Love Island and Pre-Teen Punks with Jason Narducy

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Episode: “Love Island and Pre-Teen Punks with Jason Narducy”

Release Date: July 11, 2026

Host: Peter Sagal | Guest: Jason Narducy | Panel: Adam Burke, Negeen Farsad, Alonzo Bowden | Scorekeeper: Alzo Slade

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Main Theme

This episode brings NPR’s snappy and irreverent news quiz to Milwaukee, blending topical world and pop culture events with zingers from the rotating panel. The main highlight is an interview with Jason Narducy—a musician who started playing punk clubs at 11 and went on to inspire Dave Grohl, now touring with actor Michael Shannon playing REM albums live. Along the way, the panel pokes fun at Love Island’s linguistic mishaps, pokes holes in billionaire “snow rooms,” delves into friendship vacation etiquette, and riffs on dating trends and atrocious Apple habits.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. News Quiz with Listener Connor: World Cup, Love Island, and Group Vacations

• FIFA World Cup 2026
  • US eliminated early; panel jokes about watching in Spanish for excitement (“El Copa Mondial”) (03:21).
  • Adam Burke: “I haven't been watching the World Cup because that requires cable, so I've been watching El Copa Mondial.” (03:21)
  • Alonzo Bowden notes Belgium’s surprising African diaspora—"I had no idea that Belgium was an African paradise." (04:05)
• Love Island Mania
  • Peter Sagal: “If you haven’t seen it, beautiful people go to this beautiful tropical island and they couple up, and whoever the audience ultimately votes as the best couple wins. So if you still don't get it, just imagine the movie Castaway. But in the end, Tom Hanks and the volleyball hook up.” (05:45)
  • Discussion of contestants’ viral mispronunciations and neologisms (e.g., “come promise” instead of "compromise"), sparking jokes about a “lighter assy” (literacy) crisis (07:02).
  • Negeen Farsad: “I like to think what they edit out is them reading Ulysses to each other. This is all performance art, and we’re just catching their worst moments.” (07:47)
• Friend Group Vacation Etiquette
  • Washington Post’s “42 Rules”: From practical (agree on budget) to absurd (early risers keep it down; biggest beds go to couples, sorry thuples) (08:21).
  • Alonzo Bowden: “Rule number one is actually don’t ever do this, right?” (08:59)
  • Peter Sagal: “If somebody sent this to you, you would not go on vacation with them.” (08:38)

2. Luxury “Snow Rooms” for the 1%

• Billionaires are installing snow rooms—indoor, year-round artificial blizzards—creating their own “private winter wonderland.”
• Peter Sagal: “Think of a snow globe, but way bigger, and instead of Santa, there’s a naked Russian oligarch." (10:43)
• Jokes about actors playing poor people outside, and the unnerving transparency of billionaire hobbies now (11:21).

3. Bluff the Listener – Real-Life Storm Hijinks

Three panelists spin stories about an unexpected storm:

• True Story: Alonzo Bowden’s tale of a Sag Harbor French restaurant refusing entry to storm refugees who lacked reservations (15:30–19:53).
  • Peter Sagal: “A fancy restaurant in Sag harbor won't let people in to take shelter from the storm because, you see, they hadn't made a reservation.” (16:27)
  • Confirmed by New York reporter Mara Sigler: “They were like, do you have a reservation? They let people outside with 80 mile per hour winds.” (20:10)

4. Interview: Jason Narducy – From Pre-Teen Punk to REM Tours

• Early Days: Formed punk band Verboten at age 11 with neighborhood kids, inspired by the Chicago scene.
  • Jason Narducy: “Our singer Tracy was just this fireball of charisma and she immersed herself in the punk rock community and got us a gig at Cubby Bear.” (22:15)
• Family Connection to Dave Grohl:
  • Narducy: “He and Tracy are cousins. So he came to Evanston when he was 13 and saw us practice. And he's just very sweet to credit us with inspiring him.” (23:10)
• Verboten Reunion:
  • Reunited after 40 years, writing new songs to make up for their brief pre-teen discography—headlined Riot Fest’s main stage (24:41).
  • Band broke up when Narducy was 12: “I just felt like I needed to go through puberty without band drama.” (25:09)
• Touring with Michael Shannon: Covers full REM albums (25:16–26:28).
  • Shannon, though an actor, joins Narducy for one-off album gigs that became full tours; the REM tribute went viral.
  • On their Minneapolis show: "Michael takes a couple steps back and slowly walks up to the mic and says, ‘Holy, holy...’" (26:25)
• Not My Job Quiz (27:14–30:31):
  • Jason sweeps questions about undercover cops and creative sting operations.

5. Panel Chatter: Relationships, Dating, and Apples

• Giving a "Turn-Off" List to Your Partner
  • New York Times advice: Tell your partner what specifically turns you off (33:22).
  • Negeen Farsad on her husband: “I think he eats too many apples...like, it’s a lot... five to seven apples a day.” (34:49)
  • Peter Sagal: “Do you think he's hiding apple eating from you?...Your husband, I hate to say this is cheating on you with a horse.” (35:05)
• ‘Shalant’ (not Nonchalant) Dating (35:36)
  • New trend is to date on purpose, openly supporting and caring, modeled on “Taylor and Travis” (36:19).
  • Adam Burke: “Can we all agree that now that she's married, all her music is gonna suck?” (36:40)

6. Limericks and Lightning Rounds

• Limericks:
  • Collecting tacky travel trinkets (39:08), Birkenstock x Ballet flats (41:37), the stress of too much relaxing (41:37).
• Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank:
  • Rapid-fire news quiz: world events, science headlines (Mars simulation mission), offbeat crime stories (teens with plasma cannon, seagulls as weapons), and pop culture (Justin Bieber at the World Cup).
  • Winners: Adam Burke and Alonzo Bowden tie as co-champions (49:07).

