NPR announced Monday that it will end production of Ask Me Another in September after nine years of producing the weekly hour of comedy, trivia and music.
More than 300 stations air the show, hosted by comedian and writer Ophira Eisenberg and featuring Jonathan Coulton as in-house musician. AMA became a “refuge” for its grateful fans during the pandemic, wrote Anya Grundmann, NPR’s SVP of programming and audience development, in an email to public radio station leaders.
However, “despite the strong work of the team, AMA never quite found its full audience,” Grundmann wrote, “and because of our limited resources, we’re sunsetting the show.” The last episode will feed the weekend of Sept. 24.
Eisenberg told Current that she was “shocked” when she learned of AMA’s cancellation and saddened considering the show’s successful efforts to adopt a remote production model when the pandemic hit.
“Luckily, I’m going to be left with all the love from listeners,” she said, adding that fans have been “loud” about their appreciation of the show over the past year. But she knew that the economic strains of the pandemic could spur such decisions.
“I hate that we are part of that,” Eisenberg said.
“I’m really sad because the show had so much potential, and I think that NPR has had a number of shows in its history that had potential,” said Eric Nuzum, who created the show in 2012 while VP of programming at NPR. “But the organization just didn’t have the capacity to grow it and the tenacity to not give up on it.” (Nuzum, who left NPR for Audible in 2015 and now has a podcast production and consulting company, is also a contributor to Current.)
“I don’t think people knew what to do” with AMA, Nuzum said, and NPR has “many other important things to do. Unfortunately, it’s an understandable choice.”
NPR launched AMA at a time when the network’s board had asked management to develop new weekend programs, Nuzum said, looking ahead to what might replace shows such as Car Talk. Nuzum’s idea for AMA was inspired by a station event where Will Shortz, the New York Times puzzle editor who also appears on Weekend Edition Sunday, quizzed audience members with puzzles for an hour.
“The energy was crazy,” Nuzum said. Shortz ended up recommending the puzzle writers who joined AMA’s initial staff.
Grundmann wrote in the email to stations that NPR will provide “additional operational details” about the show next month. NPR did not share information about the future of the show’s staff.
Not to pile on, but this is an excellent decision. Trying to hard to be funny isn’t funny.
Yeah. Longtime NPR listener/subscriber, west coast. I tried many times to listen. I like the guy with the music. A few weeks ago an incredibly annoying guest was on, and was giving a spiel, something about a pug that went to an Ivy League school, that comment followed by uproarious laughter… I was like… OK a pug. Goes to an Ivy League School (can’t remember which) .. WHY is that funny. And so it went.
That being said, I can’t relate to NPR’s comedy shows. But lots of people like them.
“The guy with the music”…you mean Jonathan Coultann? His name is LITERALLY in the second sentence of the article
“ Trying too hard “? Could not disagree with you more. AMA is one of those rare podcasts that is fun, educational and relatable to a diverse audience. Not buying the “ budget issues” excuse – there has to be more to this story. Please reconsider cancelling this creative and enjoyable show.
I really like the show and was shocked when it’s cancellation was announced. Even when I found it too nerdy for me I appreciated the energy of the hosts.
I thought the public radio was not concerned about ratings like commercial radio does. Come on don’t dissapiunt all of us who believe in public radio and support it with or money. Reconsider this u fortunate decision
I agree – this is by far my favorite NPR show Ophira and Jonathan are brilliant, as is the entire crew – tight-nit, witty, and coordinated. It is less about being funny (which it often achieves) and more about posing interesting mental challenges (as it is a puzzle-show afterall… not a ‘comedy show’… although it often offers both). It was so much better than the shows that preceded it. I really, really wish this were coming back as it will leave a big hole in my weekend. If it lands someplace I will hope for a podcast version… even though I am not an active podcast listener, I will follow this group and show anywhere.
Have the producers of “Ask Me Another” approached any of the other national program distributors (PRX, APM, WNYC Studios, possibly others) about picking the program up? Many other programs on public radio have changed distributors at least once during their history.
