WWDTM: Taimane

Summary

Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! – Taimane

NPR News Quiz Hosted by Peter Sagal
Date: October 12, 2025
Location: Blaisdell Concert Hall, Honolulu, Hawaii

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Overview

This episode of NPR’s “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” is recorded live in Honolulu, Hawaii. The show features its signature blend of comedic news quiz, panel games, and interviews with guest celebrities. This week, ukulele virtuoso and Hawaiian music icon Taimane joins as the celebrity guest, sharing her passion for the ukulele and demonstrating her genre-bending approach to the instrument. The panel—Paula Poundstone, Peter Gross, and Joyell Nicole Johnson—bring the laughs, tackle recent news, and engage with listeners in the usual irreverent Wait Wait style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Contestant Games (00:20–12:59)

• Government Shutdown Affects Airports (03:00–04:43)

  • Panel discusses recent flight delays attributed to the government shutdown, riffing on the concept of “Air Traffic Control Zero”—where pilots land planes without controllers due to staffing shortages.
  • Notable Quote: “Who knew that not paying people would make [them] not want to work?” – Peter Gross (04:15)

• Taylor Swift’s Suggestive New Song Lyric (05:23–07:16)

  • The panel jokes about Taylor Swift’s album “Lines of The Showgirl” and the pointed lyric referencing Travis Kelce.
  • Memorable Exchange:
    • Peter Sagal: “It’s wood as in, I would prefer not to hear her sing about Travis Kelce’s junk.” (05:43)
    • Joyell Nicole Johnson: “Shout out to Travis for doing his job. Okay. Because she a billionaire… and you better write a song about it, girl.” (07:01)

• Chocolate Shortage Alters Halloween Candy (07:40–09:44)

  • Due to a bad cocoa harvest, candy makers switch to non-chocolate fillings.
  • Panel jokes about odd new flavors (“day old bagel”) and their own histories with candy and butter.
  • Memorable Moment: Paula reveals she once received—and ate—an entire pound of butter for her birthday (09:32).

2. Panel Newsmaker Segment (13:27–21:00)

• PBS Auctions Bob Ross Paintings (10:28–11:40)
  • A PBS affiliate auctions off Bob Ross originals to raise funds, prompting comic speculation about what public television might auction next.
  • Funny Pitch: “A Night of Passion with Ken Burns, narrated by Sam Waterston. And it takes 12 hours.” – Peter Gross (11:40)

3. Bluff the Listener: Hallmark Havoc (15:15–21:03)

• Panelists tell invented stories about a Hallmark controversy. The real story: a Hallmark Channel romance angers the birding community due to inaccurate depictions of birds.
  • Answer Revealed by Antonia Serragito (20:24–21:00)

4. “Not My Job” Guest: Taimane—Ukulele Royalty (21:03–31:09)

• Taimane’s Background (21:33–24:04):

  • Began playing ukulele at age 5, busked in Waikiki by age 7, and was later “adopted” by Don Ho for live performances.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “My dad gave me my very first ukulele when I was five. Again, it’s just a very common instrument here in Hawaii, and it was just the instrument that I grew up learning how to express myself.” – Taimane (22:36)

• Changing Perceptions of the Ukulele (24:17–24:52)

  • Taimane discusses exceeding expectations and using stereotypes of the ukulele to her advantage.
  • “People don’t expect much. I love to go into that with that expectation, and then change that mind frame.” – Taimane (24:35)

• Live Demonstration (25:25–26:59):

  • Taimane performs part of a minor-key “Addams Family” theme and “Smoke on the Water” on the ukulele, showing the instrument’s versatility.
  • Memorable Soundbite: Peter Sagal is surprised by the choice (“Smoke on the Water”) and marvels at her skill.

• Mini-Golf Quiz (27:12–30:38):

  • Taimane nails multiple whimsical questions about the history and oddities of miniature golf, winning for listener Jim Joplin.
  • Panelist Joke: “When in doubt, go with misogyny,” on the topic of women being barred from swinging arms in Victorian Scotland (28:49).

5. Panel and Listener Games Continue (32:50–42:13)

• New Relationship Science (33:14–34:30)

  • Experts now recommend that couples do go to bed angry instead of trying to resolve every argument before sleep.
  • Series of utensil puns: “If you do go to bed angry, instead of spooning, do you knife?... You definitely don’t fork?” – Peter Sagal & panel (34:09–34:15)

• Friendship-Building with Chores (34:34–37:03)

  • Doing chores together is deemed a great way to bond with friends. Paula shares she loves trimming her 11 cats’ claws—with help.

6. Listener Limerick Challenge & News Quips (38:39–42:13)

• Senior Citizens & Cocaine Use Up (38:39–39:26)
  • Surge in “silver snorters” cited in the UK.
• Morning Coffee Raves Are a Trend (39:44–40:44)
  • Sober, daylight dance parties with espresso instead of booze.
• Recurrence of the “Nightmare Mall” Dream (40:46–41:55)
  • People share dreams of being trapped in the same sprawling mall.
  • “The you are here arrow just points to your bedroom.” – Peter Sagal (41:20)

7. Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank & Endgame (43:26–49:01)

• Fast-paced news quiz rounds with the panel, with Paula Poundstone securing a resounding victory.
• Notable fake news and zingers from real and fictional stories, including:
  • Nobel winner missing the call due to spam suspicion (44:15)
  • Horny swan terrorizes a UK town (44:46)
  • Stray dog attacks interrupt public safety theater in India (46:31)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Taylor Swift’s song:
  • "You can drive a car through it. I don't think this holds up.” – Peter Gross, on the redwood lyric metaphor (06:31)
• Paula on Butter-Eating:
  • “When I turned 4, my parents gave me a pound of butter as a present. And I just ate the sticks like candy bars. And I feel good. I had a heart attack when I was five.” (09:32–09:45)
• Taimane on expectations:
  • “I love to go into that with that expectation... and then change that mind frame.” (24:50)

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Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|---------------| | Opening & Panel Intros | 00:20 | | Government Shutdown/Air Traffic | 03:00 | | Taylor Swift’s Lyric | 05:23 | | Halloween Chocolate Shortage | 07:40 | | Bob Ross PBS Auction | 10:28 | | Bluff the Listener: Hallmark Havoc | 15:15 | | “Not My Job” – Taimane Interview & Quiz | 21:03 | | Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank | 43:26 | | Closing Predictions & Farewell | 49:15 |

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Conclusion

This Hawaii-set episode sinks its teeth into current events with the show’s trademark spirited humor, while showcasing the spectacular talent and infectious personality of ukulele superstar Taimane. The panel keeps the laughs coming through tales of butter birthdays, avian anger, and chocolate catastrophes. The entire episode exudes the warmth, wit, and quick turns that have made “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” a public radio classic.