7. Panel Predictions: Next Hit Reality Show

• Negeen Farsad: “Brain Island—contestants have to explain a law of physics before they can have sex.” (50:00)
• Alonzo Bowden: “Scroll—young people at the world’s great sites ignoring them while they scroll on their phones.” (50:10)
• Adam Burke: “What Island—a show about Trump's legal defense team.” (50:22)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Love Island’s star literacy:
  • Peter Sagal: “Experts are now looking at the show and they're saying, this is great. It's helping shine a light on the growing worldwide literacy crisis. Or as they say on the island, lighter assy.” (07:02)
  • Alonzo Bowden: “The one thing I think it's safe to say about the cast of Love Island, they will never know NPR was making fun of them.” (08:05)
• On Snow Rooms:
  • Peter Sagal: “Think of a snow globe, but way bigger, and instead of Santa, there’s a naked Russian oligarch.” (10:43)
• On Relationship Turn-Offs:
  • Negeen Farsad: “I think he eats too many apples...like, it’s a lot... five to seven apples a day.” (34:49)
  • Peter Sagal: “Your husband is cheating on you with a horse.” (35:17)
• On dating trends:
  • Peter Sagal: “The opposite of nonchalant is shalant. Yes. Shalant dating...” (35:40)
• On Sag Harbor & Storm:
  • Alonzo Bowden: “Neither they nor the storm had reservations and no one was getting past the host.” (15:30)
• On Billionaire Eccentricities:
  • Alonzo Bowden: “Remember the good old days when you didn’t know what billionaires did?” (11:17)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:04 — Show intro, panelist introductions
• 02:32 — News quiz segment with listener Connor (World Cup, Love Island, vacations)
• 10:00 — Panel Q&A, Billionaire “snow rooms”
• 14:03 — “Bluff the Listener” with Sarah: Real-world storms
• 20:42 — “Not My Job” with Jason Narducy: Interview and quiz
• 32:23 — More news chat: Relationship advice, dating trends, apples
• 39:08 — Listener Limerick Challenge
• 43:54 — “Lightning Fill in the Blank” (news quiz lightning round)
• 50:00 — Panel predictions: Next reality show

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Summary Tone and Takeaway

The tone is sharp, light, and unabashedly cheeky—a crowd-pleasing blend of smarts and nonsense. Topical jokes, freewheeling banter, and genuine curiosity anchor the episode, with Jason Narducy’s pre-teen punk saga as the emotional highlight. From Love Island’s “lighter assy” to the existential horror of group vacations and a fresh take on billionaires’ wintry escapism, the show is witty, fast-paced, and uniquely NPR.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is a masterclass in playful news commentary, with memorable moments ranging from an epidemiologist scoring 3-for-3 in the quiz, through the hilarity of love and apples, all the way to childhood punk rock redemption. If you missed the show, you missed high-octane panel banter, an inspiring interview, and proof that, in the world of news quizzes, you don’t have to be the brightest—just the funniest.

Transcript

[Alzo Slade]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. I'm your judge and scorekeeper who recently realized I can just make up the scores and no one notices. I'm Alzo Slade, and here's your host at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Alzo. Thank you, Milwaukeen.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Thank you. Wow.

[Alonzo Bowden]

All right.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, I'm glad to see you, too. No, it is such a pleasure to be here. But in a way, it's also a solemn duty because now that Schlitz Beer is no longer around to make Milwaukee famous, someone has to do it. Later on, we're going to be talking to musician Jason Narducci, the man who, among many other things, inspired a young Dave Grohl to give this music thing a try. But first, we hope you are inspired to call in and play our games. The number to call is 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Now it's time to welcome our first listener contestant. Hi. You're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, this is Connor Van Meter calling from Atlanta, Georgia. Hey, Connor, how are you? What do you do there in Atlanta? I'm doing great. I'm an epidemiologist that works for an academic research group supporting infectious disease modeling and analytics.

[Adam Burke]

Oh, wow.

[Peter Sagal]

That's all I can say is I'm glad there's at least one person left doing that. Connor, welcome to our show. Let me introd you to our panel this week. First up, a comedian who will be hosting the show. Thank you. Good night. Every other Tuesday this summer at Chicago's Second City, it's Adam Burke. Hi, Connor. Next, a comedian you can see right here in Milwaukee at the laughing tap on July 11th in the Muslims Are Coming with equally threatening friends show Negeen Farsad.

[Negeen Farsad]

Hey.

[Peter Sagal]

And a comedian you can see July 24th and 25th at the Grand Comedy Club in Essex, Escondido, California. And then July 30th through August 1st at Punchline in Irving, Texas. It's Alonzo Bowden.

[Alonzo Bowden]

What's up, Connor?

[Peter Sagal]

Alonzo. So, Connor, as you know, you're going to play who's Alzo this time, Alzo Slade is going to read for you three quotations from this week's news. If you can correctly identify or explain just two of them, you'll win our prize. Any voice from our show, you may choose for your voicemail. Are you ready to go? I'm ready. All right. Your first quote is From a sports broadcaster.

[Alzo Slade]

Team USA looks like they've never played soccer before.

[Peter Sagal]

That was Steve Peralt talking about how the host country's team got bounced out of what big tournament? The World cup. That's right, the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now, I know what you're thinking. FIFA, the Peace Prize, people. So U.S. is out, and now we all have left in the tournament are like Argentina and Switzerland and some countries that haven't been bad for the Jews. Now, the early rounds of the tournament were filled with these great Cinderella stories like Curacao and Cape Verde. But now it's just down to the usual soccer powers. The World cup gets a lot less exciting once it's just the G8.

[Adam Burke]

Well, I haven't been watching the World cup because that requires cable, so I've been watching El Copa Mondial.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, yes, that's on Telev.

[Adam Burke]

Telemundo.

[Peter Sagal]

And it's free.

[Adam Burke]

And it's way more fun. It's so much more fun than Telemundo.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, it really is. I actually was watching Telemundo broadcast the U.S. game, their last game, and I don't understand Spanish very well, especially spoken that much excitement. I didn't know what they were saying, but their tone.

[Adam Burke]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

As the game went on, well, I got to the.

[Adam Burke]

I got to the point where I

[Peter Sagal]

was like, can I speak Spanish now?

[Adam Burke]

But then I. But then I realized they were just saying words in English because they were just going like Ryan Reynolds. And I was like, oh. Oh, that I understood.

[Alonzo Bowden]

I've been just absolutely loving it. The Cup's been exciting. It's been great. It's amazing how many Africans are in Belgium. Like, I had no idea that Belgium was an African paradise.

[Adam Burke]

Let's not look into why that is.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, no. Many American fans have decided now that our team's out of it, to root for, really, the breakout story of the tournament, Erling Haaland of Norway. Right. Oh, he's got fans. He scored almost as many goals in the tournament as Messi. He is totally charming on social media, and he loves everything about America. And he is enormous. Everybody, including himself, says he looks like a Viking.

[Adam Burke]

Shrek.

