WWDTM: Kara Jackson

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! – Episode Featuring Kara Jackson

Introduction

In this vibrant episode of NPR's "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!", host Peter Sagal engages listeners with a mix of humorous news quizzes, entertaining panel discussions, and a special guest appearance by Kara Jackson, the acclaimed singer-songwriter and former Youth Poet Laureate of the United States. The episode is filled with witty banter, insightful commentary, and delightful interactions among the panelists: Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Alzo Slade, and Saatchi Cole.

Listener Contest: Matthew Neal

The show kicks off with listener Matthew Neal from Santee, California, a licensed professional fiduciary who humorously describes his job as "selling dead people's homes" (01:30). Matthew participates in the "Who's Bill?" quiz segment, where he successfully identifies notable news quotes:

1. Vice Presidential Debate Commentary (03:02):

   • Peter Sagal: "JD Vance lived up to his reputation, appearing calm, sincere, and reasonable while lying all the time. Basically evil."

   Matthew's Answer: Vice Presidential Debate

2. Password Guidelines (05:25):

   • Bill Curtis: "Avoid your pets' names, and no flipping to a random word in the dictionary and using that."

   Matthew's Answer: Password Guidelines

3. Chicken Tender Milestone (07:55):

   • Bill Curtis: "I have a small piece of chicken. I don't know what to do with."

   Matthew's Answer: Chicken Nuggets

Matthew nails all three questions, winning the prize of a voicemail voice from the show (10:17).

Listener Contest: Stacy Bendixon

Next up is Stacy Bendixon from Des Moines, Iowa, a sign language interpreter and community theater enthusiast (14:19). She participates in the "Bluff the Listener" game, where panelists present fictional stories about Montana rancher Arthur Shubarth:

1. Whippersnappers Run (15:11):

   • Joyelle: Arthur starts a competition to shoo kids off his lawn using Super Soakers.

2. Love Ranch (16:38):

   • Saatchi: Arthur opens a matchmaking retreat applying animal husbandry techniques to humans.

3. Frankensheep (17:59):

   • Alzo: Arthur clones sheep to create giant hunting sheep, leading to imprisonment.

Stacy's Choice: She correctly identifies Alzo Slade’s story about the Frankensheep as the true event (20:08), winning the game and the prize of a voicemail voice (20:18).

Guest Interview: Kara Jackson

Kara Jackson joins the show to discuss her journey from tee ball player to Youth Poet Laureate and her burgeoning music career:

• Early Memories (21:30):

  • Peter Sagal: Recounts coaching Kara’s T-ball team and her prowess on the field.
  • Kara Jackson: Remembers wearing her T-ball uniform and excelling due to her height (22:25).

• Poetry and Laureateship (23:24):

  • Kara reflects on her time as Youth Poet Laureate, acknowledging the cringe of her teenage poems but appreciating their role in her growth (23:52).

  Quote: "I think it's been a minute since I've looked back at them, but I think I have mixed emotions sometimes. It's cringey just because I think that having a living record of things you thought as a teenager would just be cringey." (23:55)

• Music Career (26:02):

  • Discusses her song "Head Blues" and its impact on her social life, noting positive reception even from unexpected places like the US Ambassador in London (26:22).

• Upcoming Projects (27:14):

  • Plays "It's a Yes Fun Party," answering questions about extravagant parties, showcasing her quick wit and knowledge (30:34).

Kara successfully answers two out of three questions in her game segment, winning the prize for her listener, Maureen Tar (30:57).

Panel Discussions and Games

The panel engages in various humorous and insightful discussions:

• Password Guidelines Debate (05:25 – 07:18):

  • Saatchi Cole: Critiques the new federal guidelines simplifying passwords, joking about security compromises (06:35).

  Quote: "So I should change everything to password." (07:18)

• Chicken Tender Anniversary Quiz (07:55 – 10:26):

  • Discusses the 50th anniversary of the chicken tender, blending humor with cultural commentary.

  Quote: "If the chicken tender had not been invented today, we'd be going to McDonald's and ordering our kids six piece McMuttons." (08:40)

• Gossip Study Discussion (33:36 – 34:55):

  • Explores a psychology study on preserving reputation while gossiping, with panelists providing humorous takes on appropriate gossiping behavior.

  Quote: "It's like, omg, did you hear what Jeff did? I hope he's okay." (34:07)

• Fake Family Campaign Ad (35:07 – 36:34):

  • Analyzes a GOP candidate’s misleading campaign video featuring a fake family, highlighting the absurdity and ethical concerns.

  Quote: "They were somebody else's wife and children." (35:20)

• Rat Birth Control Initiative (36:15 – 37:29):

  • Discusses New York City's initiative to control rat populations with non-consensual birth control pellets, leading to humorous debates about rat rights.

  Quote: "She's a childless rat lady." (37:31)

Final Games: Lightning Fill in the Blank

The episode culminates with the "Lightning Fill in the Blank" game:

1. Kara Jackson's Round:

   • Successfully answers all three prompts, securing her position as a strong contestant.

2. Saatchi Cole's Round:

   • Answers correctly on several prompts, including identifying Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter and sugar being mistaken for meth.

3. Alzo Slade's Round:

   • Demonstrates impressive knowledge, leading the scores with a total of 15 points.

4. Joyelle Nicole Johnson's Round:

   • Clinches second place with 11 points.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with predictions for future food innovations, showcasing the panelists' creativity and humor. Saatchi Cole envisions ultra-spicy chips as a future celebration, while Joyelle and Alzo offer their unique takes on evolving food trends.

Notable Quotes

• Peter Sagal (03:02): "JD Vance lived up to his reputation, appearing calm, sincere, and reasonable while lying all the time. Basically evil."
• Kara Jackson (23:55): "I think it's been a minute since I've looked back at them, but I think I have mixed emotions sometimes. It's cringey just because I think that having a living record of things you thought as a teenager would just be cringey."
• Saatchi Cole (06:35): "That sounds like a rule invented by someone trying to get into my email."
• Joyelle Nicole Johnson (34:52): "I'm just gonna write them down, write. Confirm what they are."

