WWDTM: mxmtoon

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! - Episode: WWDTM: mxmtoon (January 25, 2025)

NPR's beloved weekly news quiz, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, hosted by Peter Sagal, delivered another hour of humor, insightful discussions, and engaging games in its January 25, 2025 release. This episode featured talented comedians Faith Saley, Hari Kondabolu, and Paula Poundstone as guest panelists, alongside special interactions with callers Daniel, Savannah Morello, and Kate Howard. The highlight of the episode was an exclusive interview with the rising music star mxmtoon.

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1. Introduction and Welcome

The show opened at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, with Peter Sagal enthusiastically introducing the guest panel and setting the stage for a lively episode. He teased an upcoming conversation with musician mxmtoon, known for her prolific online presence and recent album release, Liminal Space.

---

2. Listener Contestant Games

a. Daniel from St. Paul, Minnesota

• Timestamp: [02:40 - 09:02]

  Daniel, a PhD student in plant biology, joined the show to play "Who's Chaoke." Hosted by Chioki Ayanson, the game involved identifying quotes from the week's news. Peter Sagal presented three quotes:

  1. Louisiana Snowstorm:

     • Quote Source: Governor of Louisiana ([03:04]).
     • Daniel’s Answer: Correctly identified the rare event as snow in New Orleans.
     • Notable Quote: Peter Sagal humorously remarked, “You take off your shirt, you get beads and frostbite” ([03:22]).

  2. No Complaining January:

     • Quote Source: Belgian social movement ([05:20]).
     • Daniel’s Answer: Correctly identified as "No Complaining January."
     • Panelist Faith Saley’s Insight: Faith quipped about complaining during Mardi Gras, adding humor to the concept ([06:08]).

  3. Boomerasking Definition:

     • Quote Source: Wall Street Journal ([07:30]).
     • Daniel’s Answer: Correctly explained "Boomerasking" as asking questions to prompt specific responses.
     • Hari Kondabolu’s Comment: “It’s boomer asking” ([08:44]).

  Daniel triumphed by correctly identifying all three quotes, earning a prize of a personalized voicemail message ([09:01]).

---

b. Savannah Morello from Odenton, Maryland

• Timestamp: [14:13 - 21:57]

  Savannah, a fermentation scientist, participated in the "Do It Yourself" game. She listened to three self-crafted DIY stories and had to identify the real news story:

  1. Park Ranger’s Animal Invasion:

     • Hari Kondabolu’s Tale: A park ranger stocks her area with elk, bison, flamingos, and a Bengal tiger.

  2. DIY Vasectomy by a Plastic Surgeon:

     • Paula Poundstone’s Story: A plastic surgeon performs his own vasectomy as a gift to his wife.

  3. Parent Dressed as TV Character:

     • Faith Saley’s Narrative: A father dresses as Bluey's dad from an Australian cartoon for his daughter's party.

  Savannah correctly identified Paula Poundstone’s story about the DIY vasectomy as the real news item, winning the game ([19:32]).

c. Kate Howard from Austin, Texas

• Timestamp: [37:00 - 51:17]

  Kate, a singer-songwriter, engaged in the "Lightning Fill in the Blank" game, answering rapid-fire questions about the week's news. Kate impressively answered all three limerick-based questions correctly, earning her the episode's championship title with a total of 14 points ([42:34]).

---

3. Panel Discussions and Games

a. No Complaining January

• Timestamp: [05:20 - 07:02]

  Introducing the concept of "No Complaining January," the panelists humorously debated the feasibility and implications of abstaining from complaining for an entire month. Hari Kondabolu jested about the concept being ageist, questioning how retirees might cope without a venting outlet ([06:12]).

  Notable Quote:

  • Peter Sagal: “Talking behind each other's backs strikes me as another sort of subset of complaining” ([06:30]).

b. Listener Limerick Challenge

• Timestamp: [38:46 - 49:30]

  The panelists participated in a limerick challenge where they transformed bizarre and alarming headlines into humorous, positive spin-offs. Highlights include:

  • Faith Saley turning a headline about a meat anomaly into a joke about environmental benefits ([36:43]).
  • Paula Poundstone humorously responding to a shoplifting scheme with, “Don’t have to clean the restroom” ([37:14]).

  The segment showcased the panel's wit and creativity, enhancing the show's entertaining atmosphere.

c. Lightning Fill in the Blank

• Timestamp: [44:08 - 49:14]

  A high-energy game where panelists answered as many fill-in-the-blank news items as possible within 60 seconds. Paula Poundstone excelled, securing her position as the episode's champion by answering five rapid questions correctly, surpassing her peers' scores ([47:20]).

---

4. Exclusive Interview with mxmtoon

Maya, aka mxmtoon

• Timestamp: [19:50 - 31:07]

  The episode featured an insightful interview with Maya, known online as mxmtoon. Sharing her journey from posting ukulele performances at age 11 to becoming a global touring artist with millions of followers, Maya opened up about her personal and professional growth.

  Key Points Discussed:

  • Origin of mxmtoon Handle:

    • Quote: “My dad created it when I was 11 years old...” ([20:39]).

  • Transition to Full-Time Musician:

    • Maya discussed how rising online views led her to pursue music full-time, diverging from her initial plans for higher education ([21:19]).
    • Peter Sagal’s Observation: “It feels like a bit of a Mariah Carey moment every single year” ([25:31]).

  • Inspiration and Musical Evolution:

    • Maya cited Kermit the Frog as a quirky inspiration for her musical style and performances ([24:09]).
    • She elaborated on the timeless yet Gen Z appeal of her music, highlighting relatable lyrics that resonate with her audience ([24:49]).

  • Viral Success of "Prom Dress":

    • The song "Prom Dress" went viral on TikTok, with fans sharing personal prom moments inspired by her music.
    • Maya’s Reflection: “I wrote a song for any sad teenager who is having a tough time in their prom season” ([25:48]).

  Maya’s candid and humorous responses, coupled with her genuine passion for music, provided listeners with an inspiring glimpse into her rise as a contemporary artist.