[Peter Sagal]

He was mean. No, he said it. He posed for a picture on Instagram next to, like, a big guy dressed as Shrek, saying, me and my twin brother. That's who he is. And it's not just his looks. He's always have this goofy expression on his face, like he scores a goal and he looks. And he's like, oh, I'm such a stinker.

[Adam Burke]

That's the official slogan of the Vikings.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, I know.

[Negeen Farsad]

But also, I love the amount that these guys love America. Like, I love that people are like Taco Bell. Have you tried this garbage? It's amazing. Like, that. I'm a little bit like, I'm proud

[Peter Sagal]

to be in America.

[Negeen Farsad]

You know what I mean? Every time they discover Waffle House, I'm just filled, brimming with pride.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. All right, here is your next quote. It's from a TV show that's airing its season finale this weekend.

[Alzo Slade]

It's not called Friend Island.

[Peter Sagal]

That is a famous catchphrase from what is the most popular TV show in America right now. What is it? Love Island. Yes, exactly. Love Island. Very good. If you're not familiar with Love island, how is that possible? It's on, no joke, every day. And it's the only way to say really hot people on tv. Except, of course, for ABC World News Tonight with David Muir. Basically, if you haven't seen it, beautiful people go to this beautiful tropical island and they couple up, and whoever the audience ultimately votes as the best couple wins. So if you still don't get it, just imagine the movie Castaway. But in the end, Tom Hanks and the volleyball hook up.

[Adam Burke]

I will say, from what I've heard, some of them are about as smart as a volleyball.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

One of the things that's happened this season that's brought attention to the show is these clips that have been going around of, well, the very attractive contestants not being very bright. For example, there's now a famous quote from this season when a woman said this, talking about compromise. She said, I'm going to come promise with you. We're going to compromise.

[Alzo Slade]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

And people just love this. And this is true. Experts are now looking at the show and they're saying, this is great. It's helping shine a light on the growing worldwide literacy crisis. Or as they say on the island, lighter assy. I don't know.

[Adam Burke]

I feel like there's some women in the audience who've heard a come promise before. It didn't feel.

[Alonzo Bowden]

In their defense, in their defense, they weren't hired for this show based on brain.

[Peter Sagal]

That's true. You make a good point. I mean. Yeah. Okay, one other point. Somebody said epitome instead of epitome. Fine. Somebody else said that their love interest of the moment was a quote, a ball of fresh air.

[Negeen Farsad]

I like to think that, like, this is an edited show, right. To present a certain picture of these people. I like to think what they edit out is them reading like Ulysses to each other.

[Adam Burke]

Right.

[Negeen Farsad]

This is all performance art, and we're just catching their worst moments between the

[Alonzo Bowden]

one thing I think it's safe to say about the cast of Love Island.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bowden]

They will never know NPR was making fun of them.

[Adam Burke]

That's true.

[Peter Sagal]

That's true. Here you go. Here is your Last quote.

[Alzo Slade]

Rule 24, early risers. Keep it down.

[Peter Sagal]

That was just one of the Washington Post list of 42 different rules for how to behave when you go on what with all your friends this summer.

[Announcer/Ad Voice]

Oh, man.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Traveling.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Well, I'll give it to you when you go on vacation with your friends. Right. New market data shows that sharing a vacation house with your friends is becoming more popular than ever. So this week, the Post published their 42 rules for renting a house with a friend group. The kind of list that if somebody sent it to you, you would not go on vacation with them.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Rule number one is actually don't ever do this, right?

[Peter Sagal]

Pretty much, no. But many of the rules are obvious. Like, you know, agree on your budget before you book a place. Right. Many of them, though, end up about navigating conflicts that may arise as the group lives together in the house. For example, Rule 23 is the biggest beds go to couples. Sorry, Thruples.

[Negeen Farsad]

Oh, wait. Is there a rule that's like, you can hit on your friend's boyfriend, but only once? Is that one of the rules?

[Peter Sagal]

Not one of the ones I read. Maybe that's one of the unwritten rules.

[Negeen Farsad]

Yes.

[Adam Burke]

How many of the rules are about the hot tub? 41.

[Peter Sagal]

No, we're not talking about Love island anymore. We've moved on. Alzo, how did Connor do at our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

He did great. Three out of three.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Connor. Thanks so much, y'.

[Negeen Farsad]

All.

[Peter Sagal]

Thanks for the good work you do here and in the real world. Take care. Get away

[Alzo Slade]

holiday.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. Now, panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Alonzo. Saunas. Old. Boring. Now there's a new luxury amenity that billionaires are adding to their homes. It's a dedicated room where they can go in any time of year and experience what?

[Alonzo Bowden]

Watching poor people try to survive. And by poor people, I mean all of us.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, I know.

[Announcer/Ad Voice]

No.

[Peter Sagal]

Give your hand.

[Alonzo Bowden]

No, they. They go into a room in their mansion. They have a room dedicated to this

[Peter Sagal]

experience of having what?

[Alonzo Bowden]

The experience.

[Peter Sagal]

I'll give you a hint. It's like. It's like your own private winter wonderland.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Snow.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, they're called snow rooms. The New York Times reported the ultra rich are building these snow rooms into their mansions. Think of a snow globe, but way bigger. And instead of a Santa, there's a naked Russian oligarch. The rooms use a variety of snow making devices and cooling technology to create an active snowfall so that you can enjoy your winter pleasures in your house. The highest end snow rooms come with a window and actors to play poor people standing outside shivering.

[Alonzo Bowden]

So, Peter, we're in vaguely the same age group.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Alonzo Bowden]

You know, we share memories. We do remember the good old days when you didn't know what billionaires did.

[Peter Sagal]

It's true.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Like when you just they had their own world and we lived in the real world and they, they may have had snow rooms and we were better off not knowing.

[Adam Burke]

I mean, I mean, I have a snow room. It's called a hole in the roof, but.

[Peter Sagal]

It's snow. Everything's so romantic. I never ever miss it's wintry kiss. I love it.

[Alonzo Bowden]

So.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up, bring an umbrella to our bluff the listener game call-18 8, wait wait to play. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait, Wait, don't tell me from NPR. This message comes from CookUnity, the first chef led meal delivery service where every meal is handcrafted in local micro kitchens, not mass produced in large facilities. With hundreds of dishes to choose from and over 10 different dietary preferences like high protein, low sodium, GLP1 and more taste what happens when real award winning chefs make fresh, small batched meals just for you? CookUnity.com wait or enter code wait before checkout to get 50% off your first order.

