Ep. 187: Jay Mohr & Chase Masterson

Summary

Go Fact Yourself – Episode 187: Jay Mohr & Chase Masterson

Release Date: February 6, 2026
Host: J. Keith van Straaten
Co-host: Helen Hong
Guests: Chase Masterson (activist & actor, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”) & Jay Mohr (comedian, actor, “Saturday Night Live”)

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Episode Overview

This lively episode of Go Fact Yourself pits “Star Trek” actor and anti-bullying advocate Chase Masterson against comedian and podcast host Jay Mohr in a battle of wits and nostalgia. The main event: rounds of trivia focused on the guests' chosen niche topics — ‘70s and ‘80s commercial jingles for Chase, and the HBO series “Deadwood” for Jay — with deep dives, expert surprises, and plenty of song and laugh-out-loud moments along the way.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Guest Introductions & Backstories

(03:55 – 06:08)

Chase Masterson

• Known for her role as Leeta on “Star Trek: DS9.”
• Discusses how her role snowballed from four lines to a recurring part, thanks in part to engaging with the fan community.
• “These are people who believe in a better future … making a world where we can all live long and prosperity.” (Chase Masterson, 05:06)

Jay Mohr

• Stand-up comic, actor on “Saturday Night Live” and in films like “Jerry Maguire.”
• Shares audition stories about his path to landing roles—especially, humorously, in “Jerry Maguire”:
  • “I was like, sure, anything. … They thought I was like a savant. … And I just knew everybody. So I was like, yep, got it. And they were like, what?” (Jay Mohr, 06:08)

2. Getting to Know the Guests

(12:23 – 18:27)

Chase’s Advocacy

• Details her nonprofit The Heroic Journey, inspired by Star Trek's vision, to combat bullying and support youth mental health via pop culture references.
  • “We all love heroes. Why not be one?” (Chase Masterson, 12:51)
• Advocates for building self-understanding and values to address the roots of bullying.
  • “People who are mentally healthy don’t bully each other.” (13:20)

Jay’s Impressions & “More Stories” Podcast

• Explains his approach to celebrity impressions (notably Christopher Walken), insisting he only does impressions based on real interactions.
  • “I only do impressions of interactions I’ve actually had with the person. So I don’t have to remember anything because it happened.” (Jay Mohr, 16:55)
• Met his wife through a radio interview linked to his podcast.

3. “What’s the Difference” Round

(08:32 – 12:23)

• To Chase: “Chase” vs “Pursue” — Chase = following something actively moving away; Pursue = could be at any pace, often intangible (goals, knowledge).
• To Jay: "Blue jay" vs "jaybird" — Blue jays are a kind of jaybird (mostly blue, crest on head, eastern North America), while 'jaybird' is broader (various colors, global).
• Banter and clever wordplay throughout.
  • "My name is not Pursue Masterson." (Chase Masterson, 09:03)
  • “Can I get a bonus point for making all of that up?” (Jay Mohr, 12:13)

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Chase Masterson: Deep Dive on 70s & 80s Commercial Jingles

(20:04 – 41:42)

Why Jingles?

• Grew up loving them: “I was six and learning to be manipulated for cereal.”
• Favourites include classics for Coke, Dr Pepper, and Meow Mix.

Trivia Highlights

• What were the armed forces jingles’ taglines? (23:26) — Chase lists all four branches’ jingles, plus gives examples.

  • “You don’t need experience!” (Jay Mohr, 23:37, on Army ads)

• “Have you driven a Ford...” “...lately.” (24:30)

  • Chase sings the answer, impressing everyone: “That is correct and in tune.” (Helen Hong, 24:32)

• Which Coca-Cola slogan is NOT from the 70s/80s? — “Always Coca Cola” is from the 1990s.

• American Airlines Jingles:

  • “We’re American Airlines / Doing what we do best.”
  • “Something special in the air.”

• The Galaxy Glue jingle is NOT real, but from the Lily Tomlin film “The Incredible Shrinking Woman.”
  (Jay’s guess: “Jaws”—prompting laughter.)

Expert Segment

[29:54 – 41:36]

• Guest: Linda November, legendary “Queen of the Jingles.”

• Recorded classics including Meow Mix, Ford, Coke, more.

• Shared stories of auditioning for Richard Rodgers, then being told she “didn’t look Jewish enough” to get cast in Fiddler on the Roof.

• Discussed crafting the Meow Mix jingle and recording it in one take.

  • “In those days, ‘74, they were just Moviolas. There were no computers ...” (Linda November, 35:01)
  • “You can’t afford me.” (Linda November, 39:30, when asked to sing the jingle)

• On mental health in showbiz:

  • “I am a raving lun ... The jingle business was unique, we were all graduate musicians ... we were called the Golden Dozen.” (Linda November, 40:29)

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Jay Mohr: Deep Dive on “Deadwood”

(44:09 – 62:55)

Why “Deadwood”?

• Binge-watched it a year ago, considers it “Sopranos great.”
• Favorite moment: Ian McShane’s ‘mercy killing’ — “The fact that such an evil man delivered mercy was ... incredibly well written.” (Jay Mohr, 46:06)

Trivia Highlights

• Deadwood is in the Dakota Territory (now North/South Dakota).
• Calamity Jane’s real name: Martha Jane Canary.
• Cast/crew crossover: magician Ricky Jay & comedian Gerri Jewell appeared together.
• Deadwood won 8 Emmys, not for Lead Actor.
• In Season 3, rock bands appear as extras: ZZ Top, Anthrax, Motorhead.

Expert Segment

[53:13 – 62:55]

• Guest: Jim Beaver (“Ellsworth” on Deadwood; actor, writer, historian).

• Surprised audience that his late wife, Cecily Adams, was Chase Masterson’s DS9 co-star.

• Talked about David Milch’s rapid-fire, last-minute rewrites for actors:

  • “I only got a complete script once — for the pilot. After that, they faxed our scenes the night before.” (Jim Beaver, 57:48)
  • “It’s the richest, most emotion-filled dialogue I have ever heard outside of Shakespeare.” (Jim Beaver, 56:54)

• Clusterfact answers:

  • Alma’s first husband, Brom, was pushed off a cliff (not fed to the pigs).
  • The biological father was a Marshal (or Sheriff).
  • Ellsworth’s first name: Whitney.

• On food on the Deadwood set: “We ate with the pigs.” (Jim Beaver, 62:24)

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Fast Facts Finale: License Plates

(63:26 – 64:13)

• Series of true/false questions about Tennessee state license plates and their many variations (dogs, cats, musical cats “playing the Meow Mix jingle”).
• Light-hearted, rapid-fire pace.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Ann Margret let girls know it was okay to be both smart and sexy … clever in a way that was unabashed.”
  — Chase Masterson on why she idolized Ann Margret, 15:16

• “If you were growing up back in [the ‘80s], if you’re gonna say ‘bodacious’ and ‘grody’ … you commit ... I don’t trust current slang ... we can trust ‘80s slang.”
  — Chase Masterson, 20:57

• “You are the name of like the bad guy in a ski movie. J. Keith, we got to keep these nerds off the mountain.”
  — Jay Mohr teasing the host, 05:53

• “Don’t call me.”
  — Linda November, when asked where fans can find her online, 41:24

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Scores & Outcome

• Chase Masterson: 12.5 points (Winner!)
• Jay Mohr: 8 points

Chase becomes the “Fact champion,” and promptly quips, “Thank you for not being slop … I’m going to lord it over Jay Mohr for sure.” (65:06)

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Promotion & Plugs

• Chase Masterson: Star Trek’s 60th anniversary signings; The Heroic Journey (mental health/org); Instagram: @chasemasterson
• Jay Mohr: “More Stories” podcast (Apple, Spotify, YouTube); Instagram: @jaymohr37
• Helen Hong: @funnyhelenhong on socials
• J. Keith van Straaten: allkeith.net; bigquizthing.com for event hosting

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:55: Guest intros begin
• 08:32: “What’s the Difference?” round
• 12:23: Getting to know the guests in-depth
• 20:04: Chase’s jingle trivia begins
• 29:54: Expert/Clusterfact: Linda November (Meow Mix)
• 44:09: Jay’s Deadwood trivia begins
• 53:13: Expert/Clusterfact: Jim Beaver (Ellsworth from Deadwood)
• 63:26: Fast Facts finale
• 64:47: Episode wrap-up, final scores, plugs

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Tone:
This episode is characteristically warm, nostalgic, and quick with laughs—packed with affectionate ribbing, infectious singalongs, and genuine respect for pop culture history. The hosts and guests maintain a friendly and upbeat banter throughout. The playful spirit in trivia, especially with Chase gamely singing jingles and Jay's self-deprecating quips about only watching one season of Deadwood, make it an especially delightful edition.

