Shows
Quizzing in AmericaJeopardy Masters and Yogesh Raut and His Years Long Vendetta Against Me and Others In The Trivia CommunityJeremy Cahnmann is the owner of Brain Bash Trivia. Follow Brain Bash and follow Jeremy on Facebook and Instagram2025-04-301h 01
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 14, PQ (Bonus!)Contestants: Randall Eng, Andy Greeley, Ewan Munro, Ajay Parasuraman, Jeffrey Seguritan, Jayanthi SrinivasanICE to see you tune in for this latest Directors Set, one so fiendishly challenging that not one but two contestants are seriously considering renouncing their citizenship by the end of it! From a string of émigrés that causes one contestant to state "I'm all out of Hungarians" (incidentally the title of my second-favorite Air Supply song) to the multifaceted career of a fascinating polymath remembered today only for a (private) dick, this episode contains multiple intriguing factual journeys through the world of cin...2025-03-111h 02
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 13, N-NO (Bonus!)Contestants: Jonathan Mishory, Raghuveer Mukkamalla, Jack Rousseau, S. A. ShenoyJoin me and four brave playtesters — including one Zooming along the New Jersey Turnpike (not behind the wheel!) — who said "yes" to NO. Learn about a dizzyingly wide variety of filmmakers, from a professional pickleball player to the mother of rapper-turned-politician "Young Cardamom" to the man who invented the notion that zombies eat brains AND learn about my favorite stupid joke, my favorite Jeopardy! compliment, my favorite mystery novel that is better than either of its movie adaptations, and the director whose marriage I shall never forgive. All th...2025-01-0550 min
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 12, M1-M2-M3 (Bonus!)Contestants: Randall Eng, Jing Feng, Andy Greeley, Ewan Munro, Jeffrey Seguritan, Jayanthi SrinivasanWho needs Gukesh vs. Ding when you have Randall Eng and Ewan Munro duking it out for cinematic-quiz supremacy? But even as we all compete to mispronounce French names that being with "M," it is Jayanthi who comes out on top with the worst pun--uh, I mean, funniest joke of all. Sadly, those of you listening to this audio podcast won't get to see Ewan's dancing ... but that's all the more reason to join me in recording future episodes!Thanks to my pl...2024-12-221h 22
Recreational ThinkingJames Bond friendly (Bonus!)Contestants: Dan Blim, Randall Eng, Jayanthi Srinivasan, Ariel WatskyNOTE: This friendly includes 13 images that, for obvious technical reasons, cannot be included; therefore, this audio replay should not be considered a "pure" example of my work. Keep in mind that the contestants are not big James Bond buffs. If *you* are, and would like to play this friendly rather than listen to it, please contact me for the TSV and PDF files.As always, if you like what you hear, consider donating via Ko-fi or Patreon and remember to leave a review and/or rating on...2024-11-2950 min
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 6, H1-H2 (Bonus!)Contestants: Kelsey Barcomb, Mike Cheyne, Greg Fanoe, Patrick Friel, Miranda Onnen, Tucker WarnerNOTE: This is a free preview. Please subscribe to my Patreon to gain access to the rest of the alphabet.I've decided to release three bonus mini-sodes this Thanksgiving (of which this is the second). Enjoy!Six cinephiles gather in one Zoom room to show off their knowledge of directors with surnames beginning with "H." What happens next will educate and (hopefully) amuse you!As always, if you like what you hear, consider donating via Ko-fi or Patreon and...2024-11-2942 min
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 5, G1-G2 (Bonus!)Contestants: Kelsey Barcomb, Paige Feldman, Charlie Fritz, Cari Milowicki, Lindsay Sobczak, Tucker WarnerNOTE: This is a free preview. Please subscribe to my Patreon to gain access to the rest of the alphabet.Happy Thanksgiving! This free preview is what you get, as our six cinephile contestants test their knowledge of Radiohead's "Karma Police," Pretty Little Liars, Mission: Impossible, and even Unhappily Ever After in addition to every stripe of feature film imaginable, from the silent era to Bollywood to abstract British art movies that somehow influence How I Met Your Mother. As I say at...2024-11-291h 05
CrimePod CastleTragic Case of Nayana Pujari: A Fight for Justice and Women’s Safety | CrimePod Castle Ep12In Episode 12 of CrimePod Castle, we bring you the heartbreaking story of Nayana Pujari, a young software engineer whose life was cruelly cut short in Pune in 2009. This brutal crime not only shocked her family and community but also ignited a larger conversation on women’s safety and the lengths required to secure justice.🌆 A Promising Life Cut Short Nayana Pujari, a 28-year-old professional with dreams of a bright future, went missing on October 7, 2009. After leaving her office late, Nayana was abducted by a group of men, including a cab driver with ties to her workplace. What follo...2024-11-1716 min
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 11, L1-L2 (Bonus!)Contestants: Dan Burgess, Randall Eng, Ewan Munro, Jayanthi Srinivasan, Anupama SriranganNOTE: This is a free preview. Please subscribe to my Patreon to gain access to the rest of the alphabet.Five cinephiles gather in one Zoom room to show off their knowledge of directors with surnames beginning with "L." What happens next will shock and amuse you! (But mostly amuse.)As always, if you like what you hear, consider donating via Ko-fi or Patreon and remember to leave a review and/or rating on iTunes!https://www.patreon.com/recreationalthinking...2024-09-0352 min
Trek Time!Jeopardy Invades The Trek Time Charity Show!We are joined by 6 amazing Jeopardy contestants including Deb Bilodeau, Yogesh Raut, Yungsheng Wang, Jared Watson, Nicholas Cascone and Ray Lalonde as we talk about all things Jeopardy and Star Trek!
