"Wicked" director Jon M. Chu talks Elphaba-branded Swiffers and we preview "Melania"

Summary

Summary: "Wicked" Director Jon M. Chu Talks Elphaba-Branded Swiffers and We Preview "Melania"

Podcast: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! (NPR)
Host: Peter Sagal
Panelists: Negeen Farsad, Peter Gross, Annie Rauwerda
Celebrity Guest: Jon M. Chu
Air Date: January 31, 2026

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Episode Overview

This lively episode of Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!, NPR’s beloved news quiz, features acclaimed director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, Wicked, Wicked for Good) as the "Not My Job" guest. The panel—comedians and writers—jokes through topical news stories, including the quirks of the upcoming Milan Winter Olympics, the much-hyped "Melania" documentary, and weather-induced exploding trees. Later, Chu joins Peter Sagal to dish on his directing career, childhood dance routines, and the wild world of Wicked-branded Swiffers.

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Key Segments, Discussions & Notable Moments

1. Panelist Quiz: Current Events with the Audience

[00:43–12:03]

A Cold Olympic Countdown

• Topic: Last-minute chaos before the Milan Winter Olympics, unfinished venues and the infamous ski lift.
• Highlights:
  • Peter Sagal: "This is the country that literally invented the phrase about not building stuff in one day." (03:32)
  • Panel banter explores comedic stereotypes about different winter sports' "sexual orientations":
    • Negeen Farsad: "We now as a globe have learned how gay hockey is… I think we might learn that everyone in ice dancing is very straight." (03:56)
    • Annie Rauwerda: "Luge is. It seems like, you know, famously luge is very bisexual." (04:27)

"Melania": The First Lady's $75 Million Biopic

• Topic: Melania Trump’s documentary premiere and the public’s (and crew’s!) response.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • Peter Sagal: "The movie follows the first lady for the 20 days leading up to the inauguration with the big drama being, will she ever complete that dalmatian coat she’s been working on?" (05:54)
  • Negeen Farsad: "I don’t really care. Do you?" (06:19)
  • Peter Sagal: "Two thirds of the movie’s crew asked not to be listed in the credits." (07:10)

The Exploding Trees Phenomenon

• Topic: Trees literally bursting in extreme cold, aka "frost crack."
• Fun Fact: Viral videos and public warnings surfaced during the storm.
• Panel Quip: Peter Sagal: "Frost crack, which is also what you get when your snow pants fall down. Right?" (09:12)
• Panelist Jokes: Botox for trees, Robert Frost references.

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2. Peculiar News: Colonoscopies as 'Nirvana'

[09:58–11:34]

• The New York Times lauds colonoscopies as not only great but almost spiritual.
• Peter Sagal: "A writer… discovered that they’re actually wonderful. Why do you think we’re smiling all the time?" (10:12)
• Anecdotes on the joys (and horrors) of colonoscopy prep.
• "It's kind of fun to discover that your own body is a clown car." (10:41)

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3. Bluff the Listener: Weird Tourist Attractions

[14:22–20:47]

Three tales are presented; the contestant must guess which is real:

1. Peter Gross: Stockholm’s minimalist design museum is a hit for its intentionally ugly "Vulgar Room."
2. Annie Rauwerda: Kids flock to see a Sumerian tablet at the British Museum resembling the numbers '6' and '7.'
3. Negeen Farsad: American tourists are obsessed with visiting Costcos in foreign countries (the true story).

• Reveal: Actual answer is the global Costco craze.
• Fun Quote: "The classic Costco hot dog and pizza are here, but you can also get a nice little creamy mushroom soup, tteokbokki and even bulgogi pizza." (20:28)

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4. Not My Job: Interview with Jon M. Chu

[20:51–31:07]

Chu’s Early Life and Career Path

• Childhood spent in his parents' Silicon Valley restaurant, Chef Chu’s.
• Local tech legends loaned him editing gear after hearing stories at the restaurant.
  • Jon M. Chu: "It was a house of stories... people from Adobe gave me software to edit with, gave me cameras, gave me computers." (21:54)
• His USC film school short, When the Kids Are Away, featured housewives in big musical numbers—ending with a “deep” Michael Jackson twist.

Tap-Dancing Trauma

• Forced as a child to do tap routines with his sister, culminating in a unitard-clad, talent-show memory:
  • Chu: "I'm in this big black unitard as her shadow. And so I haven’t lived it down since then, really." (24:10)
  • Peter Sagal: "She’s never seen any movie you’ve ever done because she’s still mad." (24:26)

Wicked and Wicked Merch

• Chu saw Wicked pre-Broadway; describes being “Patient Zero” of its fandom.
• He dishes on the Wicked merchandising blitz—Crocs, Barbies, Stanley Cups, and… Swiffers.
  • Chu: "The Swiffer is pretty cool. When you go to Target and you see the Elphaba and Galinth sections… it’s not a broomstick, but it’s close enough." (26:00)
• Peter Sagal: "Honestly, a Wicked Swiffer makes sense!"

Directing Advice and Justin Bieber

• Chu recalls staging Bieber’s flying, winged stage entry and offers creative tips:
  • Chu: “You need some blazers and you need your wings. [...] his wings were made of all his things that he actually knows how to do." (27:12)
  • Sagal: "My wings… standardized tests and antidepressants." (27:24)

Quiz: Wicked Good Boston

• Chu nails all three Boston trivia questions, winning “the voice of anyone he likes” for listener Joe Robbins.
• “We were all sobbing [at Wicked].”

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5. Rapid-Fire News, Limericks, Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank

[33:11–48:36]

Fun Science & Offbeat News

• Oreos: New Zealand uses Oreos to catch invasive possums.
  • Sagal: "So tempting that it triggers reward seeking behavior to override caution." (34:18)
• WD40: Its formula is so secret it’s kept in a bank vault in San Diego.
• Beluga Whales: Scientists reveal they’re "swingers," switching partners often.
  • Sagal: "The findings were reported in the New England Journal of Ocean Perverts." (41:40)

Lightning Fill-In-The-Blank: Headline Round-Ups

• Hot trends from government policy to self-driving car crashes blamed on humans.
• Cadillac F1 debut, the Doomsday Clock, and AI generating cobblestone-floored cars.

Closing Gags: If trees can explode, what’s next?

