WWDTM: Anna Kendrick

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Episode Summary: WWDTM: Anna Kendrick Release Date: June 28, 2025

Host and Panel Hosted by Peter Sagal, NPR’s beloved weekly news quiz, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! brings together a star-studded panel of comedians and special guests to dissect the week’s news with humor and wit. This episode features Hollywood actress and director Anna Kendrick as the celebrity guest, joined by regular panelists Paula Poundstone, Josh Gondelman, and Karen Chee.

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1. Welcoming Anna Kendrick and First Contestant: Brandon

The episode kicks off with Anna Kendrick warmly greeting the audience and introducing the week’s homegrown sports sensation from Maine, Cooper Flagg, who has been drafted number one in the NBA. This sets an enthusiastic tone for the show, celebrating local achievements.

Brandon's Introduction: At [01:59], Brandon from Littleton, Colorado, a CEO executive coach, joins the show, sharing his profession and setting the stage for the first game.

Notable Quote:

Josh Gondelman [01:59]: "And staff members cry in staff meetings."

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2. Game 1: "Who's Bill?"

Brandon participates in the first game where Bill Curtis, the announcer, presents three quotes from recent news. Brandon must identify who said each quote.

First Quote: At [03:19], Peter Sagal reads:

"We destroyed the nuclear. It's blown up to kingdom come."

Anna correctly identifies this as a misstatement from President Donald Trump, highlighting the discrepancy between his claims and the intelligence community’s assessment.

Notable Quote:

Anna Kendrick [03:23]: "But mission accomplished, everyone. The Iranian nuclear program no longer has a foyer."

Second Quote: At [05:36], Peter Sagal presents:

"Let's burn out more babies."

Brandon initially misunderstands the quote, but Anna clarifies it refers to wellness influencers promoting the "tradwife" trend, encouraging more children and fewer career pursuits.

Third Quote: At [07:49], Peter Sagal reads:

"You tell me there's a limited amount and I go, oh my God, I need it."

This quote revolves around the fictional collectible plush toy "Labubu." Anna’s explanation satirizes the resurgence of Beanie Babies-like phenomena with a humorous twist.

Notable Quote:

Anna Kendrick [08:05]: "If it were a real animal in your house, you would shoot it."

Outcome: Brandon successfully identifies two out of three quotes, earning a prize and earning recognition for the panelists.

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3. Panel Q&A: News Discussions

Following the game, the panel delves into various news topics, engaging in humorous debates and banter.

Police Training Program: At [11:07], Karen attempts to guess a new training skill for Chicago police, humorously cycling through incorrect answers until Anna hints it’s "improv."

Notable Quote:

Karen Chee [11:12]: "Fishing."

Anna steers the conversation towards the absurdity of cops using improv, leading to a comedic exchange about the effectiveness and safety of such training methods.

Theme Park Tales: Discussions around theme park innovations and absurd attractions take center stage. Panelists share exaggerated stories about roller coasters affected by cicadas and the creation of quiet rooms as new rides.

Notable Quote:

Josh Gondelman [16:31]: "One can only imagine the photos for purchase at the end of each attraction."

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4. Listener Contestant: Kate from Royal Oak, Michigan

Game: "Two Truths and a Lie"

Kate engages in a game where she discerns truth from fiction among three theme park stories presented by the panel.

Stories Presented:

1. Josh’s Story: Roller coasters at Kings Island, Ohio, are plagued by cicadas causing riders to keep their mouths shut.
2. Karen’s Story: Minnesota's Twin Cities amusement park introduces "Adventure Zone," a ride featuring a quiet room with books.
3. Paula’s Story: Universal Studios sells minion-shaped catheters to boost beverage sales in lines.

Outcome: Kate correctly identifies Josh’s story about cicadas as the true event, earning her and the panel a point.

Notable Quote:

Anna Kendrick [20:04]: "Cicadas were going to be emerging in the lower billions in 13 states, including Ohio, so keep your mouth closed."

---

5. Listener Contestant: Jennifer from Seguin, Texas

Game: "Tell the Truth from Fiction"

Jennifer participates in a game where she deciphers genuine limericks from fictional ones presented by the panel.

Limericks Presented:

1. Tiny Briefs: Focuses on men’s swimwear trends, humorously highlighting the anxiety surrounding skimpy swimwear.
2. Booty Standard: Jokes about the supposed new beauty standard for men’s buttocks.
3. Sausage Secret: A corporate espionage tale involving Hormel and Johnsonville.

Outcome: Jennifer correctly answers two out of three limericks, securing her victory in the game.

Notable Quote:

Anna Kendrick [30:32]: "It is a demonstration of police dogs and the dogs did their job."

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6. Final Game: "Lightning Fill in the Blank"

A high-energy segment where panelists compete to answer as many fill-in-the-blank questions as possible within 60 seconds.

Highlights:

• Karen Chee leads with swift and accurate responses, securing her position at the top.
• Josh Gondelman follows closely, leveraging his quick thinking to stay competitive.
• Paula Poundstone rounds out the competition with strategic answers, earning her team valuable points.

Notable Quote:

Anna Kendrick [48:35]: "The winning word was promiscuous. The last person remaining spelled that correctly and won it."

Outcome: Josh takes the lead with his nimble responses, narrowly edging out Karen and Paula, ultimately winning the game.

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7. Panel Predictions: "Next Big Collecting Craze"

Closing the episode, the panelists humorously speculate on upcoming collectible trends post-Labubu.

Predictions:

• Paula Poundstone: "Rebabbid Raccoon Pals," a collection of mischievous raccoon figures.
• Karen Chee: "Cuomokos," parodying political figures through collectible items.
• Josh Gondelman: "Stebubu," whimsical animal figurines adorned with Steve Buscemi’s face.

Notable Quote:

Josh Gondelman [50:42]: "They are whimsical animal figurines that all have the face of Steve Buscemi."

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8. Closing Remarks

Peter Sagal wraps up the show by acknowledging the efforts of the panelists, congratulating the winners, and promoting upcoming live shows. The camaraderie and humor ensure listeners leave with smiles and a sense of community.

Final Notable Quote:

Anna Kendrick [51:26]: "Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Karen G. Josh Gombelman and Paula Poundstone. Thanks to Corey Morrissey and everybody at Maine Public and our fabulous audience here in Portland, Maine."

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Conclusion

This episode of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! masterfully blends current events with humor, showcasing Anna Kendrick’s engaging personality alongside the sharp wit of regular panelists. From dissecting bizarre news stories to playful competitions, the show offers both entertainment and insightful commentary, making it a must-listen for fans of clever journalism and comedic banter.

