Explore every episode of the podcast The Fun Question

Discover the surprising social and psychological effects of silent discos, from creating safe spaces for uninhibited dancing to fostering unexpected connections in a world obsessed with loud music. DJ and silent disco owner Mark Brudenell discusses how headphones can enhance personal expression and social bonding, challenging our assumptions about typical nightlife.

Key Topics

• The core appeal of silent disco: freedom, ambiguity, and choice
• How silent disco creates a safe space for uninhibited dancing
• The social magic: connecting strangers through shared music channels
• The culture of headphone LEDs and their role in social signaling
• The psychology behind feeling more free and intimate with headphones
• Practical uses: silent discos at festivals, weddings, and corporate events
• The future of silent disco, including potential renaissance and cultural shifts
• TWhy headphones reduce social anxiety and encourage boldness
• How silent discos challenge traditional notions of community and personal space
• Prankster moments and social experiments in silent disco settings

Resources

Totens, a town in England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totnes

Playposium

https://www.playposium.com/

Emile Durkheim's Collective Effervescence - Explore social theories related to communal joy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_effervescence

Dive into the immersive world of escape rooms with experts David and Lisa Spira as they explore what makes these experiences captivating, from embodied storytelling to innovative design. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the genre, discover why escape rooms continue to thrill and inspire.

Key Topics:

• Origins of escape rooms
• The core of a good escape room: embodied story and player immersion
• Shift from lock-and-key to creative narrative-driven experiences
• The importance of collaboration over competition in escape room design
• The blending of immersive theater, video games, and storytelling techniques
• Regional variations and genre classifications within escape rooms
• Elements of quality: set design, signposting, player onboarding, and Chekhov's props
• The role of time constraints and adaptive difficulty for player retention
• The appeal of escape rooms: fantasy adventure, social bonding, and real-world adventure
• Practical tips for newcomers: how to choose the right escape room and have a memorable experience

Resources:

Room Escape Artists

https://roomescapeartist.com/

The Reality Escape Convention (Recon)

https://realityescapecon.com/

Morty App

https://morty.app/

Live Cinema: Zone 51

https://livecinema.fr/en/#/

Top Escape Rooms Project

https://terpeca.com/2025/

Lisa and David on Marriage Therapy Radio

https://marriagetherapyradio.com/2026/01/27/ep-409-no-one-wins-alone-lessons-in-partnership-from-escape-room-experts-david-and-lisa-spira/

Chekhov's gun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun

Explore the fascinating world of immersive art and entertainment with Lonnie Hanzon, a legendary creator whose work transforms ordinary experiences into magical, playful adventures. From Neiman Marcus displays to whimsical Christmas events, discover how immersive experiences engage our senses, evoke joy, and inspire curiosity.

Lonnie’s Work

Lonnie Hanzon’s Website - https://lonniehanzon.com

Cabinet of Curiosities at Denver's Museum of Outdoor Arts - https://moaonline.org

Camp Christmas Denver - https://campchristmas.com

Immersive Art and Entertainment

House on the Rock - https://www.thehouseontherock.com/

Meow Wolf - https://meowwolf.com

City Museum - https://citymuseum.org/

Neuschwanstein Castle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein_Castle

Catamounts - https://www.thecatamounts.org

Control Group - https://www.controlgroupproductions.org/

Explore how play isn't just for kids—it's a fundamental, transformative force that influences creativity, innovation, and culture at every level. Join David and Paul Pethick as they delve into the science, philosophy, and practical applications of play, revealing how embracing play can revolutionize personal, professional, and societal outcomes.

Main Topics:

• Play as the foundational operating system of culture and civilization
• The relationship between play, imagination, and creativity
• Practical ways to integrate play into daily routines and work environments
• The role of play in fostering innovation and social connection
• Misconceptions about play being childish or trivial

Key Insights:

• Play extends beyond leisure to drive innovation, scientific discovery, and cultural evolution
• Brian Eno endorses the book, highlighting the importance of play for adults and leaders
• The "stick" as a primordial object symbolizes the limitless potential of imagination in play
• Play involves a balance of pleasure, effort, and meaningful engagement
• The "exploratory sense" in humans has built everything from tools to technology
• Incorporating playful strategies—like alternative routes, improvisation, and whimsy—enhances creativity and vitality
• Play can be mindful and serious, influencing everything from education to corporate strategy
• Overcoming societal stereotypes about play's childishness can unlock innovation and well-being

Resources & Links:

• The Power of Play by Paul Pethick (https://powerofplay.shop/)
• Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies (https://stoney.sb.org/eno/oblique.html)
• Homo Ludens by Johan Huizinga (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_Ludens)
• The Strong National Museum of Play (https://www.museumofplay.org/)

Connect with Paul:

• https://paulpethick.com/

Embrace play not just as recreation but as the fundamental operation system of culture, fostering creativity, innovation, and joy in everyday life.