• Negeen Farsad: "They’re gonna get into skincare so their barks look hot." (50:18)
• Peter Gross: "They’re gonna break out singing 'Defying Gravity!'" (50:32)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Olympics:
  "This is the country that literally invented the phrase about not building stuff in one day.”
  — Peter Sagal (03:32)

• On Colonoscopies:
  "It was as liberating as a spa day. He called it, 'my diarrhea vacation.'"
  — Peter Sagal (10:12)

• Wicked Product Tie-ins:
  "The Swiffer is pretty cool. When you go to Target and you see the Elphaba and Galinth sections and they're there… It's not a broomstick stick. It's like, you know, but it's close enough."
  — Jon M. Chu (26:00)

• Justin Bieber’s stage entrance:
  “His wings were made of all his things that he actually knows how to do. It’s built of all the things that have carried him, you know, Again, I'm very deep.”
  — Jon M. Chu (27:12)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------|:-------------| | Cold Open & Quiz | 00:43–12:03 | | Colonoscopy as Nirvana | 09:58–11:34 | | Bluff the Listener | 14:22–20:47 | | Jon M. Chu Interview | 20:51–31:07 | | Panel News/Limericks | 33:11–41:40 | | Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank| 43:53–48:36 | | Closing Thoughts | 50:18-50:54 |

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Tone & Style

The episode's tone is witty, irreverent, and friendly, with a rapid-fire cadence, smart banter, and plenty of pop culture references. Panelists riff freely, embrace absurdity (exploding trees; Elphaba Swiffers), and interviewees like Chu match them in self-aware, good-humored candor.

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For New Listeners

If you missed the episode, expect clever humor, sharp and topical news satire, game show fun, and a delightfully personal, revealing conversation with Jon M. Chu—plus all the ridiculousness you’d expect from a week in the news, from Olympics mayhem to beluga whale swingers to product placement in Oz.

Transcript

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

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[Bill Curtis]

From npr and wbez chicago. This is wait, wait, don't tell me, the npr news quiz. It's cold out there, but don't worry, I'm still hot. I'm Bill Curtis, and here is your host at the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sabo.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. Thank you, everybody. Thanks for being with us. We have a fine show for you today. Later on, we're going to be talking to John M. Chu, the director of Wicked and the latest Wicked for Good. So finally, we have a guest who has no basis to object when I burst out into song. Well, we want to hear your tune, so give us a call to play our games. The number is 1-888-wait-wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. It's time to welcome our first listener contestant. How. You're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hey, Peter.

[Peter Gross]

This is Ken Carlton from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Right next to Gettysburg.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. Next to Gettysburg. Okay. And what do you do there?

[Peter Gross]

I teach in middle school. I teach sixth, seventh and eighth graders about careers.

[Peter Sagal]

Do you really, I have to ask, what careers are middle school kids these days most interested in?

[Peter Gross]

Well, strangely, a lot are really interested in being physical therapists, video gamers or NFL players.

[Peter Sagal]

In that order, I assume. Right, Please. Well, Ken, welcome to the show. Let me introduce you to our panel this week. First up, she's a comedian and host of Ted's new democracy series, the Great Experiment. On Ted.com, it's Negeen Farsad. Hello.

[Peter Gross]

Hi, Negeen. How are you doing?

[Negeen Farsad]

I'm good.

[Peter Sagal]

Next, an actor and writer who can be seen in the Stand up show. We have Fun at Young Ethel's in Brooklyn on February 4th. And in the show Uptown Showdown at Symphony Space on February 5th, it's Peter Gross.

[John M. Chu]

Hi there.

[Peter Sagal]

Hey, Peter. And finally, making her debut on our panel, she's a writer and the brains behind Depth of Wikipedia, whose show Depth of Wikipedia Live is on tour now with [e-mail] it's Annie Rowerduck.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Hi.

[Peter Sagal]

So, Ken, great to talk to you. Thanks for calling. You're going to play who's Bill this time? Bill Curtis is going to read you three quotations from this week's news. If you can correctly identify or explain just two of them, just that, you will win our prize. Any voice from our show you might choose for your voicemail. Are you ready to do this?

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

I'm ready.

[Peter Sagal]

Let's do it then. Here's your first quote.

[Bill Curtis]

It's Milan. It's your vibe.

[Peter Sagal]

That's the official motto of what big event kicking off on Friday.

[Peter Gross]

Oh, the Winter Olympics.

[Peter Sagal]

The Winter Olympics, yes. It's coming. They're here. With just days to go before the opening ceremonies, Milan is still racing to finish some of the venues. The ice hockey rink has a hole in it. The ski lift gondola that takes people to the top of the mountain still isn't done. And I know when I get on a gondola going up a mountain, my first thought is, I hope the contractors rush to get this done on time. Is it not done?

[Peter Gross]

Like it doesn't get to the top of the mountain? Or is it like, oh, we shouldn't have started at the top and the bottom and met in the middle? And it doesn't.

[Peter Sagal]

There's like a big error. Classic error. Yeah. How did they not plan better to have this done in time? This is the country that literally invented the phrase about not building stuff in one day.

[Negeen Farsad]

What I love is that like we now as a globe have learned how gay hockey is. Like just that everybody's gay. And then I think what'll be really.

[Peter Sagal]

Special, everybody is gay.

[Peter Gross]

That's the message, Ollie of heated rivalry is that two hockey players are gay.

[Peter Sagal]

And all of them are gay.

[Negeen Farsad]

And then I think convers. I think we might learn that everyone in ice dancing is very straight.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

[Negeen Farsad]

You know what I mean? This is what I'm thinking is gonna come out of the Olympics this year.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Well, how about skiing? How about luge?

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, luge.

[Annie Rauwerda]

What sports are gay?

[Negeen Farsad]

Luge.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Luge is. It seems like, you know, famously luge is very bisexual.

[Peter Sagal]

I was about to say, okay, hockey's gay, ice dancing, straight. What's biathlon? Now the biggest star in the team, I guess it's arguable, but this is the consensus is probably figure skater Ilia Malinin. He's a. Yes. You guys are fans, am I right?

[Negeen Farsad]

Wow, there's Ilia Melanin heads in the audience.