Notable Moments with Timestamps:

• [03:23] Anna Kendrick clarifies Trump’s statement on Iran's nuclear program.
• [08:05] Anna humorously describes the fictional "Labubu" collectibles.
• [16:31] Josh Gondelman imaginatively details cicadas affecting roller coasters.
• [20:04] Anna confirms the truth behind the cicada story.
• [30:32] Anna discusses the reality of police dogs in corporate espionage.
• [48:35] Anna reveals the truth about the limerick involving police dogs.

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Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! continues to uphold its reputation for blending timely news, humor, and celebrity charm, offering listeners a delightful mix of information and laughter each week.

Transcript

[Bill Curtis]

This message comes from Capital One Access comprehensive solutions from a top commercial bank that prioritizes your needs today and goals for tomorrow. Learn [e-mail] Commercial Member FDIC.

[Peter Sagal]

From NPR in WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. Hey there, man. I'm the voice that shines so bright you won't even need your stupid lighthouse. I'm Bill Curtis and here is your host at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, Peter Sago.

[Anna Kendrick]

Thank you, Bill. Thank you everybody. So good to see you. We are delighted to be back in Maine today, this week of all week as all of Maine is celebrating homegrown 6 foot 9 basketball phenom Cooper Flagg from the tiny town of Newport, Maine, who went number one in the NBA draft this week, which is amazing. So great for Maine. He'll be the only star in the NBA to play in size 26 L.L. bean Duck boots. Later on, we'll be joined by another local legend, Actor and director and Portland native Anna Kendrick will be with us. But first, it's time for your homecoming. Give us a call. The number is one triple eight. Wait, wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. Now let's welcome our first listener contestant this week. Hi. You're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hey, Peter. This is Brandon from Littleton, Colorado, outside of Denver. I know Littleton outside of Denver. What do you do there? Yeah, I'm an executive coach who works with CEOs and others on leadership and emotional intelligence. So I spend a lot of my time trying to figure out why CEOs.

[Josh Gondelman]

And staff members cry in staff meetings.

[Anna Kendrick]

I'm not an expert, but I think I know. Well, welcome to the show. Brendan, let me introduce you to our panel this week with us in Portland. First, she's a comedian and a writer for TV shows like A Man on the Inside, Pachinko and Late Night with Seth Meyers. It's Karen Chee next. He's a comedian whose brand new comedy comedy special Positive Reinforcement is available on YouTube right now. Well, wait till after the show. It's Josh Gondelman and a legendary comedian you can see at the Greenwich Odium in East Greenwich, Rhode island on August 15th and who hosts the weekly comedy podcast Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. It's Paula Poundstone. So, Brandon, here we all are started. You're going to play who's Bill this time? Bill Curtis, of course, is going to recreate for you three quotations we found in the week's News your job. Simply explain or just, you know, tell us who's talking with two out of three of those, and you will win our prize, the voice of anyone you may choose for your voicemail. You ready to do this? Sounds great. All right, let's do it. Here is your first quote.

[Peter Sagal]

We destroyed the nuclear. It's blown up to kingdom come.

[Anna Kendrick]

That was someone talking about a nuclear that wasn't, in fact blown up to kingdom come. Who was it?

[Josh Gondelman]

I believe that's Donald Trump.

[Anna Kendrick]

It was President Donald Trump. Yes, very good. Trump said the US Quote, obliterated Iran's nuclear weapons program in last week's bombing, but then his own intelligence agency said, actually they just set the program back by a few months. All those bombers did was wreck the entrances to the facilities before turning around and flying home. Basically a half a billion dollars to play ding dong ditch. But mission accomplished, everyone. The Iranian nuclear program no longer has a foyer.

[Paula Poundstone]

That bench swing out front.

[Anna Kendrick]

Gone.

[Paula Poundstone]

Gone.

[Josh Gondelman]

And my guess is they'll be cool with it. Yeah, they probably don't mind they wanted.

[Karen Chee]

To get rid of the bench swing.

[Anna Kendrick]

The White House has this week responded with fury to anybody reporting that it wasn't a complete success, saying those people who dare report that are insulting the brave pilots on the mission. But it's not the military's fault. They were all so tired from having to march in the parade.

[Josh Gondelman]

It's tough because I'm pretty against war as a concept, and it's like the parade was bad, too, but at least nobody got hurt. There weren't even sunburns at that parade because nobody was there.

[Karen Chee]

Yeah, it was the safest parade we've had in a while.

[Paula Poundstone]

Some very positive things came out of that parade. For example, I'm using the squeaky tank sound as my ringtone.

[Anna Kendrick]

This was the famous video where you could hear the tank squeak because there was just no crowds making any noise at all.

[Karen Chee]

It sounds like someone in the tank was having fun.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, why not, Karen? No woman's watching. Brandon, here is your next quote.

[Peter Sagal]

Let's burn out more babies.

[Anna Kendrick]

That was a wellness influencer talking about this hot new trend. Influencers persuading women to give up. What.

[Josh Gondelman]

Working?

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah, give up their jobs. The hot new trend is traditional wives shortened to trad wives or just for people who are in a rush because they're going into labor again. This means this lifestyle means lots of kids, no job. And hey, while we're at it, no vaccines. Well, as you heard, the pitch is for less burnout, more babies. Because who hasn't met Someone with a bunch of kids and thought, you know, you seem really well rested.

[Josh Gondelman]

Do you now, do you have to have the kids or do you just have to kind of like give up on having a career? Because I might be a male trad wife if it's a segment and I could be an unwellness influencer. I honestly think so.

[Anna Kendrick]

I mean, I don't know, maybe what's happening here is that, you know, they see these tradwife influencers online and a lot of women realize, actually it would be nice to have a seven day weekend.

[Karen Chee]

I feel like there's something wrong with my algorithm because I think mine is going the opposite, where I just see so many men fishing that I've decided this summer I'm going to start fishing. I think, Dr. Josh, you're going trad wife, I'm going trad husband.

[Paula Poundstone]

Where do you see men fishing?

[Karen Chee]

Like all over the place. It turns out Idaho is ripe for fishing.

[Paula Poundstone]

Well, when have you been to Idaho?

[Karen Chee]

I haven't. That's what I'm saying. It's on my algorithm.

[Josh Gondelman]

All the men I see on my algorithm are like getting up at 4am to like sit in a cold plunge till 6am and then be the CEO of a company that doesn't exist until 8pm.

