Go Fact Yourself – Ep. 167.5: #MaxFunDrive Special: GFY Listeners Sam Gladston vs Noelle Sciarini

Podcast: Go Fact Yourself
Episode: 167.5
Release Date: March 17, 2025
Hosts: J. Keith van Straaten, Helen Hong
Contestants: Sam Gladston & Noelle Sciarini
Special Guests/Experts: Lisa Klink (Star Trek writer), Marsha Falco (game inventor)

Episode Overview

This special "mini" episode of Go Fact Yourself celebrates the annual MaxFunDrive by honoring two standout listeners, Sam Gladston and Noelle Sciarini, as quiz show contestants. Recorded remotely in 2024, the episode is packed with trivia, personal anecdotes, and memorable guest interviews while maintaining the show's signature blend of humor and niche expertise. The episode also serves as a thank you and call-to-action for MaxFun supporters, with Sam and Noelle representing the dedicated audience that keeps the show thriving.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

Introductions and Banter (01:40–13:07)

• MaxFunDrive Context: J. Keith and Helen explain the significance of MaxFunDrive and introduce Sam and Noelle, selected from the first 100 supporters to play on-air.

• Meet the Contestants:

  • Sam Gladston: Toronto-based pro wrestler ("Slam Campbell"), podcaster (Is It Camp?), late bloomer to wrestling, passionate about camp in pop culture and horror movies.
    • Memorable quote on wrestling:

      "I'm not the leaper, I'm the leapy." (04:41, Sam)

  • Noelle Sciarini: Ann Arbor email marketing specialist, works for University of Michigan, newly married, enjoys nature walks/hikes with husband and dog Hawkeye (named for MAS*H character), longtime MaxFun listener.
    • On email subject lines:

      "Sometimes you just have to have a really catchy subject line. Sometimes you just have to be an entity that they really want to open or hear from." (08:26, Noelle)

• Contestants’ Motivations and MaxFun Support:

  • Sam: “It's art. It's good for us. It's good for the soul, it's good for your mental well being. And I like to support the things that I like.” (11:16, Sam)
  • Noelle: “Maximum Fun in general is just kind of my happy place as far as podcasts go... It was a no brainer to support you guys financially.” (12:01, Noelle)

What’s the Difference? (13:07–17:36)

• Rookie vs. Beginner

  • Sam: Distinguishes by experience and time.
  • Noelle: Suggests rookie is sports-specific.
  • Helen: “A rookie is a newcomer to an organized activity or job, and there is a specific time period ... a beginner can be new to any activity, organized or not, and there is no specific time period involved.” (14:46, Helen)
  • Both awarded one point.

• Mistake vs. Error

  • Noelle: Error is personal action; mistake is external.
  • Sam: Mistake is accidental/permanent; error is deliberate/correctable.
  • Helen’s ruling: “A mistake is an action that you do intentionally, but in retrospect resulted in an unwanted outcome… An error is an action that you do unintentionally...” (16:44, Helen)
  • No points assigned.

Score after round:

• Sam: 1
• Noelle: 1

Sam’s Trivia Round: Five Personal Topics (18:14–32:36)

Sam’s Chosen Topics:

• The movie Labyrinth
• Competitive bodybuilding (late '90s onward)
• Krakoan era of X-Men
• Witches in media
• TV show Star Trek: Voyager

Sample Questions & Answers:

• Labyrinth: Who directed it and whose studio did the puppetry?
  Answer: Jim Henson (22:18)
• Bodybuilding: Phil Heath’s nickname?
  Answer: The Gift (22:53)
• Krakoan Era: Which is NOT a Quiet Council member: Black Priestess, Black King, White King, White Queen, Red Queen?
  Answer: White King (24:30)
• Witches in Media: Juliet Mills soap opera with magical doll?
  Answer: Passions (25:31)
• Star Trek: Voyager: Vulcan mating season?
  Answer: Pon Farr (26:27)
  • Sam goes 5 for 5!

Expert Interview: Lisa Klink (Star Trek) (26:59–32:36)

• Voyager’s moral uprightness vs. DS9’s complex themes.
• Being a writer and executive story editor.
• Treksperts Briefing Room podcast.
• Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions experience.
• On fans “out-knowing” her:

  “Well, not about my own episodes. I'm pretty knowledgeable about those. Everybody else's episodes. Oh, yeah, forget it.” (29:05, Lisa)

Noelle’s Trivia Round: Five Personal Topics (33:43–50:43)

Noelle’s Chosen Topics:

• 1990s film adaptations of classic books
• Word games
• Cross-country running
• The Great British Bake Off
• Musical: The Secret Garden

