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Reviews for: Is That Why?
Get You Words’ Worth
If anyone can make a show about words and their etymology lively and entertaining it’s Ari Hoptman – and he did. Either you like this kind of show or you don’t, and if you do – go!
Words' Origin Stories (with punchlines)
Having cue/queue :) cards pulled by George (audience member) determined which phrase or topic Ari highlighted next, adding a nice bit of spontaneity to the show. He knows his stuff and it's a fun listen and learn.
Well, that explains it
Ari Hoptman is always a great entertainer, and here he entertains us with the etymology of words. Fast-paced, he doesn't use a teleprompter because he knows what he's talking about, and he presents it with a good dose of humor. This show was fun and quick-witted.
Ari Back On Stage!!!!
No one does intellectual linguistic humor like Ari. I was just so delighted to see him doing new work. This is long overdue. I hope for more from this man in the near future.
Learn linguistic trivia & laugh @ Fringe
Left this show envious of all the students who get to learn from Ari at the U and wishing the show’s program included some recommended reading for those of us who want to learn more about words & language. It’s truly astonishing how much this man knows!! Expect a grab bag of 60 second to 5 minute explorations of different topics.
Word lessons
Everything you want to know about some words and then some. Interesting, fun, and informative.
Professor Hoptman
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to actually be in one of Professor Hoptman's classes at the University, I think this show gives you that experience. Also, if you've ever wondered what it's like to be in a green room before a show with Ari, this show absolutely captures that experience. The world is better with Ari in it.
learned something from this show
this was definitely a 'thinking man's show' when it is about etymology and linguistics. i was able to guess one vignette, the one about 'hippo' meaning 'river horse' but not too many of the others. i learned something from this show, things like the word origin for 'ampersand' as well as 'upper/lowercase'. if there was anything i could have done without, it was mention of other shows. leave that for the show cards and programs, this is where i am used to seeing any cross-promotion of shows.
Words for Nerds
There's a lot of quirky cultural history hiding in plain sight within language, and who better to lift the veil on some of those oddities than Ari? A thoroughly delightful, and educational happening. Come for the Proto Indo-European, stay for the brief digression into Old English!
Speller Approved!
I am a big "word nerd" due to my extensive history with spelling bees, including participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee twice many years ago. I love etymology and language quirks. This show blew me out of the water! Ari extemporaneously explained many words in short vignettes, with each one punctuated by a punchline, not in the sense that it was funny (although sometimes it was!) but just in the sense that with one line, suddenly all these different ideas would come together and make sense, and you felt your mind being blown. The short, rapid-fire nature of each explanation felt like watching a series of short-form videos on social media - if Ari wants to, he could do numbers on TikTok or Instagram. This show was entertaining, engaging, and educational, but never felt cheesy or contrived. I loved it! I would also say it is appropriate even for younger children, although perhaps they would need to already have an interest in words and language to enjoy it. A must-see for anyone who loves language!
Cast and Crew
Ari Hoptman
Author / Presenter
Ari Hoptman is an actor, playwright, comedian, and university lecturer who is delighted to be back at the Minnesota Fringe. His previous Fringe shows include "Hello, I Must Be Going" (as Groucho Marx); "The Princeton Seventh," "The Harty Boys and the Case of the Limping Platypus"; and "Dang! The Ari Hoptman All Request Show." His appearances elsewhere include "The Odd Couple" (as Felix), "Sisters of Swing!," "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," "Born Yesterday,""Last of the Red-Hot Lovers," "Biloxi Blues," "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," and the Coen Brothers film "A Serious Man." In his academic life, he (voluntarily) spent a couple of years examining stresses in ancient German poetry, but yeah, you really don't want to know more about that.
Ari is pleased to be co-producing his show with Ben San Del, whose Fringe show is "Apologies for the Late Reply."
More Information
How do words end up as they are? Why do we use them as we do? How have other languages affected English and why are we OK with that? And why is grammar hard anyway? These topics, as well as others that are far less important, may well come up in this fun and fast-moving show – specific items to be determined each time by one audience member.
Ari is co-producing his show with Ben San Del, whose hilarious stand-up show is Apologies for the Late Reply.