---

5. Concluding Games and Predictions

a. Prediction: First Complaint of February

• Timestamp: [50:23 - 50:45]

  In a playful segment, panelists predicted the first complaints of February post "No Complaining January." Suggestions included:

  • Hari Kondabolu: “January has too many days” ([50:26]).
  • Faith Saley: Concerns about newly declassified JFK, RFK, and MLK files being overwhelming ([50:35]).
  • Paula Poundstone: Complaints about sticky office chairs ([50:40]).

---

b. Closing Remarks

Peter Sagal wrapped up the episode by thanking the guests and panelists, highlighting the collaborative effort behind the scenes, and inviting listeners to tune in for future shows. He also teased upcoming live shows and encouraged audience participation through various games.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Peter Sagal: “You take off your shirt, you get beads and frostbite” ([03:22]).
• Faith Saley: “Or a self vasectomy” ([07:37]).
• Peter Sagal: “It's the first time, at least in modern memory, snow has come to that city down there on the Gulf of America” ([04:37]).
• Hari Kondabolu: “Usually when there's this much snow in New Orleans, it's going up people's noses. Am I right, everybody? Mardi Gras” ([04:25]).
• Paula Poundstone: “You know, there's a man who gave himself a vasectomy and filmed it and it got 4 million views. How about you?” ([21:52]).
• Peter Sagal: “That's not exactly it” ([08:44]).

---

Conclusion

This episode of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! masterfully blended humor, current events, and heartfelt moments. The engaging games challenged both contestants and panelists, while the interview with mxmtoon provided a deeper connection with the audience through her inspiring story. Listeners were treated to a perfect mix of laughter, wit, and genuine conversation, solidifying the show's reputation as NPR's premier news quiz.

Transcript

[Ad Voice]

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[Chioki Ayanson]

From NPR in WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. Filling in for Bill Curtis, I'm the voice so buttery you need extra napkins. Chioki Iants. And here's your host at the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Chiocchi. Thank you, everybody. Yes, it's great to see you, too. Great to be with you. We have a fabulous show for you all today. Later on, we're gonna be talking to the musician MxM Tune, who has become hugely popular performing her music online. Basically, she is to the Internet what Bruce Springsteen is to New Jersey. And we want to hear your hits. So 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.

[Daniel]

Hi, this is Daniel calling from St. Paul, Minnesota.

[Peter Sagal]

I love St. Paul, one of my favorite places. We have some people who came down for the warmth of Chicago. What do you do there?

[Daniel]

I'm a plant biology PhD student here at the University of Minnesota, which I was delighted to hear shouted out last week by Rose.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. Rose Matteoffeo, our guest, became an accidental supporter of the University of Minnesota, where she wore one of your shirts on her TV special. Is everybody at the University of Minnesota talking about that? It's just the buzz of the cadence.

[Daniel]

Well, I'm a PhD student and I work with professors and we all obviously listen to npr, so some of them aren't, but.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. Exactly. But basically what you're saying is you're a PhD plant biology student. You don't talk to anybody.

[Faith Saley]

He talks to his plants.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. Well, welcome to the show, Daniel. Let me introduce you to our panel this week. First, a contributor to CBS Sunday morning, it's Faith Saley.

[Faith Saley]

Hi, Daniel.

[Peter Sagal]

Hi. Next, a comedian headlining the Laughing tap in Milwaukee March 20th. And at the Gramercy in New York City on May 29th, it's Hari Kondabolu.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Hey, Daniel.

[Peter Sagal]

And you can see her February 8th in Glendale, California, at the Alex Theatre and hear her just about every week on the podcast. Nobody listens to Paula Poundstone. It's Paula Poundstone. Daniel so, Daniel, welcome to the show. You're going to play who's Chaoke this time? Chaoke Ayanson. Filling in four. 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'll win our prize. Any voice from our show, you might choose in your voicemail. You ready to play?

[Daniel]

Absolutely.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. Your first quote is from the governor of the great state of Louisiana.

[Chioki Ayanson]

I hope everyone is safe and warm at home with a big pot of gumbo.

[Peter Sagal]

What rare weather event are the people of Louisiana dealing with this week?

[Daniel]

Well, I. I guess it's rare for Louisiana, but it's not rare for me in Minnesota.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Daniel]

I'm guessing the answer is yes.

[Peter Sagal]

Snow. Yes. You and me and all the other northerners were laughing as we looked at New Orleans covered in snow. They warned us the weather would get weird. It has. A cold front moved across the south, dumping a record breaking 10 inches of snow on New Orleans. But the party goes on, right? It always does there on Bourbon Street. You take off your shirt, you get beads and frostbite.

[Faith Saley]

I was thinking this happened a little too early, because if it happened during Mardi Gras, it could be like that ring toss, right? You take off your shirt, and you'd throw the beads, and they just boing. They just stay. If you had a good toss.

[Peter Sagal]

I have no idea what you're referring to, Faith, but, I mean, can you imagine what's going on in the city right now? All the drunken bachelorette parties staggering into stores to buy everybody emergency Uggs.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Usually when there's this much snow in New Orleans, it's going up people's noses. Am I right, everybody? Mardi Gras.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Ha ha.

[Peter Sagal]

It's the first time, at least in modern memory, snow has come to that city down there on the Gulf of America.

[Hari Kondabolu]

The Big Easy. More like the Big Freezy. I had written it down, and I didn't want to give it up.

[Peter Sagal]

I appreciate that.

[Savannah Morello]

I support you.

[Peter Sagal]

And, Daniel, you will appreciate this as somebody who lives in Minnesota. I live in Chicago. Nothing is more fun than watching people in a state that never gets snow trying to deal with snow. It's great. They're out there with, like, whisk brooms and spatulas.

[Faith Saley]

Do you think they spell it? S, N, E, A, U, X. There.

[Peter Sagal]

Y'All.

[Faith Saley]

We got snow. We got some snow.

[Peter Sagal]

Now, Daniel, Daniel, your next quote is, somebody who launched a new social movement for January.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Why am I grumbling right now? And is it necessary so that person.

[Peter Sagal]

She'S based in Belgium. She started this movement which is asking people to not do what for the whole month of January.

[Daniel]

Oh, my. It's not dry January. Because that's been a thing for a while, right?

[Peter Sagal]

It is. So this is a new. But you are on the right track. Dry January means no wine. This means no whining, not complaining. Complaining, yes. Welcome, everybody, to no Complaining January. You've heard of dry January Now, A social campaign movement out of Belgium and the Netherlands has banned complaining for the entire month. It's a great idea. And whoever decided to pair it with the month that I also gave up alcohol. Genius.

