Ep. 179: Cooper Barnes & Larissa FastHorse

Summary

Go Fact Yourself – Episode 179 Summary

Guests: Cooper Barnes & Larissa FastHorse
Host: J. Keith van Straaten, Co-host: Helen Hong
Date: September 5, 2025
Location: Carl Sagan and Ann Dreian Theater, Center for Inquiry West, Los Angeles

---

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of Go Fact Yourself, comedian/actor Cooper Barnes and celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse face off in a battle of trivia—on topics they genuinely claim to love. As always, they’re joined by host J. Keith van Straaten and co-host Helen Hong. The show features the trademark mix of pop culture, sharp wit, and surprise expert drop-ins—plus truly memorable moments around comic book nostalgia, 1980s animated movies, Broadway, and evolving cultural conversations.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet the Contestants & Opening Banter

[02:31]

• Cooper Barnes:

  • Actor/producer, best known from Nickelodeon’s “Henry Danger” & “Danger Force.”
  • Big comic book/superhero fan: “It was a dream come true for a while [to play a kids’ superhero]... Then you realize I’m getting, like, bashed in the head with a breakaway chair or something every episode.” [03:09]
  • Discusses the dubious joys of spandex costumes and being an on-screen role model for kids.

• Larissa FastHorse:

  • MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, Native American playwright (notably “The Thanksgiving Play”).
  • Shares the strangeness of being labeled a genius and what it’s like carrying a famous arts fellowship.
  • Talks about her ballet career (spandex bond with Cooper) and being Broadway’s first Native American woman playwright.
  • On the weight of the “genius” title: “It’s a strange thing that you get… while you still have time to screw it up.” [04:22]

• Opening Fun: Helen Hong confesses a dark but comic fascination with survivalist cannibalism (“Alive,” the Donner Party, “The Terror”)—setting a playful, irreverent tone [01:28].

---

2. What’s the Difference?

[05:53] A trivia round distinguishing terms.

• Topic 1: Fair vs. Carnival

  • Cooper: “A carnival, you have to have carnies—the people that smell like cabbage who usually have something wrong with their teeth.” [06:08]
  • Larissa (with 4-H experience): Fairs are agricultural/trade-based; carnivals are specifically about games and rides. [06:41]
  • Host verdict: Both partially right. Fairs = annual/trade event. Carnivals = traveling amusement. 1 point each.

• Topic 2: Fair vs. Just

  • Larissa: “Fair is everyone gets equal things... Just is when people get what they need for access.” [08:57]
  • Cooper jokes: “Fair is a public event... and carnival has rides.” [09:33]
  • Judges: “Fair” = balanced, equal for all; “Just” = by the rules/law. Larissa gets half a point.

Notable Quote

“It is the slipperiest surface once slime is on [the stage]... they tell you, ‘Don’t move. Really. Because you will slip and you will crack your head open.’”
—Cooper Barnes on Kids Choice Awards slime [13:23]

---

3. In-Depth Interviews

Cooper Barnes

[11:23]

• On the lasting popularity of Nickelodeon’s “Dangerverse.”
• The awkwardness of former child fans turning into adult fans—sometimes meeting him at the gym.
• Acting in kids’ shows means feeling responsible for the younger cast.
• Slime stories & “the inside story” of avoiding major injuries.

Larissa FastHorse

[14:12]

• Reflects on her milestone as the first Native American woman Broadway playwright.
• On the tight-knit, surprisingly small Broadway community.
• Fun fact: Playwrights on Broadway must carry Sharpies.
  • “One of the Peaches gave me a Sharpie… said, you need this. You have to have one of these. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so crazy. I’m a playwright!’” [15:17]
• Origin of her surname: From “He who Steals Horses Fast and Gets Away with It” (shortened to FastHorse). [15:53]
• Consulting on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Bringing authentic Native voices, creating the first permanent Wampanoag float, and removing pilgrim imagery from Tom Turkey and the parade. [17:02]

---

Trivia Spotlight: Cooper Barnes on “Transformers: The Movie” (1986)

[21:29]

• Superfan status confirmed: “I saw it yesterday. Actually, in all fairness, I saw it today.” [21:50]
• Expert Guest: Dr. Anne Bryant, composer of the iconic Transformers TV theme.
• Quiz Highlights:
  • Orson Welles was the voice of Unicron in his final film role. [22:41]
  • The reason for the film’s PG rating: inclusion of a surprise swear word (rare for '80s animation). [23:43]
  • Frank Welker (legendary voice actor) did not voice the character Blurr (that was John Moschitta, the Micro Machines guy). [25:06]
  • The “universal greeting”: “Ba weep grana weep ninny bon.” [26:22]
  • The UK version’s ending: “Optimus Prime will return.” [27:46]
• Music Cluster Fact Challenge:
  • Band that performed opening theme: Lion.
  • Number of “Transformers” sung: 10. (Cooper guessed 6.)
  • Ann Bryant composed the melody first on piano, not electric guitar.

Expert Segment: Dr. Anne Bryant

[30:32]

• Recalls the “baby was born with no labor” inspiration for the Transformers theme. [33:01]
• Unique facts: The theme’s five-note phrase (“More than meets the eye”) is a never-before-used melodic cell, according to musicologists. [34:02]
• On writing for cartoons: “I hear music in my head. It’s going on now. I mean, it’s a disease. But it’s a really good one.” [31:54]
• Warm moment:
  • “Doctor, I’m so grateful to you for what you created. It made my childhood and my whole life so much richer. So thank you.”
    —Cooper Barnes to Dr. Bryant [38:32]

---

Trivia Spotlight: Larissa FastHorse on “Peter Pan” (Play & 1954 Musical)

[41:16]

• Admits she spent years avoiding the original, due to its portrayal of Native Americans. Tasked to rewrite it, she unearthed its lasting positive themes—aiming to “lift up the good and leave the rest behind.” [41:16]

• Quiz Highlights:

  • Tinkerbell is the “sometimes blinking light” fairy and unofficial Disney mascot. [42:42]
  • Directions to Neverland: “Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.” [43:22]
  • Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) once played Captain Hook. [44:11]
  • Which body part is NOT in a Peter Pan song? (“Ears”—trickily, mustache is included!) [45:03]
  • The Darling family nurse Nana is a Newfoundland by breed (not sheepdog or schnauzer). [46:08]

• Expert Guest: Cathy Rigby McCoy, Tony-nominated gymnast/actor best known for playing Peter Pan in 3,000+ performances.

  • Fun fact: As a reward for making the 1968 Olympic team, her father let her have a capuchin monkey. [48:56]
  • Cathy describes the lengthy evolution in how Tiger Lily and “Ugga Wug” are portrayed: “[We] took out 99.9% of the lyrics and just made it a dance drum number.” [51:01]
  • Fun & hair-raising: Her flying solo over the audience in curtain call required careful choreography—and sometimes yelling, “Sit down!” to avoid crashing into tall theatergoers. [56:23]
  • Even more mind-blowing: There is an image of Cathy, as a gymnast, encoded on the Voyager spacecraft’s Golden Record, currently traversing interstellar space. [53:51]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Cooper Barnes, on spandex:
  “Spandex is unforgiving. And it. It doesn’t care. It doesn’t care if you ate that extra piece of pizza. Doesn’t care if you didn’t get enough sleep and couldn’t work out that day. Spandex don’t care.” [03:50]

• Larissa FastHorse, on signing autographs as a playwright:
  “Playwrights actually have to carry a Sharpie and sign things, which happens nowhere else in the world.” [15:12]

• Helen Hong, marveling at Cathy Rigby's stage flying:
  “Didn’t realize how fast they were flinging you around the stage… I swear to God, you were going 40 miles an hour.” [52:46]

• Cathy Rigby (on her theater flying training):
  “To get a good flight out over the audience, you have to have a point on your wire that goes kind of far out... Sometimes people would stand up and they’d have the tallest person right in the middle. So I’d have to go, ‘Sit down!’” [56:18, 56:23]

• Larissa FastHorse, on adapting Peter Pan:
  “So often in this culture, what we do is we just cancel things. I was like, no, there’s so much good in it. Like, how do you take the good out of it and lift that up and leave some of the other things behind?” [41:55]

---

Important Timestamps

• Comic Book Nostalgia/Transformers: 19:08–39:10
• Dr. Anne Bryant Interview: 30:32–39:06
• Larissa FastHorse on Peter Pan: 41:16–57:13
• Cathy Rigby Interview: 47:35–57:13
• Peter Pan Flying Stories: ~53:00–56:44
• Fun with Monkeys/Gymnastics Side-discussion: 48:56–49:05

---

Game and Results

• Cooper Barnes’ specialist topic: “Transformers: The Movie (1986)”—dominated the trivia, impressing hosts and guest expert.
• Larissa FastHorse’s specialist topic: “Peter Pan”—performed admirably; appreciated for thoughtful critique and humor.
• Grand Prize Winner: Cooper Barnes (10 pts).
• Notable runner-up: Larissa FastHorse (7.5 pts).

