The Most Important Question

The Most Important Question

By Important, Not ImportantSociety & CultureScienceTechnology
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The Most Important Question episodes

  • Fun Talk: Made Two Kids On Purpose, Accidentally Made a Third

    It’s been a little while! Brian tried to quit over Slack while we were on vacation, but your love and adoration simply wouldn’t let him go. Want to say thank you? Check out his morning(ish) show on Instagram! Anyway, down to business — the business of Fun Talk.

    Quinn & Brian kick-off 2020 by chatting about sweating in the bathroom while you’re full of pasta, Brian’s cocktail menu, the things that can’t be unseen by health inspectors, fond memories of the Deadpool workout, Quinn’s Nutella-filled regret, naming the Mars 2020 rover, our thoughts on the various Star Warses that have come out, Brian’s upcoming Knapsack Comedy project, our friend Jim Mahoney’s Klaus beating Frozen 2 for an Academy Award, the whitemare fest that is the Oscars, and new habits in 2020.

    FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

    Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

    Links:

    • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
    • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
    • Laugh at some Knapsack Comedy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hpoxrlaz8I
    • Watch Klaus on Netflix: www.netflix.com/title/80183187
    • Read Sir Ian McKellan’s LOTR Journals: mckellen.com/cinema/lotr/990820.html
    • Connect with us:

      • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
      • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
      • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
      • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
      • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
      • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
      • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
      • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
      • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
      • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
      • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

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        44 min
      • Fun Talk: Brian as a Lounge Singer in the 40s

        We’re back after a short break (and before another break (blame Brian)) for a Holiday Fun Talk! Quinn & Brian chat about Brian’s sweet Canva skills, how bad Quinn’s ensemble looked when he wasn’t wearing his usual uniform, endeavoring to look adult-ish without ruining the environment, Brian’s could-have-been life as a 1940s lounge singer, drinking in the bad part of town, dodging the draft, the side salad that’s going to hold off smoker’s cough and lung cancer, watching the Watchmen and The Mandalorian, and what we’re doing next year.

        The wonderful lounge music used in this episode is Night Café by Dee Yan-Key.

        FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.


        Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

        Links:

        • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
        • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
        • Quinn’s 1943 soundtrack: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/1943/pl.u-MD16NuKW7k9
        • Connect with us:

          • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
          • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
          • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
          • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
          • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
          • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
          • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
          • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
          • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
          • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
          • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

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            Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
            39 min
          • Fun Talk: It Is The Epitome of Laziness & I Am Here For It

            Fun Talk is back, back again. Just a nice chat, with two friends. Fun Talk’s back, Fun Talk’s bac—

            That’s probably enough of that. But we’re just getting started! Because it’s been far too long since we’ve done one of these in person and we’re excited. So, to celebrate... well, we kind of just chat about the same shit as usual: what Brian would have done if we’d never started this show, different time travel theories and how they related to Back To The Future, the time travel theory we prefer to believe the world operates on, Ted Chiang’s new sci-fi short story collection, two podcasts that Brian thinks you should all be listening to, a scary thing that happened to Brian’s girlfriend on the way home from work, how technology is making sports watching even easier (read: lazier), why we are here for it, putting our awesome merch on sale for the Holidays, workshopping Quinn’s quick five minutes on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and what you can expect from the show in 2020.

            Oh, we also forgot to order lunch before this episode. So you can hear what we ordered in the middle, prepare it for yourself, and make this a fully immersive media experience. Like one of those movie theaters that shoots water at you, but with salad.

            FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

            Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

            Links:

            • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
            • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
            • Exhalation by Ted Chiang: www.amazon.com/Exhalation-Stories-Ted-Chiang/dp/1101947888
            • This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone: www.amazon.com/This-How-You-Lose-Time/dp/1534431004
            • Connect with us:

              • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
              • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size      content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
              • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
              • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
              • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
              • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
              • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
              • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
              • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
              • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
              • ---
                Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                47 min
              • Fun Talk: A (Second) Fairly Controversial Discussion About Breakfast Pizza

                Quinn & Brian chat abo— Hold up! Because today’s Fun Talk features our first Fun Guest, Seth Sanders, owner of Sunday Roast at The Pikey.

                The Fun Talk Trio chat about some Colin Kaepernick news, the craziness going on in Hong Kong, the Fleabag one-woman show, Fleabag season two being the best season of TV in recent memory, Brian’s drinking and driving PSA personally attacking one of our friends, why you should see Knives Out, and a two-person rebuke of Brian’s bad opinions about breakfast pizza.

                FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

                Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                Links:

                • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
                • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                • Sunday Roast: thepikeyla.com/sunday-roast
                • Connect with us:

                  • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
                  • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
                  • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                  • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
                  • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
                  • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
                  • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
                  • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
                  • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
                  • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
                  • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

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                    Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                    35 min
                  • Fun Talk: Where’s the 30 For 30 on Kris Kristofferson?

                    We’re all dressed up and ready to stay in because it’s time for Fun Talk! This week Quinn & Brian chat about Brian’s damn good new look, why he should never shave again, our plans for transitioning to seasonal episodes in the new year, our episode stats for 2019, Movember love, the incredible work of chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen in giving back to people affected by California wildfires, our Thanksgiving plans, all the things that can ruin Thanksgiving in your head, the Santa origin story Klaus coming out on Netflix, the wonderful Black List Live, Paul Rudd being awesome, Kris Kristofferson also being awesome, and very happy birthday wishes for Quinn.

                    FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

                    Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                    Links:

                    • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
                    • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                    • World Central Kitchen: wck.org
                    • Movember: us.movember.com
                    • Black List Live: blcklst.com/live
                    • Connect with us:

                      • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
                      • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
                      • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                      • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
                      • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
                      • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
                      • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
                      • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
                      • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
                      • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
                      • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

                        ---
                        Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                        38 min
                      • Fun Talk: Don’t Talk to Me About Fusion — It’s Called Brunch

                        Quinn & Brian hit the ground running with their critical thoughts on society’s “breakfast item” construct, why Brian is wrong about breakfast pizza, the largest wildfire in California history(?), Getting Things Done™, a once-in-a-generation Harry Potter reading experience, getting guilted into reading Harry Potter by your sister, live readings of Black List scripts, friend of the show Jim Mahoney’s new movie Klaus, what Quinn wants for his birthday, the best new game on Apple Arcade: What The Golf?, and the upcoming Star Wars TV show and movie.

                        FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

                        Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                        Links:

                        • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
                        • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                        • The 405 freeway shut down: www.scpr.org/carmageddon
                        • Connect with us:

                          • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
                          • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
                          • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                          • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
                          • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
                          • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
                          • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
                          • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
                          • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
                          • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
                          • ---
                            Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                            42 min
                          • #83: Knock Knock. Who’s There? Climate Change. Climate Change Who? Climate Change Pooped On Your Head. (A Conversation About Mangroves)

                            In Episode 83, Quinn & Brian discuss: Blue carbon, the patriarchy, and how one of those two things has ruined the other (we’ll give you three guesses).

                            Our guests are Dr. Sarah Myhre and Priya Shukla. Dr. Myhre is a leading voice in the fields of climate science, science communication, and public advocacy, as well as a Fellow with Project Drawdown and the Executive Director of the Rowan Institute. 

                            Priya is a PhD Student (AKA an almost-doctor) at UC Davis studying how climate change affects shellfish aquaculture operations within the coastal ocean, as well as a board member at The Rowan Institute and a Forbes contributor writing about ocean science.

                            Blue Carbon is not an upcoming sequel to the highly-underrated Deep Blue Sea or a spinoff of the Netflix show Altered Carbon. Rather, it’s our best chance of sucking carbon right out of the air, if the man doesn’t keep trying to keep it down. These two more or less cut us out of the conversation — as it should be when we’re talking to two people who actually know what they’re talking about — debating the merits of different solutions to healing our oceans and addressing the climate crisis. But(!) we do make a few jokes. So, you know, we’re doing our part too.

                            Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                            Trump’s Book Club:

                            • F*** You Very Much: The Surprising Truth about why People are So Rude by Danny Wallace & Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez: https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3R5XF4WMZE0TV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_2Gr8Ab6RS5WF3

                            Links:

                            • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]

                            • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message

                            • Sarahmyhre.com

                            • Sarah on Twitter: twitter.com/sarahemyhre

                            • Priyashukla.com

                            • Priya on Twitter: twitter.com/priyology

                            • Read Priya’s blog: www.forbes.com/sites/priyashukla/

                            • Connect with us:

                              • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!

                              • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant

                              • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant

                              • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant

                              • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com

                              • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com

                              • 1 hr 37 min
                              • Fun Talk: Start Your Day With ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody

                                We’re taking a brief break from our Virginia election push — check out Tuesday’s bonus episode for more info or go support Dr. Ghazala Hashmi now (ghazalahashmi.com) if you trust us blindly —for a Fun Talk!

                                This week, Quinn & Brian chat about the perfect music to start your day with, some silly hypotheticals, how Rolling Stone done did Whitney Houston dirty, Brian’s new favorite meal, an oopsie that we made, the fantasy basketball draft, a school project about the Emmett family history, jumping on the Parasite bandwagon, and preparing for the upcoming Star Wars premiere.

