Inside PBS Blog

Fetch! host and producer Ruff Ruffman was our guest last week and what a week it was. He took time out of his busy schedule answer your questions, just in time for the new season Fetch!, an educational show that blends reality TV with a game show. Take a look at Ruffman’s answers below and meet this season’s super smart tweenage contestants on the Fetch! website.

Are you wearing glasses? Why? I love your show and would like to be on it one day.  Alanna and Mason Shu (Ages 10 & 8)

Yes Alanna and Mason, I am indeed wearing glasses.  But I don’t really need them—they’re part of my disguise—no one must know that mild-mannered Ruff Ruffman is actually…SuperRuff!  Okay, I made that up.  The real story is that, apparently, every Ruffman needs glasses—it’s a family trait!  Anyway, I tried going without my glasses for a day, but I almost ate Chet because I thought he was a sandwich, and I told a sandwich to fetch the mail.  So I leave my glasses on now.

Other than YOUR show (which is the best on television) what shows do YOU like to watch? Simon and Greg

Good question Simon and Greg.  There’s a great Canine Satellite Network channel—Channel WOOF!  It has Charlton Chihuahua Movie Marathons (Charlton was the only Chihuahua who looked good in a beard); the great animal rescue show Hero Dog!; and super cooking shows like Kibble Nibble, the Yum Yum Kibble Hour, and K-I-B-B-L-E Spells Kibble Program!.  Dogs eat a lot of kibble.  I also like Arthur—because dogs don’t just like watching dogs on television—they also like watching aardvarks.

Hey Ruff, What's your favorite dog breed? What dog breed are you? Emily Roy

Well Emily, all dog breeds are special.  But there’s a poodle next door named Charlene, and she’s the bees’ knees, so three cheers for poodles.  As to what dog breed I am…Um, well, there are two theories.  One theory is that I’m very rare—a Norwegian Orange Marshmallow Hound, originally bred by Norwegian royalty to track down marshmallows and eat them.  That’s why I have a great sense of smell and an amazing capacity to eat marshmallows.  The other theory is that I’m a mutt.

Ruff, this question is from my grand-daughter, Ayanna, who can sing the FETCH theme song, by the way. She wants to know if you could have a challenge where the kids get to design a room for an important person. We love your show! Jeanne Crews

Ayanna, you’re very wise to learn the FETCH theme song.  It’s very useful.  Don’t know how long to brush your teeth for?  Hum the FETCH theme song!  Can’t remember the Happy Birthday song, and you’re at your friend’s birthday party?  Sing the FETCH theme song instead!  The theme song is also all you need to make a great batch of pancakes!  Well, you might need some pancake ingredients too, actually.  And a griddle.  Anyway, I love your Design-a-Room Challenge idea.  I’ll definitely add it to my “Possible Challenges” List.  Maybe you could design a Trophy Room for me, to hold all my trophies.  Actually, I’ve only won one trophy so far that I didn’t have to give back—a Golden Blobby.  I tried to store it on the shelf in my bathroom but it fell and broke my toilet, which is why I sent the FETCHers this season to NASA to learn how to build a toilet for the International Space Station.  So, yeah, I need a trophy room. 

Hello Ruff, could you tell me more about your family; about your parents, siblings, other relatives etc.? Phillip Ed

Thanks for your question, Phillip Ed.  My family is pretty much like every other family.  Maybe a little more orange, but that’s about it.  There’s Grandma Ruffman, a sweet old gal who once built a robot with iridium rocket thrusters.  Oh, and then there’s Great Uncle MacRuffmantosh—he’s a Scottish archaeologist who believes a Norwegian Ice Fairy cursed the Ruffmans a thousand years ago.  My brother Scruff is a notorious criminal, but got rave reviews in Hot Diggity Dog, the musical the Poodle Island prisoners put on.  Glen is my nephew, fixes the FETCH 3000 and likes to dress up as a wizard.  And my parents disappeared mysteriously when I was a puppy.  So like I said, we’re like every other family.