Have you ever wanted to become a listener contestant on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me? Host Peter Sagal and producers Miles Doornbos and Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis discuss how they select which callers make it to the air. 

Emma and Vice columnist Alzo Slade try to solve the improv coolness crisis with the help of comedy icon Colin Mochrie. Plus: Emma tries her best to annoy Peter Sagal.

Everyone & Improv Nerds

Singer-songwriter and world class whistler Andrew Bird plays our game called, "Put Your Lips Together and Blow" Three questions about referees. Joining him are panelists Adam Burke, Tom Papa, and Zainab Johnson.Sign up for Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

Andrew Bird

Host of CBS Mornings, Gayle King plays our game called, "Gayle King, meet the real Gale Kings" three questions about meteorologists. She is joined by panelists Negin Farsad, Peter Grosz, and Faith Salie.

Gayle King

How to Become a Listener Contestant with Peter, Miles, and Sofie

This week on "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me," we are back with a brand new show from the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago featuring panelists Josh Gondelman, Skyler Higley, and Paula Poundstone. Plus, we quiz comedy legend Dana Carvey on a subject he knows nothing about in our "Not My Job" game.Sign up for Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

Dana Carvey

Nathan Lane, Puja Patel, Darryl "Cornbread" McCray, and Jeremy O. Harris are featured in this Thanksgiving edition.Sign up for Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

WWDTM Best of NMJ Thanksgiving

Comedian Maeve Higgins and Emma build the world's largest puzzle.

Everyone & Giant Puzzles

This week we come to you from the Palace Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky with panelists Paula Poundstone, Adam Burke, and Alzo Slade. Our guest is Freddie Johnson of Buffalo Trace Distillery.Sign up for Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. 

Freddie Johnson

Craig Robinson, star of the Office and host of Peacock's Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward, plays our game about Craigslist. Joining him are panelists Tom Papa; Negin Farsad and Brian Babylon.

Craig Robinson

Peter asks Producer and Editor Lillian King why some questions don't make the show. PLUS: Lillian plays those questions!

Behind the scenes with Peter and Lillian 

Amber Ruffin, host of The Amber Ruffin Show on Peacock and the purple M&amp;M, plays our game called "Roughin' It" Three questions about camping. Joining in are panelists Karen Chee, Hari Kondabolu and Maz Jobrani.Subscribe to Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/waitwait. 

Amber Ruffin

Hasan Minhaj, comedian with the new Netflix special "The King's Jester" and former host of Patriot Act, plays our game about former Patriot Rob Gronkowski. Joining him are panelists Helen Hong, Mo Rocca, and Shane O'Neill.

Hasan Minhaj

Comedian Mo Rocca considers buying a lighthouse and Emma goes ghost hunting.

Everyone & The Supernatural

Dr Ibram X Kendi, author and MacArthur Genius, plays our game about the Genius Bar at Apple Stores. Joining him are panelists Alonzo Bodden, Josh Gondelman and Amy Dickinson.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, a real genius

Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States, answers three questions about the mysterious and often huge fish, the sturgeon. Also featured are interviews with Jeremy Allen White and Mandy Moore.

Vivek Murthy

Peter and Emma sit down with Executive Producer Mike Danforth to answer some questions that you have about the making of Wait Wait. 

Behind the scenes with Peter Sagal and Emma Choi

Ralph Macchio, star of Netflix's "Cobra Kai" plays our game called "Wax On, Wax Off, Yeowww!" Three questions about hair removal. He is joined by panelists Emmy Blotnick, Alzo Slade and Adam Felber.

Ralph Macchio

Julio Torres, creator and star of HBO's Los Espookys, plays our game about The Addams Family called, "Los Ookys." Joining him are panelists Tom Papa, Dulcé Sloan, and Hari Kondabolu.

Julio Torres

Comedian Hoja Lopez and Emma get salty with the latest spoon technology and test out new talents nobody asked for.

Everyone & Spoons

Michael Strahan, NFL legend and Good Morning America host, Michael  plays our game called "Strahan? Meet Stray Hams" Three questions about wild hogs. He is joined by panelists Karen Chee, Negin Farsad, and Shane O'Neill.

