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Comedian Ophira Eisenberg and co. bring NPR show ‘Ask Me Another’ to Dallas next week

Let’s be honest, a lengthy work commute can be difficult. Between traffic, road work and, well, other drivers, there’s not much there for us to enjoy. That’s where comedian Ophira Eisenberg’s NPR show comes in.

Ask Me Another plays off of a simple yet effective concept. The show takes the best of wordplay, puzzles, riddles and more and adds a dose of comedy and a dollop of music. Hosted by Eisenberg, produced by Art Chung and with music by Jonathan Coulton, Ask Me Another makes that commute seem like nothing. Oh, and the crew is coming to Dallas Sept. 27 for a live taping of the show at the Majestic Theater.

“We really like Dallas,” Eisenberg said. “I’m from Alberta, Canada, and we pride ourselves on pretending that the American city equivalent of us is Dallas.”

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Eisenberg said it's all about the rodeo, oil money and good-looking people. So when the Ask Me Another team was thinking of places to visit, Dallas was a unanimous decision.

Art Chung contemplates his next move for Ask Me Another.  (Steve Petrucelli)
Art Chung contemplates his next move for Ask Me Another. (Steve Petrucelli)

“There were other possibilities, but Dallas won,” she said, mentioning NPR’s relationship with Dallas network KERA. “KERA is a great station and they were so excited. And we know it’s not all cowboys in Dallas.”

During every segment, Ask Me Another also invites celebrity guests onto the show, dubbed VIPs. Previous VIPs have included Patrick Stewart, Lewis Black and Elizabeth Gilbert. During live shows, the VIP is usually a native of the area. But Eisenberg and Chung didn't let a name slip. They want it to be a surprise.

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“We have some promising leads,” Chung said. “We want to get the biggest guest we can. Some towns, they have a group of celebs, but they are actually kind of sick of them.”

Eisenberg added:

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“We’re gonna get someone great and they will be of high value to listeners,” she said. “I promise.”

In addition to the VIP, each show is typically influenced by its location. So don’t be surprised if some Texas-themed topics get thrown in next week.

Musician Jonathan Coulton laughs while delivering the tunes on Ask Me Another. (Steve...
Musician Jonathan Coulton laughs while delivering the tunes on Ask Me Another. (Steve McFarland)

“I can’t say whether it'll be music or trivia, but I will guarantee that if you are in the audience with Texas pride, you will be tended to,” she said.

Eisenberg and Chung also talked briefly about the nature of hosting a radio show in 2016. For those that maybe don’t spend that much time in the car or with the radio on, podcasts have become all the rage.

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“I think I honestly believe that it all comes down to lifestyle,” Eisenberg said. “Living in New York, I don’t own a car, so it’s NPR on the weekends and we always have it on our house.”

But Eisenberg said podcasting allows one to be productive at the same time, say, listening while walking the dog or working out. Chung added that regardless of where the listener is, NPR shows always have something to offer.

“What’s amazing about audio is that it’s in your brain,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many times people have said ‘It’s so weird to have you talk to me.’”

Eisenberg said she’s excited to see what the Dallas crowd has to offer, and invites those interested to come check it out.

“We’ve never been to Texas, so it’s a great jumping off point to be able to write something there,” she said. “A lot of people turn on NPR. We’re just there to make sure they don’t turn it off.”

Ask Me Another tapes live on Sept. 27 at the Majestic Theater. For more information and ticket availability, visit here. And if you want to see what Ask Me Another is all about it, catch up on the podcast.