WWDTM: Happy New Year Edition!

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! – Happy New Year Edition Summary

Introduction

In the "Happy New Year Edition" of NPR's beloved news quiz show, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, host Peter Sagal welcomes listeners back with his characteristic wit and humor. Filmed at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago’s Fine Arts Building, the episode reflects on the lingering sentiments of 2024 while playfully anticipating the uncertainties of 2025. The show features a mix of celebrity guests, comedians, and engaging quiz segments that test their knowledge and entertain the audience with lighthearted banter.

Segment 1: Kristen Kish – From Top Chef to Host

Guest: Kristen Kish, winner of Top Chef and the new host of the series.

Discussion Highlights:

Top Chef Journey: Kristen Kish shares her triumphant path on Top Chef, describing a pivotal moment where she had to prepare a challenging seafood dish involving the geoduck, humorously comparing it to handling a “penis” (00:53–02:17).

Peter Sagal (00:53): “2024 is finally over, thank goodness. But we're hoping to delay finding out what 2025 has in store by staying in bed with the lights off.”

Kristen Kish (02:17): “I'm very gay. So shocking that I knew what to do with it.”
Transition to Host: Kristen recounts the unexpected call to take over Top Chef from Padma Lakshmi, highlighting her initial hesitation and eventual acceptance of the role while traveling internationally (03:04–04:10).
Filming in Milwaukee: The upcoming season’s focus on Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s famed cheese curds is discussed, with Kristen humorously noting the local traditions and her experiences on set (04:10–05:20).

Notable Quotes:

Kristen Kish (03:35): “Things started rolling.”
Peter Sagal (04:25): “But your dairy is exceptional. Qualifies as dirty talk.”

Quiz Segment: "Top Jeff"

Kristen participates in a quiz segment focused on Jeff Bezos, answering questions about his personal philosophy and family history. Demonstrating her quick thinking under pressure, she successfully answers two out of three questions, securing a prize for her listener Heather Raine of Racine, Wisconsin (05:20–10:31).

Segment 2: Dr. Claudia Goldin and Danny Brown – Economics and Rap

Guests: Dr. Claudia Goldin, Nobel Prize-winning economist, and her husband Danny Brown, a rapper.

Discussion Highlights:

Nobel Prize Announcement: Danny shares the amusing experience of receiving the Nobel Prize call early in the morning, leading to a humorous interaction with his husband Larry (14:03–15:23).

Danny Brown (14:08): “The call arrived at 4:30 in the morning and I was sleeping in a bed with the person behind me.”
Economist Humor: Dr. Goldin and Danny engage in playful banter about the economics field, including a lighthearted conversation about polyandry among economists due to the gender imbalance (16:02–17:06).
Chatbot Prediction: Danny recounts his interaction with a chatbot that humorously suggested he pursue competitive yodeling, highlighting the limitations of AI in predicting human creativity (17:06–18:33).
Pickleball and Midlife Crisis: Claudia discusses her newfound passion for pickleball, initially intending it as a humorous sketch but eventually embracing the sport (25:48–26:55).

Notable Quotes:

Claudia Goldin (24:05): “Adderall.”
Peter Sagal (25:37): “You also run. You won a lot of rap battles in. In high school, right?”

Quiz Segment: "Economy"

Dr. Goldin and her husband take on a quiz themed around Tom Stuker, the most traveled airplane passenger. They correctly answer questions about his first-class exploits, including his attempt to secure a guest spot on Seinfeld and United Airlines naming aircraft after him, winning the segment for Laurie Craig of Olympia, Washington (18:34–22:02).

Segment 3: Bill Cowher – Super Bowl Winning Coach

Guest: Bill Cowher, former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Discussion Highlights:

Career Reflections: Cowher reminisces about his coaching tenure, particularly the emotional experience of losing a championship game on a reunion boat cruise, leading to tension with his wife and teammates (33:07–35:02).

Bill Cowher (33:35): “Everyone wanted tickets, like, oh, like, like, oh, now you can't talk to us anymore.”
Coaching Philosophy: He humorously discusses the challenges of coaching interviews and maintaining composure, emphasizing control over the narrative during press interactions (35:29–35:57).
Humorous Interactions: Peter attempts to stump Cowher with light-hearted questions, leading to playful exchanges about his coaching style and personal anecdotes (35:57–40:19).

Notable Quotes:

Bill Cowher (36:43): “They was like, oh, did they hustle?”
Peter Sagal (36:24): “You became a coach at a young age, so that means you had to learn quickly what I assume are the essential skills of coaching, which include doing these interviews on the field sometimes and after the game in which you managed to say nothing.”