[Hari Kondabolu]

This no complaining business feels ageist.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah. Really?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Because what are my parents supposed to do? That's what. They're retired. They're in their 70s. They complain, they watch TV, and they talk behind each other's backs to their children.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Well, you're gonna ban that, too, now. We're not gonna do that.

[Peter Sagal]

Talking behind each other's backs strikes me as another sort of subset of complaining. Right. Cause they're not calling you up and going, harry, your father, he's so wonderful.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, right. No, no, no, no, you're right. One and three are the same.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. On the other hand, I mean, it would be a good exercise to just spend one month trying to look on the bright side of whatever happens to you. So you're like, you know, some of these bankruptcy judges, they're really nice. For example, although they're real.

[Paula Poundstone]

Boy, these extra pounds really fill out my pants.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Exactly.

[Peter Sagal]

Now you've got it. I've never noticed how interesting the inside roof of an ambulance is. Now that I can stare at it for a while. I mean, that's what I mean.

[Paula Poundstone]

It's really cold out, but I didn't want those balls anyway.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, here, Daniel, is your last quote.

[Chioki Ayanson]

It's called boomerasking. If you do it, stop.

[Peter Sagal]

Now, that was from a Wall Street Journal article on boomerasking, which is the latest trend in conversation. They are noting and condemning. It's boomerang asking. And what that is, is when you ask someone a question just so they will do what?

[Daniel]

Just so they'll, like, ask you the question again and then ask you exactly.

[Peter Sagal]

Ask you the same question. Right. So boomer asking is the term that was just invented for asking someone a question, not because you are interested in their answer, but just because you want them to ask you that question so you can tell them what you want to tell them. It was in the Wall Street Journal. Do you guys read that? Every day. Pamela.

[Faith Saley]

I don't know. Peter, do you read that?

[Peter Sagal]

Why? As a matter of fact, I do. There you go. Very boomer asking. We just demonstrated it.

[Faith Saley]

I thought boomer asking is when you ask your parents, who are boomers? Like, hey, did you know the flashlight's on on your phone? Did you take your statin?

[Peter Sagal]

Or when your father asks you if you've watched Yellowstone yet?

[Hari Kondabolu]

So I could go up to somebody and be like, have you heard of Hari Kondabolu? I'm Hari Kundavolu.

[Peter Sagal]

That's not exactly it.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Well, I'm going to do it anyway.

[Peter Sagal]

You can say the Wall Street Journal told you it was okay. Right?

[Paula Poundstone]

You know, Peter, the truth is, the boomer asking thing would never work on me because if somebody asked me how I was, I would just keep telling them.

[Peter Sagal]

That's true.

[Paula Poundstone]

I have a tendency. I'm one of the most selfish people I've ever met in my life. If someone comes to my house, which they rarely do because I'm very selfish, but if someone comes to my house, I'll be eating and drinking the whole time. They're a soda. I'll eat some chips. And it's not until they're on the way out the door that I realize, oh, geez, did you want anything to eat?

[Peter Sagal]

I just realized it would be weird if you're like. If you realize your therapist is doing this and all along she's just wanted you to ask her about her mother. Yeah.

[Faith Saley]

What are your big feelings?

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. Chiochi, how did Daniel do on our quiz?

[Chioki Ayanson]

Eh, can't complain. Hey, there you go, Daniel got all three right.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Daniel.

[Paula Poundstone]

Nice work, Daniel.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you. Right now, panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Faith. The New York Times offered a new way to experience local culture while traveling. Just do what?

[Faith Saley]

Just. So it's something like, when in Rome, act like a native.

[Peter Sagal]

When in Rome, when in row, do this.

[Faith Saley]

Try to speak that language, even if you don't know how.

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Faith Saley]

Nope.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, as they say in France, I'm loving it. Oh, gosh.

[Faith Saley]

Go to McDonald's.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Hari Kondabolu]

What?

[Peter Sagal]

Go to McDonald's. A travel writer points out that while Americans usually seek out, you know, these out of the way, authentic local cafes in a foreign country, all the people who live there are eating at McDonald's to get away from the tourists at the authentic cafes. Right.

[Faith Saley]

So you'll find the locals at the local McDonald's.

[Peter Sagal]

That's what he says. He says it's a great way to meet. Just normal people who live where you're visiting.

[Hari Kondabolu]

This is McDonald's propaganda. There's no way the New York Times has been paid off by McDonald's. I'm going to say it right now.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah. Was there. Okay, the guy who. The travel guy.

[Peter Sagal]

Travel guy.

[Paula Poundstone]

Is he kind of tall with red.

[Peter Sagal]

Hair and big feet, very pale skin? No. He points out that, you know, they've had McDonald's as long as we've had things like Chinese and Thai restaurants. So why aren't there. Why can't we say those restaurants over there? Just a part of their culture.

[Faith Saley]

And they do have the French fries.

[Peter Sagal]

They do, they do. And of course, you know, there are variations in the menus from country to country. In India, it's all vegetarian, for example. Plus, it's so fun to walk in and be like, tell me here in your country, what does your grimace look like?

[Paula Poundstone]

I mean, if you're really trying to meet the locals, why not go to their dmv?

[Peter Sagal]

You know, that's actually a pretty good question. Very good.

[Paula Poundstone]

Why not just cut off your hand and spend some time in their medical system?

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up. Strap on your tool belts. It's a DIY bluff. The listener game. Call 1-88-wait- wait to play. We'll be back in a minute with more wait, wait, don't tell me from NPR.

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[Peter Sagal]

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[Chioki Ayanson]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. I'm Shioki Ayanson. We're playing this week with Paula Poundstone, Hurry Kondabolu, and Faith Salee. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Chiochi. Thank you, everybody. Yes. Right now it's time for the wait, wait, don't tell me bluff the listener game. Call 1-888-wait- wait to play our game in the air. Or you can always check out the pinned post on our Instagram pagetwaitnpro. Hi, you're on Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Savannah Morello]

Hi, my name is Savannah Morello, and I'm calling from Odenton, Maryland.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, I love Maryland. What do you do there?

[Savannah Morello]

I'm a fermentation scientist.