Conclusion

This episode of "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" masterfully blends humor with current events, engaging games, and an inspiring guest like Kara Jackson. The interplay among the panelists offers both laughs and thoughtful commentary, making it an entertaining listen for both regular followers and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Capital One Ad]

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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 the voice that was the inspiration for Creamy Peanut Butter.

[Peter Sagal]

Never Failed.

[Bill Curtis]

I'm Bill Curtis and here is your host, Bethesda Studebaker Theater, Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. Thanks, everybody. We have a great show lined up for you today. Our guest later on is going to be Kara Jackson. She was the youth poet laureate of these United States. She is now an acclaimed singer and songwriter. And this is true. I coached her T ball team when she was 8 years old. So we will talk to her about how my guidance back then led her as far as possible from a career in sports. But first, we want to check on your swing. Give us a call and play our games. The number 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.

[Matthew Neal]

Hi, this is Matthew Neal from Santee, California.

[Peter Sagal]

Santee, California. What do you do there?

[Matthew Neal]

I am a licensed professional fiduciary, but nobody knows what that means.

[Peter Sagal]

You're right.

[Matthew Neal]

I sell dead people's homes.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, that's much more pleasant. Yeah. Is that like a good line at parties?

[Matthew Neal]

Yes, it's especially if you're going for like a Sixth Sense vibe, you know?

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, I understand. I understand. Well, Matthew, welcome to the show. Let me introduce you to the panel. First, she's a writer, actress and comedian who you can see in Vermont at the Burlington Comedy Club for two shows this New Year's Eve, it's Joyelle. Nicole Johnson. Hello. Hi, Joelle.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Hello.

[Peter Sagal]

Next, he's an Emmy and Peabody Award winning journalist and comedian. It's Alzo Slade.

What's up, Matthew?

[Bill Curtis]

Hi, Alzo.

[Peter Sagal]

And making her debut on our panel this week, she's a culture writer for Slate, host of the Scamfluencers podcast and author of the fourth essay collection, Sucker Punch. Welcome Saatchi Cole.

[Saatchi Cole]

Hi, buddy.

[Matthew Neal]

Welcome, Sachi.

[Peter Sagal]

Good job done like a fiduciary, sir. All right, Matthew, you're going to play who's Bill this time? Bill Curtis is going to read you three quotations from this week's news. If you can correctly identify or explain just two of them, you will Win our prize. Any voice from our show you might choose for your voicemail. Are you ready to go, Peter?

[Matthew Neal]

Do children fight over their parents inheritances?

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Locked and loaded.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Matthew, here's your first quote. It was from a pivotal moment at a big political event this week.

[Bill Curtis]

Gentlemen, the audience can't hear you. Your mics are cut.

[Peter Sagal]

That was moderator Margaret Brennan speaking to the participants at what big event this week?

[Matthew Neal]

That would be the Vice Presidential debate.

[Peter Sagal]

The Vice presidential debate? Yes. Tim Walz and J.D. vance met on the debate stage Tuesday, and America, as always, is divided about it. Some say the debate was boring, while others insist it was completely irrelevant. JD Vance lived up to his reputation, appearing calm, sincere, and reasonable while lying all the time. Basically evil. Pete Buttigieg. Right? Right. You see it, don't you?

Yeah.

But. But, but Governor Wall seemed incredibly nervous, and he garbled a bunch of easy answers. It was a performance that made Democrats say, any chance we could replace this guy with Kamala Harris, too?

I think that the moderator's right. They should have said, gentlemen, the audience can't hear you because we're all asleep.

Yeah, your mics are muted, and we're gonna leave them that way.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Listen, I prefer it to be a little sleepy because the excitement is too much for me. Like, I went to Canada. Saatchi's from Canada, yacht I. And I don't know if y'all ever seen a debate in parliament up there, but they'd be yelling at each other. They'd be like, shut up, stupid. You're dumb. And while that was fun in Canada, I don't want that to happen here.

[Peter Sagal]

Really.

I mean, they actually shook hands and spoke to each other like human beings.

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah, I was surprised.

[Peter Sagal]

It was strange.

[Saatchi Cole]

It made me feel unsafe.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

Well, it was, you know, it was a throwback to the old school. Not that because it was bored and it was just two white dudes.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Exactly.

[Peter Sagal]

That's true. You had no one throwing shade, just with their facial expressions like Kamala can.

It wasn't like J.D. vance was like, walls, you're just now identifying as white.

I gotta say that Governor Walz's performance was criticized, but it did burnish his sort of regular guy, Midwest guy credentials. Only a real hunter could have perfected that deer in the headlights look. All right, here is your next quote.

[Bill Curtis]

Avoid your pets names, and no flipping to a random word in the dictionary and using that.

[Peter Sagal]

That was the Washington Post talking about new federal guidelines that will make complicated what's a thing of the past.

[Matthew Neal]

Ooh, can I get a Hint, Peter.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, you can still use zeros for O's if you want to be fancy.

[Matthew Neal]

Guidelines for your password.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, passwords. No more complicated passwords. We're having to change them all the time. Or so says the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or nist, which, by strange coincidence, is my password.

[Saatchi Cole]

That sounds like a rule invented by someone trying to get into my email.

[Peter Sagal]

Absolutely.

Yeah. Yeah, I just got this email from somebody, and they said the password's gonna be simple now. Yeah.

[Saatchi Cole]

So I should change everything to password.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, this came from a study of Internet security over many, many years. It turns out, for example, you've all been told you have to have passwords with lots of special characters and random letters and stuff like that. No, it turns out that makes your password impossible to remember, which means you'll write it down somewhere, making them vulnerable to the cat burglars who break in and read all your post. Its.

Google. Doesn't Google suggest a password all the time?

