Go Fact Yourself

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.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member 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.

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