WWDTM: Tara Dower

Summary

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Episode Featuring Tara Dower

Hosted by Peter Sagal, NPR's "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" delivers a blend of humor, news trivia, and engaging conversations. In this episode, Peter welcomes Tara Dower, the ultrarunner who recently set a remarkable record on the Appalachian Trail. The show features lively interactions with panelists Faith Saley, Nagin Farsad, and Peter Gross, alongside spirited listener contestants.

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Introduction and Contestant Games

The episode kicks off with host Peter Sagal introducing the panelists and welcoming Joshua Johnson, who is filling in for Bill Curtis. The first contestant, Molly Prospect from West Hartford, Connecticut, joins the panel to play the game "Bluff the Listener." In this segment, Joshua Johnson presents three quotations from the week's news, and Molly successfully identifies all three, earning herself a voicemail voice from the show.

Notable Quotes:

• Joshua Johnson [06:04]: "I'll have a cocktail every now and then."
• Peter Sagal [06:34]: "According to the Washington Post, more and more people are describing themselves as sober, even though they drink regularly or even use some drugs, making sober the new vegetarian."

The panelists engage in humorous banter about the evolving definitions of sobriety, with Nagin Farsad [05:35] quipping about political figures being easily manipulated.

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Listener Contestant: Dalia from Waltham, MA

Next, Dalia from Waltham, Massachusetts, participates in "Bluff the Listener," focusing on paranormal phenomena. She is presented with three fictional and one real story about ghosts and mythical creatures.

Quotes and Interactions:

• Faith Saley [15:30]: "Alexis Mulvihill is an Albuquerque based medium..."
• Nagin Farsad [16:57]: "The Loch Ness monster has long been sighted in the Scottish Highlands..."
• Peter Gross [18:28]: "If you live in a haunted house, great news. Your ghost could die soon."

Dalia correctly identifies Peter Gross's story about ghosts "dying again," showcasing her knowledge of the supernatural topics discussed.

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Featured Guest: Tara Dower, Ultrarunner

The highlight of the episode is the introduction and interview with Tara Dower, who holds the record for running the entire Appalachian Trail in an astonishing 40 days, 18 hours, and 6 minutes. Tara shares insights into her grueling journey, including daily mileages and sleep patterns.

Key Insights:

• Tara Dower [21:48]: "The least amount of miles I did in a day was about 35. And the most I ever did was 62 in a day."
• Peter Sagal [22:14]: “17 and a half hours a day.”

Tara discusses the physical and mental challenges she faced, including hallucinations due to exhaustion, highlighting the extreme demands of ultrarunning.

Humorous Anecdotes:

• Panelist [23:03]: "You know, if you ask a hallucination, if they're hallucinating, they have to tell."
• Tara Dower [23:35]: "I'm lucky. There was like a hunter with a huge, huge, ginormous gun."

Tara also humorously recounts her decision to have her toenails permanently removed to prevent infections during her run.

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Interactive Games and More Listener Participation

Following Tara's segment, the show transitions to more interactive games. Contestants such as Luke from Philadelphia and others participate in the "Listener Limerick" challenge, where they fill in missing words in limericks based on recent news events.

Example Limerick:

• Joshua Johnson [38:36]:

  I think my hydrangea just cursed me.
  There's no water here in my nursery.
  My AI is so advanced,
  it is translating plants and they mostly just tell me they're ____
  

• Peter Sagal [39:19]: "Thirsty."

The panelists contribute witty remarks and playful corrections, enhancing the entertainment value of the segment.

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Final Games and Predictions

In the concluding segments, panelists Faith Saley, Nagin Farsad, and Peter Gross compete in the "Lightning Fill in the Blank" game. Faith emerges as the episode's champion with the highest score, edging out Nagin and Peter.

Final Predictions: When asked to predict the next trend following the surge of 97-inch TVs, the panelists offer imaginative and humorous ideas:

• Faith Saley: "Faith Sailing really big long catheters so no one needs to miss a moment of anything they're watching on their giant TV."
• Peter Gross: "A giant pool of Xanax for people who are pill sober, where you don't drink, but you do take a lot of pills."
• Nagin Farsad: "A massive jumbo sectional couch is not for more people, just a section for each of your emotions."

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with heartfelt thanks to the panelists, contestants, and the audience. Peter Sagal hints at future content and upcoming tours, maintaining the show's engaging and interactive spirit.

Final Remarks:

• Peter Sagal [51:56]: "Thank you, Joshua. Thanks to Faith Saley, Peter Gross, and Nagin Farsad, and thanks to our fabulous audience who joined us here at the Studebaker Theatre."

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Key Takeaways:

• Tara Dower's Achievement: Tara Dower's record-breaking run on the Appalachian Trail is a testament to human endurance and determination.
• Evolving Trends: The show humorously explores contemporary trends such as the redefining of sobriety and the obsession with ever-larger TVs.
• Engaging Interactions: The dynamic between host, panelists, and contestants creates a lively and entertaining atmosphere, making complex topics approachable and fun.

Notable Quote:

Peter Sagal [22:14]: "17 and a half hours a day is kind of amazing."

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Whether you're a fan of news trivia, humorous banter, or inspiring stories of human achievement, this episode of "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" offers something for everyone. Tune in to enjoy more laughs and intriguing discussions.

Transcript

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[Joshua Johnson]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. I'm Joshua Johnson filling in for Bill Curtis. And here's your host at the Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Joshua.

[Panelist 1]

Wow.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you. I appreciate that. We really do have a very fine show for you today. Later on, we're going to be talking to Tara Dower, the ultra runner who just set the record for running the entire Appalachian Trail. But first, we want to welcome Joshua Johnson filling in for Bill Curtis this week. Joshua, you were, of course, with NPR for a while, the original host of 1A. So what is it like coming back to NPR just for the day? Did you miss us?

[Joshua Johnson]

It is fantastic. Some of you know, I went over to television for a while and it's just, it's not the same. They don't give away tote bags. They can't do an 11 minute interview to save their lives. Amateurs. It's amateur hour over there. This is where I'd really rather be.

[Panelist 1]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

We'Re glad to have you back. You out there are always welcome on our air wherever you have gone off to. The number to call is 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Let's welcome our first listener contestant. Hi, everyone. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, Peter.

