Trivia Mafia co-founders Chuck Terhark and Sean McPherson have lived and breathed trivia for 19+ years as the leaders of one of the biggest trivia companies in the country. Join them as they hang out with amazing writers/players and personalities from the Trivia Mafia universe and play trivia, ask random questions and generally bring a little bit of the trivia night into your earbuds.
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Nov 14, 2026 · 1:06:24
Todd Smith stands alone in the Venn diagram between great sportswriting and landscape supplies. He's lonely there, which means he's always happy to hang out and play some trivia…
Nov 7, 2026 · 51:55
Erik Nelson is a lifelong devotee of quiz bowl and a member of the most dominant team in Trivia Mafia's history, Can't Stop Us Meow. Could we stop him to today? To find out, we…
Oct 31, 2026 · 54:48
Happy Halloween. This episode has ghouls, ghosts, candy, and John Burgess. Burgess runs Purgatorio Video : YouTube's hottest (and only) short-form Horror Host show set in a video…
Oct 24, 2026 · 54:55
Peter Goldberg bikes way too much, but he did give a technologically enhanced 3x diaper to his wife as a birthday gift. He's won multiple cottage cheese eating contests and he…
Oct 17, 2026 · 1:04:36
Michael McPherson is a nationally known economist and a locally known father of Steve and Sean McPherson. He knows an uncomfortable amount about higher education and Sean…
Oct 10, 2026 · 52:59
Mary O'Regan wants to be friends. And she wants you to walk around the lake with your neighbors. But don't worry, she's got advice that'll help you. And she's very well at…
Oct 3, 2026 · 1:00:42
Steve Nelson probably made your favorite radio station or podcast better. He's been a COO at Lemonada Media, and a programming executive at National Public Radio and Minnesota…
Sep 26, 2026 · 1:06:05
Steve McPherson is almost 50 years old. He wrote the theme song for No Brains, No Lightbulbs. Those are the big headlines but if you want to know what else he's up to, you can…
Sep 19, 2026 · 1:01:06
Andy Sturdevant is an artist and writer whose creative output is every bit as voluminous and titillating as his facial hair. The author or co-author of four non-fiction books,…
Sep 12, 2026 · 57:31
Today's guest is Will Johnson! But he's cool with you calling him Wilber. Proudly bald, Will is a long-time Trivia Mafia host and player, a kickball team whisperer, and a…
Sep 5, 2026 · 1:00:30
Today's guest is jeremy messersmith , debonair Twin Cities singer-songwriter who may or may not be radioactive. The man can wear a pair glasses, and he knows his Star Wars, his…
Aug 29, 2026 · 54:15
Today's guest loves long count-offs, pianos over guitars, and basketball. Joshua "Jellyfish" Williams is an awesome musician and bandleader, supporting the likes of Dessa and…
Aug 22, 2026 · 50:50
Today we invite a titan from the baking world (and one of our favorite former regular players) into the trivia studio. Jen Wittes is the reigning champion in the Minnesota State…
Aug 15, 2026 · 1:03:28
Today's guest is a filmmaker and master improvisor who has 3,000 DVDs in his basement and kids to feed, so he's doing what any reasonable person would do: He's going to open up a…
Aug 8, 2026 · 1:03:37
Today's guest knows a lot about physics and a little about what topics he doesn't want for trivia. David Cava is a physics teacher, a Trivia Mafia and Initials Game Live host and…
Aug 1, 2026 · 1:00:19
Today's guest loves corn, central air, the TV show "Lost" and asparagus. Yes in that order. Amy Siegel is pure of heart and full of joy and she has a long history with Trivia…
Jul 25, 2026 · 56:39
Today's guest is an award-winning teacher and a soundtrack savant. Jan Dysart teaches 5th grade, hosts a Trivia Mafia night, and was strong-armed into doing the podcast by her…
Jul 18, 2026 · 51:19
Today's guest is a celebrated writer with great takes and even better Beastie-Boy-related stories. Ali Elabbady is a gifted author who covers music, food, and culture in the Twin…
Jul 11, 2026 · 54:34
Today's guest runs a Bar of their Own and is certainly in a league of their own. Jillian Hiscock is the founder of A Bar of Their Own, the Midwest's first sports bar to…
Jul 4, 2026 · 48:21
Let the trivia fireworks begin! Today we bring on trivia host, blueberry farmer, and perennial optimist John McConville for some rounds! Chuck starts us off with a round all…
Jun 27, 2026 · 58:54
It's our first ever live show! Get ready with that big dinger cause we've upped our dinger budget and zeroed out our guest budget. The crowd is the guest and they are awesome.…
Jun 20, 2026 · 48:08
We found the one scientist who has the free time to guest on a trivia podcast on a workday. Dr. Christopher Colpitts knows a lot about plasma and he's not afraid to tell you…
Jun 13, 2026 · 43:19