I so disagree – on both points here (and with the first reply below). I think this is a horrible decision and will deeply miss this excellent show. I have never found them be ‘trying too hard to be funny’ particularly since this is a puzzle-show (which is it’s focus) and not a ‘comedy show’ (although it often offers both). While the funny often happens, it is a side-point, and the focus is on posing interesting mental challenges (puzzles) in wonderfully creative ways. So, either you are missing the point of the show or maybe didn’t listen long enough to appreciate the focus… or perhaps you don’t like puzzles? Either way, it’s important to know what one is weighing in on.
As for me, this will leave a hole in my weekend and I will deeply miss spending this wonderfully creative, witty and intellectually engaging and challenging hour with this amazing crew. So very sorry to see this show go.
What a troll! Aloof doesn’t equate to erudite.
I love these unique talented, funny people and the creative angles they bent to make it entertaining to me. Both Hosts deserve better than NPR constraints. Better and more Human than that tired old panel show formula Wait Wait – for nothing. Guess were not the audience you seek. Still best for news thats it.
Bad decision! Big hole in my weekend now.
It’s difficult to redefine a system to attract a new younger group of people. NPR, PBS, and even Applebee’s risk losing their dedicated patrons as they try to become something new for the next generation. Is this a good idea or should these entities play themselves out as their audience ages out. Or, will younger people age into the “tired old format”.
Is the demise of this show the fault of NPR? Is there a better place for AMA or would a slightly different format have worked better in the house of public radio. Ophira Eisenberg was a very good host and pleasant to listen to, but, maybe, the trivia was too trivial. Jonathan Coulton is an excellent musician, but, maybe, singing different words to popular songs wasn’t how he could have been used best. I would have rather heard him perform songs with another musician or two and show his full talent.
A complete renewal of A Prairie Home Companion type show that was so different that it would be difficult to recognize, with great musicians that showed up every week so we could hear new shows might be a good start.
AMA was for a different audience than WWDTM and I don’t believe it should have followed in the lineup. (At least as my local station.)
Ophira and Jonathan, I for one, believe you are both full of talent. I wish you success. Try something different. We need you to.
Live From Here. Much better than Prairie Home Companion. I am not nostalgic for updates from a fictional place.
Disliked old PHC, disliked new PHC. Liked AMA a lot because of the puzzles and Jonathan and Ophira, and even more so during pandemic, when it wasn’t random contestants, but celebs that made it more lively and funny.
Sad day for me. I listened to Car Talk and Ask me another podcast every week. What new trivia show are you going to do?
I completely agree Jane!!! AMA was my ‘new’ fav. I am incredibly sad.
Spot on.
This is horrible news. Give it a chance to run live again! I love this podcast!!
I guess there’s patience or accounting for radio and television shows that last longer than someone’s attention span, “Meet the Press” at 70 years remains the King of the Longevity Hill. I worked in radio broadcasting and print journalism for decades — probably because I have a longer attention span and appreciation for longevity. Acknowledging the long history of European and Asian nations, I assume the founders of the United States and other nations of the Western Hemisphere expected these nations to survive adolescence. They probably did not have ADD, y’think?
Why is the younger “demographic” the goal. Having worked in student and commercial radio, as well as print for decades, I thought that working hard to build a loyal audience and continuing to appreciate them was the idea. Guess it’s ju$t cotton candy, and short attention spans. Ed Sullivan, “Bonanza,” “Meet the Press” and other programs had a better mission and endurance.
It was my assumption, based on content and presentation, that AMA was an attempt to reach a younger demographic. I may have been mistaken.
I’m in tears at this news. I found this show a couple of years ago and haven’t missed an episode since. I’ll have to seek something to fill this void, but honestly it won’t be with NPR.
I agree. It is hard to find clean comedy that is also educational. I look forward to every episode. I smile, laugh, and learn with every episode.
I concur, Patricia! I hope this cancellation will be reconsidered if enough fans voice our sentiments. Contemporary comedy, without foul language, is refreshing and rare.
Ophira thinks quickly on her feet and Jonathan works so hard every week to successfully crank out so much material The pair has great chemistry. PLEASE NPR, DO NOT CANCEL THIS SHOW!
Please rescind cancellation of this show. New & older references in music. Shows. Movies. Literature. Arts. Popular culture. Writers. Musicians. Composers. Show runners. Poets. From all decades. Allowed us to learn about current & & pull answers from our memories. Great convergence of new & classics. Fun funny & interesting. Good for large age range. Loved hosts & pzzles & games. This show can appeal to larger demographic than most npr shows. Poor decision to cancel it. Please save this show
Completely agree.