---

Final Thoughts / Episode Tone

This episode crackled with playful nerd energy and showbiz camaraderie, as both guests brought their passions—and delightful quirks—front and center. Cooper’s encyclopedic Transformers knowledge met its match with a surprise expert. Larissa shared personal insights into reimagining Broadway’s classics for a more inclusive age. Appearances by Anne Bryant and Cathy Rigby provided unique behind-the-scenes glimpses into American pop culture history.

Quote for the Ages:

“Judy Garland told you to take a compliment… Well, take this one. I’m so grateful to you for what you created. It made my childhood and my whole life so much richer. So thank you.”
— Cooper Barnes to Dr. Anne Bryant [38:32]

---

Episode Links and Recommendations

• Cooper Barnes: NBC’s “St. Denis Medical”, RaptorCon Evansville, and meet him for “Transformers” serenades.
• Larissa FastHorse: Upcoming solo show at Seattle Rep; new plays at Public and Yale Rep.
• Helen Hong: Socials @funnyhelenhong
• J. Keith van Straaten: Trivia event hosting via bigquizthing.com, storytelling events at Rogue Machine Theater LA.

For future live shows, merch, or podcast info: gofactyourpod.com
Maximum Fun Network: maximumfun.org

---

A fun, fast, and heartfelt episode, bringing together cartoons, classics, and contemporary creativity—with big laughs and big smarts.

Transcript

[A]

Live shows. Get your live show recordings here. Three live shows in September and October at the Crawford in Pasadena.

[B]

Sunday, September 7th, a 4pm matinee, John Lovett versus Christine Lakin. Saturday, October 11th, 7pm Drew lynch versus a To Be Announced guest. And Sunday, October 26th, a 4pm matinee, Dermot Mulroney versus Loni Love.

[A]

Then we're off for November so I can have a honeymoon. And we're back on Saturday, December 6, at the Crawford in Pasadena at 7pm.

[B]

For the latest info on guests dates and tickets, go to gofactyourpod.com and now, here's Helen. Are you a real know it all? Do you annoy your family by shouting the answers while watching Jeopardy? Do you drive people crazy when you start a sentence with, well, actually. Well, guess what? You can go Fact yourself. Hi, everyone. Welcome to Go Fact Yourself, the show where we quiz the smartest people we know and find out why they love what they love. I'm Helen Hong. And now from the Carl Sagan and Andrea Theater at the center for Inquiry west in Los Angeles, here's our moderator, J. Keith Van Straten.

[A]

Hey, everybody. Thank you so much. Hello, Helen. How are you?

[B]

Hello, Jake. I have a new obsession in my life.

[A]

I would like to hear about it, please.

[B]

I discovered this new show. It's called called the Terror. It's actually not new out, but it's new to me. And it's about two ships that were trapped in the ice in the Arctic and the sailors had to start eating each other. Now, J. Keith, you know that I'm obsessed with the Donner Party. I'm obsessed with alive. I'm obsessed with any situation where people eat each other.

[A]

Yes. And it's lovely that I know that about you, Helen.

[B]

I don't know what it's about. I don't even eat meat, really. And so I don't know why I have this total obsession with people eating each other. I don't know.

[A]

I don't know. All I know is if you're gonna go camping with Helen, be careful. Helen Hong, everybody. All right, today on Go Fact Yourself, two guests will compete to answer questions about facts they know, facts they may not know, and frankly, facts they should know. Plus, we'll meet actual experts on two very different topics. And finally, we'll declare one of our guests the winner of today's show. Let's get started and meet today's guest. Helen, who do we have playing tonight?

[B]

He is a comedian, producer and actor known for his roles on Nickelodeon's Henry Danger And Danger Force.

[A]

And.

[B]

And she is an award winning producer, choreographer, and playwright whose recent work includes the Thanksgiving play and Fake it until youl Make It. It's Cooper Barnes and Larissa Fasthorse.

[A]

Cooper and Larissa. Hey, Cooper. Well, Larissa, is this where we come.

[C]

To eat each other?

[B]

Hopefully things go sideways.

[C]

Yeah, I didn't eat today, so I'm ready.

[A]

Welcome, Cooper. I know you're a big fan of comic books. As we may discuss later, what did it mean for you to get to play a kid's superhero?

[C]

It was great. It was a dream come true for a while.

[A]

And then what happened?

[C]

First things first. Like, they give you this awesome superhero suit, and it's great, and, like, all of your childhood dreams are being realized. And then you realize that I'm playing an indestructible man. And every episode, they have to illustrate for the kids how I'm indestructible. And so every episode, I'm getting, like, bashed in the head with, like, a breakaway chair or something. And there was one gag where they're like, all right, Cooper, it's gonna be on you. All right? So we need to, like, bean you in the back of the head with this big rock, and I'm like, can my stunt guy do that? No, it's gonna be on you. So we need to see your face. We need to see your face, like, when you go, ah. Like, the kids are gonna love that.

[B]

I think even more frightening than that is probably the fact that you have to wear spandex for years and years.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Spandex is unforgiving. And it. It doesn't care. It doesn't care. Doesn't care if you ate that extra piece of pizza. Doesn't care if you didn't get enough sleep and couldn't work out that day. Spandex don't care.

[A]

Spandex don't care.

[B]

Larissa, you, among your many accolades, were awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, otherwise known as the genius grant. Please tell us, what does it feel like to be a genius?

[D]

The good news is this is my last year of it, so they can't take it away after tonight.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Yay.

[D]

That's fantastic. You know, it's weird. It's super weird. It's like. It's a strange thing that you get, like. And you get it, like, kind of earlier in your career, which is also weird. So you still have, like, tight time to screw it up.

[B]

You lose your geniusness as you age.

[D]

Yeah, exactly. Also, we have, though, we have spandex in common, because I used to Be a professional ballet dancer. And so, you know, we live the spandex life. Wow.

[B]

Jake, Heath and I so don't live the spandex.

[A]

No, no, no. I barely live a cotton life. We're gonna chat with you two more a little bit later, but we did ask each of you to provide us with a few topics outside your field of work that you know and love. Cooper, for you, you said that was comic book artists of the 1990s. Comic Boom. The movie. The movie. And monkeys. Whereas, Larissa, you said you know and love the original play and 1954 musical of Peter Pan. The movie, the sound of music, and Pier, S.D. oh, I don't know how many monkeys are there, but if we can combine them, we will. Well, later on, we're going to ask each of you some in depth trivia questions about one of those topics. But first, we're going to get your thoughts on something you might know nothing about. It is time to split some hairs with our what's the difference round. We'll have one question for each of you, each worth up to two points. If either of you gives an incorrect or incomplete answer, the other person has a chance to steal your topic today. That's fair. First up in that's fair is Cooper. Cooper, while both are things that you might want to attend, what's the difference between a fair and a carnival? A fair and a carnival.

[C]

Well, there's a big difference between them, and the main one is the spelling.

[A]

Mm, yeah.

[B]

Wait, I'm writing this down.

[A]

Yeah. I should point out we are looking for the meanings, not necessarily the words themselves.

[C]

You should have been more specific.

[A]

Yeah, I guess so.

[C]

A fair is a public event that could be for any particular thing. Like, you could have, like, a boat show, and you could call that a fair, I guess. Whereas, like a carnival, you have to have carnies, so you have to have people that smell like cabbage who will usually have something wrong with their teeth.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

Oo words out the gate.

[A]

Yes, we'll see what makes the show. We do have Cooper's answer. We don't yet know if he's entirely correct. Larissa, anything you'd like to add or change?

[D]

I'm sorry, Cooper, but as a former four her, I can tell you that fairs are very specific. Actually. They involve the agricultural field. They're actually originally created so that folks could sell their animals, sell their wares and things that they'd created throughout the growing season, and that's why they're traditional. Traditionally held in the fall. It can also have carnies. Because it can have a carnival as well, but it involves the selling of produce and animals and also products. Where carnival is specifically rides, midway, games, and food.

[C]

That's a lot smarter of an answer.

[A]

Well, this segment has stayed too long at the fair. Let's go to Helen Hong at the judges table for the facts.

[B]

Here are the facts. A fair is at a fixed time and location and is often an annual event. It typically focuses on celebrating a particular season, place, industry, or culture. A carnival is a traveling event going to multiple locations at different times. It typically focuses on rides and games.

[A]

That's right. And a fair can hire a traveling carnival to be part of the event. But many fairs, like art fairs, typically do not have a carnival, which is why art fairs are boring. Helen, how did our guest do?

[B]

I think I want to give one point each.

[C]

That's very honest of you and not necessary.