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[Alzo Slade]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell Me the NPR News quiz. I'm Alzo Slade. We're playing this week with Alonzo Boden, Adam Burke and Naguin Farsai. And here Again is your host at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Alzo. Right now it's time for the. Thank you, everybody. Thank you all so much. Right now it's time for.

[Adam Burke]

For the.

[Peter Sagal]

Wait, wait, don't tell me. Bluff the listener game. Call 1, 8, 8, 8, wait, wait. To play our game in the air. Hi. You are on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, Peter, this is Sarah from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Welcome to our great city. Thank you. Why are you at home? Why aren't you here with us? Well, yeah, I did try to get tickets, but this is the second best thing. It is? Well, I mean, maybe even better because I'm not talking to any of these people.

[Jason Narduzzi]

That's true.

[Peter Sagal]

What do you do here in this fabulous city by the lake? Well, I work as a proud librarian for Milwaukee Public Schools.

[Negeen Farsad]

Hey,

[Peter Sagal]

Enough said. Well, it's great to have you with us, if not in person here talking with us. You're going to play our game in which you must try to tell truth from fiction. What is Sarah's topic? Alzo?

[Alzo Slade]

Storms are coming.

[Peter Sagal]

Who doesn't love a really good storm? Feeling the wind, hearing the thunder, watching the weathermen do a report from the street, hoping this time he gets sucked up into a tornado. This week we heard about something that was surprising that happened in the middle of a storm. Our panelists are going to tell you about it. Pick the one who's telling the truth and win the weight. Waiter of your choice in your voicemail. Are you ready to play? I'm ready. First. Great. First, let's hear from Alonzo Bowden.

[Alonzo Bowden]

All right. Just as the fourth of July fireworks for Sag harbor ended last weekend, chaos ensued. A violent storm hit. Trees were falling, debris was flying. People were panicked and running for cover. But pity the poor souls who ran to Les Bilboquet. Neither they nor the storm had reservations and no one was getting past the host. The well known Sag Harbor French restaurant did not let people in despite 80 mile per hour winds and emergency alerts blaring. No reservation, no shelter. I mean, they weren't even adhering to the dress code. It clearly states no soaking wet people. In an ironic, almost historical twist, people turned away from the French restaurant found shelter in a nearby American hotel. No word yet on whether future storms with more advance notice will be allowed at Les Bilboquet.

[Peter Sagal]

A fancy restaurant in Sag harbor won't let people in to take shelter from the storm because, you see, they hadn't made a reservation. Your next Tempest tale comes from Negeen Farsah.

[Negeen Farsad]

The movie Shawshank Redemption has inspired many things like prison escapes and parodies. It's even an inspired me to lay on my couch and watch it again for the 40th time. The most surprising of all is tourism to the Ohio State Reformatory Prison in Mansfield where the movie was filmed. This ain't your granddaddy's prison. This is a tourist destination. Members of the Shawshank Forever fan club were scheduled to do their annual walk along the Shawshank Trail this past weekend, but considered canceling because of the extreme weather forecast in Mansfield. But then they thought, no, let's lean in. They went full reenactment. It was already raining when they met at the Mansfield sewer tunnels. They smeared their faces with mud to look like they had just emerged from poop. Then they started the walk with that famous moment where Tim Robbins raises his hands to the sky as he's pounded by rain. But this time they experienced the full epiphany with actual rain and thunder and downed trees. And actually it was super dangerous. But they all carried suits they had stuffed in plastic bags all the way to the 7 11, where they changed and toasted with a hot do. In the end, heavy drops of climate change never felt so good.

[Peter Sagal]

Shawshank Redemption fans used the happy accident of a storm to recreate the movie accurately. Your last story of stormy weather comes from Adam Burke.

[Adam Burke]

Every year, the National Society of Benjamin Franklin reenactors meet up to diligently recreate one of the famous polymath's many achievements. One time they gathered for a mass recital on a glass harmonium. Another saw a group trip to Paris to just be real messy bitches. But this year, the society descended on Franklin's adopted hometown of Philadelphia to commemorate the 275th anniversary of the Founding Fathers groundbreaking electric kite experiment, with even the weather cooperating to produce a fierce lightning storm on the required day. It was an absolute disaster, which is to say it worked a little too well, says Kurt Wapner, one of the several poor Richards to be partially electrocuted that day while the Rio Franklin and his son conducted their kite and key study from the relative safety of a shed. Many of the 200 counterfeit Benjamins flew their kites while completely exposed to the elements and either received nasty shocks or injured themselves falling. It's a good thing a lot of them were wearing rubber Crocs at the time, says local ER Dr. Samantha Webb. Or it could have been worse, although I wish they hadn't insisted on staying in character while I was trying to treat them.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, one of these things happened recently in a storm that made the news. Was it from Alonzo Boden? A fancy restaurant in Sag Harbor, New York, refused to let people in to shelter them from the storm because they simply hadn't called ahead to reserve a table from Negeen Farsad. Shawshank Redemption fans used the accident of a storm to just recreate that magical moment of Tim Robbins escape from the prison. Or from Adam Burke. Benjamin Franklin. Reenactors do too good a job reenacting his experiments. Flying a kite in a thunderstorm. Which one was the real story we

[Alzo Slade]

found in the nature?

[Peter Sagal]

Well, I think, Peter, the one that's probably most believable is a. Is A, to me, a for Alonzo. In this case, his story of the restaurant. Yes, the first one.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, that's your choice. Well, to bring you the correct answer, we spoke to a reporter who covered it. They wouldn't let people in.

[Negeen Farsad]

They were like, do you have a reservation? They let people outside with 80 mile per hour winds.

[Peter Sagal]

You were right. That was Mara Sigler, senior reporter for the New York, talking about the reservations being required during the storm out in Sag Harbor. Congratulations, Sarah. You got it right. Thank you so much for Alonzo. Just for telling the truth in an entertaining way, you've won our prize, the voice of anyone you might choose for your voicemail. Thank you so much for playing with us today.