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For more tour dates and Taimane’s music:
taimane.com/live

To attend or participate in Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!:
www.nprpresents.org
Call 1-888-924-8924 to play.

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“Thank you, Alzo Slade. Thanks also to Peter Gross, Joyell Nicole Johnson and Paula Poundstone. ... I’m Peter Sagal. We’ll see you next week!” – Peter Sagal (50:41)

Transcript

[Announcer]

This message comes from W.W. norton and Company, publishers of Playground. From the Pulitzer Prize winning author of the Overstory, richard Powers, a panoramic novel set in the world's largest ocean playground, now in paperback wherever books are sold.

[Alzo Slade]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. I'm the man they called when Bills had Too Many Mai Tai. I'm Alzo Slade, and here's your host at the Blaisdell Concert hall in Honolulu, Hawaii, Peter Sago.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Alzo. Thank you, everybody. Yes, thank you all so much. We are so glad to be doing our show here in Hawaii and we are really glad we bought the plane tickets before we lost our federal funding. Later on, we are going to be talking to ukulele superstar Taimane, who got her start busking right here in the streets of Waikiki. But first, we want to hear what tune you're playing. Give us a call. The number is 1-88-wait, wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. Now let's welcome our first listener contestant. Hi. You are on wait, Wait, don't tell me. Hi, this is Sydney calling from Olympia, Washington. I love Olympia, one of my favorite places, capital of the state. What do you do there? I like to swim in the Puget Sound and I take care of my pet shrimp. And I work for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Okay, let me if I may rewind a moment. Shrimp as pets are they. I've never heard of that. Are they fun pets? Do they, like, cuddle with you when you're sad? I think so. They like to swim around. They're fun to watch zip by. Right. So you think as they're swimming around in their tank that they have warm feelings for you. Yeah, exactly Right.

[Peter Gross]

You've never had a shrimp pet, Peter, you don't know?

[Peter Sagal]

I don't know what it's like. No, I've had shrimp, but in a different context. Well, Sydney, welcome to the show. Let me introduce you to our panel with us here in Honolulu this week. First up, it's a comedian whose special love Joy is on Peacock and whose album Yell Joy is available everywhere. It's Joyell Nicole Johnson.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Hello, Sydney.

[Peter Sagal]

Next up, an actor and writer who can be seen in the improv show Two Square at the Cold Town Theater in Austin, Texas, October 17th and 18th. It's our friend Peter Gross.

[Peter Gross]

Hello. Hi, Sydney.

[Peter Sagal]

And a comedian who will be in Alexandria, Virginia, at the Birchmere November 21st and 22nd. And host of the Weekly podcast. Nobody listens to Paula Poundstone. It's Paula Poundstone.

[Paula Poundstone]

Okay. It's not a pet, but I do have a comfort mosquito.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, Sidney, welcome to the show. You're gonna play who's Alzo this time? Alzo Slade, filling in for Bill Curtis, is gonna 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 may choose in your voicemail. Are you ready to go?

[Peter Gross]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. Your first quote is a statement from Nashville International Airport.

[Alzo Slade]

Pilots, have patience. Passengers expect delays.

[Peter Sagal]

This is in response to the many airport closures and delays happening around the country due to what? The government shutdown. The government shutdown. Yes, you're right. It's okay. You're applauding for her, not the shutdown. It's all right. Even though airport disruptions are being caused by unpaid government employees just not showing up for work, the FAA says there's nothing to worry about as long as you and all of your co workers didn't just fly to the only state in the union you can't drive home from. It started in just one or two airports, and now it's spreading. The delays and cancellations are getting so bad that the only way to get to another state is to sign up for your own state's National Guard and wait to be deployed there.

[Peter Gross]

Who knew that not paying people would make not want to work?

[Peter Sagal]

I know. Strange. One real thing we learned about this week, some airports, like Burbank in California are operating in a condition called Air Traffic Control Zero. It's a real thing, and that's a system they put in place where instead of the tower, because there's nobody in the tower, pilots just talk to each other to keep from running into each other and to help land their planes. Right.

[Paula Poundstone]

Okay, but we do that in our cars all the time.

[Peter Sagal]

Really? Just yelling out the window, you go, right?

[Peter Gross]

No, just look at this idiot. Go, go. Just go, go.

[Peter Sagal]

But on the other hand, you really don't want to get caught in a situation where the pilots are like, okay, you land. No, you land first. No, you land. Okay, we'll both land at the same time. Ready?

[Peter Gross]

Well, you know, they were like. Sometimes they're like, is there a doctor on the plane? They might be like, is there an air traffic controller on the plane who wants to just, like, help us not hit another plane?

[Peter Sagal]

All right, your next quote is a pop superstar singing about a certain attribute of her famous fiance.

[Alzo Slade]

Do I really have to Read this.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. Yes.

[Announcer]

Also.

[Alzo Slade]

All right. Redwood tree. It ain't hard to see.

[Peter Sagal]

So that's a lyric everybody's talking about from whose new album that came out last week? Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift's.

[Announcer]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

Her new album came out. Lines of the Showgirl. When they're not talking about how kind the rest of the album is, everybody is talking about how suggestive her song would is. Would. The wood in question is not wood as in tree. It's wood as in I would prefer not to hear her sing about Travis Kelce's junk.

[Peter Gross]

It's a real. I listened to that today and it's a real lesson in single entendre. Not the most clever.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

I also don't know if it's a compliment to have your attribute compared to a redwood. Nobody wants to hear, like your thing. It's 600 years old and endangered.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

And.

[Peter Gross]

You can drive a car through it. I don't think this holds up.