[Paula Poundstone]

So you mean, so it's stuff that your computer is showing you?

[Brandon]

Yes.

[Karen Chee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, and you didn't ask for it? You didn't like type in Ben fishing in Idaho?

[Karen Chee]

No, no, no, no.

[Josh Gondelman]

That is. That is kind of a Karen Chi adult film search though.

[Anna Kendrick]

Brandon, here. Brandon, here is your last quote.

[Peter Sagal]

You tell me there's a limited amount and I go, oh my God, I need it.

[Anna Kendrick]

That was somebody talking about the very in demand Labubus. Brendan, what is a Labubu? Wow.

[Josh Gondelman]

It's either band aids or breast implants.

[Anna Kendrick]

But I'm not sure. Yeah, all right, I think now you're not right, but I'm just trying to follow you.

[Paula Poundstone]

But he does win the whole show.

[Karen Chee]

That was amazing.

[Anna Kendrick]

I'll give you a hint. These things are the latest in a line of very similar trends. First there were Barbies, then Cabbage Patch Kids. Or dolls. Yeah, dolls. Yes, they're dolls. Very good. Labubus are the hottest new trend. A brand of collectible plush toy monster elves. If you haven't seen one, picture a plush rabbit with a hard plastic face with sharp teeth that looks like it's about to bite you. Actually, if you haven't seen one, this is the best way to describe it. If it were a real animal in your house, you would shoot it. People are snapping them up. They're paying thousands for them. On the secondary market, they're hoarding them. They're just like Beanie Babies. Except this time it'll work. It has to.

[Josh Gondelman]

I don't know. I've seen cryptocurrency valuations lately. They just keep going up. I think I'm putting all my life savings in Loboo.

[Anna Kendrick]

Why not? Have you guys seen these things? Because these were news to me. I saw them in the news all over this week.

[Karen Chee]

The thing is, I think you're supposed to have a Labubu on. Like, you're supposed to add it onto a very expensive luxury bag. So you need to have that, like, $10,000 bag first. Which is why I just feel like a Labubu is gonna hit different on my free New Yorker tote.

[Josh Gondelman]

You need, like, a Le Boobie Vuitton.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah, everybody's really excited about these. From, like, kids to Real Housewives to the guys at the dump who are just gonna own a bunch of them in about six months. And as I said, the resale market is huge. Thousands of dollars right now. Flipping Labubus. And by the way, flipping Labubus sounds like something you'd hear when they dubbed the Sopranos for the Christian Broadcasting Network. What?

[Josh Gondelman]

Never mind.

[Paula Poundstone]

There's going to be years from now. There'll be that Labubu Restoration show on pbs. This old Labubu.

[Josh Gondelman]

Rest in peace, Laboob. Vil.

[Anna Kendrick]

Bill, how did Brandon do in our quiz?

[Peter Sagal]

He hung in there very well. Let's call him a winner for a good start.

[Paula Poundstone]

There you go, Brandon.

[Anna Kendrick]

Congratulations. Thank you, Brandon, for playing and congratulations. Thank you so much. Take care.

[Paula Poundstone]

Bye. Brandon.

[Anna Kendrick]

Will you be my friend till the end? Will you be my friend right now? Panel, it is time for you to answer some questions from this week's news. Karen, this week we learned about an exciting new training program in Chicago that aims to give police in the field what skill?

[Karen Chee]

Science?

[Anna Kendrick]

No.

[Karen Chee]

Oh, geography?

[Anna Kendrick]

No.

[Karen Chee]

Being nice to people.

[Anna Kendrick]

Never. It's actually a skill that I happen to know you have been trained in.

[Karen Chee]

Fishing.

[Anna Kendrick]

I'll give you a hint. Give you a hint. So imagine a cop going like, well, can anybody suggest a place crime? No.

[Karen Chee]

It's improv.

[Anna Kendrick]

It is improv.

[Paula Poundstone]

That's the worst. That's the two worst.

[Karen Chee]

Cops and improv.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, my gosh.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah, it's terrible. It's better than doing crowd work. When cops do crowd work, it's just basically batons, you know? Wow.

[Paula Poundstone]

So they can pull you over and go. Do you have any idea why I pulled you over?

[Anna Kendrick]

Can you suggest a reason?

[Josh Gondelman]

And you go, I was speeding. And they go, yes.

[Anna Kendrick]

And coming up, keep your arms and legs inside the ride during our bluff the listener game. Call 1-888-wait- wait to play. We'll be back in a minute with more wait wait, don't tell me from NPR support for NPR and the following.

[Lara Schmidt]

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[Jennifer Mills]

This message comes from Capella University. The right support can make a difference. That's why at Capella University, learning online doesn't mean learning alone. You'll get support from people who care about your success and are there for you every step of the way. Whether you're working on a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree, you can learn confidently, knowing you'll get the dedicated help you need. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at capella.edu.

[Bill Curtis]

This message comes from Charles Schwab. When it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices like full service, wealth management and advice when you need it. You can also invest on your own and trade on thinkorswim. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

[Anna Kendrick]

You're listening to the NPR Network, live from NPR News.

[Karen Chee]

I'm Lara Schmidt. A living, breathing record of your neighborhood, the country, the world, told by thousands.

[Anna Kendrick]

Of local journalists who live in the.

[Karen Chee]

Places where stories unfold, backed by a national newsroom that puts it all in perspective.

[Anna Kendrick]

Hear the whole country story. Hear ways of thinking that challenge your own. Hear the bigger picture with NPR.

[Peter Sagal]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell Me the NPR News quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We are playing this week with Paula Poundstone, Josh Gondelman and Karen Chee. And here again is your host at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, Peter Zago.

[Anna Kendrick]

Thank, Bill. Thank you, everybody. Right now it is time for the Wait, Wait bluff. The listener game called one triple eight. Wait, Wait. To play our game in the air or check out the pinned post on our Instagram page, atwaitnpr. Hi, you're on Wait Wait, don't tell me.

[Karen Chee]

Hey, my name is Kate McLaughlin and I live in Royal Oak, Michigan.

[Anna Kendrick]

What do you do there?

[Karen Chee]

I am on the communications team at a national private foundation based here in metro Detroit. So I'm lucky enough to be able to help promote and support the work of nonprofit organizations in cities all over the country.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, that's great. Does that mean, in essence, that some rich person has funded this foundation and you get to give away their money?

[Karen Chee]

Basically, yes.

[Anna Kendrick]

Do you have any extra?