[Peter Sagal]

You are what?

[Savannah Morello]

A fermentation scientist. Not the fun kind of fermentation that we all enjoy. I make nutritional lipids and algae and stuff like that.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow. So when you went to science school, you said, I want to do fermentation, but not the fun kind.

[Savannah Morello]

Yeah, I think there was too much alcohol. And then I, I checked the wrong fermentation box.

[Peter Sagal]

Always a mistake. Well, welcome to the show, Savannah. You're going to play our game in which you have to tell truth from fiction. Shoki, what is Savannah's topic?

[Chioki Ayanson]

Do it yourself.

[Peter Sagal]

Why have something done well when you could do it yourself instead? Our panelists are going to tell you about somebody who did a surprising do it Yourself project this week with interesting results. Pick the one who's telling the truth and you can win the wait waiter of your choice in your voicemail. Are you ready to play?

[Savannah Morello]

I'm ready.

[Peter Sagal]

Let's go. Well, first, let's hear from Hari Kondabolu.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Park ranger Nikki Fisher has overseen Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home in Southern Indiana for 20 years. But recently, visitor numbers have dwindled. Three months ago, Ranger Nikki decided to take things into her own hands. There's always videos of traffic in Yellowstone because people are gaga over some elk people. They're just fancy deer. So after sending $1,000 to a company called no Questions Asked Animals Direct Online, Nikki bought a herd of elk and planted them right in front of the front gate. People were confused about how they got there, but I just said, quote, climate change is crazy and they bought it. When the initial buzz died down, Nikki upped the ante. Soon there were two bison living in the park. A month later, a herd of flamingos flew in. Wildlife experts were finally called in when a local farmer spotted a Bengal tiger in his chicken coop. Now that all the animals have been returned to their countries of origin, Nikki has now moved on to her next project, finding a new job.

[Peter Sagal]

A park ranger decides that she wants her park to not be quite so boring and gets to work. Your next self sufficiency story comes from Paula Poundstone.

[Paula Poundstone]

Plastic surgeon Chen Wenong recorded himself performing his own vasectomy as a gift to his wife, not realizing, presumably, that there are services that can help men choose unique and treasured gifts. A vasectomy is a form of birth control in which the surgeon cuts and seals the tubes that carry sperm. And although a vasectomy is an effective means of birth control, so are mutton chops. In the tutorial video, the doctor patient applied anesthetic cream to numb his genitals before halving at them with a scalpel and surgical clamp to perform the surgery, during which he only once seized with pain, perhaps thinking roses. She might have liked roses.

[Peter Sagal]

A doctor performs his own vasectomy as a gift to his wife, Cutting out the Middleman I guess your last homespun tale comes from Faith Saley.

[Faith Saley]

Mike Hickman asked his four year old Sadie what she wanted for her birthday, and she replied Bluey's daddy, AKA Bandit, the relentlessly fun Australian dog of the hit cartoon series that leaves every parent feeling crushingly inadequate. So Mike fulfilled his daughter's dream himself. He dressed as Bandit and improvised for the first half hour of Sadie's party using a terrible Australian accent that left guests asking if Bluey's dad was from Boston. But no human can keep up that level of playfulness, especially when you're stifling in a Bandit suit from Amazon prime and 4 year olds keep climbing on you to play horsey on the doggie. So Bandit broke get the hell off me. He then commanded so much compliance for the rest of the party that the kids called him Mean Bluey's daddy sir, and other parents started hiring Mean Bluey's daddy to implement order at their kids parties. He's even started a parenting YouTube channel called Meanie until the cease and desist letter from Disney comes.

[Peter Sagal]

Mean Bluey Daddy all right, let me review these do it yourself projects, one of which we found in the news from Hari Kondabolu, an enterprising park ranger at Lincoln's birthplace decides to make it more, you know, national park. Like from Paula Poundstone, a doctor who performed his own vasectomy on himself. And from Faith Saley, somebody who tried to be a character from TV on his own and ended up coming up with his own meaner, more effective version. Which of these is the real story of the do it Yourself project in the news?

[Savannah Morello]

I am going to have to go against our American medical system and go with Paula's story about the DIY vasectomy.

[Peter Sagal]

You're gonna go with Paula's story about the DIY vasectomy? Well, that's your choice then. To bring you the real answer, we spoke to an expert on this particular act of creation. Despite how many vasectomies I do, I don't think I'm ever gonna be able to do it all myself. That was Dr. Jugan Cancel, founder of Down There Urology, talking about the DIY vasectomy. Congratulations, Savannah. You got it right. Thank you so much. Take care. Love, doctor. Love doctor. He's got the love in his healing hands. And now the game we call Not My Job. When she was in high school in Oakland, California, a young woman named Maya picked the online handle mxmtoon and started posting videos of herself playing the ukulele and began to blow up. Today she is touring the world performing her own original music with millions of followers on every platform and a new album called Liminal Space. MXM Tune. Welcome to. Wait, wait, don't tell me.

[Savannah Morello]

This is the most surreal experience I've.

[Peter Sagal]

Ever had in my life. If I understand correctly, your stage name, your online name, mxm Tune began because you were a cartoonist as a very young person and you were like posting cartoons, right?

[Savannah Morello]

I was. My dad is actually the person who created the handle, so I'll have to hand it to him. He is also a longtime fan of. Wait, wait, so I have to mention it.

[Peter Sagal]

All right.

[Savannah Morello]

But yeah, he created it when I was 11 years old and was sharing things on like my cartoons on the Internet and thought that would be my claim to fame, Right? It was not.

[Peter Sagal]

No. But something was. And I'm told it was the ukulele.

[Savannah Morello]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

So you were. You were posting your videos of yourself playing the ukulele.

[Hari Kondabolu]

How did.

[Peter Sagal]

How did you know they were getting popular?

[Savannah Morello]

I mean, it's. Let me tell you, Peter, there's a thing called a view count and a like count. And I saw that number kind of slowly creep up and then get a exponentially bigger. And then suddenly I didn't go to college and I was a full time musician. So wow is where I'm at. Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow.

[Paula Poundstone]

You know, there's a man who gave himself a vasectomy and filmed it and it got 4 million views. How about you?

[Savannah Morello]

I'm definitely not beating out that vasectomy video, so I'd say that that's where I'm at.