[Peter Sagal]

I mean, one of the questions is, she's the biggest star in the world. She's done this. Is this gonna create pressure on all the pop stars? Now it's like, hey, honey, love your new album, but where's the song about my junk?

[Peter Gross]

I mean, until she turns on him and then is like the COVID of her next album is her with an ax chopping down a wrinkle or something like that.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, she's setting it up. She's gonna knock it down. She's been in love before.

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

I also wanna say shout out to Travis for doing his job. Okay. Because she a billionaire.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

That's the only thing she needs from him. And he putting it down. And you better write a song about it, girl.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah, I foolishly thought you meant.

[Peter Sagal]

That's not. No, no. Sydney, are you still with us? Because it's been a while. Sydney, are you out there? I'm here. Oh, I'm so glad. Sydney, your last quote is a warning about this year's Halloween candy.

[Alzo Slade]

The M and Ms. Were filled with berry flavored peanut butter.

[Peter Sagal]

That was a reporter from the Atlantic noting one way candy makers are compensating for a major shortage of what this year? I don't know. Can you give me a hint? Well, what are M&M's normally filled with? Oh, chocolate. Chocolate. Yes. A very bad cocoa harvest means chocolate is very expensive right now. So candy makers are swapping in non chocolate ingredients for this year's Halloween Candy. M&MS. Has a whole new this is real bakery collection with non chocolate flavors like lemon meringue pie and peanut butter. Cinnamon roll. And the newest flavor, Day Old Bagel.

[Peter Gross]

It'd be like Eminem's puts in, like, old Snickers. Like, just stuff that they found around and they were put inside.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

I'm gonna be honest, I never thought that was really chocolate in there anyway. Yeah, I'm sure it was plastic.

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Peter Gross]

Whatever they put in. Subway bread and the meat.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

I don't know what this is gonna do to Halloween. Cause all the kids I know really like chocolate. This is gonna be the first Halloween where kids are gonna say trick or treat. And also I'd like a receipt in case I want to return it.

[Paula Poundstone]

Last year, you know, I ran out of candy.

[Peter Sagal]

You did?

[Paula Poundstone]

And we don't usually get that many kids where I live and. But for some reason, we did last year.

[Peter Sagal]

And I was gonna move out of that haunted old castle high on the hill. Paula.

[Paula Poundstone]

Well, I ended up. But, you know, like, they kept coming. And so I just, you know, open the refrigerator and, you know, like, take a big scoop of hummus and just flick it out to Spider Man's pillowcase.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Yeah. I had a little cousin who from a baby didn't like chocolate. But she would open the refrigerator when she was 2. She was a toddler. And we'd see little fingerprints in the butter. She would eat butter. I hated chocolate.

[Paula Poundstone]

I was a butter eater. When I turned 4, my parents gave me a pound of butter as a present.

[Peter Gross]

As a gift.

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah. Birthday present. And I just ate the sticks like candy bars. And I feel good.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Yeah, you feel good.

[Paula Poundstone]

I had a heart attack when I was five.

[Peter Sagal]

Also, how did Cindy do in our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

Beautifully. Three out of three.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Sydney. Thank you so much for playing, Sydney. This was so fun. Thank you so much. Right now, panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Peter. In a daring new plan to make up for the government funding cuts, a PBS affiliate announced it would be auctioning off.

[Peter Gross]

What? Grover?

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Peter Gross]

I mean, it's coming. Auctioning off tote bags that someone touched?

[Peter Sagal]

I don't know.

[Peter Gross]

I'll take a hint.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, appraisers say that each happy little tree is worth about ten grand. Bob Ross paintings. Bob Ross Paintings. A public TV distribution company is raising money by auctioning off thirty Bob Ross original oil paintings, including his masterpieces, Happy Little Forest, Snowy Mountaintop and Nude Self Portrait with Happy Big Redwood. It's really weird. It's really weird they're selling these paintings. Didn't you always assume they just threw them away after they finished taping?

[Peter Gross]

I always wondered what they did with them. And I thought that there was like a Indiana Jones style warehouse of just like thousands and thousands.

[Peter Sagal]

So if this works, of course they're going to do more things like that. Next will be funding the distribution of Mr. Rogers neighborhood by auctioning off his cardigans. Then they'll sell Big Bird's eggs. Then neighborly for one lucky auction winner, a Night of Passion with Ken Burns, narrated by Sam Waterston.

[Peter Gross]

And it takes 12 hours.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up, our panelists send their greetings in our Bluff listener game Call one triple eight Wait wait, don't play. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait Wait, don't tell me from NPR. This message comes from CookUnity. Enjoy. Chef crafted meals delivered fully cooked. Just heat and eat in as little as 5 minutes. With menus updated weekly and new chefs joining all the time, you'll never get bored. Subscriptions are commitment free and start at just $11 per meal. Comfort nutrition, an award winning flavor delivered to your door. Go to cookunity.com tellme or enter code tellme at checkout to claim free premium meals for Life. This message comes from Grammarly. They have features that are tailor made for working professionals so you can get all your writing done from start to finish all in one place. Grammarly is designed to help professionals with real time writing support on any project, email and more. Sign up for free and experience how Grammarly can elevate your professional writing from start to finish. Visit Grammarly.com podcast that's Grammarly.com podcast.

[Announcer]

This message comes from AT&T. There's nothing like knowing someone's in your corner, especially when it really counts, like when your neighbor shovels your driveway after a snowstorm or your friend saves you the last slice of pizza. AT&T has connectivity you can depend on or they'll proactively make it right. That's the AT&T guarantee. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.com guarantee to learn more. AT&T connecting changes everything.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

This message comes from Synchrony Bank. Who's on your team when it comes to building a brighter tomorrow? Whether your goals are big or small, every step you take now can set you up for success down the road. Open a High Yield savings account and watch your money grow with a smart savings rate and no monthly fees or minimums. Start saving for a fantastic Future today. Visit synchrony.com NPR Member FDIC.