Michael Strahan

Comedian Karen Chee and Emma meet a giant worm and learn how to write a spooky children's book.

Everyone & A Giant Worm

Groundbreaking Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer, star of the Netflix series Mo, joins us at the Studebaker Theatre in Chicago along with panelists Roy Blount, Jr., Helen Hong and Adam Burke to play a game  about things called Les.

Mo Amer

Emma talks to comedian Hari Kondabolu about time capsules: lost, found, and in the case of Andy Warhol, unintentional.

Everyone & Time Capsules

Abbi Jacobson, star and producer of the new series "A League of Their Own" joins us along with panelists Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie and Luke Burbank play a game about a different league, The XFL.Subscribe to Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/waitwait. 

Abbi Jacobson

Comedian Josh Gondelman joins Emma to outsmart a runaway Ostrich and learn how to prepare for the role of a lifetime. 

Everyone & Ostrich Escape

Chris Estrada, comedian and creator of Hulu's This Fool, plays our game called, "This Fool, Meet April Fools!" He is joined by panelists Skyler Higley, Maeve Higgins and Mo Rocca.

Chris Estrada

Comedian Peter Grosz joins Emma to spell check your kid's name and shop for the perfect tattoo.

Everyone & Names

Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington DC's long-serving Congresswoman, plays our game about DC Comics. She is joined by panelists Roxanne Roberts, Tom Bodett and Alzo Slade.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

Emma gets ready for a new school year by revisiting lessons from Everyone &amp; Their Mom! We learn how rats help each other, how dolphins say hi to their friends, and what to do if you see someone you know but aren't sure if you should say hi.

Everyone & School

Wait Wait prepares for a return to full time live performances by reliving some of our favorite guests who joined us in front of live audiences. 

Best of Not My Job

Emma throws a family reunion! Uncle Dennis sings Elvis, her mom shares all her tips for avoiding bad luck, and Emma embarrasses her dad and little brother. Grab a plate, it's a party!

It's an 'Everyone & Their Mom' family reunion!

Steve Buscemi, Lars Ulrich, Aidy Bryant, Alan Cummings, and Jeff Daniels play Not My Job.

Comedian Marie Faustin and Emma learn the future from a bunch of asparagus and meet a mystery person while Emma's mom stops by with a helpful tip.

Everyone & Asparagus

Robin Thede, creator of A Black Lady Sketch Show, plays our game about Bob Ross, "A White Dude Painting Show," along with guest host Negin Farsad and panelists  Adam Burke, Amy Dickinson and Hari Kondabolu.

Robin Thede

Comedian Alzo Slade and Emma seek legal counsel from 'The People's Court' Judge Marilyn Milian and pass judgment on an unfair pair of socks and a bad bowl of grits.

Everyone & Socks

Jeremy Allen White, star of Hulu's The Bear plays our game called "Please Look After This Bear" three questions about Paddington Bear. He is joined by guest host Tom Papa and panelists Helen Hong, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Faith Salie.

Jeremy Allen White

Comedian Vinny Thomas and Emma discover Van Gogh's ghost and get inspired by an artist with a selfie stick.

Everyone & Van Gogh

Nathan Lane, star of stage and screen, plays our game about Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. He is joined by guest host Tom Papa and panelists Cristela Alonzo, Josh Gondelman and Matt Rogers.

Nathan Lane

Comedian Emmy Blotnick and Emma get overrun by Minions while Jenny Slate explains just what it takes to create an adorable little superstar.

Everyone & Minions

Puja Patel, editor-in-chief of Pitchfork, plays our game about ceremonial first pitches in baseball games. Tom Papa guest hosts and is joined by panelists Adam Burke, Paula Poundstone and Emmy Blotnick.

Puja Patel

Emma discovers a room of lost games! This secret box of treasures teaches us how to lasso, manage conflict, and make friends forever.

Everyone & Games

Del the Funky Homo Sapien, rapper and producer, answers three questions about mankind's ancient ancestors, neanderthals.

Del the Funky Homosapien 

Comedian Josh Gondelman and Emma learn how to parallel park a horse and wrangle up a varmint with help from a rootin' tootin' roster of guests.