Yeah, I figured that as I could not get a lot of the trivia the show was intended for people younger than me. Which is fine. The show is enjoyable anyway. And once in a while it has a real gem, like today’s re-run of an interview and quiz with the great Rita Dove. Amazing.
I hope the show finds another sponsorship or outlet.
Extremely disappointing. This was a rare convergence of nerdy humor, Gen-X sensibilities, hosts who managed to be kind-hearted without being saccharine, and fun interactions with interesting real people (the contestants). Was it funny 100% of the time? No. But not even Seinfeld or The Office batted 100%. (I’ll say the music parody games and pun-filled quizzes were my favorites.) This is a real bummer and I hope the show can find a podcasting-like outlet. I’ll be on the lookout.
CBC Radio should pick this up. It’s a brilliant show, much more challenging than WWDTM, and since Eisenberg is Canadian she should be game. (Coulton could phone it in, that worked fine during the pandemic.)
Eisenburg just got her US citizenship. I’m guessing she is planning to stay in the States. Cool idea though.
I am so disappointed. I love this show and the hosts. They are so clever and smart and their rapport is so special. Ophira and John shared their lives with us during the pandemic and shared their friends too. I will miss them.
Agreed. I feel like AMA got me through the Pandemic. It was funny and had no political agenda!
Sad to see the show end. I really hope that you will keep introducing other fun non news type shows. Tha world is harsh, the news is bad, we need some relief!
Oh, nooooo! I LOVE AMA and look forward to plugging in every week via the Podcast version. A highlight of my week is AMA and Wait, Wait … I am bereft.
I am very sad about the cancellation of Ask Me Another. I appreciate the effort of Ophira and John bringing a bit of levity into our lives each week.
This is a great show and I will miss it.
Okay I’m a Boomer, so not part of the “targeted younger audience,” but I LOVE AMA, snd I’m BUMMED!! It’s subtler, smarter, and more relevant than Wait, Wait. Very disappointed. Such a clever and fun show, without being offensive (which Wait Wait can’t say.)
I agree! I like both game shows, but love that AMA doesn’t drone on and on about politics like Wait Wait. I’ve listened to the show for years and was so sad to hear about this decision. I wish they would reconsider this cancellation.
I like this show sometimes. I am sad to see it end. If I’m honest I will miss Jonathan’s re-worded songs most. The show often feels a bit weird and awkward. There have been a few times this past year when I just couldn’t stand the fake laughter. Still, I’m sad to see it go just because it’s part of my Saturday morning routine in Austin. My heart is still broken that Car Talk is gone. I am now officially asking Ray Magliozzi and NPR to bring Car Talk back with a son or nephew or another friend. I know I’ll miss Tom but give it a try. BTW, there was plenty of fake laughter on car talk but it was such hardy fake laughter that I like it anyway.
I’m very sorry to hear about this!
I learned of the news during today’s broadcast and have listened to the show here in NYC on WNYC AM @ noon every Saturday, have been a fan since the very first show and am deeply saddened. Jonathan and Ophira pandemic shows were comfort since both were out here in Brooklyn and I could relate to their remote shows, I was in the live audience several times at Bell House and even submitted a haiku to be a contestant. Sad news NPR! Being a Generation X’er and a sustaining member, AMA was one of my favorites
What a sad day. AMA is a thoughtful show that brings levity to me each week. I know that Ophira and Johnathan will continue on in their own amazing careers. So, the big loss is the NPR audience.
This is a tragedy. This show is so special and perfect for NPR weekend. Hope they reconsider the cancellation or at least find a new home for AMA.
I would also like to add my voice to those protesting this decision. I know some idiot decided to take “New Sounds” off the air and make it an internet show only, but there was sufficient support to reverse that decision, so i hope that this is not the final word on AMA. Who can we talk to about this travesty? “Fresh Air”, “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me,” and “Ask Me Another” are my favorite non-news shows on NPR. I listen to AMA WWDTM both at least two times, live when I can and through their podcasts otherwise. Both shows are challenging and humorous, and call out to the trivia buffs in all of us, each in their unique way. I also am a big fan of Jonathan Coulton and loved his show summaries for the CBS show BrainDead (which was anything but).