[Alzo Slade]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell Me the NPR News Quiz. I'm Alzo Slade. We're playing this week with Peter Gross, Paula Poundstone and Joyel Nicole Johnson. And here again is your host at the Blaisdell Concert hall in Honolulu, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you. Alzo Slade right now. Thank you, everybody. Thank you so much. Right now it's time for the Wait, wait, don't tell me. Bluff the listener game. Call one triple eight. Wait, wait. To play our game in the air. Hi, you are on Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, Peter. This is Alexandra from Maui, Hawaii. Hey, Maui. What do you do there in Maui, Maui? I'm a tattooer here in Kihei at Paradise Tattoo. Oh, wow, Kihei. I know. Been there many a time. I was wondering about this cause I saw a tattoo parlor here in Honolulu and I wondered is your clientele Islanders, Hawaiians, or is it like lots of tourists who are just so taken with the place they come in and get your sea turtle or something like that? It's definitely a mix, but sea turtles do pay my bills. Really. That's the thing. Well, welcome to the show, Alexandra. It's great to have you on. You're gonna play the in which you have to tell truth from fiction. Alzo, what's the topic?

[Alzo Slade]

There's havoc at Hallmark.

[Peter Sagal]

So Hallmark, you know them, they're known for their heartwarming movies and their greeting cards that somehow know exactly what to say when your uncle retires. Well, this week instead of good tidings, we heard about a controversy brewing at Hallmark. Our panel is going to tell you about it. Pick the one who's telling the truth. You win the weight waiter of your choice on your voicemail. You ready to play? Yes. All right, first, let's hear from Joyell Nicole Johnson.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Most greeting cards simply say get well soon or happy birthday. But the mahogany section of Hallmark greeting cards puts the black back in salutations. That's right, there's a section of Hallmark greeting cards just for black folks with titles such as you got all that black excellence fam. And of course, you're an everyday reminder of ain't God good. Hallmark introduced this niche years ago, but the brand went viral after a recent interview with HG magazine. Turns out the creator and head scribe of the slang is Cody Beckwith of Springfield, Illinois. A whole white man. Cody is a self described redhead corn fed friend of Dorothy. That is Mrs. Dorothy Thomas, his next door neighbor who practically raised him and is very black. Beckwith credits Ms. Thomas for everything he knows. Without her, his face will be way less moisturized. When Asked for comment, Ms. Dorothy said Cody always been invited to the cookout, especially because I taught him how to wash his chicken before he cooks.

[Peter Sagal]

It turns out the mahogany line of greeting cards for a black clientele was created by this white guy from Springfield, Illinois. Your next Hallmark remark comes from Peter Gross.

[Peter Gross]

Some of the best recent Hollywood films have captured a gritty, nuanced realism. Movies like Nomadland, Uncut Gems, and the Secret Life of Pets too. Other films missed the mark. This week the Hallmark Channel announced their new romantic comedy Adventures in Love and Birding. It's about a single mother who falls in love with an avid birder, but apparently the creators of the movie fell in love with inaccurate details about birds. Even the poster of the movie is inaccurate with one person commenting, I wonder what those two male varied thrushes are talking about. Cry laughing emoji.

[Peter Sagal]

Ha ha ha.

[Peter Gross]

Get it? Because I sure don't. One member of an LA birding community group was furious at the main character's binoculars, commenting, if this guy's a real birder, he would not have those binoculars. Those binoculars are like poroprisms. They are very beginner level. Yikes. I would say somebody needs to get out more, but birders are outside all the time, so that doesn't really apply. As tempting as it is to make fun of them, I imagine I would feel this way if somebody tried to make a Wait, wait, don't tell me movie and they had the panelists talking into a Neumann TLM103 microphone as opposed to a Shure SM7B. I mean, can you imagine.

[Peter Sagal]

A Hallmark Channel romance movie with a birding theme angers the birding community? Your last wholesome controversy comes from Paula poundstone, birthday girl.

[Paula Poundstone]

13 year old Janie Winchell of Lincoln, Massachusetts tore open the envelope of a Hallmark card that accompanied a brightly wrapped six pack of flavored lip gloss gifted from a friend. The front of the card had a picture of a young girl's face covered in a thick facial mask and inside the card in large balloon font were the words Congratulations, you're old. When I saw the card I was outraged, said Janie's mother, Candice Winchell. I checked out Hallmark's website and found that this horrible card is part of a new line of cards that are just disturbing. On one, a black and white photo of a bedraggled looking girl leading a donkey by a rope opens to reveal the words get your ass moving. 14 is coming. Another bears a cover photo of a young girl walking a dirt road surrounded by wildflowers and on the inside says do something good this year. Your Regret box is almost full. One cover bears the words age is just a number and inside is a photograph of a slack jawed preteen with a word bubble saying, but, oh my God.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so, Alexandra, there was controversy at Hallmark this week. Was it from JL Nicole Johnson, the mahogany line of cards for a black audience, turns out were created by this red haired white guy who just channeled his neighbor. From Peter Gross, a birding romance in which the birding community did not fall in love with. Or from Paula Poundstone, a line of birthday cards for 13 year olds implying they're getting old. Which of these was the real story out of Hallmark this week? Well, I know birders do take birds very seriously.

[Peter Gross]

They do.

[Peter Sagal]

So I'm gonna go with B. You're gonna go with B. You're gonna go with Peter's story about the birding movie that angered the birders. All right, well, here's somebody with some insight into the real story. The Hallmark Channel released the poster and immediately Birders had a lot of comments and critiques for how the birds were being portrayed in the poster. That was Antonia Serragito, a host at LAS who reported on the real the birding movie that the birders did not like. Congratulations, Alexandra. You got it right. Earned a point for Peter Gross. You've won our prize. The voice of your choice in your voicemail. Thank you so much. Thank you. And thank you for playing with us today.

[Taimane]

All right, we'll be together like birds.

[Peter Sagal]

Of a feather cluster. Some things are meant to be. And now the game we call not my job. In Hawaii, the ukulele is the king of instruments. And our guest Taimane is ukulele royalty. She started busking on the streets of Honolulu at the age of five, where she was discovered by the legendary Don Ho himself. She's since been named Hawaiian performer of the year, among many other honors. Taimane, welcome to. Wait, Wait, don't tell me.

[Taimane]

Thank you for having me.

[Peter Sagal]

It's a pleasure to have you. We got to get this settled. We were talking before. The correct Hawaiian pronunciation of the instrument of which you are a master is ukulele.

[Taimane]

Ukulele.