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Recommended For:
Fans of pop culture, TV history, vintage advertising, and improv games; anyone who enjoys celebrity trivia mixed with heart and humor.

Transcript

[A]

Hey everybody, it's Jay Keith. Excited for you to hear this brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself. But first wanted to say thank you to all of our fans and friends and family and listeners who came out to see our shows in New York City.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

What an incredible trip that we had. We had a wonderful time and those episodes are going to be great. Look for those in your feed I think next month. And of course we are back in the Los Angeles area doing our shows here and we'd love to have you in our audience. Our Our upcoming shows are Sunday, February 15th, a matinee at 4pm at the Crawford with actors Dre Hemingway versus Eric Winter. Then Saturday, February 28th at 7pm at the Crawford With Jordan Carlos versus Aaron Hayes and Thursday, March 12th at the Crawford at 7pm with author Laura Dave and comedian Drew Lynch. You can always get the latest info and [e-mail] we also are going to be going on the road even more this year if all things work out. I believe we are headed to Milwaukee in May. We are trying to put that together and we will be at the worldcon in Anaheim in August and hopefully some more things coming up. Also, we're working on some new merch to put in the Max Fund Store. If you've got something that you would like to see with a Go Fact Yourself logo or phrase on it, please let us know on the socials or by going to gofactorpod.com and clicking on Get Involved. And finally, as you know, we do read a review live on stage every show. And we're running out of reviews. So if you want to hear your name and your review read, please make sure to go to your favorite podcast platform and write us a good review and we'll read it on the air if it's good. And of course, why wouldn't it be? All right, that's all for now. We've got some fun things to announce pretty soon with the Max Fun Drive. It's coming up and yeah, that's plenty. So for now, take it away past Helen.

[C]

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. Hey hey 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. I love it. Thank you. And now from the Crawford at La Eston Pasadena, here's our moderator Jakey Van Straten.

[B]

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

[C]

I'm very well, Jakeeith. How are you?

[B]

I am well. Now, Helen, every once in a while, you give us an update on what you call your snefew.

[C]

My snefew? My sister's kid who I'm helping raise. I call my snefew. And my sister is now trying to teach snefew about finances.

[B]

And how old is your snefew?

[C]

He's four years old.

[B]

Okay, that checks out.

[C]

And so she's done this thing where she has jars, and it's like, okay, here's the savings jar that we put away, and then here's the spending jar, and you get a little money in the spending jar, and then we give them options. Right? So, okay, you have $4 in there. You can either buy a new hot wheel now or save the money until we get enough to buy a big Lego set later. And before we even finish the sentence, he's like, hot wheel now.

[B]

Okay, Hot wheel now. Immediately new.

[C]

And so, yeah.

[B]

So, Helen, would you say that's a trait that runs in your family?

[C]

Absolutely runs in my family. No delayed gratification in our family. So, yeah, we just have a lot of hot wheels.

[B]

Well, you do not have to delay your gratification any longer, because 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?

[C]

She is an activist and actor known for her role as Leta in the Star Trek universe. And he is a comedian and actor known for his work on Saturday Night Live and his podcast More Stories. It's Chase Masterson and Jay Moore.

[B]

What a welcome. All right, well, Chase, my goodness, you were already a working actor before you were cast on Deep Space Nine. But how soon does your life change once you're on a Star Trek show?

[D]

Immediately.

[B]

Okay, tell us.

[D]

Well, I was only supposed to be for four lines in one episode, and I was just completely shocked that they brought me back at all. But when they. When we started to go back, I was thinking, well, how do you. How do you get to go back more? You know, we never had a contract, so I started going to these conventions and meeting the people who make the show possible, which is the fans, which is you guys. And, and it's intense. What can I say? I mean, these are the best great hearted people.

[C]

Star Trek fans have zero chill. I'm being one. I can tell you. There is zero chill with a Star Trek fan.

[D]

I mean, you know, we have things, people name their pets after us and things like that. But the bottom line is these are people who believe in a better future. They're people that believe the Star Trek credos. And those are making a world where we can all live long and prosperity.

[B]

Sounds great.

[C]

Thank you, Jay.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

Now, Jay, you were a longtime stand up comedian, but you were.

[B]

Was.

[E]

What's that?

[B]

Why? What, what happened? Jay, what happened to you? I think is Helen's question.

[E]

I gotta check my emails.

[C]

Well, you were working for so long in comedy, but then your first movie was Jerry Maguire, which is crazy. That was your first movie and it was a dramatic role. So how did that come about and how did you feel about it and why?

[E]

Good to see you, Helen. Jake. I love that Jake. Keith Van Stratton. You're the name of like the bad guy in a ski movie. J. Keith, we got to keep these.

[B]

Nerds off the mountain.

[E]

J. Keith Van Stratton.

[B]

Guy can't even do a double helix. Is that something? Sure. Okay.

[E]

Is that your category tonight? Oh, the. I auditioned for Jerry Maguire to be the quarterback, which was gotten by Jerry o'. Connell. And then they asked me to come back to read for the male nanny, which was gotten by Brad deluiso. But what happened when they said, hey, could you leave the quarterback audition, go take the sides for the male nanny and come back in when you're ready? I was like, sure, anything. So the male nanny has this speech about this jazz album, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. I had that album, so I knew all the musicians already. So I was just like this. They thought I was like a savant. I just, look, I'm like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, you know, Cannibal Adderley, and of course 18 year old Philly Joe Jones on Tony Williams on drums. And of course, you know, and I just knew everybody. So I was like, yep, got it. And they were like, what? And then when I did the male nanny, Jim Brooks said, well, what about, what about Sugar?

[B]

What about Sugar?

[E]

To everybody else in the room. And I didn't realize at the time they had an offer out to Owen Wilson. So that's why I was like, what about. So, yeah, and the hair on my neck stood up and I asked for a little more time than the hallway to Learn those lines. And I got the part.

[C]

I mean, that's so cool that, like, your first movie was a drama. Like, you ended up doing a drama as your first.

[E]

It was awesome.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Yeah. Changed my life.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, we're gonna get to 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. Chase, for you, you said that was the best commercial jingles of the 1970s and 80s. That'19. Yeah, that's right. 1980s slang and word of the year winners, some of which could be in the 70s or 80s. So I am seeing a little bit of a theme. Yes. Whereas, Jay, you said you know and love the Rolling Stones, Sticky fingers album, the TV show Deadwood, and 1990s Yankees World Series teams. Well, later on, we're gonna ask each of you some in depth trivia questions about one of those topics. But first, we're gonna 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, Chase and Jay. First up in Chase and Jay is Chase. Chase, while they both might have you running around, what's the difference between to chase something and to pursue something? To chase and to pursue.

[D]

Oh, geez. Chase would be when you're going fast and need to keep up. Pursue would be to have a focus on the thing that you're going for. And I think pursue could be at any pace.

[B]

At any pace?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

All right, we've got Chase's answer. We don't know yet if she's entirely correct. Jay, anything you'd like to add or change to try to get some points for yourself?

[E]

No, she's nailed it. I don't know what to tell you.

[D]

Can I add one more thing since.

[B]

Jay's not going to? Yeah, I guess so.

[D]

My name is not Pursue Masterson.

[B]

It is not.

[D]

You could.

[B]

All right, well, this segment needs to cut to the chase. Let's go to Helen Hong at the judges table for the facts.

[C]

Here are the facts. You chase something when it is actively moving away from you, like a rolling ball, an opponent in a game of tag, or your dog slash child when they don't want to take a bath. You pursue something that isn't necessarily moving away from you. Or is something intangible, like a goal Or a piece of knowledge. Specifically the knowledge of how to get your dog slash, child to take a bath.

[B]

That's right. A chase can end quickly in a matter of seconds. But you can pursue something like a PhD or getting your show on public radio for years. Helen, how did our guest do?

[C]

You know, I think actually Chase was kind of in the ballpark for both parts of that, because Chase, you did say going fast, needing to keep up, and then pursue. You said going for something. Focus on something. So I think two points for Chase.

[B]

Two points for Chase. Very nice.

[C]

Thank you.

[D]

It's all you now.

