Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! — Kali Reis

NPR • January 17, 2026 • Host: Peter Sagal

Episode Overview

This episode of Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! delivers its signature blend of news, comedy, and quirky quiz games, all recorded before a lively audience in Chicago. This week’s celebrity guest is Kali Reis — acclaimed boxer and Emmy-nominated star of HBO’s True Detective — who shares her unlikely path from the boxing ring to the small screen. As always, the panel features quick-witted banter, playful digs at the news, and listener games that bring out surreal stories and sharp one-liners.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. Opening and Panel Introductions (00:19–03:19)

• Host Peter Sagal welcomes the audience and introduces the week’s panel: Rachel Koster, Hari Kondabolu, and Luke Burbank.
• “We do have a great show up here today... Later on, we're going to be talking to Kali Reis, a champion boxer who seemingly almost overnight became an acclaimed and Emmy nominated actor...” — Peter Sagal (00:41)

2. “Who’s Bill This Time?” – News Quiz with Listener Benjamin (03:19–11:35)

Greenland, Trump, and Cartographic Confusion (02:45–04:12)

• Former President Trump’s interest in Greenland resurfaces, leading to riffs about maps and rare earth minerals.
  • “Trump... wants Greenland so badly because it looks so much bigger on flat maps.” — Peter Sagal (03:32)
  • “There's gotta be aliens there or something. Like he knows something, you think?” — Rachel Koster (04:12)

NYC’s New Mayor and the Great Bidet Discussion (04:41–07:41)

• Zoran Mamdani, new NYC mayor, makes waves by moving into Gracie Mansion and installing bidets.
  • “He is one of those effete European types. Real Americans don't even wash their hands.” — Peter Sagal (05:12)
  • Luke Burbank shares his own “toilet tech” adventures: “Everyone has been going out to the garage to use the one normal toilet at my house...” (06:18)
  • “If you got some peanut butter and a shag rug, you wouldn’t take it out with a paper towel.” — Luke Burbank (05:41)

NASA’s Moon Mission (07:45–08:53)

• NASA’s Artemis mission is set to launch soon.
  • “Is it really that interesting to go to the moon anymore? Because we've already done it and at this point it's just a gas station on the way to Mars.” — Hari Kondabolu (08:34)
  • “Is Tom Hanks going to be part of this moon mission? Because... he did good last time.” — Luke Burbank (08:43)

Quiz Results (09:15)

• Listener Benjamin aces all the questions and receives enthusiastic congratulations from Bill Curtis and the panel.

3. Panelist Quiz: Minimum Exercise Needed (09:59–11:39)

The Science on Exercise

• Scientists have determined you only need 20 minutes of exercise once a week for real health benefits.
  • “Working out once a week for 20 minutes has real benefits.” — Peter Sagal (10:54)
  • “This country’s gone soft.” — Rachel Koster (11:07)
  • “So my walk to the coffee shop in the morning and back... I'm good.” — Hari Kondabolu (11:35)
  • “You're basically a hero.” — Peter Sagal (11:39)

4. “Bluff the Listener” – Celebrity Encounters (14:04–19:41)

Panelist Tales

• Hari Kondabolu: A man teaches Timothée Chalamet how to tie his shoes.
• Rachel Koster (True Story): A Florida woman asks to squat Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence in a bar and goes viral for it.
• Luke Burbank: Sandy DeCarlo’s plumber is possibly Christian Bale, ruining her toilet in the name of film research.

Outcome

• Lauren from Minneapolis guesses correctly — the bar-squatting encounter with Trevor Lawrence happened. Lawrence confirms: “Did not think that was gonna happen. So, I mean, I knew I was gonna get squatted. She didn’t just pick me up.” (19:41)

5. “Not My Job” — Guest Interview: Kali Reis (21:10–30:39)

Kali’s Story: From Boxing to Acting (21:10–25:26)