[Peter Sagal]

Uki. Ukulele.

[Taimane]

Uku.

[Peter Sagal]

Ukulele.

[Taimane]

You got it. Ukulele.

[Peter Sagal]

How about if you give it the appropriate respectful name and I just continue to screw it up because that's, you.

[Taimane]

Know, we could do that for probably like 10 to 15 minutes.

[Peter Sagal]

We can do that. We can do that. That's really great. So. So you and I mentioned this. Started playing the ukulele at a Very young age, right?

[Taimane]

Yes. I started when I was five years old. I'm born and raised here in Honolulu, Hawaii, and it's kind of a very common. Yeah, yeah, 808. 808. But it's a very common instrument here in the islands. Almost like how a guitar, you know, is in every house. The ukulele is in almost every house here in the Islands.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Really?

[Peter Sagal]

And did you, like. Was that like something you were drawn to or you was like, somebody put one of these in your hand?

[Taimane]

Yeah. Well, I loved performing even before getting this. When I was five, I just. I would put shows together for my dog and my parents in my house, and I just loved being on stage. I loved making people happy. And so my dad gave me my very first ukulele when I was five. Again, it's just a very common instrument here in Hawaii, and it was just the instrument that I grew up learning, how to express myself.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Taimane]

And I so happen to love classical music, metal music, but it's all played on this instrument.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, I want to get. I want to get to that because that's one of the things you're known for. But you were busking, you were out on the streets at 5, you went out with your father.

[Taimane]

I started actually when I was seven. A bit more mature.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah.

[Peter Gross]

But that's a very reasonable age to send your child out onto the street to try to make money.

[Taimane]

Yes, I had a hard work ethic back in the day. And so I started playing on the streets of Kalakaua Avenue.

[Alzo Slade]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

That's the big commercial district in Waikiki with all the big shops on it and restaurants, tourists walking up and down all night.

[Taimane]

Exactly, exactly. I loved it. And I kept doing it until the age of 13.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow.

[Taimane]

And that's where one of the singers from the Dawn Ho show saw me playing, was on the streets of Waikiki. And so I got to meet Uncle Don. I like to call him Uncle Don.

[Paula Poundstone]

Sure, I like to call him Uncle Don.

[Taimane]

Right.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Uncle Don.

[Taimane]

He really, you know, he took me under his wing and, you know, really showed me the ropes of how much it takes to put on a show.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Taimane]

And so I was with him for five years until his passing, and he really just introduced me to Waikiki. And then from there I started touring all over the world. Because the ukulele, everyone, everyone loves the ukulele.

[Peter Sagal]

That's absolutely true. That's absolutely true. I've never met anybody. I will say, though, that there are certain stereotypes. It's something that people play when they can't really play, and they just want to, like, be amusing. Right. Which of these annoys you most?

[Taimane]

You know, it doesn't actually annoy me, really. I like to use it to my advantage.

[Peter Gross]

How so?

[Taimane]

Because people don't expect much of you. When you say you play the ukulele, like, okay, that's cute, but what do you actually do? But I love to go into that with that expectation or lack of, and then change that mind frame.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Taimane]

And that's what I love.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

So.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

You'Re like a pool shark, I guess.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, how do you play this thing? Yeah, exactly. So it is true that one of the things you've done is you've really expanded people's understanding of what a ukulele can do. And I was hoping you could kind of demonstrate because you're known, for example, for some remarkable covers. You just put out a cover of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi.

[Taimane]

I did.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. And so is there, like, anything, like, people would not expect to hear somebody play really well in a ukulele that you love to play for them?

[Taimane]

I just. I just started working on a cover of the Addams Family, but in minor key.

[Peter Sagal]

A minor. More mournful, thoughtful key.

[Peter Gross]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Peter Gross]

Can you.

[Taimane]

You guys. I want to.

[Peter Sagal]

I want to hear, like, the.

[Taimane]

I haven't played it yet. So.

[Peter Sagal]

So this is the theme to the Adams Family. Haven't the minor key on the ukulele just learned it? Okay, here.

[Taimane]

Okay. This is the hard part. Hold on. I'm working on it. I'm working on it.

[Peter Sagal]

You know, I just thought.

[Peter Gross]

I have a little.

[Peter Sagal]

I thought you were gonna do, like, smoke on the water or something, but no.

[Peter Gross]

Some.

[Peter Sagal]

Can you do that? Hey.

[Peter Gross]

You really challenged your second. Wow. You can do the thing that beginning guitar players play when they pick up a guitar at the Guitar Center. Yes, yes. Stairway. Wow.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, Taimane, we have asked you here to play a game we're calling mini guitar.

[Alzo Slade]

Meet mini golf.

[Taimane]

So, okay.

[Peter Sagal]

You like smaller instruments. We thought we'd ask you about the tiny version of golf, miniature golf. Answer two to three questions correctly, you'll win our prize for one of our listeners. Also, who is Taimane playing for?

[Alzo Slade]

Jim Joplin of Lawton, Oklahoma.

[Taimane]

All right, all right. Oklahoma.

[Peter Sagal]

And, you know, they just love the ukulele in Oklahoma. So here's your first question.

[Taimane]

Okay.

[Peter Sagal]

Most historians agree that miniature golf was invented in Scotland in the 1860s for one very specific reason. What was it? A. It was made for women who weren't allowed to play real golf because it was considered Improper for them to raise their arms above their shoulders. B, a local aristocrat said, love the game, but can we do without all that walking? Or C, so a notorious sports gambler could win a bet that he could finish a whole round of golf in half an hour.

[Taimane]

Oh, gosh. You know, I'm not much of a walker myself, so I would love to say V. Be. Maybe not the vibe.

[Peter Sagal]

No, it's not the vibe.

[Taimane]

You know, there's other. You know, I'm just getting this feeling of a.

[Peter Sagal]

A, A, A, A. It is A. Yes, it's A. Than apparently, back in Victorian Scotland, you couldn't have ladies scandalizing society by showing their pits.

[Peter Gross]

When in doubt, go with misogyny.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly.

[Announcer]

Got it.