First Live From Here now this. A year of disappointments from NPR.
I enjoyed the show more when it was live and featured audience members participating in the quizzes. Listening to social media “influencers” and other obscure entertainers for an hour was not as interesting, but I was patiently awaiting the return to the normal live format. Too bad that we won’t get that return. Best of luck to Ophira and Jonathan and everyone else involved in the show. I just hope that NPR doesn’t fill this spot with yet another show discussing politics and cultural differences. They have enough of those already.
Not really a surprise. NPR management prefers shows which lecture and push the NPR agenda. NPR wants to be the WOKE “conscience” of America and has become the left-wing version of FOX News giving every story possible a racial or sex-based angle. Anything with entertainment value apparently waters down their mission. Fans of “WAIT, WAIT, DON”T TELL ME” should be concerned. That fantastic broadcast could well be next.
Agree strongly !
Herb, you took the words right out of my mouth. I’m in my car all day for work.– tuned to NPR the entire time. But I don’t like what NPR is becoming, with, literally, EVERY story having a race angle. They’ve gone WAY too far left for me. I’ve already started listening to another station.
I completely agree Jane!!! AMA was my ‘new’ fav. I am incredibly sad.
I listen to this show weekly and have especially appreciated it during the pandemic. The hosts shared what was happening in their bubbles and somehow it always felt comforting. I will miss listening to the witty music remakes from Jonathan Coltan and Ophira’s quick wit. Sad to see it go!
I absolutely love this show. Always made me laugh, looked forward to it every week. I haven’t missed an episode. I’m soooo sad to see it go. Truly.
This is a fun and unique show. Enjoyed it even more during the past 16 months. I’m still missing on another public radio program – it’s only a game.
I liked this show and had even subscribed at one time. It could be really funny/witty and was a great compliment to “Wait Wait”, but then it began to go on tangents that were sometimes just plain arrogant or insulting. I still tune in rarely on my local radio station but leave if/when it gets insulting/lecturing (or just skip over those parts if I listen online). Wait Wait also went the same way.
My local station (WAMU) chases/chased younger listeners while using national content. So why listen to that staton? I can just pick and choose podcasts. They cut almost all of the locally produced shows (WAMU) even when they had been online for more than 30+ years. Now they brought that one show back, but the damage has been done. It’s very clearly not my station and I no longer donate money/buy products from them. NPR and PBS seem to have very focused ideas about entertainment now and I’m not sure what they want to be/who they think will listen to them.
They should definitely move the show to Comedy Central. Ophira & Jonathan are a great team & I would absolutely watch!
This is disappointing. An intelligent well crafted show with talented hosts. To be replaced by what? Narcissistic hosts who think they’re cute with boring and thin content. Ugh! Lame direction for NPR.
This show saved my sanity during the pandemic. I was shocked to hear it’s canceled! And why? It’s one of the top podcasts in apple podcasts, so it makes no sense.. I really hope a podcast network picks it up.
I’m 79 years old and love this show. So much for appealing to “younger audiences”. I’m sorry it’s going away.
I will deeply miss this podcast and the rapport between these two warm, talented, and clever people. Being invited into their homes and lives over the course of the pandemic made a huge, positive difference for me and it was a treat to listen in every weekend. I hate this decision to drop the show. Count me in for what Ophira and Jonathan do next. I’m grateful for the many hours of amazing puzzles and joy they sent my way during a dark time.
It does appear that the show has a lot of fans OR the fans are more likely to comment here…… I am not a fan, but no biggie, I just turn it off. As someone else said, it just seems to try too hard, for me, but misses the mark.
AMA does seem to have many fans, but maybe not enough to provide needed financial support. I hope all of those who are disappointed with it’s demise were supporting it, financially.
Don’t abandon NPR for discontinuing this show. Public media is struggling to stay relevant and to continue finding support for each and every show that people will come to. It’s possible that AMA could have found enough of its audience to sustain it if it had a longer tail, but, after a reasonably long run, the needed financial support didn’t materialize. Maybe a go fund me site would raise enough money/awareness to bring it back. Public media has a unique structure. You are given this service at no cost, then asked to help pay for it. If you like it, you should be willing to feed it.
A Way With Words took this path. Martha and Grant formed a non profit to raise funds and produce the show independently. I have no idea how much they earn from producing it, but they have survived not receiving any NPR funding.