Everyone & Cowboys

Darryl "Cornbread" McCray, called the creator of modern graffiti, plays a game about another kind of tagging. He is joined by panelists Alonzo Bodden, Faith Salie, and Josh Gondelman.

Darryl "Cornbread" McCray

Reporter Shane O'Neill and Emma learn at the Lost and Found not all is lost, then think deep thoughts with an old friend.

Everyone & Lost and Found

Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda, creators of the new comedy series about E-sports, Players, on Paramount+ play our game about a C-sport: croquet. Joining them are panelists Peter Grosz, Adam Burke and Helen Hong.

Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda

Comedian Mic Nguyen and Emma search for someone to fill some very hard to fill shoes, and Mic gets lessons from the King.

Everyone & Elvis

Actor and podcast host Sean Hayes plays our game called, "Sean Hayes, Meet Purple Haze" Three questions about odd strains of marijuana. He is joined by panelists Bobcat Goldthwait, Maeve Higgins, and Brian Babylon.

Sean Hayes

Comedian Maeve Higgins and Emma learn why you never want to be recognized by a dolphin and find out where the magic happens. 

Everyone & Dolphins

Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member of Saturday Night Live, plays our game about people who only lasted one day on the job. He is joined by panelists Luke Burbank, Negin Farsad and Hari Kondabolu. Please help us out by telling us what you like and how we could improve by completing a short anonymous survey at npr.org/podcastsurvey.

Kenan Thompson

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! host Peter Sagal pops by to share his favorites from the podcast so far. Turns out Peter loves Mountain Dew, Emma's Grandma's Kimchi, and unsolved ham mysteries.

Everyone & Peter Sagal

This week as we (hopefully) say goodbye to Zoom shows, we feature Kacey Musgraves, Brian Cox, Audra McDonald, and Woody Hoburg.

Best of NMJ June 2022

Comedian Hari Kondabolu and Emma congratulate seniors and stress out over the cap and gown shortage. And Hari graduates with his degree in inspiration.

Everyone & Graduation

Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, hosts of Radiotopia's Ear Hustle podcast, play our game about the Steer Hustle, AKA, the rodeo. They are joined by panelists Maz Jobrani, Adam Burke and Paula Poundstone.

Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor

Comedian Ashley Ray and Emma discover love on the open sea, find out who really likes shrimp and ask "What would Jesus do?"

Everyone & Cruise Ship Love

Mandy Moore, pop singer and star of This Is Us, plays our game called This is Utz, three questions about the snack brand Utz. She is joined by panelists Alonzo Bodden, Maeve Higgins, and Tom Papa.

Mandy Moore

Comedian Adam Burke and Emma meet a knight in shining armor, get the latest gossip about the Medieval era and uncover a skeleton in the closet.

Everyone & Skeletons

Comedian and star of HBO's Hacks, Hannah Einbinder plays our game about life hacks. She is joined by panelists Peter Grosz, Faith Salie and Laci Mosley.

Hannah Einbinder

Tom Bodett celebrates a heroic payphone and gets advice from author Samin Nosrat. 

Everyone & Pay Phones

Adam Scott, star of Apple TV+'s Severance, plays our game about weddings and marriage proposals. He is joined by panelists Maz Jobrani, Emmy Blotnick and Paula Poundstone.

Adam Scott

Comedian Negin Farsad joins Emma to meet a corpse flower and find love at a stinky speed dating event.

Everyone & Corpse Flowers

Myles Stubblefield, the man behind Buffalo Worm Works, plays our game about ear worms. Joining him are panelists Alzo Slade, Maeve Higgins and Amy Dickinson.

Myles Stubblefield

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka and Emma get overrun by mice, meet a fancy cat and finally untangle the mystery of the Rat King. With guests Dr. Bobby Corrigan, Cameron Jay, and Lynzie Rogers.

Everyone & Mice

Stephen Merchant, co-creator of The Office and star of The Outlaws,  plays our game about thieving merchants. He is joined by panelists Ashley Ray, Maz Jobrani and Faith Salie.

