Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! (WWDTM) – Episode Featuring Jan Jensen Release Date: July 12, 2025
Host: Peter Sagal
Location: Des Moines Civic Center, Des Moines, Iowa

Introduction and Setting

Hosted by Peter Sagal, NPR's "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" returned to the Des Moines Civic Center, a departure from its usual association with the Iowa Presidential Caucus. Sagal humorously remarked on Iowa's weather, saying, “We thought it was always miserably cold here. Now we know it's also miserably hot” (00:56).

First Contestant: Olivia from North Carolina

Olivia, an occupational therapy assistant who also works on a horse farm, joined as the first contestant. Peter Sagal engaged her in light-hearted banter about her dual roles, highlighting the therapeutic aspects of farm work: “I find it therapeutic, but that's just me” (02:10).

Introducing the Panel

The panel featured three guests:

• Emmy Blotnick: Comedian performing at Brooklyn's pie tasting festival (02:23).
• Hari Kondabolu: Comedian headlining in Philadelphia and Burlington (02:43).
• Faith Saley: CBS Sunday Morning contributor with the Audible series Envy Enlightened (02:45).

First Quiz Game: “Who’s Bill”

Bill Curtis presented three news-related quotes for Olivia to identify. Olivia successfully answered:

1. Quote: "I don't like my feet on floors that I don't know about." (03:31)
   Answer: TSA security shoe policy ending.

2. Quote: "People are celebrating and eating treats. They don't want to be tasting beets." (06:05)
   Answer: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s campaign to remove artificial dyes from candies.

3. Quote: "Not surprisingly, a family moon can be a tough sell." (08:36)
   Answer: Trend of newlyweds bringing parents on their honeymoon.

Olivia aced the quiz with three correct answers, earning a prize for her voicemail (10:04).

Panel Discussion: TSA Security Changes

The panel humorously dissected the end of the shoe-off policy at TSA checkpoints:

• Emmy Blotnick quipped, “She said that we can put e cigarettes in any bag we want now” (04:27).
• Hari Kondabolu raised concerns about TSA PreCheck incentives, pondering, “Do you think they'll raise it to 4 ounces of shampoo?” (05:18).

Second Contestant: Raeanne Rowland from Pennsylvania

Raeanne, managing fundraising for the ARC of Warren County, participated in the "Make Summer Summer" game. Three humorous and fictional summer improvement ideas were presented:

1. Faith Saley’s "Drip": A meetup celebrating excessive sweating with events like “gorgeous Amber Pit stains” (17:18).
2. Hari Kondabolu’s "Puffgrass Cool Down Coat": A coat embedded with goose down and propylene glycol to keep wearers cool, albeit flawed as it melts quickly (17:29).
3. Emmy Blotnick’s "Skin Phone Case": A phone case that changes color upon UV exposure to indicate sunburn risk (19:06).

Raeanne correctly identified Emmy Blotnick’s innovative yet creepy phone case as the true story, earning a point (21:31).

Interview with Jan Jensen

Jan Jensen, head coach of the University of Iowa women's basketball team, shared insights into her family’s rich basketball history, including her grandmother Lottie’s MVP status in the 1921 state tournament (22:30). Jensen discussed her coaching philosophy, emphasizing team culture and the impact of coaching a star player like Caitlin Clark:

• “She [Clark] shoots it from the parking lot. You know, she makes a dazzling pass” (25:38).
• When asked how she would motivate a struggling player, Jensen humorously suggested, “get your head out of your pass” (27:09).

Jan Jensen flawlessly answered three courting ritual questions, showcasing her wit and knowledge, and won another round of the quiz (31:01).

Third Contestant: Molly from St. Louis, Missouri

Molly, who manages a dental practice and chases her toddler around the zoo, participated in the limerick challenge. Bill Curtis presented three limericks linked to recent news:

1. Bathroom Breaks at Wimbledon:

   • Highlighted players taking strategic bathroom breaks to disrupt opponents (39:34).

2. Vegetables Harming Teeth:

   • A fictional study claiming vegetables degrade dental enamel, humorously ignoring the real health benefits (40:41).

3. Rise of Criminal Baby Names:

   • A satirical take on families naming children after infamous criminals influenced by true crime shows (41:43).

Molly achieved three correct answers, tying with other panelists (43:02).

Final Game: Lightning-Style “Fill in the Blank”

The panelists competed in a rapid-fire fill-in-the-blank game:

• Emmy Blotnick and Hari Kondabolu both amassed high scores of 14 points, narrowly edging out other contestants.
• Faith Saley scored 13 points, finishing just behind the leaders.

Notable Fill-in-the-Blank Moments:

• Emmy: “A man in Switzerland credits his Chihuahua with saving his life” (45:33).
• Hari: “Mouth” for the trend of taping shut during sleep poses health risks (46:45).

Special Guest Segment: Jan Jensen on Courting Rituals

Jan Jensen participated in a segment discussing historical courting rituals, answering questions about:

1. Puritan Speaking Tubes: Couples used speaking tubes to communicate while chaperoned (28:35).
2. Medieval Ukrainian Pumpkins: Men gave pumpkins as consolation if a proposal was rejected (29:51).
3. 19th Century Austrian Challenges: Women presented men with unconventional challenges to prove their worth (30:54).

Jensen’s perfect score in this segment further highlighted her quick thinking and extensive knowledge (31:08).

Closing Remarks

Peter Sagal concluded the episode with playful banter about future TSA policies and thanked guests and staff for their participation. The show wrapped up with acknowledgments to the production team and a sneak peek into upcoming segments like the Listener Limerick challenge.

Notable Quotes

• Peter Sagal: “Kristi Noem just got tired of, like, peeling off her thigh high stiletto she wears.” (04:44)
• Emmy Blotnick: “Someone was caught doing that, he pleaded guilty because, what are you gonna do, sentence me twice?” (42:00)
• Jan Jensen: “One of the hardest things is if you can get a society to be celebrators of each other, that's the hardest thing.” (26:07)
• Olivia: “I like it to be the skin case, but I'm gonna go with the Drippers.” (20:41)

Conclusion

This episode of "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" seamlessly blended humor with current events, featuring engaging interactions between contestants, panelists, and a special guest. Jan Jensen’s insights into women's basketball and her perfect quiz performance stood out, while the playful segments kept the atmosphere lively and entertaining. Whether you're a fan of witty banter or keen on testing your knowledge, this episode delivered a memorable and laughter-filled experience.

Note: Timestamps correspond to the transcript provided and serve as references for notable quotes and segments mentioned in the summary.