Podcast Summary: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Featuring Brian Jordan Alvarez
Introduction Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is NPR's beloved weekly news quiz show, blending humor with current events. Hosted by Peter Sagal and featuring a rotating panel of comedians, the show engages listeners through games, quizzes, and witty banter. This particular episode spotlighted comedian and fashion designer Brian Jordan Alvarez, star of Hulu's English Teacher, alongside panelists Emmy Blotnick and Luke Burbank.
Segment 1: Contestant Challenge – "Who's Bill?" The episode began with contestant Megan Cain from Westfield, Massachusetts, participating in the "Who's Bill?" game. In this segment, Bill Curtis presented Megan with three news-related quotes, challenging her to identify or explain two correctly to win a prize.
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Political "Garbage" Quote ([03:50]):
- Peter Sagal: "The one word that everybody seems to be using to summarize something that's been going on but will finally end on Tuesday: garbage."
- Megan correctly identified this as related to the election rhetoric, highlighting the tension between candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
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Animal Alcohol Consumption Study ([05:45]):
- Peter Sagal: "Lions and tigers and bears... a new study finds that deliberate alcohol use among animals is far more widespread than we thought."
- Megan connected this to the humorous notion that animals, much like humans, enjoy a drink now and then.
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Great Cheese Heist ([08:09]):
- Peter Sagal: "If you do see anybody selling some cheap cheddar, can you let us know?"
- Megan correctly identified this as a $400,000 cheddar theft in the UK, dubbed the "great cheese heist of 2024."
Megan triumphed in the segment, earning a prize of a custom voicemail message from the show's voices.
Segment 2: Panel Game – "Bluff the Listener" Yvonne from Olympia, Washington, joined the panel to play "Bluff the Listener," where panelists presented three humorous and fabricated work trip stories. Yvonne had to discern the true story from the fakes.
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Sex Motel Accommodation ([15:10]):
- Luke Burbank: Described Uganda delegates staying at Motel Desires in Cali, Colombia, due to hotel shortages.
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Clandestine Mafia Negotiation ([16:31]):
- Emmy Blotnick: Narrated a tale of a Canadian intern mistakenly negotiating gravel deals with the Quebecois mafia, resulting in concrete-gravy mishaps.
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Ancient High-Tech Prank ([17:59]):
- Brian Babylon: Told of archaeologists in Chicago being fooled by fake ancient artifacts, including tablets with emojis and QR codes leading to cat videos.
Yvonne correctly identified Luke's story about the sex motel as the genuine event, winning her a voicemail prize.
Segment 3: Guest Interview – Brian Jordan Alvarez Brian Jordan Alvarez, creator and star of Hulu's English Teacher, was the featured guest. Peter Sagal engaged Brian in a lively conversation about his career and creative process.
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Creation of English Teacher ([21:12]):
- Peter Sagal: "How'd you get the part? Did you have a killer audition?"
- Brian Jordan Alvarez: Explained that he essentially cast himself, emphasizing his openness and creative freedom.
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Influence of Social Media ([23:19]):
- Brian: Discussed leveraging TikTok trends, particularly humorous shirtless dancing to promote English Teacher, which significantly boosted viewership.
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Australian Accent Fame ([25:38]):
- Peter: Noted Brian's unexpected popularity in Australia for his impeccable fake Australian accent, despite never having visited the country.
Brian's charisma and humorous anecdotes provided listeners with an entertaining behind-the-scenes look at his show and personal quirks.
Segment 4: Listener Challenge – "Limerick Challenge" Jenna from Cincinnati participated in the "Limerick Challenge," where she completed three news-themed limericks presented by Bill Curtis.
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Okra Water Trend ([38:57]):
- Limerick: "The slime factor's making me chokra for my health..."
- Jenna: Correctly filled in "okra," highlighting a bizarre health trend.
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Beige Baby Rooms ([40:25]):
- Limerick: "Though the Internet answered with rage..."
- Jenna: Filled in "beige," referencing neutral color trends in baby products.
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Gaming in the Olympics ([41:05]):
- Limerick: "Though not buff, I won't fave any shaming..."
- Jenna: Identified "gaming," pointing to the potential inclusion of video games in future Olympics.
Jenna achieved a perfect score, securing another voicemail prize.
Segment 5: Panel Discussion – Future Animal Vices The panelists speculated humorously about future unexpected behaviors animals might adopt, building on earlier jokes about animals consuming alcohol.
- Brian Babylon: Joked about McGruff the crime dog engaging in drug sales.
- Emmy Blotnick: Suggested horses might use human tranquilizers.
- Luke Burbank: Predicted animals becoming addicted to gambling, envisioning realistic cherry symbols on slot machines.
Conclusion The episode concluded with Peter Sagal thanking the panelists, contestants, and the audience. The guest, Brian Jordan Alvarez, had successfully navigated the quiz games, earning additional accolades from the panel.
Notable Quotes
- Brian Jordan Alvarez ([27:17]): "I'm very proud of English Teacher. You know, the critics loved it and a lot of people are watching it, but I wanted more people to watch it."
- Peter Sagal ([09:19]): "Sometimes, dad. For once."
- Emmy Blotnick ([34:22]): "They put people at the single table. So it's that old auntie, a couple of teenagers and a few single people throw some joints on that table and keep it stepping."
Conclusion This episode of Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! masterfully blended current events, humor, and engaging games to entertain listeners. With standout performances from Brian Jordan Alvarez and insightful, funny interactions among the panelists, the show maintained its reputation as both a news quiz and a comedy staple. Whether through deciphering news quotes, bluffing listener stories, or crafting limericks, the episode offered a delightful mix of information and laughter, making it accessible and enjoyable for both regular listeners and newcomers alike.