[Peter Sagal]

He's a four time world champion and he is famous for his quadruple jumps. He's done seven of those jumps. That's 28 program. Now that is that. That I'm gonna say. All right, seven quadruple drums. That. That's amazing. But I gotta say, it's like after four or so, we get it.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Yeah. Do something gay.

[Peter Sagal]

That's what people want. Now, Ken, your next quote is a woman talking about her new $75 million documentary premiering this week.

[Bill Curtis]

It's about so much moving into the White House.

[Peter Sagal]

Packing.

[Bill Curtis]

Moving into the White House.

[Peter Sagal]

Whose much anticipated. Whose much anticipated action packed documentary premiered on Friday.

[Peter Gross]

I think that would have to be our first lady, Melania Trump.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. Melania. The movie Melania came out Friday and all week theaters around the country were boasting advanced ticket sales in the. The movie follows the first lady for the 20 days leading up to the inauguration with the big drama being, will she ever complete that dalmatian coat she's been working on?

[Annie Rauwerda]

I don't really care. Do you?

[Peter Sagal]

I don't really care. Do you? Yes.

[Peter Gross]

Can she be best?

[Peter Sagal]

That's the question. This week, the White House threw a big premiere party for the film. The guest list was the creme de la what? Mike Tyson was there. True. As well as Apple CEO Tim Cook. Can you imagine seeing this movie and then having to come up with something nice to say about it to the President and his wife? They're standing right there and you're like, wow, you know the title of the movie, Melania, really accurate.

[Peter Gross]

Or you could say what people say, like when they like, I've done plays and stuff and afterwards, like that. You had so much energy. Really.

[Peter Sagal]

God, though.

[Peter Gross]

You were in it the whole time.

[Bill Curtis]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

And I have to tell you this, this is also true. According to Rolling Stone, two thirds of the movie's crew asked not to be listed in the credits. Oh, my. Seriously?

[Peter Gross]

It's like the ice agents of the production.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

No, you haven't seen that many names redacted since the Epstein filing.

[Peter Gross]

It's a lot of the same people. Yeah, probably Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz, Larry Summers.

[Annie Rauwerda]

They're grips now.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Ken, here's your last quote.

[Bill Curtis]

Exploding trees are possible.

[Peter Sagal]

That was a headline Warning people to watch out for exploding trees. During what recent weather event?

[Peter Gross]

The massive snowstorm that hit all around us.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, the big cold. The big winter storm that blanketed the country this last week. That storm did not just make roads impassable, and it did not just make your skin burn from the cold. It also caused trees to explode. This is great news for those of us who have always wished trees would finally do something. So this happens when moisture gets into a tree and in a preexisting crack, and then it gets very cold, the ice forms and it expands, and all of a sudden the crack basically gives way and the tree just goes poof. And you should not stand too close to trees when this is going on, because this would be a very embarrassing way to go.

[Negeen Farsad]

This is also why the trees need Botox. You know what I mean?

[Peter Sagal]

We need to, like, tighten up, tighten.

[Negeen Farsad]

That up so they don't move around.

[Peter Sagal]

Tons of people posted videos, this being the world we live in, of exploding trees. It's pretty cool. You hear a loud noise and the tree suddenly goes. Falls apart. The phenomenon is also called, and this is true, frost crack, which is also what you get when your snow pants fall down. Right?

[Negeen Farsad]

Which is also something about drugs.

[Peter Sagal]

Go ahead.

[Peter Gross]

My head went to Robert Frost, but that's just me. Very different.

[Negeen Farsad]

And that's why we're on npr.

[Peter Sagal]

Ladies and gentlemen, Bill. How did Ken do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Whoa. Ken, you did great. 3, 0.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Ken. Well done. Thank you.

[Bill Curtis]

Thank you.

[Peter Gross]

Huge fan of the show.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you. Take care, Ken. Boom, boom, boom, boom. And now, panel, time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Peter, times are stressful. We know that, but the New York Times has offered advice for achieving, quote, nirvana. Just do what?

[Peter Gross]

Subscribe to the New York Times.

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Peter Gross]

I'll take a hint.

[Peter Sagal]

It's okay. I mean, not only do you achieve absolute inner peace, you also find out if you have polyps.

[Peter Gross]

Get a colonoscopy.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, go get a colonoscopy. A writer was finally forced by his advancing age to get a colonoscopy, and he discovered that they're actually wonderful. A secret known only to all the people who have gotten a colonoscopy. Why do you think we're smiling all the time?

[Peter Gross]

I'm sorry. I've had two. I do not agree with this sentiment. I like the being knocked out and not being awake for it. But have you prepped for a colonoscopy?

[Peter Sagal]

Here's the thing. So most people who enjoy colonoscopy, it's all about the drugs. They give you the procedure. You're out, you wake up, you feel good, it's okay. You feel good for the rest of the day. This guy even loved the prep. That's when, yes, that's when you have to drink gallons of horse laxative until your organs liquefy and exit your body. He says, quote, it was as liberating as a spa day. He called it, quote, my diarrhea vacation. Oh, my God. And I will admit, it is kind of fun to discover that your own body is a clown car. I had no idea how it all fit in there.

[Peter Gross]

You know, people get on the New York Times for so many like political left and right reasons who they support. This is the last straw for me. I'm not interested in their opinions on colonoscopy.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, this guy is gonna be so amazed if he ever takes an actual vacation. You mean I don't have to spend all day lying next to the toilet? This Wisconsin Dell's is heaven on earth. Coming up, our panelists send us a postcard from afar in our beloved listener game. Call 1-888-wait-WAIT to play. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPR.

[John M. Chu]

Foreign.

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[Peter Sagal]

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[Bill Curtis]

From NPR in WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait Wait don't tell me the NPR News quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We are playing this week with Annie Roera, Nagin Farsad and Peter Gross. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. Right now it's time for the Wait, wait, don't tell me bluff the listener game call-88-wait- wait to player game in the air how you run. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, this is Caroline from Takoma Park, Maryland. I know Takoma park. Have friends there. What do you do there?

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

I am a life and leadership coach and an organizational learning specialist.

[Peter Sagal]

Organizational learning specialist. What is that exactly?

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

It's designing learning programs and learning strategies to help companies and organizations function better.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh. I was hoping you could help me neaten my office, but that's also good because I desperately need the help. Well, welcome to the show, Carolyn. You are going to play the game in which you mistry to tell truth from fiction. What is the topic? Bill?

