Genre | Quiz/comedy |
---|---|
Running time | c. 110 min. |
Country of origin | United States |
Language(s) | English |
Home station | Wisconsin Public Radio (1985–2016) |
Syndicates | Public Radio International (1985–2016) |
Hosted by | Michael Feldman |
Announcer |
Jim Packard (1985–2012) Sara Nics (2012-2015) Stephanie Lee (2015-present) |
Recording studio |
Monona Terrace Madison, Wisconsin |
Original release | 1985 – present |
Audio format | Stereophonic |
Website | www.whadyaknow.net |
Podcast | Podcast |
Whad'Ya Know? is an American comedy, interview, and quiz radio show. Hosted by Michael Feldman, it was created in 1985. During its radio run, it was produced by Wisconsin Public Radio and distributed through Public Radio International. Feldman is accompanied on-stage by Lyle Anderson, phone-answerer; and the Whad'ya Know Trio with John Thulin on piano, Jeff Hamann on bass, and, on road shows, Clyde Stubblefield on drums. Jeffry Eckels was the original full-time bass player from 1987 to 2003. Feldman was also accompanied by Jim Packard as announcer from the show's beginning until his death following the June 9, 2012, show from New York City. Sara Nics was the show's announcer from October 13, 2012 to March 28, 2015. Stephanie Lee became the show's announcer in August 2015. The show was broadcast live with an audience from Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin. Periodically, the show was taken on the road and broadcast from various other locations across the United States. The show was broadcast weekly, each Saturday at 10:00 AM CT (UTC-6) for two hours, and repeated throughout the week by syndication. Since the beginning of 2009, the entire show has also been available over the Internet as a podcast. The show aired its final WPR/PRI radio broadcast on June 25, 2016, with prior episodes archived on the show's website. Starting in the fall of 2016, Whad'ya Know became available online as a podcast.
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 is designed more to give the host a chance to interact with the players than to be a serious test of their knowledge. Feldman often comments that the Whad'Ya Know quiz is not a trivia quiz, but rather one of "general knowledge." When the show is recorded from its home base at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin, the call-in number used is 1-800-942-5669. With this number, the announcer would also give the telephonic mnemonic 1-800-WHA-KNOW or 1-800-WHAK-NOW. While on the road, phone number changes are handled in the same fashion, often resulting in humorous, nonsensical words or phrases.