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Bill Curtis
From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me. The NPR News quiz. Sailors, beware. Resist the overwhelming urge to follow my gorgeous voice. Stay away from me, sailors. I'm Bill Curtis and here is your host at the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.
Peter Sagal
Thank you so much, Bill. Thank you, everybody. You're very kind. It's great to see you. We do have a great show for you today. Later on, we're going to be talking to the great actor Sterling K. Brown, who's starring in the new series Paradise. But if you are a fan of that handsome finance guy from this Is Us, well, this is he. But right now it's all about you. So give us a call to 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. Hi, this is Alexis Breitnicker calling from Cummington, Massachusetts. Alexis, how are you?
Alexis Breitnicker
I'm doing very well.
Peter Sagal
How about you? I am fine. I don't know where Cummington is and I applaud your ability to just say it without hesitation. Shyness. You just said it. What do you do there in. You just said it. What do you do there in Cummington? So I'm the mom to 10 year old twins, which is a thing. Yeah. And I run that nonprofit that builds affordable housing and helps small businesses. That's great. We're going to need all those things.
Tig Notaro
We need all the things.
Peter Sagal
Well, Alexis, let me introduce you to our panel today. First, he's a comedian who will be at the State Theater down in Austin, Texas on April 17th. He also writes the weekly newsletter. That's marvelous. It's Josh Gondelman.
Alexis Breitnicker
Hello.
Peter Sagal
Hi, Josh.
Alexis Breitnicker
Thank you so much.
Peter Sagal
Next, she's a comedian and host of the podcast Fake the Nation, who you can see performing at TED in Vancouver next week. It's Nageen Farsad. Hello. Hi, Nagin. And making her debut on our panel, she's an Emmy and Grammy nominated comedian and host of the podcast Handsome. You can find all her upcoming live shows@tignataro.com that's right, it is Tignataro from.
Tig Notaro
One twin mother to another.
Peter Sagal
Also a twin mother. Well, welcome to our show. Alexis, 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 that you might choose for your voicemail. You ready to go? I'm ready. All right, for your first quote, here is the President of the United States making a major announcement in the White House Rose Garden.
Bill Curtis
It's such an old fashioned term, but a beautiful term. Groceries. It says a bag with different things in it.
Peter Sagal
That was President Trump on Wednesday explaining why he was slapping what on almost every other country on the globe. Oh, that would be tariffs. It would be tariffs. On Wednesday, April 2, which he christened Liberation Day, President Trump announced the highest tariffs in history and the world did not like it. The next day, Thursday, the Wall Street Journal actually ran out of words for how badly the stock market was tanking. It was like Dow plunges S&P 500 plunges, crumbles. The NASDAQ gets its junk stuck in a zipper. I'm sure you guys celebrated Liberation Day in the manner of your own families and customs, right?
Nagin Farsad
It's a traditional stuffed turkey in our home.
Peter Sagal
Yes, absolutely.
Alexis Breitnicker
I continued not paying my taxes.
Tig Notaro
And we have stuffed tofurkey.
Peter Sagal
Yeah, of course, because you are a lesbian right now. This is true. This is absolutely true. The markets cratered so badly in the 24 hours after this tariff announcement that the world's 500 richest people, including of course, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, lost a combined $200 billion in just one day. But. But wait a minute, cat. But there was also bad news. For example, the day after the tariffs were announced, the US Dollar became weaker than the euro, the British pound, the Australian dollar, and those arcade tickets where you need 500 to get one. Glow Pop.
Alexis Breitnicker
We are gonna be running on a sticky hand based economy soon.
Nagin Farsad
I feel like. Let's go harder with it, really. And my view is, let's bring him to the United States and let's start tariffing each other. So it's like if you're wearing cargo pants too many times a month, you're tariffed. You know what I mean? There's a lot of behaviors I think we can control amongst ourselves.
Alexis Breitnicker
Is that a fashion judgment on cargo pants or are you just because it has cargo in the name, it's now imports and exports.
Peter Sagal
Both. Gosh, both. All right, Alexis, your next quote comes from legendary Chicago newscaster Bill Curtis right before the great Topeka tornado of 1966.
Bill Curtis
For God's sake, take cover.
Peter Sagal
That would be a lot harder for him to do now because thanks to government cuts, what is about to become a lot less accurate weather reporting? Weather forecast. That's right. Thanks to cuts to the National Weather Service, weather forecasts are about to become a lot less accurate and useful. But think about it. Now talking about the weather with your in laws will be that much more exciting. Who knows what's going to happen? Part of the reason for these cuts is people believe to eventually privatize the weather forecasting industry. So if you want to know, say if it's going to rain, okay, that's free. But if you want to know what it's going to be raining, water men, then you need weather premium.
Alexis Breitnicker
So it's to privatize, you're saying?
Peter Sagal
Pretty much.
Alexis Breitnicker
Honestly, as a Jew, it's just so nice to hear someone else accused of wanting to own the weather. This is like a big relief. I mean, bad for the country, but big for me personally.
Peter Sagal
Yes, things will be so unpredictable that people will be betting on multi day forecast parlays on Fanduel and, you know, but it might be fun to like, engage in like the nostalgia for the days before we had like reliable, scientific weather forecasts. Right. We'll have to go back to peering at the horizon from the front porch of the ranch house and saying, mama, get the cows in the basement.
Alexis Breitnicker
This is true. You know who's going to be so valuable? People with arthritic knees.
Peter Sagal
Yes, exactly.
Alexis Breitnicker
That will be our only source of knowing when a storm's a coming.
Peter Sagal
Yeah, that's a way for that guy to make up for the lack of Social Security. That'll be awesome.
Tig Notaro
But you can also just the whole lick your finger, you know.
Peter Sagal
Yeah.
Tig Notaro
Don't forget about that. It's very handy.
Alexis Breitnicker
We're going old school.
Peter Sagal
Yeah.