[Paula Poundstone]

If you can find a man who will do that while you play the ukulele.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm curious, you just. So you just said you blew up in the Internet playing music, so you decided to skip college and become a professional musician. Did you like, walk into your parents one day and say, guess what, everybody, I'm skipping college and I'm going to go just be a musician on YouTube.

[Savannah Morello]

Essentially there was two coming outs that came out as bisexual in 2017, and then the far scarier one was coming out as a musician who didn't want to pursue higher education. Which was mortifying to both of my parents, who are both educators, but they've been nothing but supportive, really. I was about to be queer and a musician.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. I'm guessing the first one was easier.

[Savannah Morello]

The first one was actually way easier. Yeah. I mean, I'm from the Bay Area. I grew up in queer spaces. And yeah, they were definitely more horrified to know that I didn't want to go and pursue an architecture degree in both cases.

[Faith Saley]

Was it a kind of ceremonious thing? Did you sit them down and kind of hold hands? Like when my brother. When my brother came out, he watched. He made my mom sit down and watch the Little Mermaid with him. And then he turned to her and told her he came out to me at Chick Fil A. I mean, everyone has their thing.

[Savannah Morello]

I think both felt maybe slightly ceremonious as they were done in the passenger seat of my parents car. And a passing moment, hoping that maybe, you know, we would figure it out from there.

[Peter Sagal]

Did. Did it get to the point where your parents never wanted to get in the car with you? Oh, God.

[Savannah Morello]

Oh my gosh. Honestly, I think we're still at that point. I'm a freshly licensed driver at the age of 24 about three months ago. So I'd say they.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations.

[Savannah Morello]

A bit scared to be in the car with me.

[Peter Sagal]

I want to talk a little bit about your music because you've progressed, and I mean no offense to the great ukulele players, but you have progressed far beyond merely playing the ukulele. You are writing and performing these beautiful, heartfelt songs that actually remind me of like the great torch singers like Dionne Warwick or Peggy Lee or these amazing Women who sang these heartfelt songs about heartbreak and stuff. Did you have a particular inspiration? Did you have a sound or a person you were trying to emulate or reach when you started singing and writing and singing your own songs?

[Savannah Morello]

Maybe Kermit the Frog, I think, is the only person that comes to mind, really. He's just the best. What's better than that?

[Peter Sagal]

You're listening to Kermit and you go, you know what else is not easy being me. It's not even me me. I want to sing about that. What I love about your music is it's timeless, but it seems very much for and by your generation, which I guess technically is Gen Z. Am I right about that? Like, you have this one lyric in one of your songs, one of your love songs that I love, where you talk about. The singer talks about her relationship with this other person. We snap together like Legos. And I was like, that is perfect.

[Savannah Morello]

It is. Except that the plural of lego is just Lego. And I found that out way too late, really, for the con. The comment section made that abundantly clear to me.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, that was another question.

[Paula Poundstone]

But it still doesn't matter. It's the passion of what you're doing, and I wouldn't get tripped up by that if I were you.

[Peter Sagal]

You actually brought something I was going to ask you, which is one of your songs. Prom Dress, which is a beautiful song about a prom dress and a moment in life when a woman finds herself wearing one, went viral on TikTok. Right? And everybody's posting it with themselves in their prom dresses. Is that kind of fame fun to know that the Entire world knows 40 seconds of one of your songs?

[Savannah Morello]

It's the best ever. I mean, for me, it feels like a bit of like a Mariah Carey moment every single year. I'll never write a song that is as catchy as All I Want for Christmas. But I did write a song for any sad teenager who is having a tough time in their prom season. And for that, I am very grateful about the evergreen nature of that music.

[Peter Sagal]

I was about to say, I don't know if it was intentional, but it was smart. Because just as we will always have Christmas, we will always have sad teenagers at prom season.

[Savannah Morello]

And honestly, that feels a little bit more permanent than Christmas in some ways.

[Paula Poundstone]

I'd say, You know, you should write a song about reading the comments.

[Faith Saley]

Ooh, I should.

[Savannah Morello]

That's a good idea. I'll do that after I collab with the guy who did the self vasectomy.

[Peter Sagal]

So there you are. I'll get back to you. That's pretty good. Well, Maya, it is. It is enormous fun to talk to you. And we have invited you here to play a game we're calling mxm.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Tune, meet tune. M&ms.

[Peter Sagal]

By which we mean those charming animated mascots that help sell M and M candies. You know, that always make us feel a little weird when we get around to eating them. We're going to ask you three questions about those cartoon candies. If you get two right, you win our prize. One of our listeners, the voice of their choice on their answering machine. Chokey. Who is Maya playing for?

[Chioki Ayanson]

Mallory Kelly of Peoria, Illinois.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, you ready to do this?

[Savannah Morello]

I think so, Mallory. I'm going to try. So my very best for you.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so here's your first question. For M&M's 75th anniversary, they released a video showing 360 degree views inside the M and M mascots homes. Right. One feature of the orange M and M's house surprised some people. What was it? A, six locks on the front door? B, a tanning bed, or C, a Robert Mapplethorpe print?

[Savannah Morello]

First of all, I have not seen this advertisement. I'm delighted to know that the M and Ms. Are homeowners. Congratulations to them. Say tanning bed.

[Peter Sagal]

They want to say tanning bed.

[Savannah Morello]

I feel like the locks thing is a little too ominous.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, While it might be ominous, it is true. Apparently, Orange's little quirk is that he's paranoid about being eaten. I can't imagine why. So his apartment has six locks and a monitor showing feeds from nine to security cameras. Okay, so here's your next question. You got two more. You can do it. Before her redesign in 2022, the green M and M was a female with big eyelashes and go go boots. Relatively sexy for a candy. Why was she designed to be sexy? Was it A, because research showed that people get hungrier when they are feeling romantic, B, because of the widely held belief that green M&MS. Were an aphrodisiac, Or C, because of a planned but abandoned ad campaign featuring a passionate love affair between her and the Jolly Green Giant. Wow.

[Savannah Morello]

Okay. You know, I've listened to this show for years, and I've always thought maybe I'd be good at this. And I think I'm just learning rapidly that this is not my skill set. And that's okay. That's all right.

[Peter Sagal]

The audience is trying to help you by.