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah, Kate, if I could just spell my last name for you.

[Anna Kendrick]

All right, Kate, it is great to have you with us. You're going to play the game in which you must try to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Kate's topic?

[Peter Sagal]

You must be this tall to play this game.

[Anna Kendrick]

It's summer, so theme parks are in full swing. Except the full swing ride just got stuck upside down. Well, this week we heard some unbelievable news from a theme park. Pick the one who's telling the truth. You'll win our prize, the white waiter of your choice and your voicemail. You ready to play? I am.

[Karen Chee]

Let's do it.

[Anna Kendrick]

But first, let's hear from Josh Gondelman.

[Josh Gondelman]

There are bugs everywhere, so keep your mouth shut. It sounds like advice a paranoid mafia kingpin would give, but this month, it's something you might have heard at Kings Island Amusement park in Mason, Ohio. That's because there were literal bugs everywhere, cicadas, to be specific, and they were flying into people's literal mouths. Experts are advising roller coaster riders to keep their lips sealed tight, to avoid swallowing the cicadas and instead simply allowing the bugs to pelt them in the face like six legged hailstones. The park's 15 coasters have been full of patrons trying not to open their mouths to let out an excited weeee. And are instead forced to emit a bizarre mouth closed.

[Anna Kendrick]

Mmm.

[Josh Gondelman]

One can only imagine the photos for purchase at the end of each attraction. Rows of children with eyes wide and teeth clenched as if they have just returned from war via the Banshee or the Adventure Express. The cicadas are expected to depart soon, but until then, the attractions at Kings island will remain emotional roller coaster rides as well as physical ones.

[Anna Kendrick]

Kings island theme park in Ohio telling people, if you must scream in the roller coaster, do it with your mouths closed because of the cicadas. Your next story of some attraction action comes from Karen Cheers.

[Karen Chee]

Theme parks are innovating in hopes of attracting more visitors from across the country. They're bringing in virtual reality and 4D tricks, even adding scents to rides. But nothing compares to Minnesota's Twin Cities amusement park, whose newest and greatest attraction is Adventure Zone. A ride that does not go anywhere or do anything. That's right. Adventure Zone is a quiet, air conditioned room with lots of books and comfortable seating. Elaine J. A regular visitor said, I go for the thrill of no thrills. The world is so topsy turvy right now that what I want from a roller coaster is absolute stillness. Plus, I love reading and I hate fun. Adventure Zone is the only part of the park where candy and beverages are strictly not allowed and anyone who talks or even laughs is immediately shushed. Alana Henderson of Minneapolis celebrated her Sweet Sixteen reading Middlemarch @ Adventure Zone. She said, honestly, it was quite the emotional roller coaster. I have never been rocked harder in my life and I used to be a baby.

[Anna Kendrick]

Adventure Zone, which is just a quiet room filled with books. A big hit at a Twin Cities amusement park. Your last loop de loop comes from Paula Poundstone.

[Paula Poundstone]

Universal Studios is now selling minion shaped catheters printed with the ubiquitous yellow overall clad cyclopses to keep their visitors consuming beverages while they wait in long amusement park lines. People won't buy drinks before they have to wait in lines because they don't want to have to lose their place in line to go to the restroom, says food and beverage sales chief David Kievel. And since the overwhelming majority of any visit is spent waiting in lines, we've been leaving that sales time on the table. Universal tested the introduction of the product discreetly making it available in restroom vending machines where they quickly discovered they couldn't keep the machine stocked. Next, they hoped to tackle the low number of food sales, but we don't want to know how.

[Anna Kendrick]

All right, one of these things is happening at a theme park this summer. Kate, is it from Josh Gombelman that riders on roller coasters at Kings island in Ohio are being told to keep their mouths shut if they don't want a meal of cicadas on the way down. From Karen Chee, the next big ride is just a quiet room where you can read in peace. And from Paula Poundstone, Minions catheters. Which of these is the real story of a theme park in the news? Oh my goodness. Okay, then.

[Karen Chee]

Let'S go with the cicadas.

[Anna Kendrick]

People here in Portland agree with you. So if your choice is the cicadas. Okay, well, we spoke to someone reporting on the real story. Cicadas were going to be emerging in the lower billions in 13 states, including.

[Karen Chee]

Ohio, so keep your mouth closed.

[Anna Kendrick]

That was Kay Sloan A trending news reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer on the Cicada brood terrorizing that area and forcing riders on the theme park rides to keep their mouths closed. Congratulations, Kate. You did get it right. Josh was telling the truth.

[Josh Gondelman]

I thought it was Karen's.

[Anna Kendrick]

We all did, ultimately. So you've won our game and you've earned a point for Josh just for telling the truth. Thanks so much for playing.

[Karen Chee]

Thank you.

[Anna Kendrick]

Take care.

[Brandon]

Bye.

[Anna Kendrick]

Bye. Thank you.

[Josh Gondelman]

Thank you, Kate.

[Anna Kendrick]

And now, the game we call Not My job. When Anna Kendrick was growing up here in Portland and starting her acting career as a young person, she used to take the Greyhound down to New York City for auditions. And since she has gotten an Oscar nomination for the movie up in the Air and starred in the Pitch Perfect franchise as well as many other films, we assume that these days, at least she gets to ride in the economy plus section of the bus. Anna Kendrick, welcome back to Portland and welcome back to. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Thank you so much. What a joy. And this is not your first time here in the stage of the Merrill.

[Brandon]

No, no. And I'll say that everybody at the Wait, Wait, don't tell me Team has been so, so helpful and thoughtful. And they, they sent me a map and a picture of the stage door and they told me, but don't worry, a man named Colin will escort you there. And I said, I have walked all the way down Congress street wearing lion face paint to be in a dance for some title here. I have come here to stand behind Judy Collins for one song in the choir during a Christmas special that she did wearing what can only be described as a Handmaid's Tale esque robe. And I have come to this stage door to wait in that balcony for 45 minutes in a white button down and black pants just to sing at the Nutcracker.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, my God. That's where I know you from.

[Karen Chee]

That was her.

[Brandon]

That's right.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, this is. Oh. Oh, it's so exciting to see you.

[Anna Kendrick]

So, not to put too fine a pint on it, but you were a theater kid.

[Bill Curtis]

Oh.

[Brandon]

Can I just say that earlier, before we were recording, Paula mentioned that we. We met and that Paula did know my full name and that even though I started listing all the movies I was in, she still didn't know me. And I just wanted to say that I was only listing the movies at her specific request.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, yeah, No, I wasn't just. I.