Quiz Segment: "Meet the Cowards"

Bill Cowher engages in a quiz segment about historical figures labeled as cowards. Demonstrating his knowledge, he correctly answers questions about Robert Ford, William Castle, and Napoleon Bonaparte, earning a prize for Josh Smith of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (36:59–41:03).

Segment 4: Renee Elise Goldsberry – Broadway Star and Comedy Rapper

Guest: Renee Elise Goldsberry, actress known for her role in Hamilton and Netflix's Girls5Eva.

Discussion Highlights:

Acting Journey: Renee discusses her transition from a working actor to a Broadway star, highlighting the sudden fame post-Hamilton and the challenges of being recognized solely for her breakout role (43:07–44:12).
One-Hit Wonder Parody: She humorously describes her character’s background in Girls5Eva, a spoof of early 2000s girl groups, and her forgotten stint in an actual girl group, emphasizing the show's comedic take on pop culture stereotypes (44:46–46:55).
Pickleball Adventures: Renee shares her initial struggles and eventual enjoyment of playing pickleball, inspired by her encounters with enthusiastic older players (25:48–26:55).

Notable Quotes:

Renee Elise Goldsberry (44:12): “Never, never underestimate how invisible a middle-aged black woman can be.”
Peter Sagal (44:29): “It's not my life all the time. I always say, never, never underestimate how invisible a middle-aged black woman can be. So, I mean, do you hear me?”

Quiz Segment: "Hey Goldsberry, Let's Look for Some Buried Goldbergs"

Renee participates in a treasure hunting-themed quiz, correctly answering questions about Kit Williams’ Masquerade, Tommy G. Thompson’s shipwreck, and the British friends’ Roman coins discovery. She wins a pirate-themed prize for Brian Holland of Southampton, Pennsylvania (46:34–49:56).

Closing Remarks

Host Peter Sagal wraps up the episode by celebrating the accomplishments of his guests and encouraging listeners to embrace the spirit of the new year with humor and optimism. He highlights upcoming segments featuring NFL and Broadway stars, ensuring that the audience departs with smiles and anticipation for future episodes.

Notable Closing Quotes:

Peter Sagal (50:17): “That's it for us. Beat this 2025 edition. We'll see if the new year can live up to the standard set by the old one.”

Conclusion

The "Happy New Year Edition" of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! successfully combines humor, insightful conversations, and engaging quizzes to celebrate the end of 2024. With celebrity guests like Kristen Kish, Dr. Claudia Goldin, Bill Cowher, and Renee Elise Goldsberry, the episode offers a delightful blend of entertainment and informative content, making it a must-listen for fans and newcomers alike.

Highlighted Quotes with Timestamps:

Peter Sagal (00:53): “2024 is finally over, thank goodness. But we're hoping to delay finding out what 2025 has in store by staying in bed with the lights off.”
Kristen Kish (02:17): “I'm very gay. So shocking that I knew what to do with it.”
Danny Brown (14:08): “The call arrived at 4:30 in the morning and I was sleeping in a bed with the person behind me.”
Renee Elise Goldsberry (44:12): “Never, never underestimate how invisible a middle-aged black woman can be.”

Attributions:

All quotes are attributed to their respective speakers with accurate timestamps as provided in the transcript.

Conclusion

This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, humorous exchanges, and notable moments from Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'s "Happy New Year Edition." It provides a comprehensive overview for those who haven’t listened to the episode, capturing the essence and entertainment value of the show.

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! – Happy New Year Edition Summary

Introduction

Segment 1: Kristen Kish – From Top Chef to Host

Guest: Kristen Kish, winner of Top Chef and the new host of the series.

Discussion Highlights:

Top Chef Journey: Kristen Kish shares her triumphant path on Top Chef, describing a pivotal moment where she had to prepare a challenging seafood dish involving the geoduck, humorously comparing it to handling a “penis” (00:53–02:17).

Peter Sagal (00:53): “2024 is finally over, thank goodness. But we're hoping to delay finding out what 2025 has in store by staying in bed with the lights off.”

Kristen Kish (02:17): “I'm very gay. So shocking that I knew what to do with it.”
Transition to Host: Kristen recounts the unexpected call to take over Top Chef from Padma Lakshmi, highlighting her initial hesitation and eventual acceptance of the role while traveling internationally (03:04–04:10).
Filming in Milwaukee: The upcoming season’s focus on Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s famed cheese curds is discussed, with Kristen humorously noting the local traditions and her experiences on set (04:10–05:20).