[Peter Sagal]

All right. That was very good. Now, back in the early days, mini golf courses used to be different than they are today. How so? Was it, A, instead of mechanical obstacles, like windmills, children were hired to leap onto the course and swat away your ball? B, instead of hitting your ball into the mouth of a fake clown in the last, you do it to a real clown. Or C, instead of turf, the surfaces were made of goat hair dyed green.

[Taimane]

You know, I just keep getting these feelings.

[Peter Sagal]

These feelings. Where does it come. The spirit of Aloha.

[Taimane]

You know, I'm gonna go with like the ocean. Like the sea.

[Peter Sagal]

The sea. Wise choice being this being Hawaii. Yes, it was sea. Dyed goat hair was the surface of choice. This was before astronomy, of course. Last question. You can play thousands of mini golf courses around the world, including in some unusual places. Like which of these on the lip of a volcano in Stromboli, Italy, with real lava providing some of the obstacles. Be 400ft underground in an abandoned Transylvanian salt mine. Or C, on the roof of the second tallest building in Dubai, where if your ball goes out of bounds, it really goes out of bounds.

[Taimane]

Um, I'm gonna go with B.

[Peter Sagal]

You're gonna go with the Transylvanian salt mine. You're right. It is called.

[Peter Gross]

Wow.

[Peter Sagal]

It is called Selena Turda. And it's got a whole amusement park down there along the mini golf. It's the most popular underground tourist attraction in the world.

[Paula Poundstone]

What's it called?

[Peter Sagal]

Salina Turda. No smart remarks. Paula Alzo. How did Taimane do on our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

She's got the vibes. Three out of three.

[Peter Sagal]

There you go. Taimane is a singer, songwriter, and one of the world's most celebrated ukulele players. For tour dates, head to taimane.com live Taimane, everybody.

[Announcer]

Give it up.

[Taimane]

Thank you, everyone.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you in just a minute. Alzo reveals his worst nightmare has a food court in the listener limber challenge. Call 1- Triple-8- wait wait to join us in the air. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait Wait, don't tell me from npr.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

This message comes from Schwab. Everyone has moments when they could have done better. Same goes for where you invest. Level up and invest smarter with Schwab. Get market insights, education and human help when you need it. This message comes from NPR sponsor Capella University. Learning doesn't have to get in the way of life. With Capella's game changing flexpath learning format, you can set your own deadlines and learn on your own schedule. That means you don't have to put your life on hold to earn your degree. Instead, enjoy learning your way and pursue your educational and career goals without missing a beat. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at capella.edu.

[Announcer]

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[Alzo Slade]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell Me the NPR News Quiz. I'm Alzo Slade. We're playing this week with Peter Gross, Paula Poundstone and Joyel Nicole Johnson. And here again is your host at the Blaisdell Concert hall in Honolulu, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Alzo. Thank you, everybody. In just a minute, we go somewhere over the rhyme bow in our Listener Limerick Challenge game. 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. Joyel. This week the AP reported that contrary to common wisdom, it's perfectly okay for couples to do what?

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Sleep in separate bedrooms?

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Vacation separately?

[Peter Sagal]

No. This is like I'm sure you've I mean, anybody who's ever been married or getting into a serious relationship has been given this advice about you and your partner. Don't do it right.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Oh, go to bed mad.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. That's the advice. Don't go to bed angry. You have heard that. Have you heard that?

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

I have heard that.

[Peter Sagal]

You have heard. Everybody's heard that. Don't go to bed angry. Well, experts say it's often much wiser to let your dispute sit till the morning. That's why right before turning off the light you know, in my life, I always say to my wife, good night, honey. And also, have you noticed you're turning into your mother?

[Peter Gross]

Well, at least she goes to bed angry.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. But the big question the psychologist did not address. If you do go to bed angry, the two of you, instead of spooning, do you knife?

[Peter Gross]

You definitely don't fork?

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Or scissor.

[Paula Poundstone]

True.

[Peter Sagal]

That's true.

[Peter Gross]

There's a whole drawer's worth of things that are not happening. You don't screw. There's a screw. You don't do that. No hammering.

[Peter Sagal]

No nailing.

[Paula Poundstone]

Honey, hand me the tenderizer.

[Peter Sagal]

Paula, this week we learned about a new way to deepen your friendships. Instead of hanging out at a bar or a party, you should do what together?

[Peter Gross]

Hmm.

[Paula Poundstone]

Not hang out at a bar or party. You should till the land.

[Peter Sagal]

Make the earth yield up its fruits.

[Paula Poundstone]

That's a thing that's happening now. People are getting together. Till the land.

[Peter Sagal]

Till the land. It's actually. You're kind of on the right track. The idea is, like, instead of going out and doing, like, you know, special fun things, you should get your friends together and do.

[Paula Poundstone]

Manual labor.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm gonna give it to you. Chores.

[Paula Poundstone]

I love doing chores together with other people.

[Peter Sagal]

Is this something you like to do?

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

So because you are, like, as you always are, ahead of the curve, social trend wise. The new study says that if you really want to bond with your friends, which we all know is the key to happiness, is having a good social life, you should do boring stuff with your friends. Researchers discovered that people, quote, consistently rate common daily activities as more enjoyable when they're interacting with somebody else. You enjoy it more. You bond. It's great, you know?

[Paula Poundstone]

Absolutely. I am on the cutting edge on this. I often have friends over to help me trim the cat's claws.

[Peter Gross]

Really?

[Paula Poundstone]

Yeah.

[Peter Gross]

What part do they play? Because I've had cats. You have to. Somebody has to do the clipping, and someone has to kind of hold the cat's paws. What do you do? What do you make them do?

[Paula Poundstone]

Well, you know, we go back and forth. I don't like to hog the fun part.

[Peter Gross]

Yeah.

[Paula Poundstone]

Okay. Here's the thing about cats clipping their claws. And I can't do hind claws. I can only do front claws.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

What's the difference?

[Paula Poundstone]

What's the difference?

[Peter Sagal]

Well, I think. I think, if I may, the front claws are on the front paws.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

I know that.

[Peter Sagal]

I think Joyell was trying to say, what is the difference? Besides the obvious one?

[Paula Poundstone]

I don't know.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

That's why. That's why you did that?

[Alzo Slade]

I would do that. Think it's as simple as you don't want to do the hind claws because you don't want a cat's butt in your face.

