Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?
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Whad'Ya Know? is an American comedy, interview and quiz show that is distributed weekly by Public Radio International. It is hosted by Michael Feldman and produced by Wisconsin Public Radio. Michael is accompanied on-stage by Jim Packard, announcer, and the Whad'ya Know Trio (John Thulin on piano, Jeff Hamann on bass, and Clyde Stubblefield on drums.) The show is most often broadcast live (with an audience) from Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin, though Feldman often broadcasts "road shows" from locations across the United States.
The show is broadcast weekly, each Saturday at 10:00 AM CT (11:00 AM ET) for two hours, though it is sometimes played later in certain markets. It has been on the air since 1985.
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[edit] Game Format
Just as Feldman's quickness and comedic rhythms are reminiscent of Groucho Marx, the game is reminiscent of Marx's You Bet Your Life quiz show in that it's designed more to give the host a chance to interact with the players than to be a serious test of their knowledge.
Twice during the show (usually toward the end of each hour, though the first hour's game may spill over into the beginning of the second hour), the Whad'ya Know Quiz is played. Two players play each game as a team. The first player is selected by Michael from the studio audience (usually by "a show of hands of people who want to try them at the quiz"). At-home players then call the theatre where the show is being produced and attempt to answer a qualifying question. When a caller guesses correctly, he/she becomes the second member of the team.
The two contestants then play the main game. To win, they must answer three questions correctly before getting three wrong. Six categories for questions are presented:
- Current Events
- People
- Places
- Things You Should Have Learned In School (Had You Been Paying Attention)
- Science
- Odds and Ends
The call-in player chooses the first category. Michael reads the question (often multiple-choice), and the team collaborates to give an answer (usually with prodding toward the correct answer from Michael). After the two players agree on an answer (or sometimes, after more suggestions from Michael), the correct answer is revealed. If correct, the team earns one point.
When a team earns three points, they win the game and a set of prizes. If a team earns three points without missing a single question, they have the option of going for the "Mother Lode," by answering two more questions correctly (without missing one), or else a fictitious penalty is put upon them (usually made up on the spot by Jim and related to a joke from earlier in the show). If successful (and they almost always are), the contestants win a larger prize package.
[edit] Other Segments
Along with the Whad'Ya Know Quiz, music from the Whad'Ya Know Trio, and interviews with both celebrities and audience members, other segments have become recurring staples to the show's format.
[edit] All the News that Isn't
The show traditionally opens with the reading of "All the News that Isn't," a reading of fake headlines from a newspaper, often parodying real current events and issues.
[edit] The Four Disclaimers
Prior to the playing of the first Quiz, an audience member is given a list of the Four Disclaimers to read, which state who can or cannot play the quiz. The Disclaimers, read on the air every week, remain constant, with the exception of Disclaimer #2, which is a short joke referencing a current event.
[edit] Thanks for the Memos
Usually at the beginning of the show's second hour, Michael reads some "actual memos sent in to us by actual listeners" that often contain some sort of humorous content or blooper. This section of the show is not limited to "memos", per se, but also includes typos in newspaper headlines and other publications.
[edit] Town of the Week
Each week at the end of the show, a town (selected on the prior week's show by an audience member throwing a dart at a rearranged map of the United States) is honored as the Town of the Week. Jim gives a biographical description of the town, usually including the history of the town, famous landmarks, local sports teams, and other must-see places (with Michael frequently interjecting comments). Michael then has a phone conversation with a randomly-selected citizen of that town to further discuss what life is like there.
As this is usually the last portion of the show, following the second Quiz session, this part of the show is frequently postponed when time runs out. This has led to many towns waiting for their chance to be honored for many weeks on end.
[edit] Trivia
- When the show is being produced from the Monona Terrace in Madison, the show's call-in number is 1-800-942-5669, or 1-800-WHA-KNOW. While on the road, the phone number changes to that of the site of production. Also, the "mnemonic" for remembering that phone number is changed as well, usually to a nonsensical nature. (For example, the phone number 886-322-2661 might be changed to 8-TOE-BACON-1.)
- Michael often stresses the fact that the Whad'Ya Know Quiz is not a trivia quiz, but rather a "general knowledge" quiz.
- Cheating is often frowned upon on the show. Michael usually discredits at-home contestants who use internet search engines while playing the quiz, along with in-studio contestants who solely rely on the audience's help. However, Michael frequently gives hints to the answer or outright eliminates wrong answers when a team might choose one.