[B]

Cooper, you did say fair is a public event that has a specific theme, like boating, you said. And Larissa, you did say that carnival has rides and games and such. So, yeah, one point each.

[A]

One point each. Very nice. We're on our way. All right, up next in that's Fair, Larissa. Larissa, your question comes from a listener. Who is it, Helen?

[B]

I will let them tell you themselves because we have a listener. Recording listeners. If you'd like to submit a suggestion for our what's the the difference round, go to gofactyourpod.com and click on get involved. Okay. Play it. Hi, J. Keith and Helen and guests. My name is Christy Metzger from Gahanna, Ohio. My question for what's the difference is, while both describe proper treatment, what's the difference between fair and just. Thanks. Bye.

[A]

Thank you so much, Christy. All right, Larissa, you heard Christy. Our audience is frightened, but what is the difference between fair and just.

[D]

So when I think of that, I think of that little baseball thing. Everybody shows that illustration, right? So fair would be everybody gets equal things. So, like, they always show people trying to look over a fence, and they all get, like, the same little box and then just is like a smaller person gets a bigger box, so they get different amounts to give them all the same access to the same thing.

[A]

All right, but is it fair that they're not paying to watch a baseball game?

[D]

Yes, because I don't do sports.

[A]

Okay. So I might as well give it away for free. It's not like it's theater. All right, we've got Larissa's answer. We don't know yet if she's entirely correct. Cooper, what do you think anything you.

[C]

Want to add or the difference between just and fair? Just is. Yeah. It's equality. It's an equal part for everyone. Fair is a place publicly held where you can sell produce or sometimes they have rides.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And they have the most magical people there, and we should really just treat them with kindness. That's all.

[A]

I'm impressed that you didn't say that. They have the same amount of letters. All right, well, this segment is becoming just fair. Let's go to Helen Hong at the judges table for the facts.

[B]

Here are the facts. When an outcome is fair, it is balanced and equal to all parties involved. When an outcome is just, it strictly followed the rules or the law.

[A]

That's right. So, for instance, if Helen and I wanted to split a jelly doughnut, we might decide. She cuts. I choose. If we end up getting the same amount of jelly, that's fair. But if Helen's half has all the jelly, that's not fair. But it is, just because those were the rules we decided on, and we followed them. And besides, I didn't want any jelly anyway. Whatever. Helen, how did our guest do?

[B]

Larissa, I think I'm gonna give you half a point because you got the equal things portion of balanced and equal. Neither one of you got just. You both just bombed on that one.

[D]

Fair.

[A]

But a nice half a point there for Larissa. All right, let's now get to know our guest a little bit better. Cooper Barnes, you are all over what is called the Dangerverse. 121 episodes of Henry Danger, 63 episodes of Danger Force, for which you were also the executive producer. An animated series, a movie, and these shows have won multiple Kids choice awards and continue to be in the top 10 kid shows on Netflix. Very impressive. Thank you. What do you make of the longevity that these shows have had?

[C]

It's cool. It's cool to be part of something that's. That's stuck around for so long. And it's weird, you know, you don't realize how fast kids grow up until, like, one of them comes up to you at the gym, and he's like, six, three. Like, I was working out one time, and this dude was mad dogging me from across the room. And after a few minutes, he came up to me, and he's like, bro.

[A]

You was a legend when I was.

[C]

In the eighth grade. Please don't kill me.

[B]

We're in the same Nickelodeon family, you and I are. Yes, I heard that because I was on this series called the Thundermans, which is also very popular on Nickelodeon. And same situation where I originally had fans who were like, 8, 9, 10. And now they come to my stand up shows, which are adults only, and they're like, oh, my God, I love that joke. That was totally inappropriate and sexual.

[C]

Will you buy me beer? Yeah. Get that a lot.

[A]

Well, before you were in that world, you had done a lot of theater. You even played Stanley in the Streetcar Named Desire.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Done guest spots on TV shows. Did you approach acting on a kid's show differently than other roles?

[C]

Yeah, in the sense that, like, I couldn't say the F word anymore. That's a nice freedom to have. Again, I'll be honest with you. There's extra responsibilities on a show like that because in addition to just, you know, saying your lines and embodying the character, you also have to be like a surrogate parent for the kids that you're with. I felt, like, responsibility to look after them and, like, show them a good time. And, like, that was as important to me as just saying the lines and being the character.

[A]

Oh, that's lovely. Yeah.

[B]

As a multiple Kids Choice Award winner, how many times have you been slimed?

[A]

Ooh, good question.

[B]

What's the sliming experience that you've had?

[C]

Nickelodeon slime is basically just methicil with food coloring in it, so it'll stain the hell out of your skin.

[B]

I don't even know what methicil is.

[C]

It's. I don't know what it is either. I just said. I just busted out that word.

[A]

I was gonna say, like. Is that what people mean when they say meth?

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the same stuff that the guys outside 711 are doing.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

No, it's like a. It's like. It's like KY jelly kind of. And to answer your question, many, many times.

[A]

Many times. And you don't miss it.

[C]

And there's an insider secret. The reason why we can you see those guys get slimed on stage? The reason why they just stand there like this afterwards and they're frozen. They tell you, don't move, really, because you will slip and you will crack your head open. Because it is the slipperiest surface once slime is on the. So anytime you watch the Kids Choice Awards or any time where someone's getting slimed, you're never going to see them be like, well, peace and leave the stage because they'll die if they do.

[A]

Showbiz. It is as glamorous as we all hoped. Yeah. Larissa Fasthorst, you have won multiple awards, fellowships, and commissions. You've written Acclaimed podcasts, plays, including for the people, Fake it until you make it. What would Crazy Horse do? And of course, the Thanksgiving play, which has not only been produced on Broadway, but is also one of the 10 most produced plays in all of America.

[B]

What?

[A]

And you were the first known Native American woman playwright to have a show produced on Broadway? How did things change for you after your show hit Broadway?

[D]

Yeah, it's kind of crazy. It's really. It's. It's a small community Broadway. Actually, it's not at all what I expected. You think, like, oh, it's Broadway, but it's actually such a small group of people. And I was really surprised at how close knit that community is. We had these amazing fans. Darcy Carden was in our show, and she has these incredible fans called the Peaches, and they came from all over the world and, like, would be there every night. And so it was really cool to have that, like, have these people that I'm still friends with. I still talk to the Peaches all the time. They're not even my Peaches. They're Darcy's Peaches. Thanks, Darcy. But, yeah, it's kind of incredible. It changes your life when you have a play on Broadway. Playwrights actually have to carry a Sharpie and sign things, which happens nowhere else in the world. No one cares who the playwright is. And I try to leave, and they'd be like, oh, no, no, Larissa, we actually want you to sign something. I'd be like, oh, weird. That never happens.

[B]

So you have to have a Sharpie, like, in your bra at all times.

[D]

I believe that. Except when you're in spandex. But, yeah, no, yeah, I had, like. Someone actually gave it to me. One of the Peaches gave me a Sharpie the first day and said, you need this. You have to have one of these. And I was like, oh, my gosh, this is so crazy. I'm a playwright, and so, yeah, it's kind of wild. It's pretty cool. But it's also meant that, you know, I've gotten to do a lot of other really cool shows since then, so I've done, like, seven shows since then, I think.

[A]

That wasn't even that long ago. That's impressive. Yeah. I want to ask you about your name, Fast Horse. For listeners who may not know. It's fast and then there's no space and then a capital H. Kind of like the words fast and horse mushed together. Tell us about that last name and how it came to be your name.

[D]

So originally, from what I was told, by one of my cousins who did a genealogy on our family. Was that the first gentleman who had that name was he who Steals Horses Fast and Gets Away with It. And so that's the full name. Yes, because he's stolen horses from the military. And so that was something to be proud of.

[A]

He earned that name, huh?

[D]

Yeah, exactly. So he had that name. But then when they put us on the rolls in the 1700s, they were like, something about horses, something about fast, fast horse. And so that's what we've been ever since. And of course, computers do not let you have a space in your name.

[A]

Oh, I know.

[D]

Yes. And so they took our space away. And so some of our family just let go of it. And they don't have to be as annoying as I am. And some of us are like, no, we are holding onto that H no matter what. And so we put the words together into fast horse with a big H in the middle.

[B]

Wait, so your actual full name is he who Steals Horses Fast and gets away with It.

[A]

That's awesome.

[B]

I mean, you're lucky that they didn't shorten it to he steals.

[A]

Sure, it did work out pretty well. In addition to your work as a writer, you are the co founder of Indigenous Direction, which is a consulting firm for indigenous arts and audiences. And one of your high profile gigs was consulting on a very famous annual televised event.

