WWDTM: Governor Whitmer

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! – Episode Summary: "Governor Whitmer"

NPR's "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" is a beloved weekly news quiz show that blends humor with current events. Hosted by Peter Sagal and featuring a panel of comedians and celebrity guests, this episode titled "Governor Whitmer" delves into a variety of amusing and insightful discussions centered around Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

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Introduction

The episode kicks off at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan, with Peter Sagal warmly welcoming listeners and hinting at the spotlight on Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Setting a jovial tone, Peter encourages audience participation, inviting listeners to call in and join the fun.

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Listener Contestant: Charlie from Cleveland

Timestamp: [00:00 - 08:28]

Charlie from Cleveland, Ohio, joins the show, engaging in playful banter about Midwestern rivalries. Host Peter Sagal introduces the panelists:

• Josh Gondelman: Comedian with a stand-up special, People Pleaser.
• Hari Kondabolu: Comedian and upcoming headliner.
• Roxanne Roberts: Style reporter for the Washington Post.

Notable Quotes:

• Peter Sagal [02:58]: "Hot Frosty, that's its real name, is just one of a new series of holiday movies coming out this season that are surprisingly what a sexual."
• Charlie [04:44]: "I don't like a jacked snowman because regular snowman is my body type."

Charlie participates in the quiz, answering questions about quirky news stories like sexy Christmas movies and unconventional parenting trends during college weekends. His humorous take adds a lively dynamic to the segment.

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Panel Quiz Segment

Timestamp: [08:36 - 25:49]

The panelists tackle questions about this week's news:

1. Sunscreen Health Risks:

   • Josh Gondelman [09:01]: Jokes about never using sunscreen.
   • Peter Sagal [09:26]: "Experts in microbiology are warning that going shopping in vintage or thrift shops carries the risk of contracting athlete's foot, ringworm, and even gastrointestinal diseases."

2. Lindt Chocolate Lawsuit:

   • Peter Sagal [10:09]: "They admitted it's not expertly crafted with the finest ingredients."
   • Charlie [11:14]: "Whoa. Lind Chocolate uses toxic metal. They should just rebrand as Lindt Biscuit."

The discussion highlights absurdity in consumer culture and corporate disclaimers, with the panelists offering sharp and witty insights.

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Listener Game: Bluff the Listener – Argentina Edition

Timestamp: [13:51 - 19:10]

Chuck from Indianapolis engages in the game "Bluff the Listener," where panelists present outlandish news stories about Argentina. The options include:

1. Josh Gondelman: President Javier Milei annexes Antarctica to combat climate change.
2. Roxanne Roberts: Billionaire Miguel Garzon attempts to redesign the Argentine flag to feature Lionel Messi.
3. Hari Kondabolu: Argentina repeals a law making the president the godparent of every seventh child to prevent werewolf transformations.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh Gondelman [15:10]: "Werewolves are not known for bureaucracy."
• Charlie [19:42]: "The legend of the seventh son being a werewolf is still the lion in South America."

Ultimately, Hari Kondabolu's bizarre werewolf law is revealed as the true story, showcasing the panel's ability to blend humor with fabricated tales.

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Interview with Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Timestamp: [20:07 - 35:10]

Governor Gretchen Whitmer joins the show, bringing a mix of humility and humor. Peter Sagal delves into Whitmer's nicknames and personal anecdotes.

Key Topics:

1. Nickname "Big Gretch":

   • Gretchen Whitmer [21:07]: Explains the origin of her nickname, initially hesitant but grew to embrace it after encouragement from a Detroit rapper.
   • Peter Sagal [22:18]: Recites the chorus inspired by the nickname: "Throw the buffs on her face because that's Big Gretch. We ain't about to stress we got Big Gretch."

2. Gravity Gretchen:

   • Gretchen Whitmer [23:26]: Shares a childhood story about her clumsiness earning her the nickname "Gravity Gretchen," leading to resilience and academic success.

3. High School Incident:

   • Gretchen Whitmer [24:44]: Recounts a pivotal moment in high school where passing out from drinking motivated her to turn her life around.

Notable Quotes:

• Gretchen Whitmer [24:34]: "I felt most bad about my dad because he just paid for braces to fix the gap between those front."

The interview blends personal stories with humorous exchanges, highlighting Whitmer's relatability and leadership qualities.

---

Governor Whitmer’s News Quiz: Not So Great Lakes

Timestamp: [27:27 - 30:34]

Governor Whitmer participates in a quiz focused on minor bodies of water humorously termed "Not So Great Lakes." Questions include:

1. Samson the Hot Tub Bear:

   • Governor Whitmer [28:35]: Correctly identifies the peculiar story of a bear infatuated with hot tubs.

2. Japanese Official and Puddles:

   • Governor Whitmer [29:23]: Accurately recalls the incident where a Japanese official faced public backlash for being carried over a puddle.

3. Fleisch Hacker Public Pool:

   • Governor Whitmer [30:19]: Correctly answers about the massive, now-defunct public pool overwhelmed by seawater.

Her flawless performance underscores her quick wit and broad knowledge base.

---

Final Quiz Segments: Lightning Fill in the Blank & Gamer

Timestamp: [35:10 - 50:44]

The final segments feature rapid-fire questions testing panelists' and guests' knowledge on various topics:

1. Lightning Fill in the Blank:

   • Roxanne Roberts: Secures a lead with correct answers about historical recognitions and company mishaps.
   • Hari Kondabolu: Answers accurately about societal and legal updates.
   • Josh Gondelman: Provides humorous yet incorrect answers, adding levity to the competition.

2. Final Games and Winner Announcement:

   • Roxanne Roberts emerges as the episode's quiz champion, demonstrating sharp recall and composure under pressure.

---

Closing Remarks and Future Trends in Holiday Films

As the episode winds down, Peter Sagal invites the panel to speculate on future trends in holiday movies, sparking creative and humorous ideas:

• Josh Gondelman: "Fast and Furious Christmas movies."
• Roxanne Roberts: "All I Want for Christmas is a Divorce."
• Charlie: "Themed Oscar bait movies like Christopher Nolan's Elfenheimer."

