Michael Feldman brings 'Whad'Ya Know?' to Southern Illinois

Many people go through life never winning anything. Michael Feldman and his fabulous prizes aim to change that.

Feldman's radio show "Whad'Ya Know?" awards prizes for completing the news quiz portion of the show. It asks current events questions that "have been painstakingly researched, although the answers have not," according to the disclaimer read by an audience member during the live show each Saturday.

The show, based in Madison, Wis., takes to the road eight times a year, and March 26 that road will lead it to Carbondale, Ill., for a show presented by WSIU, the public radio station from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. The station is a Public Radio International affiliate that hosts Feldman's show at 10 a.m. Saturdays. Locally, listeners can hear the show on KRCU at the same time.

Feldman and the gang last did a show in Carbondale in 1998, and the town left an impression.

"We had a great time last time in Carbondale," Feldman said.

He said Carbondale is one of the only places he's been recognized on the streets. It's happened once or twice in other places -- like a parking garage ramp in Charleston, W.Va. -- but "in Carbondale it was happening all over -- I feel like people are happy to see you."

Most of Feldman's professional endeavors have always involved people: teaching English, driving a cab, hosting past radio shows as well as this one. The people keep him in the radio business.

"Everyone is so nice to you," he said. "It's been very reassuring about humankind."

With "Whad'Ya Know?" Feldman's been to almost every state in the union, though he said he favors the South because it's so "unFeldman."

Most weeks out of the year, the show stays put in Madison. Feldman has fine-tuned his format and starts with a monologue -- which he painstakingly researches and writes -- moves to an interview with a guest, interaction from the audience, the quiz, a segment called "Thanks for the Memos," a few other features and another quiz.

Audience members submit reasons to convince Feldman to choose them. They include driving long distances, driving short distances, knowing everything, having a birthday three weeks before the show and many others. But audience members still have the chance to wow Feldman with an excuse to participate.

"I have yet to hear a good reason for playing the quiz," he said. "I think some people just want to win something."

Feldman can relate. The only thing he's ever won is a blender from a radio show in Milwaukee when he was younger.

"That was a turning point in my life," he said, though as always it's hard to tell if he's serious. He usually helps the guests along until they get three questions right and win a fabulous prize -- a souvenir T-shirt from the show's travels, a 25th anniversary something-or-other from the show, whatever's convenient.

Feldman said he tries to schedule guests who are lighter, entertaining and insightful. Usually that means artists, musicians or authors, but he also goes for local celebrities. Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon will be the guest at the Carbondale show.

Simon's father Paul Simon, a storied Illinois politician who died in 2003, had been a guest on the show in 1998. He had retired from Congress in 1997 and founded the Public Policy Institute at SIU-Carbondale.

"It'll be nice to have his daughter on," Feldman said.

While he mostly scores interviews with local celebrities or artsy people with a book or CD coming out, Feldman dreams big and said he would like to have Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift on the show.

"It's hard to get them to come to Madison," he said. "We would hit it off in an interview situation, I think. I see [David] Letterman doing it, and I'm a little jealous."

You can see Feldman interview Simon and possibly get on the show yourself -- without any good reason -- by ordering tickets at 618-453-6000, southernticketsonline.com or at the Shryock Auditorium box office in Carbondale. Tickets are $50, $40, $32 and $26.

charris @semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent addresses:

1050 South Normal Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901