[D]

Yeah, we did the Macy Seas Thanksgiving Day Parade for quite a few years. I think four or five years. We produced a segment in it. We did the first land acknowledgement that opened the parade during COVID and then we continued to produce. We had the Wampanoag people. Who are the people? Like the Thanksgiving Indians, like get to speak their own language there. We had all these amazing segments and now they have a permanent float that they created using the Wampanoag folks and using the clan mothers to design this float. They'll be in the parade forever now that represents their people.

[A]

Oh, that's very cool.

[B]

But is Snoopy still in it?

[D]

I had nothing to do with Snoopy.

[B]

Got it.

[D]

So I did have to do it though, actually. Getting rid of the pilgrims now that.

[A]

Must have been satisfying.

[D]

Yeah. And even like the. I don't know if you Little fun fact, if you watch the opening of the parade, there's always like Tom Turkey and it used to have like these little pilgrim kids on it. And since we got involved, Tom Turkey used to be a pilgrimage. He's now a show turkey. And he has a top hat and he has a little gold star because he's going to a show and then just regular folks that are not pilgrims ride the turkey now and again.

[A]

People survived watching it.

[D]

Yeah, they did.

[A]

Even though you were more sensitive to certain cultures than it had been previously.

[D]

Yeah. And it's been like five years and people apparently are still alive from seeing a show.

[A]

Well, congratulations on not killing people by being sensitive to people in our country. Larissa Fasthorse and Cooper Barnes. Helen, what is our score going into.

[B]

The break at the end of that round? Cooper Barnes has one point and Larissa Fasthorse has one and a half points.

[A]

But those scores are bound to change as we move on to questions about topics our guests have chosen for themselves. That's all up ahead when we come back on Go Fact yourself.

[B]

Welcome back to Go Fact yourself with our guests Cooper Barnes and Larissa Fasthorse. Once again, here's JP Van Straten.

[A]

Thank you, everybody. Thank you, Helen. All right, Cooper, of your many interests, you told us that you know and love comic book artists of the 90s comic boom, the movie, the Transformers, the movie, and Monkees. Let's find out a little bit more about each of those. First, tell us why you know and love comic book artists of the 90s comic boom.

[C]

Well, I've been collecting comic books since I was nine and it's a filthy habit and I wish I could stop, but I can't. At the time that the comic boom happened, that was like 1991 through like 1996, some would, some would say a bit earlier, it was the best time to be a nerd. It really was. And these very innovative artists were just reaching into our little 12 year old and 11 year old brains and just, I don't know, just giving us exactly what we wanted.

[A]

All right, next, tell us why you know and love the movie the Transformers. The movie.

[C]

When I was 8 years old, that was my favorite movie. My mom and dad got me the VHS tape and I played that thing until the ribbon broke. And, and then like, you know, as you get older and I decided I wanted to be an actor. You know, you, you try to convince yourself so that you're respected amongst your peers of filmmakers that, you know, your favorite movie is, you know, like My Dinner with Andre or you know, Sophie's Choice or any. But, but no, I want to watch a movie and I just accept it. I'm a creature of habit. You know, I know it's dumb, I know it's lame, but the robots turn into frickin motorcycles and they fight other robots that turn to spaceships and there's like this amazing rock music playing from the 80s. Like this awesome 80s score. There's the most amazing, breathtaking animation you've ever seen.

[B]

Wait, so this is not. This is not the Shia LaBeouf transformers?

[C]

No, no, the hell with that movie.

[A]

I'm talking about.

[C]

No, no, no, no. The 1986 animated movie where Peter Cullen and why did you guys prepare a bunch of questions about it?

[A]

Boy, this is gonna be awkward. I think Shia just walked out. This is gonna be weird.

[C]

Oh, no, I love Shia LaBeouf.

[D]

I just don'.

[C]

And that movie was fine in its own right. You know, it's not the one that touched my heart.

[D]

You're not kidding about the super nerd. No, no, no, no, no.

[A]

That's right. And then finally, tell us what it is that you know and love about monkeys.

[C]

Monkeys are just hilarious to me. You know, there's like, little. They're like little people that are. Throw their poop at each other and. And they're awesome. And I want to go to Costa Rica. My mom wants to take me and my family there. And apparently, like, the hotels in Costa Rica, they. They have bars on the windows because otherwise these free roaming monkeys will just, like, climb in your hotel and go through your stuff. And I'm like, what's the problem? That sounds amazing. I'm just gonna bring an extra suitcase full of stuff that'd be funny to watch a monkey play with.

[A]

Yeah, they do say that monkeys are the carnies of the animal world.

[C]

Touche you, Keith.

[A]

All right, all right, so to summarize, Cooper, you said you know and love comic book artists of the 1990s. Comic. Boom. The movie, the Transformers, the movie, and monkeys. Today we want to quiz you about the the movie. Yeah, you mentioned that you saw this a lot as you were in your prepubescent or pubescent years.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Have you seen it since?

[C]

I saw it yesterday? Yeah, actually, in all fairness, I saw it today.

[A]

You did? Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, let's see if the short term memory kicks in. Just ahead, we'll enlist the help of a bonafide expert in your topic with a question worth up to three points. But before that, to let you show your love, here are five trivia questions about your topic, each worth one point if you want it. You're allowed a hint for any two of these five questions.

[C]

Won't be necessary.

[A]

Okay, now, Larissa, do listen closely, because if Cooper answers incorrectly, you could steal. By the way, Larissa, how much do you know about the. The movie?

[D]

Absolutely nothing.

[A]

Okay. All right, Cooper, here is Question number one. The voice cast of the movie is astounding. Including Eric Idle, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, and in his final role, what Oscar winning writer, director and star of Citizen Kane.

[C]

That would be Orson Welles.

[A]

Helen.

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

That is correct.

[C]

As the voice of Unicron.

[A]

That's right. Fun fact. Orson Welles died a few days after recording his role of Unicron. He told his biographer, you know what I did this morning? I played the voice of a toy that changes from one thing to another. I menace somebody called something or other, and my plan to destroy whoever it is is thwarted. Which is pretty much how I would describe the movie after seeing it for the first time this week. You watched it? I did watch it, yeah.

[C]

That's so sweet of you.

[A]

I got about halfway. I'm not kidding. I could not follow any of it. But I understand the merits of it that you would enjoy.

[C]

I think that's what Joel Siegel of USA Today said as well.

[B]

I watched the Megan Fox one.

[C]

Yeah, that's the wrong one.

[A]

Here's question number two. Despite being an animated movie targeted at kids, the movie was not rated G. Its PG rating wasn't so much for the violence, but for what swear word spoken by Spike.

[C]

Spike Witwicky says, as the moon base of Cybertron is being devoured, they're getting sucked into his tractor beam. And he says, oh, what are we gonna do now, Helen?

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Wow. I think Larissa just realized what she's gotten herself into.

[C]

I'm so sorry. I don't know anything about anything important. If it makes you feel any better, but that was not in the theatrical release.

[B]

Really?

[C]

Yeah. I didn't see that cut of the movie until, like, two years ago.

[A]

What?

[C]

I took that out.

[D]

That must have been an exciting night.

[A]

Oh, it was.

[C]

So cool.

[A]

Our research says it's a little different, actually. Fun fact reports say that the naughty word was included to guarantee a PG rating. Oh. In 1986, movies that were rated G weren't shown as often at night and didn't require an adult to go with the kid. That savvy business strategy led to the film budgeted at $6 million to make $5.8 million at the box office.

[C]

I wonder if that's cumulatively, like, even to this day.

[A]

No, I think it was just at the time, since then, it's been.

[C]

Yeah, well, it wasn't in the VHS copy that I had. That much I do know.

[A]

All right, you were two for two. Here's question number three. Frank Welker Provides the voice of several characters in the film, but which one of the following is not one of them? Is it Megatron, Blur, Soundwave, Rumble, or Frenzy?

[C]

Frank Welker, who is a legend, by the way, and he's awesome. He did so many voices over the years, but he did not do the voice of Blur. Do you want me to tell you who did do the voice?

[A]

You can show off. Go ahead.

[C]

That was actor John Moshida. He was the voice of the Micro Machines. You remember that, that ad campaign. He was like that guy at the end of every commercial where they're like, prices on participation may vary. You know, like that guy. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

That was his thing. So the answer again is Blur. Helen.

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

That is correct. Wow. Well, fun fact, the fast talking Blur is voiced by John Motormouth Machida, who held the Guinness record for world's fastest talker and appeared in dozens of commercials in the 1980s. Also in the cast is David Mendenhall as Daniel. David appeared on episode 82 of Go Fuck Yourself, talking about his movie over the Top.

[C]

No kidding. With Stallone?

[A]

Yeah, with Stallone.

[C]

He was the kid in.

[A]

He was the kid in over the Top.

[C]

That's awesome.

[A]

Episode 82. I recommend it. All right, you are three for three. Here's question four. You do have your hints available?

[C]

Okay.

[A]

The movie takes place in the faraway future of 2005, where of the year 2005 it is.