[B]

All right, up next in Chase and Jay is. Jay. Jay. While it's pretty hard to chase either one when it comes to birds, what's the difference between a blue jay and a jaybird? A blue jay and a jaybird.

[E]

Blue jays are sort of northeastern United States. Jaybirds are more universally North American. And one is migratory. The jaybird is migratory. The blue jay is not.

[B]

All right. Whoa.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

Whoa.

[C]

Dropping some nat Geo knowledge out of nowhere.

[B]

All right, we've got Jay's answer. Chase, anything you'd like to add or change?

[D]

I thought jaybirds had something to do with jail. I don't know. It's just wrong.

[B]

I should clarify. We are speaking strictly ornithologically.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[E]

Well, there goes my migratory.

[D]

I know. It's impressive, though. I have no idea. Blue jays are pretty and jaybirds are.

[B]

Have great personalities.

[D]

That's it.

[C]

Yeah. They're smart.

[D]

They're smart.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

I don't know.

[B]

All right, well, this segment needs to smoke a jay. Let's go to Helen Hong at the judges table for the facts.

[C]

Here are the facts. The blue jay is predominantly located in eastern North America. Yeah. Has a crest of feathers on its head and is shocker. Mostly blue. Jaybirds are located all over the world, usually do not have a crest of feathers on their heads and can be various colors.

[B]

That's right. Blue jays are in fact a type of jaybird. And while it's obvious that a blue jay is mostly blue, other jaybirds, like the European brown jay, the tropical green jay, and black chested jays, all still have some blue in them. Blue jays also had the distinction of losing to the Los Angeles dodgers in the 2025 World Series. Not afraid to pander. Helen, how did our guest do?

[C]

Jay, I think I'm gonna give you one point for blue jay because you did say blue and you did get northeast us, which was pretty impressive to me. Migratory was impressive, but not, not necessarily correct.

[D]

They're all over.

[E]

Do I get a bonus point that I guessed and made all of that up.

[C]

You know what? A point and a half.

[G]

A point and a half. It worked.

[D]

Yeah, I was gonna say.

[E]

I'll remember that. Hong.

[B]

All right, let's get to know our guests a little bit better. Chase Masterson, you've appeared in dozens of movies, video games, online series, and TV shows, including the Doctor who spinoffs, Big Finish, General Hospital, ER Sliders, and of course, as Lita for five seasons on Star Deep Space Nine.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

You've also founded a really compelling nonprofit called the Heroic Journey, which works to combat bullying. And I understand that the messaging from Star Trek kind of inspired that.

[D]

It absolutely did. I mean, we started out to end bullying, and we started out to use pop culture in ways that excite people to do that. You know, we all love heroes. Why not be one? And then we realized that it all is based in mental health. You know, people who are mentally healthy don't bully each other. So this really took off, and we are working nationwide, over half a million kids in our beta stage. And we also have a program for parents now. We're going international. It's really exciting.

[B]

That's very, very cool.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Saving lives.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

Well, I know that your organization focuses on evidence based solutions. What have you found is effective for getting kids to stop bullying?

[D]

So a lot of programs start with resilience, and that's a really important skill to know. You know, it's. We all want to be able to move on through our challenges, but there's so much more that goes before that. In order to be resilient, you really need to know your identity. Who are you and what do you stand for? What do you value? What are our core values? And then once we know that we can have respect and high self regard, then we can learn to be mindful so that we can make our decisions in the moment of what we really want in the long run rather than the short run. Not to be impulsive. Then we go for having an understanding of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. That's just basic cbt. How do our thoughts and our feelings influence our behaviors? Then we need to learn how to be self compassionate.

[C]

I love that you're using pop culture to do the message because, you know, I feel like if you talk about it in sort of esoteric, kind of thematic way, you know, a lot of people just check out. But if you're using pop culture, like, hey, this is how it relates to Star Trek. People are like, all right, tell me more.

[D]

We have amazing stories of Kids overcoming their anger and even kids overcoming violent urges by using the Hulk as an example.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah. Or Wonder Woman or Harry Potter or all sorts of really wonderful stories that teach kids in ways that they can relate to.

[B]

Yeah. This is not your first time here on our show. I know it was important for you to be in our audience when we had a certain guest.

[D]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Tell us about the particular show that you wanted to come to so that you could meet somebody who was a guest on our show.

[D]

I am, in fact, sitting in the actual chair where Ms. Ann Margret sat.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[F]

Yeah.

[D]

I mean, you know, when you get to do shows that your heroes did, it's just absolutely. What an amazing feeling.

[B]

You had contacted me and said, is there any way I can meet Ann Margret? And I was happy to facilitate that. Why was it so important for you to meet Ann Margret, and what was that experience like?

[D]

You know, she was this icon who let young girls know that it was okay to be both smart and sexy. She was clever in a way that was unabashed. She was smart and able to make her point of being sexy in a way that was elegant. I'll just say that she was smart.

[B]

And elegant, and she did not disappoint when you got to meet her.

[D]

Oh, my God, I'm blown away. I mean, when you meet people like her, you know, Barbara Eden, all of these women who are still around and going strong, and I just have a huge respect for these women who are so alive and bright at that age.

[C]

Listeners, if you have not listened to that episode, it's a great episode. Ann Margret and her topic was the Raiders. The Raiders.

[B]

The Raiders, Yes. The Raiders football team. Well, Jay, you are the host of the popular podcast More Stories. You've written a New York Times bestselling memoir. You appeared in films like Go, Jerry Maguire, TV shows like Action, Ghost Whisperer, Saturday Night Live, and Last Comic Standing, for which you were nominated for an Emmy Award. And I hope you'll forgive my asking, but you first came to prominence for a lot of people with your impressions, one of which was Christopher Walken.

[E]

That's true.

[B]

How did you first realize that, hey, I can do a really good Christopher Walken.

[E]

I saw the movie True Romance, and I couldn't stop quoting his speeches to Dennis Hopper. It's lucky for you, you know, I know who I know, and I do what I do. Otherwise.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

What I like about your impressions is that they develop over time with the people that you're impressionizing.

[E]

Yeah, thank you. And I only do when I'm on stage, I won't do. I won't make up bits. I only do impressions of interactions I've actually had with the person. So it's more. I don't have to remember anything because it happened.

[B]

Yeah. Well, you actually did get to work with Christopher Walken.

[E]

Yeah, we did Suicide Kings, which was great. And then he, he's. He's from a different galaxy. He's. He was, you know what, surprisingly super hot in person. Like a hot, handsome guy. Like in real life, he's got an Elvis Y.

[B]

He's got some of that swagger.

[E]

He's the guy, like, when he's in a room, you don't know who else is in the room.

[B]

Well, your podcast, More Stories is incredibly popular. You've done over 500 episodes. And what amazes me most, I have to be honest, is that you actually got to meet your wife through the podcast.

[E]

Yeah, my wife Jeannie. I had a radio show, sports talk radio show, and I interviewed her on the phone on that show. And then my typical guy, I'm like, there's something here on the phone. I can tell she's into me by this six minute interview talking about the Lakers. So then I DMed her on Twitter asking her, so you should do my podcast. It would be great. I was living in a hotel at this time, freshly divorced, and she walked off the elevator at the hotel and it was slow motion. It was love at first sight. I learned that it was not that way for her.

[B]

No.

[F]

So.

[B]

Well, we're so happy that worked out that it worked out for both of you to be here. Jay Moore and Chase Masterson, everybody.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Helen, what is our score going into.

[C]

The break at the end of that round? Chase Masterson has two points and Jay Moore has a point and a half.

[B]

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. And when we come back on Go Fact Yourself.

[A]

Think of the last time you bought a car.

[B]

How many websites and apps did you.

[A]

Have to use to get the information you needed?

[B]

It is exhausting.

[C]

Shopping for a car should be exciting, not exhausting. And it can be with Cargurus advanced search tools, unbiased deal ratings, and price history designed to cut through the noise.

[B]

Yeah, you know, I just checked out Cargurus today and got to shop over 300,000 cars to find the best deal.

[C]

But it's not just a lot of cars use their advanced search tools to Find the right car from top rated dealers. Plus find deal ratings, price history and dealer reviews on listings so you can shop with confidence.

[B]

And when you're ready, Cargurus connects you with trusted dealerships, ensuring a transparent and hassle free buying process. You know, it's no wonder Cargurus is the number one rated car shopping app in Canada on the Apple app and Google Play store. And it also works great in the us. How do they get Cargurus?