[Panelist 1]

How are you?

[Peter Sagal]

I'm well. Who's this? This is Molly Prospect from West Hartford, Connecticut. West Hartford, Connecticut. I know where that is. It's just west of Hartford. Very clever. What do you do there? I am a stay at home mom. You are? How many? Two boys. You have two boys. How old are you? Two boys. So Patrick is two and a half and Connor is 11 months or almost 11. Wow. You're just a little bit behind me.

[Panelist 1]

Peter is of 1000 months. How old are you?

[Peter Sagal]

I am. I am. I am more than that, Peter, actually. Well, anyway, Molly, welcome to the show. Let me introduce you to our panel this week. First up, it's a contributor to CBS Sunday morning, it's Faith Saley.

[Faith Saley]

Hey, Molly.

[Peter Sagal]

Hey, Faith. Next, the comedian and host of the podcast Fake the Nation, it's Nagin Farsad.

[Nagin Farsad]

Hey.

[Peter Sagal]

And finally, an actor and writer who can be seen in the acclaimed improv show Two Square at the UCB Theater in New York on November 20th. It's Peter Gross. Hi. So, Molly, we got everybody assembled here for you to play. Who's Joshua this time? Joshua Johnson, filling in for Bill Curtis, who's going to read you three quotations from the week's news. If you can correctly identify or explain two of them, you will win our prize. Any voice from our show you might choose on your voicemail. Are you ready to go?

[Listener Contestant]

I'm ready.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay. Now your first quote is a one word headline from the German news site Zeit Online on Wednesday. That was in fact the English word. You know, it. It starts with an F that they used to describe. What event? The results of the election. Yes. Indee. Yeah, it's all done. It's all over, including the counting. It's fair to say that the whole electoral process that we went through was incredibly traumatic for Americans of every side of the aisle. Well, good news. We won't ever have to do this again. Kamala Harris, her last moment of grace and patriotism. She of course conceded on Wednesday, but of course she's still vice president and she has a job to do. Including, of course, presiding over the certification of electoral votes on January 6th. And you know what would be really funny?

[Nagin Farsad]

Fun. You know what my first feeling was when I found out the news? I was like. My literal first feeling was like that same feeling you get when you see an ex boyfriend who's doing well and you're like, oh, no, I'm gonna get. I'm gonna start eating broccoli and exercising and I'm gonna get six pack abs. This guy does not get to be president and I'm not gonna be hot. No, thank you. It's like having a revenge body, but like a revenge democracy. That's how I. That was my first.

[Peter Sagal]

Wait a minute, hold on. So you're gonna. Wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm a little confused about the metaphor. Are the ABs actual ABs or the AB a committed? They're like a civic commitment.

[Nagin Farsad]

The ABs are a civic commitment.

[Panelist 1]

The ABs Are like being on like a local school.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly.

[Faith Saley]

My thought was about self care. I was like, just go get some mani pedis and some abortions and just do it all right now while you can.

[Nagin Farsad]

You know, Can I say something that I feel is that I remembered that made me feel very hopeful, which is that like he totally responds to flattery. Like, he'll be like, I'm racist and xenophobic and then you'll flatter him and then he'll Be like, well, I guess you can have that funding. You know what I mean? He's just sort of easy to manipulate. That's fun.

[Panelist 1]

That is fun.

[Peter Sagal]

Right, guys?

[Tara Dower]

Right?

[Peter Sagal]

Right, guys.

[Panelist 1]

You know what we have to do? If he divorces Melania in like a super young, very pretty young liberal marries him, he falls for her, and then he'll be like, I was listening to Stephanie and everything she says about trans rights is exactly how I feel.

[Peter Sagal]

It's impossible.

[Nagin Farsad]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Molly, here is your next quote. It is from the musician Jelly Roll Marijuana.

[Joshua Johnson]

And I'll have a cocktail every now and then.

[Peter Sagal]

He is part of a trend that was outlined in the Washington Post this week. He's one of the many people who say that they enjoy certain drugs and alcohol, but they still say they are, what, sober? Yes, sober. According to the Washington Post, more and more people are describing themselves as sober, even though they drink regularly or even use some drugs, making sober the new vegetarian. So some of them you might be familiar with. There's California sober. That means you only smoke weed. And then there's Florida sober meth only. And this one is real, apparently, nose sober, you just abstain from any drugs you snort, right? What? What? Really? That's a thing? Oh, yeah. No, I'm no snober. No cocaine as you take another shot. Yeah. I mean, at a certain point, as.

[Panelist 1]

You take cocaine and rub it all.

[Peter Sagal]

Over your Thomas, also at a certain point, it just gets ridiculous. You're not nighttime sober. You're just sleeping.

[Faith Saley]

So this is like a sober, curious movement.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, yeah, there are people who I think want to identify as being sober because what it says about your commitment to self improvement, but they also like to smoke a little weed. So they're California sober.

[Faith Saley]

And then there's dry January. Right.

[Peter Sagal]

There's dry January or sober October, where you don't drink for that month. Give it a try. But then there's also, and this is true, damp January. What? Where you drink just not so much. Right. And you do not get credit for that. You can't be like, I only cheated my wife a little bit. I'm damp, faithful October sober is one October.

[Panelist 1]

That's just.

[Peter Sagal]

I'm sorry, reverse it.

[Panelist 1]

Sober October. It's only because it rhymes. It wouldn't be like, I'm. It's like gay May.

[Peter Sagal]

I know.

[Panelist 1]

I'm just gay and May. And then I'm straight the rest of the year.

[Joshua Johnson]

Hey, that's how some of us started.

[Panelist 1]

We weren't ready.

[Peter Sagal]

There's.

[Panelist 1]

So you committed and you followed through.

[Joshua Johnson]

Finally Got there.

[Nagin Farsad]

Wait, but I also just think this is how everybody's been living from for like centuries. And now we just. We're like naming obsessed.

[Peter Sagal]

I mean, there's different kinds of sober. Apparently. There's also different kinds of drunk. For instance, right now I'm NPR drunk. That's where I can't get completely lit without your support call now. All right, your last quote, Molly, is from the ap.

[Joshua Johnson]

It's bigger than a king size bed.