[C]

Yeah, that's how the movie starts.

[A]

Where, of course, we have transforming robots in space and all beings can understand a universal greeting. What is this greeting? That cup teaches Hot rod.

[C]

It's so weird that I was made for this. The universal greeting, and I suggest you all commit it to memory. Is ba weep grana weep ninny bon.

[A]

Helen.

[B]

That is correct.

[C]

He works in any culture on any planet.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

I had no idea when you were talking about your nerdism. I did not. I didn't believe you.

[A]

It is paying off, Cooper. It is paying off big time.

[C]

It is a miracle. I felt the touch of a woman.

[A]

Well, fun fact, Rod is voiced by Jud Nelson. That universal greeting is used in subsequent Transformers properties, but its first appearance is in this movie. You did not need the hint for that. But, Helen, please tell us, what would that hint have been?

[B]

It rhymes with blah bleep blah na bleep.

[A]

Lenny Blong. Ellen Hong made another name.

[C]

That's great.

[A]

And if you didn't know it, I would love to hear you try to get it from that hint. Cooper, you have a chance to go Five for five. You can get this next question correct. You do still have a hint available. Depending on where in the world you saw the movie in theaters, you might have seen a different version. For instance, the UK version starts with scrolling text like in Star wars, and ends with a voiceover narration promising what.

[C]

Optimus prime will return.

[A]

Helen.

[B]

Oh, my goodness. That's correct.

[A]

Super Brian's is five for five.

[B]

You did not even need a single hint.

[A]

You called your shot like the babe. You got them all with no hints. Fun fact. The death of Optimus prime without the promise of his return in the US Version led many children in theaters to cry and led some reviewers to call this the movie that scarred a generation.

[C]

Not me. I love it.

[A]

You were unscarred. All right, Cooper, you obviously did very well in that quiz, but now here is your expert level question that requires multiple answers. It is time for your cluster facts. We'll be bringing on an expert to discuss your response. Okay, Cooper, as you've mentioned, there's a lot of great music throughout the film, and the opening theme is legendary for up to three points. What band that shares its name with an animal performs the metal version of the Transformers theme song in the movie's opening? Next, in the roughly 80 seconds the theme plays, how many times do they sing the word Transformers? And we'll give it to you within two. And on what instrument did composer Anne Bryant first play the theme song's melody moments after reading the original script?

[C]

Well, the band is lion, and that song is awesome. How many times did they say Transformers in that song?

[A]

You can do a little speed through if you want to try to count them. Yeah.

[B]

On a higher key than I expected.

[A]

Transformers. Okay.

[B]

Transformers. More than meets the air.

[A]

Transformers.

[C]

And then this computer voice goes, Robots in disguise.

[A]

Transformers.

[C]

Autobots wage that battle to destroy the evil forces. And the electric car's like.

[A]

You know, in the movie, it's only 80 seconds.

[C]

I'm gonna say six times.

[A]

Six times. Okay. And finally, what's the musical instrument that the composer of that theme, Ann Bryant, first played the theme's melody on the electric guitar. All right, well, Helen is taking note of those answers. We have an expert on hand. You can tell us for sure. Helen, who do we have tonight?

[B]

Joining us tonight from Stony Point, New York, is a composer whose dozens of compositions for TV and movies include the theme to the transformers.

[C]

What?

[B]

It's Dr. Anne Bryant.

[A]

Ann Bryant.

[E]

Thank you so much for having me. This has really been fun to watch.

[A]

Well, Anne, you are a music composer, arranger, orchestrator, and producer. You've written themes and scores for film, advertising and TV that include the Gem and the hologram's main theme and song score, My Little Pony and Friends, the Great Space Coaster, and of course, the Transformers main theme.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, I love that. That's tr.

[C]

The gem on the holograms one was a real banger, too, as I recall.

[A]

Yes, absolutely legendary. We'll talk about your TV theme work in a moment. But you also have worked with legends including Gerry Mulligan, Liza Minnelli, and Judy Garland. You even joined Judy Garland at some of her performances. What comes to mind when you think about being with Judy Garland?

[E]

She was a funny, wonderful, warm, generous person. I just. She taught me so much. She taught me how to take a compliment. When I was 17, she said, yeah, this is how you do it. You say thank you and you mean it. She told me different important things that I never thought about before. And she also taught me that you have to please yourself first.

[A]

Oh, that's interesting. Well, you started writing songs at a very young age, and I saw an interview where you said, I remember hearing music in my head when I was in my crib.

[E]

I do.

[A]

Tell us about how you went from hearing music in your head to writing songs.

[E]

I still hear music in my head. It's going on now. I mean, it's a disease, but it's a really good one. And a famous ragtime player told my mother, take her to the symphony. So I was three years old. I went to the symphony every week. And then I learned from my mother what the name of all the instruments were. And one day I was about going to be four, and I said, mommy, I can hear an orchestra in my head. Then I knew it was that, and then. Then it ran the show in my life for after. After that, for a long time.

[B]

These days, you would be put on Ritalin.

[E]

That's true. Yeah. You're wonderful. I love the way you love the Transformers and know all of that.

[A]

Oh, you got a fan here, Cooper.

[C]

Oh, I'm. I. It wouldn't be as good if not for your contributions, Doctor, So thank you.

[E]

Thank you. I wish I'd seen it. I don't know if I saw it. I think I did go to see it on my birthday. When it came out, it was on Broadway. There was a theater right downtown. And I think I saw it then, and I haven't seen it since.

[A]

You've written so many pieces of music, and I heard you say that the Transformers theme was the most special piece of music you've ever written. Why Is that.

[E]

It really was. I really mean that. Bike messenger came and brought me an envelope and it was like, this is the new toy. It's a big competition a lot of music companies competed for. And I just looked at it and it was like, I always hear it before I write it, but this was like a baby was born with no labor. Transformers. Yeah. Okay. Then went to the piano and played it.

[B]

Whoa. Was the toy Optimus prime or Megatron?

[E]

It was a little thing. I remember they gave us a prototype. Somebody stole mine. It would probably be worth a fortune now. But it was a little thing. I showed it to my four year old nephew. I said, I don't understand how to work this thing. He went, oh, let's do this and do that. And it was, you know, like little kids with Rubikubes or something. They were so good at it. Maybe I gave it to him.

[A]

Let's track it down. Well, it's not just a catchy theme and one that's beloved by many. It actually is kind of unique. Scholars have actually studied the theme music that you wrote to compare it to other works. And what did they find?

[E]

That it has a unique. What's called a melodic cell. And what that is is the first unrepeated five notes. And it's a phrase that's totally original. It's never been done before before.

[A]

Incredible.

[E]

That phrase is more than meets the eye. That's. The phrase is a totally unique thing. So I told music colleagues, I said, should I put that on my headstone? She wrote an original phrase.

[A]

I just like. I think more than meets the eye is a good epitaph as well.

[E]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Well, in addition to all that you've done with music, you are also an author and your latest book is called the Happy Servant. Tell people about the book and where they can get it.

[E]

Happy Servant. It's a good story. It involves robots.

[A]

Robots actually.

[E]

They're super cleaning ladies. The underlying story is about love, like loving what you're doing and noticing that it's coming to you in so many different ways. I mean, so many people are mad right now and sometimes I think, what are you mad at? I mean, you went to college, your son is doing fine, you have a nice home. But so just life events that do that. But it's a very funny book. I'm a funny writer, I like to write. But it's got a lot of warm hearted stuff and good messaging.

[A]

Excellent. Well, people can find that wherever books are sold. Let's get to the reason we brought you here. As Far as our game is concerned, you heard the questions that we asked of Cooper. First, we wanted to know what band performed the metal version of the Transformers theme song in the movie's opening. Helen, what did Cooper say?

[B]

Cooper said lion.

[A]

And Anne.

[E]

You're right, Cooper, you're right.

[A]

Very nice.

[E]

Yeah, and they did a great job, too.

[A]

That is a point. Next, we wanted to know, in the roughly 80 seconds that that theme song plays, how many times does lion sing the word Transformers? Helen, what did Cooper say?

[B]

Well, Cooper sang for, like, three minutes, and eventually. Eventually he said six.

[E]

And, Ann, it's actually 10.

[A]

It's 10. Can you believe it?

[C]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Which is really crazy. I mean, that's eight. You know, music is kind of fours and eights and tens, you know, twelves, rather. So, yeah, 10 times. It didn't have a normal form.

[B]

But more importantly, what did you think of Cooper's rendition of the song?

[E]

I think he should join the band.

[A]

All right, humor of lion over here. Let's do it. A nice compliment. No point there, unfortunately. But finally wanted to know, in what instrument did the composer, Anne Bryant, first play the theme song's melody? Helen, what did Cooper say?

[B]

Cooper said electric guitar.

[A]

And doctor.

[E]

Piano.