Claudia Holt is a fashion icon and a Trivia Mafia hero. As one of our original hosts she receives all the financial and status benefits that the title of Trivia Mafia Host…
Jun 6, 2026 · 50:49
Sports! History! Reverse trivia! It's a bonanza of fun with trivia writer, host, and gimmicky kickball player Tony Abbott. Chuck kicks us off with a rollercoaster up-and-down…
May 30, 2026 · 48:18
What do you ask the person who knows everything about comics? Easy: Questions about Chinese food. And then a bunch of questions about comics (and some other stuff, too). Muad'dib…
May 23, 2026 · 49:32
A decent prosciutto. A new owner for the Twins. A wedding proposal. Trivia Mafia's longest-tenured Emily wants the simple things, but she doesn't know how to get them. She does…
May 16, 2026 · 42:23
A great writer. A passionate but measured lover of Tom Petty. A baseball sicko. Randball's Stu contains multitudes, and we did our worst to contain him for some rounds of trivia.…
May 9, 2026 · 54:50
Imagine your worst food take. Megan Olson's is worse. This self-avowed picky eater is a world-class trivia writer and host for Trivia Mafia, making her return visit to No Brains,…
May 2, 2026 · 51:32
Do you love Judd Apatow enough to make a podcast about his work in TV and film? No you don't. But bassist and retired comedian Ethan Yeshaya has done just that with his podcast…
Apr 25, 2026 · 56:55
What makes a great trivia host? Knowledge? Content? Vibes? Jon Hoffmann has vibes by the pound and he displays them every week at Broken Clock on Tuesdays in Northeast…
Apr 18, 2026 · 58:24
Have you ever wondered how Chuck and Sean stay so ruggedly handsome? Don't answer that. The secret is our barber, Mike Haeg. He's the mayor of the smallest small town in…
Apr 11, 2026 · 1:00:45
We're keeping the fun in-house today: Our guest is Aaron Retka, Trivia Mafia's chief editor and a man knows how to write a trivia round, sort of remembers how to spell…
Apr 4, 2026 · 47:42
Bill Childs has worn down the hosts of "No Brains, No Lightbulbs" long enough, and they've finally let him on the podcast. But first: Chuck celebrates Easter with a trivia take…
Mar 28, 2026 · 47:05
Do you care about baseball? Don't answer that. Just listen. Trivia host, baseball writer and enchilada master Patrick Donnelly joins us in the outfield for some trivia innings.…
Mar 21, 2026 · 42:03
Do you rate toilet paper professionally? Of course you don't. Do you want to listen to a TP expert play trivia? Heck yeah! This week's guest Amber is the Toilet Paper Lady and…
Mar 14, 2026 · 41:20
The Jeopardy contestant returneth! Our first return guest is Trivia Mafia's own Mia McGill. Chuck starts off with a Pi/e friendly round (01:15). After that Mia joins to provide…
Mar 7, 2026 · 46:15
An extra piece of bread rips! Albanian men are uniquely foxy! Plan your next vacation in Georgia (the country)! These are just some of the gems shared by world traveler,…
Feb 28, 2026 · 47:05
This week we’re bringing in one of Trivia Mafia's not-so-secret weapons: our Sales and Account Director, Sam Wilczyk! First Chuck brings in some dam trivia and Sean floods the…
Feb 21, 2026 · 43:34
A radio legend is in the building! Ryder is the producer of Gorman in the Morning on KQRS and she rocks. Chuck runs some trivia and Sean draws a blank (02:37). Then Chuck…
Feb 14, 2026 · 41:17
Welcome back to our producer Beth Gibbs! Great to have her back producing and joining us as a guest. We start off by getting to the Olympics (02:08). Then Chuck gets poetic over…
Feb 7, 2026 · 51:31
Do you know everything about music? Our guest this week, Keith Harris from Racket does! Chuck starts us off with a round celebrating Superb Owls (01:39). After that Keith and…
Jan 31, 2026 · 52:17
Omaha is like San Antonio but slightly more boring. Our guest this week is Greg Harries and guess what, he's not boring at all. Greg is the Private Events Manager for Trivia…
Jan 24, 2026 · 49:55
This week on the podcast we welcome the legend Manny Hill. Manny is a wildly talented broadcaster and a deep sports trivia savant. Chuck kicks things off with a year-in-review…
Jan 17, 2026 · 49:34
Welcome to season two! This week we are joined by the quite famous John O'Sullivan. John is a professional tour guide and the driving force behind One Minute Tours. He’s also a…
Jan 10, 2026 · 49:33
Welcome to the podcast, Sarah Lemanczyk! Sarah is an award-winning broadcaster and the "old lady" emeritus of Radio K. She doesn't like Japanese food and you should hold that…
Jan 3, 2026 · 44:11
Welcome to the podcast, Dr. Katie Sisneros! Today Chuck and Sean welcome a dear old friend, former trivia host and writer and all around great human being into the studio! Chuck…
Dec 20, 2025 · 53:07
What kind of idiot would marry Sean McPherson? Today you'll meet said idiot! Her name is Rachel Levitt and in what she calls "her largest act of public service," she married Sean…
