The MeatEater Podcast
Ep. 872: Game On, Wives! MeatEater Trivia CCXV
Date: May 6, 2026
Host: Steven Rinella (with Spencer Newhart & Shelby)
Guests: Adrienne, Alex, Carrie, Katie, Kelsey, Sarah, Sydney (The “MeatEater Wives”)
Episode Overview
This lively episode features the return of the “MeatEater Wives” for a special edition of MeatEater Trivia. Hosted by Shelby and Spencer Newhart, the episode is a 10-round trivia game show focusing on topics related to the outdoors, conservation, hunting, fishing, and cooking—with a generous dose of humor, camaraderie, playful mom-brain banter, and friendly competition. The winner directs a $500 (ultimately $600!) donation to the conservation organization of their choice.
Meet the Contestants (01:39–04:15)
- Katie Finch: Married to Steve Rinella for nearly 18 years, highlights their long journey together.
- “Feels like a long time, but in many ways, like no time has passed at all.” (02:04)
- Kelsey Morris: Married to Seth, has a 2-month-old baby. Claims “new mom brain” as her trivia handicap.
- Alex Barda: Married to Max, expecting her first child—leans into “pregnancy brain” as a handy excuse.
- Carrie Henderson: Married to Brody for 20 years, juggling “old mom brain” and busy schedules.
- Adrienne: Married to Phil, mother of two boys, ready to blame her kids for any missed questions.
- Sydney: Married to Randall, has dogs and chickens instead of kids; reigning trivia champ.
- Sarah Calkins: Married to Corey, mother to an aspiring author son.
The episode opens with a warm and irreverent introduction, setting the stage for some good-natured ribbing and sharing favorite listener comments:
- “Support small content creators like our husbands.” – Shelby (04:48)
- “Coven of cuties.” – Group, riffing on YouTube comments (06:12)
Key Discussion Points & Trivia Highlights
The Popularity of "Wives and Girlfriends" Episodes (04:17–06:36)
- Last Wives/Girlfriends episode (Ep. 576) was the best-performing trivia show in two years—“Suck it, boys!” (04:29)
- The group reads and laughs about YouTube comments, both positive and “overwhelmingly not horrible.”
Trivia Rounds: Notable Questions, Answers & Banter
Question 1: Most Popular Dog Name [Hunting] (07:05–09:50)
- Multiple choice: Duke, Loki, Roscoe, Marley
- Correct answer: Duke
- Notable banter:
- “I know a Marley. Nope, that’s a kid. I’m wrong.” – Katie (07:52)
- “I have this thing where I’ve only ever dated men with dog names.” – Alex (09:04)
Question 2: National Park Visitor Buildings [Public Lands] (09:54–12:48)
- Q: Name the building staffed by park rangers for help & orientation.
- Correct answer: Visitor Center
- Fun facts: "Parkitecture" and mid-century modern design in National Parks.
- “Visitor center feels like a cop out answer, right? Are you sure? That felt wrong?” – Adrienne (11:21)
Question 3: Nacre from Mollusks [Wildlife] (12:59–16:26)
- Q: Nacre, from mollusks, is more commonly known as what?
- Correct answer: Mother of pearl
- Notable quote:
- “I have a lot of nacre jewelry, and that’s the only context in which I’ve ever heard this.” – Shelby (15:32)
- Lively discussion about jewelry, home décor, and succulents.
Question 4: Carhartt Logo Inspiration [Gear] (17:12–19:47)
- Q: Carhartt's logo is inspired by what 10-letter word, also called the horn of plenty?
- Correct answer: Cornucopia
- Banter around Carhartt gear and the evolution of the logo.
Question 5: America’s First National Monument [Conservation] (23:02–25:41)
- Q: An astounding rock that looms over the Wyoming prairie.
- Correct answer: Devils Tower
- Adrienne’s recent family vacation provides the key to her winning this round.
- Shelby: “Was it the highlight of your trip?”
Adrienne: “It was really hot when we were there—the boys loved it.” (24:34–24:43)
Question 6: Water-Storing Plant Type [Woodsmanship] (26:46–29:11)
- Q: 9-letter word for a plant like cactus, with thick water-storing leaves/stems.
- Correct answer: Succulent
- Group laughs about plant parenting failures—“They thrive on neglect.” (30:02)
Question 7: Risqué Netflix Drama [Hunting] (30:34–34:42)
- Q: What Netflix show could this trivia episode be named after? (Hint: "Highly bingeable fun")
- Correct answer: The Hunting Wives
- “It's bingeable, for sure.” – Alex (34:23)
- "The Guardian says it’s about as good as nonsensical television gets. Rolling Stone called it a cheesy sex fest."
