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Low Scoring Shows

A list of shows where the total score for all three panelists is less than 30. The shows are sorted by total score in descending order.

Scoring from the 20th anniversary special that aired on October 27, 2018 is not included due to the unique Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank format. Also, scoring from Best Of and repeat shows are not included.

Total Score Show Date Location Host Scorekeeper Panelists Guest
11 1998-05-30 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Margo Kaufman: 5
  • Roxanne Roberts: 4
  • Charlie Pierce: 2
  • Joe Palca: 1
18 1998-05-16 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 6
  • Charlie Pierce: 6
  • Adam Felber: 6
  • Peter Overby: 3
20 2022-02-12 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Bobcat Goldthwait: 12
  • Hari Kondabolu: 6
  • Maeve Higgins: 2
  • Patti Smith: 2
20 1998-05-09 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 10
  • Adam Felber: 5
  • P.J. O'Rourke: 5
  • Robert Siegel (NPR): 2
21 2002-11-23 Hawaii Theatre (Honolulu, HI) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Sue Ellicott: 11
  • Adam Felber: 8
  • Paula Poundstone: 2
  • Paul Theroux: 1
21 1999-02-27 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 9
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 7
  • Adam Felber: 5
  • Peter Kenyon: 2
21 1998-10-10 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 7.5
  • Roxanne Roberts: 7
  • Margo Kaufman: 6.5
  • Dean Olsher: 2
21 1998-06-06 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 8
  • Adam Felber: 8
  • Charlie Pierce: 5
  • Corey Flintoff: 0
23 1998-10-31 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 12.5
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 7
  • Charlie Pierce: 3.5
  • Kee Malesky: 3
24 2023-05-27 Saenger Theatre (New Orleans, LA) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Mo Rocca: 12
  • Hari Kondabolu: 10
  • Maeve Higgins: 2
  • John Goodman: 3
24 1999-08-21 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 9
  • Roxanne Roberts: 8
  • Sue Ellicott: 7
  • Jim Nayder: 0
24 1998-09-26 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 12
  • Roxanne Roberts: 6
  • Charlie Pierce: 6
  • Jacki Lyden: 2
24 1998-06-13 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 11
  • Charlie Pierce: 9
  • Roxanne Roberts: 4
  • Ray Suarez: 1
25 2025-07-26 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Adam Burke: 11
  • Peter Grosz: 11
  • Joyelle Nicole Johnson: 3
  • Laufey: 2
25 2023-06-10 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Skyler Higley: 11
  • Tom Papa: 8
  • Emmy Blotnick: 6
  • Radhika Jones: 2
25 2022-09-03 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Mo Rocca: 15
  • Skyler Higley: 7
  • Maeve Higgins: 3
  • Chris Estrada: 2
25 2008-03-29 UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures (Santa Barbara, CA) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Kyrie O'Connor: 13
  • Paul Provenza: 10
  • Paula Poundstone: 2
  • Fannie Flagg: 2
25 2002-12-07 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Sue Ellicott: 11
  • P.J. O'Rourke: 7
  • Adam Felber: 7
  • Steve Schirripa: 1
25 2001-05-05 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 11
  • Adam Felber: 7
  • Roxanne Roberts: 7
  • Linda Wertheimer: 1
25 2000-11-11 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 12
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 7
  • Sue Ellicott: 6
  • Armistead Maupin: 2
25 2000-11-04 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 10
  • Roxanne Roberts: 8
  • Patt Morrison: 7
  • Gene Sperling: 0
25 2000-05-27 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Sue Ellicott: 10
  • Adam Felber: 9
  • Charlie Pierce: 6
  • Nina Totenberg: 2
25 1998-05-02 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 10
  • Charlie Pierce: 9
  • Roxanne Roberts: 6
  • Susan Stamberg: 0 *
25 1998-04-18 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Dan Coffey Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 15
  • Charlie Pierce: 6
  • Margo Kaufman: 4
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26 2019-02-16 Chase Auditorium (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Luke Burbank: 13
  • Alonzo Bodden: 9
  • Maeve Higgins: 4
  • Matt Smith: 2
26 1999-01-16 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 9.5
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 8.5
  • Adam Felber: 8
  • Frank Tavares: 2
26 1998-09-12 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 14
  • Adam Felber: 7
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 5
  • Margot Adler: 2
27 2025-06-14 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Negin Farsad Bill Kurtis
  • Joyelle Nicole Johnson: 12
  • Luke Burbank: 10
  • Alonzo Bodden: 5
  • Chris Perfetti: 3
27 2024-01-13 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Peter Grosz: 14
  • Joyelle Nicole Johnson: 10
  • Maeve Higgins: 3
  • Jason Isbell: 2
27 2020-08-29 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Mo Rocca: 13
  • Alonzo Bodden: 8
  • Maeve Higgins: 6
  • Cecily Strong: 3
27 2013-03-16 Chase Auditorium (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Faith Salie: 12
  • Paula Poundstone: 11
  • Bobcat Goldthwait: 4
  • Huey Lewis: 2
27 2003-02-08 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Mo Rocca: 10
  • Paula Poundstone: 9
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 8