Yeah, it does.

Yeah, it's like Qbert. I'm aging myself, but it's like 20 different characters, uppercase, lowercase, and then I just say yes, but then when I go back to that page, it never pops up.

Right. And then you have to, like, you know, hit a cartoon character on the toe with a hammer and just type in what he said. It's so awful. No, also, you won't have to change your password all the time. It's. I mean, remember, if you work for a company, they say now you have to change your password. It's been two months. You don't have to do it. I think that's foolish, though, because I'm pretty sure the reason I have never been hacked is because I changed my password From Aragorn Rules 2. Aragorn Rules 1.

Do you all have the same password for most of your things?

[Saatchi Cole]

Why don't you just tell us what your passwords are for everything. I'm just gonna write them down, write.

[Peter Sagal]

Them on the radio, and then we'll.

[Saatchi Cole]

Confirm what they are. Yeah, I'm listening.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, I won't tell you my password. I will tell you my mother's maiden name.

[Saatchi Cole]

Oh, perfect.

[Peter Sagal]

The new guidelines. As a matter of fact, the new guidelines might also do away with those security questions, like your first car or your childhood best friend. So no more forced nostalgic reveries every time you order from grubhub.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

I think my password is who the hell is Aragon?

[Saatchi Cole]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Matthew, here's your last quote.

[Bill Curtis]

I have a small piece of chicken. I don't Know what to do with.

[Peter Sagal]

Those are the words. Those were the words of a fry cook speaking to the owner of a restaurant In Manchester, N.H. 50 years ago this month, on the day what incredibly popular fast food menu item was born?

[Matthew Neal]

The fried chicken.

[Peter Sagal]

Not fried chicken. Fried chicken goes back further than 50 years.

[Matthew Neal]

Chicken nuggets.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, specifically Good. The chicken tender. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of the chicken tender. It's the quintessential American cuisine. Deep fried. Whatever we have lying around.

Only 50 years.

Only 50. I know, that's amazing, isn't it?

I feel like that's something that black folks did thousands of years ago and then white folks 50 years ago, they just found it. And like we discovered this. Somebody. Yeah, they. Christopher Columbus. The chicken tender.

Yeah. The story goes, there was one part of a chicken, the tenderloin, that was completely useless. So this inventive chef breaded it and fried it and the chicken tender was born. Joining the Mount Rushmore of breaded chicken hand food alongside the chicken finger, the chicken nugget and the. Whatever your toddler wants to call it. Please, Elliot, just eat it.

We're late.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

I used to order chicken fingers all the time at restaurants. And my mother told me, you cannot do this on dates when you get older. And I did it on the first date with my boyfriend. We been together five and a half years.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

[Saatchi Cole]

Listen, is that the key?

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

I guess so. He didn't wanna pay for the lobster.

[Peter Sagal]

I was about to say that if I went on a first date with a woman and all she wanted was chicken tenders, I'd be like, she is the one.

[Bill Curtis]

This is good.

[Peter Sagal]

Inside.

I'm like, would you like some ranch sauce? Barbecue sauce?

This is true. At the original restaurant, even though they invented this thing, it took a while for the chicken tender to outsell what had been everybody's favorite dish. Barbecued lamb. Right. So if the chicken tender had not been invented today, we'd be going to McDonald's and ordering our kids six piece McMuttons. Bill, how did Matthew do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Matthew came to play. He got three. Right. Good. Go.

[Peter Sagal]

Well done. Thanks so much, Matthew. Take care.

[Matthew Neal]

Thank you for having me.

[Peter Sagal]

Bye bye. Right now, panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Alzo. This week, the Washington Post tried to explain one of the most mysterious phenomena that we know of. Why people fall asleep on the couch, but then cannot seem to do what.

Sleep in the bed.

Exactly. Right. You knew exactly what I was talking about. Get up from the couch, say, oh man, I gotta go to sleep. Go to sleep. You can't fall asleep. Because we've all found ourselves waking up from a fast sleep on the couch in front of the tv, and you've gotten into bed to go to sleep and you lie awake for an hour. It makes no sense. No one is like, oh man, I can't sleep if I'm not sitting upright with my head lolling onto my chest while Netflix just keeps playing episodes, right? The Post asked two sleep experts to explain the phenomenon. They offered a bunch of possible reasons. First, people to fall asleep in the couch tend to get up, brush their teeth, take out their contacts, take off their makeup, use the bathroom, and by the time they're done with all that, it's morning.

But I feel like you get the best sleep in places where you're not supposed to sleep. School, church, work, all those places, the best sleep. But in your own bed, not so much.

Yeah, my wife falls asleep on the couch and then I cannot get her to get up, say come on then, go to bed. Because she knows once she gets into bed she won't be able to go back to sleep.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

So you just because you're there or.

[Saatchi Cole]

Because of.

[Peter Sagal]

Wait a minute.

[Alzo Slade]

Can't sleep.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up. Something's afoot in Montana in our bluff, the listener game called one Triple eight. Wait, wait to play. We'll be back in a minute with more. Wait, wait, don't tell me From NP.

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[Peter Sagal]

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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 Joy L, Nicole Johnson, Saatchi Cole and Alzo Slade. And here again as your host at the Studebakers Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagar.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. Thank you, everybody. Right now it's time for the Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me Bluff the listener game called one Triple eight. Wait, Wait. To play the game in the air or check out the pinned post on our Instagram 8watenpr. Hi, you're on Wait, Wait, don't tell me. Hi, Peter.

[Stacy Bendixon]

This is Stacy Bendixon in Des Moines, Iowa.

[Peter Sagal]

Hey, Stacy, what do you do there in Des Moines?

[Stacy Bendixon]

I work at a corporate foundation and I do community theater for fun. And I'm a childless cat lady.

[Peter Sagal]

Are you really?

[Capital One Ad]

Here we go.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Saatchi Cole]

Me and Taylor Swift.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. Stacy, it's nice to have you with us. You're going to play our game in which you must try to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Stacy's topic?