Nagin Farsad
And like, I feel like weather veins are gonna have a real moment.
Peter Sagal
Yeah.
Tig Notaro
And varicose veins as well.
Peter Sagal
Yeah.
Tig Notaro
I don't know what that means.
Alexis Breitnicker
I'm putting all my money in veins. After the stock market is done crashing, we're really gonna. The groundhog is gonna take on so much more important.
Peter Sagal
It really is true.
Alexis Breitnicker
We're gonna be like, I don't know. It's as good as anything.
Tig Notaro
El, we have an overworked groundhog over here.
Peter Sagal
All right, Alexis, your last quote, Your last quote is from Doordash.
Bill Curtis
Buy now, pay later.
Peter Sagal
So you now instantly take out a loan. So you can afford to do what? Get takeout. Yeah. Order food delivery. Klarna is a company. Very good. Yes. People are excited for you and for the possibility of going into lifelong debt for a sandwich. Klarna is a company that lets you buy things online, usually like expensive items like clothing maybe, or electronics. And you buy it on credit and then you pay it back in installments. But now they are partnering with DoorDash, the food delivery company. For all of you who have ever said, you know, this burrito is great, but I just wish it affected my credit score.
Tig Notaro
See, I feel like this isn't new. There are many things that I have ordered and eaten that I paid for for later.
Sterling K. Brown
Yes.
Peter Sagal
Although I hope in many installments. I was about to say it wasn't in month. I hope it wasn't in monthly installments, because that would just go on too long.
Alexis Breitnicker
There goes Tig again, talking about her vegan food poisoning.
Tig Notaro
Or someone trying to poison a lesbian.
Peter Sagal
Yeah, but they're so cute. I want to advise people who are thinking of doing this, remember to pay it back, because you do not want to be the first person to get your legs broken because you're behind on a breakfast bowl. I'm here from Doordash. They're very disappointed in you. Bill, how did Alexis do on our quiz?
Bill Curtis
She did perfectly. She got them. All right.
Peter Sagal
Well done. Thank you. Thank you so much, Alexis. Take care. Thanks so much. Bye. Bye. Bye. Right now, panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Tig. This week, the New York Times offered their advice on how to navigate a tricky social situation. When you go to see your friend in a show, and then what happens?
Tig Notaro
You have to compliment him.
Peter Sagal
Exactly. Right?
Tig Notaro
Yeah.
Peter Sagal
Yeah. The show is awful. Many of us have been there. You go to see your friend in some kind of show, you know, whether it's a play, your friend is in your coworker's improv show or your other coworker's improv show. And if the show isn't that great, what do you say to your friend when you see him after in the lobby?
Tig Notaro
I'll tell you exactly what I say.
Peter Sagal
I figured you guys would know. Go to.
Tig Notaro
If I go to see a band that is not great, what I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster, I will be like, man, you guys were rocking up there. Which is true.
Peter Sagal
Right?
Tig Notaro
They were rocking.
Peter Sagal
Right.
Tig Notaro
And that way I don't have to really critique. I can just say I have eyeballs. And I saw you.
Alexis Breitnicker
You just reaffirmed the action they did, but with enthusiasm.
Tig Notaro
I'm like, I saw you up there.
Nagin Farsad
What if there's a comedian who sucked?
Tig Notaro
I'll be like, you were rocking up there.
Nagin Farsad
I just lie and say that was a great show because I am a total coward.
Alexis Breitnicker
But really, what do you have to gain when your friend is in a band that plays three times a year and you're like, hey, I've got notes. Like, what do they what do you think they're gonna do?
Tig Notaro
Take the notes because they only perform three times a year. Like, yeah, yeah, maybe he is on Wait, wait, don't tell me he knows jazz.
Peter Sagal
Coming up, our panelists relive their teenage years in our Bluff the listener game. Call 1 Triple 8 wait, wait to play. And we'll be back in a minute with more Wait, wait, Don't Tell me.
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Bill Curtis
From NPR, WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't TELL Me, the NPR News quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We are playing this week with Nagin Farsad, Josh Gondelman and Tig Notaro. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.
Peter Sagal
Thank you, Bill. Thanks everybody. Right now it is time for the Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me Bluff the listener game. Call 1-8 8, wait wait to play our game on the air. Or you can check out the pinned post on our Instagram page. That's. Wait, wait. Npr. How you run. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hey, this is Jason Laughlin, and I'm calling from Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines, Iowa, Great place. What do you do there? You know what? I'm a recovering attorney. In a couple of days, I'm actually going to start in a master's program for mental health counseling. At 50 years old, what inspired you to leave the law and go into mental health counseling? You know, law I think drove me to counseling, and then counseling affirmed that being a lawyer is toxic. I could have probably figured that out on my own, but it's nice to get it confirmed. It's nice to have you with us, Jason. You're gonna play our game in which you have to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Jason's topic?
Bill Curtis
I feel like I'm 17 again.
Peter Sagal
This week we read about something from your teenage years that has come back and it's not your acne. Our panel is going to tell you something from the teenage years that adults are now fully embracing. Pick the one who's telling the truth and you'll win the wait waiter of your choice on your voicemail. Are you ready to go?
Sterling K. Brown
Absolutely.
Peter Sagal
I admire your spirit. Let's get started. First, let's hear from Josh Gondelman.
Alexis Breitnicker
Park ranger Lou Reggiano was doing his usual rounds past Bemidji, Minnesota's famed make out point, when he noticed something strange. Through steamed up windows, he could see that the parked cars weren't full of teenagers, but rather grown adults. Reggiano says he first became suspicious when he heard a passionate cry of ow. My back. Coming from a minivan. With recent economic instability taking a toll on their finances, many adults have moved back in with their parents, causing them to revert to adolescent habits for amorous encounters. My husband and I couldn't afford dinner out and a sitter, said a 29 year old woman. So this is date night away from our toddler. And not that it's any of your business, but we're out here trying for a second child. Even more upset are local teens who have been left without anywhere to get busy. I wasn't that excited about college, but now I can't wait to go, said Jameson, a local 17 year old. All those student loans will be worth it if I can finally get to second base.
