Good Job, Brain! – Episode 302: Bad Guy

Date: November 21, 2025
Hosts: Karen, Colin, Dana (not present in this episode), Chris

Episode Overview

This episode centers on bad guys—villains from pop culture, literature, etymology, and more. The hosts dive into all things “bad,” from classic movie antagonists to the history behind villainous words, with their always-playful banter and trivia games. Expect laughs, puns, and quizzes galore as Karen, Colin, and Chris challenge each other with offbeat facts and memorable moments, always keeping score (and a soft spot) for the world’s best baddies.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. General Pop Culture and Trivia Warm-Up ([02:47]–[11:13])

• Trivial Pursuit Pop Quiz (“Pop Quiz, Hotshot”):
  • Quick-fire pop culture questions on TV, music, movies, and sports.
  • Notable trivia included:
    • Band of Brothers named for the Saint Crispin’s Day speech ([03:15]).
    • Nokia as the world’s top cell phone manufacturer in 2006 ([03:32]).
    • Sinbad (comedian David Atkins) reading of his (incorrect) death on Wikipedia ([04:01]).
    • Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”—first British #1 via downloads ([04:34]).
    • Champion surfer Jack Johnson did Curious George soundtrack ([06:43]).
    • Margaret Hamilton as Wicked Witch on Mr. Rogers ([13:09]).
  • Fun banter about Halloween costumes, children’s obsessions (K-pop demon hunters), and family participation ([00:49]–[02:47]).

“I was stumbling through these names...I was like, I don’t know! How do I pronounce all that?” – Karen ([09:52])

2. Wicked Witch & Villain Spotlight Quiz ([11:44]–[22:57])

• Wicked Witch of the West Superquiz led by Chris:
  • Covers the Broadway musical, the film, and various pop-culture cameos of the Wicked Witch.
  • Notable topics:
    • Margaret Hamilton’s appearances calming children about “not really being a witch” ([13:09]).
    • The lost Sesame Street episode with the Wicked Witch ([14:35]).
    • Book vs. movie slippers: silver shoes (not ruby) in Baum’s novel ([15:49]).
    • Manolo Blahnik namedropped in The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz ([16:43]).
    • Trick question about Elphaba actresses: Anna Gasteyer, not Idina Menzel ([18:00]).
    • Theodora as a mirror to Dorothy in Oz the Great and Powerful ([20:09]).
    • Wicked’s book subtitle: “The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” ([22:12]).

“[Margaret Hamilton] appeared on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood to explain to children that she was a real and very nice lady and not actually the Wicked Witch of the West.” – Chris ([13:09])

“The episode of Sesame Street was considered so scary it was immediately pulled from the air and never officially shown again.” – Chris ([14:38])

3. Animal “Bad Guy” Trivia: Bearded Vulture Deep Dive ([22:57]–[27:40])

• Bearded Vulture as the “Most Metal Thing of the Year”:
  • Bearded vultures eat mostly bone (70–90% of diet).
  • Return to same nesting sites for generations; nests can preserve human artifacts for centuries.
  • Recent study found items up to 675 years old in nests in Spain (leather, sandals, pieces of crossbows).
  • These nests provide insight into both bird life and ancient human activity.
  • Discussion on the unfair “bad guy” image of vultures.

“The bearded vulture is the only known vertebrate whose diet consists of 70% to 90% bone… their stomach acid can literally dissolve bones in just a matter of hours.” – Colin ([24:03])

4. “Bad Guy” Word Origins: Etymology Quiz ([27:40]–[36:41])

Karen hosts a multiple-choice etymology game on villainous words.

• Origins for villain, nemesis, heel, rapscallion, enemy, rival.
• Fun red herrings and actual histories revealed:
  • Villain from “villa” (farmhouse/peasant), not “venal” ([29:13]).
  • Nemesis: a Greek goddess (of revenge), not the Nemean lion ([30:54]).
  • Heel from “heel of a foot”—the lowest part ([32:12]).
  • Rapscallion from “rabble,” not bad onions ([33:06]).
  • Enemy from “in ami” (not-friend), not from “enema” ([34:43]).
  • Rival from “river”—neighbors pursuing the same resource ([35:56]).