I was shocked to hear AMA was being cancelled. The show has become one of my favorites along with Wait Wait don’t tell me. I hope NPR may reconsider their decision.
So disappointed. Really fun, creative and inventive. I loved this show and the talent. Please rethink this. The show is a delight.
Very disappointed NPR is canceling AMA. As a boomer, I’m a long time listener of many NPR programs. Another mistake by NPR decision makers. AMA is a breath of fresh air after a week of depressing news programs. We need to laugh to survive and AMA makes me laugh and smile. Thank you Ophira and John for your years of good times!
I’m not one who usually comments on these types of things, but I am making an exception in this case because I was so exceptionally disappointed to hear about the cancellation of AMA. With Ophira’s brilliant dry wit and Jonathan’s endearing puzzles, they captivated me every Saturday morning. I loved this show. Between AMA and WWDTM, they were my mid-day tea and biscuits. NPR needs more programming that is subtle, apolitical and fun like AMA as an antidote to the weekly news, and this show really fit the bill. I, too, hope that NPR reconsiders this decision or at least finds another way to allow the show to continue on another platform. NPR- how about offering a virtual town hall where listeners have a chance to engage directly with NPR leaders on this? Might offer a nice way to provide more constructive engagement on these kinds of developments, and potential alternatives.
I love the show. I love the chemistry of J & O. I love their laughter and the quizzes and how they have such a great flow. Please reconsider and save AMA! I never miss a show!
Incredibly sad news, leaving me frustrated and disappointed. Thanks Jonathan and Ophira for bringing me and my family so many laughs over the past couple of years.
Just one more fumble in a long line of bad decisions as NPR strives to reach their ideal of banal mediocrity.
I’m actually okay with this. I love Wait Wait and the lineup that they had years ago with Car Talk, Wait Wait, was a dream. I would love to have something else like that. I tried to listen to AMA, but I found it annoying. Those puzzles were hard too, sorry, but most of the guests couldn’t answer them and it would result in awkward pauses. I also tuned out for good a while back when I realized OE was actually being a little mean, but passing it off as comedy. I like comedy that is witty and light-hearted. There’s a fine line there and I always felt she skewed too far into the mean funny category for my taste.
OE being mean? Are you sure you weren’t misinterpreting sarcasm? She was critical to herself… I find it refreshing when a host is humble and doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
NPR is dying. The audience ages and dies off. Yet many of the people who listened to AMA are over 60. WAMU cut many locally produced programs. Each year NPR continues to kill off fresh and exciting shows. AMA was wonderful, Praire Home Companion was wonderful, and by the way the host (who will remain namless) was found not guilty of the charges NPR used to dump the show. I am glad he is doing well withour NPR. By 2040 NPR may just be a menory. “Saturday Night Jazz was cut. BUt thankfully brought back. Is the “Big Show” on Sunday night on the cutting block? What about “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me”, whenwill it no lomger be useful to NPR.
NPR asks and begs for money yet cuts away the brillent shows that would bring the younger audiance. AMA just never found its audiance? I find that to be a weak reson. NPR you need to retain AMA and other bright and brillent shows like it. You know 2040 id really not that far away. Will NPR survive as a leading station in our country or fade away to an ever aging cult following? I believe NPR has a very uncertain future. NPR is becoming Irrelivant.
You do realize that local stations pick and choose what shows to run and when to run them. I have never heard the shows you mentioned. I will miss AMA, but my local station moved it to 8:00 Saturday night about a year ago. I forgot to listen most weekends.
Just for the record, and future reference: all NPR programs are available to be heard on your schedule (On Demand), just like old-fashioned TV (you might have heard about this medium; I think it’s been in the news). Links are available at your local station’s website (frequently more than one, if you are in a densely populated area). In addition, there are several live streams, which usually carry different programming (sometime the AM and FM streams are carrying the same program, such as the news); in my area, there are eight different ones. So the scheduling of programs is available on YOUR schedule, and you can’t use that as an excuse for not listening to any particular program.