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*Trek Time is a 100% Charity Supporting Channel!*
Check Our Website: https://trek-time.com
Join The Discord: https://discord.gg/zKKHKwBB98
Follow Us On Twitch: https://twitch.tv/TrekTime
...2024-08-061h 34
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 10, K1-K2 (Bonus!)Contestants: Charlie Fritz, Andy Greeley, Lindsay Sobczak, Tucker WarnerNOTE: This is a free preview. Please subscribe to my Patreon to gain access to the rest of the alphabet.Four cinephiles (including our current OQL commissioner!) compete to show off knowledge of directors with "K" names. A "From the Vault" cut of these questions, featuring yet another Randall Eng vs. Ewan Munro showdown, will soon be released on my Patreon — along with a few more Directors Sets and a couple of Recreational Thinking Lite episodes!As always, if you like what you hear, consi...2024-06-1743 min
Recreational ThinkingRecreational Thinking Lite: Episode I (Bonus!)(Note: That's a letter I, not a number 1)Contestants: Ben Kitchen, Ewan Munro, Devin RossiterI recently recorded two new Recreational Thinking Lite episodes; the other (with Aaron Levine, Manas Sarma, and my Jeopardy! compatriot Andrew Whatley), will go up as a Patreon exclusive. But as I'm working through my editing backlog — a lot of new material, much of it featuring J! superstars, is coming — enjoy some quick bites of snackable content!https://www.patreon.com/recreationalthinkinghttps://ko-fi.com/recreationalthinking2024-06-1240 min
What Is...? A Jeopardy! PodcastWeek of March 11: Troy Boys and Ben FriendsThe Tournament of Champions final is HERE! After remembering Monday's Semifinal 3, we jump right into what was an absolutely chaotic first week in the "best of seven" Tournament of Champions final between Yogesh Raut, Troy Meyer, and Ben Chan. Yogesh has a costly wager in Game 1, Troy rides a huge Daily Double bid to a win in Game 2, Yogesh has a great game to get on the board in Game 3, and a dollar-perfect scenario happens in Game 4, where Ben is able to come from third-place to snatch a victory and a lead heading into the final games of the...2024-03-191h 17What Is...? A Jeopardy! PodcastWeek of March 4: Ike is Low-Key GoatedIt's another huge week in the Jeopar-verse, as Ike Barinholtz is the first Celebrity Jeopardy! contestant to be granted access into the vaunted Tournament of Champions...and wins a game! And he nearly wins another, as we recap the three quarterfinals and the two semifinals that took place this past week. Yogesh Raut and Ben Chan continue their impressive play, Troy Meyer puts together what is likely the strongest quarterfinal of any ToC player, and all your favorite segments are here as we take a look at the best responses and anecdotes of the week and Emily scours the...2024-03-121h 13What Is...? A Jeopardy! PodcastWeek of February 26: Tournament of ChaosIt's here! Join comedians and podcasters Emily Heller (Baby Geniuses) and John Cullen (Blocked Party) for the first episode of their new weekly comedy podcast about all things Jeopardy! The Tournament of Champions has started and we recap the first six games here, from the shocking eliminations of Cris Pannullo and Stephen Webb to a perfect game from Yogesh Raut and a dominating victory from Emily Sands...it's all here! We also reveal our favorite anecdote and response of the week, we scour the internet to find out what people are angry about, and the Final Jeopardy Deep Dive...2024-03-051h 16
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 7, HI (Bonus!)Contestants: Jing Feng, Andy Greeley, Randall Eng, Ewan MunroNOTE: This is a free preview. Please subscribe to my Patreon to gain access to the rest of the alphabet.Another little taste of my directors sets! This set, covering I's and some leftover H's, is one of my hardest, but Randall & Ewan and company are more than up to the task. Perhaps we'll hear these hardcore cinephiles on an all-cinema episode of Recreational Thinking in the not-so-distant future?As always, if you like what you hear, consider donating via PayPal or Patreon and rem...2023-12-1731 min
Recreational ThinkingDirectors Sets: Episode 2, C1-C2-C3-A (Bonus!)Contestants: Frederic Bush, Chris Miller, Greg Weinstein, Tucker Warner, Dan Blim (whole time); Cliff Galiher, Charlie Fritz (part of the time)NOTE: This is a free preview. Please subscribe to my Patreon to gain access to the rest of the alphabet.Welcome to my new series! Written by a serious cinephile (me) for an audience of cinephiles, these questions also work as a starting point for anyone who wants to learn about film for quizzing purposes AND anyone looking to go, as Pauline Kael put it, deeper into movies.Each game (of wh...2023-12-071h 45