[Adam Burke]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

Take care. And now, the game we call Not My Job. A lot of famous musicians started young, but when Jason Narduzzi was playing with his first punk band in clubs all over Chicago, he was 11 years old. In the short time that's passed since then, he's collaborated with Bob Mold, Super Chunk, Eddie Vedder, and many others, plus his own project, split single. And most recently, he's been touring the world with actor Michael Shannon as they perform REM Albums in their entirety. Jason Narduzzi, welcome to. Wait, Wait, don't tell me.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay, fact check. Really true. You're 11 years old and you have a punk band and you're playing in bars.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah, I got my first guitar when I was 10 years old. Thank you, mom and stepdad.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Jason Narduzzi]

And I immediately was captivated by punk rock. This is in 1982, and I lucked out. I met these kids on my block who also like punk rock, and we formed a band, Evanston's own verboten.

[Adam Burke]

Whoa.

[Peter Sagal]

That's hardcore with an umlaut. Oh, of course it had an umlauch over the O.

[Jason Narduzzi]

So you took it seriously.

[Adam Burke]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

I have so many questions. Like, what kind of punk rock songs do 11 year olds write? Like raging against the injustice of an 8 o' clock bedtime.

[Announcer/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Jason Narduzzi]

I think we only really got there twice. We tried so hard.

[Peter Sagal]

To be punk, you mean? Yeah, yeah.

[Jason Narduzzi]

But our singer Tracy was just this fireball of charisma and she immersed herself in the punk rock community and got us a gig at Cubby Bear.

[Peter Sagal]

The Cubby Bear, which is very famous,

[Jason Narduzzi]

Very famous bar in Chicago, opening up her naked ray gun. When I was a little, and I think no one would believe that that happened, but my dad drove me to the gig.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, sure.

[Jason Narduzzi]

And he. He brought one of those 1983 camcorders

[Peter Sagal]

and put it on his shoulder. Enormous thing.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah. And he videotaped it.

[Peter Sagal]

So how could you, once you do that as 11 year old, how could you ever do anything else with your life?

[Jason Narduzzi]

Do it better.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, I guess. And famously Dave Grohl of Nirvana and then the Foo Fighters says that it was you and maybe that band that inspired to get him into rock and roll.

[Jason Narduzzi]

He and Tracy are cousins.

[Negeen Farsad]

Right.

[Jason Narduzzi]

So he came to Evanston when he was 13 and saw us practice. And he's just very sweet to credit us with inspiring him.

[Alzo Slade]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

He's like, someday I'm going to do that.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Well, he made the HBO show Sonic Highways and interviewed me and Tracy and showed footage from Cubby Bear. My dad got paid, all right.

[Negeen Farsad]

Finally,

[Jason Narduzzi]

More than me.

[Negeen Farsad]

It's like,

[Peter Sagal]

I love, like what Martin Scorsese was to the band. Your dad was to you.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

And this I love so. You first. So that band Verboten reunited 40 years after breaking up.

[Jason Narduzzi]

They came to me.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

[Jason Narduzzi]

My bandmates.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Jason Narduzzi]

They said, we heard some festivals might hire us if we were. And I said, you guys haven't played music for over 40 years. How are we going to do this? And we don't have enough music to play a festival. And the music that we have, I wrote when I was 11. I just, I didn't. I mean, I loved their enthusiasm. Enthusiasm. And they're some of my closest friends, Tracy, Chris and Zach and John Aaron. And. But I just said, how are we going to do this? And then I said, well, maybe I'll take some time to write new songs while you guys practice. And they were game for it. And I have to say, we played on the main stage of Riot Fest

[Peter Sagal]

as our reunion show and where they're like incredibly ancient Puck Rock fans who were wearing their original verboten merchandise from 1982.

[Jason Narduzzi]

I love that you think that we had merchandise.

[Alzo Slade]

I guess my question is, what are the reasons a band would break up when you're 11 years old?

[Jason Narduzzi]

We broke up when I was 12.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, they lasted.

[Alzo Slade]

Now that makes more sense.

[Jason Narduzzi]

And, yeah, I just felt like I needed to go through puberty without band drama.

[Peter Sagal]

So I also, I wanted to ask you about your latest project. You've done so many things. You have been touring, I believe, the world.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

You've been to Europe and other places with Michael Shannon, the actor.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

And you're doing entire REM albums.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

You started with their first one, which was Murmur. Right. And. All right, a lot of questions. Michael Shannon, known primarily as an excellent actor. Chicago guy, when he came to you and said, hey, man, I want to. I'm a singer, I want to do this. You're like, oh, God, an actor who thinks he can sing. It's William Shatner. What was your reaction?

[Jason Narduzzi]

Golden Voices. Yeah. Well, the funny thing is, is that we've been doing this for 10 years in Chicago, where Michael would say, I'm going to come to town. Can you book a club, put together a band and we'll play one entire record. And we do that like once a year. We did a Bob Dylan record, We did Modern Lovers, we did Neil Young, Zuma, we did T. Rex. We did so many records like this. But then in 2023, we played an REM record and it just exploded. I asked Mike if he's ever done a rock tour. He said, no. I said, I think we could do one. You want to do it? He said, yeah. Keep it short, you know, He's a busy guy.

[Peter Sagal]

He is.

[Jason Narduzzi]

So we, we booked a nine day tour and the first two shows were in San Francisco. The third show was in Minneapolis. Great routing on my part. And after the first song in Minneapolis at First Avenue, we finished the first song, Radio Free Europe, and the 1100 people just. There's that thing that you always wish you can hear. And I have videotaped of this. Michael takes a couple steps back and slowly walks up to the mic and says, holy, holy.

[Adam Burke]

Wait.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Oh, sorry.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, it's okay. Do you have videotape or does your dad have videotape? Still out there, still in the Betamax. Well, Jason Raguzzi, it is a pleasure to talk to you. We have invited you here to play a game.

[Alzo Slade]

We're calling Meet this Undercover Band.

[Peter Sagal]

So, as we have established, you're great at playing covers, but what do you know about going undercover? We're gonna ask you about agents who go undercover to catch the bad guys. Get two.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

You'll win our prize. One of our listeners, the voice of anyone they might choose for their voicemail. Also, who is Jason Narduzzi playing for?

[Alzo Slade]

Owen Bostwick of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

[Peter Sagal]

There you go.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Local.

[Peter Sagal]

So here's your first question. Ready to do this?

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. Sometimes undercover operations are too successful. Like in the case of a group of cops in Detroit who posed as drug buyers in 2017 and then did. What was it? A, bought so much drugs for themselves, the actual drug using community staged a protest at city hall. B increased the local drug trade so much, Detroit won city of the Year from the National Drug Traffickers Association. Or C, successfully busted another group of undercover cops who were posing as drug dealers. I'm so glad that you guys wrote

[Jason Narduzzi]

these for punk rock musician.