[Bill Curtis]

Let's go sightseeing.

[Peter Sagal]

So it's great being a tourist. You're so busy trying new foods and seeing sights, you don't realize how dumb all the locals think you are. Our panelists are going to tell you about a new surprising tourist attraction that people are flocking to pick the one who's telling the truth. You'll win our prize, the wait waiter of your choice and your voicemail. Are you ready to play? I'm ready. All right. First, let's hear from Peter Gross.

[Peter Gross]

Scandinavians are famous for their sleek, minimalist design style. This week, the Museum of Interior Aesthetics opened in Stockholm, Sweden, celebrating that style with room after room of clean lines and minimalist flair. As a fun contrast, museum founders included an exhibit called the Vulgart Room or Volga Room, featuring some extremely non Scandinavian design choices. Items in this tackily decorated room include a neon Bud Light mirror perched above a red belt poker table, a burgundy velvet couch next to a lime green pleather couch, a 70 inch TV sitting on boxes of books you never unpacked after moving. Much to the chagrin of organizers, this is the most popular part of the museum. People are fascinated to see so many horrible design choices up close, says museum director Jens Olufsen. It's very depressing, and that comes from someone who was raised on Stringberg plays and Bergman movies. To add insult to injury, visitors are also obsessively grabbing up only the gaudiest souvenirs. The gift shop is already out of plastic couch covers, that poster of Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue and federal bikini inspector drink cozies.

[Peter Sagal]

A museum of good modern design becomes instead an attraction for people who like the vulgar stuff. Your next odd attraction comes from Annie Rauwerda.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Sumerian67 fever has struck teens and tweens traveling to the UK instead of Buckingham Palace. And that dumb Ferris wheel middle schoolers from America are drag their parents to the British Museum. The reason? A 3,400-year-old Sumerian tablet. In the bottom left corner of an otherwise unremarkable clay slab sits a seemingly innocuous pair of squiggly figures, their meaning in Sumerian lost to time. Their uncanny resemblance the Arabic numerals that we all know. 6 and 7. Museum staff report that preteens literally jump at the chance to snap a selfie with this apparently hilarious relic and that attendance Is was up 250% compared to the same period last year. It's even sparking an interest in more travel, with many happy kids asking mom, dad for spring break, can we go to Iraq? It's popular with British kids, too. Kelly Warner, a fifth grade teacher at William Shakespeare Primary School in London, said that she had seen such a surge of student interest in the Sumerian way of life that she introduced a new student unit on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Reported one of her Students shout out to Six7 for introducing me and the boys to our new passion for ancient Sumerian culture. Life was crazy back then.

[Peter Sagal]

Middle school kids dragging their parents to see the 6, 7 Sumerian slab at the British Museum. Your last tourist trap tale comes from Negeen Farsad.

[Negeen Farsad]

Ah, the glamour of international travel. The churches and museums, the exotic fish food, riveting cityscapes. And the Costcos. That's right, there's a trend among American tourists that involves visiting Costcos in other countries on purpose. These super fans of bulk consumption call themselves Costconians, and they won't stop till they've sampled every hot pocket in every time zone on God's green earth. Did you know that hot pockets in Australia flush the other way after visiting a Costco in Japan? One woman said it ranks right up there with the temples. Of course, you wouldn't be a true Costconian if you didn't buy the hot dog in every exotic Costco. Turns out they do taste different, because in some countries, hot dogs are made of a recognizable meat. Look, they can't all be perfect.

[Peter Sagal]

All right? So according to a report we found this week, tourists are going to a surprising place. Or at least for a surprising reason. Was it from Peter Gross? Tourists Heading to a museum of good design in Oslo just to look at the exhibits of bad design from Anirawada. Middle school. Kids rushing to the British museum because they think an ancient slab From Sumer says 6, 7, or from Negin Farsad. Tourists from America heading overseas and instead of seeing the local sights, they go to the Costco, which is the story of tourism we found in the news.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

I'm kind of tempted by Negeen's story about Costco, but I think I'm going.

[Peter Sagal]

To go with Peter's. So instead of Negeen's story about Costco, you're going to choose Peter's story, which is the museum of excellent design. Unless that's the wrong answer. I think I'm going to go with Peter's story. You're going to go with Peter's story. All right. Well, we spoke to someone familiar with the real story. The classic Costco hot dog and pizza are here, but you can also get a nice little creamy mushroom soup, tteokbokki and even bulgogi pizza. That was Hannah Ashrink, a deputy food editor at Bon appetit, talking about the glories that are available at the Korean Costco food courts. I'm so sorry you got fooled. Happened to the best of us. You did earn a point for Peter, though.

[Peter Gross]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

And he's grateful. And we're so grateful you called.

[Bill Curtis]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

This is really fun. It was fun to have you. Take care.

[Peter Gross]

Bye.

[Peter Sagal]

Doesn't matter. I don't care. I will shop most anywhere. Nothing but the best for me. And now the game we call not my job. John M. Chu was a prodigy as a kid, making movies with his four siblings in northern California. But unlike most child prodigies, he ended up doing really great. He's directed music videos and documentaries and features like Crazy rich Asians, the highest grossing American movie ever with an all Asian cast. And now wicked and its sequel, wicked for good, in theaters now. They're the biggest movie musicals in decades. John Chu. Welcome to. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Thank you.

[John M. Chu]

Good to be here.

[Peter Sagal]

It's great to have you. So you grew up in northern California, the son of a very accomplished restaurateur, right? Grew up in the restaurant, yes.

[John M. Chu]

And it's still there 56 years later. My dad's still there. He's 82. It's called Chef choose, and he's there all the time. Loves to work and loves to eat.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

And were you ever tempted to go into that business?

[John M. Chu]

Never.

[Peter Sagal]

Not once. Not even A little bit.

[John M. Chu]

I would. You know, a restaurant, being raised in a restaurant, it's great because it's a house of stories. Everyone's telling stories to my dad, my dad's telling stories to them about me. And it's the people in that restaurant, because it was in Palo Alto, in Silicon Valley, that people from Adobe gave me software to edit with, gave me cameras, gave me computers. So it was a very beautiful.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow. Yeah. And that's what I meant, that you were identified pretty early as somebody with a flare. Yeah. So you went to film school and you made a short film, which got a lot of attention, and I was able to find the trailer for it online.