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 46: Chrome Should Be a Parrot, Not a Color SchemeContestants: Meredith MacVittie, Ben Rothenberg, Nikhil SonejaFrom the semi-logical to the semiological, this episode examines the JAMES BOND phenomenon at all angles, turning a spyglass on the world's most famous spy. As we celebrate the rich legacy of the Bond franchise while also reflecting on its many problematic aspects, we additionally draw connections to geography, politics, probability theory, radical feminism, horse racing, the Olympics, Willy Wonka, Orson Welles, and of course gambling and music. Come to witness Ben's quest to become Recreational Thinking's first ever 3-time loser; stay for an abrupt downer ending that would be ri...2023-09-222h 26
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 45: Rickey Being RickeyContestants: Randall Eng, Doug Behrend, Darren MunkPlay ball! An episode recorded back in spring is ready just in time for the playoffs, and just like their favorite players, our baseball-loving contestants are all highly skilled contenders vying for a prestigious world championship! Well, okay, maybe it's not that prestigious, and it's definitely not a world championship (but is the World Series?), but it sure is fun to listen to and — assuming you're a fan of our national pastime — play along with as well. Oh, but is your favorite team or time period not represented? Feel free to submi...2023-09-112h 03
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 44: A Grotesque Monument to a Rich Man's VanityContestants: Erin Portman, Vince Bacani, Jimmy DavorenI love all my contestants equally, but the moment in this episode when one reasons out the *meter* of the correct answer using her knowledge of prosody is an all-time highlight. Really, though, there are standout moments from everyone in an episode that covers the 4 C's — curling, Catholicism, cookies, and chess — plus everything from Neil Gaiman to '70s sitcoms to some reminders of the stirring majesty of Hawaiian culture ... and then I make a series of increasingly vulgar puns and stan Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (not at the same time). So join f...2023-08-152h 33
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 43: Who Was the Hemingway of Luxembourg?Contestants: Michael Rankins, Dave Ross, Nikhil SonejaNa-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-BATMAN!!! And WONDER WOMAN!!! And GREEN LANTERN, plus FLASH!!! All your favorite DC superheroes and supervillains — okay, well, a decent selection of them — turn up in this topic-specific episode that spans the Golden, Silver, Bronze, and modern Ages of DC Comics. Plus, we cover the ABCs of science fiction. (I'm aware of their work.) So tune in! Come to find out how a magical Rick Springfield ties in to the Brady Bunch universe; stay to hear me pronounce ... "Schneitzhoeffer"?Enjoy what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and...2023-03-251h 57
Recreational ThinkingRecreational Thinking Lite: Episode A (Bonus, feat. "Jeopardy!" champion Matthew Marcus!)Contestants: Ben Bass, Matthew Marcus, Henry Stringer and "gate-crasher" Raghuveer MukkamallaWant to see more of dashing J! champion Matthew Marcus? Join him and three other fans of Recreational Thinking in the first ever recorded episode of Recreational Thinking Lite! These were intended as Patreon exclusives, and most of them are, but the public demands More Matthew Marcus!!!, and who am I to deny them?Remember, sign up on Patreon to hear the other six bonus mini-episodes! https://www.patreon.com/recreationalthinking2023-02-0339 min
The Big Bucks PodcastEpisode 15: Conversation with Rikki Gee II- Rikki joins to discuss casting calls for upcoming shows and Yogesh Raut's recent outbursts concerning Jeopardy!.- She also talks about her appearance on The Weakest Link (video on my youtube page).- TPIR Pricing Game review: Bargain Game2023-01-2647 min
Inside Jeopardy!What is Jeopardy! Masters?Michael, Sarah and Buzzy discuss Jeopardy! Masters and respond to fan questions. Then, they discuss last week’s games as Yogesh Raut secured his third win and Celebrity Jeopardy! where Patton Oswalt advanced to the semifinals.
Hosts: Michael Davies, Sarah Whitcomb Foss & Buzzy Cohen
Production Support: Alexa Macchia, Carlos Martinez & Anamarie Johnson
Follow Jeopardy!