[C]

Helen, buy your next car today with Cargurus. Go to CarGurus CA to make sure your big deal is the best.

[B]

And that's why we say thank you.

[C]

Thank you, Copar gurus. Welcome back to go fact yourself with our guests chase masterson and jay moore.

[B]

Yay.

[C]

Once again, here's Jake Eth Van Stratten.

[B]

Thank you so much, Helen. Thank you, everybody. All right, Chase, of your many, you told us that you know and love the best commercial jingles of the 1970s and 80s. 1980s slang and word of the year winners. Let's find out a little bit more about each of those. First, tell us why it is that you know and love commercial jingles of the 1970s and 80s.

[D]

I love them because I've been training all my life for this episode of Go Factor. Really. I mean, I was six years old and learning to be manipulated for the sake of cereal. And so I love these because they are, they're just like earworms with marketing.

[B]

If we have to have them, might as well be entertaining and have great music.

[D]

Absolutely.

[B]

All right, next, tell us why it is you know and love 1980s slang.

[D]

Because it's tubular.

[B]

I've heard, I've heard.

[D]

No, 80s slang is also like the basis for who we are. I mean, if you were growing up back in that time. I mean, if you're gonna say bodacious and grody, you commit to those words, you know, I mean, I don't trust current slang. We don't even know. We don't know what's gonna stick or what to say. But we can trust 80s slang as you know, something that describes life.

[B]

Absolutely. Well, I'm far too young to remember any. Helen, how about you?

[C]

Yeah, six, seven.

[B]

Yes, exactly. She said it.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. And then finally, tell us why you know and love Word of the year winners.

[D]

Word of the year winners Describe our collective chaos.

[C]

What do you mean when you say Word of the Year?

[D]

Merriam Webster has a list. Dictionary.com has a list. The word of the year for 2025 is slop, meaning AI. That is not good. That is messy. Or inaccurate.

[B]

We've all had so. AI AI.

[D]

Basically, yeah. Yeah. Word of the year is like a diary for our lives.

[B]

All right, so to summarize, Jace, you said you know and love commercial jingles of the 1970s and 80s. 1980s slang and word of the year winners. Today we want to quiz you about the best commercial jingles of the 1970s and 80s. What are some of your favorites that come to mind?

[D]

Oh, so many great ones. I mean, of course, the Coke commercial was the very first one, but then I'm a pepper. You're not fully clean until you're zestfully clean.

[B]

I know. Yeah, that's true.

[D]

Meow, meow, meow meow.

[B]

That's a classic. Well, just ahead, Chase, we're gonna enlist the help of a bona fide expert in your topic with an extra expert level 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. Now, Jay, do listen closely because if Chase answers incorrectly, you could steal. By the way, Jay, how much do you know about commercial jingles of the 70s and 80s?

[E]

I fancy myself expert level.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[E]

I was raised by the television.

[B]

Well, we'll see if Chase lets you in. Chase, here is question number one. It's not just private companies that relied on commercial jingles in the 1970s and 80s. The US government spent millions on catchy jingles to recruit people to join the armed forces, which for some reason had tailed off in the 1970s following the Vietnam War. What were any of the four branches of the armed forces that preceded the line in the jingle? What a great place. It's a great place to start.

[D]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines.

[B]

Ellen.

[C]

That is correct.

[B]

That is all of them, in fact. Yes. You don't need experience.

[E]

But then they ruined it by we do more before 9am than you do all day. I was like, I'm out.

[B]

You do more before noon than I do. That's right. Fun fact. One version of this jingle featured singer Luther Vandross, who in an interview noted the irony of a 330 pound man who can't do a sit up encouraging people to join the army. The jingle was also sung somewhat sarcastically by Bill Murray and company in the movie Stripes.

[C]

Right.

[B]

All right, that is a point. Here is question number two. Many jingles put the name of the product as the last word, or at least make it rhyme. But the 1980s campaign for Ford did neither. Listen to this clip and tell us what is the final word of the jingle. Have you driven a Ford.

[G]

And you.

[B]

Don'T know what you're missing? Have you driven a boat.

[C]

Lately, Ellen? That is correct.

[B]

That is correct and in tune.

[C]

Woo.

[B]

Fun fact One ad with this jingle features shots of all American stuff, like a guy in a hard hat, a monster truck, and tennis star bjorn Borg. You're two for two, Chase. Here's question number three. Some of the most memorable jingles of the 1970s and 80s were from Coca Cola. You said was one of your favorites, but which one of the following lyrics was not used in a jingle for Coca Cola in the 1970s or 80s? Helen and I will attempt to sing these.

[C]

Oh, my goodness.

[B]

Is it, Helen?

[C]

I'd like to buy the world a.

[B]

Coke always Coca Cola.

[C]

Have a Coke and a smile.

[B]

Coke is it.

[C]

It's the real thing.

[B]

I think we kind of did it.

[C]

Oh, my goodness.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

I had to watch those videos so much.

[B]

I did not. Already buried in my brain. Which one of those was not a jingle from the 1970s or 80s?

[D]

Nice try, but always Coca Cola or however you sung. That was not.

[B]

Ellen.

[C]

That is correct.

[B]

That is correct. Yes. Very nice.

[E]

Killing it.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Fun fact always Coca Cola premiered in 1993. Have a Coke and a smile was sung underneath perhaps the most famous ad of all time where football player Min Joe Green of the Pittsburgh Steelers tosses his jersey to a kid who had given him a Coke. We did a segment on the Steelers with guest Billy Gardell on episode 142 of Go Fact Yourself. Chase, you were three for three. Here's question four. You still have your hints available, Chase. In 1975, American Airlines introduced their new tagline in jingle. In 1984, the tagline and lyrics changed, but the melody remained the same. What are these two taglines that follow? We're American Airlines doing what we do best. Okay, that's one of them. What is the other one, though?

[D]

Ah.

[B]

Ooh.

[D]

Could I have a hint, Helen?

[B]

How about that hint?

[C]

The other is blanking special in the blank.

[D]

That's too many blanks.

[G]

Yeah.

[B]

It is two. It is two blanks. Yes.

[D]

Doing what we do best and flying special in the air.

[C]

Ellen, that is not quite right.

[B]

Not entirely correct. Jay, With a chance to steal.

[E]

Feeling special in the air.

[B]

Helen, Is it feeling special in the air?

[C]

It is not so. Feeling special in the air.

[B]

Audience. Something special in the air.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Something special in the air. Yes. Helen, would you like to give her a Half a point, though.

[C]

I would very much a half a.

[B]

Point, though, because she did get that first one.

[D]

Quite right.

[C]

Okay. All right.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Not only did you get. But you sung it. And you've been singing all of these on key just to counteract J. Keith over here.

[B]

Oh, well, thank you so much, J. Bird. Fun fact. Several companies changed lyrics from their 1970s jingles, but kept the melody. For instance, Ace Hardware started with Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man, which they changed to the helpful hardware folks due to pressure to become woke in 1989.

[D]

Thank you.

[B]

All right, Chase, here is question number five. You do still have a hint available?

[C]

Okay.

[B]

A jingle that for many became an earworm was for a product called Galaxy Glue. Listen to this clip and we'll ask you your question. Galaxy Glue. Galaxy Glue. What would we do without Galaxy Glue? Galaxy Glue. All right. Yes. That was a real banger. It was not, however, for a real product. It instead played repeatedly in what 1981 movie?

[C]

Oh, no.

[B]

Oh, yes.

[D]

I need a hint, Helen.

[B]

How about that second hint?

[C]

The movie starred Lily Tomlin in the title role.

[B]

Any title of any movie would do nine to five.

[D]

No, it's not.

[B]

How long is it nine to five?

[C]

It is not nine to five.

[B]

No, I think you knew that, but it was a reasonable guess. That was a movie with Lily Tomlin from the 1980s. I'm sorry, no point there, Jay. With a chance to steal Jaws.

[C]

That is correct.

[B]

No, wait a minute.

[E]

Yeah, go back.

[B]

That's right. Not a lot of people know Lily Tomlin played the title role in Jaws. Helen, is it Jaws?

[C]

It is not Jaws.