Notable Quotes:

Kristen Kish (03:35): “Things started rolling.”
Peter Sagal (04:25): “But your dairy is exceptional. Qualifies as dirty talk.”

Quiz Segment: "Top Jeff"

Segment 2: Dr. Claudia Goldin and Danny Brown – Economics and Rap

Guests: Dr. Claudia Goldin, Nobel Prize-winning economist, and her husband Danny Brown, a rapper.

Discussion Highlights:

Nobel Prize Announcement: Danny shares the amusing experience of receiving the Nobel Prize call early in the morning, leading to a humorous interaction with his husband Larry (14:03–15:23).

Danny Brown (14:08): “The call arrived at 4:30 in the morning and I was sleeping in a bed with the person behind me.”
Economist Humor: Dr. Goldin and Danny engage in playful banter about the economics field, including a lighthearted conversation about polyandry among economists due to the gender imbalance (16:02–17:06).
Chatbot Prediction: Danny recounts his interaction with a chatbot that humorously suggested he pursue competitive yodeling, highlighting the limitations of AI in predicting human creativity (17:06–18:33).
Pickleball and Midlife Crisis: Claudia discusses her newfound passion for pickleball, initially intending it as a humorous sketch but eventually embracing the sport (25:48–26:55).

Notable Quotes:

Claudia Goldin (24:05): “Adderall.”
Peter Sagal (25:37): “You also run. You won a lot of rap battles in. In high school, right?”

Quiz Segment: "Economy"

Segment 3: Bill Cowher – Super Bowl Winning Coach

Guest: Bill Cowher, former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Discussion Highlights:

Career Reflections: Cowher reminisces about his coaching tenure, particularly the emotional experience of losing a championship game on a reunion boat cruise, leading to tension with his wife and teammates (33:07–35:02).

Bill Cowher (33:35): “Everyone wanted tickets, like, oh, like, like, oh, now you can't talk to us anymore.”
Coaching Philosophy: He humorously discusses the challenges of coaching interviews and maintaining composure, emphasizing control over the narrative during press interactions (35:29–35:57).
Humorous Interactions: Peter attempts to stump Cowher with light-hearted questions, leading to playful exchanges about his coaching style and personal anecdotes (35:57–40:19).

Notable Quotes:

Bill Cowher (36:43): “They was like, oh, did they hustle?”
Peter Sagal (36:24): “You became a coach at a young age, so that means you had to learn quickly what I assume are the essential skills of coaching, which include doing these interviews on the field sometimes and after the game in which you managed to say nothing.”

Quiz Segment: "Meet the Cowards"

Segment 4: Renee Elise Goldsberry – Broadway Star and Comedy Rapper

Guest: Renee Elise Goldsberry, actress known for her role in Hamilton and Netflix's Girls5Eva.

Discussion Highlights:

Acting Journey: Renee discusses her transition from a working actor to a Broadway star, highlighting the sudden fame post-Hamilton and the challenges of being recognized solely for her breakout role (43:07–44:12).
One-Hit Wonder Parody: She humorously describes her character’s background in Girls5Eva, a spoof of early 2000s girl groups, and her forgotten stint in an actual girl group, emphasizing the show's comedic take on pop culture stereotypes (44:46–46:55).
Pickleball Adventures: Renee shares her initial struggles and eventual enjoyment of playing pickleball, inspired by her encounters with enthusiastic older players (25:48–26:55).

Notable Quotes:

Renee Elise Goldsberry (44:12): “Never, never underestimate how invisible a middle-aged black woman can be.”
Peter Sagal (44:29): “It's not my life all the time. I always say, never, never underestimate how invisible a middle-aged black woman can be. So, I mean, do you hear me?”

Quiz Segment: "Hey Goldsberry, Let's Look for Some Buried Goldbergs"

Closing Remarks

Notable Closing Quotes:

Peter Sagal (50:17): “That's it for us. Beat this 2025 edition. We'll see if the new year can live up to the standard set by the old one.”

Conclusion

Highlighted Quotes with Timestamps:

Peter Sagal (00:53): “2024 is finally over, thank goodness. But we're hoping to delay finding out what 2025 has in store by staying in bed with the lights off.”
Kristen Kish (02:17): “I'm very gay. So shocking that I knew what to do with it.”
Danny Brown (14:08): “The call arrived at 4:30 in the morning and I was sleeping in a bed with the person behind me.”
Renee Elise Goldsberry (44:12): “Never, never underestimate how invisible a middle-aged black woman can be.”

Attributions:

All quotes are attributed to their respective speakers with accurate timestamps as provided in the transcript.

Conclusion

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