Instagram: @jeopardy
Twitter: @jeopardy
Subscribe on YouTube: www.youtube.com/jeopardy
Website: www.jeopardy.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...2023-01-1641 min
Recreational ThinkingRecreational Thinking Lite: Episode F (Bonus!)For the first time, my Patreon followers have something to show for their support other than just a warm, fuzzy feeling! This past weekend, I quickly threw together seven episodes of what I'm calling Recreational Thinking lite, a fast-and-furious, unstructured, unedited format where everyone works together against my questions and we wrap things up in 40-50 minutes. It was a total experiment, and the results are unpolished, but I think there's some diamonds in the rough. So between now and Christmas, I'll be publishing all seven as Patreon exclusives! Sign up for as little or as much as you want...2022-12-2139 min
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 42: Apparently a Hero to Some NerdsContestants: Henry Stringer, Akiva Fox, Nathan CrisseyWhat could be scarier than a "deranged cheese monster"? Well, for quizzers, it would have to be forgetting the name of someone you've spent time with on multiple occasions, right when you're asked a question about them. Yes, this episode's clever contestants hit highs and lows, mixing painfully close misses with one of the best "fraud" answers I've ever seen, as we traverse worlds as diverse as mathematics, Mario Kart, Shakespeare, cocktails, tuba, Pokémon, and competitive yo-yo'ing (really!). Plus, just in time for Halloween, there's a deranged cheese monster.2022-10-302h 27
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 41: When They Go Loewe, We Go LernerContestants: Dan Blim, Jayanthi Martins, Nick SalyersWe may not have pumpkins, but we do crown a Pun King (or Queen?) in this seasonally appropriate episode featuring vampires, Hitchcock, the Saw franchise, and strained wordplay galore! From Koopas to Kansas, from Mario to Mitski, from Princess Peach to the Dolphin Princess ... like the humble tomato, this episode traverses the globe, stopping in to quiz our hilarious contestants on folk dancing, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Stephen Sondheim, RuPaul's Drag Race, and much, much more. Yes, it has more potential for entertainment than a 22-year-old Sutton Foster and will leav...2022-10-182h 22
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 40: I'm Sending This Episode to Your FatherContestants: Nathan Flynn, Bradly Martin, Danny DoggetFull circle! We recorded this Gilliganverse-heavy episode the day Better Call Saul premiered its final half-season, and I'm releasing it right as that series airs its finale. Kismet, huh?Welcome to one of our most atypical episodes, as the contestants are recruited not from quizzing circles but from an informal network of podcasters and pop culture commentators that I stumbled into a few years ago ... but don't worry; what they lack in quizzing experience they make up for in humor and high spirits!! I learned a lot researching som...2022-08-143h 10
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 39: Pierre Menard's Recliner of RageContestants: Mike Jeziorski, Tucker Warner, Jack RousseauEnjoy Episode 10? Then you'll love this SUPER SIZED reunion of all three members of that classic lineup, now with 95% less baseball. Never fear, though, for I Am the Pretty Thing that Writes the Questions, and so we make up for it with more nods to growing up in Illinois than a Sufjan Stevens album, more video games than a Lana Del Rey album, and more references to illicit drugs than a Willie Nelson album. Get ready to pull the Walker, Texas Ranger lever and discover the hidden connections between Tucker and...2022-07-253h 18
The Soccer Thread PodcastSTP x Recreational Thinking, Vol 2. 9 July 2022IT'S BACK! Another episode of soccer trivia with Yogesh Raut of Recreational Thinking. Special thanks to Palmer for editing this behemoth, and Yogesh for all the research and writing. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soccerthread.substack.com2022-07-103h 14
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 38: The Flagellation that They Do Is Hard to WatchContestants: Mike Samuelson, Colin Smith, Ryan Palmer, Dan SchroederStay hungry, stay foolish, and stay listening to this SPECIAL CROSSOVER REUNION EVENT in which Recreational Thinking yet again meets The Soccer Thread! For the first time since Episode 5, the host and the majority of the contestants are occupying the same physical space, and for the first time EVER that space is OUTSIDE!! Yes, you can listen to the birds chirp and the delivery truck engines idle, as I somehow allowed myself to be dragged into nature for this taping. That's not the only innovation ... pay cl...2022-07-072h 59
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 37: We've Come Up with So Many Amazing Possible Episode TitlesContestants: Matt Jackson, Jenna LaFleur, Ben RothenbergBuon giorno! A Jeopardy! legend and two of his DC-area pub-quiz-mates join us in this exhilarating episode, albeit with one Zooming remotely from Rome, and as if by magic a surprisingly high number of questions sprout Italian connections. (These unconscious mini-themes — last time's was Game of Thrones — are starting to become a regular feature of this podcast.) Whether you prefer tennis or theater, Joss Stone or James Bond, M&Ms or clam chowder, one thing's for certain ... this installment of Recreational Thinking is a LOT shorter than the previous one! You're w...2022-07-032h 09
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 36: A Hybrid Between James Bond and a Toblerone BarContestants: James Lasker, David Plotkin, Manas Sarma"I can't believe that went longer than our technical difficulties episode!" -DavidAs only our second episode to cross the 3-hour mark, this one had better justify its length ... and it does! Episode 6 was the first truly great episode of this podcast, and though I was only able to reunite 2/3rds of its contestant lineup, I've bottled so much magic here that Dr. House diagnosed me with lupus! (Deep cut.) Truly, the limit of this episode's quality does not exist.Did I really construct a question so...2022-06-273h 07
