyman, co-founder of Squirrelwood Equine Sanctuary who rescued Crouton and helps run his popular Twitter account.

Andrew Zimmern, Emmy and James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer, teacher and social justice advocate.

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

David Pogue is an Emmy-winning “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent and an author who’s written over 100 books (mostly covering science and technology). That’s given him some special insight; like why published tech instructions are so terrible. David’s newest book is “How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos” and believe it or not, it’s actually a really hopeful read!

David will compete against his colleague and fellow Emmy-winner from “CBS Sunday Morning,”: actor and writer Nancy Giles! She’s been seen on Broadway and in plenty of movies, but a lot of people may actually have heard her work elsewhere -- as the voice for medicine commercials. Nancy also has a podcast called “The Giles Files.”

Our guests will discuss the magic of movies, superheroes and witches!

What’s the Difference: Eggs-cuse Me!

What’s the difference between an omelet and a frittata?

What’s the difference between “excuse me” and “pardon me?”

Areas of Expertise:

David: Movie special effects, The Electric Light Orchestra album “Out of the Blue,” and Steve Jobs.

Nancy: “The Bob Newhart Show,” sitcom second bananas of the 1960’s, and black hair products from the 1970s (not including the horrific Jheri Curl).

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

David Pogue

Nancy Giles

With guest experts:

Colin Chilvers, director, producer, author and special effects pioneer, who earned a BAFTA

and an Oscar for his work as Director of Special Effects on the movie Superman. (or was it Superman: The Movie?)

Erin Murphy, actor, TV host, writer, and autism advocate... who played Tabitha on the TV show “Bewitched.”

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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

You can watch a video version of this episode! Follow us on social media (@gofactyourpod) and send us a direct message to receive the link.

In space, no one can hear you trivia! This brand new Go Fact Yourself was recorded as part of Politifact’s  “United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking.”

Hari Sreenivasan is an anchor and senior correspondent for "PBS Newshour." As a journalist, he’s dedicated most of his professional life to helping viewers understand facts from fiction. But even before that, he used to watch the news for another reason: to help his parents learn English. 

Hari’s opponent is fellow broadcaster Jessica Yellin. She began her career as a journalist with the goal of one day becoming a White House correspondent -- which she accomplished! Now she’s got a new goal: delivering “calm news” through Instagram to provide information without a panic attack. 

What’s the Difference: Just the Facts

What’s the difference between “assume” and “presume?"

What’s the difference between proof and evidence in a court of law?

Areas of Expertise:

Hari: TV shows about Mars, current events on Mars, baking chocolate chip cookies.

Jessica: David Bowie, the TV show “Dynasty” and how to do makeup in the car.

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Hari Sreenivasan

Jessica Yellin

With guest experts:

Katie Stack Morgan, research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who’s currently a Deputy Project Scientist on the Mars 2020 rover mission.

Linda Evans, award-winning actor, writer and speaker who played Crystal Carrington on “Dynasty.”

Go Fact Yourself was devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith van Straaten, in collaboration with Maximum Fun. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Vaccine-getting by YOU.

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