[Savannah Morello]

They are helping me. And I haven't been able to hear them a lot throughout the zoom call, but I'm going to be thankful when I answer. I believe that it's the second one.

[Peter Sagal]

It is, in fact, because apparently certain members of the audience, I'm not saying they're old enough personally, but they might have heard that back in the 70s, that was a widespread rumor that green M and Ms. Were an aphrodisiac. It was the thing. It really was. All right, that's good. You got one right. With one to go. If you get this, you win. Here's your last question. M and Ms. Almost had a live mascot. They asked Kevin Bacon, the actor, to do a commercial where he would dance to the song Footloose from his famous movie in a yellow M and M costume. But he turned them down. Why did he turn them down? Was it A, his agent told him, you're Kevin freaking Bacon. You don't play the yellow M and M. You play the blue Eminem. B, because he was doing ads for Hormel, Bacon and his deal banned him from representing any other food. Or C, because his wife, he said, gets too creeped out by the concept of talking food.

[Savannah Morello]

You know, marital problems present themselves in all sorts of colors and sometimes in the format of people, you know, revealing their deepest, darkest secrets, like talking food being a real fear.

[Peter Sagal]

So you're picking C. I think so. And you're right.

[Savannah Morello]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

His wife Kyra Cedric said, quote, doesn't like it when food talks and put her foot down about it. Chiocchi, how did Maya do in our quiz?

[Chioki Ayanson]

It makes him tune. Got two right. Which means she has to come out to her parents as a winner on. Wait, Wait, don't tell me.

[Paula Poundstone]

There we go.

[Peter Sagal]

Well done.

[Savannah Morello]

This is gonna be the best coming out I've ever had.

[Peter Sagal]

It's great.

[Savannah Morello]

It's great. It's gonna be great.

[Peter Sagal]

Mom, dad, let's go for a ride.

[Savannah Morello]

Really?

[Peter Sagal]

No, this time you'll enjoy it. MXM Tunes new album is Liminal Space. It's delightful and moving and beautiful. You can hear her play it on her upcoming world tour dates. And more information are over, of course, at mxmtoon.com mxm tune. Maya, thank you so much for joining us. What a pleasure to talk to you. Thanks for listening. Thanks for playing and we'll see you around. Take care.

[Savannah Morello]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Peter Sagal]

Bye Bye.

[Paula Poundstone]

Good luck.

[Peter Sagal]

In just a minute, why you really should check in on all your penguin friends. That's in our Listener limerick challenge. Call 1-trip-8 wait wait. To join us on the air. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait Wait. Don't tell me from NPR.

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[Chioki Ayanson]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me. The NPR News quiz. I'm Chioki Ayanson. We're playing this week with Faith Salee, Paula Poundstone and Hurry Kondabolu. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Chiyoki. Thank you so much. In just a minute, did you know? Did you know? Every week in America, as many as three limericks go unfinished. You can help 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, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Hari we're all familiar with the concept of safe words.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

An article in the New York Post says safe words can also be useful while doing what other activity?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Bobbing for apples.

[Peter Sagal]

That's very specific. I'll give you a hint. You might want to use these safe words when you're involved in risky activities like overseeing mass play dates or bath time.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Parenting.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, parenting. Safe words. Here's the idea. Say your toddler is having a tantrum. You've been dealing with her all day and you're about to snap and you need your partner to take over. Well, you just yell out Michael Barbaro or whatever your safe word might be. And the trick here is that your kids are listening. So your safe word can't be something like I hate them or you were adopted.

[Faith Saley]

My safe word right now is I just look at my husband and say perimenopause and leave the room.

[Peter Sagal]

Really? Yep.

[Faith Saley]

That means you got this now.

[Peter Sagal]

That's not so much a safe word, it's a threat.

[Faith Saley]

And a reality.

[Peter Sagal]

I was about to say that was more of a threat. Yeah. Faith, there's a new option out there for couples who cannot decide between a big wedding and a small intimate wedding. Some couples are now having, what, a Goldilocks wedding?

[Faith Saley]

A medium sized wedding?

[Peter Sagal]

No, that would be the old way of doing it, to compromise. This is not the new.

[Faith Saley]

Oh, are they having both?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, they're having his and hers weddings. Faith. An invitee took to a wedding page on Reddit to tell this story. The bride wanted a small wedding, intimate friends, family. The groom wanted a huge wedding with everybody. So they decided, let's have his and hers weddings. It was that or the other really fun option. Realize they're two fundamentally different people and call it off. So each wedding for this particular couple had its own venue, its own wedding planner, and yes, two separate registries. Right. Wow.

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, my gosh.

[Hari Kondabolu]

They have a ton of money.

[Peter Sagal]

Clearly too much.

[Paula Poundstone]

And do. Do they both go to each of them?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. I think. I think if you. I mean. All right. Deciding you're gonna have two weddings because you can't agree on what kind of wedding you want to have is one thing. Not inviting the person you're marrying to your wedding I think is definitely a sign.

[Paula Poundstone]

I think you just love, like, a stand in. You know, Bob would be here, but he doesn't enjoy a big wedding.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Why not just do it like the circus and have, like a big tent and then a little tent, and then you can go to whichever wedding you want to go to.

[Peter Sagal]

So you had, like, a main attraction and a sideshow wedding?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Well, I wouldn't call it a side. It's a more intimate wedding. You can have a freak show, too.

[Faith Saley]

That's for the honeymoon.

[Hari Kondabolu]

That's for the honeymoon.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. And now it's a game we're going.

[Chioki Ayanson]

To call no Complaining January.

[Peter Sagal]

So in honor of no Complaining January, Chiocchi is going to read each of you a real headline we found in this week's news. You have to say something positive about it. That's the challenge.

[Paula Poundstone]

A real headline.

[Peter Sagal]

You say something positive about these alarming headlines, you get a point. All right, we're going to start with Faith. Here we go. This headline's for you. Say something positive after you hear it. Your first headline is about something weird that happened with a fresh fish entree.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Restaurant customers left screaming after meat crawls off dinner plate.

[Peter Sagal]

Something positive Faith. After meat crawls off dinner plate, it.

[Faith Saley]

Turned that person vegan. And that's better for the environment.

[Peter Sagal]

Chiocchi, what do you think?