I’m 74. Are used to listen to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, I Ask Me Another, Car Talk, Prairie Home Companion, and whatever the cooking show is called. I have been a sustainer for years. After September, the only one left really worth listening to is Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. What you have done is giving me another reason NOT to listen to NPR. Extremely disappointing. AMA. AMA What is my second favorite show – I absolutely loved Ophira and Jonathan and the puzzles they presented.. please reconsider your decision, which was questionable at best. certainly you want to address your entire audience not the TikTok generation!
I strongly agree they should not be canceled. It is one of only a few NPR shows that I consistently listen to along with wait wait. One of the big advantages of ask me another over wait wait don’t tell me was that it gave us a break from politics, which is something that is very needed these days for balance and mental health. Most of the other NPR shows are kind of the same as each other… And I can get similar content about issues and politics on YouTube or SiriusXM satellite radio or many different podcasts.
I also love the new pandemic format of ask me another because the actors, comedians and other guests are more interesting and funnier than the audience members were at the bell house. But the audience members were fine too and I liked that format as well. It doesn’t seem like the pandemic format is costly to produce. Zoom subscriptions are inexpensive and I’m pretty sure that the guests are doing it to get publicity and increase their exposure and are not charging for it. So really the only costs are the salaries of the two hosts and some audio editing.
I also think that if they were to give the new format another year or two, it would develop a bigger audience because the actors, comedians, and musicians who are guests will introduce more people to the show. Some of the people who are fans of those guests well listen to the show to hear the person, and some of them will like it and come back. Hopefully if NPR fails to change their mind, another public radio entity picks this show up and continues with it, or that a podcast network does the same.
Public radio badly needs more lighthearted or fun content, especially on the weekends. I liked prairie home companion when it was on, mostly for the funny humor and amusing storytelling. The music was more like filler. I didn’t like live from here because there wasn’t sufficient humor and it felt mostly like a musical show.
If I want to listen to music, I far prefer to use a music app where I can find music that I truly love… And when there is a song I don’t like, I can click to move past it after 20 seconds and not waste my time. Using that approach I am able to discover five times as many new artists and new songs than I could by listening to live from here. I also didn’t like the fact that the host of live from here kind of threw Garrison Keillor under the bus when he was being unfairly attacked. The way that public radio treated Keillor at the end was a shame.
“Ask Me Another” was just a big snore. Just awkward. I couldn’t change the station fast enough when it aired. I am a big “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” fan. I always wondered if AMA was targeting the same audience … possibly, younger. A big miss. I am surprised it lasted as long as it did. On another note, bring back old “Car Talk” shows. We need more belly laughs.
I am shocked. I enjoy AMA. It is an engaging program that successfully helps distract me for a time from the constant drum of distressing current events. I appreciate their efforts to create a range of games that make you think. I admit I am a nerd and I believe this may be the audience who most enjoy this program. Sorry to see the end of the broadcast.
I love the show. There are so many boring shows on NPR and you cancel one that’s smart, fun, and educational, to boot? Makes no sense at all.
Love the show. Is it possible to continue as an independent podcast?
If, after nine years, a show ?never found its full audience,” maybe cancellation is not such a bad thing. Nine years.
This is one of three programs I still enjoyed on the weekend NPR schedule. And it was the best of the three. Who did NPR poll when they decided the show never found its full audience?? Ask Me Another had the perfect mix of competitive and fun puzzles, personal connection, popular culture, and current events. My local station, WAMU, has now doubled and tripled up on several shows. This doesn’t make sense when missed shows are now streamable at a later time.
On another note, I’m glad to see that Lulu Garcia-Navaro is stepping away. I don’t intend to throw shade, but she asked the most inane questions of her guests – such a disservice to both the guest and the listeners. Did she prepare at all before interviewing guests or presenting a news story? Not to mention, she regularly ruined Sunday Puzzle by jumping in after half a second and giving a “clue” that would completely give away the answer.
Maybe I just have a thing for puzzles.
NOOOOOOOOOOO! How did I not hear about this?? AMA is the best! Ophira and Jonathan are the perfect hosts; they are very funny and real together. They’re kind and smart, which is rare in podcast hosting. Oh, I’m going to miss them so much! What will I do without Jonathan’s one-of-a-kind made-uo songs? This is my go-to podcast when I want to listen to something warm and inviting. Oh, NPR. I’m so disappointed in you.
I was shocked when I heard AMA is being cancelled. I enjoy the humor, the creativity, and the casual ease with which the hosts engage their guests. I will very much miss this show.