The discussion underscores the show's blend of current events with imaginative and comedic perspectives.

---

Conclusion

"Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" masterfully combines humor with insightful commentary on current events. This episode, centered around Governor Whitmer, offers a blend of lighthearted quizzes, engaging panel discussions, and a heartfelt interview, making it both entertaining and informative for listeners.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• Peter Sagal [22:12]: "Chocolate in your cheap apology."
• Gretchen Whitmer [21:18]: "Big Gretch sounds like Gretch. It's not pretty."
• Hari Kondabolu [17:51]: "He thinks of a cross between Elon Musk and the Phillies fanatic."

Listeners are left with a blend of laughter, knowledge, and a deeper appreciation for Michigan's Governor Whitmer's personality and leadership.

---

For those who haven't tuned in, this episode is a quintessential example of how "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" turns news into entertainment, making current events accessible and amusing for all.

Transcript

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Rosetta Stone, an expert in language learning for 30 years. Right now, NPR listeners can get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership to 25 different languages for 50% off. Learn more at RosettaStone.com NPR.

[Bill Curtis]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell me, the NPR News Quiz. Take a Michigander at this hunk of man. I'm Bill Curtis, and here is your host at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan, Peter Sehgal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. Thanks, everybody. It is such a great time to be in Detroit. The Lions are winning. The Tigers made the postseason. Downtown is thriving. We assume because we don't live here that it is all due solely to the efforts of Governor Gretchen Whitney. She seems nice. So later on, we are going to have her here with us on stage so she can take all the credit. But first, we want to hear briefly about where you are from before you answer our questions and play our games. The number to call is 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Let's welcome our first listener contestant. Hi. You're on Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Charlie]

Hi, this is Charlie from Cleveland, Ohio.

[Peter Sagal]

Hi, Charlie. How are you? I'm well.

[Charlie]

Energy.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. It's that fun, fun Midwestern rivalries. We love them. Oh, let me just give you a chance. Since you got booed by the Detroiters, here is anything that you, as a native of Cleveland would like to say to the people of Detroit in return and keep it clean.

[Charlie]

I'm not originally from here.

[Peter Sagal]

Not his fault. Well, welcome to the show, Char. Let me introduce you to our panel this week. First up, he's a comedian whose stand up special, People Pleaser, is streaming now. It's Josh Gondelman.

[Charlie]

Hello.

[Peter Sagal]

Next, he's a comedian who will be headlining at Big laugh Comedy in Fort Worth on December 13th and 14th. It's Hari Kondabolu.

[Josh Gondelman]

Hello there.

[Peter Sagal]

And she is a style reporter for the Washington Post. It's Roxanne Roberts.

[Bill Curtis]

Hello.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Hello.

[Peter Sagal]

So, Charles, welcome to the show. You're going to play who's Bill this time? Bill Curtis, of course, is going to read for you three quotations from the week's news. Your job, explain or identify just two of them. Just two. And you will win our prize, any voice from anyone on our show for your voicemail. Are you ready to go? Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Let's do it then. All right, Charles, Christmas season is almost here. So your first quote is from a review of Netflix's new Christmas movie, Hot Frosty.

[Bill Curtis]

Do you want to boink a snowman?

[Peter Sagal]

Hot Frosty, that's its real name, is just one of a new series of holiday movies coming out this season that are surprisingly what a sexual. Yes, they are sexy Christmas movies. They're coming. Watch them with your kids and it ruins Christmas. Watch them with your parents and it ruins sex. Now, it's a big change because before now, intimacy in holiday movies was just limited to over the scarf stuff. But Netflix and other streamers are premiering new Christmas films this year like Hot Frosty, the Merry Gentleman and Miracle on 69th Street.

[Josh Gondelman]

Man, Hollywood's full of it, man.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

[Josh Gondelman]

Do you realize the number of years I've pitched sexy Christmas movies? But no, they did not want. How the milfs. They did not want sex, actually. Yeah, they did not want Babes in Toyland. Same title, different plot, right?

[Peter Sagal]

Or for that matter, Here Comes Santa Claus. But Hot Frosty is a real movie, and it is, and I am not kidding about an incredibly hunky snowman who comes to life. It's not like snowman comes to life and he gets jacked. He is jacked as a snowman. To give you an idea, to build this snowman, they needed a carrot, a bunch of pieces of coal, and an eggplant.

[Charlie]

I don't like a jacked snowman because regular snowman is my body type.

[Peter Sagal]

I know.

[Charlie]

I feel like we're losing representation.

[Peter Sagal]

You might expect, you know, just the standard three spheres, one on top of each other, but the middle one has abs.

[Charlie]

But no, I don't like that. I also don't like that. I feel like this is too Christmas centered and it's too straight.

[NPR Sponsor]

Right.

[Charlie]

We gotta be more inclusive. Let's do two birds with one stone. I'm pitching a same sex romance for Hanukkah called Gatel. Gatel Gaedel.

[Peter Sagal]

Sexy Hanukkah movies are just obvious. Like, what a miracle that little bit of oil lasted for eight nights. Your next quote, Charles, is from Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski.

[Bill Curtis]

Right now I'm waiting for him to name George Santos.

[Peter Sagal]

Murkowski's wish might come true, given the people that. Who has already announced just this week for his new cabinet, Donald Trump. Donald Trump, yes. His first wave of appointments include Attorney General Matt Gaetz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Secretary of Defense guy he saw on tv.

[Josh Gondelman]

Matt Gates. Really?

[Peter Sagal]

Matt Ga. Well, come on. Matt Gaetz, remember, I mean, he's a lawyer. He knows the legal system. Though the majority of his work is in the barely legal system. Yeah.

[Josh Gondelman]

If a caricature artist drew a picture of Matt Gaetz, it would just look like Matt Gaetz.