[Chioki Ayanson]

We got it. One point.

[Peter Sagal]

One point. Okay. All right, Paula, this, this one is for you. Chiyoki, please read the headline.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Woman intentionally pooped on store's floor in shoplifting scheme.

[Paula Poundstone]

Don'T have to clean the restroom.

[Chioki Ayanson]

And a point for Paula.

[Peter Sagal]

Very good. All right, Hari. All right, let's do it.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Rocket explodes on man's penis at family fireworks display.

[Hari Kondabolu]

No more need for a safe word.

[Faith Saley]

Or a self vasectomy.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Or a self vasectomy.

[Chioki Ayanson]

And that's a point for a hurry.

[Peter Sagal]

Very well done, you guys.

[Faith Saley]

I feel really good.

[Peter Sagal]

Good job. Good job. Looking on the bright side, there you are. Coming up, it's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first, it's the game where you have to listen for the ride. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. You can catch us most weeks right here at the Studebaker Theater in beautiful downtown Chicago. Or come see us on the road. For example, we'll be at the Walt Disney theater in Orlando, Florida on March 20th. For tickets and information to all our live shows, go to nprpresents.org hi, everyone. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, this is Kate Howard from Austin, Texas. Austin, one of our very favorite places. What do you do there? I'm a singer songwriter. Of course you are. I love it. It's the law. It's the law. You have to do it. You're not allowed into town unless you're carrying a guitar and your heart on your sleeve. Yes, that's cool. Well, Kate, welcome to the show. Chioki Ianson is 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 in two of the limericks, you'll be a winner. You ready to go?

[Paula Poundstone]

Yes, I am.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Here's your first limerick in midwinter. I'm thrown for a loop. Both my health and my energy droop. So I eat granny's candy. It's soothing and dandy. It tastes like some warm chicken soup.

[Peter Sagal]

Soup. Yes. This week Progresso, the soup company introduced soup flavored hard candies called soup drops. No thank you. Which they describe as soup you can suck on. This is big news in my household because my kid has such a soup tooth.

[Hari Kondabolu]

It was Campbell's.

[Peter Sagal]

It's Progresso.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah, that's a Progresso move.

[Peter Sagal]

It really is.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Campbell's has the market. Progreso's trying. You don't see Amy's pulling that?

[Peter Sagal]

No, it's true. Here's your next limerick.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Married penguins have buyer's remorse. Lack of babies is often the source when their passions have dulled. They can't get things annulled. So the penguins will file for divorce.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, indeed. Penguins are supposed to be monogamous for life. So everyone is alarmed by a new study showing that a certain population of penguins have a divorce rate between 25 and 50%. I guess a certain flightless bird can stop being so SSMUG at the PTA meetings. According to the study, if a reproduction does not go well for a couple of penguins for about a year, penguins will just split up. Right. They'll just go their separate ways. I wonder what those fights are like. The male says, sorry, baby, I just need to spread my wings. And the female's like. And do what with them?

[Hari Kondabolu]

There are scientists who do studies. That means they were watching these penguins like it was Love island, right?

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. Yes. Quite literally. Love Island. They're on island.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And then somehow they had to. To tell the difference between the different penguins. Like they knew the differences between them.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And then we're able to say, that one's not sleeping with that one anymore.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Moved on with that one.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And this. And this is. They. They do this for a living. They.

[Peter Sagal]

That is their job, to observe the.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Penguins, to see whether they're having sex with the same partners or not.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Hari Kondabolu]

This is some. This is some sick stuff.

[Peter Sagal]

Here is your last. Last limerick.

[Chioki Ayanson]

My trophy case leaves me nonplussed. My achievements are turning to dust. Last summer's bright gold is all tarnished and old because my medals are starting to rust.

[Peter Sagal]

Rust, yes. 100 medal winners from the Olympics in Paris last summer have complained to the International Olympic Committee that their medals are falling apart. They're flaking away. And these champions shouldn't have the rust. Metal. That's what you get if you're fourth place. So these medals from Paris, and they've been posting photographs, have visible signs of obvious crumbling and staining and wear. You may remember when they made these medals, the company that made them announced that they have included in them iron from the Eiffel Tower built into them. So don't worry, everybody. It's not the Olympic medal that are falling apart. It's just the Eiffel Tower.

[Paula Poundstone]

That's terrible.

[Faith Saley]

It is. And that's for the bronze. Silver and gold.

[Peter Sagal]

Bronze, silver and gold. Although the phenomenon seems to be centered on the bronze medals. Huh?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, well, yeah.

[Chioki Ayanson]

Okay.

[Paula Poundstone]

I can.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, what do you expect? You came in third. You wanted something of quality.

[Paula Poundstone]

I can attest to that. My bronze medal is gone.

[Peter Sagal]

It's rusted away. Yeah. So athletes are actually sending the medals back to the committee saying, hey, can I get a new medal that, like, won't fall away? It's obviously the Olympians fault. It says right in the back of the medal, not dishwasher safe.

[Savannah Morello]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Joki, how did Kate do in our quiz?

[Chioki Ayanson]

Let us sing Kate's praises. She got all three right.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Kate. Well done. Thank you so much. We'll come down and hope to see you on 6th street next time we're in Austin. Take care.

[Paula Poundstone]

Okay, Bye.

[Peter Sagal]

Bye.

[Paula Poundstone]

Bye, Kate.

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[Faith Saley]

Evergreen trees are Pacific Northwest icons in journalism. An evergreen story isn't tied to one news cycle. It deep and helps you understand the world. The Evergreen is also a podcast from OPB about the Northwest. I'm Jen Chavez. Listen to the Evergreen podcast from OPD every Monday, part of the NPR Network.

[Peter Sagal]

Now on to 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. Joki, can you give us the scores?

[Chioki Ayanson]

All right, Paula has four. Faith and hurry each have.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Paula, you are doing particularly well, so we are going to arbitrarily pick Hari to go first. The clock will start when they begin your first question. Fill in the blank. On Wednesday, thousands of people in Southern California were evacuated after a new blank started in the area fire. Right after the ceasefire took effect, over 2,000 aid trucks were able to enter Blank Gaza. Right. On Thursday, a federal judge blocked President Trump's order to end birthright blank citizenship. Right. According to The Congressional budget office. By 2035, the federal blank will jump to $2.7 trillion debt. Yeah. Deficit. This week, for the first time in the history of the NHL, the outcome of a game was influenced by Blank.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Who cares? It's hockey.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, no, some people care very deeply. It was a tray of nachos a fan threw under the ice. It distracted the goalie. This weekend, NASA told Skywatchers that six Blanks will be visible from Earth at once. Planets. Right. This week, an 84 year old man in the UK successfully fended off a mugger by repeatedly blanking.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Crying?