[Bill Curtis]

What's up with Arthur Shubarth?

[Peter Sagal]

81 year old Montana rancher Arthur Shubarth made the news this week for a pretty surprising reason, and it's not because he became the first ever literal Jolly Rancher. Our panelists are going to tell you what he did to get in the newspapers this week. Pick the one who's telling the truth about Mr. Shubarth and you will win the wait waiter of your choice on your voicemail. Ready to go?

[Saatchi Cole]

I'm ready.

[Peter Sagal]

First, let's hear from Joyelle Nicole Johnson.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Get the heck off my lawn. Yelled Arthur shubarth for the 21st time as 14 other senior citizens tried to catch up with him at the first annual running of the whippersnappers. This event was inspired by his father, Arthur Schuberth Sr. Who would actually yell at kids to get off his lawn while waving a shotgun. Arthur Jr. A retired high school coach and lifelong teacher, realized that kids today were both too well mannered and also too indolent to ever come over to annoy an old man like him. So he came up with a competition which combines quote, shenanigans, tomfoolery and devilment. He invited local high schoolers to raise money for the right to trespass on his lawn and gather hidden prizes like his prized petunia while he attempts to shoot them with Super Soakers. 60 kids instantly signed up, but more surprisingly, other senior citizens also wanted to sign up. So now the event has two competitions. Best Pimple Face Brat and Most Curmudgeonly Old Coop. I want this to be my legacy, said Arthur. When I'm gone, I want people to say that mean old man was really great.

[Peter Sagal]

Arthur Shubarth starts the first running of the Whippersnappers, a competition involving shooing kids off his lawn. Your next report on this rancher comes from Saatchi Cole.

[Saatchi Cole]

Arthur Shubarth spent the better part of his life in service to the animals. Most of his career had been in husbandry, tending to the horses, the cows and even the bees on his sprawling Wyoming ranch. But in retirement, he wanted to turn his approach to a different kind of husbandry. Human husbandry. Enter the Love ranch, an intensive 12 week matchmaking retreat where Shubarth pairs attendees off until they find the one part spa and part sleepaway camp. Singles work on the ranch and are matched up according to attitude and skill by Shubarth. It's like a singles cruise, except it's landlocked and everything smells like poop. There are surprisingly a few overlaps between animal and human husbandry people. Participants are put into small enclosures to smell and perhaps headbutt each other. Potential matches are encouraged to dine from the same trough as if if it's a bonding exercise. And of course, if the studs get too frisky, there's always the cattle prod. Shubarth says he got the idea for Love Ranch after falling asleep in front of the television and waking up to hour six of a 28 hour Love island marathon.

[Peter Sagal]

Arthur Schubert has opened the Love Ranch where he applies his techniques of animal husbandry to humans. Your last Mr. Shubarth scoop comes from Alzo Slade.

For many of us, creating the world's largest sheep is just a dream. A fantasy we all yearn for, but we never attempt. Until this year when 81 year old Montana rancher Arthur Shubarth tried to play God. Well, sheep God. The rancher cloned a bunch of different breeds to create his perfect mutant sheep. Unfortunately, you can't just buy specialized sheep semen at the grocery store. So Shubarth and his co conspirators smuggle sheep tissue and testicles from Kyrgyzstan. Now if you think he was creating the perfect giant sheep for cuddling, that's because you're soft. Giant sheep are created for hunting. Of course, the wooly sheep that you would count to sleep were too soft and Weak with no horns. Plus they shed when mounted on a trophy wall. So Shubar set out to Frankenstein a super sheep. The result was a 300 pound specimen that was sold to hunting facilities around the country. Now, for all of his efforts of international ball smuggling and laboratory sheep creation, Shubarth got six months in prison. When he told his cellmate what he was in for, the cellmate replied, damn, that was a bad idea.

So I can tell you this much. There really is an Arthur Shubarth in Montana. But was he in the news this week? 4. From Joyelle Nicole Johnson, running the first ever running of the Whippersnappers with kids invited to try to get on his lawn. From Saatchi Cole, opening the Love Ranch, where animal husbandry is used for people. Or from Alzo Slade, jailed for illegally creating a Frankensheep. Which of these was what Arthur Shubarth really did?

[Stacy Bendixon]

I am going to go with my instincts and say the super sheep.

[Peter Sagal]

The super sheep. The Frankensheep, the monstrous hybrid sheep that haunts all of our dreams. You're choosing Alzo's story. Well, to bring you the correct answer, we spoke to a reporter covering this important story.

[Alzo Slade]

A Montana rancher got busted for creating.

[Saatchi Cole]

Giant hybrid sheep to sell to hunting.

[Alzo Slade]

Scizors for huge amounts of money.

[Peter Sagal]

That was Justine McDaniel, a reporter for the Washington Post, who reported on the real story of good old 81 year old Arthur Shubarth and his freaky hybrid monster sheep. I'm sorry, so you won. You were correct. Alzo in fact had the real story. Congratulations. Alzo gets a point for telling the truth. And you have won our prize. The voice of anyone you might choose in your voicemail. Congratulations, Stacy.

[Stacy Bendixon]

I'm so excited. Thank you. I'm a super fan.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, thank you, thank you. Bye bye.

Or be my cheek I'm gonna sway.

Or read my sheep another game we call not my job. Kara Jackson grew up not far from here in Oak Park, Illinois, where she started writing poetry in high school, something she became so good at. She was named first Chicago's and then America's Youth Poet Laureate. She then started putting her words to her own music and playing at festivals from Pitchfork to Glastonbury. Kara Jackson, welcome to. Wait, Wait, don't tell me.

[Kara Jackson]

Thanks for having me.

[Peter Sagal]

Now I have left off what I think of as one of the most important items on your resume, which is that you were one of the starting players on the Angels, an eight year old girl's tee ball team in Oak park, which I coached.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

So a little Nervous about the answer. What do you remember about Coach Sagal on the Angels and being on the Angels?