[Peter Sagal]

Forget your puny 55 inch. A new report says there's a tenfold increase in the number of people who are planning to buy extra large watts starting on Black Friday. Television, yes. TVs, they are bigger than ever. And American consumers are snapping up. They've given up on the little 55 inch TVs. Now they want 80 inch, 90 inch, 97 inch wide TVs. That's about 8ft. A TV can be too big if you have to walk several steps to the side to see which friend Chandler is talking to. That's too big.

[Panelist 1]

But it's.

[Nagin Farsad]

Yeah, any head movement I feel like is makes a TV jail.

[Peter Sagal]

If you don't want to spend all this money on this enormous tv, you don't have to. They're actually available secondhand. This very week, CNN is selling three 500 inch touchscreens on Facebook. Marketplace.

[Panelist 1]

But they all come with John King.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. They do. Joshua, how did Molly do in our quiz?

[Joshua Johnson]

She could not have done any better. Three for three.

[Peter Sagal]

Way to go. Congratulations. Very good, Molly. Thank you so much for playing. Good luck with those boys.

[Panelist 1]

I took myself down to the TV.

[Peter Sagal]

Store Replaced the set I'd smashed on the floor Like a lover's quarrel Guess I lost my head I pounded on that sucker till I knew it was dead.

[Panelist 1]

Cause me and my tv we had.

[Peter Sagal]

A little fight Me and my tv I could watch you every night Right now. Panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Peter. Hotels are always adding new amenities for clients. But now some modern designed hotels are removing something from rooms to create what they say is a more intimate guest experience. What is it?

[Panelist 1]

Beds?

[Peter Sagal]

No.

[Panelist 1]

Toilets.

[Peter Sagal]

You're getting closer.

[Panelist 1]

Am I?

[Peter Sagal]

It's actually usually between the bed and the toilet.

[Panelist 1]

The bed and the toilet.

[Peter Sagal]

You, bed. The toilet.

[Panelist 1]

The ironing board in the closet? No, the little thing you put your.

[Peter Sagal]

Luggage on in the closet of, like an open concept.

[Panelist 1]

The wall.

[Peter Sagal]

What's in the wall? That usually drywall.

[Panelist 1]

The door.

[Peter Sagal]

The door? Yes, the bathroom door.

[Panelist 1]

Okay. Sorry.

[Peter Sagal]

More and more modern hotels are doing what they say saves money and space by designing rooms without bathroom doors. Right. It began when a designer said, what do people staying in a hotel room really want to be able to see from the bed straight to the toilet? And no one else was in the office that day, so they're facing crit. And because it turns out some couples, strangely, do not want to watch each other poop.

[Nagin Farsad]

I mean, a strictly we don't even admit to. After like 10 years, we still don't admit to each other that we either poop or fart. And I'm very proud of that. Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow. Yeah.

[Faith Saley]

Well, not to be competitive, but my husband is so thoughtful that when we stay in a hotel and he, I suppose, has to do that, he says, I'm gonna go off campus and he goes to the lobby bathroom. That's how loving my husband is.

[Panelist 1]

I don't want to steal your thunder, but I've been dating this woman for three years. I have not pooped once. Not once out of respect for her. That's a horrible idea.

[Peter Sagal]

It's disgusting. But one designer of these rooms explained that given, you know, space and budget constraints in modern construction, quote, sometimes privacy is just not going to happen, adding, you got eyelids, Use them.

[Panelist 1]

That's the door God gave you. Two doors on your eyes. Close the doors. Close your eye doors.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up. The truth is out there. It's our bluff. The listener game called one triple eight. Wait wait to play. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait Wait, don't tell me from npr. This message comes from Grammarly. The work week can be fast paced and it's hard to focus on getting everything done. Let Grammarly be your AI writing partner. It can help you write and quickly edit with suggestions wherever you write. 93% of professionals report that Grammarly helps them get more work done. Get more done with Grammarly. Download Grammarly for [e-mail] podcast that's Grammarly.com podcast. This message comes from Peloton offering an array of challenging programs to choose from, seasoned marathoners with tread programs to help you get ready for race day and custom strength workouts for the gym helps you push your limits every time. Peloton instructors are no joke, military trained, sub three hour marathon running and ex college athletes that really know how to push you towards your power. Find your push. Find your power with [e-mail] this message comes from BetterHelp.

[Listener Contestant]

It's important to take time to show gratitude towards others, but it's equally important to thank yourself. Life throws a lot of curveballs. And being grateful isn't always easy. Therapy can help remind you of all that you're worthy of and all that you do have. Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. [e-mail] NPR today to get 10% off your first month.

[Joshua Johnson]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, don't tell Me. The NPR News quiz. I'm Joshua Johnson. We're playing this week with Nagin Farsad, Faith Saley, and Peter Gross. Here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Joshua. Thank you all so much. Right now it is time. Right now it is time for the. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Bluff the listener game. Call 1, triple 8. Wait, wait. To play our game on the air, you can also check out the pinned post on our Instagram page, which is all the info is there. Hi, you're on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, this is Dalia calling from Waltham, Massachusetts. Waltham. I know it well. Waltham. What do you do there? I'm a politics and psychology student at Brandeis University. Brandeis University. A famous institution of higher learning there. The alma mater of our friend Josh Gondelman. Well, that's cool. What kind of career do you look for when you have that degree? I don't know. We'll see. There you are. There you are. Classic college student. I think that's great. Well, Dalia, welcome to the show. You're going to play the game in which you must try to tell truth from fiction. Joshua, what is Dalia's topic? I want to believe certain things defy our understanding. UFOs, psychic powers, people who clap when the plane lands. This week we heard about something new in the paranormal world. Our panelists are going to tell you about it. Pick the one who's telling the truth and you will win our prize, the wait waiter of your choice on your voicemail. Are you ready to play? Yes, I am. First, let's hear from Faith Saley.