Stephen Merchant

Comedian Emmy Blotnick and Emma find a message in a bottle, learn what not to do with cheese, and Domee Shi, director of Pixar's "Turning Red" talks about her Harry Potter fan fiction.

Everyone & Secret Messages

Chance The Rapper, Japanese Breakfast, and brothers Bashir and Sultan Salahuddin, plus Paula Poundstone thinks a story is baloney.

Best of NMJ April 2022

Writer and comedian Alzo Slade joins Emma to explore the ruins of Pompeii and a robot dog finally finds its calling.

Everyone & Robot Dogs

Matt Walsh, from HBO's Veep, plays our game about mistakes in sports announcing. Joining him are panelists Karen Chee, Helen Hong and Alonzo Bodden.

Matt Walsh

Comedian Peter Grosz joins Emma on a search for the most boring person in the world and Emma interviews astronaut Victor Glover about the boring parts of his exciting job.

Everyone & Boring People

Legendary rock guitarist Slash plays our game about those purveyors of sashes: beauty pageants. He is joined by panelists Tom Papa, Cristela Alonzo and Maeve Higgins.

Slash

Comedian Hari Kondabolu joins Emma Choi to solve a meat mystery with bestselling author Gillian Flynn, then we talk with baseball legend Sean Doolittle about what he and Emma's mom have in common.

Everyone & Fancy Ham

British historian Dan Snow, a member of the team that discovered Ernest Shackleton's lost ship, plays our game about the artists lost at the bottom of the Lollapalooza lineup. He is joined by panelists Luke Burbank, Emmy Blotnick and Roxanne Roberts.

Dan Snow

Comedian Ashley Ray joins Emma Choi to discuss a super cool and dangerous job opening, Emma interviews for the position and we pitch a reality TV show to the creator of "Love is Blind."

Everyone & Bears

One of the stars of Atlanta, Zazie Beetz, plays our game called "Zazie Beetz, meet Sassy Beats!" Three stories about Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. She is joined by panelists Roy Blount Jr, Helen Hong and Mo Rocca.

Zazie Beetz

Wait Wait's Adam Burke joins Emma to discuss what really killed the dinosaurs; we answer the age old question: can jugglers save the world? And we meet someone who makes rocks more rock and roll.

Everyone & Dinosaurs

Elana Meyers Taylor, the most decorated Olympic American Bobsledder, plays our game called, "You've medaled alright...in Death Metal!" She is joined by panelists Negin Farsad, Alzo Slade and Paula Poundstone.

Elana Meyers Taylor

Comedian Vinny Thomas joins Emma to discuss Hard Mountain Dew—but is it any good? We ask an expert. Plus we talk to the mother son duo behind a beloved bathroom staple.

Everyone & The Dew

Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams plays our game called "Real Housewife meet a Fake Housewife." She is joined by panelists Faith Salie, Joel Kim Booster and Hari Kondabolu. Filling in for Bill Kurtis is Chioke I'Anson.

Porsha Williams

Comedian Josh Gondelman joins Emma Choi to discuss a saucy situation, celebrity chef Roy Choi troubleshoots a recipe with Emma's Grandma, and we finally settle an age old debate: heels or rollerblades?

Everyone & Roy Choi

This week we highlight some of our favorite past segments with RZA, Yamiche Alcindor, and more. Plus we remember our friend and panelist PJ O'Rourke who died last week.

Best of Not My Job February 2022

Comedian Emmy Blotnick joins Emma Choi to discuss a smooth solution to a monkey problem, we hear from a romantic heartworm, and maybe, sort of meet Ian McKellen?

Everyone & Monkey Business

Introducing Everyone &amp; Their Mom from Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Every week, there's an odd or funny story that everyone &amp; their mom seems to be talking about. On this new show from your friends at Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, host Emma Choi takes that story and uses it as an excuse to talk to culture makers, Wait Wait panelists, and hilarious new comedians. New episodes every Wednesday, starting February 23rd. Tell your mom.

Everyone & Their Mom

Booker Prize-winning novelist Marlon James, author of the Dark Star Trilogy fantasy series, plays our game about fantasy football. He is joined by panelists panelists Ashley Ray, Peter Grosz, and Negin Farsad.

