Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Stats Page
Show Details: 2023
2023-01-07
The Bluff the Listener segment and the Not My Job segment with Mariska Hargitay were from the second show taping at Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York back on 2022-12-09. The theme of the Bluff the Listener segment was about celery.
Another instance in which all of the correct answers for a Not My Job segment (Mariska Hargitay) were "B".
2023-01-14
- First: Peter Grosz 13 (3 / 5)
- Second Tied: Emmy Blotnick 12 (2 / 5)
- Second Tied: Paula Poundstone 12 (2 / 5)
Another instance in which all three choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
Paula Poundstone initially answered "Sugar Bowl" for her 6th Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question, but then changed her answer to "football"; which, Paula got credit for. Emmy Blotnik initially answered "Our nation's" for her 1st Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question. Peter Sagal said "No" and Emmy changed her answer to "Brazil", which got a ding and she got credit for it.
2023-01-21
- First: Tom Bodett 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Dulcé Sloan 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Eugene Cordero 10 (2 / 4)
The Bluff the Listener contestant initially chose Dulcé Sloan's story but the audience reacted negatively. The contestant then changed their chose to Tom Bodett's story which was correct.
After Anthony Blinken eliminated "C" for the third Not My Job question and trying to choose from "A" or "B", the audience shouted out "A". Anthony chose "A" and it was the correct answer.
2023-01-28
- First: Maz Jobrani 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Brian Babylon 13 (3 / 5)
- Third: Negin Farsad 7 (3 / 2)
Another instance where all three panelists started the Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank segment in a three-way tie with 3 points each.
2023-02-04
- First: Helen Hong 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Adam Burke 14 (2 / 6)
- Third: Zainab Johnson 9 (3 / 3)
Peter and Mara Sagal welcomed their new baby, Theodore, on 2023-01-28, and Peter Grosz is filling in as guest host.
Zainab Johnson answered her 5th Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question with "Titanic" but Peter Grosz gave her a hint by saying "Same director". Zainab changed her answer to "Avatar" and got credit for the answer.
2023-02-11
- First: Paula Poundstone 12 (2 / 5)
- Second: Alonzo Bodden 11 (3 / 4)
- Third: Hari Kondabolu 9 (3 / 3)
Geena Davis initially chose "A" for her first Not My Job question; but, after some hesistation from Tom Papa, she changed her answer to "B", the correct answer. After Tom read all three choices for the third Not My Job question, many in the audience shouted "B". Geena chose "B" and it was the correct answer.
After Hari Kondabolu finished his set of Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank questions, Tom asked Bill Kurtis if Hari did well enough to win. At least in the radio/podcast edit of the show, Bill did not state how many questions Hari answered correctly. The score reflects the number of questions Hari answered correctly on the radio/podcast edit: three.
2023-02-18
- First: Josh Gondelman 13 (3 / 5)
- Second: Negin Farsad 12 (4 / 4)
- Third: Cristela Alonzo 11 (3 / 4)
Not My Job guest Rosie Perez had previously been on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! as a panelist on the show that aired on 2014-05-31. Rosie initially chose "A" for her first Not My Job question but Alzo Slade nudged her to change her answer. Rosie changed her answer to "B", which was correct. Rosie asked for a hint for her third Not My Job question and Alzo responded with "Yes. More than one of them are correct." Rosie answered "all the above" and was correct; as, it was another instance where all 3 of the choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
2023-02-25
- Mikaela Shiffrin 3
- John Hodgman 2
- Stephen Colbert 3 *
- Rob Reiner 2
- Mae Jemison 2
- Leonard Nimoy 1
- Ozzie Smith 3
The Not My Job segment with Stephen Colbert was from the show that aired on 2017-02-11 with Glynn Washington as the guest scorekeeper.
The Not My Job segment with Rob Reiner was from the show that aired on 2012-06-13 with Peter Grosz as the guest host.
2023-03-04
- First: Mo Rocca 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Alonzo Bodden 11 (3 / 4)
- Third: Maeve Higgins 2 (2 / 0)
Josh Gondelman forgot about the Not My Job quiz after he finished the interview portion of the segment with Malala Yousafzai. Mo Rocca had to remind Josh about it.
Alonzo Bodden answered his sixth Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question with "Atkins", which Josh accepted as it was similar enough to the Keto or Paleo diets.
Maeve Higgins has now answered zero Lightning Fill-in-the-Blanks questions correct 3 times. The other two times were back in 2019-11-16 and 2022-02-12.