[Faith Saley]

Alexis Mulvihill is an Albuquerque based medium. People pay her to place her fingertips on her Ouija board and receive occult messages, but it turns out spirits prefer palms to fingers. During a recent deep clean of her home, Alexis came across her old palm pilot from 1999. You know, those handheld personal digital assistants that helped you schedule when to buy Livin la Vida locator tickets? Well, Alexis happened to place her PDA near her Ouija board and that during her next reading, it turned on spontaneously. Alexis right hand was Forced to grasp the stylus, which then told her client that the client's dead father needed her to vote for Al Gore before it was too late. Paranormal researcher Violet Cogs Rubin. Except explains the spirit's preference for the palm pilot. In today's world, the dead have shorter attention spans. Letter by letter on a Ouija board is lame. Spirits don't want smartphones, though they like the turn of the century technology to hang onto a retro vibe. Alexis now has a six month waiting list for her palm readings.

[Peter Sagal]

A medium goes from a Ouija board to reading palms. Palm pilots, that is. Your next X file comes from Negin Farsad.

[Nagin Farsad]

The Loch Ness monster has long been sighted in the Scottish Highlands. The fact that the Scottish people also have the highest reported level of drunkenness is unrelated. Loch Ness monsters are big, they're slimy, and they've got incredibly long necks. But in a recent report from paranormal experts who specialize in maritime creatures, it turns out they have a horrible anatomy. Years of inbreeding have left them with genetic problems. You know, like how pugs can't breathe because of their short, flat faces. Or how Chihuahuas shiver when it's 80 degrees out. Or how cats behave like cats. The Loch Ness has a trove of weird inbred ailments, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and most painfully, Loch Ness monsters can't really lift their necks because they're missing the necessary number of vertebrae to make it comfortable. You thought it was because they were being tactical, staying hidden underwater, but no, it's because they. They literally can't lift their heads. If you're ever drunk in the Scottish Highlands, in the distance, you'll hear a Loch Ness monster say, ah, my neck. My sciatica's acting up. If any of these people knew I could barely keep my head up, I would lose all my monster credibility. And that's how they talk.

[Peter Sagal]

That is. The Loch Ness monster is discovered to be suffering from centuries of inbreeding. Of course, it's stuck in a lake. Your last paranormal parable comes from Peter Gross.

[Panelist 1]

If you live in a haunted house, great news. Your ghost could die soon. That's right, the dead are dying twice. Brian Sterling Vett, who heads up a research organization called Project Half Life, told the Daily Star, quote, many of our once famous ghosts could be literally dying, unquote. He claims ghosts are subject to the second law of thermodynamics, which says that energy will disperse and declare degrade over time. So they're essentially dying again. They're being Cooked twice like a paranormal baked potato. He also believes that the ghosts currently haunting us are likely under 100 years old, which is good, because nobody wants a hundred year old ghost. By the time ghosts turn 40, they're just complaining about how lugging their chains around is aggregating their herniated disc. And then when they hit 70, they can't stop talking about the show Yellowstone. It's Costner's best performance since Dances with wool. At 80, they lose their hearing, and at 90, every other word out of their mouths is some kind of slur. So maybe them dying before 100 is just for the best.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so we heard some interesting news from the worlds beyond. Sort of. Was it from Faith Salie, a medium who found that her Palm Pilot was in fact an even better medium for communicating with the spirits? From Nagin Farsad, the discovery that the Loch Ness monster, Nessie, is suffering from inbreeding? Or from Peter Gross, a discovery by a prominent paranormal researcher that the ghosts who are already dead are dying. Which of these is the real discovery from the world of the unusual? I think I'm gonna go with Peter's story about the ghosts who are dying again. The ghosts who are dying again. All right, so your choice. This is Peter's story about ghosts dying again. To bring you the correct answer, we spoke to someone involved with that real story.

[Joshua Johnson]

This begs the question, what is a year of ghost time compared to a year of human time?

[Peter Sagal]

If ghosts have a lifespan, what is their afterlife? That was Brian Sterling Vite, founder of Paranormal Rescue, the first ever paranormal emergency rescue service. Who was the guy who has determined that the ghosts are dying out. Congratulations, Dalia. You got it right. Thank you. And now the game where we ask people about things they just don't know anything about. It's called not my job. The Appalachian trail is about 2,200 miles long. And every now and then, people see how fast they can run the whole thing. This September, Tara Dower set a new record for men or women of 40 days, 18 hours and 5 minutes, breaking the old record by 13 hours. We are grateful. It's quite a thing. And we are grateful that after doing that, she was still able to stay awake long enough to join us now. Tara Dower, welcome to. Wait. Wait, don't tell me.

[Tara Dower]

Thanks. I'm so excited to be here.

[Peter Sagal]

We're very excited to have you. Speaking as a runner myself, I am not nearly of that achievement. I'm extremely impressed. First question, did we get the numbers right? About 2200 miles, end to end. Maine to Georgia. And you did it in 40 days, 18 hours, five minutes, is that right?

[Tara Dower]

Six minutes.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, excuse me.

[Faith Saley]

Oh, you are scrupulous.

[Peter Sagal]

So break that down. To travel that far in that period of time, how far did you have to travel per day? And how much time did it take to travel, to run every day?

[Tara Dower]

The least amount of miles I did in a day was about 35. And the most I ever did was 62 in a day. And I was. Every day, I was moving for about, on average, like 17 and a half hours a day.

[Peter Sagal]

17 and a half hours. Okay, that's kind of amazing. And how much were you able to sleep on average?

[Tara Dower]

About five hours.

[Peter Sagal]

And at what point? I mean, I guess you ran from Maine to Georgia. So by. Were you starting to hallucinate by the time you were in New York, say.

[Tara Dower]

Yeah, well, the compounding exhaustion came around. I'd say Maryland. It got pretty bad. I remember some, like, little hallucinations. I had, like, little devils sitting on logs and I saw a white cat and a lion and I saw my friend sitting on a log. So the hallucinations were getting pretty bad around, like, the middle of the trail. Maryland is about halfway through.

[Panelist 1]

Well, I wonder if there's people who have hiked it. And they'd be like, no, that's just Maryland.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Faith Saley]

What do you do when you know you're hallucinating? Like, what do you do about it?

[Tara Dower]

You just kind of. You go with it. You gotta just go with it.

[Faith Saley]

You talk to the devil.

[Tara Dower]

You could do. Just keep going.

[Panelist 1]

Right. Well, it must be comforting knowing, like, that's not real. There's not a cat and a devil here. Like, I might as well just keep running like there's no threat, you know?

[Nagin Farsad]

Yeah.