[Peter Sagal]

That really is true.

[Charlie]

They would, they would have to shrink his forehead down to regular and everyone would be like, that doesn't look anything like you. Like, isn't it funny?

[Peter Sagal]

Now Trump also wants Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To head up Health and Human Services, which is a little, let's be frank, It's a little like putting a parasitic brainworm in charge of antibiotics. Wait, it is that.

[Josh Gondelman]

He was against vaccines before the worms ate his brains.

[Peter Sagal]

That's really true. Yeah. How do you think he got the worm?

[Charlie]

It would be less damaging to a point RFK senior at this point.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, I know. Yeah. You do less damage. All right, Charles, here is your last quote.

[Bill Curtis]

It's 10am and dad's doing jello shots.

[Peter Sagal]

That was from the Wall Street Journal about this new trend of parents attending parents weekends this fall across the country at their kids colleges. Not to take tours and stuff, but in order to do what? To party? Yes, to party. According to the Journal, more and more parents are skipping the usual activities in favor of partying with their kids, including day drinking, frat parties, and dominating in games of beer pong with the help of their titanium hips.

[Charlie]

Actually, when you put out the tiles, you pour some solo cups and you play beer jong.

[Peter Sagal]

Some parents, you know, some parents are not into this. They frown at this partying with their kids. But what's a better say mother daughter bonding experience than barfing into the same dorm toilet?

[Hari Kondabolu]

I'm sorry, Peter, I must stop you right there because I'm having a very hard time understanding any college student wanting to party with their parents.

[Peter Sagal]

Here is the crazy thing.

[Hari Kondabolu]

I think that's insane.

[Peter Sagal]

You may do that, but apparently they're into it. This is true. One student at Michigan named Brenna told the Journal, My mom was once a 21 year old partying and celebrating with her friends and I never got to see that. And now, Brenna, you'll see it every time you close your eyes for the rest of your life. Bill, how did Charles do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Well, he is from Cleveland, but not originally, but he lucked three in. So Charles, congratulations.

[Peter Sagal]

You're a winner. Congratulations, Charles. Thank you. Thanks for playing Char. Right now, panelists, time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Hari this week, scientists are warning of a variety of health risks, including skin disease and quote, explosive diarrhea that are associated with what common activity?

[Josh Gondelman]

Sunscreen. Using sunscreen no, I've never used sunscreen. I'll be honest with you.

[Charlie]

It did feel a little racist when you said that.

[NPR Sponsor]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Josh Gondelman]

It felt weird bathing.

[Peter Sagal]

No. I'll give you a hint.

[Josh Gondelman]

Okay.

[Peter Sagal]

Vintage stores apparently should have a warning label. No. Really?

[Josh Gondelman]

Trying on the clothes of strangers and dead people.

[Bill Curtis]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

That apparently is not particularly good for your health.

[Josh Gondelman]

That's my favorite thing to do, though, Peter.

[Peter Sagal]

And a huge blow to people who love their sweaters dusty. Experts in microbiology are warning that going shopping in vintage or thrift shops carries the risk of contracting athlete's foot ringworm and even gastrointestinal diseases.

[Josh Gondelman]

So that's where it came.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. It's terrible news. Where am I supposed to buy my underwear now?

[Charlie]

This is tough because I was in a vintage store and I felt really bad afterwards, and it must have been that hat I ate.

[Josh Gondelman]

Do you have hard. Do any of you have hard and fast rules? I used to be against buying used shoes, but that's gone by the wayside at this point.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Josh Gondelman]

Like, are there any of you have rules about what you will not buy?

[Charlie]

Toothbrush.

[Peter Sagal]

Fair. Yep.

[Bill Curtis]

Fair.

[Josh Gondelman]

Fair.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Josh, you're probably familiar with Lindt Chocolate, the makers of expertly crafted chocolate with the finest ingredients. Well, this week, as part of a lawsuit, the Lindt Chocolate Company was forced to admit. What?

[Charlie]

That they don't use the finest ingredients.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly right. They admitted it's not expertly crafted with the finest ingredients. A group of consumers sued lint after it was exposed that the secret to their chocolate's rich gourmet flavor is high levels of the heavy metal cadmium, which, to be fair, is among toxic heavy metals, the finest. So in order to sort of try to diffuse this lawsuit, they had to admit in court that the slogan expertly crafted with the finest ingredients is just, in their words, puffery.

[NPR Sponsor]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

And if the case goes forward, or even if it's settled, it might lead to honest advertising in all candy Hershey's. It's sweet brown wax. Payday. Whatever we found on the factory floor covered in chocolate.

[Charlie]

Whoa. Lind Chocolate uses toxic metal. They should just rebrand as Lindt Biscuit.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, okay.

[Hari Kondabolu]

All right, all right.

[Peter Sagal]

Chocolate in your cheap apology you ain't.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Gonna make a fool of me Such.

[Peter Sagal]

A sweet, familiar face Only want some breathing space Chocolate in your cheap apology. Coming up, our panelists take a trip to Argentina in our bluff, the listener game called 1, 8, 8, 8, wait wait to play. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait, Wait, don't tell me from npr. Support for this podcast and the following message come from Mont Blanc. Cherished by authors, creatives, everyday writers and all those who want to leave their mark. The iconic Meisterstuck or masterpiece writing instrument has been instrumental in capturing stories for over 100 years. Mont Blanc inspires you to write and leave your mark. Now let's write this message comes from Peloton Offering an array of challenging programs to choose from, seasoned marathoners with tread programs to help you get ready for race day and custom strength workouts for the gym helps you push your limits every time. Peloton instructors are no joke. Military trained, sub three hour marathon running and ex college athletes that really know how to push you towards your power. Find your push. Find your power with [e-mail] this message.