Peter Sagal
Adults forced to live at home again in Bemidji, Minnesota, making the best of it and driving their cars up to lovers lane to make out your next teenage throwback comes from Tig.
Tig Notaro
Notaro the typically quiet Boca Raton, Florida, retirement community Sleepy Shores reported incidents of senior citizens mooning fellow residents. The events began before a wholesome pickleball game as the sun went down. Or shall we say, the moon came up. Last Tuesday, Myrtle Ashton and her longtime travel companion Mildred Rawls, both 71, decided to revisit the mischievous and daring activity from their days of youth. The long term live in roommates began flashing their derrieres as speed walkers and golf cart drivers passed their court, causing shock but mostly utter joy by fellow neighbors. You don't have to be 19 to show them what you got, said Rose The Streak Bowman, 94. Although there are mixed feelings amongst residents, Sleepy Shores has made it clear how they feel as they started selling unisex underwear. Reading over the Moon for retirement. This story is still unfolding.
Peter Sagal
Residents of a retirement community in Florida pick up their old teenage habits of mooning. Your last pull from pubescence comes from Negeen Farsad.
Nagin Farsad
The dental world is having a cultural moment. After years of invisalign dominance, patients are finally getting hip to old school braces. And not just any patients. Adult patients. That's right, being a metal mouth isn't just for begrudging virgins with pimples anymore. Adults are saying goodbye to plastic mouth trays and clear brackets in favor of full industrial alloy chompers. We're also seeing reports of respected adults making their mas festive with colorful brace bands green for St. Patrick's Day, red for Valentine's Day or Labor Day's famous chartreuse. Influencers such as Abby Clancy and Charlie James and rappers like Lil Uzi, all names that mean nothing to an NPR audience, are showing off their be medaled pie holes on social media. But as always, beware. If two metal mouths make out, they'll both pick up radio signals.
Peter Sagal
All right, so one of these things from our teenage years has come back. Is it from Josh Gondoman, the town of Bemidji, Minnesota, where Lovers Lane has been taken over by adults who had to move in with their parents like they were still living there, so why not act that way? From Tig Notaro, a group of residents starting with long term roommates in a retirement community in Florida who've decided to start mooning anybody who goes by? Or from Negin Farsad braces, the scourge of so many teenagers being worn proudly by adults. Which of these is the real story of a teenage trend coming back?
Bill Curtis
You know, all of those being so.
Peter Sagal
Cringy, I feel a lot better about being a new student at 50 years old. Why not? I've got to go with Tig in the mooning matriarch. All right, your choice then, is Tig's story. Well, we spoke to someone who had covered this real story. I remember when I had braces in.
Pemco Mutual Insurance
The eighth grade and I definitely didn't want them.
Peter Sagal
That was Tracy Swartz, a journalist from the New York Post, who commented on the story about adults embracing braces. I just got some grill, so apparently I'm behind. Yeah, so you didn't win. However, you earned a point for Tig on her very first time in the show, which is very exciting for her. Pretty cool. Thank you for that. And thank you so much for playing. This was awesome. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. And good luck in the new gig. Thank you as well. Take care. Bye. Bye. And now the game where we ask really well known people about things they don't know anything about. We call it Not My Job. Sterling K. Brown had been a working actor for 15 years or so when he became famous and won an Emmy for his performance in the People vs. O.J. simpson. Since then, he's gone on to star in this Is Us, as well as the movie American Fiction, for which he was nominated for an Oscar, and now a political thriller. Or so you are led to believe. We believe. We are thrilled to have him with us now. Sterling K. Brown, welcome to Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me. Thank you very much. It's an absolute pleasure to talk to you. I've been a big fan for a while, as I am, of your new show, paradise, but there's a problem which I'm sure you are aware of, which is that there is a big twist at the end of the first episode, and it would be bad if we discussed it. So the question is, you're out there like a good guy promoting the show, which you should do. It's one that everyone should see. How have you been handling this? Like, you can't actually talk about, like, what's really going on in the show.
Sterling K. Brown
It is a very similar experience to promoting this Is Us, right? Yeah. It's the same creator of the show. So I can say that Dan Fogelman created this Is Us, created Paradise. Very talented man. Love him dearly. But the whole time when you're talking about this Is Us, you're like, oh, it's a family drama and it's got all the feels and all that kind of stuff. But if you know the end of the pilot, you're like, wait a minute, all these people are Related. You know what I'm saying? Sorry if I ruined anything. For people who haven't watched this as us, it's been out for a really long time.
Alexis Breitnicker
That's the us.
Peter Sagal
Oh, my God. I didn't know who it was about. Yes. Famously. I think I can talk about this. The pilot of this Is Us, this family drama. You're having all these different characters, and then you find out at the very end that you've been watching in different timelines, and some of these characters are the parents of these other characters who are now grown into adults. How nice. So have you tried talking about what the twist in the new show paradise is not? So, for example, it turns out that your character is James Marsden's grown son. That would be funny. That would be. Have you come up with any tricks or, like, well, you know, to be.
Sterling K. Brown
The adult son of more white people, I think would be going to the. Well, it's definitely not that I usually just try to talk about the things that I can. The president dies in the pilot, but most folks. You see that in the preview, right?
Peter Sagal
Right. Yeah, yeah.
Sterling K. Brown
And I say that. That's the.
Peter Sagal
Right. Yeah. So, yeah.
Alexis Breitnicker
The whole audience going, which president?
Sterling K. Brown
The president. In the show.
Peter Sagal
In the show. Yeah. Everybody calm down. I have to ask you about another project. You do. You do. And I believe you're coming back and doing it again. A podcast with your wife, right?