[Kara Jackson]

You know, not a lot.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Kara Jackson]

It's probably not good because I'm not that old, but, you know, I still actually have my Angel's shirt. Like, the uniform, I can't fit it anymore, but I still have it.

[Peter Sagal]

So my memory of it was like, you guys were so amazing at coming up with, like, great cheers for any given situation, and you still didn't know which base to run to when you hit the ball.

[Kara Jackson]

I feel like I did, though. I was like, one of the good.

[Peter Sagal]

You were. I didn't want to cast shade in the other players, but.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah, no shade. I guess we are all healed from that moment, I hope. But I was pretty good at tee ball, I've got to say. I was just really tall also, Like, I remember it was me and Emma Smith.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Kara Jackson]

And we were just the tallest people on the team, so it was like, obviously, I can hit the ball.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Kara Jackson]

I feel like some people struggled. Like, there were some people where it was like they were shorter, so they had to, like, you know, lower the tee.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Kara Jackson]

But the taller kids, they would make it bigger, and everyone would be like, back up.

[Peter Sagal]

Like, there really is. There really is no better feeling, I imagine, than coming to. Coming to bat with the tea and.

[Kara Jackson]

All the other players. I think I'm still chasing that high, honestly.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. So you moved from te ball to poetry and were named the Chicago Youth Poet Laureate while you were still in high school. Do you remember any of those early poems?

[Kara Jackson]

Well, unfortunately for me, I a part of the Youth Poet Laureate program in the city. Every poet laureate is responsible for writing a chapbook, so like, a mini book of poems. So I have, you know, a living archive.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Kara Jackson]

All the poems I wrote at that time.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. Do you ever go back and look at them and how do you feel about them?

[Kara Jackson]

I think it's been a minute since I've looked back at them, but I think I have mixed emotions sometimes. It's cringey just because I think that having a living record of things you thought as a teenager would just be cringey. Probably for everyone here, it's all true.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

It gets people canceled.

[Kara Jackson]

You know, it's also, like, a chance for me to. I'm trying to do better the older I get to also, you know, treat my younger self with care and, you know, appreciate what I was doing at that age. Cause I think you take for granted.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. A lot. Yeah. My advice would be go to that young girl, you Once were and give her a snack and a juice box because it always worked.

[Kara Jackson]

The after the game snacks.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, the best part of tee ball. I can see we're never going to get off that topic. You then became. You then became. And I remember hearing about this and being very impressed. The National Youth Poet Laureate. Right. And what kind of. I mean, that sounds like a serious post. What kind of obligations, duties, ceremonial, otherwise come with it.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah. So when I became the Youth Poet Laureate, the program was still relatively new. I was the third one, so I think the program was still kind of establishing itself in terms of what it entails as a role. I think it was still kind of becoming a real tangible thing.

[Peter Sagal]

So you were the third one. And there have been plenty since then.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

So do you look at the new ones like, man, y'all got it good. You know, like how college athletes are getting paid a lot more money now?

[Kara Jackson]

I don't know. I really think I only look at the new ones with admiration because they're younger than me. So I just look at people who are younger than me with admiration. But either way, I think I would never trade places with someone who's like 19 at this age, no matter what I'm going through.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

And you're 25 right now?

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Okay.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah, almost 25 in a couple weeks.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

You're not 25 yet.

[Peter Sagal]

She's 24.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

You're at that age.

[Peter Sagal]

She's like, yeah, back in the day when I was just 19.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

24 and a half, baby.

[Peter Sagal]

Let's talk about your music. So you have a song about the various losers you've dated. It's called Head Blues. It's pretty scathing. And I'm wondering, what has that done for your social life?

[Kara Jackson]

I don't know. Cause I think that I am really associated with like minded people. So I think it maybe only enhanced it. I feel like for people who needed that song, they really, you know, leaned into it. And it's been fun to travel and perform that one in front of many different audiences. I had to perform at the US Ambassador in London, and I did that song for the US Ambassador and she was really cool with it. I feel like she, you know, maybe related, possibly.

[Peter Sagal]

And the response was positive.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, there you are. Yes.

The ambassador was like, right on, right on, girl.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

She said, yeah, girl, get him close.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, Kara Jackson, it is great to talk to you. And we've invited you here to play.

[Bill Curtis]

A game we're calling It's a yes Fun Party.

[Peter Sagal]

So you wrote a song called no Fun party.

[Kara Jackson]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

So based on that, we thought we'd ask you about some really fun parties. Answer two out of three questions correctly, you'll win our prize for one of our listeners, the voice of anyone they might choose for their voicemail. Bill, who is Kara Jackson playing for?

[Bill Curtis]

Maureen Tar of Natick, Massachusetts.

[Peter Sagal]

There you are. All right. Ready to play?

[Kara Jackson]

Okay. Yeah, I'm sorry. It advanced whoever I'm playing for.

[Peter Sagal]

No, I just. I just. I mean, I just want you to conjure up the confidence of being a tee ball player and watching the. Right back up, because they can see you getting ready to swing. Here we go. First question. The former executive of a company called Tyco was sent to prison back in the day for stealing money from his company to fund his lavish lifestyle, including a 2002 birthday party for his wife, which included which of these A, each guest getting a new Mercedes Benz in a giant bag as they departed. Be an ice sculptor of Michelangelo's David that dispensed vodka from his little David. Or C, a musical background of instrumental versions of U2 songs played during the cocktail hour by U2.

[Kara Jackson]

Oh, my gosh. I don't know. All of that sounds so outrageous, but I feel like maybe it's B.

[Peter Sagal]

It is B. So if you think about it, it's sort of like a spigot, right? The ice sculpture. Anyway, here is your next question. A British woman named Ivy smalls celebrated her 105th birthday back in 2016. She only had one request for the party. What was it? A life size. Blown up photos of all her enemies that she had outlived.