[John M. Chu]

Oh, man.

[Peter Sagal]

And it's called when the Kids are Away, right?

[John M. Chu]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, it is. If I understood correctly, because it's just the trailer. The idea is, little kid leaves for school with all his friends, leaving for the. For school, leaving their housewife mothers. They're all sort of traditional housewives. And as soon as they're gone, the housewives break out into these fabulous, big choreographed musical numbers.

[John M. Chu]

Yes. What they do when the kids are.

[Peter Sagal]

Away and I watch this and I'm like, oh, my God, it was true.

[John M. Chu]

But the twist of the movie is, at the end, I'm just gonna ruin it for people. But at the end, because you'll never find it, the end of it is that this kid gets found and he starts to share his moves. He thinks he's in trouble, but he shares his moves and he actually introduces new moves to them, and we find out that he's actually little Michael Jackson and that it's the passing on of the old musical to the new musical because from then on, he knows how to do that.

[Peter Gross]

Wow.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm just thinking it was very deep.

[John M. Chu]

It was very deep.

[Peter Gross]

Yeah, it was very deep in.

[Peter Sagal]

You were a dancer, you studied tap dance for a long time, right?

[John M. Chu]

I did. I mean, I was forced to tap with my sister because my mom didn't. I was in the car when she would take all her brothers, sisters to different dance things. So I did tap with my sister. I didn't want any other people in our class, so me and my sister did our local talent show, our school talent show, every year.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow. Were you. Were you any good?

[John M. Chu]

If by tap tapping? Well, you mean like glitter and gloves? And I did this one, me and my shadow, with my sister. And we got in a fight right before we're doing it in front of our school, and my mom brought in the wood panels, and my mom, my sister and I are fighting and so she's really shy and I don't sing along with her. So she had to sing in front of our whole school by herself. And I'm in this big black unitard as her shadow. And so I haven't lived it down since then, really. I actually still feel very guilty about that.

[Peter Sagal]

So you have a big fight and you have to do this dance number and you won't sing. And she has to sing the whole number by herself. And you're just behind her in your black unitard and she's like, and my shadow. It was devastating, Devastating for her. And she's never seen any movie you've ever done because she's still mad.

[John M. Chu]

At some point, I will get in the unitard and sing in front of her for at some point.

[Peter Sagal]

Right, but not yet.

[Bill Curtis]

So.

[Peter Sagal]

So you grew up on musicals and so you must have, like been excited when you got to direct the movie version of probably the biggest musical of the last 20 years, right? Wicked.

[John M. Chu]

Yeah, I was psyched. I saw Wicked before it was ever on Broadway when it was at San Francisco because we had season tickets and my mom called me up. I was at USC at the time. She said, come watch Stephen Schwartz's new musical. So I got to watch it sort of as Patient Zero before anyone knew anything about it.

[Peter Sagal]

I just, I just have to ask, personal reasons. When you were watching Wicked, were there any middle aged men in the audience sobbing at Defying Gravity? Did that happen at all?

[John M. Chu]

We were all sobbing.

[Peter Sagal]

We were all sobbing. Okay, so I have to ask you about this. Especially with the first installment, Wicked, there were so many marketing tie ins. There was Wicked Branded Crocs, Wicked Mac and Cheese Cups, Wicked Barbies, Wicked Stanley Cups, and Wicked Build a Bears. I'm assuming you own all of that Swiffers. Yep, yep. You don't have it all.

[John M. Chu]

Now. I know who sponsors this show, by the way.

[Peter Sagal]

Did you have a favorite one of those that they threw at you?

[John M. Chu]

Listen, the Swiffer is pretty cool. When you go to Target and you see the Elphaba and Galinth sections and they're there. I mean, it's not a broomstick stick. It's like, you know, but it's close enough.

[Peter Sagal]

Wicked Swiffers sort of makes sense. Honestly, though.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

That would be.

[Peter Gross]

That's a good way to get your.

[John M. Chu]

Kid to clean the house.

[Peter Gross]

Like your kid that loves Alphabet is like, I'm defying Gravity.

[Peter Sagal]

I got one more question. So I watched before Wicked some years ago. You made not one, but two movies with Justin Bieber. And I'm watching the second one. I had to. It's the one that's leaving Netflix soon. And. And here's the thing. You designed the concert. In addition to filming the movie of the concert and including. Which I thought was intensely cool, Justin's entrance into the concert in which he is. He flies in, foreshadowing Elphaba, right. With these enormous wings. And I was wondering, speaking to you as a creative genius, if you have any idea that how I can improve my entrance, because I just kind of walk out.

[John M. Chu]

You need some blazers and you need your wings. You know, his wings were made of all his things that he actually knows how to do. It's built of all the things that have carried him, you know, Again, I'm very deep.

[Peter Sagal]

Guys, you have to find your wings. Wow. Wow. So my wings, all the things that got me here would be standardized tests and antidepressants. I could see it. And don't forget Havana Night. No, that corner. John Chu, it is a pleasure to talk to you. We have invited you here today to play a game we're calling that's Wicked Good. Since you directed Wicked for good, we thought we'd ask you about a famously wicked good place. Boston, Massachusetts. Oh, gosh, by the way, now that I think of it, Wicked Swiffer sounds like something they'd say, right? Wicked Swiffer. Anyway, answer two to three questions correctly, you'll win our prize for one of our listeners, the voice of anyone they might choose in their voicemail. Bill, who is John Chu playing for?

[Bill Curtis]

Joe Robbins of Seattle, Washington.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, you ready to do this?

[John M. Chu]

All right, let's go, Joe. I got you.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay, man, here we go. Here's your first question. Scientists have tried to study what makes people from Boston become people from Boston. And one actual study discovered which of these findings? A, Bostonian skulls are 5% thicker than the average American. 15% of Boston toddlers drink coffee. Or C, all Boston school districts have a unit on how to climb light polls. Oh, my God.

[John M. Chu]

The one that is, like, crazy enough, but not too crazy would be the coffee Bee.

