Breaking News from Wait Wait: Our new Judge and Scorekeeper is announced!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Episode: Breaking News from Wait Wait: Our new Judge and Scorekeeper is announced!
Host: Peter Sagal (NPR)
Date: June 4, 2026

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Overview

This special episode marks a milestone for NPR’s beloved news quiz, "Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!" Host Peter Sagal drops into the feed to announce the show’s new judge and scorekeeper, Alzo Slade, following the retirement of the legendary Bill Curtis. The episode highlights Alzo’s eclectic background through a fun introductory quiz, offers behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and features reflections on Bill Curtis’s legacy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Big Announcement: Meet the New Judge and Scorekeeper

• Peter Sagal delivers a theatrical introduction of Alzo Slade, noting that only two people have held the role previously.
  • “But the orange smoke has risen from the chimney at the Studebaker Theatre, which means that today, right here, right now, it is time to announce our new judge and scorekeeper. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you...Alzo Slade.” (00:30)
• Alzo banters about the gravity of the introduction, and Peter admits to doing an Evita-style gesture, despite being on radio.
  • Quote: “Nobody can see me. I still haven't figured out I'm on the radio, but I kind of extended my arms and like a big hey, everybody, like, Evita type thing.” —Peter (00:49)

2. Alzo’s Journey to the Role

• Alzo reflects on his multi-faceted journey on the show—from panelist to guest host to now judge and scorekeeper, and jokes about the perks of the new position:
  • Quote: “I don't have to write a bluff.” (01:26)
  • He admits, though, that delivering limericks is “nerve wracking” and praises Bill Curtis for making it look easy. (01:32–01:50)
• Peter summarizes Alzo’s colorful resume: stand-up comedian, journalist, philosophy professor, and more.

3. “Meet Alzo Slade” Quiz

To introduce Alzo to listeners, Peter hosts a quiz for caller Dalia Hoffman, asking about real facts from Alzo’s life. This segment both entertains and reveals surprising details.

Quiz Highlights:

Contestant: Dalia Hoffman (Sewickley, PA, formerly Chicago)
Format: Three questions—two correct answers wins the prize

• Q1: Alzo's College Pageant Win (03:23)

  • Correct Answer: He won the Mr. Prairie View A&M University pageant.
  • Anecdote: Alzo tells his story of competing, wearing a race car outfit, and comically having to be pushed off stage in a toy car.
    • Quote: “...as I'm pedaling, the tires are moving, but the car isn't moving. So one of the other fellow contestants had to come out and give me a little push...” —Alzo (04:36)

• Q2: Photographer for Prince (05:36)

  • Correct Answer: Alzo was offered a world tour gig as a photographer for Prince.
  • Quote: “He's a musical genius, and that's pretty much...You know, his personality was like, he's cool. He wasn't necessarily off putting, but my interaction with him was. Which photos of these do you like the best? ...And that's it.” —Alzo (05:47)

• Q3: Refusing to Wrestle a Bear for Vice (06:59)

  • Correct Answer: Refused to wrestle a bear in Dagestan for a Vice story.
  • Anecdote: Alzo describes the wild assignment and his rationale for refusing, even when told the bear would be a declawed cub.
    • Quote: “I was like, no, are you crazy? I'm not. And then they had the nerve to say, well, it'll just be a cub. That'll be declawed. I don't care.” —Alzo (07:22 & 07:24)

4. Alzo’s Official First Judging

• After Dalia’s quiz win, Alzo is officially welcomed as the new judge and scorekeeper.
  • Quote from Alzo: “Dalia did amazing. ...You’re like the first quiz participant of me as an official judge and scorekeeper, so I think we will always be connected for life.” (08:44)

5. Reflections on Bill Curtis’s Legacy

• Alzo gives heartfelt thanks to Bill Curtis, acknowledging the impossibility of truly replacing him:

  • Quote: “There is no replacing Bill Curtis. That’s how I feel when it comes to Bill Curtis.” (09:24)
  • Humorously recounts fan reactions to seeing him instead of Bill Curtis:
    • “After the show, people will come up and say, we were really looking forward to seeing Bill Curtis, but you did a great job.” (09:44)
    • “And I can only hope to live up to the legacy that he’s created in that space.” (10:14)

• Peter Sagal is optimistic about the new era:

  • Quote: “I have a feeling that the Alzo Slade era is going to be pretty spectacular in its own right.” (10:36)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Not Having to Write a Bluff:
  • “I don't have to write a bluff.” —Alzo (01:26)
• On the Limerick Challenge:
  • “Bill makes it look so, so easy. …when it comes to that limerick, you know, it’s like, okay. Is that right? I don’t know if that’s right.” —Alzo (01:50)
• On the Bear Wrestling Assignment:
  • “Wouldn't it be amazing if you wrestled a bear for the story? And I was like, no, are you crazy? ...It'll just be a cub. That'll be declawed. I don't care.” —Alzo (07:24)
• On Bill Curtis’s Shoes:
  • “There is no replacing Bill Curtis. ...I look forward to continuing to disappoint people on the road when they see it’s Alzo Slade instead of Bill Curtis.” —Alzo (10:14)

