Adam Conover (2017)

Probably by trying to answer too many questions too fast and as a result making poor word choices that obscure my intended meaning. Seems like the most likely culprit in this sort of format!

Our research staff generally begins by doing a broad survey of the topic. Our usual M.O. is to find a main source we can use that we are sure will have done their own due diligence on the topic; for instance, the New Yorker has an famously great fact checking department, so if we base a story off a New Yorker article, we can be more sure than usual that it will hold up. Then we dive into that piece's sources, and try to learn as much about the topic as we can. Critically, we look for opposing views, to make sure the angle we're approaching a topic from doesn't conflict with a majority or plurality opinion in the field. And we run our episodes by the experts we have on the show, to make sure they think our argument is fair as well. As for advice for your students - I would say, try to stand on the shoulders of giants! Look for the publications that you know are going to be well sourced and fact-checked, start with those, and then dive deeper into the sources THEY use! And stay curious!

We've had a few! Our piece on electric cars in "Adam Ruins Going Green" got some backlash from a writer at The Verge. We felt that the writer had misunderstood our argument in a number of ways, and wrote a response.

Our point was not that "electric cars are always bad" - it's that the amount you reduce your carbon footprint by buying one is extremely variable and often overstated, as is true of all "green products". Even though EVs are a good trend, we can't shop our way out of the climate crisis -- we need to take collective action at the national level.

That said, if people misunderstood the piece, that's partially our fault for not making our point clearly enough! Our research was solid, but our communication could have perhaps used some work. We talk about this further in an upcoming "corrections" episode we have comin' up this season. Look out for it!

I am so happy to hear that. Honestly, my favorite topics are the ones that bring people relief, and maybe change their lives a little for the better. So I think I can count this among my favorites!

You're going to really enjoy an episode we have coming up called "Adam Ruins What We Learned In School." Covers one of these three dudes. I won't spoil which!

Thanks for watching! That's wonderful to hear, it makes me so happy that kids and parents are enjoy watching it together! That's something we didn't anticipate, and it makes us super happy.

In our writer's room, one topic that has come up a few times that has really interesting stories attached is race. The history of the creation of the idea of "whiteness", for instance, is fascinating. After much discussion, however, we decided that because the topic was so important, and because we wanted to be sure we could do it right, we were going to save it for a future season. But we never say "This is a topic we would never do."; we say "This is a topic that we want to make sure we do justice to, so we won't do it rashly."

Yep! We are doing an episode EXACTLY like this later this year! We have never claimed that the show is 100% right all the time -- we're fallible humans, so that's impossible. Instead, we try to be transparent about our process; and as part of that, this year we're doing a "corrections" episode where we fix some of our errors. Watch out for it, I think you'll like it!

Oops! I don't eat cereal. I eat oatmeal with soy sauce on it!

Try it! It's great.

I know, it's incredible stuff. I would love to do an episode on it sometime; but like I said, we just need make SURE we got it right, and with such a massive topic, that's timeconsuming.

Based on the research we've surveyed, the benefits of breast milk vs. formula are very small. You can check our sources for the segment here.

At home, I use Imperial Gel Pomade (not sponsored, I swear!) and a blow dryer. But to get the height it is on the show takes an experienced hair stylist 25 minutes of work! You can't get that look at home, it takes an expert's touch. All part of the HOLLYWOOD ILLUSION!

The main difference is that it is BIGGER and FASTER and MORE PRESSURE and oh yeah I guess it's just different in every way? But I am still working with all my friends from CH to make the show, which is really wonderful and a true gift.

No. Our executives' personal beliefs don't interfere with the show; they generally let us do whatever topics we want. As for my own personal beliefs: My goal in the show AND in life is to challenge my own beliefs as much as I can. So when a topic challenges what I believe, those are the best topics of all! That feeling of "What you think you know isn't true" is what the whole show is based on; so when I get that feeling strongly, then I know the topic is going to be great.

Most of the facts we do on the show were things I had at least some knowledge of before we started researching; many are topics I feel passionately about. By the time we're done researching the episode, though, I know as much about the topics as I possibly can! After all, we just wrote an episode of TV about them!

Neither; La Croix. What can I say, trying to cut down on sugar!

We have an episode JUST like this coming out this year! But it's called "Emily Ruins Adam Ruins Everything." Twist!!

Jake and Amir are great guys, but we haven't worked together all that much! I joined CH right after they stopped working full time in the office. Jake was in our Bathroom episode, though, and he was great!

You know, I'd be lying if I called myself a knowledgable Wu Tang fan but, hey, this is Ask Me ANYTHING, so I'll hazard an opinion. RZA.