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This message comes from Wondery. Some of the craziest conspiracy theories are actually classified government operations. To hear more about these hidden truths, listen to Declassified Mysteries with Luke lamanna on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bill Curtis]

From NPR and WBC Chicago, this is Wait Wait, don't tell Me the NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We are playing this week with Roxanne Roberts, Josh Gondelman and Hari Kondabolu. And here again is your host at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan, Peter Seagull.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you Bill. Right now it's time for the Wait Wait, don't tell me bluff the listene call 1/8 wait wait. To play our game in the air. Or you can check out the pinned posts on our Instagram page eight Wait. Npr. All the information is right there for you. Hi, you're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, this is Chuck from Indianapolis. Hey Chuck from Indianapolis. Hang on a second, let me check with something. Do you hate Indianapolis? I'm just going to tell you. I'm just going to tell you Chuck. There are touchy people here in Detroit.

[Bill Curtis]

It's all good.

[Peter Sagal]

What do you do there? What do you do there in Indianapolis? Well, I work for a woman owned management consulting company that's actually based in San Francisco. And there's another city to hate there, and I'm a visual communications consultant. Chuck, welcome to the show. You're going to play the game in which you must try to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Chuck's topic?

[Bill Curtis]

What's new in Argentina?

[Peter Sagal]

There's always something new going on in Argentina. For example, did you know they now want you to cry for Argentina? Go ahead. This week we heard about an exciting new development coming out of that country. Our panel is going to tell you about it. Pick the one who's telling the truth and you'll win the waitwaiter of your choice on your voicemail. Are you ready to play?

[Charlie]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, let's hear first from Josh Gondelman.

[Charlie]

With climate change becoming an increasingly dangerous reality, President Javier Milei of Argentina has taken some extreme measures to hit his country's climate goals. To keep the nation's average temperature as low as possible, he has announced his plans to annex Antarctica. It's simple, said President Milei in an accent you can imagine, but I will not attempt. Think about how much of our great nation now creates no carbon emissions at all. From now on, it shall be known as ENT Argentina. An Argentinian takeover was fairly simple given that most of the inhabitants are scientists who offered little resistance but did manage to peer review their new government. A group of belligerent American researchers attempted to stand their ground, chanting, our snow, we won't go. Our snow, we won't go. President Milei responded, esta es la ant Argentina habla espanol, which translates to this is ant Argentina. Speak Spanish.

[Peter Sagal]

Argentina lowers its average temperature by claiming they now own Antarctica. Your next Argentina tidings come from Roxanne Roberts.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Argentine billionaire Miquel Garzon is not just a soccer enthusiast. He's the self proclaimed number one fan of soccer superstar Lionel Messi. Garzon loves him so much that he thinks the Argentine flag should be redesigned to include Messi's face and has poured more than 2 billion of his own fortune into a countrywide referendum that will be on election ballots next year. Garzon think of a cross between Elon Musk and the Phillies fanatic said he considered changing the country's name to Mezatina, but decided that might be a bit much. He also thought about putting Messi on currency would be cool, but Argentina's crazy inflation might make the bills obsolete immediately. Garzon announced Monday that more than 2 million Argentinians had signed his petitions. One Argentinian who's not crazy about the idea, Messi, who has quietly tried to talk Garzon into dropping his pet project with no luck. Quote. This is not just about Leo, said Garzon. It's about our history, our sport, and our great country.

[Peter Sagal]

A Argentinian plutocrat tries to get superstar Lionel Messi's face on the Argentinian national flag. Your last story of what's up down south is from Hari Kondabolu.

[Josh Gondelman]

Argentina isn't just a great place for hikers and for people who randomly have German last names, it's now a safe haven for werewolves. In an austerity measure, Argentina is eradicating a 50 year old law that protects your kid from becoming a werewolf. As all Argentinians know, your seventh consecutive son or daughter becomes a werewolf. Unless, according to this law, the president of Argentina automatically becomes your child's godparent and gives that kid a scholarship for $150, an amount that doesn't even cover a semester at University of Phoenix Online. Why end this law now? Is it because more than 12,000 children are estimated to have become godsons and goddaughters to an Argentine president in the past 117 years? Or could this drastic cut be the result of current President Milei being a werewolf himself? Werewolves are not known for bureaucracy. When they spot their victim, there is no paperwork or higher authority to check in with simply a thirst for flesh and unbridled bloodlust. Also, there is a massive improvement of basketball skills, as is depicted in the 1985 film Teen Wolf, starring Michael J.

[Peter Sagal]

Fox. All right, here are your choices. One of these things happened in Argentina recently. Was it from Josh Gondelman that the Argentinian president announced that he has annexed Antarctica? From Roxanne Roberts, a billionaire down there trying to get Lionel Messi's face put on the national flag. Or from Hari Kondabolu, a law is repealed that made the president the godparent of every seventh child. To prevent that child from becoming a.

[Charlie]

Werewolf, I think I'm gonna have to go with Roxanne and Messi on the flag.

[Peter Sagal]

So your choice is Roxanne's story about a billionaire trying to get Lionel Messi on the country's flag. Well, to bring in the correct answer, we spoke to someone who knows a lot about the real story.

[Charlie]

The legend of the seventh son being a werewolf is still the lion in South America.

[Peter Sagal]

That was anthropologist David Delbar, a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago and a scholar of werewolves. I'm sorry, Chuck, but as you now know, Hari had the real answer. You didn't win, but you did earn a point for Roxanne, which I know she loves. Thank you so much for playing. We really appreciate you. Thank you. Take care. Bye. Bye. Bye, bye. And now the game we call Not My Job, where we ask people about things they know nothing about. Gretchen Whitmer was born, raised and educated in Michigan. And after service in the state house and state Senate, she was elected governor of the Great State in 2018 and reelected in 2022. She recently published a memoir, True Gretsch, and we are honored that she joins us now. Governor Whitmer, welcome to. Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you. So let's start with your nickname, Big Gretch. I know you embrace it now, but is it true you weren't crazy about it at first?

