EPISODE SUMMARY: An all-pep-talks episode with appearances from lots of past Make My Day guests. Josh announces the show is going on a little hiatus and curates a series of pep talks from many wonderful past Make My Day contestants.  A huge thank you goes out to everyone who contributed: Ron Funches, Bridger Winegar, Sadie Dupuis, Jon Gabrus, Anthony DeVito, Karen Chee, Sarah Hagi, Zach Reino, Jessica McKenna, Tom Bodett, Maris Kreizman, Daniel Kibblesmith, Aparna Nancherla, Mike Drucker,...

Dave Holmes (Waiting For Impact, Esquire) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Back...to the Past, Dave gives amazing answers to a series of questions about the early 90s. He then donates his winnings to the Beta Cell Foundation. Plus, a pep talk for MC Hammer and the concept of empathy! Donate to the Beta Cell Foundation:  https://betacellfoundation.org/ Listen to Dave's...

Jackie Kashian (Dork Forest, new standup album out 11/16) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Dork Web, Jackie gives incredible answers to questions about nerds and dorks. She then asks Josh to donate her winnings to his local food bank. Plus, a pep talk for stats nerds, and one you can give yourself! Donate to your local food bank: https://www.feedingamerica.org/ Listen to Jackie's podcasts: https://www.jackiekashian.com/#podcasts Enjoy Jackie's standup, including her new...

Gavin Matts (Conan, Comedy Central) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of My Way AND The Highway, Gavin talks about the best parts of travel. He then donates his winnings to the Black Trans Travel Fund. Plus, pep talks for people stuck in hotels on flight delays and people stuck in middle seats. Donate to the Black Trans Travel Fund: https://www.blacktranstravelfund.com/ Check out Gavin's tour dates: http://gavinmatts.com/tickets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Casey Johnston (She's A Beast newsletter) and Ashley Feinberg (Trashberg newsletter) compete to cheer Josh up. During a game of Good News, Rad News, Casey and Ashley give amazing answers about the FUTURE OF JOURNALISM (sort of). They then donate their winnings to The West Fund. Plus, pep talks for people who have punny articles written about their deaths, anyone who thinks the CIA killed JFK, and Casey. Donate to The West...

Michael Cruz Kayne (A Good Cry podcast, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Good Grief, Michael gives terrific answers about the best ways to be sad (it's funnier than it sounds). He then donates his winnings to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Plus, pep talks for people about to cry in public and parents. Donate to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp: https://www.holeinthewallgang.org/get-involved/#donate Listen to Michael's podcast, A Good...

Anthony DeVito (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Old Favorites, Anthony gives incredible answers about the best parts of aging. He then donates his winnings to Planned Parenthood. Plus, pep talks for babies and DJs. Donate to Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ See Anthony live: http://www.anthonydevitocomedy.com/shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rax King (Tacky available now for preorder) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Taking in the Trash, Rax does a stellar job answering questions about the best parts of things people hate. She then donates her winnings to Casa Ruby in Washington DC. Plus, pep talks for ranch dressing and the Bloomin' Onion. Donate to Casa Ruby: https://casaruby.org/donate/ Preorder Rax's book Tacky: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/669783/tacky-by-rax-king/ Subscribe to Rax's...

Ophira Eisenberg (NPR's Ask Me Another) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Gee, Quiz! Ophira answers questions about...game shows. She then donates her winnings to The Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Plus, pep talks for people who finish an episode of Jeopardy with negative points. Donate to the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance: https://www.mioca.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Broti Gupta and Dylan Gelula (The Simpsons, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) compete to cheer Josh up. During a game of Learning Sensation, Broti and Dylan answer questions about knowledge and education. It gets...weirdly chaotic. They then donate their winnings to The Lilith Fund. Plus, pep talks for bad test takers, a cricket, and Broti herself. Subscribe to Lecture Hall, Broti and Dylan's podcast: https://www.patreon.com/lecturehall Donate to the Lilith...

Mo Rocca (CBS Sunday Morning, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Death Perception, Mo answers questions about life, death, and life after death! He then donates his winnings to the Inner-City Scholarship Fund. Plus, pep talks for morticians and teabags. See Mo in Fairycakes Off-Broadway: https://fairycakestheplay.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Walker and Sarah Hagi (Search Party, Gawker) compete to cheer Josh up. During a game of Know More Drama, Natalie and Sarah answer questions about...drama! They then donate their winnings to the Lilith Fund and Fort York Food Bank. Plus, pep talks for Jennifer Hudson and people who are here to make friends. Buy tickets to Natalie's upcoming NYC shows: https://54below.com/events/bonnie-milligan-and-natalie-walker-celebrate-fifty-years-of-friendship/ Read Sarah...

Jia Tolentino (Trick Mirror, The New Yorker) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Lies on the Prize, Jia answers questions about lies, mostly in a good way. She then donates her winnings to a local chapter of Food Not Bombs. Plus, pep talks for new parents and people who don't like how they look in photographs. Read Jia in The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/jia-tolentino Buy Trick...