Marlon James

Poet and Rock Icon Patti Smith plays our game about pattysmiths...fast food burger restaurants. She is joined by panelists Maeve Higgins, Hari Kondabolu and Bobcat Goldthwait

Patti Smith

TikTok Historian Shermann 'Dilla' Thomas plays our game celebrating Tom Brady's retirement from the NFL called, "You're The Goat, Literally." Three questions about actual goats. He is joined by panelists Adam Burke, Paula Poundstone and Tom Papa.

Shermann 'Dilla' Thomas

Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris plays our game called, "You're a playwright, these guys play wrong!" Three questions about athletes making terrible plays. He is joined by panelists Alzo Slade, Karen Chee, and Josh Gondelman.

Jeremy O. Harris

Actor Brian Cox, who plays Logan Roy on HBO's Succession, answers three questions about suck sessions, or vacuum cleaning. He is joined by panelists Mo Rocca, Paula Poundstone and Cristela Alonzo.

Brian Cox

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves plays our game called, "O, Say Can You See." Three questions about national anthems. She is joined by panelists Maz Jobrani, Helen Hong, and Emmy Blotnick.

Kacey Musgraves

Astronaut Woody Hoburg, part of NASA's Artemis program, plays our game called, "Dance With These Stars!" He is joined by panelists Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts, and Alonzo Bodden.

Woody Hoburg

WWDTM rings in the new year with some of our favorite moments from 2021, with Martin Short, Robin and Brook Lopez, Jane Kaczmarek, and André de Shields. Plus we feature some new moments with our panelists.

WWDTM Best of 2021 January

Peter Sagal and Emma Choi reminisce about their favorite WWDTM moments from the past year.

WWDTM Best of 2021 Bonus Podcast

It's our Christmas Spectacular with Bowen Yang, Lindsey Vonn, Elizabeth Warren, and Symone. Plus there's a shiny new Bluff the Listener game and other never-before-heard material. 

Best of WWDTM December 2021

Keke Palmer, actor, singer and author of the new Kindle book Southern Belle Insults, plays our game about palm readers. She is joined by panelists Faith Salie, Mo Rocca, and Tom Bodett.

Keke Palmer

Bashir and Sultan Salahuddin, creators and stars of HBO Max's South Side, play our game called "Welcome to the Real South Side!" Three questions about Antarctica. They are joined by panelists Cristela Alonzo, Luke Burbank and Maeve Higgins.

Bashir and Sultan Salahuddin

Musical theater legend Audra McDonald plays our game about Burger King. She is joined by panelists Adam Burke, Maz Jobrani and Karen Chee.

Audra McDonald

Stephen Fry, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jen Psaki, and Chris Bosh are featured along with some never-before-heard moments with our panelists.

Best of Thanksgiving 2021

Brook and Robin Lopez, twin brothers playing in the NBA, play our game called "Lopez's Meet the Low Prezzes," Three questions about the shortest US Presidents. They are joined by panelists Hari Kondabolu, Adam Felber and Atsuko Okatsuka.

Brook and Robin Lopez

Actor and Environmental Activist Ed Begley Jr. plays our game called "Ed Begley Jr. Meet Bee Movie Sr" three questions about The Bee Movie. He is joined by panelists Paula Poundstone, Alonzo Bodden, and Emmy Blotnick.

Ed Begley Jr.

Chance The Rapper plays our game called, "Chance, Meet Community Chest," three questions about Monopoly. He is joined by panelists Bobcat Goldthwait, Brian Babylon and Negin Farsad at the Harris Theater in Chicago.

Chance The Rapper

Hockey All-Star P.K. Subban plays our game called, "That's Icing! Delicious Icing!" Three questions about bakeries. He is joined by guest host Negin Farsad and panelists Amy Dickinson, Josh Gondelman, and Peter Grosz.

Home

Discover

Library

Following

Home

Discover

Library

Following

How to Become a Listener Contestant with Peter, Miles, and Sofie

Mark as played

Share

About the episode

View all episodes