WHY are they cancelling AMA and keeping “Says You”? Says You is the show with participants trying too hard to get a laugh, horrible music and what surely must be canned laughter! AMA is a 100x better! It at least makes you think!
I think it’s a real shame that this show is being taken off the air by NPR. Not only did the show do an amazing pivot during Covid, but they managed to keep our sense of humor going through the last couple of years, but that was all we had to rely on. To Jonathan and Ophira and all of the crew, thank you for a great job and I hope you land somewhere else so I can continue to follow you. Boo NPR
Whomever made this decision seems woefully ignorant and may be right up there with the same ilk that told J.K. Rowling that her “Harry Potter” character wasn’t worth publishing. Face it, no show will fulfill all needs for all listeners, but there is a healthy population out here that enjoy puzzles that challenge our brains and wholesome humor that allows us to laugh and relax for a bit each week. It’s a bad decision, NPR, and one that I think may lose many listeners. J&O, just let us know where you land and thanks for a lovely nine years.
Well this sucks! I love the show. Can’t they just give it to the hosts and let them keep running it independently?
I actually don’t like puzzles really, they make me feel…stupid? Lol! But I loved listening to Jonathan and Ophira and their guests. They felt like the friends I wish I had more of. Accessible, intelligent, funny. I would hear their voices chatting snd stay in the channel, just to enjoy the laugh. And yes, sometimes I actually enjoyed the puzzles. ?
You can never have enough of Comedy & Quiz combo. At our local station they run “Ask Me .. “ just after the more established “ Wait, wait .. “ . Saturation ! NPR could have tried moving “ Ask me .. “ to another time slot, perhaps even to a weekday night. And what is NPR doing with all their new revenue from Commercial( a lot of them from dubious software start ups ). Their core News Programs these days suck, never a scoop, but now no competent analyses either, only much emoting and accented delivery as substitute for responsible and competent reportage with broad appeal. Instead of having one woman shows of old, now they have 3 ring circuses w/ some of the presenters sounding like they had been picked right out of Drivetime Shock shows ! NPR needs to bring back Talk Shows w/ call in, regardless of costs ( a favorite excuse for canceling them ). Those are far more essential for restoring civil dialog and democracy. than NPRs current stress on advocacy. at the expense of neutrality or balance.
I absolutely love this show and am shocked by this decision. It’s kept me company every weekend of the pandemic. Witty, quirky comedy, diverse guests, music, fun games…What’s not to like???
Really disappointed NPR.
Very disappointed that NPR has cancelled AMA. Thank you Ophira, Jonathan, and Art for all of the pleasure you have brought into our lives.
AMA is part of my weekend. What am I supposed to listen now?
It makes me very sad, but I am sure there is more and better ahead for you, and sure I will look for it.
Best wishes on your future enterprises Ophira and Johnathan! Thank you for the years of laughs, knowledge, and fun!
I just wish Grundmann had given them a heads up that this was in the works, and then a better explanation of what the full audience was supposed to be. Some of this sounds very corporate/funding oriented, but is there a breakdown of how the show received money? Were the ads not enough? Were other shows requiring to much money? Were there not enough local stations picking it up? What I find sleazy about not telling them was allowing Grundmann to sound like what I heard from corporations, saying something “wasn’t a good fit” with no explanation of what was.
AMA should NOT be canceled!
I loved it enough to go to the live taping.
I’ve never wanted to do that with other shows.
NPR is becoming all work and no play.
I’ll probably just switch to podcasts now.
AMA was a big reason why I contribute monthly – I miss Car Talk as it was part of my childhood as AMA has been part of my kids’ childhood.
Bring it back!!
I will consider my monthly subscription as I love AMA. The only thing left worth listening to is WWDTM and Fresh Air, which I can listen to on podcast. Bad mistake.
My fear has become reality. AMA is off the air. I was hoping it had changed air times or days of broadcast but no. AMA was a show that had me laughing out loud. Ophiera and Jonathan were a lovely team that seemed to be friends with all their guests, comfortable and at ease. It was a pleasure to listen and relate. Non pretentious. It was an NPR show that I felt like I could easily have been invited into their living room to play and enjoy. Such talent the host’s and crew. They are missed.
So sad to hear that AMA is cancelled; my wife and I loved listening to it.