[Paula Poundstone]

No.

[Peter Sagal]

So how many cats do you have, Paula?

[Paula Poundstone]

11.

[Peter Sagal]

You have 11 cats.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

How many friends do you have?

[Paula Poundstone]

Oh, we had to go there.

[Peter Gross]

Did we?

[Peter Sagal]

I think those two numbers are intimately related.

[Paula Poundstone]

I'm alone a lot, Peter.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

A lot.

[Peter Gross]

A woman with 11 cats is never alone, Paul.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up, it's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first it's the game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-88-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. You can see us most weeks back at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago or you can catch us on the road. We'll be in Costa Mesa, California on November 6th. For tickets and information for these events and other things we're cooking up, go to nprpresents.org and if you like our show but wish it was about 59 minutes shorter, check out our TikTok at Wait, Wait and beyond. Hi, you're on Wait, Wait, don't tell me. Hey Peter, this is Lydia from Seattle, Washington. Hey, beautiful Seattle. I love it there. What do you do there? Well, I like to be outside as much as possible just like everyone else here. I like to hike and backpack all the things. When I'm not doing that. I work at a conservation agency where we protect wild lands and waters in Washington state.

[Paula Poundstone]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

That's a great thing to do. It does occur to me since you are. Of course, you're right. Everybody I know in the Pacific Northwest loves to be outside all the time. Does it ever occur to you to take advantage of that and and just rifle through their homes? You know, I don't get paid very much at a non profit so maybe.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

I do need to do it.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm telling you, Lydia, welcome to the show. Alzo Slade, filling in for Bill Curtis 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 will be a winner. Here is your first limerick since the.

[Alzo Slade]

Elderly life is so plain. Silver snorters speed up a slow brain. When hair looks like snow we get down with some blow. Yes, we old folks are doing cocaine.

[Peter Sagal]

Cocaine?

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

According to data released by hospitals in the uk, the number of senior citizens abusing cocaine has risen by A third in recent years. It's true. That's why the last time you visited your nana, she asked if you were cool and wanted to get the party started.

[Peter Gross]

Oh my gosh. So Instead of a $5 bill, it's like a rolled up.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Good for them.

[Peter Sagal]

You think so? I do.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

I would do lots of drugs then.

[Peter Sagal]

Right?

[Peter Gross]

If you've hit a certain age.

[Peter Sagal]

What are they going to do now?

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

What's the point?

[Peter Sagal]

Cocaine is getting so popular among older people that there's now a term for them. Silver snorters. And somewhere an executive at NBC just had a great idea for an amazing Golden Girls reboot. Here is your next limerick.

[Alzo Slade]

Stone cold sober, and yet we feel brave. Music Stumping, but not in some cave. No more dark clubs. At night we dance in the light and hot coffee gets served at our rave. Rave?

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

Coffee raves are the latest trend among international party people. They're exactly what they sound like. Parties with DJs playing loud dance music. But it's in broad daylight with shots of espresso from the barista over there. Instead of alcohol at the bar, they just goes to show it. It's true. You really do need a few drinks to have a good time.

[Peter Gross]

Can't some of those old people sell cocaine to these?

[Peter Sagal]

Why not? Yeah, sober people, unsober people. They all love these morning coffee raves. One fan call called them, quote, very nice.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

My roommate used to go to those.

[Peter Sagal]

Really?

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Yeah, they would do them on the sunrise in New York. And that's why I didn't like her.

[Peter Sagal]

Here's your last limerick.

[Alzo Slade]

My dreams don't contain a cursed doll. No. I'm haunted by suburban sprawl. There are multiple floors with extinct anchor stores. My nightmares all feature a mall.

[Peter Sagal]

A mall? Yes. Thousands of people are connecting online over having the same recurring nightmare about being trapped in a mall. This mall and their dreams is impossible to get out of. Because even if you can find the dream mall directory, the you are here arrow just points to your bedroom.

[Paula Poundstone]

No. That is weird that more than one people person has that nightmare.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, well, they think it is the users connecting a subreddit called the Mall World and they share details of this terrifying space that they all visit in their dreams. With levels and stairways and no way out. They are convinced that despite the fact that none of these people have met in real life, they are all dreaming about the same mall. Because really, seriously, what are the odds that they all have a Nordstrom and and a Hot Topic and an Auntie Anne's?

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Are all these people from New Jersey.

[Peter Sagal]

Also, how did Lydia do in our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

She did great. Three out of three.

[Peter Sagal]

Terrific. Congratulations.

[Paula Poundstone]

Nice, Lydia.

[Peter Sagal]

Well done, Lydia. Thank you so much for playing. Thanks so much for having me Take care.

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Of.

[Announcer]

Support for NPR. And the following message come from GoodRx. GoodRx can keep your family protected this cold and flu season with discounts on flu shots. And if you do get sick, Goodrx offers savings on cold and flu meds. Compare prescription prices and instantly find discounts of up to 80%. GoodRx is not insurance but works with or without it and could beat your copay price. To save on flu shots plus everyday medications, go to goodrx.com wait, this message comes from Odoo.

[Peter Sagal]

Some say Odoo business management software is like fertilizer for businesses because it promotes growth. Others say Odoo is like a magic beanstalk because it scales with you and is magically affordable. And some describe Odoo's programs as building blocks for creating a custom software suite. But some say Odoo is fertilizer magic beanstalk building blocks for business. Odoo exactly what a business needs. Sign [e-mail] that's o d o o.com 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. Alzo, can you give us the scores?

[Alzo Slade]

Of course. Joyel and Paula are tied at two with Peter in the lead at three.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so I'm going to arbitrarily pick Joyel to go first. Here you go, Joyel. The clock will start when they begin your first question. Fill in the blank. On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a plan to end the war in Blank Gaza. Right. This week, the Vatican announced the dates of the new blank's first international trip.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

The Pope from Cleveland or Chicago?

[Peter Gross]

Detroit?

[Various Sponsor Voices]

Detroit?

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Chicago. I said Chicago.

[Peter Sagal]

You did? And then a number of other cities, but it is Chicago. I was in the On Wednesday, California passed a law banning ultra processed foods from being served in public blank schools. Right. This week, the 2025 Nobel Prize winner for medicine said she blanked when the Nobel committee called her.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

Choked?