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 35: Your Guess Has No Chance to SurviveContestants: Aaron Lichtig, David Goldfarb, Greg FanoeYou know what you doing? For great justice (and knowledge), make your time for the next 2.5 hours and enjoy this experimental episode of RECREATIONAL THINKING featuring a categorical collision unlike anything we've ever seen before! If you're curious about superhero comics, Italo Calvino, Janet Jackson, the Hugo Awards, all sorts of bridges (from Staten Island to contract), and the *real* reason the autopilot was invented ... well, like a seemingly washed-up pitcher who strikes out 13 batters in a World Series game, this episode is full of triumphant surprises.NOTE: We...2022-06-092h 28
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 34: The Mother of All ZugzwangsContestants: Daryl Sng, Dargan Ware, Anthony GarinoBrain work ahead? Uh, yeah, I sure hope it does! Learn about snarky YouTubers, resilient Czechs, murderous Mannerist madrigalists, Freudian chessmasters, poetry-writing Ouija boards, gentleman safecrackers, and technical fouls galore in this installment of RECREATIONAL THINKING so full of meaty twists and turns that one contestant's mother's cousin's husband would feel right at home! (That will make sense once you've listened to the episode, I promise.) We run a true gamut here: Poetry, college basketball, classical music, chess, tennis, and the great nation of Singapore are all on the menu. Oh, a...2022-05-182h 02
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 33: If Only We Knew the Van Der Beek Oeuvre Slightly BetterContestants: Alexander Darby, Peter Broda, Ben ZimmerWho made the man behind "Happy" cry? What are E-Girls, and why are they ruining my life? What innocuous nursery rhyme did Paul McCartney turn into a UK Top 10 hit? Which James Bond theme drew inspiration from the Hebrew Bible? How does one stuff a wild bikini?Let's Talk About Love, learn How to Truly Listen, and study pataphysical science as we tour the world of popular music in this single-subject episode that covers proto-punk, punk-pop, thrash metal, '80s synthpop, '90s indie rock, drummers and drumming, the...2022-05-162h 52
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 32: I Don't Think Peter Kropotkin Wrote about FlubberContestants: Anu Kashyap, Dan Feitel, Chris OttolinoWelcome to 2022! It's our first episode recorded since May 2021. (If you're curious what's been going on in the interim, feel free to check out the streaming show I attempted to launch: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYyq5QTgHTmLfy4kyrnM7j7fHz87ohqSy .) A former National Spelling Bee champion joins me alongside two frequent quizzing teammates, one of whom is hoping to make up for his paper-thin loss in E30, so of course the banter flies thick as we cover (among other things) the joy of spelling, the history of Pix...2022-04-142h 28
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 31: Like Martin Shkreli, You Have Disrespected the Wu-Tang ClanContestants: Caitlin Joyce, Randall Eng, Chris MillerHow did a college student urinating into a potted plant bring down a national government? In what way is Staten Island a magical realm? When does Before come after After? Can Belgian Waffles ever be wrong? What is a "mezzo with moves"? What is "vore"? (Don't look that up.) Who is a "pantspreneur"? How is a hand grenade like an avocado? We've met before, haven't we? Do I know anyone in Idaho? Is "Deuteronomy" or "Æ" a weirder name for a child? And, most importantly, what did I say that made Caitlin vow t...2022-03-292h 25
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 30: Ninjas Are EverywhereContestants: Ben Rothenberg, Jimmy Li, Chris OttolinoThe Wednesday Academic Purists may be my bitter rivals in CONNECTIONS ONLINE QUIZ LEAGUE and LEARNEDLEAGUE's A Typhoon rundle, but off the quizzing field it's all fun and games — and besides, now I get to turn them against each other, in a sidesplitting episode that covers everything from RuPaul's Drag Race to 20th century philosophy, the Eurovision Song Contest to comic book superheroes, tennis to professional wrestling, human anatomy to tech start-ups, the history of socialism to my father's taste in comedians ... yeah, this one's syllabus is exceptionally diverse even by R...2022-03-242h 27
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 29: Please, No Jokes about "Super Hard"Contestants: Mike Samuelson, Colin Smith, Ryan Palmer, Dan SchroederThey think it's all over! Well, is it? Only once you're done listening to my ridiculously entertaining crossover with the hilarious and charming men of THE SOCCER THREAD PODCAST. Yes, I mocked soccer in my description of E11, and for my sins I designed an entire episode around The Beautiful Game. Yet as we learn about it we also traverse the fields of geography, history, mathematical topology, pop music, classical music, TV/movies, and the Waverley Novels of Sir Walter Scott (seriously). These guys brought an all-new dynamic to RE...2022-03-212h 24
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 28: It Sounds Like a Plausible PlagueContestants: Daniel Cohen, Eugene Hung, Lindsay GoldsteinThere are two kinds of RECREATIONAL THINKING episodes: Ones where the contestants already know each other and ones where they find their chemistry over the course of the episode. This is an excellent example of the latter, along with being a competitive nail-biter in which the lead continually shifts back and forth over the course of the final round. So enjoy learning about Roman emperors, jukebox musicals, contract bridge, and more in this episode where saying "We are all alive at the end" genuinely counts as a spoiler!Li...2022-03-182h 33