My legit favorite joke:

ME: Oh crap, did you hear about that actress who just stabbed herself? I forget her name. Reese something... Reese...
VICTIM: Witherspoon?
ME: No, with her knife!!

Legitimately terrible but I love telling it.

Glad you asked about this one. This was not an episode of Adam Ruins Everything; it was a separate video I did for CollegeHumor that was sponsored by FAFSA. I am very careful about doing any kind of sponsored content, and turn almost everything down, precisely because I value the trust the audience places in me so highly.

In this case, I agreed to the video because: a) FAFSA is a non-profit government entity, not a for-profit corporation, b) there truly is no downside to filling out the FAFSA; all it does is tell you what grants and loans you're eligible for. If the video were trying to steer people towards those terrible private loans, I would not have done it. c) The folks at FAFSA's goal was to reduce the number of students who don't go to college because they don't know they're eligible for federal grants. Increasing access to education is an important cause for me, and I could stand behind the message, so I agreed to do the video.

NOW: I am well aware that the private student loan industry is a rapacious one, and that college financing is well and truly fucked in this country. And I am also aware that federal loans have their own problems well. And I regret that, to some members of the audience, this video made it seem as though I was unaware of that fact. To address that, this year we are doing a major segment on the student loan industry; it's in an episode called Adam Ruins College.

But, all that being said -- in researching that segment, we confirmed what we already knew. Even though the student loan system is terrible, filling out the FAFSA is the best first step towards avoiding the worst loans and reducing the amount you have to pay through grants. Every expert we spoke to said as much. The system is bad, but until it improves, you should still fill out the FAFSA.

That said, I very much regret that the video confused some folks; as a result, I've become even more careful about doing sponsored content. My first allegiance is to the audience and the truth, and it always will be.

Thanks for reading, and for watching!

I'm the creative head of the show, so I have final say on what topics go in the show.

We did talk about cable companies quite a bit in Adam Ruins the Internet! But that was mostly about net neutrality and cable consolidation.

Honestly, it came out of trying to figure out how to engage an audience. It's HARD to be a Ryan Seacrest type, because it's hard to tell people why they should care about you rather than just any other dude on stage / screen. Once I realized that surprising the audience with information was really entertaining and engaging, I went with it! And of course, it helped that I've always been a super-curious person who's interested in this kind of knowledge!

We have a writer's room full of writers and researchers who are very, very smart and have absorbed a ton of information. We all ask them to pitch things they've learned that have blown their minds. After that, we run them down and research them, make sure they hold up, then put them in the show. That's about it!

I would not say my life is normal, no. The biggest change has been the schedule. We work on the show year round - even when I'm traveling out of the country, I'm working. The busiest I get, I'm shooting the show 13 hours a day, AND working on scripts, AND reviewing cuts of the show. It's pretty gruelling, and way different than being a sketch writer / cast member at CollegeHumor! It's worth it, though, I love making the show and I especially love being able to share all this information with everyone at home.

Thank you for watching!

You know, after I've said something on TV, I feel like it's rude to go around repeating it in real life! Now that I'm interrupting people on TV so much, I'm a little more inclined to bite my tongue in IRL, ironically! :)

I wish I had control over our international distribution, but unfortunately I don't. That said, I believe the show IS broadcast on Much; check it out and see! If not -- well, look, if you somehow procure the show through other means, you won't hear any complaints from me. I just want people to be able to see it and spread the knowledge.

We already did our babies episode, so it might be awhile before we do another baby topic; I'll take it into consideration though!

This is fascinating, I barely remember it!! Amazing that you have the stub. I'm gonna go search through my email archive and see if I can find more about it. I was just a little baby comedian back then!! I do love Anamanaguchi and Nullsleep and Reggie still!

I sure do! Glad you noticed!! Bojack was created by my buddy Raphael Bob-Waksberg; we were both members of the sketch group Olde English. And Bojack is designed / illustrated by my partner Lisa Hanawalt!

Quite a bit! I do love knowledge, and I AM irritating. But my mannerisms are a bit different (I've developed a character in my years on the show). And in real life I'm not a lonely single - I've been in a happy relationship for close to a decade! I often think of my character on the show as being based on a younger version of myself; when I was less socially aware, more awkward, and more insecure. And back then, I WAS hated for knowing things! It just took me a few decades to figure out how to turn that into a strength. You can too!

I do! On Switch, now.

In Canada I believe you can watch the show on Much!

Thank you! Always happy when people mention Olde English. I work with the other OE guys on their projects (like Bojack), and they work on mine! Unlikely that we will ever do another project as Olde English, though. Have you checked out our movie?

Cool! I just checked my email and apparently I bombed the show hard :)