Dec 13, 2025 · 42:03
Do you know Eyeball? If you play trivia in the Twin Cities you might? Eyeball is a trivia nerd and trivia host and a co-protectorate of two sourdough starters. This week we kick…
Dec 6, 2025 · 50:40
We've got one of the most celebrated photographers in the Twin Cities with us in the No Brains No Lightbulbs studio today. Mike Madison aka Bump Opera aka Mad Son aka Bum Pop…
Nov 29, 2025 · 50:50
This week’s episode is all about food! Racket editor/owner and City Cast Twin Cities contributor Em Cassel joins NBNL to flex her love of fast food, raw pork, and great oldies.…
Nov 22, 2025 · 42:56
Celebrated radio personality and Trivia Mafia host Holly Roberts joins the NBNL team for some awesome rounds of trivia about a few of her favorite things: The Beatles and "The…
Nov 15, 2025 · 46:48
Good luck to all of the competitors and staff at Trivia Mafia's Tournament of Champions! On the podcast we welcome the people's champ, Mike Davis, into the No Brains, No…
Nov 8, 2025 · 41:31
No guest today! Just Chuck and Sean and a pinch of Davis, bringing you plenty of great trivia and a little banter. Chuck gets the trivia work started with "-Men at Work" (02:10).…
Oct 31, 2025 · 45:20
Boo! We're coming to you early this week with a special Halloween edition of No Brains, No Lightbulbs! Trivia Mafia editor and writer Ira Brooker joins the No Brains, No…
Oct 25, 2025 · 46:38
Esteemed awesome person Amy Woo joins the No Brains, No Lightbulbs crew to dish on Tinder dates and flex her knowledge of the stage and screen. Chuck starts us off with a cool…
Oct 18, 2025 · 47:03
St. Paul singer-songwriter, former trivia host, and Sean's best friend Martin Devaney stops by the pod to talk sandwiches, great album covers, books, and baseball. Chuck branches…
Oct 11, 2025 · 40:21
One of the elite hosts of the Trivia Mafia family joins Chuck and Sean on the pod today. First, Chuck gets the trivia started with a round that puts Sean in a “State of…
Oct 4, 2025 · 46:22
Improv comedy legend Lauren Anderson pays a visit to play a little trivia and talk a lot about elephants. Lauren has starred in more consecutive shows at the Brave New Workshop…
Sep 27, 2025 · 47:31
This week the crew asked Cory Cove, of Initials Game and KFAN fame, to join the podcast and testify his love of chicken tenders, the band 311, “The Office,” and little else.…
Sep 20, 2025 · 42:13
This week the crew welcomes music booker, cooking enthusiast, and former Trivia Mafia host Cecilia Johnson into the studio to discuss serial-killer-worthy breakfast, penicillin…
Sep 13, 2025 · 44:00
This week the crew is joined by artist, musician, writer, and actor Toussaint Morrison to discuss which gas station items he can’t travel without, why comic book villains always…
Sep 6, 2025 · 46:24
This week, the No Brains, No Lightbulbs crew brings in Trivia Mafia's Davis Steen to learn about fall league baseball, witchcraft, and cryptids. Chuck gets things started with a…
Aug 30, 2025 · 47:27
This week, the No Brains, No Lightbulbs hosts formally recognize Beth for once, those jerks. Then the crew invites radio icon Henry Lake into the studio to discuss Atlanta…
Aug 23, 2025 · 43:38
This week, the No Brains, No Lightbulbs team invites Trivia Mafia editor (and our first heckler) Ruby onto the show to stump the chumps, flex her New England accent, and destroy…
Aug 16, 2025 · 42:03
This week the No Brains, No Lightbulbs team invites Trivia Mafia alum Colin Buell to rate things, answer things, and dole out some presidential facts. Chuck starts us off with a…
Aug 9, 2025 · 42:02
This week the No Brains, No Lightbulbs team invites Trivia Mafia writer, editor and host Megan Olson in to demonstrate her absurd real-names-of-celebrities knowledge and her even…
Aug 2, 2025 · 40:59
This week the No Brains, No Lightbulbs crew embarks on a largely accidental Trivia Mafia road trip. Chuck gets us rolling with a round about the geography of art museums (02:32).…
Jul 26, 2025 · 32:16
Chuck gets the trivia started with a round about the origins of sports team names (01:40).Then Trivia Mafia Executive Vice-President Brenna Proczko joins the pod to rate some…
Jul 19, 2025 · 46:02
Poet extraordinaire Claire Wahmanholm joins the No Brains, No Lightbulbs crew to discuss crabs, vegetable orchestras, cocaine, citrus fruits, berets... pretty much everything…
Jul 12, 2025 · 39:36
It’s the debut episode! What a treat. Chuck and Sean introduce us to this new thing of theirs, and Chuck grills Sean on some barbecue trivia (04:02). Then they invite Trivia…
Jul 9, 2025 · 1:32
Chuck and Sean, the founders of Trivia Mafia , started a podcast. It's called No Brains, No Lightbulbs. Each week you can play a few rounds of trivia with Chuck and Sean plus a…
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