  • Arianna Huffington: 0
27 2000-06-24 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 11
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 10
  • Adam Felber: 6
  • Diane Rehm: 2
27 2000-06-17 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 13
  • Sue Ellicott: 8
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 6
  • Lisa Simeone: 1
27 1999-10-09 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 11
  • Adam Felber: 9
  • Roxanne Roberts: 7
  • Adam Hochberg: 3
27 1999-07-17 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 11
  • Charlie Pierce: 8
  • Sue Ellicott: 8
  • David Welna: 0
27 1999-02-13 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 9.5
  • Charlie Pierce: 9
  • Roxanne Roberts: 8.5
  • Bob Edwards: 2
28 2023-03-04 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Josh Gondelman Bill Kurtis
  • Mo Rocca: 15
  • Alonzo Bodden: 11
  • Maeve Higgins: 2
  • Malala Yousafzai: 3
28 2022-05-21 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Alonzo Bodden: 14
  • Tom Papa: 9
  • Maeve Higgins: 5
  • Mandy Moore: 2
28 2021-07-31 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Tom Bodett: 14
  • Hari Kondabolu: 8
  • Maeve Higgins: 6
  • Stephen Fry: 3
28 2021-07-24 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Karen Chee: 12
  • Bobcat Goldthwait: 8
  • Laci Mosley: 8
  • Dr. Ellen Stofan: 2
28 2016-10-22 Rochester Auditorium Theatre (Rochester, NY) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Adam Felber: 12
  • Paula Poundstone: 9
  • Amy Dickinson: 7
  • Garth Fagan: 2
28 2001-12-29 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Sue Ellicott: 11
  • Charlie Pierce: 11
  • Adam Felber: 6
  • Madeleine Albright: 0
28 2001-12-08 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Jean Cochran
  • Charlie Pierce: 12
  • Sue Ellicott: 9
  • Adam Felber: 7
  • Simon Callow: None
28 2001-10-20 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 11
  • Charlie Pierce: 10
  • Sue Ellicott: 7
  • Rodney Yee: 1
28 2001-03-10 Morse Auditorium (Boston, MA) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 14
  • Charlie Pierce: 7
  • Sue Ellicott: 7
  • Tom and Ray Magliozzi: 3
28 2000-12-09 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 12
  • Adam Felber: 9
  • Sue Ellicott: 7
  • Jane and Michael Stern: 2
28 2000-09-30 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 10
  • Sue Ellicott: 9
  • Charlie Pierce: 9
  • Brooke Gladstone: 1
28 1999-12-18 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 11
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 9
  • Sue Ellicott: 8
  • Linda Wertheimer: 1
28 1998-11-07 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 12.5
  • Charlie Pierce: 10.5
  • Adam Felber: 5
  • Melissa Block: 1
28 1998-10-17 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 12.5
  • Adam Felber: 9
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 6.5
  • [None]: None
28 1998-10-03 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 14
  • Adam Felber: 10
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 4
  • Ketzel Levine: 0
29 2024-04-13 Benedum Center (Pittsburgh, PA) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Mo Rocca: 14
  • Negin Farsad: 9
  • Maeve Higgins: 6
  • Bill Cowher: 3
29 2023-11-18 Merrill Auditorium (Portland, ME) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 14
  • Hari Kondabolu: 9
  • Maeve Higgins: 6
  • Stephen Smith: 2
29 2023-11-04 Studebaker Theater (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Lakshmi Singh
  • Tom Papa: 13
  • Adam Burke: 12
  • Maeve Higgins: 4
  • Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: 2
29 2022-10-22 Wang Theatre (Boston, MA) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Josh Gondelman: 11
  • Alonzo Bodden: 10
  • Amy Dickinson: 8
  • Dr. Ibram X. Kendi: 3
29 2021-01-09 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Amy Dickinson: 12
  • Joel Kim Booster: 11
  • Maeve Higgins: 6
  • Jane Krakowski: 2
29 2020-10-24 Home/Remote Studios Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Peter Grosz: 16
  • Eugene Cordero: 9
  • Maeve Higgins: 4
  • Doug Jones: 2
29 2016-07-16 Chase Auditorium (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 11
  • Jessi Klein: 10
  • Brian Babylon: 8
  • Julian Castro: 2
29 2015-12-12 Chase Auditorium (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Bill Kurtis
  • Roy Blount, Jr.: 13
  • Luke Burbank: 10
  • Neko Case: 6
  • Jacques Pépin: 2
29 2010-07-03 Chase Auditorium (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Paula Poundstone: 12
  • P.J. O'Rourke: 10
  • Julia Sweeney: 7
  • Molly Ringwald: 2
29 2001-05-12 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Charlie Pierce: 14
  • Adam Felber: 12
  • Paula Poundstone: 3
  • Andrew Sullivan: 1
29 2000-10-21 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Sue Ellicott: 12
  • Roxanne Roberts: 9
  • Adam Felber: 8
  • Jim Nayder: 0
29 1999-05-01 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 12
  • Roxanne Roberts: 9
  • Charlie Pierce: 8
  • Bill Littlefield: 0
29 1999-01-23 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Roxanne Roberts: 14
  • Andrea Michaels: 9
  • Charlie Pierce: 6
  • Ann Taylor: 1
29 1998-08-08 Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ (Chicago, IL) Peter Sagal Carl Kasell
  • Adam Felber: 13
  • Charlie Pierce: 12
  • Roxanne Roberts: 4
  • Madeleine Brand: 3
Total Score Show Date Location Host Scorekeeper Panelists Guest