[Brandon]

She was.

[Anna Kendrick]

I was.

[Brandon]

She wasn't just like, oh, you were Anna Kendrick. And I didn't just start going up in the air.

[Anna Kendrick]

End of Watch the account.

[Brandon]

Pitch Perfect I've ever heard of that. Didn't happen.

[Paula Poundstone]

No, no, it was. I put Anna in the uncomfortable position. I said, well, where would I know you from?

[Anna Kendrick]

That's a terrible thing to do, Paula.

[Paula Poundstone]

It kind of was, I apologize, but. And then every movie she mentioned, I'm.

[Brandon]

Like, no, not that I only mentioned Paula. I would like to remind you I only mentioned one. And then I said, you know, it doesn't really matter.

[Paula Poundstone]

No. And then you took out your phone and you were scrolling lies, lies.

[Josh Gondelman]

And then Paula started naming movies she liked and going, were you in that one?

[Paula Poundstone]

Anyways, I apologize for, you know, making you feel awkward.

[Brandon]

No, I love you and I love that we have a rivalry already.

[Anna Kendrick]

That's true. When you were last here, it was a few years ago and we talked about Pitch Perfect. And one of the things that I am aware of is that because of of those movies, a lot of kids went to college and joined acapella groups.

[Karen Chee]

Yeah.

[Brandon]

I'm so sorry.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, I was gonna ask, geez, how do you feel about that legacy?

[Brandon]

I feel okay about it. I'm into people's hyper specific interests and passions and like it doesn't matter how dorky it is. I think if you're good at it and you care about it, that's amazing. I will say that over the course, you know, we made three movies and so I met a decent amount of acapella people in the course of that time and I was very surprised how many of them said yeah, but I mean, the original versions of the song are always better.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right?

[Brandon]

What are we doing? You know, like if we're listening to a song, maybe the thing that makes the sound of a drum should be the drum. So yeah, it's a self deprecating community and that's also admirable, I think.

[Anna Kendrick]

Oh really? So those jokes are being made by the acapella people.

[Brandon]

Yeah, right. I mean, I hope, my God, I hope it wasn't just three people in the rest of the acapella community are like, well, you're dead to us now.

[Anna Kendrick]

One of the things you've done since the last time we talked to you, Anna, is you directed your first film and I heard that you did that and I was like, oh, I'm sure it's like the incredibly charming, sophisticated romantic comedy that I would expect from someone like yourself. It is, it is a movie called Woman of the Hour and it is a real life story about a woman who goes on play by Herself, who goes on the Dating Game back in the 70s when that was a thing, and gets matched with a serial killer. Yes.

[Brandon]

True story.

[Anna Kendrick]

True story.

[Paula Poundstone]

It's a true story.

[Brandon]

Yeah, girl. Yes, Paula. You should see the film.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah.

[Josh Gondelman]

She's gonna watch and go, where do I know her from?

[Brandon]

Because Paula's a very sophisticated woman of taste, and that's why she doesn't know any of my films.

[Anna Kendrick]

I'm just going to point out, given your vast success and fame, it's annoying that you're funnier than we are, and I'd like you to stop. Well, Anna Kendrick, it is so much fun to talk to you here in your hometown. And this time, we have invited you here to play a game we're calling.

[Peter Sagal]

Pitch Perfect, Meet female dog Perfect.

[Anna Kendrick]

So as we have gone over. You were in the Pitch Perfect movies.

[Brandon]

I love a joke that you have to go, what?

[Anna Kendrick]

So as we were saying, you were in the Pitch Perfect movie, so we thought that we'd ask you about dog shows. Answer three questions about dog shows, and you'll win our prize for one of our listeners, the voice of anyone they choose for their voicemail. Bill, who is Anna Kendrick playing for?

[Peter Sagal]

Ali Long of Biddeford, Maine.

[Anna Kendrick]

All right. My neighbor, Biddeford.

[Brandon]

Come on, Biddeford.

[Anna Kendrick]

Here's your first question. Show dogs are registered under very elaborate names that reflect their parentage. What was the name of the winner of the 2014 Savannah Dog Show? A, snitches get stitches by daylight. B, Starfire's Spank me hard, Call me crazy. Or C, president Polk's Burrito of joyful abundance.

[Brandon]

Oh, this makes me so that. The fact that it's any one of them makes me really delighted. But I. Oh, I guess I'll say A.

[Anna Kendrick]

You're gonna say, A, snitches get stitches by daylight. No, I'm afraid it was Starfire. Spank me hard, Call me crazy.

[Josh Gondelman]

That's a dog's name.

[Brandon]

That is the one that I was like, well, that's definitely not it.

[Anna Kendrick]

But yes, it was a lovely Pomeranian, by the way, we are told. All right, you have two more chances. Not a problem. At the 2021 Westminster Dog Show, Ripple, the Boston terrier, was well on the way to winning the agility competition. You know what they're running with the obstacle course when what happened? A, her trainer tripped over his own feet and fell right on her. B, she was distracted by a spectator who pulled out a Slim Jim and left the course. Or C, she suddenly stopped reconsidering what she was doing with her brief life and just walked away.

[Brandon]

Well, well, I really hope it's C. So I'm going to say your hope.

[Anna Kendrick]

As a sort of dramatic scene, a moment is the dogs running through. Imagine how it's little dogs. Zip, zip, zip. You've seen them go.

[Brandon]

All right, you disagree. I get it. What should I say?

[Josh Gondelman]

A.

[Brandon]

Wonderful. Then A.

[Anna Kendrick]

They're right. A. Oh, wow.

[Brandon]

Wait, have you all seen this?

[Anna Kendrick]

No. I think this would be, by the way, a great final.

[Brandon]

That's the one I really didn't want it to be.

[Josh Gondelman]

And yet was the dog okay? Only answer if the answer is yes.

[Anna Kendrick]

I am proud to tell you that if you see the video and you can, the trainer trips and falls onto her, but she is perfectly fine. And in a quite lovely moment, before continuing her course, she stops and checks on him to make sure he's fine. That's very sweet. All right, Anna, now you've got one more chance. If you get right it right, you win it all. A dog show that was staged at a high school in Spain in 2019 had a surprise ending when what happened? A. The winner was revealed to be a small rat with excellent makeup. B, One of the dogs busted three students for drug possession. C, the students tried to feed the dogs food from their own cafeteria and they all refused.

[Brandon]

Well, I'm hearing E so clearly. Enunciation lessons for all of you.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yes.