[Kara Jackson]

That's what I would want.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

That's my kind.

[Kara Jackson]

That's what I would want.

[Peter Sagal]

B, hunky firefighters with tattoos. Or C, pot brownies.

[Kara Jackson]

Hmm. Even though maybe the last one is the most practical, the first one speaks to me the most. So I'm gonna go with a life.

[Peter Sagal]

Size photos of all the people she'd outlived. No, it was actually hunky firefighters with tattoos.

[Kara Jackson]

Really?

[Bill Curtis]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Plus, you wanted. That's fair.

[Kara Jackson]

I guess. I couldn't really put myself into her perspective.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. And that's what she says. I would like hunky firefighters with tattoos, please. And so the local fire brigade was like, will helps. They even raised their ladder. So they entered the party by climbing up through the second floor window of her old folks home. She was very happy. All right, here's your last question. Get this right, you win. Colleges are known, of course, for huge parties. And in 2017, one house party at a college in Maryland became such a rager that what happened? A, NBA scouts showed up just to recruit from the beer pong games. B, when the cops came to bust up their party, their breathalyzers all went off just from the air inside the house. Or C, the party became so big it could be seen from space.

[Kara Jackson]

Yeah, I'm gonna go with B. Sorry in advance. This person.

[Peter Sagal]

You're right again.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, ok. Don't discount yourself.

[Peter Sagal]

You're right.

[Kara Jackson]

You're right.

[Peter Sagal]

The air was so thick with alcohol that the breathalyzers on their belts started beeping. Bill, how did Kara Jackson do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

2 out of 3. Cara, you are the poet laureate who won the game. Congratulations.

[Peter Sagal]

Kara Jackson is an award winning poet and the celebrated singer or songwriter behind why does the Earth Give Us People to Love? And speaking from personal experience, she's a contact hitter who can hit with power to all fields. Kara Jackson, thank you so much for joining us on Rayway Show Me. In just a minute, Frog finally learns where Toad ran off to in our Listener Limerick challenge. Call 1/38 wait wait to Jonas in the air. We'll be back in a minute with more Wait, don't tell me from npr.

[Capital One Ad]

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[Alzo Slade]

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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 Alzo Slade Saatchi Cole and Joy El Nicole Judson. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Segal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill. In just a minute, Bill wins a Guggenheim Fellowship in our Listener Limerick Challenge. If you'd like to play, give us a call at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-89-24.

[Capital One Ad]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

Now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news. Saatchi. A new psychology study finds that if you want to preserve your reputation as a decent person while still talking about people behind their back, you should make sure you sprinkle your gossip. With what?

[Saatchi Cole]

I've never gossiped in my life, so this one's really tough for me.

[Peter Sagal]

I don't know. Backstage, you were saying something about Peter.

[Saatchi Cole]

That was between us. You have to sprinkle your gossip with compliments.

[Peter Sagal]

You're close, but remember, the person is not there. So it's all about. You're speaking about them behind their back. It's all about presenting a certain thing, a certain attitude to the person you're gossiping with. So it's like, omg, did you hear what Jeff did? I hope he's okay. You're telling people.

[Saatchi Cole]

Oh, you have to sprinkle it with concern.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. Concern.

[Saatchi Cole]

Oh, I've been doing it wrong.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly.

[Saatchi Cole]

I'm going straight for the neck and I'm out of there.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

I've been doing that naturally.

[Peter Sagal]

Really? So maybe instead of me explaining the study, you can just give us an example.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Yeah. Because you'll be like, yeah, because, you know, she was out there, and then that baby wasn't hers. But also, that girl's blood pressure is high, you know?

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. And you're worried about it. You're worried about her blood pressure.

[Saatchi Cole]

I've really been doing this wrong.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Let's talk about her more.

[Peter Sagal]

So this is a real example from the study. Instead of saying, quote, Kate is a drunken moron. Science, science, say, quote, Kate got really drunk over the weekend. I hope she's okay.

That's pretty smooth, though.

Yeah, that's pretty good. Yeah. It's really important. Joyel. In a video meant to appeal to female voters, a GOP candidate in Virginia running for Congress posed with a wife and three daughters. One problem, though. What?

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, my gosh. Also, do you know the answer?

[Peter Sagal]

I do know the answer.

Yeah.

[Saatchi Cole]

It's pretty good.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Did he have a fake family?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. They were not his wife and children.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

They were somebody else's.

[Peter Sagal]

Somebody else's wife and children.

[Saatchi Cole]

Unexplained.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Whose wife and children?

[Peter Sagal]

He doesn't have a wife or children, so he borrowed some. He's trying to. This man is named Derek Anderson. He's trying to appeal to voters as a family man. Right. So his campaign video ends with a candidate standing with this lovely woman and three kids who are, in fact, the family of a close friend of his. And they all have smiles that say, how long do we have to keep smiling? And what makes all this even weirder, he's not married, but he has a fiance, and he didn't ask her to pose with him for his campaign ad.

Well, that would have been weird to have two wives in the photo.

Yeah, I guess so. Yeah. Depending on. Well, not in some districts. I think it's illegal. Yeah. Joyelle. The New York City Council approved a landmark bill this week, finally making birth control free. For whom?

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Mayor Eric Adams.

[Saatchi Cole]

We should be so lucky.

[Peter Sagal]

I wouldn't put a buy him.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Please give me a hint.

[Peter Sagal]

I mean, the reason you're not thinking of this is because you normally don't think of this. There are no love scenes in ratatouille, for example, O.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Rats.

[Peter Sagal]

Rats.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Well, that's good.

[Peter Sagal]

Rats are getting birth control for free. New York City, in their effort to eliminate rats and draw attention away from whatever Eric Adams just did, will be seeding the streets and gutters with pellets of rat birth control coated in a sweet substance to make it more tempting for the rats to eat. So rat birth control, delicious candy, but for humans, it's like, here's an iud. It's made of knives.