Ian Karmel (The Late Late Show, All Fantasy Everything) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Your Roots Are Showing, Ian answers questions about the concept of hometowns. He then donates his winnings to Planned Parenthood. Plus, pep talks for embarrassing childhood pictures and people eating almond butter as a snack. Listen to All Fantasy Everything: https://headgum.com/all-fantasy-everything Donate to Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ Learn more about your ad...

Patton Oswalt and Meredith Salenger (new podcast Did You Get My Text? out now) compete to cheer Josh up. During a game of Text-it Strategy, Meredith and Patton discuss text messaging techniques, preferences, and etiquette. They then donate their winnings to Alice's Kids and the Teak Fellowship. Plus, pep talks for wrong number texts, people who feel uncomfortable visiting unvaccinated relatives, and MFA students with unsatisfying day jobs. Listen to Did You Get My...

Laura Stevenson (new album Laura Stevenson out now) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Cribs Notes, Laura takes Josh on an MTV Cribs style tour of her home. She then donates her winnings to Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Plus, pep talks for people who had to sell their cars after Xzibit "improved" them, and people with messy refrigerators. Listen to Laura Stevenson: http://dongiovanni.co/LauraStevenson Black Mamas Matter Alliance: https://blackmamasmatter.org/ Learn more about your ad...

Maris Kreizman (The Maris Review, Slaughterhouse 90210) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Sense of Shelf, Maris gives incredible answers to questions about books. She then donates her winnings to T1 International. Plus, pep talks for unread books and employees at bookstores. Listen to The Maris Review: http://www.mariskreizman.com/the-maris-review Donate to T1 International: https://www.t1international.com/donate/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gonzalo Cordova and Travis Helwig (Edith, Tuca & Bertie, Lovett or Leave It) compete to cheer Josh up. During a game of Sound Advice, Travis and Gonzalo offer . The pair donate their winnings to A Purposeful Rescue and Americans for Immigrant Justice. Plus, three pep talks that are all over the place. Listen to Edith: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/edith/ Donate to A Purposeful Rescue: https://www.apurposefulrescue.org/donate Donate to Americans for Immigrant...

Bridger Winegar (I Said No Gifts, Black Monday) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Exchange Greats, Bridger answers questions about gift-giving excellence. He then donates his grand prize winnings to The Literacy Lab. Plus, pep talks for philosophers and upstairs neighbors. Listen to I Said No Gifts: https://www.exactlyrightmedia.com/i-said-no-gifts Follow Bridger on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bridger_w Donate to The Literacy Lab: https://theliteracylab.org/ Learn more about your...

Jordan Morris (Bubble; Jordan, Jesse, Go!) competes to cheer Josh up. During a poorly named game of Science Fiction answers questions about made-up science facts. He then donates his grand prize winnings to 826 LA. Plus, pep talks for philosophers and upstairs neighbors. Purchase the Bubble graphic novel: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250245557 Listen to the Bubble podcast: https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/bubble/ Listen to Jordan, Jesse,...

Sydnee Washington (Unofficial Expert podcast) competes to cheer Josh up. During a game of Ma'am, It's a Hot One, Sydness answers questions about how to have the hottest summer ever. She then donates her grand prize winnings to a person who has been single for the entire pandemic. Plus, pep talks for people who hate the beach and anyone working in entertainment. Follow Sydnee on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/justsydbw/ Listen to the Unofficial Expert...

EPISODE SUMMARY: A recording of our recent livestream show. Paula Poundstone, Tom Bodett, and Peter Sagal compete to cheer Josh up. Karen Chee pops in as well and is delightful in a non-competitive setting. Quick note for listeners who didn't watch the livestream: Paula Poundstone repeatedly pretends to cut her head off with a saw over the course of the episode. Ticket sales from the live show benefitted HatchSpace, a not-for-profit woodworking collective in Vermont that Tom...

Taylor Garron and Eva Victor (poetry collection Look I Bought Plants) compete to cheer Josh up. Together, the two contestants answer questions about the most beautiful poem possible. They then donates their grand prize winnings to the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition! Plus, pep talks for teenage poets, unintentional ASMR curators, and artists of works that look like vaginas. Follow Taylor and Eva on social media: https://twitter.com/taylorgarron https://twitter.com/evavictor Get yourself a...

Alison Roman (Home Movies, Nothing Fancy) competes to cheer Josh up. Alison does an amazing job being quizzed about how to throw a party. She then donates his grand prize winnings to the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation! Plus, pep talks for half-empty drinks and people unsuccessfully bringing dates to parties. Watch Alison's video series Home Movies:  https://www.youtube.com/user/alisoneroman Buy Alison's cookbooks:  https://www.alisoneroman.com/ Donate to the Restaurant Workers'...