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 27: Never Let Them See You BleedContestants: Victoria Groce, Troy Meyer, Yogesh RautDid you notice that this week UM, ACTUALLY released an episode in which their usual host takes a turn in the contestants' chair? That must be what Jung called synchronicity!Yes, as a birthday present for me in 2021, several friends arranged to satisfy my long-standing wish to understand and experience my own show from the perspective of a player rather than my usual writer-host spot. Special thanks to guest host Jason Myrowitz, who also supervised the question-writing, and to the other question writers who graciously volunteered their time an...2022-03-142h 54
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 26: It's Fun to Steal from Your FriendsContestants: Oishee Shemontee, Drew Scheeler, Charlie FritzIt's appropriate that in our very last episode recorded using Skype (*sob*) we discovered "Together Mode," as this episode's contestants are all very good friends with each other ... or *were*, until that bond was tested by an unprecedented streak of steals!So come cheer on larceny as we delve into the oeuvres of Blackpink, Taylor Swift, and (why not?) Roy Lichtenstein. Like a Very Special Episode of "Degrassi," this episode has it all: lesbians, supermodels, pirates, 1940s British cinema, and discussions of Florida real estate. Oh, and a Ve...2022-03-052h 09
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 25: What Else Would Hitler Like?Contestants: Ronny Jackson, Joey Goldman, Andrew FisherCheerio from across the pond! We're joined in this episode by three brilliant UK quizzers, including Mimir's Well co-founder Joey Goldman. Joey is a past victor on UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE and ONLY CONNECT, but has he met his match in RECREATIONAL THINKING? Listen and find out!Along the way, you'll learn about roguelike video games, Black Books, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, theoretical math, climbing, and pro wrestling, as well as for some reason anime, even though it wasn't anyone's selected specialty. You'll see one contestant's incredible streak of bad luck, culminating in t...2022-03-032h 36
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 24: You Went Correctly Deep into My DomainContestants: Lynn Yu, Christine Whelchel, Monya DeTwo of my favorite contestants from last season re-join us alongside a skilled third, and together they uncover a hidden theme to this episode's questions that I wasn't even consciously aware of. What is it? Listen and find out! Also, you'll get to enjoy questions about very recent popular music, very old popular music (so old it's classical, in fact), ER, the Bible, and a lot more — and that's not even counting all the Shakespeare content I added even though no one asked for it.Like what you hear...2022-01-102h 28
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 23: Recreational OverthinkingContestants: Trevor Alexander, Greg Peterson, Joe TrelaGet ready for a streak of some of my all-time favorite episodes! Coming up we've got another all-brilliant-women episode, an all-UK-quizzers episode, a crossover episode with a soccer podcast, and even a Very Special Episode where I take a turn in the contestant chair myself.None of which is meant to short-sell the return of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE million dollar winner Joe Trela to take on two extremely knowledgeable challengers. Chess, ice hockey, the night sky, and the late great Stephen Sondheim (RIP) are all on...2022-01-072h 21
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 22: I've Watched So Much Wrestling! You've Done Nothing!Contestants: Gavin Byrnes, Ryan Rosenberg, Jason LunaSo I'll start off with an apology. I kind of let this episode get away from me; I recorded it on way too little sleep, which threw off my energy, and also I tried some experiments in question-writing that, on reflection, didn't pan out. (None of this is the fault of the contestants, who are awesome.) Maybe this isn't my favorite episode, but it's still tons of fun as it covers A Song of Ice and Fire, pro wrestling, superheroes, MLB, NBA, and of course oodles of statistics and computational geo...2022-01-021h 35
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 21: I'll Think about the Sewer Mutant and You Think about the SymphonyContestants: Tucker Warner, Tom Colocci, Marcus LunaTake us out to the ballgame! Two of last's seasons most popular contestants and one very entertaining newcomer join us to kick off Season 2 with a game that's not so heavy on the baseball that it doesn't leave room for its cousin from across the pond. Oh, and plenty of other topics are represented, ranging from ancient Rome to Formula One to Nicktoons. This is one of our all-time greatest episodes (even if I did stumble slightly on the final hurdle) and yet I can guarantee that at least half a d...2021-07-082h 12
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 20: He Didn't Go to UCLA, So You Don't Have to Boo HimContestants: Paige Feldman, Mik Larsen, Rajay KumarFight on! This episode sees me (joined once again by Andrew Darby from E7) re-unite with three dear friends from my days at USC, including E15 standout Rajay, as we re-fight the Civil War, re-visit -- appropriately enough -- some old "Friends," and reference Alfred Hitchcock so many times I may as well have used "Funeral March of a Marionette" as the theme music. This episode features some of my all-time favorite questions, and the finale is an absolute masterclass in abductive reasoning.NOTE: To give you all...2021-06-282h 33
