Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Saturdays, Noon - 1pm

For a wacky and whip-smart approach to the week's news and newsmakers, listen no further than Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!, the oddly informative news quiz from NPR.  During each fast-paced, irreverent show, host Peter Sagal leads what might be characterized as the news Olympics.  Callers, panelists, and guests compete by answering questions about the week's events, identifying impersonations, filling in the blanks at lightening speed, sniffing out fake news items, and deciphering limericks.  Listeners vie for a chance to win the most coveted prize in radio:  having official judge and scorekeeper Carl Kasell record the outgoing message on their home answering machine.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
3:24 pm
Fri February 22, 2013

Novelist John Irving Plays Not My Job

Credit Cesar Rangel / AFP/Getty Images

Originally published on Sat February 23, 2013 10:28 am

This segment was originally broadcast on June 14, 2012.

John Irving is the author of The World According To Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Cider House Rules and many other works of fiction. His latest novel is called In One Person.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
3:24 pm
Fri February 22, 2013

Dax Shepard And Kristen Bell Play Not My Job

Credit Chris Pizzello / AP

Originally published on Sat February 23, 2013 10:28 am

This segment was originally broadcast on Aug. 2, 2012.

Real-life Hollywood couple Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are a.) famous b.) adorable c.) funny d.) the stars of Hit and Run, a new movie they made together, and e.) amazingly, all of the above.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
3:24 pm
Fri February 22, 2013

Singer-Songwriter Bonnie Raitt Plays Not My Job

Credit Marina Chavez /

Originally published on Sat February 23, 2013 10:28 am

This segment was originally broadcast on Sept. 6, 2012.

Back in the early 1970s, a young woman at Radcliffe College faced a choice: Stay in school and get her degree, or drop out and become a legendary blues singer and guitarist. It's pretty clear Bonnie Raitt made the right choice.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
8:30 pm
Fri February 15, 2013

Lightning Fill In The Blank

Originally published on Sat February 16, 2013 9:35 am

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

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 he or she can. Each correct answer now worth two points. Carl, can you give us the scores?

CARL KASELL: We have a tie for first place, Peter. Brian Babylon and Roxanne Roberts both have three points. Luke Burbank has two.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
8:30 pm
Fri February 15, 2013

Bluff The Listener

Originally published on Sat February 16, 2013 9:35 am

Transcript

CARL KASELL: From NPR and WBEZ-Chicago, this is WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!, the NPR News quiz. I'm Carl Kasell. We're playing this week with Luke Burbank, Brian Babylon and Roxanne Roberts. And here again is your host, at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal.

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Thank you, Carl.

(APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: Right now, it's time for the WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME! Bluff the Listener game. Call 1-888-Wait-Wait to play our game on the air. Hi, you're on WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
8:30 pm
Fri February 15, 2013

Prediction

Originally published on Sat February 16, 2013 9:35 am

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Now, panel, what will replace wrestling in the Olympics? Roxanne Roberts?

ROXANNE ROBERTS: Cage fights between drugged roosters and nervous fish called Cock-a-doodle Don't.

(LAUGHTER)

SAGAL: Brian Babylon?

BRIAN BABYLON: A new aquatic event called Competitive Cruise Ship Towing.

(LAUGHTER)

SAGAL: And Luke Burbank?

LUKE BURBANK: Drug Free Cycling, which in all honestly is going to mean sometimes walking the bikes up the hills.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
8:29 am
Sat February 9, 2013

Bluff The Listener

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 9:49 am

Our panelists tell us three stories of someone getting in the mood for love, only one of which is true.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
8:29 am
Sat February 9, 2013

Panel Round Two

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 9:49 am

More questions for the panel: House of Terrors, and We're Not Just Kidding.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
8:29 am
Sat February 9, 2013

Prediction

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 9:49 am

After the corpse of Richard III turned up in under a parking lot, our panelists predict where the next historical figure will be found.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
5:10 pm
Fri February 1, 2013

Lightning Fill In The Blank

Originally published on Sat February 2, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Time to roll on to our final game Lightning Fill in the Blank. Each of our players has 60 seconds in which to answer as many fill in the blank questions as they can, each correct answer now worth two points. Carl, can you give us the scores?

CARL KASELL: Charlie Pierce has the lead, Peter. He has four points. Faith Salie has three. Brian Babylon has two.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
5:10 pm
Fri February 1, 2013

Bluff The Listener

Originally published on Sat February 2, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

CARL KASELL: From NPR and WBEZ-Chicago, this is WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME, the NPR News quiz. I'm Carl Kasell. We're playing this week with Charlie Pierce, Brian Babylon and Faith Salie. And here again is your host, at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal.

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Thank you so much.

(APPLAUSE)

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
5:10 pm
Fri February 1, 2013

Panel Round One

Originally published on Sat February 2, 2013 9:53 am

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

We want to remind everybody they can join us here most weeks at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Illinois. For tickets and more information, go to wbez.org.

You can find a link at our website, that's waitwait.npr.org. There you can also find out about our big simulcast cinema event on May 2nd, WAIT WAIT live in a theater new you. Spoiler alert: we're even more attractive than you imagined. Am I right?

(APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: Take their word for it.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
9:15 am
Sat January 26, 2013

Who's Carl This Time?

Originally published on Sat January 26, 2013 10:01 am

Transcript

CARL KASELL: From NPR and WBEZ-Chicago, this is WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!, the NPR News quiz. I'm Carl Kasell, and here's your host, at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal.

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Thank you, Carl.

(APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: Oh, thanks everybody. Thank you. Much appreciated. We do have a great show for you today. Tech guru Guy Kawasaki will be joining us later to play Not my Job.

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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
9:15 am
Sat January 26, 2013

Limericks

Originally published on Sat January 26, 2013 10:01 am

Carl reads three news-related limericks: Tech Soup, A Fresh Look at London, and i-Rangatans.

Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
9:15 am
Sat January 26, 2013

Panel Round Two

Originally published on Sat January 26, 2013 10:01 am

Transcript

CARL KASELL: From NPR and WBEZ-Chicago, this is WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!, the NPR News quiz. I'm Carl Kasell. We're playing this week with Maz Jobrani, Amy Dickinson and Roy Blount, Jr. And here again is your host, at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal.

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Thank you so much, Carl.

(APPLAUSE)

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