[Peter Sagal]

You're right, John. That's what, 15%? Here's your next question. Boston sports fans are known for their enthusiasm during the parade to celebrate the New England Patriots first Super bowl win in 2002. What happened? A, the crowd started chanting Yankees suck even though they play baseball. B, three fans were arrested for trying to throw beer bottles right into the hood of Bill Belichick's sweatshirt. Or C, fans crowd surfed Tom Brady all the way from his duck boat to A nearby bar.

[John M. Chu]

I'm gonna go A, you're right.

[Peter Sagal]

That's what they did. I mean, of course that's what they did.

[Peter Gross]

That's what I would do. That seems fun.

[Peter Sagal]

Yankees suck. I gotta tell you, I saw it on tv. It was wicked. Swiffer, here's your next question. Earlier this month, Boston's WBZ News I team launched an investigative report after a man had something he'd been saving to pass on to his kids ripped away from him heartlessly. What did that man lose? A, his Red Sox season tickets located where his heckles could be heard on TV. B, A 1981 Pontiac Trans Am that was missing both axles. Or C, 93,000 Dunkin Donuts rewards points.

[Bill Curtis]

Ripped away from him.

[John M. Chu]

I'm just gonna go with my what I think is just the most logical.

[Peter Sagal]

I'll go C, you're right. That's what it was. He had accumulated 93,000 rewards points at Duncan. He was hoarding them to hand on to his children as his only legacy. And then Duncan changed the rules and they vanished. Isn't that sad?

[Negeen Farsad]

Yeah, it's actually.

[John M. Chu]

We had a great partnership with Duncan for Wicked for Good. You could get these little munchkin tins. It was great. It was fantastic.

[Peter Sagal]

Of course, Munchkins.

[Peter Gross]

Yeah, it's right there.

[Negeen Farsad]

Can you talk to them about this guy's points?

[John M. Chu]

I think we should talk to them.

[Peter Sagal]

Come on.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Come on.

[John M. Chu]

Dunkin Donuts, if you're out there, help this guy out.

[Peter Sagal]

Bill, how did John Chu do on our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Three right answers is wickedly good.

[Peter Sagal]

Wicked awesome. Wicked awesome. John M. Chu is the award winning director of the Wicked movies. You can stream Wicked for Good now. John Mchu, thank you so much for joining us and thank you for wonderful movies. I cried like a baby. Take care. In just a minute, Bill reveals a secret beluga whales have been hiding for years. Find out what it is in our listener limber challenge. Call 1- Triple-8- wait wait. To join us on the air. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait wait, Don't tell me from npr.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

This message comes from Babel. Babbel's conversation based language technique teaches you useful words and phrases to get you speaking quickly about the things you actually talk about in the real world with lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts and voiced by real native speakers. Start speaking with Babbel today. Get up to 55% off your Babel subscription right now at babbel.com NPR spelled B A B-B-E-L.com NPR rules and restrictions may apply.

This message comes from BetterHelp President Fernando Madera shares BetterHelp's commitment to expanding access to therapy.

[Bill Curtis]

Our State of Stigma report helped us.

[Peter Sagal]

Understand that believing in mental health is easy, but asking for help is not.

[Bill Curtis]

Now, with the report on our hands, we can work to make mental health care more accessible.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

To get matched with a therapist, visit betterhelp.com NPR for 10% off your first month.

[Bill Curtis]

From npr, WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, Don't tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We're playing this Week with Annie Rauada, Nagin Farsad and Peter Gross. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. In just a minute. It's about time we sat you down and finally had the talk, the one where we talked to you in limericks. It's our Listener Limerick Challenge. If you'd like to play, give us a call at 1-88-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-892. Right now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news. Peter. In the battle to eradicate invasive predators from New Zealand, a big problem there, scientists have discovered the perfect weapon. What is it?

[Peter Gross]

I don't know. Something from Australia?

[Bill Curtis]

No.

[Peter Sagal]

I'll give you a hint. Dunking these things in milk makes them especially powerful.

[Peter Gross]

Chocolate chip cookies.

[Peter Sagal]

A kind of cookie.

[Peter Gross]

A kind of cookie. Oreos.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, Oreo cookies. So there is an invasive possum species in New Zealand. And while most of them can be caught in traditional ways, there were some who were far too clever and wary to literally take the bait. So officials needed something, quote, so tempting that it triggers reward seeking behavior to override caution, which is basic. That's Oreos, right?

[Peter Gross]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Can confirm. Yeah.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Basic raccoons. They're just like us.

[Peter Sagal]

I mean, honestly, isn't that the slogan of Oreos printed on the package? So tempting that it triggers reward seeking behavior to override caution.

[Peter Gross]

Right? You're like, yeah, don't say it out loud, just let me shove nine of these.

[Peter Sagal]

They definitely override the part of my brain that tells me you bought this for your kid to take to school.

[Peter Gross]

One sleeve per person in the thing where there's three sleeves.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. And it worked. In the two weeks before they switched to Oreos, they caught one possum. In the three weeks after the switch, 15.

[Peter Gross]

Well, it would work on me if I was ever in New Zealand.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, my God, they caught four possums And Peter, gross.

[Peter Gross]

I don't know what to tell you, man. It's worth it.

[Peter Sagal]

Absolutely worth it. Any. We all know there are secret formulas for Coke and kfc. The Colonel's secret recipe. Well, the Wall Street Journal wrote about another, even more secret. Hidden in a bank vault seen only by a few dozen people over the decades, is the secret formula. For what?

[Annie Rauwerda]

Okay, the Krabby Patty is not real. It is going to be the secret formula. Is it food? Can you tell me that?

[Peter Sagal]

It's not a food.

[Annie Rauwerda]

It's not a food.

[Peter Sagal]

It's not a food.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Can you give me a hint?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Bill Curtis]

Okay.

[Peter Sagal]

You know what they say. The squeaky wheel gets the highly secret formula WD40. Yes. WD40.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Wow.

[Peter Sagal]

Amazing.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Whatever the formula is, it's working so well.

[Peter Sagal]

It really is. Props to you. Secret formula. Yes. The Wall Street Journal wrote all about this. Two amazing things in the story. First, that the formula for WD40 is one of the world's most highly guarded industrial secrets. And second, that it has a formula. I thought it was just a thing. That there was, like, periodic table. Yeah, like gold. Gold. Neon, WD40, argon, carbon. You know, it's just a thing.