[A]

Piano. Sorry, no point there. But it was the piano.

[B]

When you composed it, did you. Did you hear Transformer? Did you hear it that high?

[E]

I know, Actually, when I first composed it, if you slow it down and just play it as a melody and just like, it's in 7, 4 time, which is totally odd. It's in a minor key, and it's for little children, and they learned it. I know what you mean about kids who are now adults. You know, you wrote the soundtrack to my life, you know, or like, oh, wow. And Optimus died. Kids said he was my father. It was that kind of thing. Just their whole lives went into that.

[A]

And just to be clear, you were not responsible for the death of Optimus Prime?

[E]

No, I wouldn't have advocated for it at all.

[B]

Cooper, While we have Dr. Anne here, is there anything you'd like to ask.

[C]

Or say the person whoever sang alongside your music that actually sang Robots in Disguise more than meets the eye? There's that sort of affectation. They do this, like, electronic affectation on. On Robots In Disguise. Do you know how they did that or.

[E]

Yes.

[C]

Give us some insight into that, because I've always wondered.

[E]

Yes, that was. That was my former partner, a guy named kinder, and he was from Atlanta, and he. They had an airport in Atlanta that was beautiful. New airport in the 80s, and people were riding on the monorail and fascinated and missing their trains. So they got a new train piece of gear called a vocoder. It was very hard to come by. They'd go like American Airlines next up. And so people started not missing stops. And he was from Atlanta, and he heard that, and we did this job, and they picked my song. He said, let's get that instrument, that boat voter, and do a robot singing, robots in disguise. And it was a great idea. Oh.

[C]

The other thing I want to say is Judy Garland told you to take a compliment. And.

[E]

Yes.

[C]

Well, take this one. I'm so grateful to you for what you've created. It made my childhood and my whole life so much richer. So thank you.

[E]

Well, thank you.

[A]

Aw.

[E]

Thank you so much.

[A]

Well, Dr. Bryan, if people want to find out more about you or your work or your book, where can they do that?

[E]

Oh, they can find out a lot about me by investigating my book, the happy servant. That'll lead them to Excellent.

[A]

Well, we're so happy that this show led us to you. Dr. Ann Bryant, everybody. Thank you for being with us. Thank you so much.

[E]

Thank you.

[A]

Helen, what is our score at the end of that fantastic round?

[B]

At the end of that round, Cooper Barnes has seven points and Larissa Fasthorse has one and a half points with a round of questions for Larissa coming up.

[A]

That's right. We're going to talk with Larissa about a topic she knows about. Plus, later, Cooper and Larissa will go head to head in our fast facts round, all to find a winner on Go fact yourself.

[B]

Welcome back to go Fact yourself with our guests, Cooper Barnes and Larissa Fasthorse. Once again, here's Jakey van Straaten.

[A]

Thank you, Helen. All right, Larissa, of your many interests, you told us you know and love the original play and 1954 musical Peter Pan, the movie, the Sound of music, and Pierre, S.D. let's find out a little bit more about each of those. First, tell us why you know and love the play and musical Peter Pan.

[D]

I have not been a fan of the original Peter Pan for many years, and you guys rejected my first three topics, so I went with that one because it's something I had to learn about.

[A]

All right, well, we're changing the theme of the show. All right, next, tell us why you maybe know or maybe love the movie the Sound of Music.

[D]

I love the movie. I used to watch it probably once a month. Was a kid.

[A]

What?

[D]

And then it was the first thing I bought when you could, like, download movies for the first Time is, the first thing I downloaded was the Sound of Music. My husband, when we went to Austria, he took me, like, on a surprise Sound of Music, like, tour. We've done all of it. Yeah.

[A]

Very cool. And then finally, tell us why, you know, and or love Pierre, South Dakota.

[D]

I lived in Pierre, South Dakota, from the ages of 6 to 18. Don't really know anything about it since, but I'm willing to try.

[A]

All right, well, to summarize, you said that you know and. Or love the play and musical Peter Pan, the movie, the Sound of Music and Pier, S.D. today. We want to quiz you about Peter Pan. Okay. Well, I understand you have a complicated relationship with this work, but I did see in an NPR interview that you said even though you weren't as familiar with it when you started working on it, you actually did realize this is really good, that there were some good parts to it. So tell us about the stuff that's good and then the stuff that you wanted to do some work on.

[D]

Yeah, No, I honestly had avoided it for my whole life because of the depiction of Native American people, because of Agawaga, because of so many things and the way that women are depicted in it. And so I avoided it. I wanted nothing to do with it. And then I was asked to rewrite it and just had a musical that toured internationally the last year and a half. And when I read it, I was like, oh, my gosh, there's so much good in this. And there's a reason that it survived for this long. There's a reason it's been around for over 100 years. So often in this culture, what we do is we just cancel things. I was like, no, there's so much good in it. Like, how do you take the good out of it and lift that up and leave some of the other things behind? Much like Tom Turkey in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

[A]

Absolutely. All right, well, just ahead, we're going to enlist the help of a bonafide expert in your topic with an expert level question worth up to three points. But before that, to let you show that love, here are five trivia questions about the topic, each worth one point. If you want it, you're allowed to hit for any two of these five questions. Now, Cooper, do listen closely, because if Larissa answers incorrectly, you could steal. Cooper, how much do you know about the original play and 1954 musical Peter Pan?

[C]

Not much.

[A]

Okay. I got it from the first sound. That's my.

[C]

I don't know much sound.

[B]

I thought you were going to Say more than meets the eye.

[A]

All right, here's question number one. Larissa, one of the most memorable characters in Peter Pan is portrayed on stage by a dashing, sometimes blinking light. Who is this fairy character who became an unofficial mascot of the Walt Disney Company?

[D]

Tinkerbell.

[A]

Ellen.

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

That is correct, yes. I think that's the saddest way anyone has ever said Tinkerbell before. By the way, Tinkerbell. Fun fact. Tinkerbell appears in several movie sequels and spinoffs, including 2009's Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure, which features songs by Jonatha Brooke, who was a guest on episode 86 of Go Fact Yourself. Here is question number two. Peter Pants influence is vast. For instance, in the movie Star Trek the Undiscovered Country, Captain Kirk's last order is to set in a course for the second star to the right and straight on till morning, which seems to be directions to what place in Peter.

[D]

Pan that would be to Neverland?

[A]

Ellen.

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

That is correct. For the point. Very nice. Neverland or Never Neverland. Fun fact. The actual line from the play and musical Peter Pan is the second to the right, which doesn't really mean anything. And not second star to the right. Playwright J.M. barrie referred to the place as Never Never Land in his first iteration of the play, but apparently got tired of writing it twice and shortened it to just Neverland. All right, you're two for two. Here's question number three. The original Broadway production of the non musical play debuted in 1905, and its most recent revival was in 1950. But that production wasn't entirely non musical. It included a few songs by none other than Leonard Bernstein. It also starred as Captain Hook. What actor best known for starring in horror films?

[D]

I have absolutely no idea. Can I have a hint, Helen?

[A]

How about that hint?

[B]

His name sounds Russian and he starred in Frankenstein, the Mummy and Abbott and Costello. Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

[D]

Except Boris Carl.

[A]

Helen.

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

That is correct, yes. Fun fact. As a teenager, Boris Karloff saw Gerald du Maurier as Captain Hook in the original production of Peter Pan. And that performance helped inspire Karloff to pursue a career in acting. And eventually he got to play the role himself.

[D]

Amazing.

[F]

Amazing.

[D]

I'd love to see him do that role. That'd be so much fun.

[A]

That would be very cool. Yes. You're three for three. Larissa. Here's question number four. In the Peter Pan musical, lots of body parts are mentioned in various songs, but which one of the following is not one of Them? Is it ears, heart, fingers, toes, or mustache?

[D]

Going through songs really fast in my head.

[A]

Yes. Faster than Cooper did with one song.

[C]

I don't need this kind of abuse, Helen.

[D]

Can I have a hint?

[A]

Helen? How about that hint?

[B]

Mustache is mentioned in a song.

[D]

I'm going with toes.

[A]

Helen. Is it toes?

[B]

It is not toes.

[A]

No. I'm terribly sorry. Cooper with a chance to steal.

[C]

Fingers.

[B]

Helen, it is not fingers.

[A]

No, I'm sorry. No, it was ears. Ears actually are not mentioned in the lyrics of the song. No point there for either of you.

[C]

They've done studies. People don't like songs about ears.

[A]

Yeah, people don't. They definitely don't. Fun fact. A mustache is mentioned in I Won't Grow Up. Heart in Never Never Land. Fingers and toes in I've Got a Crow. Other body parts mentioned include eyes, head, face, and beard. And according to our definition, mustaches and beards are body parts. All right, then that's fun to know. All right, no point there for either of you. Let's see if we can bounce back to the question 5. You have no more hints available, though, so you are on your own. Let's see how you do. Larissa. The darling children have a nurse named Nana who is a dog. In the stage directions of the play. What breed of dog does it say? Nana is a sheepdog.