[Tara Dower]

Well, you know, I've had hallucinations during 100 mile races that I've done. And some of those have been really concerning.

[Panelist 1]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

And I think, oh, give us an example.

[Tara Dower]

I'm lucky. There was like a hunter with a huge, huge, ginormous gun. And he was like, asking me where I was going or what I was doing. And I was like, oh, crap. Like, is this real? And it was in the middle of the night. It was at 2am on a trail by myself.

[Panelist 1]

You know, if you ask a hallucination, if they're hallucination, they have to tell.

[Peter Sagal]

You there's a rule. Do you eat?

[Faith Saley]

Eat while you run?

[Tara Dower]

Yes. Yeah, I mean, that's. You have to, like, be utilizing. You have to eat wherever you can. I mean, I'm eating. Oh, I Think it was like 8 to 10,000 calories a day. So I mean you just have to like eat and run. You have to do as much as you can when you run and do people. The only time I stopped during the day was to use the bathroom.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, they eat bathrooms in the trail. That's nice. And so when you say you're eating.

[Panelist 1]

So you're just like people thought it was a bathroom. You may have been hallucinating a bathroom. It could have been someone's car. You can't guarantee that was a bathroom.

[Peter Sagal]

There is a bear in Virginia that is awfully angry. So you're right. So I'm trying to figure out. You're running along and like your friends are with you. You have a lot of support. I know in order to do this. And they run up to you and they give you, hand you a banana or whatever it is you're eating and you just stuff it in your face as you keep running.

[Tara Dower]

Yep, yep, that's. That's about it. Yeah, just keep moving.

[Peter Sagal]

Eat.

[Tara Dower]

My favorite was gummies and I like Rice Krispie treats. And goldfish. I loved goldfish.

[Peter Sagal]

Right.

[Nagin Farsad]

Wow, that's so unhealthy.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, it's the calories.

[Nagin Farsad]

I was just like, I was expecting you to be like broccoli and then other forms of broccoli.

[Peter Sagal]

Let's back up a little bit. So this was, as we've said, quite an accomplishment. 40 days of running whatever, 18, 19 hours a day. Why in the world did you decide you wanted to do this in the first place?

[Tara Dower]

Oh yeah, yeah. I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2019 and that's just like five months and 10 days. I was just, I just look at that experience and I just, I love that experience on the Appalachian Trail.

[Peter Sagal]

So you took five months and you threw hike the trail. You went from one end to the other five months. Amazing experience out there in the woods, in the wilderness and the towns and the people. And you said what if this. But with nothing enjoyable. What if I were to do this whole thing but doing it so fast I couldn't meet anybody and stop anywhere, see anything or eat anything other than handfuls of garbage. You said what if that, that's what you did.

[Tara Dower]

Yeah, yeah. That was kind of the experience I was looking for. Honestly.

[Peter Sagal]

We. A couple more questions. First of all, I understand that you said once that you are, you have decided after lots of experiences, negative, positive, but you've just decided that you're dumb with toenails.

[Tara Dower]

Oh yeah, I got my, I got four toenails permanently removed before I went out on the trail. And that was the best decision I ever made.

[Peter Sagal]

Wow. You just. You were done with them. You were like. You were tired of them getting bloody and. And coming off.

[Tara Dower]

Oh, yeah. How did you fall off all the time?

[Faith Saley]

Were you playing this little piggy and you were like, this little piggy goes.

[Peter Sagal]

This little piggy gets slaughtered.

[Tara Dower]

Yeah, that was it. We said, eeny, meeny, miny, moe. No. So my big toenails are always the ones during these feats. They always, like, fall off and it's very painful and they get infected. And so I was like, that one's coming off. And then I asked the podiatrist if we could take them all off, and he was like, no, but we can do two at a time. So I decided, I'll do it.

[Faith Saley]

It's like Sophie's choice with toes.

[Peter Sagal]

What's next? What's the next achievement and when are you going to be ready to do it?

[Tara Dower]

Yeah, I guess tonight. And to see how fast I can get through a pint of ice cream.

[Peter Sagal]

There you go. Now we're talking. Now we're talking. Well, Tara, we are delighted to talk to you and. And we have asked you here to play a game that this time we.

[Joshua Johnson]

Are calling try a stroll down these Appalachian tales.

[Peter Sagal]

So you ran the whole Appalachian trail, but you went through it too fast this last time to hear any of the myths and legends of that particular region. So we're going to ask you three questions about folk tales from the places you ran through. And if you get two right, you'll win our prize for one of our listeners, the voice of anyone they like on their voicemail. So, Joshua, who is Tara playing for?

[Joshua Johnson]

Sarah O'Dell of Redmond, Washington.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay, here we go. Here's your first question about Appalachian tales. In West Virginia, they still celebrate the Mothman. That's the mysterious creature that first appeared in 1966 near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. What was the headline in the Point Pleasant Register newspaper the day after the Mothman's first sighting? Was it, A, a, insects seem to be rather large this year. B, couples see man sized bird creature something, Or C, annual rummage sale draws record crowds?

[Tara Dower]

Oh, I'm going to have to say.

[Peter Sagal]

B, you're going to go B, couple C, man sized bird creature something. You're right.

[Panelist 1]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes. To be fair, it. It was something. And there is now an annual Mothman festival in Point Pleasant if you want to go down there and find out all about it.

[Tara Dower]

So cool.

[Faith Saley]

She's like, it's a hallucination.

[Panelist 1]

Yes.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, here's your next question. Now, while mothman is probably the most famous Appalachian cryptid, he's not the only one out there. Next time you run the trail, you might also run into which of these A, the phantom trucker who stopped to use the bathroom at south of the border and never returned. B, the lost hiker, an angry ghost who died of starvation and demands trail mix from every passerby Or C, a bigfoot like creature called wood booger.

[Tara Dower]

Oh. Oh man, I'm gonna have to say.

[Peter Sagal]

B, you're gonna go for the lost hiker, the ghost that demands trail mix from every passerby. No, it was the wood booger. Yeah, yeah, he's called the. He's called the wood booger because he's like the boogeyman, not because of his texture. He's the boogeyman. Okay, last question. If you get this one right, you win. You've heard of sasquatch, right? There are stories of sasquatch in the area, but in west Virginia there is a terrifying beast that unlike Sasquatch, walks on all fours.