“These days when we say villa, we’re like, ‘oh, vacation in the villa,’ but in Italian it means country house, farm house...and so villain came from there.” – Karen ([29:11])

5. Movie Villains Backward Quiz ([38:15]–[47:35])

• Colin’s Quiz: Top-Grossing Movie Villains (Back Through the Years)
  • Trivia about the highest-grossing movies from 2025 to 1995, focusing on villains.
  • Highlights:
    • 2025: Minecraft (porcine villains) ([40:50])
    • 2020: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Emperor Palpatine) ([41:53])
    • 2015: Spectre (Bond’s nemesis) ([42:54])
    • 2010: Despicable Me (Gru, minions) ([43:57])
    • 2005: War of the Worlds (aliens) ([45:26])
    • 2000: How the Grinch Stole Christmas ([46:11])
    • 1995: Waterworld (Dennis Hopper’s villain) ([47:04])

“Nobody could have predicted the lasting success of this film, which featured a villain front and center and spawned multiple sequels. Super villain, if you will.” – Colin on Despicable Me ([43:26])

6. Game Show Word Quiz: Spoonerized Video Game Titles ([49:16]–[59:20])

• Chris’s “Tark Shank”/Shark Tank-style quiz:
  • Classic wordplay on video game titles using spoonerisms.
  • Creative examples:
    • Room Tater (Tomb Raider) ([52:55])
    • Douse of the Head (House of the Dead) ([54:15])
    • Barrio Mothers (Mario Brothers) ([54:38])
    • Bach Rand (Rock Band) ([55:15])
    • Far Fry (Far Cry) ([56:31])
    • Bar Stocks (Star Fox) ([57:11])
    • Cordal Mombat (Mortal Kombat) ([57:44])
    • Prue Blitz (Blueprints) ([58:56])
    • Marvel vs. MapCom (Marvel vs. Capcom) ([60:25])
  • Light-hearted frustration and laughter as the hosts work out the puzzles.

“I would play Barrio Mothers. That actually might be a good idea!” – Chris ([54:44])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “[Margaret Hamilton]’s face is also green. Yeah.” – Chris ([14:00])
• “This type of bird, like other birds, also incorporates human artifacts into their nests…they studied 12 nests here over the course of about six years.” – Colin ([25:07])
• “Karen, this is a game you’ll hate to play because you hate escape rooms. Prue Blitz—fantastic game.” – Chris ([59:08])
• “One hour of Karen’s time is like eight hours of normal people’s time. That is the nicest thing, the best compliment I’ve ever received in my entire life.” – Karen ([49:12])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Opening banter/Halloween costumes: [00:49]–[02:47]
• General Trivial Pursuit quiz: [02:47]–[11:13]
• Wicked Witch quiz: [11:44]–[22:57]
• Bearded vulture deep-dive: [22:57]–[27:40]
• “Bad guy” word origins quiz: [27:40]–[36:41]
• Movie villains quiz: [38:15]–[47:35]
• Spoonerism video game quiz: [49:16]–[59:20]

Summary

This “Bad Guy” episode packs trivia nuggets, etymology surprises, pop culture villain spotlights, and some of the most delightfully geeky wordplay you’ll hear this side of Oz. From the genuine chills of unwelcome witches on Sesame Street to the unexpectedly metal life of the bearded vulture, plus timely questions about movie villains and etymological origins, the GJB crew delivers educational entertainment for any trivia nut. Whether you want to show off new facts at your next quiz night or just enjoy some wildly creative spoonerisms (Room Tater, anyone?), this episode will leave you villainously well-informed.

For more trivia action and offbeat quizzes, visit goodjobbrain.com or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!