[Brandon]

I do want to say C. I'll stick with C. You're going to stick with C. Oh, my God. The way you're looking at me. Fine.

[Anna Kendrick]

E. Yes, it's B. It is B. Oh my gosh. It was a demonstration of police dogs and the dogs did their job. Wow.

[Josh Gondelman]

Somebody got to teach those dogs improv.

[Anna Kendrick]

Exactly. Bill. Ultimately, how did Anna Kendrick do in our quiz?

[Peter Sagal]

Two out of three.

[Anna Kendrick]

You won. She wins again. Anna Kendrick is an Oscar, Tony and Emmy nominated actor in a Pride native of four. She was named a director to watch by Variety for her debut woman of the Hour, which you can stream now on Netflix. Anna Kendrick, what an absolute joy to have you here. Give it up for your hometown girl in just a minute. Bill looks neato in his Speedo in our Listener Limerick challenge. Call 1, triple 8. Wait, wait. A joke. Join us in the air. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait Wait, don't tell me from npr.

[Lara Schmidt]

This message comes from Britbox. The stories you remember are often the ones you didn't see coming. Britbox invites you to see it differently with British tv.

[Anna Kendrick]

Shake up the everyday and discover worlds.

[Lara Schmidt]

That are new, unexpected and perhaps just.

[Anna Kendrick]

What you were looking for.

[Lara Schmidt]

Stream British series, including new Britbox Original Mystery Ludwig, starring Peepshow's David Mitchell. Sign up today and get 50% off your first month when you use the code. [e-mail] support for NPR and the following message come from SimpliSafe the moment @ night you lock up, you want to feel safe. Simplisafe is the home security system that helps stop break ins before they happen. AI powered cameras and live monitoring agents detect suspicious activity around your property. No contracts or hidden fees. Visit simplisafe.com wait to claim 50% off a new system with a professional monitoring plan and get your first month free. That's simplisafe.com wait. There's no safe like Simplisafe.

[Peter Sagal]

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 Karen G, Josh Gondelman and Paula Poundstone. And here again is your host at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, Peter Sagal.

[Anna Kendrick]

Thank you, Bill. In just a minute. Tragically, Bill gets rhymes disease from a limerick bite. If you'd like to play the Listener Limerick Challenge, give us a call at 1-88-wait wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. Right. Now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news. Josh, a recent survey of kids in the U.S. shows 40% of children think bacon is what?

[Josh Gondelman]

Delicious?

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, it is that. That's not surprising if they thought that. I'll give you a hint. Hey, kids, no. Eat all you want. It grows on trees.

[Josh Gondelman]

Oh, they think bacon is a vegetable?

[Anna Kendrick]

Yes. They think it's a plant.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah.

[Anna Kendrick]

A survey in the Journal of Environmental psychology showed that 40% of children surveyed think bacon is a plant.

[Karen Chee]

Wow.

[Anna Kendrick]

The same amount of adults think it's a doughnut topping, which is even weirder. 40% of the children also thought hot dogs were plants. Experts think parents are to blame, of course, for shielding their kids from the truth about where food comes from. They do that by using vague terminology and saying things like, yeah, yeah, bacon's a plant.

[Josh Gondelman]

What I'm learning from this is we gotta stop surveying kids. They don't know what's going on.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah, exactly.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah, you gotta make that. You gotta make them slay the animal themselves. I think that's the only answer there.

[Karen Chee]

That's a really good solution.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, that's, I mean, look, I'm gonna express some sympathy because I've got a two year old right and he loves his toy barn with his little toys. Chickens and geese and pigs. And the only thing he will eat are chicken nuggets. Right. So, you know, you lie. But don't worry. For his fourth birthday, we're getting him the Fisher Price Slaughterhouse playset.

[Paula Poundstone]

I think that's good.

[Anna Kendrick]

You think I should do that?

[Paula Poundstone]

I worry what it says about our children in general. I mean, I don't know if I exactly knew where bacon came from when I was a little, little kid, but I didn't think. I don't think. I thought it was a plant.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, what did you think it was?

[Paula Poundstone]

I don't know. It was a thing on my plate that I ate.

[Josh Gondelman]

How far back should they go? Right, because you're. Paula, you're really bringing up a question, like, because you go, oh, bacon comes from a pig. And you go, where do pigs come from? You go, and a pig loves another pig very much. And now you're giving him that famous pigs and the pigs talk.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah, yeah. Pigs and the pigs.

[Josh Gondelman]

Where do you think pigs can come from?

[Anna Kendrick]

Josh? Hundreds of people attended a spelling bee for grownups this week in Chicago. Surprisingly well attended. The winner took home the trophy after spelling promiscuous. Right. So, Josh, spell promiscuous.

[Josh Gondelman]

Okay. Do I. Spelling bee rule is promiscuous. You guys say it first.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah.

[Josh Gondelman]

P R, O, M I, S C, U, O, U, S. Promiscuous.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yes, promiscuous. Thanks, Jo.

[Josh Gondelman]

I'm just trying to make Nellie Furtado proud.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, that's the funny thing, because the winning word was promiscuous. The last person remaining spelled that correctly and won it. And she then attributed her success to Nelly Furtado and her absolute banger of a song, Promiscuous. Girl, hear that? Pop stars put hard to spell words in your song. Educate people.

[Josh Gondelman]

That's how I know prerogative has an R in it because of Bobby Brown and Shania Twain both right?

[Anna Kendrick]

We need more of that. Come on, Benson Boone. We need a song called Diarrhea Blues.

[Karen Chee]

That's how I learned how to spell me from Taylor Swift.

[Paula Poundstone]

Isn't it me?

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah.

[Paula Poundstone]

Huh. And that had been really tripping you up before that.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah. Wow.

[Josh Gondelman]

She was the problem.

[Anna Kendrick]

Have you heard of the song of the summer? It's Conscientious Pneumonia 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'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-88-WAIT-WAIT, that's 1-888-924-8924. You can see us here most people weeks at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago or catch us on the road this summer. We'll be in Salt Lake City July 31 and at Tanglewood in Western Massachusetts on August 28. For tickets and information to all of our live shows, just go to nprpresents.org and if that's somehow still not enough, wait, wait for you. Well, we're on TikTok atwaitNPR. Hi, wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Karen Chee]

Hi, this is Jennifer from Seguin, Texas.

[Anna Kendrick]

Seguin, I don't know where that is. Where's is it?

