!["Showalter Show" w/ Michael Showalter [Best-Of Episode]](https://s3.castbox.fm/11/34/55/df31195436740ad79576a051f4f716525b_scaled_v1_400.jpg "\"Showalter Show\" w/ Michael Showalter [Best-Of Episode]")
"Showalter Show" w/ Michael Showalter [Best-Of Episode]
Digest
The Puzzler podcast, hosted by AJ Jacobs and Greg Pliska, engages listeners with various wordplay and trivia segments. The episode begins with a puzzle involving Anne Hathaway and Judy Dench, with the solution revealed later to be Judy Dench playing Anne Hathaway in "All Is True." Guest Michael Showalter joins to discuss his work, including the movie "The Idea of You" and the musical "& Juliet." A new puzzle format, "Show Walter's Show," is introduced, where answers are derived from the first few letters of celebrity last names, with examples like "Nicole Kidman's kid" and "Simon Cowell's cow." The podcast also touches upon "B" related puzzles and the concept of "genius blind" in spelling bees, concluding with a final puzzle and a call to engage with The Puzzler's Instagram.
Outlines
Puzzles, Celebrity Trivia, and Show Walter's Show
The Puzzler podcast kicks off with a puzzle about Anne Hathaway and Judy Dench, later solved with Judy Dench playing Anne Hathaway in "All Is True." Guest Michael Showalter discusses his projects, including "The Idea of You" and "& Juliet." A new puzzle format, "Show Walter's Show," is introduced, using celebrity last names for clues, alongside discussions on "B" related puzzles and "genius blind" scoring.
Final Puzzle and Listener Engagement
The podcast concludes with a final puzzle about a carnivorous mammal with pointy ears and a bushy tail, encouraging listeners to interact with The Puzzler's Instagram.
Keywords
Anne Hathaway
An American actress known for her roles in films like "The Princess Diaries," "The Devil Wears Prada," and "Les Misérables." She has also starred in "The Idea of You."
Judy Dench
A renowned English actress with a distinguished career in theatre, film, and television, celebrated for her roles in "Shakespeare in Love" and "Skyfall."
Michael Showalter
An American actor, comedian, director, and writer, co-founder of the sketch comedy group Stella. He directed "The Idea of You" and has a prolific career in film and television.
Puzzler Podcast
A podcast featuring puzzles, wordplay, and interviews with creative individuals. Hosted by AJ Jacobs and Greg Pliska, it aims to entertain and challenge listeners.
"All Is True"
A 2018 British biographical drama film directed by Kenneth Branagh, exploring the life of William Shakespeare. Judy Dench portrays Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife.
"& Juliet"
A musical featuring the songs of Max Martin, with a book by David West Read. It reimagines Juliet's story after Romeo's death and includes jokes referencing Anne Hathaway.
"Show Walter's Show"
A puzzle segment on The Puzzler podcast where answers are objects related to the first few letters of a celebrity's last name, often involving animals or common items.
"Genius Blind"
A term used in The Puzzler podcast's spelling bee game, referring to achieving a high score (genius) without using any hints or looking at the required points.
Q&A
Who portrayed Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare, in the film "All Is True"?
Judy Dench portrayed Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare, in the 2018 film "All Is True," directed by Kenneth Branagh.
What is the premise of the puzzle segment "Show Walter's Show"?
In "Show Walter's Show," the answers to the clues are objects or animals that can be found within the first few letters of a famous person's last name.
What does "Genius Blind" mean in the context of The Puzzler podcast's spelling bee game?
"Genius Blind" refers to achieving the highest score in the spelling bee game without using any hints or even checking how many points are needed to reach that level.
What is the connection between the musical "& Juliet" and the actress Anne Hathaway?
The musical "& Juliet" contains several jokes and references that play on the name Anne Hathaway, acknowledging both the modern actress and Shakespeare's wife.
Show Notes
The Puzzler team is taking a short break, and in the meantime we're bringing you some of our favorite episodes from the archives. We'll be back with brand new episodes next week!
Hello, Puzzlers! Puzzling with us today: director Michael Showalter!
Join host A.J. Jacobs and his guests as they puzzle–and laugh–their way through new spins on old favorites, like anagrams and palindromes, as well as quirky originals such as “Ask AI” and audio rebuses.
Subscribe to The Puzzler podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
"The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is a co-production with Neuhaus Ideas.
Our executive producers are Neely Lohmann and Adam Neuhaus of Neuhaus Ideas, and Lindsay Hoffman of iHeart Podcasts.
The show is produced by Jody Avirgan and Brittani Brown of Roulette Productions.
Our Chief Puzzle Officer is Greg Pliska. Our associate producer is Andrea Schoenberg.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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