[Peter Sagal]

No, by repeatedly hitting him with a pair of jeans. The would be mugger attacked the 84 year old at a laundromat. So he grabbed the closest thing he had, a pair of jeans, and repeatedly swatted the guy with them. The man was at a huge advantage because he had both a 65 inch reach and a 36 inch inseam. Joki, how did Hurry do in our quiz?

[Chioki Ayanson]

Hurry got five.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Chioki Ayanson]

For 10 more points. That's a total of 13. Hurry's in the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

Well done. All right, Faith, you are up next. Please fill in the blank. On Wednesday, the Trump administration said they were sending 1,500 troops to the blank southern border. Right. After announcing a record jump in subscribers, streaming giant Blank said it would be raising prices.

[Faith Saley]

Netflix.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. For the first time in a decade, the Ohio State Buckeyes beat Notre Dame to win the Blank championship.

[Faith Saley]

College football.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Tuesday, three top tech firms announced a $500 billion investment focused on the development of blank cryptocurrency. No AI. Following the success of spinoff shows like FBI Most Wanted and FBI International, CBS unveiled the newest show in their FBI franchise. Blank.

[Faith Saley]

FBI. Hyperlocal.

[Peter Sagal]

FBI, CIA. Oh. On Wednesday, Nepal announced they were increasing the fee to climb blank to $15,000.

[Faith Saley]

Mount Everest.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Thursday, Amelia Perez and Wicked led the nominations for the 2025 Blank Awards.

[Faith Saley]

Oscars.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. This week, a medical journal found a new side effect of the trendy carnivore diet, which involves eating massive amounts of meat, cheese and butter. It may make your hands blank.

[Faith Saley]

Hairy.

[Peter Sagal]

No, it may make your hands leak cholesterol. According to the study, after eight months on this carnivorous diet, a man in Florida had such high levels of cholesterol that it literally started leaking out from his hands. Now, I know what you're wondering. Was it the good cholesterol or the bad cholesterol? It's actually kind of interesting. It was the gross cholesterol.

[Paula Poundstone]

That is gross.

[Peter Sagal]

Joki, how did faith do in our quiz?

[Chioki Ayanson]

All right, Faith got five.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Chioki Ayanson]

For 10 more points. That's a total of 13. Oh, snap. They're tied.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so then how many does Paula need to pull away and win it all? Five. Five. Here we go, Paula. This is for the game. Fill in the blank. On Tuesday, the White House announced plans to impose steep blanks on goods from China, Mexico and Canada.

[Paula Poundstone]

Tariffs.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. According to officials in Georgia, blank flu was found in commercial poultry flocks.

[Paula Poundstone]

Bird flu.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, Thailand formally legalized same sex blanks marriage. Right. On Tuesday, YouTube star Mr. Beast announced he was considering buying social media app blank.

[Paula Poundstone]

TikTok.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, an Ohio man who crashed into a fire hydrant asked police to give him a break because blank he was hot. No, he asked police to give him a break because he'd been drinking. On Thursday, scientists warned that coral bleaching in the blank reef had reached catastrophic levels.

[Paula Poundstone]

In the coral reef.

[Peter Sagal]

Which one is there more than one?

[Paula Poundstone]

There is the big one over on the left.

[Peter Sagal]

It's on the great barrier reef in Australia. On Monday, new data.

[Paula Poundstone]

That's what I meant.

[Peter Sagal]

On Monday, new data showed that the earth's magnetic blank was shifting.

[Paula Poundstone]

Magnetic pull.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, a woman in Indonesia had to call the fire department to free her after her blank got caught in an office chair.

[Paula Poundstone]

After her blank got caught in her office chair?

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Paula Poundstone]

I don't know. Her hair?

[Peter Sagal]

No. Her nose ring. In a story that is definitely not, we think about a woman sniffing furniture, the office worker had to call for help after her nose ring got tangled in the mesh of her office chair. According to the fire chief, quote, the incident wasn't the strangest call we've ever had. Which really makes you wonder what other piercings have gotten stuck to chairs.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah, that's just. Yeah, you shouldn't see that's telling you. No about that.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Chiocheer chiocchi. Did Paula do well enough to win?

[Chioki Ayanson]

Well, she got five right. For 10 more points. So with a total of 14 points, Paula Poundstone is this week's champion.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations. Yay.

[Paula Poundstone]

Thank you. Thank you very much.

[Peter Sagal]

In just a minute, we're going to ask our panelists to predict after we finish, no complaining January, what will be the first complaint heard on February 1? But first, let me tell you that. Wait, wait, don't tell me. He's a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago in association with Urgent haircut productions. Doug Berman, benevolent overlord Philip Koedikker writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman, our tour manager. Shayna Donald. Thanks to the staff and crew at the Studebaker Theater. BJ Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Doornboss and Lillian King. Special thanks to Biddy Mbazuna and Monica Hickey. Peter Gwynne is our coo. Emma Choi is our vibe curator, technical directionalist. From Lorna White. Our CFO is Colin Miller, our production manager. That's Robert Newhouse. Special thanks this week to Gary Yack. Our senior producer is Ian Chillag. The executive producer. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Is Mike Danforth. And now, panel, what will people be complaining about as soon as they are allowed to on February 1?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Hari Kondabolu, January has too many days.

[Faith Saley]

Faith Salee, that the newly declassified jfk, RFK and MLK files are TLDR and boring.

[Paula Poundstone]

And Paula Poundstone, these office chairs are so grabby.

[Chioki Ayanson]

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

[Paula Poundstone]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

Chaoke Anson, doing another fabulous job filling in for our friend Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Hari Kondabolu, Faith Staley and Paula Poundstone. Thanks to all of you here at the Studio Maker Theatre, our home and for the moment, yours. Thanks to all of you who are listening wherever you might be. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is npr.

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