Sterling K. Brown
I do indeed. My wife and I, Ryan, Michelle Bathe, we do a podcast called We Don't Always Agree, which pretty much spoiler.
Alexis Breitnicker
Yeah.
Sterling K. Brown
It describes most marriages, but we've been married. We just celebrated 19 years in March.
Peter Sagal
Mazel tov.
Tig Notaro
March. March. What? I want to write this down.
Peter Sagal
So you had an episode where you talked about the fact that you did ayahuasca together.
Sterling K. Brown
That is correct.
Peter Sagal
That is correct. Whose idea was that? And again, I mean, the podcast.
Tig Notaro
It was mine.
Sterling K. Brown
The podcast is my wife's idea. Ayahuasca was my idea. We're both what we like to call crunchy granola black people. So we don't really fit in the box of, like, typical sort of things. Like, we like to do what they call white people stuff.
Alexis Breitnicker
So you are on NPR right now.
Peter Sagal
Yay. I know.
Sterling K. Brown
I'm on NPR right now. That was really good. But the ayahuasca, we went to Costa Rica. It's one of the few licensed dispensaries of the medicine in the world, and I think we were interested in seeing. A friend of mine described it to me as. It unlocks blind spots that you weren't aware that you had.
Tig Notaro
And can you share what your blind spots were, please?
Sterling K. Brown
The biggest blind spot in all is that we all sort of delude ourselves into thinking that we have some degree of control over what happens next. And really all we have control over is our response to what happens next. That's probably the biggest takeaway I can.
Peter Sagal
You know what else is a way of finding out?
Bill Curtis
Wow.
Peter Sagal
Right?
Tig Notaro
That's right.
Peter Sagal
You know what else is a way of finding out you have no control about what happens is being on stage with Tig Notar. I want to ask you one more thing, which is I love working actors, the guys and women who put in their time, and I love asking them about the odd jobs they might have done. Is it true that before getting into acting, you were an intern at the Federal Reserve?
Sterling K. Brown
Yeah, that's right. That's correct. I was an economics major when I was in undergrad, and I thought that that being an intern at the Fed was going to be something that led to me doing some sort of investment banking thing or what have you. And really what it led me to, Pete, was knowing that I was bored to tears working at the Federal Reserve Bank.
Peter Sagal
Really Something else.
Sterling K. Brown
Yeah.
Peter Sagal
What?
Alexis Breitnicker
Did anything interesting ever happen at the Federal Reserve bank while you were working there?
Sterling K. Brown
I'm sure lots of things, but I was very low level.
Alexis Breitnicker
You're doing seminars. Don't touch the money, don't sniff the money.
Sterling K. Brown
Something like that.
Peter Sagal
Do you ever find yourself, you know, since, like, financial policy is so much in the news, whipping out of. Well, you know, as a former employee at the Federal Reserve, I can comment.
Sterling K. Brown
I try to comment as little as possible. People don't want to hear from actors about most things, so I just try to keep staying my life as possible.
Peter Sagal
Yeah, said the guy with a podcast. Well, well, Sterling K. Brown, it is a personal pleasure to be talking to you. And we have asked you here, in fact, to play a game that this.
Bill Curtis
Time we're calling a retirement paradise.
Peter Sagal
So your show, as we've discussed, is about a community called paradise. Very mysterious. So we're going to ask you about a community that claims to be a paradise and isn't mysterious at all. Jimmy Buffett's Latitude Margaritaville Retirement Communities.
Sterling K. Brown
Come on now. Come on.
Peter Sagal
Answer two out of three questions about what sounds like really a terrific place to be, and you will win our prize for one of our listeners, Bill, who is Sterling K. Brown playing for?
Bill Curtis
Irene Chan of San Francisco, California.
Peter Sagal
All right, all right, Irene, here we go. Here's your first question. The Margaritaville Retirement Community calls itself your home in paradise. And down there near the eastern coast of Florida, they offer a wide variety of amenities, including which of these A, the hangar workshop where residents are invited to, quote, trick out their golf carts. B, Jimmy Buffett karaoke, which happens every night, or C, a nude beach.
Sterling K. Brown
All right, I think if you're in a retirement community, you're not trying to drop trout. So then the first one was tricking out the golf cart. It is Florida. It's golf courses. That seems like it's gonna be the.
Peter Sagal
Answer and it is. That's right. Yeah. They like a lot of retirement communities because they're sort of self enclosed. People ride around in golf carts instead of cars. And as you can imagine, drunken golf cart driving is a persistent problem down there. All right, here's your next question. You got one right. Let's go for two. Margaritaville prides itself on being a place where people, quote, 55 and better can, quote, grow old, but not up, unquote. And that explains why their monthly newsletter once contained what exciting phrase? A, Bert took over the DJ booth for trap music night. B, party starts at 4 and ends when you pass out. Or C, look at all the fun our residents had at the QVC Watch party.
Sterling K. Brown
This one I'm believing B makes the most sense. The party starts at 4 and ends whenever.
Peter Sagal
I'm pretty sure they might have said that at one time, but the one we saw was the fun at the QVC Watch party. The line to get in the QVC Watch party went down the block. Now, this is all right because there's one more to go. If you get this right, you win everything. Now, the founder, of course, was the late Jimmy Buffet. Quite a remarkable guy with a remarkable career, and he found his musical success relatively late in life. In fact, after years of trying and failing to be successful in music, he was just about to quit it and go into what business when he did finally have his first hit record. So what was he going to be? A, a marijuana smuggler, B, he was going to go into private equity, or C, he was going to go into the Catholic priesthood. The audience is all yelling. A marijuana smoker.
Sterling K. Brown
They're saying, I hear him. I hear Chicago live. Clear. I gotta go with the crowd, baby. Let's go.
Peter Sagal
A, yes, yes, it is. A, he says, you know, he was living out in Florida and he was just about to buy a Boston Whaler to bring merchandise to the beach at night when his third album became a big hit and the Jimmy Buffet we know and love was born. Bill, how did Sterling do in our quiz?
