"Ask Me Another" talkback

edited May 2012 in JoCo Gigs
So, what did everyone think of the first episode? I was able to attend a couple of the live shows (not this one, unfortunately), but I have to say this episode was just as enjoyable and funny as the shows I attended. It seems like everyone involved really enjoys working together.

Comments

  • I loved it! sounded great! I wish joco was more prominent throughout like he was in the first game but i did enjoy the little snippets of Furry old lobster and the other song he sang and I really enjoyed John Hodgman as the first guest of the show.
  • There really should be at least one full song per show, I think. I mean, you have JoCo right there, it doesn't make any sense not to get all the use out of him you possibly can. Plus, the audience and style seems like the kind of place where his lyrics would fit right in.

    I really did enjoy it overall, though. Clever take on the typical pop-quiz - a thing to tune into, for certain :)
  • Sadly, I moved back to the midwest from MD before I could get to a taping, but I love the show so far. Can't wait for more.

  • It was definitely better than been cast out on a mountain that is covered with hungry wolves.
  • Much more JoCo on the latest episode so far. Great cover of Donna Summers She Works Hard for the Money.
  • Here's the link to the second episode. My wife and I were in the audience that night, and they definitely retained the fun spirit of the live show in the podcast.
  • I think the show really needs a theme song. The opening just sounds too quiet.
  • Quite a coincidence that this week's episode aired with JoCo's Donna Summers cover the same week she passed away.
  • Agreed! It was a weird coda on the week. I think they are making awesome use of JoCo between the musical clues and the songs between games.
  • And another Donna Summer reference this week.
  • I really liked the third episode. The special guest was cool (although not as cool as Hodgman), JoCo seemed to be more prominent, and the game with the redone songs from musicals was brilliant. 
  • I am glad they link to other stories about JoCo in the related stories section because otherwise it doesn't speak at all tho his success after Thing-a-Week. Instead it launches into his adolescent love life which was apparently all that happened until he began playing on Ask me Another.

  • NPR posted an article about Ophira Eisenberg http://www.npr.org/2012/07/27/157423427/ophira-eisenberg-gets-the-last-laugh. It only mentions JoCo in passing.

    I enjoyed this season. I loved the audience reaction in the final episode when JoCo played "Baby Got Back".
  • edited November 2012
    Ask Me Another: A Quiz! - Ophira Eisenberg and Jonathan Coulton on the Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC.
  • edited November 2012
    Behind the scenes video. Ask Me Another rehearses We Will Rock You on 11/12/12:


  • I was at the first taping of this season, that We Will Rock You quiz was so funny. Probably my favorite of all the musical quizzes so far.
  • Craig: I think I was there at that taping…and two others…
  • Bonus episode up with Ophira telling a story and JoCo & JoRo doing One Christmas at a Time to warm up the crowd
  • I've now seen two audience videos of Roderick playing "Skullcrusher Mountain" on the set of AMA.
  • Here's one of those videos. Kind of weird hearing the different guitar and vocal phrasing. 


  • I have a unique arrangement of it as well.... Also know Roderick's style, and so wasn't surprised by the way he performed it.
  • For some reason I almost spat coffee over my keyboard when he paused slightly after 'lair'. Did anyone else find that funny/cute or am I just crazy?
  • edited March 2013
    Guys! Guys! Paul and Storm are on episode 206: The Guttenberg Bible! They sang a bit of Nugget Man and then there was an entire game based on Randy Newman songs! I haven't listened to the rest yet because the tram arrived.

    Wait, should I be disappointed here and take my excitement over to the Paul and Storums?

    Edit: And I see on the rss feed that David Rees is in episode 205, sharpening pencils. (It's a nerd! It's insane! It's Random Order Podcast Girl!) I wonder if he sings! Wait, no, he's a VIP, not a musical guest.
  • @Angeltastic Roderick is the musical guest on the Rees episode and covers Skullcrusher Mountain. In the past, when JoCo was unavailable, the shows suffered, I didn't think the fill ins had the personality outside of the music, but P&S and Roderick have plenty and they were both good episodes.
  • edited March 2013
    Ah, that's the episode with Roderick in it? Cool; I look forward to listening to it. I assumed I'd heard the episode, but I must have just watched the video of Skullcrusher, since I commented on it above before episode 205 came out.