                                FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

                                Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                                Links:

                                • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
                                • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                                • Rolling Stone’s 100 Great Singers of All Time: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-147019/
                                • Connect with us:

                                  • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
                                  • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
                                  • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                                  • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
                                  • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
                                  • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
                                  • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
                                  • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
                                  • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
                                  • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
                                  • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

                                    ---
                                    Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                                    23 min
                                  • BONUS: Help Dr. Ghazala Hashmi Flip Virginia

                                    We’re interrupting your normally scheduled programming with a Special Election Report! So, today, Quinn & Brian ask: Will You Help Us Flip Virginia?

                                    Our guest is Dr. Ghazala Hashmi, an immigrant, educator, and mother who is running in the general election for Virginia State Senate District 10 on November 5, 2019 — just seven days after this episode airs! That means there are just seven days left to flip Virginia and make it blue.

                                    This is a special episode for us, and not only because we think Brian’s U.S. electoral map Halloween costume looks much better on him in blue (we’re thinking long-term here). Virginia is also Quinn’s home state and we have an opportunity to guide it towards a significantly more kick-ass future with women like Ghazala at the helm! So, if you don’t do it for the future of our nation and world, will you at least do something for Quinn?

                                    Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                                    Support Dr. Hashmi:

                                    • Donate to Dr. Hashmi RIGHT NOW: secure.actblue.com/donate/ghazalahashmiwebsite 

                                    • Learn more at ghazalahashmi.com 

                                    • Trump’s Book Club:

                                      • The Constitution of the United States of America: https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3R5XF4WMZE0TV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_2Gr8Ab6RS5WF3 

                                      Other Links:

                                      • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected] 

                                      • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message 

                                      • Connect with us:

                                        • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com! 

                                        • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant 

                                        • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message 

                                        • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett 

                                        • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken 

                                        • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp 

                                        • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant 

                                        • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant 

                                        • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com 

                                        • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com 

                                        • Important, Not Important is produced by Crate Media

                                          50 min
                                        • Fun Talk: It’s Like Robert Mugabe Died & Went to Asgardia

                                          To start today’s Fun Talk, let’s all wait for Brian to put his headphones in.

                                          ...

                                          Okay, now Quinn & Brian can start talking about an episode of the morning show that you can’t see anymore, your responses to our survey (the good, the bad, and the ones we don’t quite understand), Brian’s second attempt to take control of his life with Mint, a long-awaited update on the space nation of Asgardia, Quinn’s excitement for Star Trek: Picard, Brian’s excitement for Quinn’s excitement, Brian’s thoughts on Joker, looking forward to Movember, the adorable career aspirations of Quinn’s son, a speed theoretically faster than the speed of light, finding life on Mars in the 70s, an atlas of all the moons in the galaxy (that isn’t complete, yet), and some questions we have for you about the structure of this show.

                                          FYI: Fun Talk is when we talk about whatever we want, we don’t have a topic, and we stop whenever Brian gets tired. If you want to hear us staying on topic and pondering the many ways we are approaching world-wide catastrophe, check out the episodes that publish on Tuesdays.

                                          Want to send us feedback? Tweet us, email us, or leave us a voice message!

                                          Links:

                                          • Have feedback or questions? Send a message to [email protected]
                                          • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                                          • Booksmart soundtrack: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/333xuRZr7WYZUlsXes8v5p
                                          • Infinite Monkey Cage: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snr0w/episodes/downloads
                                          • National Geographic’s Atlas of Moons: www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/07/the-atlas-of-moons
                                          • Connect with us:

                                            • Subscribe to our newsletter at ImportantNotImportant.com!
                                            • Check out our Morning Show and other daily bite-size content on Instagram: instagram.com/ImportantNotImportant
                                            • Leave us a voice message: anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                                            • Follow Quinn: twitter.com/quinnemmett
                                            • Follow Brian: twitter.com/briancolbertken
                                            • Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImp
                                            • Like and share us on Facebook: facebook.com/ImportantNotImportant
                                            • Pin us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/ImportantNotImportant
                                            • Tumble us or whatever the hell you do on Tumblr: importantnotimportant.tumblr.com
                                            • Intro/outro by Tim Blane: timblane.com
                                            • ---
                                              Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/important-not-important/message
                                              41 min

                                            About The Most Important Question

                                            From the publisher's feed

                                            The most important question in today's world of climate chaos, AI psychosis, and crumbling democracy is: what can I do? Your host, Quinn Emmett is completely unqualified to answer it, so he's calling the people that already are.

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