Bill Curtis
2 out of 3 she reached paradise.
Peter Sagal
Sterling K. Brown is an Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor whose new show is paradise, which you can stream on Hulu now or catch it Mondays on ABC starting April 7th. Sterling K. Brown, what an absolute joy to talk to you. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you. You're the best. In just a minute, if you're feeling tired, Bill might send you to jail. It's the Listener Limerick Challenge. Call 1-88-HAIT-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, this is Ira Glass. In Lily's family, there's a story everybody knows by heart. If this story had never happened, all.
Nagin Farsad
Of us wouldn't be here right now.
Peter Sagal
Sammy wouldn't be here.
Nagin Farsad
Nienanna wouldn't be here.
Peter Sagal
Wally wouldn't be here.
Nagin Farsad
Anyone that we know wouldn't be here.
Peter Sagal
So what happens when Lily's mom tells her the story is not true? This American Life surprising stories every week.
Alexis Breitnicker
99% of the US population lives within listening range of at least one public media sour and everyone can listen to NPR podcasts free of charge.
Peter Sagal
That means you get completely unpaywalled access.
Alexis Breitnicker
To stories, prize winning reporting and shows that represent the voices in every corner of the country. Hear the bigger picture every day on npr.
Pemco Mutual Insurance
NPR informs and connects communities around the country, providing reliable information in times of crisis. Federal funding helps us fulfill our mission to create a more informed public and ensures that public radio remains available to everyone. Learn more about safeguarding the future of public media, visit protectmypublicmedia.org.
Bill Curtis
From NPR. And we see Chicago. This is Wait, Wait, Don't TELL Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We're playing this week with Josh Gondelman, Nagin Farsad and Tig Notaro. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagoff.
Peter Sagal
Thank you, Bill. Thank you so much. For just a minute, Bill opens a limerick aid stand in our Listener Limerick Challenge. Be careful, Bill. Those limericks have been recalled for limsteria. If you'd like to play, give us a call at 1-88-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Right now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news mageen. This week we learned about a new way stressed out parents are letting off steam. It's a party where grown ups go to be able to do what they.
Nagin Farsad
Yell at mannequins that are their children. Because you're not supposed to yell at your children. They get it out.
Peter Sagal
You're so close. I feel I have to give it to you. The answer is throw a tantrum just like your kids. Right? Right. What parent of an out of control 2 year old hasn't looked at the kid and thought, yeah, that's the vibe I want to be given off? The concept was described by a therapist in Australia. All right. I have to be honest. She is described as a, quote, life coach and breath worker. I just didn't want you to hate her. Yet. She calls it a, quote, tantrum party. And it's exactly what it sounds like. There's loud music, there's pillows to hit, and an adult in the corner saying, oh, he never does this.
Nagin Farsad
Also, at. At some point, does someone just give you an iPad.
Peter Sagal
To just shut it down? Yeah, I know. Josh. This week the New York Times ran a piece in favor of doing what to strangers in public.
Alexis Breitnicker
Oh, good question. Well, it's New York, so it sounds like it should be ignore them, but is it talking to them?
Peter Sagal
Actually, it's the opposite. It's like, it's what they're doing when they're talking. And you think they shouldn't be shushing them. Shushing them? Yes. Shush people in public. That's the advice. The columnist says that shushing someone once only reserved for babies. Libraries and bars that look like libraries is a socially acceptable thing to do.
Alexis Breitnicker
I would never shush a stranger. A stranger could be stabbing me in public and I wouldn't be like, keep it down.
Peter Sagal
Right. No, no, just express yourself.
Tig Notaro
What if they were shushing you because they were stabbing you? I always thought it was odd. How. I know you're supposed to be quiet in a library, but I always thought it was odd. Like, if you talk that people are so on edge and are just like, sh. You know, like, they can't.
Peter Sagal
They can't focus.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. At all. If they hear any word. But if you're like out and about or on a subway reading, people aren't freaking out. But if you're in a library.
Sterling K. Brown
Sh.
Peter Sagal
The best solution, really is if you're in a situation where people are talking and they shouldn't be talking is to quiet them the way you might quiet a baby. Pick them up and wrap them really tightly in a blanket. Now, the writer says swaddling. Yes. Swaddle. Swaddle a stranger. The writer says, having been.
Alexis Breitnicker
I donated so much money to that charity last year.
Peter Sagal
Swaddle. Swaddle. A stranger. Josh. Question for you, Josh. Josh, this week a boo beloved chain restaurant filed for bankruptcy. What's the restaurant?
Alexis Breitnicker
Hooters.
Peter Sagal
Yes, Hooters. Hooters. It's a sad day for Hooters, America's number one restaurant cited in divorce proceedings. They struggled since the pandemic. But the final blow came, of course, with President Trump's 25% tariffs on big old knockers.
Nagin Farsad
I've never been to one. Have you guys been to.
Peter Sagal
Have you? I have never. I can say this in all honesty. I've never been to a Hooters, Josh.
Alexis Breitnicker
I've been to one.
Peter Sagal
Yeah, I mean I go to strip clubs all the time, but Hooters. No.
Alexis Breitnicker
Yeah, because you're a grown up.
Nagin Farsad
Exactly.
Alexis Breitnicker
You're not like what would a Mormon's idea of a strip club be?
Peter Sagal
The CEO of Hooters says that they're gonna.
Tig Notaro
There's a CEO.
Alexis Breitnicker
He's that cartoon wolf that goes awooga. He has an mba, that's.
Peter Sagal
That doesn't seem possible, a master's in breast administration. The CEO of Hooters says they'll be rebranding to a more family friendly concept, a process he calls and this is true, re Hooterization.
Nagin Farsad
What would make Hooters a family brand? Is it that like you see the Hooters, but this time they're breastfeeding. The whole time it's just breastfeeding the entire restaurant table.