This episode explores how comedian and game designer Andrew Orvedahl creates fun through role-playing games, discussing creativity, game design systems, and the joy of imaginative play, while highlighting how games provide escape, storytelling, and meaningful social experiences.

Resources

Occupied Hex (https://www.occupiedhex.com/)

The Grawlix (https://thegrawlix.com/)

Lasers+Feelings (https://johnharper.itch.io/lasers-feelings)

This episode explores how play shapes creativity, culture, and scholarship through Drew Davidson’s new publication Ludic Narrans. Drawing on 175 interviews with play makers, thinkers, producers and facilitators, it examines play as storytelling, social practice, and a vital force for innovation, connection, and reimagining how we live and work.

Dan Hamann is songwriter, composer, performer, musical appreciator. His most recent project is Between the Notes: An Attunement Night. What is it, how does it work and will it be any fun? We’re about to find out.

Show Summary

David talks with musician Dan Hamann about why music is fun, exploring how listening, performing, and practicing create playful experiences. Through intimate live music listening sessions and stories from Hamman's COVID_era album Lumbering Grace, they examine music as emotional play, social connection, shared attention, and a uniquely time-based art.

Resources

Lumbering Grace on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/1xxxQH2DNJ8dUD6h2f9MOz)

Lawrence Welk Show

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvj7IdRiOIU

Lawrence Welk, Linger Awhile

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduZltQnJPQ)

What is fun? If fun is important, why do we talk about fun as if it gets in the way of serious work? Can you even define fun? These are some of the key questions we will explore in this background episode. The Fun Question: Answered

What makes magic fun? Join Denver-based magician, experience designer and immersive producer as we discuss the relationship (or not) between magic and the fine arts, how to enjoy magic more and talk about some of the best working magicians.

https://jameslopezmagic.com/

https://www.exposureprojectinc.org/

What makes baseball parks special? Hear it from the man who has visited every major league park in America and hundreds of other parks as well. Step up to the plate with Paul Hamann, an avid fan, author, and expert on ballparks. Discover the stories, features, and cultural elements that make these parks special and how they can inspire you to have even more fun with the sport of baseball.

Main Topics:

• Why baseball parks are called parks instead of stadiums
• Paul's personal quest to visit all major league and minor league ballparks
• What makes a ballpark memorable: architecture, location, stories, and community
• The importance of place in creating fun and meaningful sports experiences
• Features that define great ballparks: views, history, unique design elements
• The potential for sports stadiums to borrow storytelling and heritage strategies from baseball
• The debate: spectacle versus tradition in sports venues

Resources & Links:

Paul’s Ballparks - A Substack documenting Paul’s views and reviews of baseball parks

https://paulsballparks.substack.com/

Fenway Park — Iconic stadium with the Green Monster

https://www.mlb.com/redsox/ballpark

Target Field — Example of modern stadium design blending tradition and fun

https://www.mlb.com/twins/ballpark

Banana Ball — A new world of entertaining of baseball

https://thesavannahbananas.com/

Amy Mann's Super Ball — Paul’s walk-up song 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuJB-P9TuWE&t=5s

Laurie Singer explains how recreation therapy taps into the innate human need to play, offering healing, joy, and connection regardless of age or ability. Can you have a full life without play? Find out how she connects the dots between well-being and fun!

Summary

• Laurie explains recreation therapy as a legitimate modality aligning with clinical outcomes

• Success stories of recreation helping individuals with severe injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, regain hope and purpose

• The vital role of recreation in mental health, reducing stress, and strengthening human connections

• Addressing barriers, including societal perceptions, lack of accessibility, and personal constraints

• The importance of integrating universal design in outdoor and recreational spaces

• Challenging the notion of leisure as something earned, emphasizing recreation as a fundamental human right

Resources & Links

Laurie Singer Linked In

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-singerctrs/

High Fives - Organization helping injured adventurers return to activity

https://highfives.org/

Universal Design in Recreation - Principles for Inclusive Outdoor Spaces

https://universaldesign.org/

American Disabilities Act (ADA) - Accessibility legislation and guidelines

https://www.ada.gov/

Explore the simple yet profound act of noticing with Patti Cryer, yoga therapist, joy seeker, storyteller, people gatherer, life observer, and sharer of small moments of attention and delight. Discover how collecting the small details around you can become a playful practice that enhances well-being, mindfulness, and connection.