[Annie Rauwerda]

It seems like it should be down there on the bottom with weird ones.

[Peter Gross]

Yeah, the californium and all the other ones.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, One of the elements.

[Negeen Farsad]

But also, isn't it just. Don't. I've always felt like it's just secretly olive oil or something.

[Peter Sagal]

You know what I mean?

[Negeen Farsad]

Like it's not anything.

[Peter Sagal]

No, no. It's an entire mystery what it is. In fact, the WD turns out to stand for what dis.

[Peter Gross]

I work so well. Like, I haven't had a sore throat in years.

[Peter Sagal]

I know. It's amazing. The formula is written down in a notebook that is locked in a bank vault in an undisclosed location somewhere in San Diego. Only a handful of people have seen it over the past 70 years because, unfortunately, the notebook also reveals the name of the inventor's secret crush.

[Peter Gross]

Myrna Loy. I don't want anybody to know.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up. It's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first, it's the game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. You can come see us most weeks right here at the Studebaker Theater in downtown Chicago. Or you can catch us on the road. And if you live in Chicago and you want to see our show's weird little sister. Come check out our special comedy Grab Bag Live stand up show March 11 at the Den Theater in Wicker Park. Adam Burke will be hosting along with panelists Alzo Slade, Rachel Koster and more special guests. For tickets and more information for all our live events, go to nprpresents.org and while you're at it, head over to nprshop.org and check out our new merch. You can grab one of our new weight wait Tees or sweatshirts, but you will still need your own pants. Hi, Jerome. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi there, Peter. I'm Rachel from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Hey Rachel, how are you doing? Phenomenal as absolutely been a wonderful day for me so far. I am so glad. What a good attitude. What do you do there? I moved here to work on a trail crew with Conservation Corps New Mexico. Oh, how very cool.

[Bill Curtis]

I like it.

[Peter Sagal]

If that's your job, what do you do for fun? Accounting? No, I'm a musician for fun. Well, Rachel, welcome to the show. Bill Curtis is going to read you three news related limericks with the last word or phrase missing from each other. If you can find that last word or phrase correctly in two of the limericks, you will be a winner. You ready to play? Let's go. Let's do it. Here's your first limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

The airport lounge likes to promote deals, but their mush had an ultra hot throat feel. I am making demands because I scalded my hands. I have sued because they served me hot oatmeal.

[Peter Sagal]

Oatmeal. There, you got it.

[Bill Curtis]

Good, good, good.

[Peter Sagal]

A man stand sued air Canada for $5,000 for medical expenses and pain and suffering because of an injury he received while eating oatmeal in their airport lounge. He says he spilled some oatmeal onto his hand and it burned. It burned. He asked for $5,000. He claimed that Air Canada was negligent in allowing people to serve themselves from the hot container. A tribunal said no, it was not an unreasonable risk and also said the oatmeal container had a large red flame symbol on the front warning people it was hot. The guy said he just thought that meant the oatmeal was extra spicy.

[Annie Rauwerda]

He really said that?

[Peter Sagal]

No, but he really did say. And that was their defense. They said, you know, say it's hot. He said that they should have a trained person there to scoop the oatmeal for people to prevent this injury because it's too dangerous for someone who went.

[Peter Gross]

To college for four years. They went to grad school, specialized in real studies.

[Negeen Farsad]

This guy's really into workforce development.

[Peter Sagal]

He really is. I appreciate it. All right, here is your next limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

We snakes like to seek new domains, but slithering is such a pain. When home ground seems stale, we start riding the rails. We snakes like to get on a train.

[Peter Sagal]

Train. Yes. King cobra snakes are spreading really efficiently throughout India. And researchers have finally figured out why there are mother effing snakes on these mother effing trains. Researchers know that the snakes typically prefer forested areas in the inland of the country, but they've been found making homes in a handful of unexpected in far flung places. And it turns out they all line up to nearby railway lines. Right. So they think the snakes are taking the trains. I mean, maybe they're doing it to be sneaky. Maybe they just look up and see this long thing moving around the ground and they go, daddy.

[Peter Gross]

They're promoting the railway, like lines. You know, there's like the commercials for whatever and they're too good. People are taking them and the snakes are like, that looks like a lovely vacation. I've never been to Goa. Seems like a blast.

[Peter Sagal]

This explains why I saw a suspiciously skinny man in an overcoat ordering a frozen rat in the cafe car. Here is your last limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

We belugas aren't sexual clingers for those keys in a bowl. We are ringers on most of our dates. We are swapping our mates. Yes. Beluga whale pods are all swingers.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. Scientists have determined that beluga whales are swingers, repeatedly switching mating partners from year to year. The findings were reported in the New England Journal of Ocean Perverts.

[Negeen Farsad]

Sluts. I had no idea.

[Peter Sagal]

I knew.

[Peter Gross]

I could tell. I could tell.

[Peter Sagal]

Weird how Raffi never mentioned that. Bill, how did Rachel do in our quiz? Three in a row. Congratulations. Thank you so much for calling, Rachel. Take care. Yeah, you too, Peter.

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[Peter Sagal]

And the following message come from Simplisafe Home Security, designed to help stop crime before it starts. Equipped with AI powered cameras for use outside your home to help spot real threats and instantly alert live agents. Protecting over 5 million Americans, SimpliSafe has been named Best Home Security Systems by U.S. news World Report for five years in a row this month only you can get 50% off any new system. Go to simplisafe.com wait to learn more. There's no safe like SimpliSafe. Now on to our final game. 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. Bill, can you give us the scores?

[Bill Curtis]

Big Eden has three. Annie and Peter each have two.

[Peter Sagal]

So that means Nagin, you are in first place. Annie and Peter are tied for second. Peter, we're going to start with you.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Great.

[John M. Chu]

Here we go.

[Peter Sagal]

The clock will start when I begin your first question. Fill in the blank. On Tuesday, the new owners of social media app blamed a power outage for some posts being censored.

[Peter Gross]

Snapchat?

[Peter Sagal]

No. TikTok. On Monday, the White House announced it was increasing blanks on goods from South Korea.

[Peter Gross]

Tariffs.