[Panelist 1]

Right.

[Peter Sagal]

Sasquatch stands up. What do they call this mysterious creature? A, the sheepsquatch. B, bigfeet Or C, independent senator Joe manchin.

[Tara Dower]

What were the first. Wait, the first one was squatch.

[Peter Sagal]

Seep squatch big feet. Or independent senator Joe manchin.

[Tara Dower]

I would say a, you're going to.

[Peter Sagal]

Do it for a sheep squatch. That's right, Tara. It's called the seat. It's called sheep squatch because of its thick white fur. Or so they say. Joshua, how did Tara Dower do in our quiz?

[Joshua Johnson]

Well, normally she just got the two points, but every one of the toes that she sacrificed is actually worth a quarter point. So we're just going to give you a perfect score. Nicely done.

[Peter Sagal]

Yay. Tyra dower is the fastest person ever to complete the Appalachian trail. Tyra dower, thank you so much for joining us on weibuitung.

[Panelist 1]

Yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

And get some rest. Take care. Bye. Bye. Just a minute. Find out what your house plants really think of you in our Listener Limerick challenge. Call 1 Triple 8 Weight Weight to join us in the air. We'll be back in a minute with more weight. Weight. Don't tell me from npr.

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[Peter Sagal]

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Autograph Collection hotels offering over 300 independent hotels around the world, each exactly like nothing else. Hand selected for their inherent craft, each hotel tells its own unique story through distinctive design and immersive experiences. From medieval falconry to volcanic wine tasting, Autograph Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of over 30 hotel brands around the world. Find the [e-mail].

[Joshua Johnson]

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, wait, don't tell me, the NPR News quiz. Filling in for Bill Curtis, I'm Joshua Johnson. We're playing this week with Peter Gross, Nagin Farsad and Faith Saley. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal.

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Joshua. In just a minute, it's a classic man versus poem showdown in our listener limerick Challenge. If you'd like to play, give us a call at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. But right now, panel, some more questions for you from the week's news. Nagin, There is a new trend in parenting. If your kids are nervous about going to a sleepover, you just have them bring along. What?

[Nagin Farsad]

Oh, is this like Florida parenting? And you have them bring some meth. That doesn't sound right.

[Panelist 1]

They won't sleep.

[Peter Sagal]

That's not right. No.

[Nagin Farsad]

You have them bring like a stuffy, like a little.

[Peter Sagal]

No, that's old school. This is a new thing.

[Nagin Farsad]

Oh, this is a new thing.

[Peter Sagal]

Stuffy's not gonna help.

[Nagin Farsad]

So you have them bring their little at home robot.

[Peter Sagal]

No. Futuristic.

[Tara Dower]

No.

[Peter Sagal]

I'll give you a hint. You can bring matching Kanga and Roo sleeping bags.

[Nagin Farsad]

Oh, so you.

[Faith Saley]

Oh, you bring your parent.

[Peter Sagal]

No, you bring you. Right.

[Faith Saley]

The parent.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. You bring the parent. Yes. Goes to the sleepover. Right. So you're nervous about what kind of environment you're sending your kid into at their friend's house. Well, pack your pajamas, your favorite stuffy, and go do some reconnaissance. It's called a mommy and me sleepover. No thank.

[Nagin Farsad]

This is why the surgeon general said that parenting is a health crisis. It really is because of stuff like this.

[Peter Sagal]

It's not bad because it's a good time because you're friends with the parents. The kids play the parents chat and have cocktails.

[Faith Saley]

The parents need to be child sober. That's what they need to be just.

[Peter Sagal]

No children at all.

[Faith Saley]

Yes.

[Panelist 1]

I would also just dispute that you're friends with the parents. I don't think that everybody. Parents here and across America. Are you friends with all of your kids? Friends, parents, like friends, friends. Not really. And all the people who know me. I love you, you're great. But, like, you're not like, sleepover. You don't want to go like sleep over at the house of all these people.

[Faith Saley]

Is this. Do you actually spend the night or do you come over?

[Peter Sagal]

No, you do, you do. This is. No, it's great. If you're going to do this, if you're going to go with your kid to a sleepover, let me just. Word of the wise, Remember to ask the other parents first. You don't want to show up at the house and say, thanks for inviting Arlo. He's allergic to peanuts and I cannot abide domestic wines. Nagin. To accommodate aging millennials and Gen Xers, some nightclubs in New York are introducing. What?

[Nagin Farsad]

Oh, cots.

[Peter Sagal]

Close. They're actually introducing. I'm going to give it to you. They introduce bedtimes.

[Panelist 1]

Yeah, bedtimes.

[Peter Sagal]

Like the people who used to go clubbing back in the 90s, they loved staying up all night to party. But on the other hand, have you heard about this new show, Matlock with Kathy Bates? That's great. So to lure these people back in, some clubs are offering evenings of music and dancing that absolutely end at 10pm sharp, so you can go home. One Such party promised 90s music and they told people to come in 90s era costumes. And all the attendees said, hey, people back in the 90s wore flannel pajama pants and stained T shirts. Right. That's a look.

[Panelist 1]

Are they selling out like crazy?

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah, people love to go. Also, it helps because they're starting to offer early bird Specials. Come at 4:30pm and your Molly is half off.

[Nagin Farsad]

I feel like I would have loved this at every age.

[Peter Sagal]

I mean, you know what I mean?

[Nagin Farsad]

Like, who doesn't want to like, go out, get messed up and like, make out with a stranger, but then, like, have a good night's rest and then wake up and go to work feeling good?

[Peter Sagal]

Well, of course, another reason to do this, to have the older people come in early and leave is so the young people don't have old people at their club. In fact, it's great, right? The millennials show up. They leave at 10. The young people show up right when the millennials go home to go to bed. And when the young People go home at 4am the baby boomers all come because they had to get up to pee and couldn't go back to sleep.

[Panelist 1]

It's the circle of life.

