Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! – "Ally the Piper" – October 25, 2025 NPR’s weekly news quiz hosted by Peter Sagal
Episode Overview
This episode features the usual dose of satirical take on recent headlines, playful banter with comedians, and a memorable guest interview with viral bagpipe musician Ally the Piper. The panel—Faith Salie, Hari Kondabolu, and newcomer Alex Edelman—tackle everything from daring museum heists to malfunctioning smart beds, and cap things off with Ally’s inspiring and hilarious journey to internet fame. The episode is filled with cultural humor, zingers, and spirited games.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Quiz Segment Highlights
A. The Louvre Heist
- The panel discusses a recent, impressively brazen heist at the Louvre Museum, where thieves disguised as construction workers stole $100 million of jewels in seven minutes.
- [03:55] Peter Sagal: “They also took the Mona Lisa, but they put it back after realizing it was a little underwhelming.”
- [05:05] Alex Edelman: “They were so brazen. Seven minutes is a long time for a heist at 9:30AM. The Louvre opens at nine—there were tourists watching them!”
B. White House Renovation
- Discussion about President Trump demolishing the East Wing for a new, gilded ballroom with a “999 person” capacity (a nod to Disney’s Haunted Mansion).
- [07:05] Faith Salie: “My guess is the ballroom that goes up will be subtle and understated.”
- [07:49] Hari Kondabolu: “That’s the number of ghosts in Disneyland. Oh my god—it is!”
C. NBA Gambling Scandal
- Commentary on a gambling ring involving NBA stars and organized crime, and the colorfully-nicknamed defendants.
- [09:12] Faith Salie: “They sound like off-brand Looney Tunes.”
2. Panel Games & Listener Stories
A. Tech Fail – Smart Beds Gone Rogue
- Amazon’s outage led to smart beds malfunctioning— heating up or locking users in awkward positions.
- [11:35] Alex Edelman: “That’s the most horrific dystopian way to die.”
- [11:44] Faith Salie: “My duvet strangled me... tonight, the devil’s in your bed.”
B. Bluff the Listener
Panelists invent stories about what ruined someone’s sleep. The real answer is a Spanish school’s PA system playing “Happy Birthday” on a loop all night.
- [20:01] Audio clip confirms the looping “Cumpleaños Feliz” recording.
3. Featured Guest: Ally the Piper ([21:13])
Introduction & Backstory
- Ally shares how she picked up the bagpipes at age 12, inspired by her Scottish heritage and curiosity about the instrument’s mechanics.
- [21:39] “I wanted to ruin my brother’s life before he went to college.”
Competitive Bagpiping
- Competed in the global youth bagpipe circuit, with the US team becoming World Champions.
- [24:16] Ally: “We won the world championships!”
- [24:20] Faith: “USA! USA! USA!”
TikTok Fame & Metal Covers
- Began posting bagpipe covers on TikTok during the pandemic, going viral almost instantly. Her Metallica covers gained attention— even from Metallica themselves.
- [25:37] Peter: “You did not know there was this thirst out there for good bagpiping?”
- [26:41] Ally: “I let five minutes elapse and then Metallica was there in the comments.”
On Handling Internet Backlash
- When a commenter insisted “James would not approve” of bagpipes in Metallica, the band themselves came to her defense.
- [27:00] Ally: “Metallica said, ‘This guy doesn’t speak for us. Keep doing what you’re doing.’”
Game: “Bagpiper, Meet Piping Bag”
- Ally is quizzed on cake decorating—“piping bag” style questions. She wins, securing a listener’s prize.
4. Satirical News Games
Socializing Limits
- Study reveals most people can only socialize for three hours before needing a break.
- [33:30] Faith: “That sounds about right... even a good party after three hours, you’re like, ‘Gotta go home.’”
- [33:59] Alex: “For me the party starts when people are upset that I’m still there.”
Kenya’s Communion Wine Too Popular
- The church discontinues a wine after it becomes a bar favorite.
- [35:49] Hari Kondabolu: “People are just drinking Jesus’ blood all over the place.”
British River Covered in Foam
- Warnings issued as mysterious foam covers the River Thet; panel jokes about “latte art.”
5. Listener Limerick Challenge
- Topics: Young people losing the concept of “crushes,” a public toilet turned boutique hotel in Oxford, and the trend of backwards walking for health.
6. Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank
- Fast-paced quiz wrap-up, featuring oddball news: lay’s rebranding bags to clarify they’re made of potatoes, US musical strikes, and China’s ad-for-toilet-paper restrooms.
7. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- [04:46] Faith Salie: “I heard it was a 60-second heist with a 6-minute cigarette break in the middle.”
- [11:39] Faith Salie: “I put too much trust in Jeff Bezos.”
- [24:48] Ally: “I posted one video and got 150,000 views that day, which means my attempt at not being perceived utterly failed.”
- [26:55] Ally: “Metallica was there in the comments. This guy doesn’t speak for us. Keep doing what you’re doing!”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [03:42] – Panel Quiz (Louvre Heist, Trump’s Ballroom, NBA betting scandal)
- [10:07] – Smart Beds Gone Wrong
- [12:13] – Bluff the Listener Game
- [21:13] – Interview: Ally the Piper
- [27:25] – Game: “Bagpiper, Meet Piping Bag”
- [33:09] – Socializing Study
- [35:32] – Kenya’s Communion Wine
- [38:46] – Listener Limerick Challenge
- [43:49] – Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank
- [48:43] – Panelist Predictions: Next Big Heist
Episode Tone & Language
The episode is marked by NPR’s signature wit and irreverence—playful, clever, and inclusive. Banter between comedians is laced with quick jabs and pop culture asides, while the guest interview with Ally provides genuine warmth and weirdly wonderful detail about the modern world of bagpiping.
For First-Time Listeners
This episode provides a perfect entry into the world of “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!”: you’ll laugh at current events, appreciate the panelists’ comedic chemistry, and leave knowing far more than you ever thought possible about bagpipes, foam-covered rivers, and the perils of smart home technology.