[B]

No. Audience, do you know the Incredible Shrinking Woman? The Incredible Shrinking Woman?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Yes. I think it was somewhere in your brain. But that was a number five. That's a difficult question. Fun fact. While just snippets of the jingle are heard in the film, a full version of the song plays for over three minutes under the closing credits. And if you've ever heard it, good luck getting it out of your head. It sticks like some sort of galactic glue. All right, Chase, you still did rather well in that round. But now here is your expert level question requiring multiple answers. It is time for your cluster fact. We'll be bringing on an expert to discuss your response. One of the most successful jingles of all time started in the 1970s and is still being used today. One of the features that makes it so unique is its lyrics, which is one word repeated over and over. Another amazing thing about the jingle is that it's for a brand of cat food. And a third amazing thing is that despite it being only one word, in the original 1974 AD, the lyrics were translated on screen into English with multiple words for up to three. For what brand of cat food is this famous jingle? Next? Besides beef and chicken, what is the other food flavor mentioned in the original English subtitles? And in your best rendition of the song in its original language, please sing this jingle.

[D]

And here we go. Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow. Come on, everybody ready?

[B]

Meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

[D]

Meow meow meow meow meow meow meow.

[B]

Yeah, I think one verse will do it. Very nice.

[D]

Thank you. That was Meow mix. And the other flavor would be seafood.

[B]

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?

[C]

Joining us tonight via Zoom from Las Vegas is a singer whose long career includes many pop hits and even more popular jingles, including for a certain cat food, it's Cleo Award winner Linda November.

[B]

Hello, Linda November. November.

[G]

Oh, I love you, Chase.

[C]

Hi.

[B]

Hi, Linda. Well, Linda, my goodness, as a singer you have recorded and or performed with artists including Perry Como, Frankie Valli, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra and Jimi Hendrix. Recordings that have won you a gold record. And of course you are known as the queen of the jingle, literally having recorded tens of thousands of them, including all time classics for companies like Georgia, Prudential, Chevrolet, McDonald's, winning you multiple Clio awards. Linda November. And not only did you sing that song that we asked Chase about in our cluster, you actually sang the jingle that we asked about in question one, question two, question three, question four, and question five. Every jingle in our questions tonight was sung at some point by Linda November.

[G]

Yes. Yes, sir.

[B]

Well, before you were the jingle queen, you got the attention of a lot of incredible people in the music business. And you were the protege of a very famous composer. Tell us about that.

[G]

Well, I was a fat, ugly Jewish kid.

[B]

Okay, not where I thought the story was gonna start, but all right.

[G]

No, no. So I wanted to be a Broadway star and I kept going to the non equity auditions and I sang like an angel and they take a look and they go next. So I got really upset and the rejection was too much. So I Went over to my uncle whose office was in the Newsweek building. And he was a podiatrist and his name started with an A. So there was a guy in his chair who had a corn. Turns out he was the music, the entertainment editor of the Dallas Morning News. So he said to him, linda, sing for him. The guy's in a whirlpool. Anyway, I sang. He goes, powder your Nose, go downstairs. P.S. long story short, I get in this limousine and it takes me to Fifth Avenue in the 60s. Guy opens the door, Ms. November, it's my real name, says, come with me. Brings me up to an apartment, Dorothy. And Richard Rogers is sitting there.

[B]

Wow.

[G]

I almost plotched. So he said, well, I understand that you are a wonderful singer and I'd like you to sing for me. What would you like to sing? I said, lover. My Lover with Larry Hart. I said, is there any other? And then the little 18 year old chutzpah Bute goes over and says, I'll play for myself, Richard Rogers. And he says, what key do you do it in? I said, well, the original, which is D. I sang for him. And he said, let's call your mother. I called my mother, she goes, where are you? You should have been home hours ago. I said, well, I'm with Richard Brindis. Yeah, sure, and I'm Helena Troy. And put him on the phone. And he said. She said, give me your phone number, I'll call you back. He did. She did. And he said, I'm gonna make her my next star.

[B]

Wow.

[D]

Wow.

[G]

And I went to all of these marvelous auditions and they said, Ms. November, you sing brilliantly, you're a marvelous musician, you're a wonderful actress. The hair is too dark, the glasses don't work, you're a bit overweight, you look too Jewish. So he says to my mother, she has to have her nose fixed. We're going to remake her. So after this major transformation, I went to this audition and it was Fiddler on the Roof. And I sang Far from the Home. I love. I sight read it. Sang the hell out of it. Ms. November, you're magnificent. You're wonderful. You don't look Jewish enough.

[B]

Let's talk more about jingles. You have called this cat food jingle that we've been talking about, your masterpiece. And you're actually serious about that because it wasn't just singing a jingle. You actually had to work to make sure it matched what was on the screen.

[G]

Well, in those days, 74, they were just Moviolas. There were no computers. So Jerry Della Femina who created it, wouldn't show us the film right away. They always show us the film. Then we go and sing. No, no, no. Okay, So I hand me the music. I look, I write it down. I sing it. Then the girls, me and three others sang Meow, Meow under the copy, which was Dan Ingram from wabc. And then they said to me, wait, you girls, come in. Linda, I want you to look at the screen. We don't like the last meow.

[D]

Or.

[G]

A picture of the cat, the kitty's picture. So I watched it, and she went, yeah. So I looked at her.

[C]

She lit her lip a little bit.

[G]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. And they didn't. It didn't match the music, so they just needed to punch in. So then meow. Perfect. Come on in.

[F]

Wow.

[G]

They played it for us and we cried. It was so fabulous.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[C]

What did the cat think?

[G]

Who the hell cares?

[B]

The cat didn't get the residuals. Yeah, no, she did not. Well, I know that that jingle was used for over 80 commercials. In your time being active, how often was it rerecorded?

[G]

Well, I did it for 18 years exclusively. And we did a cat sonata, Love Love. Two cats on a piano, kissing and loving.

[B]

They really did all sorts of different versions to keep you busy. Oh, yeah.

[G]

Unbelievable. Yeah.

[B]

Well, you've done tens of thousands of them. That obviously is probably one of your favorites. Do you have a least favorite jingle that you had to do?

[G]

You know, that's a great question. I got to think about that. I really, like. I adored almost everything we did. Just a few of them were duds.

[C]

After 18 years of doing that, do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and just go, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow?

[G]

No, but I sing to my cats.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[C]

And they go, you're the one.

[B]

Right.

[D]

Do they sing Badass, Helen?

[G]

They do.

[B]

Well, you've also had a singing career, of course, outside of doing jingles and outside of doing this group work you've performed in Vegas. What are some of your favorite songs that you sing when you're doing your cabaret?

[G]

Oh, well, that was my Artie and I. When the music business ended, we went to Atlantic City and did an act for 10 years because I played piano as well. And my husband is this genius, famous musician whose most famous arrangement is I love you, baby.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[G]

And every time anybody sees him, they go, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da. What?

[C]

Wow. That's your husband?

[B]

Yes.

[G]

Barney Shrek? Yes.

[D]

Wow.

[C]

I will never hum in Your presence.

[D]

Favorite song.

[G]

J. A? Yes. Not you.

[B]

Okay.

[G]

Jay sang brilliantly. Oh, I'm a dad that did that. And I manage it. Well, I almost petered my pants.

[B]

Wow. Jay, you've got a fan.

[E]

Ms. November. Right on.

[B]

Well, 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 Chase. First, we wanted to know regarding that ad for some sort of cat food that only had one word in its lyrics. We first wanted to know what was the brand of cat food that that famous jingle is for. Helen, what did Chase say?

[C]

Chase said meow Mix and Linda.

[G]

That's correct.

[B]

That is correct for a point. Very nice, Chase.

[D]

Very nice, Linda.

[B]

Next, we wanted to know, besides beef and chicken, what was the other food flavor mentioned in the original English subtitles? Helen, what did Chase say?

[C]

Chase said seafood.

[B]

And Linda.

[G]

No, I'm sorry, my dear. It was liver.

[B]

Liver. I'm sorry. No, no point there. But a reasonable guess. Seafood, I'm sure, appeared in other versions.

[D]

I remember the song. I should have.

[G]

Yeah.

[B]

Finally wanted to know, in the best rendition in the original language, to please sing this jingle. Helen, what did Chase say?

[C]

I think we should let Chase do it.

[D]

I think we should let Linda do it.

[B]

Well, Linda, give us the correct answer, would you please?

[G]

Wait a minute. You can't afford me.

[B]

That's true.

[C]

That is true. That is very true.

[B]

Spoken like a veteran of show business. That she is.

[C]

Mic drop right there.

[D]

Pretty much.

[B]

Linda, how did Chase do?

[G]

She did wonderfully.

[B]

She did wonderfully. A full point there for Chase.