[Peter Sagal]

Coming up. It's lightning. Fill in the blank. But first it's the game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. You can see us most weeks right here at the Studebaker Theater in downtown Chicago. Or you can catch us on the road. We'll be in Detroit November 14th. That's next week. And Carnegie hall in New York City. We're coming back on December 12th. For tickets and information, go to nprpresents.org you can check out our sister podcast, how to do everything this week, how to quench your thirst in the desert. It's both news you can use and news you cannot unsee. Hi, Ron. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi. How are you? I'm well. Who's this? Excellent. I'm Luke. I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What do you do there in the beautiful city of brotherly love? I am an English teacher. You are? Are you one of those cool English teachers? So I recently came to the realization that there's no such thing as a cool teacher, which has been kind of hard to grapple with. Right. It's just whatever you do, you're just not going to be cool.

[Panelist 1]

They have informed you that you're not cool? Pretty much, yeah.

[Peter Sagal]

It's. It's really unfortunate.

[Panelist 1]

Wow.

[Peter Sagal]

Well, Luke, welcome to the show. Joshua Johnson is going to read you three news related limerick with the last word or phrase missing from each. If you can fill in that last word or phrase correctly into the limericks, you'll be a winner. Here is your first limerick.

[Joshua Johnson]

I think my hydrangea just cursed me. There's no water here in my nursery. My AI is so advanced, it is translating plants and they mostly just tell me they're.

[Peter Sagal]

Oh, gosh. Could you read it again?

[Joshua Johnson]

You get one for free after this.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay. All right, here we go.

[Joshua Johnson]

I think my hydrangea just cursed me. There's no water here in my nursery. My AI is so advanced, it is translating plants and they mostly just tell me they're blanking.

[Faith Saley]

Luke, from.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes.

[Faith Saley]

From one English major to another. It's an approximate rhyme.

[Peter Sagal]

Okay, great. Yeah. I don't know. I'm coming up late. It's okay. It's thirsty. Thirsty. Tell Me, they're thirsty. This week we learned about the demonstration of new technology that, if installed everywhere, will allow your plants to talk to you using AI and a series of sensors in the soil. So, right, you can ask your plants, how are you? And the plant will say, I need a bit more water. And then you forget about it, and you leave town for a few weeks, and you ignore the texts. And then you get one last text from your plant that says, murderer. Of course, once you start letting your plants talk to you, it's a slippery slope. I mean, you don't need to get texts every time your plants are like, dude, I just saw the sexiest bee. All right, here is your next limerick.

[Joshua Johnson]

At the airport, I face too much drama. Good thing Andean beasts remain calmer. Their soft, fluffy fleece gives passengers peace. Now, I'm fine because I'm petting a llama.

[Peter Sagal]

A llama? Yes. There is now a comfort llama at the Portland Oregon airport. That's great for anyone who's afraid of flying. But what about a person who's afraid of flying? And llamas?

[Nagin Farsad]

Oh, God, I love this.

[Panelist 1]

This is in Portland.

[Peter Sagal]

This is. Of course, it's important.

[Panelist 1]

Every city should have, like, something that corresponds to it that is in the airport, that you can pet. Like, in Chicago, it would be, like, a big, like, cow or something like that. Like a stockyard.

[Faith Saley]

In New York, it would be a rat that you would.

[Panelist 1]

Yeah, New York would be a rat.

[Peter Sagal]

Absolutely funny.

[Panelist 1]

In Boston, it would be, like, a racist.

[Peter Sagal]

No, it's actually kind of funny. This is true. In. In LaGuardia Airport, just this last week, a raccoon fell through the ceiling. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The airport attendant's like, no, that's. That's our comfort raccoon. Yeah. People who are nervous about flying can come over here and pet the raccoon. All right, very good. Here is your last limerick.

[Joshua Johnson]

We vampire bats fly for fun. It's the groundwork that gets the job done. When we drop from the skies, the cows jump in. Surprise. So we land nearby, sneak, and then run.

[Peter Sagal]

Yes, run. Exciting slash horrifying news from the New York Times. Vampire Batman can run really fast. The article is titled, you May not be able to outrun a Vampire Bat. Seriously, this was the most alarming headline in the New York Times this whole week.

[Panelist 1]

That's not fair, man.

[Peter Sagal]

You can't get another.

[Panelist 1]

It'd be like, and they have guns.

[Peter Sagal]

Exactly. I do hate it, though, personally, when I go to the gym and all the treadmills are being used by bats. You guys have wings. Joshua, how did Luke do?

[Joshua Johnson]

He did well enough to become the very first cool teacher in the history of education. Two out of three, my friend. Nicely done.

[Peter Sagal]

That's actually. Luke, that's actually a good point. Do your students listen to the show and do you think this win might make you cooler in their eyes? You know, I do think Philadelphia high school students listen to. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Regularly. So, yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure they'll get a standing ovation in honor of your win. They're going to climb up the light poles, right? Luke, thank you so much for playing. Take care. Thank you. Bye bye.

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[Peter Sagal]

Joe Biden's on his way out and Donald Trump's on his way back. Want to know what's happening as the presidential transition is underway? The NPR Politics Podcast has you covered with the latest news and analysis. Listen to the NPR Politics Podcast. Well, it's time for 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 is worth two points. Joshua, can you give us the scores?

[Joshua Johnson]

I can indeed. Faith has two points. Nagin and Peter both have three points.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, Faith, you are in third place. That means you're up first. Fill in the blank. Following Donald Trump's win, Blank delivered a speech to the nation on Thursday.

[Faith Saley]

Kamala Harris.

[Peter Sagal]

No, it was actually President Biden on Thursday. She was Wednesday. On Tuesday, Australia announced it would introduce legislation to set a minimum age for using Blank social media. Right. Best known for his work on Michael Jackson's Thriller, among many other albums, super producer Blank passed away at the age of 91.

[Faith Saley]

Quincy Jones.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Thursday, 27 million residents of California were placed on alert as rescue workers battled Blanks Wildfires. Right. This week, a man was banned from future New York marathons after he brought blank to this year's race.

[Faith Saley]

Oh, a llama.

[Peter Sagal]

An entire camera crew. On Wednesday, Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia and Miami topped the blank playoff rankings.

[Faith Saley]

Um, college football.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Tuesday, a business in Taiwan became the first ice cream shop to be awarded a blanket.

[Faith Saley]

Oh, a Michelin star.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, a cyclist in Oregon sued an ambulance company, complaining that the ambulance charged him almost $2,000 to take him to the hospital after he was hit by blank.

[Faith Saley]

An ambulance. That ambulance.

