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It Pays to Be Ignorant

Description

It Pays to Be Ignorant is a radio comedy panel spoof that ran from 1942 to 1951 across Mutual, CBS, and NBC, parodying quiz shows and expert-discussion programs.

It Pays to Be Ignorant is a 1942–1951 radio comedy show which maintained its popularity during a nine-year run on three networks for such sponsors as Philip Morris, Chrysler, and DeSoto. The series was a spoof on the academic discourse on such authoritative panel series as Quiz Kids and Information Please. At the same time, the beginning of the program parodied the popular quiz show Doctor I.Q. The show featured announcers Ken Roberts and Dick Stark. The program was broadcast on Mutual from June 25, 1942 to February 28, 1944, on CBS from February 25, 1944 to September 27, 1950 and finally on NBC from July 4, 1951 to September 26, 1951. The series typically aired as a summer replacement.

Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Updated Jul 17, 2026.

Showtimes

Original schedule

  1. 19428:30 PM ET
    Mutual Broadcasting System · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  2. 1942–19447:30 PM ET
    Mutual Broadcasting System · evening
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  3. 1944–19469:00 PM ET
    CBS Radio Network · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  4. 1946–194810:00 PM ET
    CBS Radio Network · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  5. 194810:30 PM ET
    CBS Radio Network · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  6. 1948–19499:30 PM ET
    CBS Radio Network · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  7. 19499:30 PM ET
    CBS · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  8. 19509:00 PM ET
    CBS · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa
  9. 19519:00 PM ET
    NBC · night
    SuMoTuWeThFrSa

Audio Clips

Broadcasts