[Gretchen Whitmer]

No. So I'm named after both my grandmothers, Gretchen and Esther. And Grandma Gretchen always said, never let anyone call you Gretch. Your name is Gretchen Gretch sounds like Gretch. It's not pretty. So I've always had this aversion to being called Gretch, and I don't know many women that want big in front of their nickname. So, Big Gretch, when it first came to be during the pandemic, I was not sure what to make of it. And a woman who worked with me, Shaquilla Myers, who's from Detroit, said, you don't understand. This is a compliment. This is like, the people of Detroit just gave you the key to the city. They love you. This is a nice thing. So now it's my favorite nickname, Big Rabbit.

[Peter Sagal]

If there's not. If there might be somebody in the audience who's not as au courant with Detroit hip hop as you and I, it came from a. But it was bestowed upon you by a rapper, a Detroit rapper named gmac. Right.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

So he made it into a song. It started in the city of Detroit, but he made Big Gretch into a song. And that's really what.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

What blew it up, right?

[Peter Sagal]

And for people who don't know it, I'm not going to attempt to perform it, but the chorus is throw the buffs on her face because that's Big Gretch. We ain't about to stress we got Big Gretch. You can find her in the press under Big. Big Gretch fresh in a new dress. Yeah, that's Big Gretch.

[Charlie]

And you said you weren't gonna perform.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

It's almost like GMAT Cash is here with us.

[Peter Sagal]

It really, really is that. You must be I. Again, I don't know for sure, but you must be the only Governor. The only sitting governor to have, like a rap song written in praise of you.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

That wouldn't surprise me. Have you met them? I'm going to get in trouble now.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, since you're already in trouble, tell us more. Sticking with nicknames for a second. You mention in the book that you've had other nicknames before. Big Gretch, one of which was Gravity Gretchen. Yes. And could you tell us how you got that particular nickname?

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Well, I'm a very accident prone person. I'm a klutz. I've run into things. I fall down. I mean, I was practicing my State of the State last year and I ran into one of the podiums. I had a huge bruise. It just happens all the time. But when I was in middle school, I went to church camp and for some reason it was out in Virginia or West Virginia of all places. And I was running to a base and the other girl tagged me, but pushed me really hard and I went right into the cement and knocked out my front teeth. And so I came back from church camp in a wheelchair because I got 30 stitches in my knee. Both my hands were cut up, my face was cut up, and I was missing my teeth. And my father just looked at me and said, gravity Gretchen.

[Charlie]

And what did you do to anger God thusly?

[Gretchen Whitmer]

It's a good, good question. I felt most bad about my dad because he just paid for braces to fix the gap between those front.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, you fixed it.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

But now I think I gotta figure out how I angered God.

[Charlie]

Something. For the next book.

[Peter Sagal]

Since we brought it up, I have to ask you about another time you fell down or at least were found on the ground in high school, which again, I think is a unique story among America's governors. I was wondering if you could share that.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Well, I'll just say this. There weren't no dogs were shot in my book.

[Peter Sagal]

That's true.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Yeah. So when I was in high school, I ran with a fast crowd and it was the 80s. There was not a whole lot of parental oversight and a lot of actors. And I drank a lot before a football game and I passed out between two cars and my principal found me. And I tell the story because that was really when I kind of got it together and became the best, you know, the most improved student that year and went to Michigan State and, you know, ended up, thank you, Go Green. Ended up, you know, on the dean's list. And then I went to law school and graduated magna cum laude. But I think it was that moment that really, it was devastating. And I was punished. But it really inspired me to get my act together.

[Peter Sagal]

Right, I get that. But in the telling of that story, which, as you say, is inspirational, both in terms of its effect on your life and I think, hopefully to the many young people who might read the book, there was a detail that you left out just now, which is when the principal found you.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Didn't you like vomit?

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Oh, I threw up on him.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, God.

[Charlie]

I gotta tell you, this all sounds like Big Gretch behavior.

[Peter Sagal]

It really does. Really does. Continuing. This is great because one of the interesting things about your life is that we can tell it in the form, like via nicknames. Another famous one, of course, you can find it on Merch. That woman from Michigan, which was bestowed upon you by President Trump. Or as I guess we should call him, President Trump 1.0. It must be exciting. Are you hoping for a new nickname in the second term?

[Gretchen Whitmer]

I mean, we'll see. We'll see how it goes. I'm gonna, you know, see how it goes.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. Yeah. But, you know, the T shirt printers are ready in case he comes up.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

With something that Michigan's Etsy community is ready to roll.

[Peter Sagal]

Governor Whitmer, it is an absolute thrill to be able to talk to you here in Detroit. But as we have with so many important people, we have invited you here to play a game that this time.

[Bill Curtis]

We are calling check out these not so Great Lakes.

[Peter Sagal]

So Michigan, as I'm sure you know, is the Great Lakes State.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Oh, we are?

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. So we thought we'd ask you about some not so great Lakes that is much, much smaller bodies of water. Answer two out of three questions about tiny lakes correctly and you will win our prize to one of our listeners, the voice of anyone they might choose for our show. Bill, who is Governor Whitmer playing for?

[Bill Curtis]

Jeff Kruger of Livonia, Michigan.

[Peter Sagal]

Are you ready to do this?

[Gretchen Whitmer]

I'm ready.

[Peter Sagal]

Here's your first question. One of the smallest bodies of water you can find is, of course, a hot tub. And if you happen to have a hot tub outside of your house in Monrovia, California, in the 1990s, you had to watch out for what? A, a a brand new STD that evolved in the heated water called Jacuzzi. Ria B. Samson the Hot tub bear, a 500 pound black bear who loved ending his day in somebody's hot tub. Or C, a business called Peeping Tim's Aerial Hot Tub Helicopter Tours.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Samson the Hot Tub and Bear.

[Peter Sagal]

You're right. You just knew.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Just had a feeling.

[Peter Sagal]

You just had A feeling because of your knowledge of hot tubs? Your knowledge of bears?