Sample Questions & Answers

• 90s Literary Adaptations: Who lost Best Actress for Sense and Sensibility but won Screenplay?
  Answer: Emma Thompson (37:35)
  • Alan Rickman appreciation tangent.
• Word Games: Answer to today’s Wordle (hint: rhymes with "blycy")?
  Answer: Dicey (38:55)
• Cross-Country Running: Swedish speedwork term?
  Answer: Fartlek (39:45)
• Bake Off: Which former contestant did NOT win?
  Answer: Liam Charles (41:06)
• Secret Garden (Musical): What did the new Hindi lyrics translate as (“Drive away there ___”)? (Hint: Achoo)
  Answer: Illness (42:37)
• Quiddler: Name any two of the four special two-letter cards.
  Answer: ER, IN (44:05)

Expert Interview: Marsha Falco (Game inventor - Set, Quiddler) (44:17–50:40)

• Invented Set using canine epilepsy research permutations.
• On Quiddler: Designed for poor spellers, dictionary use allowed if not your turn.
• On encountering her games “in the wild”:

  “I was talking to some Girl Scouts and they said, oh, I forgot to put set in my emergency kit. ... All you have to do is get out the set game, start playing, and somebody will come along to say, ‘Oh, there's one.’” (48:08, Marsha)

• Search and rescue volunteer with dogs.
• Site: setgame.com

Score after Trivia Rounds

• Sam: 6
• Noelle: 6

Finale – Lightning Round: "Sam or Noelle" (50:53–53:41)

• Contestants must identify facts as about “Sam” (Sam Eagle from the Muppets) or “Noelle” (adult film director Nika Noelle).
• Questions range from movie appearances to odd personal details (e.g., “Sam appeared in a project with the words ‘sex and violence’ in the title”).
• Banter highlights contestants’ ability to reason out answers on limited info (“Very much in the same boat,” Sam, 51:37).
• Rapid-fire, alternating answers.

Final Score:

• Sam: 13
• Noelle: 12

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On ‘Is It Camp?’ Podcast

  “It’s like you know it when you see it, but it’s very nebulous.” (06:36, Helen Hong)

• On Star Trek Fandom

  “You know, you're speaking my language because, you know, as longtime listeners know, I am a huge Star Trek the Next Generation fan. But my second favorite series is Voyager and. Come on. Captain Janeway Unbeatable.” (21:10, Helen Hong)

• On Enjoying Engagements (Wedding Advice)

  “Just enjoy being engaged first because you're not always going to be that stage of the relationship forever.” (09:22, Noelle)

• On Set Game’s Origins

  “I was studying epilepsy in German Shepherds and trying to explain permutations, set theory, and combination theory, too. So they looked at three of the cards... and they said, so this is a set.” (45:19, Marsha Falco)

Episode Tone and Style

• Warmth and Humor: As always, J. Keith and Helen maintain a welcoming, joking, often delightfully nerdy energy. Contestants contribute to the fun with playful banter and candor.
• Celebratory Attitude: The episode is a love letter to listeners, modeled by Sam and Noelle’s fandom and the warm shout-outs.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start | Notable Moments | |---------------------------------|------------|--------------------------------------| | Welcome/MaxFunDrive Context | 00:00 | Sam & Noelle intro, drive pitch | | Meet Contestants | 03:13 | Sam (wrestling, podcast) | | Meet Noelle | 07:27 | Email mktg, Hawkeye the dog | | Why Support MaxFun | 11:16 | Motivations for supporting podcasts | | What’s the Difference Round | 13:07 | 15:05—Helen gives verdicts | | Sam’s Specialized Trivia | 18:14 | All 5 topics covered | | Lisa Klink Interview | 26:59 | Star Trek writing, fandom, Jeopardy | | Noelle’s Specialized Trivia | 33:43 | All 5 topics covered | | Marsha Falco Interview | 44:17 | Set, Quiddler, canine rescue | | Final Lightning Round | 50:53 | "Sam or Noelle" | | Results & Closing | 53:50 | Sam wins by one point | | Signoff/Plugs | 54:26 | Sam’s podcast plug, Noelle’s gratitude|

Conclusion

Go Fact Yourself’s MaxFunDrive special puts its community front and center, offering listeners a fun, fast-paced trivia showcase featuring two super-fans. Sam Gladston edges out a close victory in a good-spirited, tie-breaking lightning round after both contestants ace their specialty areas. Expert guests Lisa Klink and Marsha Falco provide insights and warmth, reflecting the episode’s gratitude for the MaxFun audience. The show closes with a reminder that listener support is its lifeblood—and with this roster of passionate, quirky contestants, that community spirit is on full display.