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 19: Let's Go with a Canadian Last NameContestants: Isaac Renert, Milan Fernandez, Max ShatanHappy Juneteenth! And now for something completely different: An entire episode devoted to the wide world of cinema, with three millennial cinephiles kindly stepping up and allowing me to experiment with the format.A warning! If you aren't into movies, be prepared to approach this primarily as a learning experience. Also, the subject matter ended up veering a little further from mainstream Hollywood than I predicted, so ... if you are into movies, but your tastes are concentrated on the conventional, you should also be prepared to approach this...2021-06-201h 42
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 18: To Wang Tao, Thanks for EverythingContestants: Internet personality "Default Friend," Trey Kelso, Tom ColocciCollege football, DC Comics, The Office, Wicca, and Donny Osmond are all on the syllabus of an episode bookended, for no particular reason, by the works of Stephen King. Come for the realization that your favorite '80s one-hit wonder also wrote your favorite '90s Disney song; stay for the cautionary tale of what happens when you doodle a drag queen at the wrong moment (not a metaphor); savor hearing me recite the full title of "Marat/Sade" off the top of my head, because that's the...2021-06-051h 31
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 17: Five Is Right OutContestants: Dargan Ware, Joshua Hill, Andy WehrmanOrder in the court!! Civil law is on the docket in this episode, alongside geography, religion, business, country music, the Founding Fathers, classic Simpsons, and more! By the way, since this episode taped Dargan Ware has published a second novel, "Old Soldiers Never Die." Check out both it and "The Legend of Colgan Toomey" at your favorite literary retailer!Like what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a review and/or rating on iTunes!2021-05-101h 24
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 16: Then Why Do They Call It the Big Ten?Contestants: David Kendall, Brian Hight, Anupama SriranganWe travel the world in this geography-themed episode (with an emphasis on national flags and anthems), while also covering many other topics, including collegiate sports, organic chemistry, and the Old Dominion state. Like Virginia, this episode is for lovers — lovers of knowledge!Like what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a review and/or rating on iTunes!2021-05-061h 33
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 15: The Charlie Horse Music PizzaContestants: Jesse Palek-Zahn, Rajay Kumar, Steve WinerWe take a grand tour of the humanities, sciences, and pop culture in this episode, with questions covering history, literature, physics, health/medicine, sports, movies, TV, and more! Find out how we go from Walter White to Heisenberg without referencing "Breaking Bad," anticipate the plots of both "Ratched" and "Mank" before either of those were a thing, cover not one but *two* US senators who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics, and decide which David Bowie song might have been a good alternative title for "Pocahontas."Like what you...2021-04-111h 49
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 14: You Have Successfully Borrowed a FeelingContestants: Steve Evenhouse, Bill Pennington, Jonathan KleinAnd now "Recreational Thinking" has its first truly international episode, with an American facing off against a Canadian native and an actual Australian who got up early to record with us all the way from the Antipodes! (Dig those exotic bird sounds in the background.) Join us as we learn about Canada, medical research, US history, international development, and of course the invaluable elephant foot yam, plus more, and stay tuned for an ending that is one-of-a-kind in "Recreational Thinking" history!!Like what you hear? Consider donating via...2021-04-062h 01
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 13: I'm Going to Owe a Lot of People a Lot of CookiesContestants: Lynn Yu, Arianna Haut, Muffy MarraccoThis is it, you guys. Yes, it's our first episode with an all-woman lineup, but more importantly it's our funniest and most energetic episode to date (in spite of the fact that I was still fairly illness-drained, albeit on the upswing, at the time of recording).Two of the most masterful masterminds from GSN's MASTER MINDS, Arianna Haut and Muffy Marracco, join author and rising Hollywood star Lynn Yu for a raucous journey through Asian food, California cities, Jewish culture, Pixar movies, children's literature, presidents of the USA...2021-03-312h 04
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 12: We Dispensed with the SoftballsContestants: Todd Hunter, Dillon Edwards, Cheyenne FletcherThis episode was recorded at the height of my sickness last March, and I can't say I'm at my best. Still, the contestants and I take an entertaining tour of everything from Australian history to TV cooking shows to quantum mechanics, and still find time for an extended discussion of the roots of hip hop music. Join us as we get quantum physical!Like what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a rating and/or review on iTunes!2021-03-312h 04
The Soccer Thread PodcastSTP x Recreational Thinking Crossover Special 9 March 2021This week we collaborate with trivia expert Yogesh Raut to play a little trivia and produce a special soccer themed episode of his podcast, Recreational Thinking. He did all the work, we (poorly) answered the questions. As it turns out, we know nothing about the rest of the world, with the possible exception of a certain industrial port town in northwest England. Also, that's not a typo. This is a long-format podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access t...2021-03-092h 53
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 11: Not As Good As "Paddington 2"Contestants: Mehrun Etebari, Christine Grace Whelchel, Devin LandinThe outside world rears its ugly head in this episode of "Recreational Thinking," as it is the first of three I recorded while suffering from ... let's call it SOMETHING-19.Luckily, the contestants brought more than enough energy to make up for me as they showed off their knowledge of Parks and Rec, classical music, international geopolitics, and all sorts of other interesting stuff! Plus soccer.Like what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a rating and/or review on...2020-11-101h 38