[B]

Ellen, that is not correct.

[A]

No. I'm terribly sorry, Cooper.

[C]

A chance to steal a schnauzer.

[A]

Ellen, is it a schnauzer?

[B]

It is not a schnauzer.

[C]

No.

[A]

I'm terribly sorry. This was tricky. It is a Newfoundland in Newfoundland.

[D]

I cut Nana, so there you go.

[A]

I did.

[D]

Get out of there.

[A]

Fun fact. In the 1953 and 2003 films, Nana is a Saint Bernard. The American Kennel Club, by the way, says that a Newfoundland quote is a patient and watchful nanny dog for kids. So fire the babysitters. Get yourself a Newfoundland. All right. You still did pretty well in that, Larissa. But now here's your expert level question that requires multiple answers. It is time for your cluster facts. We'll be bringing on an expert to discuss your response. Larissa, the Peter Pan musical we've been talking about premiered on Broadway in 1954 and has had five Broadway revivals since. Four of those revivals took place in the same decade and had the same lead actor for up to three points. In what decade of the 20th century did four revivals of Peter Pan hit Broadway? Next, what are any one of the four Broadway theaters where these revivals took place? And what former Gymnast who was nominated for her portrayal of Peter Pan, appeared in all four revivals and in hundreds of productions around the world.

[D]

All right, I'm gonna say 1980s.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

I'll go with Barrymore.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

And it's Cathy Rigby.

[A]

All right. Helen is taking note of those answers. We have an expert on hand who can tell us for sure. Helen, who do we have tonight?

[B]

Joining us tonight is a member of the International Gymnastics hall of Fame and a Tony nominated act and producer for Peter Pan. It's Kathy Rigby McCoy.

[A]

Kathy Rigby McCoy. I want Kathy.

[F]

I wish you would have seen our show because you know what? We changed.

[D]

Yeah.

[F]

So much.

[A]

Well, Kathy, we'll talk about Peter Payne in a little bit, but my goodness, among your many accomplishments, you have eight gold medals in gymnastics competitions. You were the first American to win a world championship medal. You've represented the USA in two Olympic Games, and you're in the International Gymnastics hall of Fame. Then there's this whole theater career. You've had Tony nominations for starring in and producing Peter Pan. And you are a winner of the Distinguished Lifetime Service Award from the League of American Theaters and Producers, the incredible Kathryn Ruby McCoy. Thank you.

[F]

Thank you. I've been blessed, very blessed. And when you're old enough, you start building up your resume a little bit.

[A]

Well, that is quite a resume. I want to talk about the gymnastics for a moment because now it's commonplace to have famous winning American gymnasts that people are very aware of. But that wasn't the case when you were competing.

[F]

My First Olympics was 68. My second was 72. I was 15 in my first Olympics. And first of all, my dad said, if you make the Olympic team in 68, you can have a monkey.

[A]

What? What?

[C]

Yes.

[F]

So I got a capuchin monkey.

[D]

What?

[E]

You had a capuchin?

[F]

I had a capuchin monkey.

[C]

Those are the smartest monkeys, by the way.

[F]

They are very smart.

[A]

Who knew that we would end up talking about monkeys with Kathy Rigley?

[D]

I'm so happy.

[B]

What a weird thing for your father to dangle.

[F]

Yeah, I know.

[A]

Well, of course you retired from gymnastics. Tell us about that transition from being a gymnast to an actor, because that wasn't something that you took lightly.

[F]

No, I actually. I was so incredibly shy as a young girl. And I used to cry when I give book reports in school, let alone stand up on stage. And I spent seven years studying voice and acting. My very first show was Dorothy and the wizard of Oz. And that's where I met my husband, who's here today.

[A]

Wow.

[F]

And we've been married 43 years. I mean, I fell in love with it. Like I did gymnastics, and I was with people who were so vital and alive, and they felt things. You know, they spoke their mind, or they would just laugh so freely. And it was such a. I think it saved my life. It was so great.

[A]

Wow.

[F]

But after the Olympics, I was offered the part in an arena version, like a Disney on Parade show of Peter Pan.

[A]

How many times you estimate that you have played Peter Pan since then?

[F]

Probably over 3,000 times.

[A]

Wow.

[F]

Yeah. So many tours. I think that's why we're married. Huh, honey?

[A]

Still 43 years.

[F]

No.

[A]

Well, another transition you made was from actor to producer, and you actually share some of the feelings that Larissa has about. I do.

[F]

I think from the very beginning, you know, it had evolved, and pertaining to Tiger Lily and the songs, they were not correct at all. And I could see how they were offensive to so many people. So what we did, especially in our last versions of Peter Pan, was that, first of all, Tiger Lily and Wendy were two of the strongest characters in the show, where they. They had this culture, they had this drive, they were strong. We then, in the song Ugga Wug, we took out 99.9% of the lyrics and just made it a dance drum number. And it was about eight minutes long, and it just about killed us every night because it was. It was.

[B]

It.

[F]

Yeah, it was. It was non stop. But the main thing is that Peter and Wendy came together in the Lost Boys in Unity at one point, and their biggest enemy was Captain Hook, and they went after him together. And so, you know, it wasn't probably as correct as it could be, but it was a big step from the beginning.

[A]

And I see Larissa nodding along. Appreciate it. Yeah.

[D]

Actually, you know, the only time I saw Peter Pan before I worked on it was with you when I was a teenager at the Muny.

[F]

Oh, my gosh.

[D]

Yeah. It's the only time I'd seen it at all. And I was in the very back, though. So you were the size of postage stamp.

[F]

Yeah. And that was an earlier version of the show itself that was, I think, in the early 80s or mid-80s.

[D]

Yeah, mid-80s.

[F]

Yeah. And so it came a long way since that point. And so, you know, we were pretty proud of it afterwards. But, you know, it can continually evolve as we evolve as people and understand, you know, the plight of different groups and tribes.

[A]

Speaking of being a producer, you and your husband Tom, are the executive Producers of the McCoy Rigby Entertainment series at the La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts here in Southern California. You produced 25 seasons and launched several national touring productions, and you're actually going to be doing a different kind of Peter Pan production.

[F]

Yes, we are doing Peter Pan Goes Wrong. And if you've seen any of the Goes Wrong shows, it's a farce. It is. You know what every actor in theater dreads? That they mess up or they say the wrong line or they forget a line or the props don't work correctly or the scenery. And in this one, things go wrong on purpose. But, you know, I think to my time with Peter Pan and all the times this stuff went wrong.

[A]

So this is more of a documentary for you.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

Speaking of which, I was watching clips of some of your performances on YouTube last night, and I didn't realize how fast they were flinging you around the stage. There was one clip I saw, I swear to God, you were going 40 miles an hour.

[F]

We actually had please come out and time it. And it's actually about 20 miles. But when you only have, you know, so much space, that's fast.

[B]

I was holding my breath for you.

[D]

I was like, oh, it's the best.

[F]

Part of it, though. It truly is the most fun. And it got so crazy after a while that, you know, the set, everything leaves the stage, and you see the stars in the background and the fog coming up from down below. And I would grab the curtain legs and I would wrap around one way, and then I'd spin myself around and grab it on the other side and we dip and float and all that stuff.

[A]

So that gymnast training, oh, my God.

[F]

It was truly one of the most fun things I've ever done.

[A]

Last, I want to ask about. You've accomplished so many amazing things, but I think one of the lasting legacies is going to be there is an image of you traveling through space right now.

[F]

Yes. There is the Voyager.

[A]

On the Voyager, this golden record that is supposed to represent all of humankind. Everything that's happening on Earth includes an image of you, Cathy Rigby, on the balance beam.

[E]

What?

[F]

You know, it was after the Olympics, and a friend from Washington called and said, by the way, do you know you're on the Voyager and it's going out to space? It gives you a sense of pride and just that opportunity to be out there in space.

[D]

Even if I never get no way.

[A]

You'Re a pretty good example of humans, and I think they should be so lucky to find it.

[B]

The aliens are going to be like.

[F]

Wow, what is that?

[A]

We need to explain to them. Not all humans can do that. Only people like Kathy. Let's get to the reason we brought you here. As far as our game is concerned, you heard the questions that we asked of Larissa. First, we wanted to know, in what Decade of the 20th Century did four revivals of Peter Pan hit Broadway? Helen, what did Larissa say?

[B]

Larissa said, the 1980s.

[F]

And Kathy, the 90s.

[A]

It was the 90s. Yes. I'm sorry. No point there. But very reasonable. You did, of course, perform very often in the 80s, just not on Broadway there.

[D]

Yeah, that's the only one I saw, so that's why I went with.