[Josh Gondelman]

Both.

[Peter Sagal]

Neither of them.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

All of the above.

[Peter Sagal]

All of the above, yes.

[Bill Curtis]

All right.

[Peter Sagal]

That was very good. Governor, here's your next question. Puddles. Harmless little bodies of water, but they can cause problems from time to time. As in when? Which of these happened? A, a Japanese government official got in trouble for making a subordinate give him a piggyback ride over a puddle? B, a single puddle caused a massive traffic jam in Texas when a cybertruck rolled through it and short it out. Or C, a Florida billionaire got caught trying to get a tax break by calling a puddle on his property an endangered wetland.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

I mean, it's. I think it's a.

[Peter Sagal]

You think it's a. The Japanese government official. You're right. Oh, you're right. This happened back in 2016, and there was this. This big type, and the minister in charge of, like, emergency relief showed up and there was a big puddle, and he says he forgot to bring his overshoes. So he had a subordinate pick him up and carry him through the puddle, which did not go over well with the Japanese public. We had to apologize. All right, that's very good. That's very good. You have one more. Let's see if you can be perfect here. The largest public swimming pool ever, we think, was the Fleisch Hacker public pool in San Francisco. It was so enormous during its heyday that what once happened, A, it was taken over by a pod of gray whales, B, it had to close twice a day for low tide, or C, they had to put lifeguards out to patrol the pool in rowboats.

[Gretchen Whitmer]

Sea.

[Peter Sagal]

That's right. Wow. It was an enormous pool, now closed, now gone, filled with seawater piped in from the ocean next door, they say could accommodate 10,000 people at once. Bill, how did Governor Whitmer do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

She's perfect.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan. Her new book, True Gretsch, is available now. It's a hoot and a half. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, thank you so much for joining us. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Give it up for your governor. Ladies and gentlemen, in just a minute, Bill goes foraging for his supper in our Listener Limerick challenge. Call 1/38 wait wait to join us in the air. We'll be back in a minute with more Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. From npr.

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[Bill Curtis]

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 Josh Gondolman, Roxanne Roberts and Hari Kondabolu. And here again is your host at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan, Peter Seagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thanks, Bill. In just a minute, Bill finds out how many limericks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop in our listener Limerick Challenge game. If you'd like to play, give us a call at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Right now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news. Hari this week we learned people are stressing out about a different aspect of Thanksgiving than we all usually stress out about.

[Josh Gondelman]

Killing the turkey.

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Josh Gondelman]

Can I have a hint? Does it involve the turkey in some way?

[Peter Sagal]

No, it doesn't. I mean, it doesn't involve any of the things we usually stress out about, cooking the meal, dealing with your relatives, all that stuff. It's totally new. And this was not a problem at the first Thanksgiving because then all the pilgrims just dressed like pilgrims.

[Josh Gondelman]

What to wear?

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly right. Your Thanksgiving outfit. What is it going to be for for generations? It was not a question. Thanksgiving was the last safe space for schlubs. But no more loose pants at the dining table because now you need a whole new look to show to these same old people.

[Charlie]

People are worried about this?

[Peter Sagal]

Well, it's either people are genuinely worried about this or people who write for fashion magazines are desperate for content. So, for example, according to according to Marie Claire magazine, erring on the side of sophistication is a great way to approach Thanksgiving style for young people. You know, you should wear the thing that Shows how much you've changed now that you're in college. Something that says, I'm different now that I live in Madison.

[Charlie]

That's. You gotta. All you've gotta do is be the third worst dressed person in any occasion.

[Peter Sagal]

Why the third?

[Charlie]

Well, because if you're the first worst dressed. That's bad.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Charlie]

And if you're the second worst dressed, what if the first worst dressed goes to the bathroom?

[Josh Gondelman]

Very good.

[Charlie]

Very smart. Third worst dressed.

[Hari Kondabolu]

You put a lot of thought into this.

[Peter Sagal]

If the first worst dressed and the second worst dressed go into the bathroom together, it turns out somebody didn't mind the way they were dressed.

[Charlie]

That's right. And then. Yeah, then, you know, you win some, you lose some.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. Josh. This week, the New York Times weighed in on a heated debate among theater and concert goers via their advice call. Are you actually obligated to do what?

[Charlie]

To, like, clap really loud? Because you don't think they're going to come up for an encore when you really know they're going to come up for an encore.

[Peter Sagal]

That's a very good question, but that was not addressed. It's another thing having to do with applause.

[Charlie]

Oh, give a standing ovation.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly right. Are standing ovations obligatory? The Times ruled that, yes, you do in fact, have to participate in a standing ovation. You just have to. But. But you can subvert it by doing different kinds of clapping. And this was real advice. They suggest the walking ovation, where you clap as you head to the door. Right.

[Charlie]

That's worse than sitting.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, yeah. You guys are great. You guys are great. Yeah. I just gotta get my car. There's the fingertip clap. Right. Where you're just sort of clapping the edges, the ends of your fingers together just to indicate this is not sincere. And then, of course, there's just the clap, which is gonorrhea.

[Josh Gondelman]

I've gotten many half standing ovations in my life, and each one of them hurts more than not getting a standing ovation.

[Peter Sagal]

When you say like a standing ovation.

[Josh Gondelman]

Meaning like, I finish a show and then half the audience stands up and the other half refuses to stand up, which bothers me because eventually you have to stand up to leave, so you.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, but they'd rather get home late than give you the satisfaction.

[Josh Gondelman]

Exactly.

[Peter Sagal]

Thinking that they like. Exactly.

[Charlie]

When. When only a few people stand, that doesn't mean you didn't do a good job. It means those people thought you did a great job.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, that's an audience half standing perspective.

[Hari Kondabolu]

But isn't. Isn't there a standing Ovation Inflation. I mean, there used to be like, not for me. It had to be great, right? It had to be exceptional for you.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, well, that's the problem.