[C]

There you go. Wow.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Chase, while we have Linda here, is there anything you want to ask her? Say just wow.

[D]

Linda, thank you for coming and what an amazing career you have. I mean, from Richard Rogers to Meow Meow Meow. Having had Richard Rogers tell you that you were gonna be his next star and then getting turned down for Fiddler on the Roof for that reason. How do you navigate how crazy this industry can be? We're in la. This show is courtesy of Laist. Tell everybody who needs to hear it. And we've talked about my mental health organization. How do you navigate your own mental health with all that this business throws at you?

[G]

I am a raving lun. You know what? The jingle business was unique in the fact that we were all graduate musicians and there was no baloney. You walked in, they handed you the music, you ran it down with the track, sang it, went on, signed your W4s, went to the next job. We were called the Golden Dozen.

[D]

Yeah.

[G]

They were the greatest singers ever. And it was the greatest time ever. I mean, as you guys were saying earlier that the jingles made you smile, they made you happy.

[D]

Yeah.

[G]

They made you remember. And now it's like.

[B]

Well, you made us very happy joining us tonight. Thank you so much for being here. If people want to find out more about you or what you're up to, where can they do that?

[G]

Don't call me.

[B]

Okay? Linda, it's been such a joy that you joined us. Thank you so much for being here. Everyone. Linda November, the queen of jingles, the jingle queen. Have a lovely evening. Thank you so much.

[G]

God bless. Thank you.

[E]

Amazing.

[D]

Wow.

[B]

All right, Helen, what is our score after that exciting round?

[C]

At the end of that round, Chase Masterson has seven and a half points and Jay Moore has a point and a half with a round of questions for Jay coming up.

[B]

That's right. We're going to talk with Jay about a topic he knows about. Plus, later, Chase and Jay will go head to head in our fast fact round, all to find a winner on Go Fact yourselves.

[A]

Hey, Helen, do you like it when.

[B]

Strangers look at what you're doing while you're in your car?

[C]

Ew, no.

[A]

How come?

[C]

Because it's my personal space. It's private.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Which is also why you don't want people and companies looking at what you're doing when you're online. ExpressVPN is like tinted windows for your Internet connection. You can see out, but they can't see in.

[B]

Wouldn't you want the same privacy online?

[C]

Yes. Yes, I would. And Internet service providers, including mobile network providers, know every single website you visit because all your traffic flows through their servers.

[B]

Well, ExpressVPN reroutes your traffic through encrypted servers to prevent that.

[C]

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[A]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

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[A]

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[B]

Tools to get your data removed from data brokers, and more. Jay.

[C]

Keith, it sounds like you've actually used ExpressVPN to protect yourself.

[B]

I actually did. As you know, I traveled literally halfway around the world on my honeymoon last fall. And whether I was on my phone.

[A]

Or on my Laptop in a public.

[B]

Place or in a hotel room. ExpressVPN worked like a charm in every country, every time.

[A]

It really gave me peace of mind.

[B]

And now I use it when I'm at home too. Hey, Helen, tell our listeners how they can get the protection they need.

[C]

Secure your online data today by visiting expressvpn.com gofact that's E X P R-E-S-S V P N.com gofact to find out how you can get up to four extra months. Expressvpn.com gofact and that's why we say thank you, ExpressVPN. Welcome back to go fact Yourself with our guests Chase Masterson and Jay Moore. Once again, here's Jakeef Van Stratten.

[B]

Thank you so much, Helen. All right, Jay, of your many interests, you told us that you know and love the Rolling Stones album sticky fingers, the TV show Deadwood and 1990's Yankees World Series teams. Let's find out more about that. Please tell us what it is that you know and love about the Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers album.

[E]

When you're a stand up comic on the road, you do a lot of driving. And back when we had cassettes, that was just a cassette that I could put in and from start to finish, both sides was to me was just perfect.

[B]

All right, next, tell us why you know and love the TV show Deadwood.

[E]

You know, I'm a guy that doesn't watch the popular show until like eight years later. Yeah, like I watched Seinfeld for the first time four years ago. My wife and I last night started Stranger Things. And so Deadwood was one that everybody talked about. And I'm like, whatever, a bunch of people sitting around talking about this stupid show. And then I watched it, I'm like, this is like Sopranos great. This is phenomenal.

[B]

And then finally tell us why you know and love the 1990s Yankees World Series.

[E]

Oh, what's not to love? I lived in Manhattan. I could go to games on the subway all the time. I had two different friends with season tickets. So I was a real schnore just getting involved in their lives on game days. So I just calling to see how you are. You want to go to the game tonight? I mean, yeah, sure, I guess. And then the teams were, they were greater than the sum of their parts. It was, it was a team. You just switched managers and something changed culturally where they just became unbeatable.

[B]

Yeah, it's fun when you're, when your team wins.

[E]

Yeah. Well, I'm also A Jets fan, so.

[B]

Okay. They can't all be winners.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

All right, well, to summarize, Jay, you said, you know and love the Rolling Stones, Sticky fingers album, the TV show Deadwood, and 1990s Yankees World Series teams. Today, we want to quiz you about Deadwood.

[C]

How recently did you watch it?

[E]

A couple, like a year ago.

[B]

Okay.

[E]

But just still, it's not bad, you know.

[C]

Did you binge it straight through, like.

[E]

Yeah, I should have brushed up.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

That's all right. What are some of your favorite characters or moments from the show?

[E]

I, I, I, I thought the ending of the first. First season was the best written television I had ever seen in my life. That the guy, the Ian McShane's character. Well, spoiler alert. It was on 20 years ago. Ian McShane's character, who's so vile and reprehensible, when the man asked for him to just smother him, the preacher asked him to smother him to death as a mercy killing. The fact that such an evil man delivered mercy was, I thought, incredibly well written.

[B]

So for our listeners who aren't as familiar with the show, it is not a comedy.

[E]

Oh, I disagree. Yeah. I find the greatest comedies are not comedies. Goodfellas do the right thing. I find great humor in the best dramas.

[B]

Well, just ahead, we're gonna list 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 even more, here are your five trivia questions about your topic, each worth one point. And of course, if you want it, you're allowed a hint for any two of these five questions. Now, Chase, do listen closely, because if Jay answers incorrectly, you could steal. How much do you know about the TV show Deadwood?

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

All right, here we go with your quiz. Here's question number one. The action in Deadwood takes place in a town called Deadwood, which was located in a US Territory that was later divided into two states that, that kept that name, One north, one south. What was this territory called?

[E]

North Dakota and South Dakota, Ellen.

[C]

That is correct.

[B]

That is correct. The Dakotas.

[E]

All right, I'm on the board.

[B]

Fun fact. North Dakota is considered the 39th state and South Dakota the 40th, simply because of alphabetical order. In reality, because of the state's rivalry, President Benjamin Harrison shuffled the papers as he signed their presidential proclamations so it would not be known which Dakota became a state first. Here's question number two. Several of the characters on Deadwood are based on real people. Of the era and one of the most well known was a frontierswoman and sharpshooter played on the show by Robin Weigert. She was born Martha Jane Canary but became famous by what moniker incorporating her.

[E]

Middle name Calamity Jane.

[B]

Helen. Is that correct? That is correct. That is correct. Calamity Jane for the point. She was great. Fun fact. In 1953, in response to the success of the musical Annie get yout Gun, Warner Bros. Produced the musical Calamity Jane starring Doris Day. Unlike Deadwood, the movie did not show Calamity Jane dripping snot as she ugly cried. But it did win an Oscar for the song Secret Love. All right, you're two for two, Jay. Here's question number three. The season one episode Jules Boot is made for Walking features some recognizable names in not so recognizable jobs. The title role was played by a woman known in the 70s and 80s for her stand up comedy and appearances on the Facts of Life. And the episode was written by a man known as one of the most gifted card magicians of all time who also played a role on the show. Who are both of these two multi talented people?

[E]

Ricky J. And Jerry Jewell.

[B]

Ellen.

[C]

Those are both correct.

[B]

That is correct for the pound. Very good.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Fun fact on Deadwood. Ricky J. Played Eddie Sawyer and according to reports, when Ricky J. Realized that his character was going to be killed, he refused to come to set. And when he finally did, his performance was so bad that the scene never aired and the script was changed to say that his character was not killed but just ran away.

[G]

Wow.