Tig Notaro
Service is so slow. Sorry, I'm breastfeeding.
Peter Sagal
Coming up. It's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first it's a game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at one triple eight. Wait, wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. You can catch us most weeks at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago or you can come see us on the road. We'll be at the Merrill auditorium in Portland, Maine on June 26th and 27th. For tickets and information, go to nprpresents.org hi, you're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me.
Tig Notaro
Hi, it's Sharon Coleman calling from Standardsville, Virginia.
Peter Sagal
Standardsville, Virginia. Okay. And what do you do there?
Tig Notaro
I work in the pharmaceutical biotech industry.
Peter Sagal
So when you work in the pharmaceutical industry, I've always wondered, do you get all the free samples you want?
Tig Notaro
No, not really.
Peter Sagal
No. Do you get all the free samples you can steal without people seeing? Sharon, welcome to the show. Bill Curtis right here 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. Ready to go? Yep, I'm ready. Here is your first limerick.
Bill Curtis
You officials, and also my veep, must adjust the late hours you keep. 10am is the time. Don't nod off. That's a crime in my cabinet. Don't fall asleep.
Peter Sagal
Asleep. That's right. This week, the president of Zambia warned his cabinet he will consider it a serious crime if they continue to fall asleep during their meetings. What do you do when you start every one of your meetings with a ceremonial glass of warm milk? In a press conference that included a surprising amount of the word conking, the president said he had tried many times to address the issue in private with his ministers. Unfortunately, they didn't hear him because they were asleep. As a compromise, it will only be a misdemeanor if you do that thing when your head starts nodding and you snap back up at the last instant.
Nagin Farsad
Do they need to look at their sleep hygiene as a cabinet, or does he go on and on?
Peter Sagal
Well, he says it's not his fault. He's very interesting, but that. He says the problem is that the ministers are going out all night clubbing. That's true.
Nagin Farsad
That's what he says every time before a cabinet meeting.
Peter Sagal
Yeah, like they're out clubbing and they come to the cabinet meeting at like 10am the next morning. They all fall asleep when he's talking.
Nagin Farsad
Yes, Zambia is hopping.
Peter Sagal
It is. All right, here is your next limerick.
Bill Curtis
His great rise hasn't gone to his head. He's still filled with whole wheat east and dread. And on German TV he expresses ennui. He is burned. The depressed loaf of bread.
Peter Sagal
Yes, bread. This week, Germans are celebrating the 25th anniversary of a beloved children's TV character. A loaf of bread with clinical depression. It's the kind of thing that makes you say, oh, so that's why Germans are like that. The character's name is Bernd Desbrat and he's a TV presenter who is depressed because he didn't land his dream job. The mascot for a bakery's ad campaign. Man. When he finds out what happens to loaves of bread after. After the bakery sells them, he's going to be even more depressed. Aw. Did you always get in awe because people eat bread?
Alexis Breitnicker
Even the vegans among us are not upset about that.
Peter Sagal
All right, here's your last limerick.
Bill Curtis
On the floor where the atmosphere is thinning. We faced north when the meal was beginning. Lift my fork to my mouth. Now my view's looking south. Cause we dine while the restaurant is.
Tig Notaro
Hooters.
Peter Sagal
Good guess, good guess, Good guess rhymes with thinning and beginning. We face north and then we faced south. Then presumably you'd face north again. Winning?
Tig Notaro
I don't know.
Bill Curtis
Did you say it?
Peter Sagal
Well, you've already won, so I'll give it to you. The answer is spinning, spinning. The New York Times reports revolving restaurants are coming back. So now a whole new generation can experience the joy of saying, oh, yeah, I think I went to one of those once. These include the View Restaurant in Times Square, which does a full rotation every 45 minutes. It's great. I've been there. And I always say it's not truly fine dining if I'm not completely disoriented when I leave the bathroom. And some of the restaurants are reopening around the country, most with names reflecting the gimmick. There's La Ronde in Honolulu, Changing Scene in Rochester, New York. And right here in Chicago, Old Spinny's Bucket of Twirls.
Tig Notaro
I need to write that down.
Peter Sagal
Well, if you're here for another day, you definitely want to stop by Ol Spinnies. Bill, how did Sharon do in our quiz?
Bill Curtis
Did well. 2 out of 3 is a win for you, Sharon. Good work.
Peter Sagal
Congratulations. Thanks for playing and take care. Thank you. Bye bye. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Fresh Air up first, NPR News. Now Planet Money TED Radio Hour. Throughline, the NPR Politics podcast Code Switch, Embedded books we love Wildcard are just some of the podcasts you can enjoy. Sponsor free with NPR. Plus, get all sorts of perks across more than 20 podcasts with the bundle option. Learn more at plus.NPR.org Cell phones, cars, coffee. How do these goods make their way to us from overseas? And what will President Trump's tariffs mean for their price tags? Join the 1A podcast as we explore supply chains and costs associated with some of your favorite products. It's our series how did this get here? Every Wednesday, listen to the one a podcast from NPR and WAMU.
Alexis Breitnicker
When Malcolm Gladwell presented NPR's Throughline podcast with a Peabody Award, he praised it for its historical and moral clarity. On Throughline, we take you back in time to the origins of what's in the news, like presidential power, aging and evangelicalism. Time travel with us every week on.
Peter Sagal
The Throughline podcast from npr. 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, sir?
Bill Curtis
Ken McGeen has one. Tig and Josh each have three.
Peter Sagal
Oh, my goodness.
Nagin Farsad
How am I sucking so bad?
Peter Sagal
Mageen, you're in third place. You're going to go first. Fill in the blank. On Tuesday, the longest speech in Senate history was completed by blank.
Nagin Farsad
Cory Booker.
Peter Sagal
Right. On Monday, the White House began another wave of blanks affecting employees at US Health agencies.
Nagin Farsad
Layoff.