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 10: Cries of Joy and Cries of AnguishContestants: Mike Jeziorski, Tucker Warner, Jack RousseauA true collision of expertise occurs in this episode that's heavy on baseball and cinema but also detours into video games, mythology, alt-rock, and molecular biology! Stay tuned to the end for a discussion that shapes the future direction of the show.Like what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a rating and/or review on iTunes!2020-10-222h 32
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 9: I Believe “Child Jeopardy” Is a Slightly Different ShowContestants: Steve Oppenheim, Wayne Schiff, Joe TrelaWelcome to another episode of the quizzing podcast where even a contestant who earned the top prize on WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE feels challenged ... and isn't guaranteed to win!Topics include Seinfeld, the Cleveland Indians, the Indianapolis 500, and speculative fiction legend Harlan EllisonLike what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a rating and/or review on iTunes!2020-10-092h 15
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 8: I Told Myself I Wouldn't SingContestants: Patti Mansbach, Darren Munk, Adam BeeCome for the cute doggos and Jonas Brothers content; stay for one contestant's incredible streak of bad luck and another's amazing Round 3 comeback; *really* stay for the scintillating discussion of microeconomics!Featuring a final question so mystifying it provoked 20 full seconds of complete silence (which, don't worry, was heavily trimmed in editing).Like what you hear? Consider donating via PayPal or Patreon, and remember to leave a rating and/or review on iTunes!2020-09-191h 52
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 7: I Had Hyperemesis the Whole TimeContestants: Victoria Groce, Guy Jordan, Susannah BrooksWelcome to an all-star episode of the only podcast where you'll hear two of the best quizzers in the world each describe their experience of being pregnant! Topics include viral diseases, cooking techniques, Star Wars, the history of alcohol, and shoes. Note that the length is an extreme outlier; no other episode this season will be as long, and most will be considerably shorter.As you'll hear ~59 mins in, this episode contains a sponsored plug from NAQT for their Buzzword TV tournament. Sign up and play before September 8...2020-09-063h 02
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 6: Is There Any Chance This Is Lupus?Contestants: James Lasker, David Plotkin, Nolan WernerTopics include ‘80s animation, the sitcom Scrubs, the New York Mets, astrophysics, and lots of tasty insects! And yes, this is the episode where technical difficulties forced one dedicated contestant to record from his own freezer.This episode includes a special announcement ~30 mins in. It and Episode 7 are extra-long; lengths will become much more reasonable after that.2020-06-072h 26
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 5: It's Definitely Not the Human CentipedeContestants: Matt Jones, Joel Hess, Jonathan GrahamTopics include current worldwide politics, Buckeyes football, geography, and the ups and downs (or rather, acrosses and downs) of crosswords2019-12-251h 32
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 4: He Moves Away from the Mic to Breathe inContestants: Jason Myrowitz, Michael Sturm, Andy GreeleyThe Internet is really, really great for ... memes! Other topics include law, TV, and the Seattle Mariners2019-12-181h 15
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 3: From Biko to BilkoContestants: Amanda Walker, Ryan Rosenberg, Jakob MyersTopics include The Good Place, the NBA, modernist literature, '60s pop, and (of course) Happy Days(Note: Sit tight for the first 10 mins - the audio issues go away after that)2019-12-151h 42
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 2: A Good Knowledge Was Had by AllContestants: Jakob Myers, Amanda Walker, Mike CameronTopics include superheroes, African history, Happy Days, and more Happy Days2019-12-0605 min
Recreational ThinkingEpisode 1: I'm Kinda Scared of Mike's DVD CollectionContestants: Muffy Marracco, Harvey "H-Bomb" Silikovitz, Mike BurgerTopics include The Simpsons, major league baseball history, earthquakes, and David Letterman2019-10-231h 27
Complete The ListIn a Bit of a Turnabout...Brett Chandler, Yogesh Raut, Ryan Vickers2018-04-0142 minComplete The ListThat Is A List That I Remember WellJeremy Cahnmann, Vivek Ravishanker, Yogesh Raut2017-10-1447 min
NovumRed Pill, Blue PillIf you've ever questioned the very nature of reality, you're not alone. As it turns out, humans have been trying to disprove or escape reality for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. But if this world isn't real, would we even recognize what is?
Many novels, films, and TV shows have wrangled with the question of what is real: The Matrix, The Truman Show, and The OA, to name just a few. To explore these examples and many more from throughout history, Novum welcomes Yogesh Raut to the program.
Yogesh Raut is a PhD candidate in...2017-03-0851 min
NovumRed Pill, Blue PillIf you've ever questioned the very nature of reality, you're not alone. As it turns out, humans have been trying to disprove or escape reality for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. But if this world isn't real, would we even recognize what is?
Many novels, films, and TV shows have wrangled with the question of what is real: The Matrix, The Truman Show, and The OA, to name just a few. To explore these examples and many more from throughout history, Novum welcomes Yogesh Raut to the program.
Yogesh Raut is a PhD candidate in social psychology at New...2017-03-0851 min