• Starts boxing at 13 or 14, inspired by Karate Kid and Rocky.
  • “I wouldn’t start fights, but I’d finish them.” — Kali Reis (22:00)
• Comes from a musically inclined family; her father played with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
  • “There was good vibrations everywhere.” — Kali Reis (22:29)
• Discusses acting as a natural extension: “We’re up on a stage, we’re performing... there’s a character... It’s an entertainment business at the very core of it.” — Kali Reis (23:10)
• Shares her experience with dialect coaching on True Detective: “I didn't want to sound like Peter Griffin making, you know, an investigation.” — Kali Reis (25:19)

Aspirations and Typecasting

• She's open to romantic leads and comedies, poking fun at her “badass” public persona.
  • “I would love to. I would love to do some comedy, but... I can’t help that the badassery just shines through.” — Kali Reis (25:49)

CES Gadgets Quiz (26:44–30:39)

• Kali aces a trio of questions about wacky gadgets from the Consumer Electronics Show, revealing both humor and actual product insight.
  • On a robot delivering toilet paper: “I need that.” — Kali Reis (28:37)
  • On a music-playing lollipop: “I'm gonna go with B because that sounds kind of cool.” — Kali Reis (29:59)

6. Listener Limerick Challenge and More Games (32:20–42:27)

Highlights

• The origin of “Bobby shorts” (very short Grateful Dead cut-offs).
• A London nightclub allowing only men 6 feet or taller (“Land of the Giants”).
• A woman in the Philippines prays to a Shrek figure she believed was Buddha. “Is it really that much of a mistake? Shrek is also a source of enlightenment. What is the sound of one donkey farting?” — Peter Sagal (42:09)
• Quick-witted panel responses regarding these bizarre stories.

7. Lightning Fill in the Blank (43:44–48:52)

• The panel blitzes through fill-in-the-blank questions on the news. Topics include:
  • U.S. visa applications, sports point-shaving, Russian assaults on Ukraine, whimsical invention news (like a TikTok bumper tablet called “Honk to Swipe”), and more.
• Luke Burbank emerges as the episode’s quiz champion.

8. Predictions: What Will We Find on the Moon? (50:19–50:41)

• “A platoon of Scandinavian swimmers.” — Luke Burbank
• “It’s already seeing someone we waited to.” — Rachel Koster
• “Jimmy Hoffa.” — Hari Kondabolu

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On the Bidet Craze:
  “If you got some peanut butter and a shag rug, you wouldn’t take it out with a paper towel.”
  — Luke Burbank (05:41)

• Kali Reis on Typecasting and Comedy:
  “I can't help that the badassery just shines through.”
  — Kali Reis (25:49)

• Rachel Koster on Accidental Shrek Worship:
  “I've also worshiped the wrong nasty guy for a really long time. And I regret it too.”
  — Rachel Koster (42:09)

• Peter Sagal on Science and Lifestyles:
  “You're basically a hero if you just walk more quickly... you’ll extend your lifespan.”
  — Peter Sagal (11:39)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Panel Intros & Opening: 00:19–03:19
• Listener Quiz (“Who’s Bill This Time?”): 03:19–11:35
• Panel Science Discussion: 09:59–11:39
• Bluff the Listener (Celebrity Encounters): 14:04–19:41
• Kali Reis Interview: 21:10–30:39
• Listener Limericks & Stories: 32:20–42:27
• Lightning Fill in the Blank: 43:44–48:52
• Panel Predictions: 50:19–50:41

Tone and Style

Light, irreverent, witty — the panel and host riff freely, bringing humor to both current events and the mundane. The guest segment with Kali Reis strikes a balance between congenial interview and playful banter, highlighting the odd but inspiring paths lives can take.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! episode is a fast-paced, joke-filled recap of the week’s news, with panelists offering sharp takes and amusing digressions. Celebrity guest Kali Reis brings authenticity, humor, and insight as she discusses her transition from world-class boxing to acting. The episode brims with pop culture references, the panel’s signature observational humor, and unexpected, memorable stories—from barroom feats of strength to robotic toilet paper delivery. The tone remains breezy and accessible, even as it briefly memorializes the show’s earlier champion, Rod Abid, for his pivotal role in shaping the show’s format.