[B]

And if that's what it means when your scene is cut, then I have played several characters who apparently just ran away. You're three for three, Jay. Here's question four. You do still have your hints available? Including its TV movie, Deadwood was nominated for 36 Emmy awards and won eight of them. But in which one of the following categories did it not win? Was it hairstyling, costumes, cinematography, lead actor or directing?

[E]

I think lead actor, but I'm gonna ask for a hint.

[A]

Helen.

[B]

How about that first hint?

[C]

It did win for directing.

[E]

I don't think Timothy Olyphant won best actor, so I'm gonna say my answer is lead actor.

[B]

Helen.

[C]

That is correct.

[B]

That is correct. Very nice. Fun fact. Deadwood won no Emmys for acting despite nominations for Ian McShane, Brad Dourif and Robin Weigert. Its Emmy for directing was won by Walter Hill, who 10 years earlier wrote and directed the film Wild Bill about Wild Bill Hickok, a character who also appears On Deadwood. All right, well, you are four for four. You have a chance to go five for five. You can get this question correct. You do still have a H available. Okay. In the season three episode Tell him something Pretty. Members of three different rock bands appear as background actors. Name any two of those three bands.

[E]

Okay, so here's the part where I admit I only watched season one. So let me just start out by saying, congratulations, Chase, on your win. We'll see how many bands. How many do I have to mention?

[B]

Two, please.

[C]

Yeah, you have a. You have a hint.

[E]

All right, let me get a hint.

[B]

Helen, how about that second hint?

[C]

One band sounds like a disease that you might contract in 1876. One has front men with beards that look like they're from 1876. And one is a type of cranium that would have been Steam operated in 1876.

[E]

Well, ZZ Top is one answer, but I'm really just drawing blanks on the other two.

[B]

All right, we're gonna go to Chase then for the steal. Do you have a guess at the other two?

[D]

The Incredible Shrinking Woman?

[B]

No. My favorite rock band, Weezer and Weezer. Helen, is it Weezer?

[C]

It is not Weezer.

[B]

No. ZZ Top is correct. The others were Anthrax. Anthrax the disease. And Motorhead. Motorhead, the other one. But Helen, would you like to give him a half a point? Absolutely. Half a point for Jay. You got that right.

[D]

Brush up on our disease.

[G]

Rock.

[D]

Rock bands.

[B]

Yeah. Fun fact. The rock stars were pals of W. Earl Brown, who played Doherty. So one day they had medal day on the set where Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, Ian Scott of Anthrax, and Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill of ZZ Top all appeared as background extras on the episode.

[E]

Amazing.

[B]

Jay, you still did very well in that quiz. But now here's your expert level question that requires multiple answers. It is time for your cluster fact.

[D]

Nice.

[B]

We'll be bringing on an expert to discuss your response. One of the few good guys on Deadwood is prospector and gold miner Ellsworth, played by Jim Beaver, who became the second husband of Alma after she became pregnant by another man. For up to three points. What happened to Alma's first husband, which Ellsworth witnessed. Next, what's the title of the law enforcement official who is the biological father of Alma's unborn child? And what is Ellsworth's first name?

[E]

The first husband was fed to the pigs.

[B]

Okay.

[E]

The title for law enforcement is Marshal. And the third one, husband's first name Jehoshaphat.

[B]

Jehoshaphat. I have a new favorite.

[E]

When I'm counting them points, you won't be laughing.

[B]

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

[C]

Joining us tonight is a historian, writer and actor who. Whose long career includes playing Ellsworth on Deadwood.

[B]

No way.

[C]

It's Jim Beaver.

[B]

Jim Beaver. Come on out, Jim.

[E]

Oh, my gosh. Welcome.

[D]

Hi.

[E]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

What's going on?

[F]

You should have watched the last two seasons.

[E]

You mean Ryan, you begun.

[B]

Jim, it's so wonderful to have you here. You have written and performed in dozens of plays, but been in movies like Sister Act Adaptation and Magnolia, and had regular roles in TV shows like Supernatural, Justified, the Boys, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and of course, all three seasons of Deadwood, for which you were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award. And before we get into any of that, you actually have a personal connection with Chase Masterson. Amazing.

[F]

Yeah, Chase and I go back because my late wife, Cecily Adams was on Deep Space Nine with Chase.

[D]

She played my mother in law.

[B]

How about that?

[D]

Yes, I was over at your house many times.

[B]

My goodness.

[D]

Good to see you.

[B]

It's a family reunion.

[D]

It's a small town.

[B]

Well, also, like Chase, you are a fan favorite at conventions. How do fans of the different projects that you've done, say, you know, Supernatural or the Boys, compare to fans of Deadwood?

[F]

Well, they have conventions. Yes.

[C]

There's no Deadwood convention.

[B]

There's not a Deadwood convention.

[F]

I have never heard of one in my life.

[B]

Let's put together Deadwood Con.

[D]

Get on it, kids.

[B]

Come on.

[F]

I think if Deadwood had more spaceships.

[B]

That might do it.

[F]

We might have had conventions.

[B]

Well, let's talk about Deadwood. You said that your character of Ellsworth felt like as close to the perfect part as you'd ever seen when you first read it. What about it resonated with you right away?

[F]

When I got the audition scene, which was Ellsworth's first monologue, which I don't think I'm allowed to quote here, not on public radio.

[B]

No.

[F]

And in fact, I remember when the show first came on the air and I was driving home from the set one day and NPR was doing a story about Deadwood, and they were talking about the language and how incredibly filthy it was. And as an example, they played my opening monologue, which had been my audition piece, and it was basically bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep. Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep. And I, I almost recognized my voice.

[C]

I actually saw something on YouTube that it broke down like the F bombs per minute. And it was like 1.6 F bombs per minute of dead bomb.

[B]

At least.

[F]

At least. Well, when I first saw the audition scene, which was that opening monologue, I thought, okay, this one's mine. You don't get that very often when you're auditioning. You go, okay, I think I can do this. I can pull this off or I can find this guy. I read it and I went, this one's mine. I may not get it, but this one's mine. And I went in and did it before David Milch and Walter Hill, both of whom I had worked for before. But, but I didn't really expect them to remember me. And I did the monologue and Walter Hill said, well, I'm glad to see you remembered everything I taught you. And that was the beginning of a love affair with a part. It's still my favorite part I've ever played.

[B]

Really? For all of the things you've done? That's incredible. Well, I know that you've done a lot of theater, including a lot of Shakespeare. Many of the Shakespeare fans, you actually compared the writing of David Milch on Deadwood to Shakespeare. How did you see that as Shakespearean?

[F]

Well, it's intricate, it's poetic, it's often, I think, verdantly or inadvertently in iambic pentameter.

[B]

No kidding.

[F]

It's the richest, most emotion filled dialogue I have ever heard outside of Shakespeare. And it was an enormous honor and pleasure to get to say we didn't always know exactly what we were saying because David Milch, one of the few geniuses in this business, writes with incredible talent and I really think he's a genius. And I think if he had been writing in Shakespeare's time, we'd be talking about two people.

[E]

Wow.

[B]

Well, one of the things I'd heard about David Milch on the show is that he had a writer reputation for short notice changes. Was that something that you experienced and was that challenging for you?

[F]

First of all, the only complete script I ever saw was the pilot.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[F]

We only got sent what we were going to do and there were 25 regulars, so on the show. So there are a lot of actors on the show I never worked with because of multiple storylines. And so they would back in the day fax us our scenes, usually around 11 o' clock the night before you shot them. And then you would go to set, you would rehearse for an hour or so and the directors would block you and get everything set. And then they would. David would come down and they would show him how it was and he would say, okay, we're not doing that. And then he would say, give me 15 minutes. And he would come back and there would be radical changes sometimes, sometimes just minor ones. Sometimes lines would go to different characters. He would switch them around and then you had moments to learn them. And it was terrifying. It was absolutely terrifying until I finally realized that we were going to shoot until we got it and David wasn't going to let us die. So some of those scenes took a very long time to shoot. Not so much because there was anything complicated about the scene, but because we had just been handed the words 10 minutes earlier. It's kind of how he worked. It's probably one of the reasons the show didn't last more than three years, because it was very time consuming and thus very expensive. I remember one day they handed me a call sheet, which is the paper they give you to tell you whether you're working the next day and what scenes. And at the top of it, it said day 19 out of 10.

[B]

Well, I know you continue to work in theater. You've actually got a show up coming here in the Los Angeles area. Tell us about that.