[A]

Okay, don't worry about that. Next, we wanted to know, what are any of the four Broadway theaters where those revivals took place? Helen, what did Larissa say?

[B]

Larissa said, the Barrymore and Kathy.

[A]

No, no, I'm sorry. There were, of course, the Luntfontaine, the Minskoff, the Marquis and the Gershwin. The Gershwin. But a very reasonable guess. Larissa, but finally wanted to know what former gymnast and Tony nominated performer appeared in all four revivals and in hundreds of performances around the world? Helen, what did Larissa say?

[B]

Larissa said, kathy Rigby.

[F]

And yes, yes, it was wonderful.

[A]

Kathy Rigby.

[B]

Larissa, while we have Kathy here, is there anything you'd like to ask or say?

[D]

Well, first, I'm really excited about the show. I've been to the shows at the La Mirada, and they put on incredible musicals there. They're really amazing.

[A]

Thank you.

[D]

I've been many times. Yeah, I've worked with Paul Rubin, the fly guy, who I know did the flights for your Peter Pan as well for a long time. And he talked to me a lot about that incredible flight over the audience. I wonder if you could talk more about that.

[F]

The flight of the audience is at the curtain call, is the kind of curtain call you want to do for every show that you ever do. And to get a good flight out over the audience, you have to have a point on your wire that goes kind of far out. Peter takes a bow, and then all of a sudden, Paul jumps off a ladder and hoists me in the air, and I go right over the heads of everybody, and the fairy dust is sprinkling everywhere. But I have to tell you, there were a few times.

[A]

Oh, no.

[F]

We loved it when we got a standing ovation. But sometimes people would stand up and they'd have the tallest person right in the middle. So I'd have to go, who? I'd have to say, sit down.

[A]

Sit down, Kathy. It has Been such a joy and a privilege that you joined us tonight. If people want to find out more about you and what you're up to, where can they do that?

[F]

Well, they can go to mccoyrigbeentertainment.com or they can. If they want to come to the show, they can go to La Mirada. We do have shows like Come from Away that's coming up, which is about 9, 11. It's a brilliant show. And Peter Pan goes wrong. And, oh, we have Jason Alexander directing our Sweeney Todd.

[A]

Wonderful.

[F]

Yeah, down there.

[A]

There's always something great going on.

[F]

Yeah. Anastasia, too. So excellent.

[A]

Thank you so much for being here tonight. Kathy, Rigby, McCoy, everybody. Thank you.

[F]

I really did love you.

[A]

Helen, what is our score at the end of that round?

[B]

At the end of that round, Cooper Barnes has seven points, and Larissa Fasthorse has five and a half points. All right.

[A]

But now it comes down to our final round. We call fast facts. I'll read 10 statements, and each contest will answer with true or false. I'll start with Cooper and then alternate. Each correct answer is worth one point. Again, please answer each statement with true or false, and we will go fast. Here we begin. Cooper, there was a sitcom called the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

[C]

True.

[D]

Correct.

[A]

Yeah, they can be easy. Larissa, there was a sitcom called the Dick Van Dyke Show.

[F]

True.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

Cooper, there was a sitcom called the New Mary Tyler Moore Show.

[C]

False.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

Larissa, there was a show called the New Dick Van Dyke Show. False.

[B]

Incorrect.

[A]

No, there really was. It was another sitcom. Cooper, there was a show called the Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited.

[C]

False.

[B]

Incorrect.

[A]

No, it really was. It was a special. Larissa, there was one called the Van Dyke Show.

[D]

False.

[B]

Incorrect.

[A]

Nope, it was another sitcom.

[D]

It has to end somewhere.

[A]

I've never heard of this. Cooper, there was one called Dick Van Dyke Meets the Animals.

[C]

True.

[B]

Incorrect.

[A]

Larissa, there was one called Dick Van Dyke Meeting Meets Bill Cosby.

[D]

I'm gonna go true with that one.

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

Yeah, it really was. It was a special Cooper. There was one called Dick Van Dyke and the other Woman.

[C]

True.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

Yeah, it was a special Larissa. The other woman was Mary Tyler Moore.

[B]

False. Incorrect.

[A]

No, it really was. Cooper, there was a sitcom called the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

[C]

Wait, you already said that.

[A]

You're right. I'm going in a loop. All right, let's not count that last one. Let's give Larissa a fast order and Cooper Barnes, a nice round of applause as Helen tabulates the final score. By the way, there were also shows called Fun with Dick And Jerry Van Dyke and Dick Van Dyke. 98 years of magic. Besides the Mary Tyler Moore show, Mary Tyler Moore had shows called Mary the Mary Tyler Moore Hour, Mary's incredible dream, and Ann McGuire.

[D]

I have not heard of any of these shows.

[A]

Yeah, the last one, for some reason, not a big hit for Mary Tyler Moore. All right, Helen, are you ready to announce the winner in today's show?

[B]

I am. At the end of the game, Cooper Barnes has 10 points and Larissa Fasthorse has seven and a half points.

[A]

Congratulations, Cooper Barnes. You are the facting champion on go fact yourself. Cooper, what will you do with your championship?

[C]

Oh, I'm gonna. I'm gonna give it to the first monkey I find and hopefully he or she will do something hilarious with it.

[A]

I'm sure they will. All right, we're gonna wrap up by giving everyone on the panel a chance to mention or promote anything of theirs they might like. Cooper Barnes, where can people find you and what you're on up to?

[C]

I'm gonna be on a couple episodes of St. Denis Medical on NBC this fall. I'm gonna be at raptorcon in Evansville, Indiana, second weekend of September 13th. I think it is gonna be hanging out outside this theater. I'm gonna ride home afterwards. That's it. No, you got a third thing.

[F]

No.

[B]

You're gonna be singing the Transformers.

[C]

I'll be singing the Transformers theme for autographs in the alley afterwards.

[A]

Well worth the price. Cooper Barnes, everybody.

[C]

Thanks for being here.

[A]

Thanks for having me some passports. What about you?

[D]

You know what? I'm actually returning to performing for the first time in over a decade. This fall, I'm going to be doing a solo show at Seattle Rep about my becoming a ballet dancer and wearing spandex. And then I'm also. I've got a bunch of plays, the public at Yale rep and all kinds of places. So just keep looking for me.

[A]

I'm all excellent. We're happy that we found you here. Larissa Fasthorse, everybody. Ladies and gentlemen, you are so lucky because my hosting partner, funny Helen Hong.

[B]

You can follow me on the socials. Funny helenhong. We know why that other Helen Hong is not funny, but this one is.

[A]

She is our funny Helen Hong. And me, you can find me on all the [e-mail] all spelled out. You can hire me for your trivia event either in person or online by going to bigquizthing.com and of course, please come to my favorite storytelling show in la, which I happen to co produce called Rant and Rave. Every other month at the Rogue Machine Theater. That just leaves me to thank Cooper Barnes, Larissa Fasthorse, Ann Bryant, Kathy Rigby McCoy, and thank you for listening and supporting our [e-mail] I'm J. Keith Van Strauten. Good night. Like what you hear? Come see us live. Go to gofactorpod.com for our schedule and tickets. Meanwhile, please like and follow us on all the socials all o FactorPod. Update our [e-mail] and buy our T shaped shirt, mug shaped mug and dingle dangly dingle dangle and [e-mail] and give us a great review on your favorite podcast platform like Quack Damu did on Podcast Addict. He sheer they said Helen and J. Keith are fun hosts and good people to boot. Thanks Quack damn you and sorry we didn't get to your review that you wrote four years ago. Maybe we're not good people.

[B]

Helen Go Fact Yourself is a panel quiz program devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Jay Keith Van Stratten. It comes to you via transcription from the Carl Sagan and Ann Drean Theater at the center for Inquiry west in Los Angeles. Questions were compiled by the Trivia Industrial Complex, which this week included Dave Bianchi. We are produced in collaboration with Maximum Fun and laist. Maximum Fun. Senior producer is Laura Swisher Co producer and editor in our very own Megatron is Julian Burrell. Additional editing by Valerie Moffatt Music by Jonathan Green Research assistant by Adam Nedev Quiz assistance by Bart Gold and Clint Hauscher Promotional graphics by Erich Tran Video clips by Scout Mayberry Today's Live show engineers Michael Leyva Live show photography by Christine Velada Live show support by Dave Bianchi and Leora Saul Special thanks to Bruce Smith at Omnipop Talent Group, Tom McCoy and the staff at McCoy Rigby Entertainment, Ellen Bernfeld, Christina Wong, Tony Federico and Jim Underdown and Alice Pine at the center for Inquiry West. I've been Helen Hong. Let's go see Peter Pan and the Transformers movie.

[A]

Wow, we really don't want to grow up.

[B]

Maximum Fun.

[A]

A worker owned network of artist owned shows supported directly by you.