Ask Me Another VIPs: Very Important Puzzlers http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=167740319&ft=1&f=167740319 Each week on Ask Me Another, we bring on a special guest for an interview, and then make them play a trivia game we've written just for them. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 10 May 2013 10:22:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Ask Me Another VIPs: Very Important Puzzlers http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=167740319&ft=1&f=167740319 Rosie Schaap: What Are You Drinking? Everyone has a go-to drink, but only the real heavy-hitters get theirs named after them. (Would Tom Collins have thirsted for his eponymous drink, had he existed?) V.I.P. and bartender Rosie Schaap knows a thing or two about a good cocktail--having clocked over 13,000 hours in bars--so we test her mixological know-how against one of her regulars. Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:40:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/24/168899091/rosie-schaap-what-are-you-drinking?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/24/168899091/rosie-schaap-what-are-you-drinking?ft=1&f=167740319 Everyone has a go-to drink, but only the real heavy-hitters get theirs named after them. (Would Tom Collins have thirsted for his eponymous drink, had he existed?) V.I.P. and bartender Rosie Schaap knows a thing or two about a good cocktail--having clocked over 13,000 hours in bars--so we test her mixological know-how against one of her regulars.

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]]> Barney Frank: The Comedian's Politician This week's Very Important Puzzler talks about his political family, his accomplishments in Congress and the role of comedy in politics. Plus, we challenge him to identify the speaker of some notable quotes: Was it Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, rapper Kanye West ... or Barney Frank? Fri, 10 May 2013 10:22:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/10/182594028/barney-frank-the-comedians-politician?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/10/182594028/barney-frank-the-comedians-politician?ft=1&f=167740319 This week's Very Important Puzzler talks about his political family, his accomplishments in Congress and the role of comedy in politics. Plus, we challenge him to identify the speaker of some notable quotes: Was it Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, rapper Kanye West ... or Barney Frank?

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]]> A.J. Jacobs: The Quest To Do Everything This week's Very Important Puzzler talks about his life as a "human guinea pig," from trying to become the healthiest person in the world, to living by the Bible for a whole year. Plus, we put Jacobs in the puzzle hot seat for an Ask Me Another Challenge about famous people who go by two initials and a last name. Fri, 03 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/03/180621926/a-j-jacobs-the-quest-to-do-everything?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/03/180621926/a-j-jacobs-the-quest-to-do-everything?ft=1&f=167740319 This week's Very Important Puzzler talks about his life as a "human guinea pig," from trying to become the healthiest person in the world, to living by the Bible for a whole year. Plus, we put Jacobs in the puzzle hot seat for an Ask Me Another Challenge about famous people who go by two initials and a last name.

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]]> The Acrobuffos: Clowning Around Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone are two clowns who met in Afghanistan, fell in love and ran away to join the circus. Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:44:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/26/167739009/the-acrobuffos-clowning-around?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/26/167739009/the-acrobuffos-clowning-around?ft=1&f=167740319 Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone are two clowns who met in Afghanistan, fell in love and ran away to join the circus.

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]]> Michael Ian Black: Jack Of All Trades Host Ophira Eisenberg interviews the actor, comedian and long-suffering father of two. Michael offers up some sound parenting advice and reveals the once-in-a-lifetime role he dropped out of NYU to pursue: a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/19/177773598/michael-ian-black-jack-of-all-trades?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/19/177773598/michael-ian-black-jack-of-all-trades?ft=1&f=167740319 Host Ophira Eisenberg interviews the actor, comedian and long-suffering father of two. Michael offers up some sound parenting advice and reveals the once-in-a-lifetime role he dropped out of NYU to pursue: a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

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]]> Mike Rugnetta: Ask Meme Another This week's Very Important Puzzler sits down with Ophira Eisenberg to talk about hosting the PBS web series Idea Channel and what exactly makes a video go viral on the Internet. Plus, we pit him against a member of the listening audience for a quiz about memes. Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:15:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/12/176829194/ask-meme-another?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/12/176829194/ask-meme-another?ft=1&f=167740319 This week's Very Important Puzzler sits down with Ophira Eisenberg to talk about hosting the PBS web series Idea Channel and what exactly makes a video go viral on the Internet. Plus, we pit him against a member of the listening audience for a quiz about memes.

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]]> Dr. Ruth: Let's Talk About Sex With a V.I.P. as exciting as legendary sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, we had to pull out all the stops. So we conducted a highly-scientific sex survey of our audience and quizzed Dr. Ruth on the results. Suffice it to say, the lady knows sex. Plus, Jonathan Coulton plays a sexy song about about monogamy--a cover of George Michael's "Faith." Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:46:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/05/168488453/dr-ruth-lets-talk-about-sex?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/05/168488453/dr-ruth-lets-talk-about-sex?ft=1&f=167740319 With a V.I.P. as exciting as legendary sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, we had to pull out all the stops. So we conducted a highly-scientific sex survey of our audience and quizzed Dr. Ruth on the results. Suffice it to say, the lady knows sex. Plus, Jonathan Coulton plays a sexy song about about monogamy--a cover of George Michael's "Faith."