[F]

Yeah, I'm doing a play by Charlie Mount called Here Be dragons. We open February 4th at the Whitefire Theater in Sherman Oaks. And it's a really rich play that's very concerned with things going on in today's world. It's similar in shape to the old classic Inherit the Wind in that it's a story about a small town school board trying to determine whether to allow intelligent design and creationism in into their science classes. And it's a very, very rich drama with a lot of humor.

[B]

It's very funny and a wonderful chance to see Jim Beaver on stage. Very cool. Yeah, thank you. All right, let's get to the reason, though. We brought you here as far as our game is concerned. You heard the questions that we asked of Jay first, we wanted to know on Deadwood what happened to Alma's first husband, something that Ellsworth witnessed. Helen, what did Jay say?

[C]

Jay said he was. Was fed to the pigs.

[B]

And Jim.

[F]

That's incorrect.

[E]

They're all incorrect.

[B]

What did happen to him?

[F]

Timothy Amundsen played Brom Garrett, and Brom was shoved off a mountainside by Dan Dougherty, played by W. Earl Brown. And I, as Ellsworth, was hunkering around somewhere, and I saw it happen.

[B]

But it's possible at the bottom of the canyon with a cliff, there could have been pigeon. All right, sorry, no point there. Then Jay. Next, we wanted to know what was the title of the law enforcement official who was the biological father of Alma's unborn child. Helen, what did Jay say?

[C]

Jay said Marshall.

[B]

And Jim?

[F]

Well, he was a marshal, all right. Yes, he was. Or I suppose you could say he was a sheriff.

[B]

Yeah, I think he was a sheriff at that point, but then later became a marshal before was a marshal. But you want to give him the point on that?

[F]

I'll give him the point.

[B]

All right. A point for Jay. Very nice.

[E]

You're going places, kid.

[B]

And finally, we wanted to know what was the character of Ellsworth played by someone named Jim Beaver's first name? Helen, what did Jay say?

[C]

Jay said, jehoshapha.

[B]

Jim.

[F]

Close but no cigar.

[E]

No.

[B]

What was his name?

[F]

His name was Whitney.

[A]

Whitney.

[B]

I'm sorry, no point there. Whitney, yes.

[F]

Whitney, yes.

[B]

The Jehoshaphat of the Western hemisphere, though, no point there because we were asking for the first name.

[C]

Jay, while we have Jim here, is there anything you want to ask or say?

[E]

How do you get craft service in that world you guys created where it's just mud and slop and pigs that eat cadaver bodies?

[F]

Like we ate with the pigs.

[E]

No, you did not.

[B]

Jim, it's been so wonderful that you joined us. If people want to find out more about you or what you're up to, where can they do that?

[F]

Well, I'm on Facebook. I'm on Blue Sky. My Wikipedia page is not too inaccurate. And I wash cars in Studio City, so, you know, stop by because it's been a slow couple of years, but.

[B]

Very versatile and prolific. Jim Beaver. Thanks for being here, Jim. Have a great night. Yeah.

[F]

Wow.

[B]

All right, Helen, what is our score as we go into the final round?

[C]

Ooh, it's a very tight game. Jake, Heath, Chase. Matt Masterson has seven and a half points, and Jaymore has seven points.

[B]

All right, but now it comes down to our final round. We call Fast facts. I'll read 10 statements, and each contestant will answer with true or false. I'll start with Chase 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. Chase, some states offer variations of the state's basic license plate.

[D]

True.

[C]

Correct.

[B]

J. Tennessee offers variations of their license plate.

[C]

False. Incorrect.

[B]

No, they really do Chase, Tennessee offers over 100 variations of their license plates.

[D]

True.

[C]

Correct.

[B]

Jay, it offers over 200 variations.

[C]

False. Incorrect.

[B]

They really do. Chase, there's one with a dog.

[D]

True.

[C]

Correct.

[B]

Jay, there's one with a cat.

[E]

False.

[C]

Incorrect.

[F]

No, there really is.

[E]

I want to run the table now.

[B]

Chase, there's one with a dog licking a cat.

[C]

Sure.

[D]

True.

[C]

Correct.

[B]

J. There's one with a cat licking a dog.

[E]

True.

[C]

Incorrect.

[B]

No, Chase, there's one with a dog playing a saxophone.

[C]

False. Correct.

[B]

Jay, there's one with a cat playing a saxophone.

[E]

That's true.

[C]

Correct.

[B]

Hey, Jay. Got one. And finally, Chase, that cat is playing the Meow Mix jingle.

[D]

Of course.

[C]

Correct.

[B]

All right, we're not gonna count that last one. Let's give Jay Moore and Chase Masterson a nice hand as Helen tabulates the final score. By the way, some of the over 200 license plate images available in Tennessee include a horse, a tiger, a snake, multiple bears, multiple turkeys, multiple fish, a honeybee, a woman with a rifle, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, a human baby, and Penn State University, you know, Tennessee. All right, Helen, are you ready to announce the winner on today's program?

[C]

I am. At the end of the game. Game. Chase Masterson has 12 and a half points and Jay Moore has eight points.

[B]

Congratulations, Chase Masterson. You are the Fact champion on GoFact yourself.

[C]

Thank you, Chase.

[B]

I think Jay is congratulating you. Chase, what will you do with your championship?

[C]

This is bodacious.

[D]

I just.

[B]

Word of the year.

[D]

Exactly. No, thank you for not being slop. And, yeah, I'm going to lord it over Jay Moore for sure.

[E]

You better.

[B]

All right, well, we're going to wrap up by giving our panel here a chance to mention or promote anything of theirs they might like. Chase, where can people find you and what you're doing?

[D]

Well, this is the 60th anniversary of Star Trek, so I have a lot of signings and appearances around the world, and I have a show in Vegas in August and two features coming up. I am also working on the Heroic Journey. So if you need mental health support, reach out and you can find me on Instagram. It's ChaseMasterson and Facebook and Twitter and BlueSky.

[B]

Excellent. It is Chase Masterson and we're so happy she was here. Thank you, Chase.

[C]

Thank you, Jay Moore.

[B]

What about yourself?

[E]

I. I live a quiet home life. I have nothing really to promote except the More Stories podcast, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and you can reach out to me on Instagram. Jmore37.

[B]

Excellent. Well, thank you so much for being here, Jmore. Everybody. What a pleasure.

[E]

Thank you.

[B]

Thank you ladies and gentlemen. You are so lucky because my hosting partner is Funny Helen Hall. Yes, she is.

[C]

Come on now you can follow me on all the the socials. Funny helenhong. Yeah. Yes you are funny Helen Hong.

[B]

Why Helen?

[C]

Cause there's all those other Helen Hongs and they're not as funny.

[B]

No, but this one is. She's our funny Helen Hong. And me, you can find me on the socials allkeith.net all spelled out and you can hire me to host your trivia event either in person or online by going to bigquizthing.com that just leaves me to thank Chase Masterson, Jay Moore, Linda November, Jim Beaver, everyone here at Laist and the Crawford and thank you for listening and supporting our show. @maximumfun.org I'm J. Keith Van Stratton. Goodnight. Like what you hear? Come see us live. They seem to enjoy it. Go to gofactorpod.com for our schedule and tickets. Meanwhile, please like and follow us on all the socials all GoFactorPod. Update our [e-mail] and buy our T shaped shirt, mug shaped mug and dingle dangly dingle dangle and and [e-mail] and give us a great review on your favorite podcast platform. Like Native Heaven did on Podcast Addict. He she or they said the podcast name is truly hilarious. Lol. Thanks Native Heaven. You might enjoy listening to the show too.

[F]

Ellen.

[C]

Go Fact Yourself is a panel quiz program devised and produced by Jim Newman and J. Keith Van Stratton and comes to you via Transcription from M.C. crawford at LA Eston Pasadena. Questions were compiled by the Trivia Industrial Complex. 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 Meow mix is Julian Burrell. Additional editing by Valerie Moffatt. Special thanks to Norman Bergen Music and Bob Passaro for Laist. John Kohn, Vice President Audience and Community engagement, Rebecca Stummy, Senior Producer Tony Federico, Technical director Michael Leyva, Technical Assistant Lorena Nader, Audience experience Manager and Mikayla Perez, on call Coordinator. I've been Helen Hong.

[B]

Let's go listen to jingles from the 70s and 80s.

[C]

If it's the 1780s, there could be some for Deadwood Dead Deadwood Wood Dead Dead Wood Wood Dead Dead Wood Wood.

[B]

Maximum Fun A worker owned network of.

[C]

Artist owned shows supported directly by you.