[Peter Sagal]

That ambulance, yes. The ambulance made a right turn and hit the cyclist, fracturing his nose, among other injuries, and then offered to take him to the hospital, which they did, and then they charged him $1,800 for the ride. This is what happened when you make your EMTs work on commission. Joshua, how did Faith do in our quiz?

[Joshua Johnson]

She did very nicely. 6 right answers. 12 more points. For the moment, you have the lead with 14 points.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, I'm going to arbitrarily pick Peter to go next. Here we go. Peter, fill in the blank. On Tuesday, seven states voted to ensign abortion. Right. After he failed to surrender his assets to election workers. Blank appeared in court on Thursday.

[Panelist 1]

Oh, Giuliani.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. According to new reports, as many as 10,000 North Koreans are expected to enter combat in Blank.

[Panelist 1]

Ukraine.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Wednesday, Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Blank, Cuba. Right. Last week, a passenger on JetBlue sued the airline because the ice cream sandwich they gave her was blank.

[Panelist 1]

It was not a Michelin starred ice cream sandwich.

[Peter Sagal]

No, because it was way too cold. On Thursday, experts raised concerns that weight loss drugs like blank may lead to muscle loss.

[Panelist 1]

Ozempic. Right.

[Peter Sagal]

On Wednesday, the first satellite made of blank was finally launched into space.

[Panelist 1]

Recycled material, no wood.

[Peter Sagal]

This week, a woman in England was confused after her cat brought a mouse into the house and then blanked.

[Panelist 1]

Put on some Barry White and let it go.

[Peter Sagal]

Close it, close. The cat fed the mouse dinner, the woman said, and then put on some berry white.

[Panelist 1]

I mean, buy me dinner first, baby.

[Peter Sagal]

The woman said she was shocked when her cat brought a live mouse inside, set it in front of its own food dish, and let it eat as much cat food as it wanted. Even weirder was when just before he set the mouse down, the cat said, have you ever dined with us before? Well, we do things a little differently around here.

[Panelist 1]

Or it's sadistic. It was like, yes, I want to fatten you up before I eat you.

[Peter Sagal]

Hehehe. Joshua, how did Peter Gross do in our quiz?

[Joshua Johnson]

Pretty well. He got 5 right for 10 more points. 13 points. But faith retains the lead.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, so how much then does Nagin need to win?

[Joshua Johnson]

Six right answers will do it.

[Peter Sagal]

All right, here you go. Okay, this is for the game. Nagin. On Thursday, a new study confirmed that 2024 will be the blankest year on record.

[Nagin Farsad]

Hottest.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister of Spain said the country was working to find those still missing after devastating blanks hit the area.

[Nagin Farsad]

Floods.

[Peter Sagal]

Right. This week, TGI Fridays became the latest chain restaurant to file for blank bankruptcy. Right. On Thursday, authorities in South Carolina advised residents to close their windows and lock their doors. Due to blank fires? No, due to dozens of monkeys in the loose after they escaped a research facility. After breaking into an electric company in France, a group of hackers demanded their $125,000 ransom be paid in blank quarters. No baguettes. It's France. According to a new study, just five minutes of blank a day could help reduce blood pressure.

[Nagin Farsad]

Squats.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. Exercise. Thanks to increased solar activity, the blanks can again be seen further south than usual.

[Nagin Farsad]

Aurora.

[Peter Sagal]

Yeah. The northern lights. Right. This week, Police in the UK responded to a report of a 60 year old man with a rusty machete attacking blank.

[Nagin Farsad]

A raccoon that fell through the ceiling?

[Peter Sagal]

No, an 80 year old man with a pair of nunchucks.

[Panelist 1]

Where was this?

[Peter Sagal]

This was in the UK. According to police, the 80 year old man who had the nunchucks had accidentally knocked on the other man's door, which enraged the other guy, the 60 year old, so much that he came at the elderly man with his machete. Fortunately, as said, the 80 year old man happened to be out with his nunchucks, so defended himself. To see the full story, just watch this week's episode of Geriatric Mutant Ninja Turf.

[Nagin Farsad]

The UK is like Europe's Florida pretty much, apparently.

[Peter Sagal]

I love the fact that this 80 year old guy is like, well, time to go for a walk. Gotta get my cane, my visor and my nunchucks. Joshua, did Nagin do well enough to win?

[Joshua Johnson]

Nagin got five correct answers for 10 more points and a final score of 13 points. So this week with 14 points, your champion is Faith Salie.

[Panelist 1]

Come from behind. Victory.

[Peter Sagal]

Congratulations, Faith.

[Nagin Farsad]

Thank you.

[Peter Sagal]

In just a minute we're going to ask our panelists to predict after 97 inch TVs what will be the next giant thing. We're all going to buy for our houses. But first let me tell you that. Wait, wait, don't tell me. It's a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago and association with Urgent Haircut Productions. Doug Berman, Benevolent Overlord Philip Goteker writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager is Shayna Donald. Thanks to the staff and crew at the Studebaker Theatre. BJ Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Durhambaughs and Lillian King. Special thanks to Blythe Roberson, Binyam Bizina and Monica Hickey. Our therapy animal is Peter Gwynn. Emma Choi is our vibe curator, technical directionist from Lorna White. Her CFO is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Neuhaus. Our senior producer, Ian Shillock and the executive producer of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is Michael Danforth. Now, panel, what's the next extra large object we're all gonna feel we have to buy for our houses?

[Faith Saley]

Faith Sailing really big long catheters so no one needs to miss a moment of anything they're watching on their giant tv.

[Panelist 1]

Peter gross, A giant pool of Xanax for people who are pill sober, where you don't drink, but you do take a lot of pills.

[Nagin Farsad]

And Negin Farsan, a massive jumbo sectional couch is not for more people, just a section for each of your emotions.

[Panelist 1]

Aw.

[Joshua Johnson]

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

[Peter Sagal]

Thank you, Joshua Johnson, thanks to Faith Saley, Peter Gross to Nagin Farsad, thanks to our fabulous audience who joined us here at the Studio Baker Theater, and thanks to all of you out there wherever, wherever you are for listening. I'm Peter Sage. We'll see you next week in Detroit, Michigan. This is npr.

[Listener Contestant]

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