[Karen Chee]

It is not the middle of nowhere. It's actually the middle of everywhere. Kind of between Austin and San Antonio.

[Anna Kendrick]

Middle of everywhere. I love it. What do you do for fun where you live?

[Karen Chee]

Well, I'm actually, I like to read and bird watch and stay in the air conditioning.

[Anna Kendrick]

I understand. Yes.

[Paula Poundstone]

Wow. I know an amusement park you're going to love.

[Anna Kendrick]

Well, Jennifer, welcome to the show. Bill Curtis is going to reach for you 3 NEWS Related Limericks with a last word or phrase missing from each. If you can fill in that last word or phrase correctly into the limericks, you will be a winner. You ready to go?

[Karen Chee]

All right.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yep.

[Anna Kendrick]

Here we go. Here we go. Here is your first limerick.

[Peter Sagal]

As I swim in the barrier reefs, bulky trunks often cause many griefs. Though some might feel wimpy in suits that are skimpy. I'm eager to sport tiny briefs.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right, tiny briefs. According to summer runways and swimwear collections, tiny Speedo style swimsuits are back in for men. GQ magazine says skimpy swim briefs are going to have a, quote, breakout summer, which is actually why most men are terrified to wear them.

[Karen Chee]

This makes sense. I heard recently that the new boot, the new beauty standard for men is. But, but did you read this?

[Anna Kendrick]

I did not read this. Tell me more.

[Karen Chee]

I've been telling everybody that I read it in the Atlantic and that I couldn't find it, but I still.

[Anna Kendrick]

Wait a minute, wait a minute. The Atlantic, the literary journal going back to the mid 19th century.

[Karen Chee]

I'm really certain I read it on.

[Anna Kendrick]

Some, you know, the COVID of the Atlantic. You're telling me new analysis of Trumpian foreign policy and men butts.

[Karen Chee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was like the new beauty standard is booty standard for men. Yeah.

[Josh Gondelman]

I believe it because it rhymes.

[Karen Chee]

Thank you. Thank you so much.

[Anna Kendrick]

Are you excited about that if it were true?

[Karen Chee]

Oh, respectfully, yes.

[Josh Gondelman]

What about, wait what are we looking for?

[Karen Chee]

Oh, I think we're just like making sure they're there.

[Josh Gondelman]

Fred, you're down a cheek. You're not going to get a date for weeks.

[Karen Chee]

Listen, you're all laughing at me. But then you go home and Google Butts Atlantic, it's going to come off.

[Josh Gondelman]

Actually, that's a different magazine.

[Anna Kendrick]

All right, here is your next limerick.

[Peter Sagal]

When I pout, I look trouty and carpy kind of fish. Like, not like a harp. Much plumper and darker with permanent marker. I'm lining my lips with a Sharpie.

[Anna Kendrick]

Sharpie? Yes. Beauty influencers are recommending pink Sharpies to highlight your lips, taking inspiration from the unsupervised toddler community. According to one influencer, it's great to do this. Sharpies are great because they're to quote, super super pretty and quote non toxic. Which, fun fact, they're not. Ingesting Sharpie ink can lead to side effects like nausea, staining of your teeth and posting videos of yourself with marker on your face looking like you went to sleep at a frat house party on the couch.

[Josh Gondelman]

This is actually advice given by an under the influencer, a common misconception.

[Anna Kendrick]

Here. Jennifer, is your last limerick.

[Peter Sagal]

Hormel has just claimed a big lossage because a food engineer made a cross switch. Now competitors worsts went from last place to first. They stole secrets from making a sausage.

[Anna Kendrick]

Sausage. Yes. This week two Hormel employees were accused of selling selling Hormel's secret recipes to competitor Johnsonville Bratz. But how much damage can this actually do to the makers of Hormel chili and Dinty Moore beef stew? Their entire brand is just wet cat food for single men. It's a disturbing accusation of corporate espionage. But not nearly as disturbing as the fact that the sausage secret that was stolen is. We don't know what's in it either.

[Josh Gondelman]

I was hoping it would be like, we have to make it with love.

[Anna Kendrick]

Bill, how did Jennifer do in our quiz?

[Peter Sagal]

We got a winner from Texas 3 0.

[Anna Kendrick]

Congratulations, Jennifer. Thanks.

[Karen Chee]

Thank you, guys.

[Anna Kendrick]

Take care.

[Jennifer Mills]

This message comes from Redfin. With the Redfin app, you'll know the moment your next place hits the market. Whether you're looking to buy your dream home or rent a sweet apartment, Give Redfin your gotta have it wish list of property features and you'll receive real time notifications tailored just for you. Ready to see it up close and personal. Scheduling a tour is just a tap away. Don't wait to find your perfect match. Download the Redfin app and start searching today.

[Bill Curtis]

This message comes from Thuma. Create your oasis with Thuma, a modern design company that specializes in furniture and home goods by stripping away everything but the essential. Thuma makes elevated beds with premium materials and intentional details with clean lines, subtle curves and minimalist style. The Thuma Bed collection is available in four signature finishes to match any design aesthetic. To get $100 towards your first bed purchase, go to T H U M A CO NPR this message comes from the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur foundation recognizing extraordinarily creative individuals with a track record of excellence. More information on this year's MacArthur Fellows.

[Anna Kendrick]

[e-mail] now it is time for 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 is now worth two points. Bill, can you give us the scores?

[Peter Sagal]

Josh and Paula each have three. Karen has two.

[Anna Kendrick]

All right, so Josh and Paula are tied for first. Karen, you're in second place. So you're going to start us off. The clock will start when I begin your first question. Fill in the blank On Tuesday, Zoran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary in blank.

[Karen Chee]

New York City, right.

[Anna Kendrick]

On Monday, courts blocked Louisiana law requiring blank to be displayed in all the classrooms.

[Karen Chee]

The and Parenthood brochures.

[Anna Kendrick]

No the Ten Commandments. On Thursday, lawyers gave their closing arguments in the case against disgraced hip hop artist blank. Did he? Right. This week, RFK Jr. S new vaccine advisors rescinded recommendations for some blank vaccines.

[Karen Chee]

Oh, the good ones.

[Anna Kendrick]

I'm going to give it to you. Yes, the ones that work few vaccines in order. In order to avoid costly payouts in any future divorce settlement, one NBA player insisted on including the phrase blank in his prenuptial agreement. I'm sorry in advance almost, he said the phrase was. According to the Wall Street Journal, NBA players are known to have affairs.

[Karen Chee]

Oh.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh my heavens.