Question 8: Japanese Cooking Ingredient [Cooking] (35:41–37:12)
- Q: Nori is dried _______ used in Japanese cuisine.
- Correct answer: Seaweed
- “We buy it by the case...” – Sarah (36:30)
Question 9: Fish Family with Chevron Bones [Fishing] (38:04–41:04)
- Q: American shad belong to which fish family, which inspired a V-shaped pattern?
- Correct answer: Herring
- Everyone misses this one, leading to a united “zero percenter.”
- “Salmonoid does sound like it should be a pattern.” – Shelby (40:35)
Question 10: World’s Largest Land-Dwelling Arthropod [Wildlife] (44:28–51:06)
- Q: Named after the fruit it eats.
- Correct answer: Coconut crab
- “I thought of a fruit and an animal. That’s all you can ask for at this point.” – Adrienne (47:59)
- Fun facts: Coconut crabs can reach 3 feet wide and 10 pounds, and may have played a role in the Amelia Earhart mystery.
Scoreboard Updates (26:07, 37:19, 41:59, 42:07, 52:19)
- Early lead: Sydney (5/5), “Perfect game—if you get a perfect game, they double the donation!” (26:34)
- Final question: Three-way tie between Sydney, Carrie, and Alex (7 points each)
Tiebreakers: Sudden Death! (52:44–58:08)
Tiebreaker 1: How many stars in the Big Dipper? (53:13–55:02)
- Correct answer: Seven
- “I drew a picture with seven stars, and then I doubted myself.” – Carrie (55:22)
Tiebreaker 2: What percentage of hunters have a bachelor’s degree or above? (55:49–58:08)
- Correct answer: 26%
- Closest: Alex Barda (25%)
- “That makes Alex our winner!” (58:08)
Winner & Conservation Donation (58:16–59:11)
- Alex directs the $600 donation to the National Wild Turkey Federation, especially fitting since it’s turkey season.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Support small content creators like our husbands.” – Shelby (04:48)
- “Coven of cuties.” – Group, joking about YouTube comments (06:12)
- “Duke came in at 15th, while Marley was 38th, Loki 72nd, Roscoe 89th.” – Spencer (08:45)
- “If you get a perfect game, they double the donation! Be thinking about where that money goes, Sydney.” – Spencer (26:34)
- “They thrive on neglect.” – Shelby, on succulents (30:02)
- “Our episode of Trivia could have the same name as this Netflix drama...” – Spencer (30:44)
- “Nonsensical cheesy sex fest.” – Shelby (34:07)
- On nori: “We buy it by the case.” – Sarah (36:30)
- “Salmonoid does sound like it should be a pattern.” – Shelby (40:35)
- “Coconut crab... Some historians believe coconut crabs may have eaten Amelia Earhart.” – Spencer (52:00)
- “I have this thing where I’ve only ever dated men with dog names.” – Alex (09:04)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:39–04:15: Intros and favorite listener comments
- 07:05–09:50: Dog name trivia
- 09:54–12:48: National park visitor center question and parkitecture
- 12:59–16:26: Mother of pearl/nacre discussion
- 17:12–19:47: Carhartt and cornucopia
- 23:02–25:41: Devils Tower trivia
- 26:46–29:11: Succulent question and plant parenting jokes
- 30:34–34:42: The Hunting Wives banter
- 35:41–37:12: Nori/seaweed trivia
- 38:04–41:04: Herring/herringbone stumper
- 44:28–51:06: Coconut crab surprise
- 53:13–55:02: Tiebreaker 1 – Big Dipper
- 55:49–58:08: Tiebreaker 2 – College-educated hunters
- 58:59–59:11: Winner’s pick for donation
Tone & Takeaways
The episode is warm, irreverent, and packed with group laughter and friendly trash-talk. The “wives” bring a community feel, playful competitiveness, and plenty of personal stories and mutual support. While the trivia is both accessible and challenging, the main draw is the banter—celebrating outdoors knowledge, womanhood, and the joy of being part of the extended MeatEater family. Conservation is the big winner.
Winner:
Alex Barda
Donation:
$600 to the National Wild Turkey Federation
Closing quote:
“You can join them for more MeatEater Trivia—the only game show where conservation always wins.” – Shelby (59:14)