Kickstarter Update #4: Cheating + Upcoming Programming

When I was nine, my parents got me the Jeopardy! computer game that came on a 5" floppy disk. The exploit was easy: set up all three contestants as human players, make one my "star" player, and I would buzz in as the other contestants to buy time so I can look stuff up from our giant encyclopedia set. I played so much of it, in fact, I basically memorized every answer.

Then I would hustle and challenge my older sister.

But one of my favorite parts of watching real Jeopardy! is seeing Alex Trebek reveal the categories. I'm sure I'm not the only one who approximates confidence levels in their heads:

"University Mascots, AWESOME. I'm gonna rule that so hard. I should get all but the $1000 right. I bet they're going to ask about Uga."

"Canadian Prime Ministers?! WTF. No one's going to touch that. What asshole approved this category?"

So we've been throwing around a couple ideas for some of our future TOPIC OF THE WEEK segments, and I thought it would be awesome to share them with you backer fellas.

• Bizarre alcohols + liquor origins
• Hermaphrodites
• The big Good Job, Brain! phobia episode (tentative title: "Phobatrivaphobia" - the fear of trivia about fears)
• Wacky and insane sport stories that make the girls on this podcast actually care about sports
• Formerly Known As... (FUN FACT! Nike, Inc. existed as Blue Ribbon Sports for more than 10 years before it officially was named Nike in 1978.)
• Who sang that originally? + Who sampled what?

In addition, we are also coming up with some wonderful smaller quiz show segments that will just rock your face off. 

~Karen

Kickstarter Update #3: Fully Funded Fiesta

Felicitas! A fun & fumbling factual fable for funder folks:

I would've written this update post the instant we hit our goal. Alas, I was out in Orlando running the Disney World half marathon. Well, technically, I was out drinking when I got word. More specifically, I was participating in "Drinking Around the World" at Epcot (it was very educational), and as I wobbled my way into the ladies room and onto a toilet at the Morocco Pavilion, I finally had the chance to pull out my phone and check my email. 

Yes, I learned about the success of the Good Job, Brain! Kickstarter project as I was peeing. 

In fake Morocco. In Disney World. In ebriated.

(FUN FACT! - It's easy to mistake Casablanca as the capital of Morocco since it's the largest city, but it's actually Rabat!)

Anyways, we did it, fellow Brain Flakes and Smart Cookies. Thank you all for your support and backing! Hope you enjoyed my awesome pee story.

~ Karen

Kickstarter Update #2: 2012 is here! Do you know your apocalypse movies?

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fiiinnnnnnneeeeeee!

Happy 2012, dear backers!

Oh look, the world didn't end. Looks like this year is off to a great start so far. Thought it would be fitting for me to get this little REM tune stuck in your head for the rest of your day. FUN FACT! - This song was partially inspired by lead singer Michael Stipe's weird dream about going to a birthday party where everyone else had the initials L.B. (Leonard Bernstein, Lester Bangs, Lenny Bruce...etc). What, no Lisa Bonet, Michael?

So in the spirit of surviving the foretold 2012 apocalypse, I thought people may enjoy a little movie quiz and start warming up those brain gears for the new year.

See if you can identify the omg-it's-the-end-of-the-world movie just from their official taglines:

1 // Oceans rise. Cities fall. Hope survives.

2 // In our time, no foreign army has ever occupied American soil. Until now.

3 // A rather kinky tale of survival.

4 // The last man on earth is not alone.

5 // The only winning move is not to play.

6 // Heads up.

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When there's at least one natural disaster or apocalypse movie every year, it's not easy to just identify movies just from a quick plot summary. Or in my case, the plot summaries that my mom gives me: "You know, it's that movie with that guy and the space thing that's going to hit earth and there's a love story!"

Anyhow, here are the answers. How did you do?

1 // Deep Impact. (1998) Though this movie did not feature an Aerosmith rock ballad, the science involved in this movie seem a lot less far-fetched as its more popular older brother, Armageddon. And hey, look, there's Frodo!

2 // Red Dawn. (1984) All that stands between American freedom and total Russian Domination is... a teenage Patrick Swayze and his highschool pals! FUN FACT! - We all know P-Sway and Jennifer Grey danced and got babies out of corners in Dirty Dancing, but Red Dawn was actually their first movie together.

3 // A Boy and His Dog. (1975) Penned by renown bad-boy sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison, you just know this movie is going fuel the nightmare factory in your brain. But you know, in a fun, boob-filled kind of way. It sure was a crazy time in the 70's!

4 // I Am Legend. (2007) Will Smith is the first, last, and only line of defense against the scum of the universe.

5 // WarGames. (1983) So the tagline is derived from the end when the computer learns the concept of "mutually assured destruction" where there can be no winners. This concept is actually based on the work of mathematician John Nash, whose life and work was featured in the 2001 movie A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe.

6 // Armageddon. (1998) I DON'T WANNA CLOOSSEEE MY EYES... I DON'T EVER WANNA FALL ASLEEP 'CAUSE I MISS YOU BABE, AND I DON'T WANNA MISS A THINGGGGG. Cheese-ville.

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Now go, have a happy new year, and please keep spreading the word to your trivia-loving pals about Good Job, Brain!

~ Karen

Kickstarter Update #1: Happy New Year!

HOLY TOLEDO! We're currently funded at 34%! How can we celebrate this? With a video about dogs and Red Lobster, of course! Duh.

Oh yes, we also show you an extremely odd way to memorize the Chinese zodiac animals in order. OH BOY.

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Cheesy Biscuits Taste Rad

Dipping Sauce, Hard to Grab

Mix, Roast, Drop and Boil

Red Lobster, always loyal

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Yes, it is quite silly. But then again, most mnemonic devices are pretty ridiculous. Our co-host Colin sent me this the other day. I think he is trying to tell me something.

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A big smooch to all who have been supportive of our initiative, and even bigger smooches to our backers so far. Check back here for more updates in the the near future and don't forget to spread the word!

~ Karen