[Anna Kendrick]

On Tuesday, Bumble, an online blanking app, announced it was laying off hundreds of its workers dating Right. On Monday, paleontologists announced they discovered a.

[Karen Chee]

New species of blank dinosaurs.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right. This week, protesters in Venice forced Jeff Bezos to change the location of his wedding reception by threatening to fill the canals with blank. A poop?

[Karen Chee]

No Amazon employees?

[Anna Kendrick]

No. I'm afraid I have to tell you that you didn't get in and give me the answer, which was inflatable crocodiles. Bezos announced in the face of these protests, he would move his party from a majestic 16th century building to, quote a historic complex of shipyards surrounded by fortified Water. And yes, it was because protesters were going to fill the canals around the original site with inflatable crocodiles. It was a protest that had people around the world saying, brilliant, I love it. Wait, inflatable Bill, how did Karen do in our quiz?

[Peter Sagal]

5.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

10 more points, total of 12 puts.

[Anna Kendrick]

Her in the lead. Pretty well done. All right, I'm going to arbitrarily pick Josh to go next. Josh, please fill in the blank. On Wednesday, world leaders gathered in the Netherlands for the Blank summit.

[Josh Gondelman]

NATO.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right. On Monday, Tropical storm Andrea became the first named weather system of the 2025 blank season.

[Josh Gondelman]

Harking.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right. This week, the White House announced plans to limit the amount of classified information it shares with Blank the public Congress. On Tuesday, the Trump administration scrambled to rehire thousands of federal employees. Employees fired by Blank.

[Josh Gondelman]

Elon Musk.

[Anna Kendrick]

Doge. Yes. Trying to look on the bright side, the climate ministry of New Zealand said that a nationwide gas shortage would definitely help Blank.

[Josh Gondelman]

It would lower carbon emissions.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yeah. On Wednesday, Cooper Flagg became the number one overall pick at the Blank NBA draft. Right. On Thursday, astronaut Shupansu Shukla became the first Indian woman to visit the Blank International space Station. Right. This week, in aberration advertising campaign won an award for the slogan New Zealand the best place in the world to.

[Josh Gondelman]

Blank never come back from.

[Anna Kendrick]

No. New Zealand the best place in the world to have herpes. The slogan that was part of an awareness campaign along with its campaign won the top prize at the Con Lions award, which recognizes excellence in advertising. But okay, I know what you're all thinking. Okay, that's great. But will someone please tell me where the best place in the world to get herpes is? Bill, how did Josh do in our quiz?

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Believe it or not, Josh is on a roll. Second night, 12 more points. 15 puts him in the lead.

[Anna Kendrick]

Wow. All right, how many does Paula need to win?

[Peter Sagal]

Well, six to tie gives her seven to win.

[Anna Kendrick]

Here you go, Paula. This is for the game.

[Paula Poundstone]

Okay.

[Anna Kendrick]

On Tuesday, disgraced former Trump lawyer Blank was named to the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh. Oh, no. It was Giuliani.

[Anna Kendrick]

It was Giuliani. Right. On Wednesday, the Senate held a hearing and a proposed plan that would cut funding on NPR and Blank.

[Paula Poundstone]

NPR and pbs.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right. This week, power outages were reported across the country thanks to record breaking blank heat. Right. According to new data on cardiac illness, U.S. deaths from blanks have dropped 90%.

[Paula Poundstone]

Heart attacks.

[Anna Kendrick]

Right. This week, firefighters in Utah are under scrutiny after a photo was taken of them blanking at the scene of a fire.

[Paula Poundstone]

Smoking?

[Anna Kendrick]

No. Having a barbecue on Monday, new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Blank said this season would be his last.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, the new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback.

[Anna Kendrick]

Yes.

[Paula Poundstone]

Joe Namath.

[Anna Kendrick]

No, Aaron Rodgers. This week, a beekeeper in Spain who was pulled over for a dui, attempting to get out of it by Blanking.

[Paula Poundstone]

By releasing bees.

[Anna Kendrick]

Exactly right. According to police, after they pulled him over, the man refused a breathalyzer, walked calmly to the back of his van, opened the door and sicked his bees on the officers. Police assumed he was drunk because he was driving erratically down the road. But did they ever consider he was swerving because the van was filled with bees? Bill, did Paula do well enough to win?

[Peter Sagal]

She's competitive. Five rounds, right? 10 more points, but 13 is too short of Josh. Who's our champion?

[Anna Kendrick]

Yay. Josh Donovan. In just a minute, we're going to ask our panelists to predict after Labubu's, what will be the next collecting craze. But first, let me tell you all that. Wait, wait, don't tell me. It's a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago in association with Urgent Haircut Productions. Doug Berman, Benevolent overlord Philip Ga writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager, Shayna Donald. Special thanks this week to our old friend Patrick Murray and our new friend Sina Lofredos. Thanks to the staff and crew here at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. BJ Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Doornbos and Lillian King. Special thanks to Vinnie Thomas and Monica Hickey. Our first round draft pick is Peter Gwynn. Emma Choi is our vibe curator. Technical direction is from Lorna Weider. CFO is Colin Miller. A priority 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. Now, panel, what will be the next big collecting craze?

[Paula Poundstone]

Paula Poundstone, Rebabbid Raccoon Pals. A collection of raccoons that shouldn't be pet.

[Karen Chee]

Karen G. Cuomokos. There are photos of Andrew Cuomo losing.

[Anna Kendrick]

To Zohran Mahrani and Josh Gondelman.

[Josh Gondelman]

You've got. You've heard of Labubu? Now it's time for Stebubu. They are whimsical animal figurines that all have the face of Steve Buscemi.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, if any of that happens, we're going to ask you about it on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me.

[Anna Kendrick]

Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Karen G. Josh Godleman and Paula Poundstone. Thanks to Corey Morrissey and everybody at Maine Public and our fabulous audience here in Portland, Maine. I am Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is npr.

[Jennifer Mills]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark. Get started with your own design studio. With hundreds of ready to use templates, Shopify helps you build a beautiful online store to match your brand's style. If you're ready to sell, you're ready for Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling [e-mail] NPR this.

[Bill Curtis]

Message comes from NPR sponsor Viori, featuring the performance jogger. Visit viori.com NPR for 20% off your first purchase on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. This message comes from Warby Parker prescription eyewear that's expertly crafted and unexpectedly affordable. Glasses designed in house from premium material starting at just $95, including prescription lenses. Stop by a Warby Parker store near you.