[Charlie]

Thanks, Joe Biden.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, that's why Trump won Ovation Inflation. Coming up, it's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first, it's the gamer. You have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-888-WAIT, that's 1-888-924-8924. You can catch us most weeks at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago and come see us on the road at Carnegie hall in New York City on December 12th. For tickets and information, go to nprepresents.org and check out our sister podcast, how to Do Everything. This week, Mike and Ian help two roommates settle a dispute by calling up the very highest legal authority in the country. Mark, hi. You're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Charlie]

Hi, this is Abby Whelan calling from Boise, Idaho.

[Peter Sagal]

That's great. What do you do in Boise?

[Charlie]

I'm a cartographer.

[Peter Sagal]

No, you are not.

[Charlie]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

Who do you do maps for in this day and age?

[Charlie]

Maps for Travel Guidebook.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, how very cool. So like, you know, if like the, you know, somebody does the hiker's guide towards Idaho mountains, you do the maps and show people where to go?

[Charlie]

Yes, that's me.

[Peter Sagal]

Do you ever consider doing very small practical jokes? Just like one trail on one map that leads people over one little cliff?

[Charlie]

That sounds really fun, but I don't think my boss would like me very.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Much if I did that.

[Charlie]

If you used your maps for murder.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, welcome to the show, Abby. Bill Curtis going to read you three news related limericks with the last word or phrase missing from each. If you can fill in that last word or phrase correctly, two of the limericks will be a winner. You ready to play?

[Charlie]

Yes, I am.

[Peter Sagal]

Here is your first limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

Though we spent lots of dough on this bling. Our engagement was just a long fling. Since our love didn't linger, I've got a nude finger. The judge made me give back the ring.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. Ring. In Massachusetts, you are now legally required to return the engagement ring, even if the person who gave it to you is the one who called off the wedding. But don't worry, there are still no laws saying you just can't throw it at the bastard. The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in favor of a man who broke up with his fiance and then sued to get the $70,000 engagement rig back from her. Now, I do not know these people, nor frankly do I want to, but if he's the kind of guy who paid $70,000 for an engagement ring, he's going to sue you for something.

[Josh Gondelman]

You said Massachusetts, you said.

[Peter Sagal]

I did say that.

[Josh Gondelman]

Not New York State.

[Peter Sagal]

I did not say New York State.

[Josh Gondelman]

Okay, noted.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay, you're going to give up your plans to buy a $70,000 engagement right now that you know this. All right, here is your next limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

They grow, though we never plant seeds. Now they're meeting our fine dining needs. Once they've been cleaned, they're a fine, leafy green. And our meals are now filled with weeds.

[Peter Sagal]

Weeds. Yes, weeds. Move over, farm to table and make way for sidewalk crack to table. Foraging, we all know, has been a trend for a while, you know, with, like, wild mushrooms. But high end restaurants are now focusing less on rare, trendy plants like ramps, fiddlehead, ferns, and more on weeds like dandelions and thistles. A chef first got the idea when he installed a rooftop garden and then forgot to take care of it for two months. The New York Times interviewed one forager who provides some of New York's best restaurants with plants they call, quote, species you might see growing along the highway median. Can you imagine? You're in, like, a very high end place and you're going, mmm, this dish is such a delicious smoky flavor. Is that diesel exhaust?

[Charlie]

And where did you get this fine raccoon meat that you're serving?

[Peter Sagal]

You know it's authentic because of the treadmarks. All right, here is your last.

[Bill Curtis]

A home should be comfy and snuggly, not a place to flaunt flawless taste smugly. Don't live in a shrine of perfect design. Include a fun piece that is ugly.

[Peter Sagal]

Ugly, yes. Design experts say to really make your interior design pop, put one ugly object in every room. That's why whenever I walk into a friend's house, I always say, wow, look at that insanely ugly thing as a compliment.

[Josh Gondelman]

Does it work if everything in your house is ugly and you have one nice thing?

[Peter Sagal]

Like one really nice thing? One really nice thing?

[Bill Curtis]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. No, it doesn't work that way.

[Josh Gondelman]

That's a shame.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Charlie]

How ugly? There must be a limit, right? Because if you're like, oh, kind of a painting with. With a jarring color scheme versus, like, that's my grandfather's skull.

[Josh Gondelman]

Jesus.

[Charlie]

I kind of built that plane in the air, and I don't regret it because it did land.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, sort of. And always keep in mind, if you're in a very nice designed room. Really, really professionally done. And you look around and there's no ugly thing. The ugly thing is you. Bill, how did Abby do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Abby was perfect. She got them all. All right.

[Peter Sagal]

Well done. Thank you. Yeah. And I will look for your maps the next time I'm, you know, looking at a map. Thank you so much for playing, Adam. Thank you. Bye bye.

[NPR Sponsor]

This message comes from NPR sponsor Shopify, the global commerce platform that helps you sell and show up exactly the way you want to customize your online store to your style. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com NPR this message comes from Lisa.

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[Hari Kondabolu]

Com around the United States, Oregon is thought of like a progressive utopia, a place of bikes and clean air. But scratch a little, and that image starts to flake away. When Oregon sent Jesse Lee Johnson to death row, it had a lot to do with the real story of Oregon. Listen to Hush from opb, part of the NPR Network.

[Peter Sagal]

Now onto 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]

Josh and Roxanne each have three. Hari has two.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Hari, that means you are in second place. So that means you're going to go first. The clock will start when they begin your first question. Fill in the blank. On Wednesday, it was confirmed that the GOP would retain control of the Blank Senate House. Yes, the House of Representatives. On Thursday, the owners of the Onion revealed they had purchased Alex Jones Blank website InfoWars. Right after three planes were struck by gunfire, the FAA grounded all US flights to Blank Haiti. Right. This week, a court in the UK ruled that a man's will was valid despite the fact that it was written on blank toilet paper. Old fish stick packages. After the election, Twitter rival Blank gained 1 million new users.

[Josh Gondelman]

Truth?

