SmartLess Presents ClueLess

Episode 177 - National Pasta Month (Mini Episode)

Date: October 13, 2025
Host: Elliott Kalan
Producer: Devin Tory Bright
Contestant for season: Sean Hayes (not present in this mini episode)

Episode Overview

This bite-sized episode of ClueLess celebrates National Pasta Month with a pasta-themed set of brainteasers and fun facts. Host Elliott Kalan, combining quick-witted humor with trivia, engages listeners in a pair of food-centric puzzles: first, a "food mascot odd one out," and then a game of "Pasta, Italian Inventor, or Active Volcano." The episode is lively, fast-paced, and loaded with playful banter—perfect for puzzle enthusiasts and pasta lovers alike.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Pasta Month Kickoff & Unique Intro

• Elliott introduces the mini-episode with typical self-referential banter, poking fun at his own memory (“I never forget a face. Well, I never forget my face. I'm wearing it right now.” – Elliott Kaelin, [01:27]).
• The episode’s purpose is established as a tribute to National Pasta Month, with jokes about pasta getting more recognition than mothers (“Mothers only get one day, but pasta gets a whole month…next time try going better with carbonara sauce.” – Elliott, [01:55]).

2. Odd One Out: Food Mascot Mystery

Question Segment ([01:55]–[03:42])

• Elliott challenges listeners with a classic logic puzzle:
  “Who is the odd one out in this list of popular food mascots: Ronald McDonald, Ernest J. Keebler, Chef Boyardee, and Julius Pringles?”
• Producer Devin prompts Elliott to share pasta trivia while listeners consider the answer.

National Pasta Month Fun Facts ([02:54])

• Elliott reveals quirky Italian pasta name translations:
  • Linguine: “little tongues”
  • Orchietti: “little ears”
  • Vermicelli: “little worms”
• (“Linguine. That means little tongues. Ugh. Orchietti. Little ears. Don't eat that. No. Vermicelli. Little worms. Gross. But also pretty accurate.” – Elliott, [02:54])
• Jokes about Jersey Halloween traditions:
  “…kids dress up in costumes and go door to door demanding pasta. At least that's how we did it back in Jersey.” ([03:42])

Mascot Mystery Solution ([03:48])

• Answer: Chef Boyardee is the odd one out, as he was a real person; the others are fictional mascots.
  “All the other mascots were fictional… Chef Boyardee was a real person and a real chef… he even catered at President Woodrow Wilson's wedding.” – Elliott, [03:48]

3. Main Game: Pasta, Italian Inventor, or Active Volcano?

Game Introduction ([03:48]–[05:48])

• Elliott instructs listeners to identify whether each of the following is a pasta, Italian inventor, or active volcano:
  • Gratini, Jacuzzi, Stromboli, Marconi, Manicotti, Tambora, Pappardelle, Fermi
• Encourages playful engagement:
  “Do you have your answers? If so, set them free. If they don't come back to you by the end of this commercial break, they were never yours to begin with.” – Elliott, [05:45]

[Ad Break Skipped]

Answer Reveal ([07:48])

• Gratini: Pasta
  “That is a pasta.” – Elliott, [07:51]

• Jacuzzi: Italian Inventor
  “Candido Jacuzzi invented a portable pump that can turn any bathtub into a whirlpool… Jacuzzi is named after the guy who invented the Jacuzzi, whose name was Jacuzzi.” – Elliott, [07:54]

• Stromboli: Active Volcano
  “That is an active volcano off the coast of Sicily.” – Elliott, [08:00]

• Marconi: Italian Inventor
  “Guillermo Marconi is credited with being the inventor of the radio and won a Nobel Prize in 1909…” – Elliott, [08:04]

• Notable exchange:

  • Devin: “Marconi is referenced in We Built the City…Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, which he didn't technically…” ([08:47])
  • Elliott: “That's even better than a Nobel Prize—it is getting mentioned in a Jefferson Starship song.” ([09:00])

• Manicotti: Pasta
  “That is a pasta, or as they called it where I'm from, Jersey, ‘manicott’.” – Elliott, [09:06]

• Tambora: Active Volcano
  “An active Indonesian volcano. It erupted in 1815…the most powerful volcanic event in recorded human history…1816 became known as the Year without a Summer. And it led directly to the writing of the book Frankenstein.” – Elliott, [09:21]

• Pappardelle: Pasta
  “That's a pasta…The pasta is pretty much little something.” – Elliott, [09:48]

• Fermi: Italian Inventor
  “Rico Fermi was the Manhattan Project physicist…” – Elliott, [10:04]

Recap of Answers ([10:04])

• Elliott quickly lists correct categories for each word.

4. Memorable Quotes and Banter

• On pasta vs. mothers:
  “Mothers only get one day, but pasta gets a whole month. Sorry, moms. Next time try going better with carbonara sauce.” – Elliott, [01:55]
• Regarding play on words:
  “Producer Devin, you're only allowed one play on words per fiscal year, and you just used yours.” – Elliott, [02:54]
• Jersey nostalgia:
  “I'm watching you. Also, something we used to say a lot in Jersey.” – Elliott, [03:48]
• The carnivalesque closing:
  “When you're listening to Clueless, you're family, and in my family, we play games.” – Elliott, [03:48]
• Tongue-in-cheek sign-off:
  “You are what you eat, especially if you bite your toenails.” – Elliott, [10:54]
  • Producer Devin: “No.” ([11:04])
  • Elliott: “People do it. Producer Devin, people do it.” ([11:04])

Notable Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|-------------| | Main/Pasta Month Introduced | 01:55 | | Mascot Quiz Presented | 01:55 | | Fun Pasta Name Meanings | 02:54 | | Mascot Quiz Solution | 03:48 | | Main Game Begins | 03:48 | | Main Game Answers Revealed | 07:48 | | Marconi/Pop Culture Discussion | 08:47 | | Tambora/Frankenstein Anecdote | 09:21 | | Recap and Sign-Off | 10:49–10:54 |

Tone

• Playful, witty, and a bit nerdy—the episode is loaded with pasta puns, affectionate ribbing between Elliott and Producer Devin, and quirky trivia. Elliott’s comedic timing and Jersey nostalgia keep things lively throughout.

Summary

Episode 177 of ClueLess offers a brisk, trivia-rich celebration of National Pasta Month. Host Elliott Kalan blends humor with genuine curiosity, delivering brainteasers and pasta facts that are as entertaining as they are informative. The food mascot “odd one out” and “Pasta, Italian Inventor, or Active Volcano?” games provide interactive opportunities for listeners to test their knowledge, all framed by witty banter and charming asides. If you’re new to ClueLess, this episode easily captures the show’s blend of family-friendly games, obscure facts, and self-deprecating comedy—the perfect snack for your brain.