[Saatchi Cole]

I think it's good that the rats have more access to birth control than I do. I think that makes sense.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Saatchi Cole]

I feel good about that.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. The problem is it's not consensual, though.

What do you mean?

They don't know. They're. They don't know that they're taking birth control.

Oh, so you're concerned about, like, what, HIPAA for rats?

Yeah, man.

This isn't fair.

It's not fair for rats because what if there's a female rat that wants to have children and she thinks she's eating candy?

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

She's a childless rat lady.

[Bill Curtis]

Exactly.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up, it's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first, it's the game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-888-WAIT WAIT. That's 1-888-924-89-24. You can catch us most weeks here at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago and will be at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan on November 14th. And this week on Our sister podcast, how to Do Everything. Mike and Ian help me fulfill a lifelong dream. The one that requires me to dress up as a sausage. Hi, Ron. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi.

[Stacy Bendixon]

This is Bron. I'm from Chicago.

[Peter Sagal]

Hey. Hey, Chicago. Hey, what do you do here in the greatest city in the world?

[Stacy Bendixon]

I'm a sign language interpreter.

[Peter Sagal]

You are? That's great. That's often. Who do you do that work for.

[Stacy Bendixon]

All over the city? I do like freelance. So basically I get emails and I show up to where they tell me to go.

[Peter Sagal]

I understand. And what is the best kind of event to interpret in sign language?

[Stacy Bendixon]

Well, my first degree is in theater tech, so doing theater stuff is really where I have the most fun. But also just anything where the job goes smoothly and everybody leaves happy.

[Peter Sagal]

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

[Bill Curtis]

Sure.

[Peter Sagal]

Here's your first limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

Here's a camouflaged Ford zipping past. Watch. I hope Bigfoot is sipping his last scotch with that truck. Silver haul. It's the cryptid's last call. It's a Bronco designed to hunt Sasquatch.

[Peter Sagal]

Sasquatch? Yes. There is a special edition Ford Bronco designed especially for dedicated hunters of Bigfoot. It's called the Sasquatch Searcher. It comes with everything you might need for your next cryptid hunting expedition, including a camo exterior, roof, mounted lights, and of course a really crappy camera so you can show your friends a blurry picture and say, see, I told you.

I don't like this.

You don't? Why not?

I was going to set a precedent. Now we're going to have Elvis, Tupac, searchers. All these car companies going to come out with car search for dead people.

You're gonna have like cars for like, you know, alien invader believers with no roof. So they can just be beamed straight up.

Exactly.

All right, here is your next limerick.

[Bill Curtis]

Since bubbles affect Madame's brain, what we'll do to grand cruise. A damned shame. It's still a high price, but without any vice. We're removing the booze from champagne.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, champagne. There's a brand new $119 alcohol free champagne on the market, which is great news for people who love spending money but hate having fun. The founders say they created French bloom non alcoholic champagne because there are no quote Alcohol free, festive and sophisticated beverage options. Okay, root beer literally exists.

I don't drink, so I don't even know what makes champagne champagne. Is it just the region?

[Bill Curtis]

It is the region.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Saatchi Cole]

It's, you know, and also that it's gross, you guys.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Champagne bubbly.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, champagne is bubbly.

That's just soda.

[Saatchi Cole]

Well, that's the gross part.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

It's wine soda.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, champagne is bubbly. It's sparkling wine, as they say.

It sounds raggedy to me.

Okay, here is your last limb at the store.

[Bill Curtis]

I'm about to explode because this salad is not up to code. The mixed greens awoke and let out a low croak. Yes, my salad included a toad. A toad?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. A woman in England was surprised when she found a live toad in her prepackaged salad. That's what happens when you don't read the label. It clearly said allergen alert. Manufactured in a facility overrun with toads.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Are toads tiny?

[Peter Sagal]

Toads are not necessarily tiny. Nor do we know how big this toad was.

I feel like it don't matter if it's live in my salad. It's a problem.

Yeah, that's just bonus perfect. Yeah. Imagine, Jael, if someone screamed and said, oh, my God, there's a toad in my salad, your first question would not be, how big?

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

How big was it?

[Peter Sagal]

Bill, how did Bron do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Bron is the complete limerick player. Boy 3 and 0. Quick to it.

[Peter Sagal]

Well done.

[Kara Jackson]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bron. Thanks for playing. Take care.

[Capital One Ad]

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[Alzo Slade]

This message comes from Bolin Branch. Bolin Branch's best sale of the year is right now. Try the organic cotton sheets loved by millions. Go to bolinbranch.com and use code NPR for 25% off everything. Limited time only exclusions apply. C site for details.

[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]

Troy, Elle, and Alzo each have three. Saatchi has two.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay, Saatchi, that means you're up first. Fill in the blank. As part of her upcoming book tour, CNN says that Blank asked to be paid $250,000 for an interview. Melania?

[Saatchi Cole]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

This week, over 100 additional people claimed they'd pursue legal action against imprisoned hip hop mogul Blank.

[Saatchi Cole]

Did he?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. Known as Sean Combs as well. This week, a possible human case of Blank flu was reported in Florida.

[Saatchi Cole]

Bird flu.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, a driver in Washington was ticketed for unauthorized use of the carpool lane when he blanked.

[Saatchi Cole]

When he merged. I don't know.

[Peter Sagal]

When he dressed up his passenger seat in a plaid shirt and tried to pass it off.

[Saatchi Cole]

I can't believe I didn't think of that.

[Peter Sagal]

According to new estimates, Twitter is worth 80% less than it was worth when Blank purchased it.

[Saatchi Cole]

When Elon purchased it.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. For several hours on Monday, over 100,000 blank customers lost cell service at&t. No. This time it was Verizon. This week, a court in Taiwan sided with a son who had sued his mom after she Blanked.

[Saatchi Cole]

After she died?