Peter Sagal
Right. On Monday, the astronauts who were stuck in the blank spoke publicly for the first time.
Nagin Farsad
International Space Station.
Peter Sagal
Right. On Wednesday, the CDC warned that cases of whooping blank were on the rise throughout the country.
Nagin Farsad
Cough.
Peter Sagal
Right. This week, an AI recipe generator was flagged after it posted a recipe for blank biscuits. No cyanide ice cream, and also, quote, actual cocaine. On Tuesday, teachers at a high school in Virginia said they saw notable grade increases after enforcing a blank ban.
Nagin Farsad
Phone ban.
Peter Sagal
Cell phone ban. Right. Known for his roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever and Top Secret actor, Blank passed away at the age of 65.
Nagin Farsad
Val Kilmer.
Peter Sagal
Right. This week, a man in Texas who broke into a car dealership was caught after he blanked.
Nagin Farsad
Fell asleep in the car. He was stealing.
Peter Sagal
No. He called police because he couldn't figure out how to get out of the building. Police say there was actually several unlocked doors the man could have gone through. Reports also say the only thing he managed to steal was a handful of candy. And even worse, he somehow ended up paying an extra $700 for undercoating. Bill, I think Nagin did pretty well.
Bill Curtis
Very well. Six. Right. 12 more, and that gives her 13 in the lead.
Peter Sagal
All right. All right, Josh, I'm arbitrarily picking you to go next. So here we go. Fill in the blank. On Tuesday, despite over $20 million in spending by Elon Musk, the liberal candidate won the Supreme Court election in Blank.
Alexis Breitnicker
Wisconsin.
Peter Sagal
Right. On Monday, the DOJ directed prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Blank.
Alexis Breitnicker
Luigi Mangione.
Peter Sagal
Right. On Monday, Italy said it would tighten regulations after a huge increase in people applying for blank citizenship. Right. In a first for women's sports, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, blanked after making the Final Four for a second straight year, celebrated. She celebrated specifically by signing a baby's butt. On Monday, Mexico banned the sale of sweet treats in all of the blanks.
Alexis Breitnicker
Bakeries.
Peter Sagal
No schools. On Wednesday, the Switch 2 was announced. The latest gaming system from blank, Nintendo. Right. This week, a British man on his way to a soccer game who noticed papers littering the street quickly discovered they.
Alexis Breitnicker
Were blank wanted posters for him.
Peter Sagal
No top secret documents about British troops movements. The papers included details about patrol routes, weapons checks, and even included soldiers names and phone numbers. It's like top British military officials heard about the US Group chat and were like, hey, hold my room temperature beer. Bill, how did Josh do in our quiz?
Bill Curtis
Pretty good. Four.
Peter Sagal
Right.
Bill Curtis
Eight more points. Total of 11 is in second place.
Peter Sagal
All right, so Tig's already been very impressive. How many does need to win in her debut appearance on our show?
Bill Curtis
Five to tie, six to win.
Peter Sagal
All right, Tig, this is for the game. Fill in the blank. On Wednesday, a federal judge dismissed the case against New York Mayor Blank.
Tig Notaro
Eric?
Peter Sagal
Yes. This week, the FAA confirmed the creation of stress management teams to help Blanks deal with understaffing issues.
Tig Notaro
People.
Peter Sagal
Yes, specifically air traffic controllers, though. On Monday, an iceberg the size of Chicago broke off an ice shelf in Blank water. The Antarctic. This week, a high speed chase in Nashville ended when officers caught the car they were pursuing when its driver Blanked.
Tig Notaro
Stopped.
Peter Sagal
Yes, I want to give it to you specifically. He stopped at a gas station to put more air in his tires. On Wednesday, The Queen Mary 2 was forced to end its cruise early after almost 250 passengers caught blank.
Tig Notaro
Diarrhea.
Peter Sagal
Norovirus. According to new data, getting the Blank vaccine could protect against dementia shingles. Right. This week, a flight from LA to Shanghai had to turn around mid trip because Blank forgot their passport.
Tig Notaro
Pilot.
Peter Sagal
That's right. Two hours into the flight, the 275passengers heard the pilot quote, very frustrated. Voice on the intercom announced they were turning around because he had forgotten his passport. The flight resumed six hours behind schedule. But don't worry. Passengers were awarded food vouchers worth up to $30. Just enough to buy one egg to throw at the pilot.
Tig Notaro
Did diarrhea count as neurovirus?
Peter Sagal
I don't know. I think. I think. I don't know if you can. They wanted to give the people what they want. Diarrhea. So, Bill, using your best judgment, did Tig Notaro do well enough to win?
Bill Curtis
Well, for a rookie, she did great. Four.
Peter Sagal
Right.
Bill Curtis
Eight more points, totaled of 11. That means our champ is McGeen Farsal.
Peter Sagal
You see? Came up from behind. Oh, my God.
Nagin Farsad
Both of your faces.
Peter Sagal
Yes, both of us.
Tig Notaro
Yeah. That was really low.
Peter Sagal
Ouch. In just a minute, we're gonna ask our panelists. Now that we have Liberation Day, what'll be the next new holiday? 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 Gicker writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager is Shana Donnell. Thanks to the staff and crew at Studebaker Theatre. BJ Ledemann composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Doornboss and Lillian King. Special thanks this week to Blythe Roberson and Monica Hickey. Our meteorologist is Peter Gwynn. Emma Choi is our vibe curator, Technical directionalist Lorna White. Our CFO is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse. Our senior producer is Ian Chillag. And the executive producer of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is Mike Anabella Danforth. Now, panel, what will be the next new holiday?
Nagin Farsad
Nagin Farsad national thank you Note Writing Day, where you write all the thank you notes you haven't done your whole life.
Alexis Breitnicker
Josh Gondelman, Daniel Day Lewis Day, which you prepare for by spending 364 previous days living as a calendar and Tig.