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]]> Maurice Ashley: Chessmen At Work This week's Very Important Puzzler sits down with host Ophira Eisenberg to talk about what it takes to be an International Grandmaster of chess and how technology has changed the game. Plus, we test Ashley's knowledge on the human quirks of famous chess masters. Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:35:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/29/175476130/maurice-ashley-chessmen-at-work?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/29/175476130/maurice-ashley-chessmen-at-work?ft=1&f=167740319 This week's Very Important Puzzler sits down with host Ophira Eisenberg to talk about what it takes to be an International Grandmaster of chess and how technology has changed the game. Plus, we test Ashley's knowledge on the human quirks of famous chess masters.

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]]> Jad Abumrad: Accidental Scientist The host of WNYC's <em>Radiolab</em> never set out to create a wildly successful public radio show that tackles hard questions about life and the universe. But that's just one of the many happy accidents explored in this segment of Ask Me Another. Abumrad reveals how he broke into radio, ruminates on the overall story <em>Radiolab</em> tries to tell, and plays a game about unintentional scientific discoveries. Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/15/174123830/jad-abumrad-accidental-scientist?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/15/174123830/jad-abumrad-accidental-scientist?ft=1&f=167740319 The host of WNYC's Radiolab never set out to create a wildly successful public radio show that tackles hard questions about life and the universe. But that's just one of the many happy accidents explored in this segment of Ask Me Another. Abumrad reveals how he broke into radio, ruminates on the overall story Radiolab tries to tell, and plays a game about unintentional scientific discoveries.

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]]> Will Shortz: Aging Gopher Maracas You could also call this game "Geographic Anagrams." A puzzle guru--Ask Me Another's own John Chaneski--faces off against Shortz, a true puzzle master, in a trivia match that'll twist your brain into knots. Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/08/156814226/will-shortz-aging-gopher-maracas?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/08/156814226/will-shortz-aging-gopher-maracas?ft=1&f=167740319 You could also call this game "Geographic Anagrams." A puzzle guru--Ask Me Another's own John Chaneski--faces off against Shortz, a true puzzle master, in a trivia match that'll twist your brain into knots.

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]]> Keli Goff: The One About Law And Order This week's Very Important Puzzler sits down with host Ophira Eisenberg to talk about her novel<em> The GQ Candidate</em>, as well as how she got her start as a political pundit. Plus, Goff teams up with a member of our listening audience for a quiz about her favorite TV show, <em>Law & Order</em>. Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/01/172996070/the-one-about-law-and-order?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/01/172996070/the-one-about-law-and-order?ft=1&f=167740319 This week's Very Important Puzzler sits down with host Ophira Eisenberg to talk about her novel The GQ Candidate, as well as how she got her start as a political pundit. Plus, Goff teams up with a member of our listening audience for a quiz about her favorite TV show, Law & Order.

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]]> Steve Guttenberg: How To Make It In Hollywood Hear the actor's unlikely Hollywood success story, which began with him talking his way onto the Paramount lot and resulted in his roles in <em>Police Academy</em>, <em>Diner</em> and <em>Three Men and a Baby</em>. Plus, we challenge him to determine which of three celebrities is the father of some notable babies. Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:12:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/22/168900569/steve-guttenberg-how-to-make-it-in-hollywood?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/22/168900569/steve-guttenberg-how-to-make-it-in-hollywood?ft=1&f=167740319 Hear the actor's unlikely Hollywood success story, which began with him talking his way onto the Paramount lot and resulted in his roles in Police Academy, Diner and Three Men and a Baby. Plus, we challenge him to determine which of three celebrities is the father of some notable babies.

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]]> Baratunde Thurston: The Next Black President Comedian. Writer. Twitter sensation. Our V.I.P. this week may be the most media-savvy provocateur around today. Not one to sugarcoat a message, his latest book finds the sweet spot that mixes satire with a discussion of race and identity. Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:07:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/15/157435111/baratunde-thurston-the-next-black-president?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/15/157435111/baratunde-thurston-the-next-black-president?ft=1&f=167740319 Comedian. Writer. Twitter sensation. Our V.I.P. this week may be the most media-savvy provocateur around today. Not one to sugarcoat a message, his latest book finds the sweet spot that mixes satire with a discussion of race and identity.

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]]> David Rees: Sharper Than A Pencil The author of <em>How To Sharpen Pencils</em> is the master of the artisanally-sharpened No. 2. So what happens when we pit him against another graphite enthusiast in the ultimate pencil trivia match? Only one can prove that he is, indeed, the sharpest. Pencils of the mechanical sort will not be discussed. Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/08/168899296/david-rees-sharper-than-a-pencil?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/08/168899296/david-rees-sharper-than-a-pencil?ft=1&f=167740319 The author of How To Sharpen Pencils is the master of the artisanally-sharpened No. 2. So what happens when we pit him against another graphite enthusiast in the ultimate pencil trivia match? Only one can prove that he is, indeed, the sharpest. Pencils of the mechanical sort will not be discussed.

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]]> John Hodgman: How Much Does The Know-It-All Know? Our Very Important Puzzler is a renaissance man--he's been a cheesemonger, literary agent, traffic counter and more. A self-proclaimed expert in eschatology, the study of endings and destiny, he's a perfect candidate for our quiz on apocalyptic predictions. Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/01/25/151968873/how-much-does-the-know-it-all-know?ft=1&f=167740319 http://www.npr.org/2013/01/25/151968873/how-much-does-the-know-it-all-know?ft=1&f=167740319 Our Very Important Puzzler is a renaissance man--he's been a cheesemonger, literary agent, traffic counter and more. A self-proclaimed expert in eschatology, the study of endings and destiny, he's a perfect candidate for our quiz on apocalyptic predictions.

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