    By the way, as funny as Paul and Storm are, the thing that made me laugh the most so far is the way the contestant sang 'Go, Passion of the Christ, Go!' It reminds me of Sense and Context, the last slide/song of the album My Dissertation by Science Groove.

    I also liked that contestant on a much earlier episode who kept saying 'cheese'.

    Edit: Just finished listening. They played two of their own songs (plus all the Randy Newmans.) That's more than JoCo gets to do! And only one cover IIRC. Modular pants. :)
  • JoCo will play a full song to warm up the crowd and then two or three shortened songs in the course of the show. I have not been listening to the podcasts so I am not sure how many of those end up in the final cut itself.

    There is going to be at least one other episode with P&S coming soon.

    The week they had David Rees on, Ophira made some snide comment about how the whole pencil sharpening project is a joke and Rees totally shut her down. I was sad it did not make it into the podcast, though I understand why.
  • I heard a rumor that they may tape on the next cruise. I really hope that happens, because the possibilities are endless!
  • I was thinking more that JoCo plays mainly cover songs rather than his own songs. It makes sense, since he has more episodes to spread his original songs over, but I was a trifle disappointed when he played a cover instead of First of May or [some other thematically-appropriate JoCo song; I can't remember which I was thinking of or what the exact topics discussed were; perhaps Millionaire Girlfriend] after they talked to that sex therapist.

    I hope they tape on the next cruise! That would be like Hey, Hey, I'm an Asshole, except it'd be based on an NPR quiz show I'd listened to before!

    I listened to another episode yesterday, 203 I think, and it was like Thing A Week 52 all over again. :)
  • Taping in Boston next Monday.  I have a spare ticket, if anyone is interested.
  • I noticed Storm gets puzzle-writing credit for episode 217. :)
  • Noticed that too, @Angelastic. Man, that kid's going places.
  • edited December 2014

    JoCo and Nellie McKay perform her song Bodega (iTunes link).

    Update: Now on YouTube (audio only).

  • btw...shouldn't all of JoCo's Ask Me Another appearances and songs sung be on the jocopedia?
  • ( ^ yes to this!)

    Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but my friend Julie is interviewing to be an AMA contestant RIGHT NOW! Apparently the audition process includes a quiz and then an interview if they like your quiz answers. 

    *all appendages crossed*
  • This newest episode, "Puzzlin' on the Dock of the Bay," is the best.
  • I haven't listened yet, but I just noticed that episode 312, Leggo my Lego, features Nathan Sawaya, who was an entertainer on JoCo Cruise Crazy 4.
  • edited April 2014

    Another awesome episode! I kept hoping they would mention the JoCo statue, but they didn't. They should post a picture of it on the show website as a bonus.

    [Edit 1: It's on the twitter feed.]

    [Edit 2: How could they have mentioned it when the episode was taped before the cruise. Come on now, Mads, use that noggin.]
    One advantage of listening on the NPR player: The musical interludes are at the end of each segment AND at the beginning of the following segment. So we get to hear them all twice. Shh! Don't tell them; they'll 'fix' it!
  • > my friend Julie is interviewing to be an AMA contestant RIGHT NOW! Apparently the audition process includes a quiz and then an interview if they like your quiz answers.

     
    Update: SUCCESS! :) Listen for my friend Julie Roubik in the Milwaukee episode. It tapes next week, so probably will air in about a month.
  • A couple of songs from last year's Holiday Spectacular episode were posted on YouTube (audio only) with links to download the MP3s.

    Deck the Halls Web Extra MP3.

    Auld Lang Syne Web Extra MP3.

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