Tig Notaro
Notaro Measles Schmeeasels Day.
Bill Curtis
And if any of that happens, we'll ask you about it on Wait, Wait, don't tell me.
Peter Sagal
Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Josh Gondom and Nagin Farsad and our new rookie, Tig Notaro. Thanks to all of you here at the Studebaker Theater and anywhere you are for listening. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is NPR.
Alexis Breitnicker
This message comes from BetterHelp. Therapy can be expensive, but at BetterHelp, they believe therapy should feel accessible, not like a luxury, which is why they.
Peter Sagal
Offer quality care at a price that.
Alexis Breitnicker
Makes sense and can help you with anything from anxiety to everyday stress. Your mental health is worth it, and now it's within reach. Visit betterhelp.com NPR to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com NPR hey, it's a. Martinez.
Peter Sagal
Even as the host of a news show, it can be hard to keep up with the headlines. That is why we make the Up first podcast. Every morning in under 15 minutes, we cover three major stories with context and analysis from reporters around the world so you can catch up on Lo Quetta Pasando while getting ready, making desayuno or going to work. So listen to the up first podcast from NPR.
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Episode: Sterling K. Brown
Host: Peter Sagal
Release Date: April 5, 2025
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! kicked off with host Peter Sagal welcoming the audience from the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois. Sagal introduced the day's panelists—Josh Gondelman, Nageen Farsad, and Tig Notaro—and set the stage for a lively episode filled with quizzes, games, and humor. The episode featured comedian Tig Notaro alongside regular panelists, promising an engaging mix of perspectives and laughs.
The show welcomed its first contestant, Alexis Breitnicker from Cummington, Massachusetts ([00:45]). Alexis, a mother of ten-year-old twins and the head of a nonprofit organization focused on building affordable housing and supporting small businesses, participated in the initial quiz segment. The challenge involved identifying quotes from recent news events, with the opportunity to win a personalized voicemail message from a voice of her choice.
Notable Quote:
"It's such an old fashioned term, but a beautiful term. Groceries. It says a bag with different things in it." – President Trump ([03:06])
Alexis successfully identified President Trump's announcement of record-high tariffs, humorously connecting it to everyday items like groceries. Her quick wit and accurate responses set a positive tone for the episode.
Throughout the episode, the panelists engaged in spirited discussions and humorous exchanges. They delved into topics such as economic instability affecting personal finances, the potential privatization of weather forecasting, and the implications of political decisions on everyday life.
Notable Interaction:
Tig Notaro: "We need all the things."
Peter Sagal: "Well, Alexis, let me introduce you to our panel today. First, he's a comedian..."
[Laugh track] ([02:07])
The playful banter between the host and panelists added a layer of relatability and humor, keeping listeners entertained while navigating through complex topics.
The next contestant, Jason Laughlin from Des Moines, Iowa, participated in the "Bluff the Listener" game ([13:34]). Jason faced a challenge where he had to discern between true and fabricated stories about trends resurfacing from teenage years.
Key Highlights:
Jason successfully identified Tig Notaro's story about adults mooning in a retirement community as the true account, earning her a point and contributing to the lighthearted atmosphere of the show.
The highlight of the episode was the guest appearance by Sterling K. Brown, renowned actor and star of the new series Paradise ([20:00]).
Interview Insights: Sterling shared his experiences transitioning from an economics major and intern at the Federal Reserve to a celebrated acting career. He humorously recounted how his stint at the Federal Reserve was less thrilling than his acting endeavors.
Notable Quote:
"The biggest blind spot in all is that we all sort of delude ourselves into thinking that we have some degree of control over what happens next. And really all we have control over is our response to what happens next." ([24:26])
Sterling also discussed his podcast with his wife, Ryan Michelle Bathe, titled We Don't Always Agree, highlighting the authenticity and challenges of maintaining a long-term relationship.
During the interview, Sterling participated in trivia games about Jimmy Buffett's retirement communities, showcasing his quick thinking and engaging personality. He correctly answered two out of three questions, contributing to the competitive yet friendly environment.
The episode featured interactive games encouraging listener participation:
Listener Limerick Challenge:
Sharon Coleman from Standardsville, Virginia, joined the show to complete news-related limericks. She successfully filled in missing phrases, earning points for her accurate and humorous completions.
Lightning Fill in the Blank:
The final game tested panelists' quick recall of recent news events by having them complete sentences with missing words or phrases.
Nageen Farsad led the round, accurately answering six out of six prompts, securing her position as the episode's top scorer.
Notable Interaction:
Sterling K. Brown: "I just try to keep staying my life as possible."
Peter Sagal: "Yeah, said the guy with a podcast." ([25:38])
Sterling's candid and humorous responses during the games highlighted his down-to-earth nature and ability to effortlessly blend humor with insightful commentary.
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! wrapped up with a playful discussion about potential new holidays, showcasing the panelists' creative and humorous spirits. Host Peter Sagal thanked Sterling K. Brown and the regular panelists for their contributions, leaving the audience with laughter and anticipation for future episodes.
The episode successfully balanced humor with insightful discussions, featuring celebrity appearances and interactive listener segments that engaged both live and remote audiences. Sterling K. Brown's appearance added star power and depth, enriching the show's dynamic and entertaining nature.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
President Trump on Tariffs:
"It's such an old fashioned term, but a beautiful term. Groceries. It says a bag with different things in it." ([03:06])
Sterling K. Brown on Control:
"The biggest blind spot in all is that we all sort of delude ourselves into thinking that we have some degree of control over what happens next. And really all we have control over is our response to what happens next." ([24:26])
Panelist Tig Notaro on Mooning:
"What if they're out clubbing and come to the cabinet meeting at like 10am the next morning. They all fall asleep when he's talking." ([39:10])
These quotes encapsulate the blend of humor and thought-provoking dialogue that characterizes Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, making it both entertaining and intellectually engaging for listeners.