[Peter Sagal]

No, she did not pick up the call because she thought it was spam. On Thursday, doctors in China performed the first ever blank to human liver transplant.

[Announcer]

Ca.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, after her sister asked fans for their prayers, country legend Blank had to release a statement saying, no, she's fine. Dolly Part yes this week, a town in The UK had to take drastic action after a blank started terrorizing citizens.

[Joyell Nicole Johnson]

There in the uk. In the uk, a white man in a white wig?

[Peter Sagal]

No, a horny swan is the answer. Oh, horny swan. According to localsman Reggie the, the Australian black swan first showed up in the town. Everything was great. He got along with the other swans who lived there. Even became a bit of a local tourist attraction. Sadly, things took a turn for the worse just a few weeks later when he started trying to drown all the other male swans in order to have the females to himself. Terrible news for the birds and for the people in the town, but great news for England's only swan focused true crime podcast. Alzo. How did Joelle do in our quiz?

[Alzo Slade]

She got four right, which gives her eight points. With a total of 10. She is now in the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

There you are, Joel. For now. All right, Paula, you are up next. Fill in the blank. On Tuesday, former FBI director Blank pleaded not guilty to lying to Congress.

[Paula Poundstone]

James Comey.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. For the first time ever, the price of blank reached $4,000 an ounce. Gold. Gold, yes. This week, members of the Texas National Guard arrived in Blank.

[Paula Poundstone]

Chicago.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. On Monday, the White House directed FBI employees to urgently search for any records related to the 1937 disappearance of Blank.

[Paula Poundstone]

Amelia Earhart.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, Weber State University's annual conference on censorship was cancelled after presenters refused.

[Paula Poundstone]

To Blank be censored.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly right. On Wednesday, theme park giant Blank once again raised their admission prices.

[Paula Poundstone]

Disney.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first billionaire player in the history of Blank. Cristiano.

[Paula Poundstone]

Soccer.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. This week, a street performance in India meant to warn people about the danger of stray dog attacks was interrupted by Blank.

[Paula Poundstone]

Stray dog attack.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly right. Pretty good. There are so many stray dogs in Kerala state, the government commissioned a theater troupe to put on a play about it. Because as we all know, theater is the most efficient way to communicate with the public. That's why we haven't had a single witch trial since the Crucible. And this is true. When the dog, the stray dog walked on stage during the play about the danger of stray dogs and bit one of the actors, the audience thought it was part of the show and applauded for the dog.

[Peter Gross]

That guy playing the dog did a great job.

[Peter Sagal]

He really did. Alzo. I think Paula did really, really well.

[Alzo Slade]

Paula got a lot, bro. She got eight right for 16 points with a total of 18.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow.

[Alzo Slade]

That puts her way out front.

[Peter Sagal]

You didn't miss me. You won.

[Alzo Slade]

She did not miss me.

[Peter Sagal]

That was remarkable. All right then. So how many does Peter need to win?

[Alzo Slade]

Peter needs eight to win.

[Peter Sagal]

Here you go, Peter. This is for the game. On Tuesday, President Trump suggested he may withhold back pay owed to workers affected by the. Blank.

[Peter Gross]

The shutdown.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Monday, renewables overtook Blank as the world's biggest source of energy.

[Peter Gross]

Overtook. Like oil and gas.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, fossil fuels. This week, a man was arrested in connection with starting the Palisades wildfire that burned through Blank early this year. Los Angeles, Right. Under pressure from the White House, the Justice Department has indicted New York Attorney General Blank.

[Peter Gross]

Let's just. James.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. During an interview celebrating how he was turning 100 in just two months, Dick Van Dyke said, blank, I regret everything.

[Alzo Slade]

No.

[Peter Sagal]

He said, quote, it would be pretty funny if he didn't make it. On Monday, electric car company Blank unveiled cheaper models of their two most popular cars.

[Peter Gross]

The one that makes those dumb trucks. Tesla.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. According to new data, tariffs have greatly increased the cost of Blank costumes.

[Peter Gross]

Halloween costumes.

[Peter Sagal]

This week, a man who was ticketed for talking in his phone while driving had the ticket voided because it turns out the phone was blank.

[Peter Gross]

It was an Altoids box.

[Peter Sagal]

No, it was a candy bar. And he wasn't talking on it. He was eating it. Man was pulled over by police. They caught him talking in his phone while driving. Against the law there. But he said he wasn't on the phone at all. He was just eating a candy bar. And it would have worked, too, at least until his stomach started ringing. Alzo. Did Peter Gross do well enough to win?

[Alzo Slade]

Nope. Peter got six right for 12 points, total of 16. Paula is the champion.

[Peter Sagal]

In just a minute, our panelists are going to predict what will be the controversial song on Taylor Swift's next album. But first, let me tell you all that. Wait, wait, don't tell me. It's a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago in association with the Urgent Haircut Productions. Oahu. Doug Berman. Benevolent overlord Philip Kodika writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager is Shayna Donald. Special thanks to Hutch and Leslie Hutchinson for all their help this week. And big thanks thanks to the staff and crew at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. BJ Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Doron, Boss and Lillian King. Special thanks this week to Blythe Roberson and Monica Hickey. Peter Gwynn is not here. Emma Choi is our vibe curator. Technical direction is from Lorna White. Our CFO and absolute road dog is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse, our senior producer is Ian Chillock. And the executive producer of Wait, Wait, don't tell me is Mr. Michael Danforth. Now, panel, what will be the next controversial song by Taylor Swift? Joyell, Nicole Johnson, come clip my cat's toes with me.

[Peter Gross]

Peter Gross, A song destined to anger Chiefs fans called Tush Push, Fly Eagles, fly. I want a Jalen till it hurts.

[Peter Sagal]

And Paula Poundstone.

[Paula Poundstone]

Well, it's either going to be tight fitting, receptacle, change purse or tiny box.

[Alzo Slade]

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

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Alzo Slade. Thanks also to Peter Gross, Joyell, Nicole Johnson and Paula Poundstone. A very special thanks to Valerie Yee and the entire staff at Hawaii Public Radio and our fabulous audience here in beautiful Honolulu. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll see you next week. This is NPR.

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