[John M. Chu]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

On Monday, Russia confirmed that its Black Sea flagship was in fact sunk by a missile from Blank.

[Peter Gross]

Ukraine.

[John M. Chu]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

According to health officials, Blank expectancy in the US is on the rise.

[Peter Gross]

Life expectancy, yes.

[Peter Sagal]

On Monday, the last two blanks on loan to zoos in Japan were returned to China.

[Peter Gross]

Pandas.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. After a Waymo self driving car crashed into several parked cars in Los Angeles. The company assured the public that Blank.

[Peter Gross]

There's gonna be way more of.

[Peter Sagal]

Waymo assured the public the car was being driven by a human. At the time, no injuries were reported after the vehicle crashed into multiple cars in a residential neighborhood. But Waymo was still quick to point out that it was human error and that a self driving car would never hit another car. Only pedestrians.

[Peter Gross]

Pill.

[Peter Sagal]

How did Peter do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

He got four. Right. Eight more points. Total of 10 puts his in the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, very good. Hold your applause folks. Annie, you are up next. Here we go. Fill in the blank. On Thursday, Senate Democrats and the White House reached a deal to avoid a blank government shutdown. Right. On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its updated childhood blank recommendations. Screen time, no vaccine recommendations. This week, the Federal Reserve once again held blanks steady interest rates. Right. Citing declining sales. Electric carmaker Blank announced it was discontinuing two of its models.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Tesla.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. After fans pressured him to write a song against Trump. Children's songwriter Raffi said he couldn't because blank.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Uh, his voice is tired.

[Peter Sagal]

No, because as Raffi, he is not allowed to use the F bomb in his songs. On Monday, France faced a backlash after banning blanks from their high speed railways, premium cabins.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Vapes.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Cigarettes.

[Peter Sagal]

Kids on Sunday more dangerous than faces.

[Peter Gross]

Cigarettes.

[Peter Sagal]

These are the French big ban kids longing to fill cigarettes. On Sunday, the Seahawks and Patriots won their conference title games and will face each other at the blank super bowl. Right. After two boys aged nine and 11 at a daycare in Canada got in a fight over a toei dinosaur, the younger boy blanked. The older boy pooped on. No. He sued him. The 11 year old hit the 9 year old in the finger with a toy dinosaur. And in that classic schoolyard taunt, the nine year old said, I'll see you in court. In the end, the judge sided with the older boy and dismissed the suit, which is a huge relief because he was facing 10 to 15 years in the timeout. Chair. Bill, how did Annie do on our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Hey, we've got a Super bowl here. Four, right? Eight more points. Ten means she's tied with Peter.

[Peter Sagal]

All right then. And how many then does Negeen need to win?

[Peter Gross]

4 to win three and a half to tie?

[Peter Sagal]

Here you are. Here we go. This is for the game. Nagin. On Wednesday, the FBI raided a central election office in blank, Georgia. Right. On Tuesday, the acting president of Venezuela pushed back against the White House's demands to restart blank production.

[Negeen Farsad]

Oil.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, President Trump escalated his threats of military action against blank Iran. Right. According to health officials, South Carolina's blank outbreak is the U.S. s biggest in 25 years.

[Negeen Farsad]

Measles.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, an AI generated ad promoting Tasmania's tranquil hot springs had to be removed because blank.

[Negeen Farsad]

They're not tranquil.

[Peter Sagal]

No, they're not there. There are no hot springs in Tasmania. On Tuesday, the blank clock was set closer to midnight than it has ever been.

[Negeen Farsad]

Oh, the end of the world.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, the doomsday clock. On Monday, Cadillac became only the second American carmaker to have a blank racing team.

[Negeen Farsad]

F1.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Formula One car shoppers suspected a car auction site was using AI when photos of a used Cadillac showed that the car had blank arms. No, the ad photo showed that the Cadillac had cobblestone floors. If you're unfamiliar with the 1999 Cadillac Deville, one thing to know about it is that it does not have cobblestone floors on the interior. It's hard to say why exactly. The auction site thought they should add that to the pictures of the car. But honestly, for me, the only way I know I'm in a true luxury vehicle is if I might sprain an ankle. Bill, did Nagin do well enough to win?

[Bill Curtis]

Did really well. Six, right? 12 more points. 15 gives her the win this week.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Nageen. Yeah, suck it, you guys.

[Annie Rauwerda]

Congratulations.

[Bill Curtis]

Gracious.

[Peter Gross]

And defeat. Not gracious in victory whatsoever.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up, our panelists predict now that we know they can explode, what surprising thing will trees do next? Wait Wait, don't tell me. Is a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago in association with Urgent Haircut Productions. Doug Berman, benevolent overlord Philip Gautica writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager is Shana Donald. Thanks to the staff and crew here at the Studebaker Theatre. BJ Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Durmboss, and Lillian King. Special thanks to Vinnie Thomas and Monica Hickey. Peter Gwynn is the apple of our eye. Our visual host is Emma Choi. Technical direction is from Lorna White. Our CFO is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse. Our senior producer is Ian Chillock. And the executive producer of Wait Wait, don't tell me. Is Mike Danforth. And I'm afraid to say this is a sad day for us at Wait Wait because we have to say goodbye to our beloved tour manager, Shaina. Donald. Shaina came to us after working with people like the Eagles and the Rolling Stones. And just by her presence, we all got promoted from dorks all the way up to nerds. Her energy is magnetic. Her dedication to making everything better for everybody around her is endless, and we will miss her terribly. We just know that wherever she goes next, that place will not just be lucky, it will be much cooler. Now, panel, what will trees do next? Negeen Farsad.

[Negeen Farsad]

They can't have cracks, so they're gonna get into skincare so their barks look hot.

[Peter Sagal]

Annie Rowerta.

[Annie Rauwerda]

The trees are going to apologize for exploding, especially in public. They will not do it next time.

[Peter Sagal]

And Peter Gross.

[Peter Gross]

They're gonna break out singing. It's time to try different. Defying gravity.

[Peter Sagal]

Don't you dare.

[Bill Curtis]

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

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks. Also Nagin Farsad, Peter Gross. And thanks for a great debut from Annie Rawata. Thanks to our fabulous audience here at the Studebaker Theatre in downtown Chicago. Thanks to all of you for listening wherever you might be. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is NPR.

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