[Adam Burke]

I do.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

I'll go with C. You're gonna go with C. And you're correct. The undercover drug buyers successfully arranged a big buy for some big time drug dealers and then shouted, they're under arrest. At the same time, the drug dealers shouted, no, you're under arrest. And this is true. A fist fight between the two groups of cops ensued. That was very good. Here's your next question. Just last month, just last month, police in Peru pulled off a brilliant undercover sting. Their undercover agents got close enough to a major narco trafficker to arrest him by disguising themselves as what? A, the World cup mascots, B, delivery robots, or C, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

[Jason Narduzzi]

I'll go with A.

[Peter Sagal]

You're right.

[Adam Burke]

A,

[Peter Sagal]

The cops knew the drug trafficker would be watching the opening game of the World cup, so they dressed up two officers as Clutch the Bald eagle and Maple the Moose. I'm sure you know those are two of the mascots of the World Cup. All right, here's your last question. Get this, you'll be perfect. A Texas police officer went undercover to investigate a bartender suspected of selling methods and immediately ran into a challenge. When the bartender asked him, are you a cop? What did he do? Did he A, ask, what is a cop anyway? Starting a 20 minute philosophical conversation, B said, are you a drug dealer? And when she said yes, arrested her. Or C said, yeah, I'm a cop. Here's my microphone, holding out his actual microphone, and then asked if she would still sell him drugs. And she did. Oh, I see a lot of drug buyers here in Milwaukee.

[Jason Narduzzi]

They really want me to go with

[Peter Sagal]

C. They do want you to go with C. I'll go with C. They're right. You're right. It was C. Also, how did Jason Narduzzi do in our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

He did all right because he got them all right.

[Peter Sagal]

You did really well. You covered that. Jason Narduzzi is a musician who's about to go on tour with his friend Michael Shannon, celebrating the 40th anniversary of REM's Life's Rich pageant. He's also the author of a funny and charming and short memoir called Mostly the Van. Jason Narduzzi, thank you so much for joining us on Wait Wait. Talk Jason Narduzzi. In just a minute. Whatever you do, don't relax. Find out why and our listen. Remember challenge Call one triple eight WAIT Wait to join us in the air. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait, Wait, Don't Tommy from npr.

[Announcer/Ad Voice]

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Vanguard. Every day, shareholders meet to discuss important matters about the companies you invest in. Now you can make your voice heard, too. Vanguard Investor Choice makes it easy to set your proxy voting preference for your eligible Vanguard index funds. Visit vanguard.com investorchoice to learn more. Vanguard investors own shares of their index funds, and those funds own shares of the companies they invest in. Vanguard Marketing Corporation Distributor this message comes from Odoo.

If your business runs on five different apps, 12 browser tabs and one spreadsheet that everyone's afraid to touch, it's probably time for Odoo. Odoo is an all in one business management software platform. Instead of wasting time switching between systems, your business works together in real time. Odoo gives you one flexible platform built to grow with you. Try for free [e-mail] NPRpodcast that's O D O O.com NPRpodcast.

[Alzo Slade]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, Don't tell me the NPR News Quiz. I'm Alzo Slade. We're playing this week with Alonzo Boden, Adam Burke and Nagin Farsad. And here again is your host at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you so much, Alzo. Thank you, everybody. Coming up, listeners sensitive to limericks may want to step away from the show for a few minutes because pretty soon it will be our listener limerick Challenge. If you'd like to play, give us a call at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Right now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news. Nagin the relationship columnists at the New York Times this week, summed up all the best advice that they have gathered over their careers. And one useful tip is that you should give your romantic partner a list of what

[Jason Narduzzi]

gifts?

[Negeen Farsad]

A list of.

[Peter Sagal]

Let me give you a hint. Let me give you a hint. May I? Things like the way you tip your ugly hat. The way you loudly gulp your tea.

[Negeen Farsad]

A list of criticisms.

[Peter Sagal]

A list of things. I'll give it to you. A list of things they do that turn you off.

[Announcer/Ad Voice]

Oh, yes.

[Peter Sagal]

A psychologist says that people are too focused on adding things to their experiences between the sheep. But it might be a better idea to remove things that ruin the experience. Like using the phrase between the sheets.

[Adam Burke]

You know what? Be at the top of my list.

[Alonzo Bowden]

What?

[Adam Burke]

Receiving a list.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Yeah,

[Negeen Farsad]

I recently. I love my husband. I think he's the best. That said, McGee, I honestly, like, don't have very many criticisms of him, But I did share with him like, the other day that I. I just. I think he eats too many apples.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, it's like. Hold on, hold on.

[Adam Burke]

Stop.

[Peter Sagal]

We had a moment where we all knew that Nagim was going to say something critical of her husband. Who here in this room anticipated it was going to be that.

[Alonzo Bowden]

The idea. The idea that a woman of your caliber settled for one of those apple eaters, you could do so much better.

[Peter Sagal]

It's a lot to find too many apples.

[Negeen Farsad]

Literally, it's like five to seven apples a day.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, my God.

[Negeen Farsad]

Like, it's a lot.

[Adam Burke]

Does sometimes he come home at night smelling of cider?

[Negeen Farsad]

Well, and by the way, those are just the apples I know about.

[Adam Burke]

Oh, my God.

[Peter Sagal]

I don't know what he's doing out on the. Do you think he's hiding apple eating from you? Do you think he's lying to you about his apple eating? Your husband, I hate to say this is cheating on you with a horse.

[Adam Burke]

Do you find a folder on his computer just called Golden Delicious?

[Alzo Slade]

Adam.

[Peter Sagal]

This week the New York Times reported that a new dating trend. People who are tired of nonchalant dating are instead trying what they are really calling what.

[Adam Burke]

So it's the opposite of nonchalant?

[Peter Sagal]

It is.

[Adam Burke]

Is it like gum to your head dating?

[Peter Sagal]

Is it like you're overthinking it? High stakes dating? No. The opposite of nonchalant is shalant. Yes. Shalom dating, Ladies and gentlemen, the latest trend. Yes, it's called shalant dating. And the idea is. This is crazy. People actually put effort and care into their dating life. I mean, it's. Oh, yeah, Basically, it's dating like you're desperate, right? Oh, I'll pick up the check and then also give you $20. I love you.

[Negeen Farsad]

So no apples.

[Peter Sagal]

No apples.

[Negeen Farsad]

No.