[Peter Sagal]

No, it's called Blue Sky. This week, a man in Scotland who robbed a bank with a pillowcase over his head was caught. Because he blanked.

[Josh Gondelman]

Passed gas?

[Peter Sagal]

No, because he forgot to cut Eye holes in the pillowcase. The man entered the bank, put a pillowcase on his head to hide his identity from the tellers and the cameras, and then had to take it off because he could. So he escaped with $2,000. He was caught almost immediately after he got outside and got into a getaway car without any wheels. Bill, how did Hurry do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Got three right. He now has a total of eight and the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, very good. And arbitrarily going to pick Roxanne to go next. So here we go. Roxanne, fill in the blank. On Veterans Day, the government of Maryland posthumously awarded abolitionist Blank the rank of General Tubman. Yes, Harriet Tubman. This week, a federal judge blocked a Louisiana rule requiring public schools to display the blank in class.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Ten command. Ten Commandments.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Thursday, new research suggested that drugs like Blank could be effective in combating alcohol addiction.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Ozempic.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, a man who stopped to help a stranger fix a bicycle quickly realized. Blank.

[Hari Kondabolu]

That it was the Pope.

[Peter Sagal]

No. That it was his bike, which had been stolen earlier that week following a report that they were filing for bankruptcy. Shares for budget airline Blank plunged.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Spirit.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Tuesday, John Krasinski was named people's Blankiest Man Alive.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Sexiest.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, Mattel released dolls for the new movie Wicked, but failed to notice they had included a link to Blank printed on the boxes.

[Hari Kondabolu]

A porn site.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly right. The boxes of the dolls, the action figures from the movie, were supposed to direct fans to WickedMovie.com a website which features, among other things, clips from that film. But it accidentally, because somebody didn't check it, pointed them to Wicked.com which, to be fair, also features clips from movies. Even worse were the boxes that told kids to go to Wicked Edu, which is, of course, the landing page for Boston College.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Wouldn't that be Wicked Smart?

[Charlie]

That's Harvard.

[Peter Sagal]

Bill, how did Roxanne do in her quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

6.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Bill Curtis]

12 more points. 15 puts her in the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so how many then does Josh Gondelman need to win?

[Bill Curtis]

6 to tie and 7 to win.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, tall order. Josh.

[Charlie]

Peter.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Charlie]

My palms are sweaty. Knees weak, Arms are heavy. There's vomit on my sweater already. Mom's spaghetti. Let's do this.

[Peter Sagal]

Did you write that yourself?

[Charlie]

I came up with that. Yeah. It just kind of popped into my head.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. All right, here we go. This is for the game. Fill in the blank. According to a new report, pollution from the use of Blanks has hit an all time high.

[Charlie]

Pollution from the use of. Geez, I'm out on one generative AI models.

[Peter Sagal]

No fossil fuels. This week, Canada confirmed its first human case of Blank flew.

[Charlie]

Avian.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. In an effort to compete with Temu and Shein, online giant Blank has introduced a new discount store, Amazon. Right. On Monday, the Highway Safety Administration opened a probe into over a million vehicles made by Blank.

[Charlie]

Tesla?

[Peter Sagal]

No. Honda.

[Charlie]

I was just hoping.

[Peter Sagal]

After finding 20 million euros in the walls of his house, Spain arrested the former head of Blank.

[Charlie]

Oh, he was in charge of corruption finding ridiculous.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. He was in charge of their anti money law. This week it was announced that Craig Melvin would replace Hoda KOTB on the Blank Show.

[Charlie]

Today Show.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Monday, genetic testing company Blank announced it was laying off almost half its employees.

[Charlie]

23Andme.

[Peter Sagal]

Right after four people in California filmed a bear ripping up the seats of their Rolls Royce. Authorities are now saying. Blank.

[Charlie]

Keep your Rolls Royce out of your hot tub.

[Peter Sagal]

No, they're saying it was actually just a person in a bear costume and they were committing insurance fraud. In addition to their Rolls Royce, the four fraudsters filed claims in two other cars saying a bear also destroyed those. They have been arrested with cops saying the video was very clearly just a man in a suit and not a real bear. Since their arrest, the four admit that it was a mistake in choosing to go with a Paddington costume. Bill, did Josh do well enough to win?

[Bill Curtis]

Josh got five. Right. But he couldn't catch Roxanne. Roxanne is this week's winner.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Roxanne.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

And I know that part of your victory was fooling that poor innocent person. Just makes it that much this week. In just a minute, we're going to ask our panelists, now that we have sexy Christmas movies, what will be the next surprising trend in holiday films? But first, let me tell you all that. 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 Goteker writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager is Shane and Donald. Thanks to the staff and crew here at the Fox Theater in Foxtown. Special thanks to our partners at Michigan Public, wdet and we M. BJ Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Norboston, Lillian King. Special thanks this week to Blythe Roberson and Monica Hickey. Our governor is Peter Gwynn. Emma Choi is our vibe curator. This week, we celebrate 40 years of technical direction by Lorna White. Our CFO is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Neuhaus. Our senior producer is Ian Shillag, and the executive producer, Wait, wait, don't tell me, is Mr. Michael Danforth. Now, panel, what will be the next strange and unexpected trend in Christmas movies?

[Josh Gondelman]

HARI kondabolu, fast and Furious Christmas movies. Let's see how fast Santa's sled can go with some nitrous oxide.

[Peter Sagal]

ROXANNE roberts, All I Want for Christmas.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Is a Divorce.

[Peter Sagal]

And Josh Gondelman, Christmas.

[Charlie]

Themed Oscar bait movies. So get ready for Hallmark Channel original Christopher Nolan's Elfenheimer.

[Bill Curtis]

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

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Roxanne Roberts, Hari Kondavolu and Josh Donnelman. Thanks to our fabulous audience here in the beautiful majestic Fox Theater in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Thanks to all of you for listening, wherever you may be. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is NPR.

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