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Timed Segment Guide

• 00:02 – Peter Sagal’s dramatic introduction of Alzo Slade
• 01:04 – Alzo jokes about his new duties (no more “writing a bluff”)
• 02:10 – Highlighting Alzo’s multifaceted career
• 02:42 – Listener Dalia joins for the “Meet Alzo Slade” quiz
• 03:23–05:47 – Fun quiz segment, revealing anecdotes about Alzo’s life
• 06:59 – Alzo details the bear-wrestling story
• 09:24 – Alzo pays heartfelt tribute to Bill Curtis
• 10:36 – Peter welcomes the new era and signs off

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Conclusion

This episode offers a heartfelt and humorous transition for "Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!" fans as Alzo Slade is welcomed as the new judge and scorekeeper. Listeners get to know Alzo through an entertaining quiz and personal stories, while both he and Peter Sagal salute Bill Curtis’s legacy. Packed with laughs, memorable anecdotes, and mutual admiration, the episode sets the stage for an exciting new chapter in the show’s history.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, everybody, it's Peter, dropping into your podcast feed with a special announcement. As you all know, Bill Curtis recently retired as our judge and scorekeeper. Only the second one this show has ever had. Don't worry, Bill will still be around. You can still win his voice on your voicemail. But the orange smoke has risen from the chimney at the Studebaker Theatre, which means that today, right here, right now, it is time to to announce our new judge and scorekeeper. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you, making his official debut at this week's show in Austin, Texas, Alzo Slade.

[B]

What's up, Peter? You put a lot of gravity into that introduction.

[A]

I did, man. I did. Nobody can see me. I still haven't figured out I'm on the radio, but I kind of extended my arms and like a big hey, everybody, like, Evita type thing. When I said your name, I felt all of.

[B]

I just hope the, you know, the reveal lived up to the introduction.

[A]

You have done everything. You started as a panelist. You sat in my chair, even though there's no chair. You've been a guest host, and now you're going to be the judge and scorekeeper after doing it on like a practice basis filling in for Bill many times. So what were you? You've done all the jobs. What's the most exciting thing about the one you ended up with?

[B]

I don't have to write a bluff.

[A]

Yes. No preparation at all. It's great.

[B]

You know, I don't have to write a bluff, but I will say the trade off for not having to write a bluff is trying to get the rhythm of the limericks right. That's a bit nerve wracking.

[A]

It's hard, isn't it?

[B]

You know, it's not. Bill makes it look so, so easy.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So easy. And that's just one of many praises I could heap upon Bill. But when it comes to that limerick, you know, it's like, okay. Is that right? I don't know if that's right.

[A]

No, it was terrible, but we'll work on it. It's okay. It's all right. Now, one thing that Alzo here has in common with Bill is that he also has had an amazing and varied career. So Alzo has been a standup comedian and he's been a journal, a philosophy professor, and a lot more. So we thought we'd let you know a little more about him, fittingly in the form of a quiz. So it is time to welcome a listener contestant to this special podcast episode. Hi. You're In. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Sort of.

[C]

Hi, this is Dalia Hoffman.

[A]

Hey, Dalia, where are you calling from?

[C]

I'm calling from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, by way of 30 years in Chicago, Illinois.

[A]

Oh, really? How could you ever leave this wonderful city? On the lake.

[C]

Oh, my true love was in Swickley. Here I am.

[A]

Well, good for you, Dalia. Listen, we're glad you joined us today. You are going to play a special new game, one that we've never played before and probably never will again. It's called Meet Alzo Slade. So I'm going to ask you three questions about Alzo. True things that he has done. Get two of these questions right, you will win our prize, just like on the regular radio show. Are you ready to play?

[C]

I am.

[A]

Okay, so Alzo Slade, our new judge and scorekeeper, has won many honors in his life, including which of these? A, as a senior in high school, he was voted most likely to be a judge and scorekeeper. B, he was recently named acting director of National Intelligence. Or C, he won the Mr. Prairie View a and M University beauty pageant.

[C]

I'm gonna go with C. You're right.

[A]

So, Alzo, or should I say Mr. Prairie View a and M University. You told me this, so I'm going to believe you. This was, like, legit. A beauty pageant. You had to, like, dress up and look good and answer questions on stage.

[B]

Yeah, they didn't call it a beauty pageant. It was just the Mr. Prairie View pageant. You had to do. You had to get on stage and do an opening quote. You had. There were categories like formal wear, sportswear. You had to do an interview. And I'll have you know, I dressed up as a race car driver, had a helmet and a suit. And let me tell you what I did, Peter. Off stage. Off stage, on the side of the stage, I had one of those little plastic race cars that kids get in and pedal.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So I got in my suit with the helmet off stage, and I pedaled onto the stage in the car, like knees to chest, driving it, and got out, modeled my suit, got back in and tried to pedal, but, you know, like, the floors were slick. So as I'm pedaling, the tires are moving, but the car isn't moving. So one of the other fellow contestants had to come out and give me a little push to get me started so I can continue to pedal off the stage.