[Peter Sagal]

No, after she threw his comic books away. The woman's 20 year old son was still living at home and was outraged when he found out his mom had thrown out his entire collection of Attack on Titan comic books. The court ordered the mother to pay $160 to the son to replace the comic books, though they did throw out the additional charge of. And we're all out of Doritos.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, my goodness.

[Peter Sagal]

And get your ass out the house.

Basically, Belle, how did Saatchi do in her first quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Saatchi did well. Four.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Bill Curtis]

Eight more points. Total of 10. That's a lead right now.

[Saatchi Cole]

Thanks.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

All right, that's a lead.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm going to pick Alzo to go next. Here we go. Alzo. Fill in the blank. After reaching a tentative wage agreement with employers on Thursday, US Blank workers agreed to suspend their strike.

Longshoremen.

Yeah. Port workers. On Tuesday, former president blank celebrated his 100th birthday.

Habitat for Humanity's president.

It is in honor of him. I'll give it to you. It's Jimmy Carter. According to Nielsen estimates, over 43 million people watched the Blank On Tuesday.

The debate Vice president.

On Tuesday, Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as the first female president of Blank Mexico. Right. This week, a Florida Woman was released from prison after a test confirmed that. But the meth residue police found in her car turned out to be blank. Uh, sugar, dried Spaghettios on Tuesday.

[Saatchi Cole]

What?

[Peter Sagal]

That's what it was. It was on a spoon. On Tuesday, the doctor charged in connection with friends star Blank's death pled guilty to distributing ketamine.

Uh, Matthew Perry.

That's the guy. This week, the New York Times published an explosive report that found many zoo pandas were blank.

Many zoo pandas were disguised as dogs.

Right. Although it's the other way around. I'll give it to you. They were dogs disguised as pandas. Yeah. The Times says more and more zoos and circuses around the world have been painting dogs and passing them off as pandas.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, the fluffy.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, the fluffy dogs. Maybe this is on us. We probably should have known something was up when the pandas at the zoo got so excited to see us, they went, stop humping our legs. Bill, how did Alzo do in our quiz?

[Bill Curtis]

Very well. 6. Right. 12 more points. 15. Here's the total that leads.

[Peter Sagal]

So, Bill, how many does Joyle need to win?

[Bill Curtis]

6 to tie and 7 to win.

[Peter Sagal]

Here we go. Joyelle.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

You know how I do.

[Saatchi Cole]

I'm rooting for you.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Here we go. This is for the game. On Wednesday, new documents related to Blank's January 6th 6th case were unsealed.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, Trump's?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. On Monday, controversial baseball legend Blank passed away at the age of 83.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

A controversial baseball player?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

I don't know. Not Dikembe Mutombo?

[Peter Sagal]

Not. No, no, no. This was Pete Rose.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, I've heard of him.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. This week, millions were left without power after Hurricane Blank swept across the Southeast.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Helene?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. According to a new report, parents of over 125 kindergarteners filed for Blank exemptions last year.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Tax?

[Peter Sagal]

No. Vaccine exemptions.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

What?

[Peter Sagal]

This week, a man in Oklahoma was charged with stealing a car so he could get to court in time for his trial for Blanking.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, Jesus. Cooking meth on a spaghetti spoon?

[Peter Sagal]

No, for stealing another car. Thanks to melting glaciers, it was announced that the Alpine border between Italy and would soon have to be redrawn.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Switzerland.

[Peter Sagal]

Right, Switzerland.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

I know geography.

[Peter Sagal]

On Thursday, NASA bumped two astronauts from the Falcon 9 rocket to make room for those still stuck on the Blank International Space Station.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

Oh, some of y'all be listening.

[Peter Sagal]

This week, hundreds of tourists flocked to a small town in Colorado to witness the yearly blanket running on.

[Joyelle Nicole Johnson]

The Whippersnappers.

[Peter Sagal]

No, the yearly. The yearly tarantula mating season. Oh. Tourists from across the country travel to La Junta, Colorado every year to witness the beauty of tarantula mating season. Why not? It combines everybody's two favorite things, sex and spiders the size of your hand. That would terrify Bill. Did Joyel do well enough to win?

[Bill Curtis]

She got four, right. Eight more points. Her 11 means she's number two. And the winner is Alzo Slade.

[Peter Sagal]

In just a minute, we're going to ask our panelists to predict after chicken tenders, what food innovation will we be celebrating the invention of 50 years from today? But first, let me tell you 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 Shayna Donald. Thanks to the staff and crew at the Studebaker Theatre. BJ Liederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Norboss and Lillian King. Special thanks to Monica Hickey and Blythe Roberson. Peter Gwynne is our Peter laureate. Our vibe curator is Emma Choi. Technical directions from Lorna White. Her CFO is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Neuhaus. Our senior producer is Ian Chillag. And the executive producer of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is Mike Danforth. Now, panel, what food innovation will we be celebrating 50 years from now? Saatchi Cole.

[Saatchi Cole]

I think it's going to be those chips that are so spicy they're sending people to the hospital. And I think we'll do it as an in memoriam for whoever didn't learn their lesson.

[Peter Sagal]

Joyelle. Nicole Johnson, Ozempic Cut oats. The more you eat, the less you.

Want Alzo Slade to get another celebration. The chicken tender is just going to make us call itself the boneless chicken wing.

[Bill Curtis]

Well, if any of that happens, panel, we'll ask you about it on Wait, Wait, don't tell me.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Alzo Slade, Jael, Nicole Johnson and Sachi Cole. And thanks to all of you for listening. Thanks to our fabulous audience here at the beautiful Studebaker Theater. And to you, wherever you may be. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is npr.

[Alzo Slade]

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[Alzo Slade]

Support for NPR and the following message come from GiveWell. Over 100,000 donors have used GiveWell to donate more than $1 billion. Find out more or make a donation at givewell. Org. Select how you heard about GiveWell by choosing podcast and enter NPR at checkout.