[Peter Sagal]

The New York Times says Shalant dating. Honestly, they're calling it that. It involves things like being open into your partner and supporting their career. And the model for this is Taylor and Travis, known for their Shalant date. He was so. She was so into his career, which is easy. His career is football games.

[Adam Burke]

Real quick about Taylor and Travis. The only thing I'll say, can we all agree that from now on, now that she's married, all of her music is gonna suck?

[Negeen Farsad]

I'm excited for an era where she can write songs about like, whatever, brunch, Pokemon, like, whatever, you know what I mean? Like, she can just finally stop talking about it.

[Peter Sagal]

Instead of writing about her boyfriends who betrayed her, she can write songs about her husband who went ahead and finished the Netflix show without her.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Alonzo Bowden]

I'm fascinated that this, they're the example for this. So if a guy meets a woman who's a world famous billionaire, yes. He should be into her.

[Adam Burke]

Yes.

[Alonzo Bowden]

No. Cause I single. And if this ever comes up, if I ever meet a woman who's a world famous billionaire, I'll be like, you know what? You're interesting.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Coming up, it's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first is the game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at one triple eight. Wait, wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. You can catch us most weeks at the Studebaker Theatre in downtown Chicago. And come see us at. On the Road will be at the Rose Music center in Huber Heights, Ohio. That's just outside of Dayton on September 3rd. For tickets and info to all our live events, go to nprpresents.org hi, Jerome. Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Negeen Farsad]

Hi, this is Mary Blair from Monroe, Connecticut.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, how are things in Monroe, Connecticut?

[Negeen Farsad]

They're great.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm so glad. What do you do there?

[Negeen Farsad]

I am a middle school librarian.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, my gosh.

[Alonzo Bowden]

You're the.

[Peter Sagal]

You're the second school librarian we've had on this show. And now I think I finally understand who our demographic is.

[Negeen Farsad]

Yes. I love it. I actually was a literacy specialist before that, and so I just finished my first year as a librarian, and we had more than 1300 more books checked out this year than in previous years.

[Peter Sagal]

That's fabulous.

[Negeen Farsad]

It's.

[Peter Sagal]

If you, however, are a literacy specialist, I know an island where they can use Your services. Well, welcome to the show. Mary Alzo Slade, of course is going to perform for you 3news related limericks with a last word or phrase missing from each. If you can fill in that last word or phrase correctly and tooth of the limerick will be a winner. Ready to go?

[Negeen Farsad]

Sure am.

[Peter Sagal]

Alright, here's your first limerick.

[Alzo Slade]

When I travel, I don't overthink it. I buy souvenir liquor and drink it. Then I keep the shot glass. I've got them in masks. I love to collect a cheap trinket.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, the Wall Street Journal this week covered the throngs of people who proudly collect cheap souvenir crap on vacations. Of course, we all buy that stuff. If you don't bring home those cheap tacky souvenirs, how are you supposed to remember what cities are for lovers? People shared with the Journal their collections of collectible mugs and magnets and sculptures made from tiny shells. It's astonishing how something you will never use and don't actually want becomes something you absolutely must have once Pensacola is printed on it.

[Adam Burke]

I think it's great to have though, especially if you end up having kids. It's great to have those and keep them and remind your kids why you're bitter towards them.

[Peter Sagal]

This is the places we used to go.

[Adam Burke]

Exactly.

[Peter Sagal]

I had a life before.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Why I used to travel all over the world collecting little spoons. All right, here is your next limerick.

[Alzo Slade]

While foot fashioned mavens may smirk and shock.

[Negeen Farsad]

Seriously.

[Jason Narduzzi]

Hey,

[Alzo Slade]

let me cook. Let me cook. All right. Podiatrists proudly say work your walk. A wide footbed of cork makes a high fashion dork. A ballet flat that's also a Birkenstein.

[Peter Sagal]

You got it in one. You got it in one. Birkenstock's new collaboration with the French ballet shoe company Repetto is a hippie ballerina's dream. It's perfect for anyone who loves the ballet but just wishes you could see all the toes. The collection reimagines Birkenstock's famous sturdy silhouettes with details like ballet inspired colors and ribbon lacings. It really brings that I'm riding my E bike to the co op vibe to classical dance.

[Alonzo Bowden]

What scares me about this is when the crocs people find me.

[Adam Burke]

Oh no. That's a much easier word to rhyme.

[Peter Sagal]

Here is your last limerick.

[Alzo Slade]

As my free time is turned to the max, my chill vibe is showing some cracks. As I decompress, my mind starts to stress. I have had too much time to relax.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. The Washington Post reported new research this week that shows that relaxing the way we do it these days does not actually make you happier.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

It makes sense. One minute is like, oh, I'm going to be so happy reading in this hammock. And the next minute it's like, hello 911, I'm stuck in a hammock. Experts, there are always experts say that we're relaxing. Wrong. By binge watching TV or scrolling on our phones. Okay, maybe. But what? Try this. If you're binge watching and scrolling in your phone at the same time, that's a good time. Alzo, how did Mary do in our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

She did great. Three out of three.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Mary. Thank you. Take care and keep up the good work.

[Negeen Farsad]

Thank you so much.

[Peter Sagal]

Bye bye.

[Announcer/Ad Voice]

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Vanguard Every day, shareholders meet to discuss important matters about the companies you invest in. Now you can make your voice heard too. Vanguard Investor Choice makes it easy to set your proxy voting preference for your eligible Vanguard index funds. Visit vanguard.com investor choice to learn more. Vanguard investors own shares of their index funds, and those funds own shares of the companies they invest in. Vanguard Marketing Corporation Distributor this message comes from Odoo.

If your business runs on five different apps, 12 browser tabs, and one spreadsheet that everyone's afraid to touch, it's probably time for Odoo. Odoo is an all in one business management software platform. Instead of wasting time switching between systems, your business works together in real time. Odoo gives you one flexible platform built to grow with you. Try for free [e-mail] NPRpodcast that's O-O-O.com NPRpodcast now onto our final game.

[Peter Sagal]

Lightning Fill in the Blank. Each of our players will have 60 seconds in which to answer as many fill in the blank questions as they can. Each correct answer now worth two points. Alzo, can you give us the scores?