Resources & Links

Patti Cryer on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/patti.cryer/

The Art of Noticing, by Rob Walker

https://draw-down.com/products/the-art-of-noticing

Kama: The Joy and Pleasure of Life – Sanskrit concept about finding joy in everyday moments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kama

Discover why mini golf isn’t just a casual pastime but a vibrant culture full of design, storytelling, and community. Robin Schwartzman and Tom Loftus, aka Mr. T and the Pink Putter, share their love for the game that combines whimsy, nostalgia, and strategic play—bringing light to its accessibility and magic.

Resources & Links

Robin Schwartzmann & Tom Loftus: A Couple of Puts - https://acoupleofputts.com/

Puttcast - https://acoupleofputts.com/puttcast/

A Couple of Putts Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coupleputts/

A Couple of Putts on Atlas Obscura - https://www.atlasobscura.com/itineraries/unique-mini-golf-courses-world-tour

A Couple of Putts on Holey Moley - https://acoupleofputts.com/2019/08/30/even-the-losers/

A Couple of Putts Mini Golf Design - https://www.minigolfdesigners.com/

Putt-Putt Golf: A Historic Mini Golf Brand - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putt-Putt_Fun_Center

Dr. John Sharp explores the true meaning of fun, its role in perception, culture, and society, and how embracing vulnerability and play can transform our lives. John shares his insights on game design, aesthetics, social change, and the importance of play as a humanistic act. Discover fun as a mode of experience that engages and connects.

• The relationship of fun and taste to games
• The conceptualization of fun as an aesthetic and cultural experience
• How fun compares and contrasts with beauty in art and design
• The role of vulnerability in playful experiences
• Misconceptions and resistance to the idea that fun is serious and valuable
• The importance of recognizing failure and uncertainty in play

Resources

John Sharp Parsons Profile - https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/faculty/john-sharp/

Fun, Taste, & Games: An Aesthetics for the Idle, Unproductive, and Otherwise Playful - https://ftgbook.com/

Works of Game: On the Aesthetics of Games and Art - https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262029070/works-of-game/

Games, Design, and Play: A Detailed Approach to Iterative Game Design - http://www.gamesdesignandplay.com/

Iterate: Ten Lessons on Design and Failure  - https://direct.mit.edu/books/book/4324/IterateTen-Lessons-in-Design-and-Failure

Bernie DeKoven - https://www.deepfun.com/

Raph Koster, A Theory of Fun - https://www.theoryoffun.com/

Explore the playful life of plants. Discover how gardening can be a source of fun, healing, and connection in this lively conversation with Maddie Cryer, a licensed clinical social worker and horticultural therapist. Learn about the therapeutic benefits of gardening, how to start small, and how nurturing plants may be the most fun you have this week.

• What is horticultural therapy? 
• The history of horticultural therapy and its roots in post-WWI veteran care.
• Physiological and social-emotional benefits of spending time with plants and nature.
• Practical tips for beginners: start with houseplants or quick-turnover crops like radishes.
• The relational and playful aspects of caring for plants—plants as personalities, conversation partners, and mirrors.
• Why plants are fun!

Resrouces

Radicle Joy https://www.radiclejoy.com/

Colorado State Extension Gardening https://extension.colostate.edu/topic/garden-landscape/

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Danielle Scroggs, a certified therapeutic recreation specialist and founder of Adaptive Gaming Consulting. Discover how adaptive gaming is transforming lives by making play inclusive and meaningful, and why fun is a vital part of recovery, identity, and social connection.

• What is adaptive gaming and who is it for?
• Why fun is essential in health, rehabilitation, and quality of life
• Common misconceptions about disabled gamers and their capabilities
• How gaming fosters social connection and community
• The significance of enjoying play competitively or leisurely, on your own terms

Resources

Adaptive Gaming Consulting - https://adaptivegamingconsulting.com/

Able Gamers - https://www.ablegamers.org/

Xbox Accessibility Resources -https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/03/01/introducing-xbox-accessibility-team/

Warfighter Engage Controllers - https://warriorengage.com/

Evil Controllers - https://evilcontrollers.com/

Join Dr. David Thomas, aka the Professor of Fun, as he takes you on a playful journey through some of the most imaginative and engaging architectural marvels. Discover how certain spaces are designed to invite play, spark curiosity, and allow visitors to craft their own meanings.

Resources & Links

Neuschwanstein Castle - https://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/tourist/index.htm

City Museum, St. Louis - https://citymuseum.org/

House on the Rock - https://www.thehouseontherock.com/

Disney Parks Official Site - https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/

Meow Wolf - https://meowwolf.com/

Museum of Jurassic Technology - https://www.mjt.org/

Connect with Dr. David Thomas david@thefunquestion.com