[A]

Wow. All right, very good. You got that right. Dalia, another question. Here we go. Alzo is not just a pretty face. He is also very accomplished in Many other areas. For example, Alzo was once offered for real. What job? A, touring around the world with Prince as part of his personal photography team. B, acting director of National Intelligence. Or C, narrator for the movie Anchorman.

[C]

Ooh, that's a tough one. How about a.

[A]

How about A? You're right. Yes. This is a story Alzo told me one night after a show, and I couldn't believe it. So, Alzo, what was that like?

[B]

I mean, it was. I mean, Prince. I mean, I think everyone can imagine Prince being somewhat of an enigma. He's a musical genius, and that's pretty much. You know, his personality was like, he's cool. He wasn't necessarily off putting, but my interaction with him was. Which photos of these do you like the best? Which one of these do you like the least? And that's it.

[A]

All right. You're doing great, Dalia. You've sussed it out. 2 out of 3. Let's see if you can go for perfect. Alzo won a Peabody Award for his work as a journalist with Vice. He covered stories from clergy who lose their faith in God to using cheetah urine as an aphrodisiac. And I should note, strictly for cheetahs. Just cheetahs. Okay, you'll get ideas. But there was one thing that Alzo says Vice asked him to do, and he turned them down. What was it? A, wrestle a bear while visiting the Russian Republic of Dagestan. B, sing backup for the K pop band bts, Or C, serve as the acting Director of National Intelligence.

[C]

I'm gonna go with a.

[A]

You're gonna go with a. Wrestling a bear. That's right. So, Alzo, again, the questions are obvious. I speak. Why were you in Dagestan, and why did your producer want you to wrestle a bear? And why did you say no?

[B]

You know, it's crazy. I don't. I've never thought about the things that I've done in this way. But putting it in quiz form, like, I. This is weird.

[A]

It's a little strange, isn't it?

[B]

It's a little strange, yeah. So, you know, Vice, we. We put ourselves in some pretty gnarly situations to. To tell stories. And in the UFC at that time, there were about, I don't know, 28 to 30 Russians who were fighters. And a little over 20 of those Russians were from Dagestan, and they had, like, a 90% win rate. And so the story was us going to Dagestan and me training with them to see what they're putting in the water to make them Such great fighters. And one of the most famous fighters to come out of there is Khabib, and he famously wrestled a bear at nine years old. And the producer's advice had the great idea of, hey, Alzo, wouldn't it be amazing if you wrestled a bear for the story? And I was like, no, are you crazy? I'm not. And then they had the nerve to say, well, it'll just be a cub. That'll be declawed. I don't care.

[A]

Well, Alzo, since you are now the official judge and scorekeeper of wit. Wait, don't tell me. I'm gonna ask you the question. How did Dalia do in our quiz?

[B]

Dalia did amazing. And thank you so much for participating. Dahlia, you're like the first quiz participant of me as an official judge and scorekeeper, so I think we will always be connected for life.

[C]

Oh, that's amazing. And you did a great job.

[B]

Thank you so much.

[A]

Natalia, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you. And thanks for giving Alzo a great little inaugural experience as our official guy. Thank you, Dalia.

[C]

You're welcome. Bye bye.

[A]

Bye bye. Alzo, it is so great that you are going to be my partner in crime and radio on stage. I'm so looking forward to your official debut.

[B]

Wait a minute, Peter. Before we. Before we. Before we depart, I think it proper that I give respect to my predecessor, Bill Curtis, because people say I'm replacing Bill Curtis. There is no replacing Bill Curtis. That's how I feel when it comes to Bill Curtis. And I remember every time that I. At least if I've subbed in for Bill Curtis 10 times, let's just say 10 times for the easy math. After the show, people will come up and say, we were really looking forward to seeing Bill Curtis, but you did a great job.

[A]

Well, you know, it's better that they did that than just walk up and say, we were really looking forward to see Bill Curtis and then turn him walk away.

[B]

Turn and walk away. So I say all that to say much respect and credit and props to the legendary Bill Curtis. And I look forward to continuing to disappoint people on the road when they see that it's Alzo Slade instead of Bill Curtis. And I can only hope to live up to the legacy that he's created in that space.

[A]

I have a feeling that the Alzo Slade era is going to be pretty spectacular in its own right. So thank you, Alzo, for joining us today. Thanks, everybody for listening to the special podcast episode. We'll be back in your feed with Alzo's debut show as our official Judson scorekeeper this weekend. Live from Austin, Texas, I'm Peter Sagal, and, yes, this is npr.