[Alzo Slade]

Absolutely. Adam and Alonzo are tied up at three and Nagin has a little work to do with two.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. So Nagin, okay. All right, Nagin, you're in second, so you're going to be up first. The clock will start when I begin your first question. Fill in the blank. Here we go. On Wednesday, Democratic Senate candidate Blank dropped out of the race in Graham Platner. Right. This week, the health workers battling Blank in the Democratic Republic of Congo went on strike.

[Negeen Farsad]

Ebola.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, a collapsing high rise in Blank forced evacuations of other buildings in the neighborhood.

[Negeen Farsad]

Midtown Manhattan.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. On Wednesday, a federal judge rejected Blank's attempt to delay his $5 million payment to Eugene County.

[Negeen Farsad]

Trump.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

This week, a bank manager in South Korea who stole almost $50,000 from a bank vault was caught even though he covered his tracks by blanking.

[Negeen Farsad]

Peeing on his tracks?

[Peter Sagal]

No, by replacing the cash he stole with fake money that had cartoon ducks on it. On Thursday, NASA said it was seeking volunteers for a year long simulated mission to Bl.

[Negeen Farsad]

Jupiter.

[Peter Sagal]

Mars. Jupiter. On Wednesday, it was announced that Justin Bieber would perform at the final halftime show of the Blank World Cup.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

This week, two teens in North Carolina were arrested when they were caught breaking into their school using Blank mittens. No. A homemade plasma cannon. According to police, the two teens used a homemade plasma cannon made from metal glass and a propane tank to melt a hole through the screen school's front door and gain entry to the building. It's the kind of story that makes you say, actually, maybe it's okay to cut funding from STEM education. Alzo, how did Negeen do on our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

She did pretty good. She got five right for 10 more points. With a total of 12. She's now in the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, let me arbitrarily pick Alonzo to go next. Here we go. Alonzo, fill in the blank. During the NATO summit, Trump held a press conference with with Ukrainian president Blank.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Oh, Polinsky.

[Peter Sagal]

Close enough. Zelensky. Following a days long funeral procession, Blank buried their supreme leader on Thursday.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Iran.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, three more people were charged with vandalizing the blank in Washington D.C. the reflecting pool. Right. On Monday, meteorologists warned that the Super Blank may be worse than predicted.

[Alonzo Bowden]

El Nino.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, the super El Nino. Following demand from tourists visiting the US for the World Cup, Blank announced it was offering special VIP tours.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Taco Bell?

[Peter Sagal]

No, Walmart. Under a new FTC ruling, owners of lawn and farm equipment made by Blank will be allowed to repair it themselves.

[Alonzo Bowden]

John Deere.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Monday, the royal family said that Blank would not stay at Buckingham palace during his visit to the uk.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Oh, Prince. Is it Harry?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, it's Harry. This week, two teenagers in North Carolina who were driving around shooting BB guns and drinking were arrested when Blank called the cops.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Cops on them. Grown men driving around with BB guns.

[Peter Sagal]

The two teenagers were arrested when the Waymo they were in called the cops on them. So the kids called a Waymo and they were like driving around in it, shooting their toy guns out the window at people and enjoying what the police called, quote, afternoon libations. But they quickly regretted the decision when the Waymo pulled over and called the cops. What a narc we're one step away from a Waymo being like, hey, that doesn't look like your wife back there with you. Alzo. How did Alonzo do in our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

He got six, right. For 12 more points, which gives him a total of 15 and the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so how many then does Adam Burke need to.

[Alzo Slade]

Six to tie, but seven to win.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Adam, this is for the game. Fill in the Blank. On Wednesday, Trump said that the U.S. s ceasefire with Blank was over Iran. Right. After three weeks, former summit majority leader Blank remains hospitalized.

[Adam Burke]

Mitch McConnell.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, residents in Berlin were shocked when local blanks started leaving free samples in their mailboxes. Squirrels? No. Local ketamine dealers. This week, the CDC warned that a mysterious Blank bug was spreading across the

[Adam Burke]

U.S. is it the explosive diarrhea one?

[Peter Sagal]

It is. On Tuesday, space company Blank officially joined the NASDAQ 100.

[Adam Burke]

SpaceX.

[Alzo Slade]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

On Tuesday, the Olympics lifted their suspensions on the team from Blank Russia. Right. With 25 nominations, the Pit led the pack for the 2026 Blank Awards Emmys. Right. This week, a man in Scotland was arrested and charged with trying to use Blank as a weapon. His breath? No, a seagull. Witnesses say the man grabbed two seagulls by the legs and then used one to try to hit a passerby. But why grab two? Obviously, one was for the crime, the other was for his getaway. Alzo, did Adam do well enough to win?

[Alzo Slade]

No, he didn't.

[Peter Sagal]

I told you.

[Alzo Slade]

But cuts. He got six, right. Which means he's tied with Alonzo Boden and they are now co champions.

[Peter Sagal]

Co champions. Excellent.

[Negeen Farsad]

All right, I guess I'm just a piece of garbage.

[Alzo Slade]

How about them apples?

[Alonzo Bowden]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

In just a minute, we're going to ask our panels to predict after Love island what'll be the next hit reality show. But first, let me tell you all. Wait, wait, don't me tell. He's a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago in association with Urgent Haircut Productions. Doug Berman, benevolent overlord and tech support. Philip Gautica writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our ops manager is Jasira Vardak. BJ Leaderman, composer. Our theme our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Doornboss and Lillian King. Special thanks this week to Blythe Roberson. Peter Gwynn is Milwaukee's second best. Emma Choi is our vibe curator. Technical directions from Lorna Whiter. CFO's Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse. Our senior producer is Ian Chillock, and the executive producer. Wait, wait. Don't tell me it's Mr. Michael Danforth. Now, panel, what will be the next great reality show?

[Negeen Farsad]

Negeen Farsad Brain island, where contestants have to successfully explain a law of physics before they can have sex with another contestant.

[Alonzo Bowden]

Alonzo Boden, scroll, where young people go to the most interesting places in the world and ignore them while they scroll on their phones.

[Peter Sagal]

And Adam Burke, what Island?

[Adam Burke]

A show about Trump's legal defense team.

[Alzo Slade]

And if any of that happens, panel, we'll ask you about it on. Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Alzo Slaves. Thanks also to Adam Burke, Nikki Farsad and Alonzo Bonin. Thanks to Matt Beringer and the entire staff and crew here at the Riverside Theater. Special thanks to everyone at WU WM here in Milwaukee. Thanks to our fabulous audience here who came out to see us in beautiful downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Thanks to all of you for listening at home. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you in Chicago next week. This is npr.

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