2023-03-11
- First: Peter Grosz 13 (3 / 5)
- Second: Amy Dickinson 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Shane O'Neill 10 (2 / 4)
All 3 choices for the third Not My Job question were lyrics from Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" as a way to rickroll Nick Kroll. Nick chose "B", but was given the point; as none of the 3 choices were correct (possibly a show first).
Negin Farsad mixed things up by having Peter Grosz, with 3 points, start the Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank segment instead of either Shane O'Neill or Amy Dickinson, each having 2 points. Normally the panelist with the lowest score entering the segment would start (or chosen in case of a tie).
Peter Grosz answered "vibe" for his sixth Not My Job question. The correct answer was "water" but Negin gave him credit for the answer. Shane O'Neill was only credited for 4 correct answers for 8 additional points and a total of 10. Shane had answered 5 correct with their corresponding bell dings and confirmations from Negin. If Shane had gotten credit for all 5, he would have tied Amy Dickinson for 2nd place instead of finishing in 3rd place.
2023-03-18
- First: Tom Papa 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Alzo Slade 13 (3 / 5)
- Third: Helen Hong 12 (2 / 5)
Sam Waterston initially chose "C" for the first Not My Job question, but Karen Chee urged him to change his answer. Sam changed his answer to "A", but Karen continued to urge Sam to change his answer again. Sam then went with "B", which was the correct answer. For the second Not My Job question, Sam initially chose "A" and Karen whispered "capuchin". Sam either didn't hear her or catch the hint, but changed his answer to "C", which was correct.
2023-03-25
- First: Paula Poundstone 14 (2 / 6)
- Second: Jessi Klein 13 (3 / 5)
- Third: Hari Kondabolu 9 (3 / 3)
David Axelrod initially chose "A" for the first Not My Job question, but the audience and Peter Sagal nudged him to change his answer. David then chose "C", which was the correct answer. For the third Not My Job question, David initially chose "B" but the audience shouted out "C". David changed his answer to "C" and it was correct.
2023-04-01
- First: Matt Rogers 13 (3 / 5)
- Second: Luke Burbank 12 (4 / 4)
- Third: Zainab Johnson 7 (3 / 2)
2023-04-08
I'm the guy who can say anything and make it sound like breaking news. I've got a License to Bill
2023-04-15
- First: Negin Farsad 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Alonzo Bodden 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Shane O'Neill 11 (3 / 4)
While Shane O'Neil was reading his bluff story, Shane started singing a portion of "I Will Always Love You" and passed it over to the audience to continue singing; and, they did.
Kaila Mullady initially chose "A" for the third Not My Job question and Peter Sagal was "desparately trying to encourage" Kaila to reconsider "B". Kaila chose "B" and that was the correct answer. When Peter asked Bill Kurtis how Kaila did, Bill started to beatbox before saying that Kaila got 2 points and won for the listener contestant.
2023-04-22
Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask, "What's that beautiful sound?" Oh, it's my voice
- First: Robby Hoffman 14 (2 / 6)
- Second: Josh Gondelman 13 (3 / 5)
- Third: Tom Bodett 12 (2 / 5)
2023-04-29
- First Tied: Faith Salie 14 (2 / 6)
- First Tied: Negin Farsad 14 (2 / 6)
- Third: Maeve Higgins 8 (2 / 3)
This is the fifth Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! show that features an all women panel.
Brad Paisley initially chose "C" for the first Not My Job question, but Maeve Higgins and the audience nudged Brad towards "B". Brad changed his answer to "B", which was the correct answer.
Another instance where all three panelists are tied at the start of the Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank segment
2023-05-06
- First: Tom Papa 14 (2 / 6)
- Second: Helen Hong 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Matt Rogers 8 (4 / 2)
Another instance in which all three choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
Matt Rogers initially answered his fourth Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question with "pizza gang" but changed his answer to "the mafia" as Peter Sagal was about to say "the mafia". Peter accepted Matt's answer.
2023-05-13
- First Tied: Paula Poundstone 15 (3 / 6)
- First Tied: Adam Felber 15 (3 / 6)
- Third: Alonzo Bodden 10 (2 / 4)
Another instance in which all three choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
2023-05-20
- First: Luke Burbank 15 (3 / 6)
- Second Tied: Adam Burke 11 (3 / 4)
- Second Tied: Negin Farsad 11 (3 / 4)
Another instance where all three panelists are tied at the start of the Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank segment
2023-05-27
- First: Mo Rocca 12 (4 / 4)
- Second: Hari Kondabolu 10 (2 / 4)
- Third: Maeve Higgins 2 (2 / 0)
The listener contestant for Listener Limerick Challenge is a professional limerick writer.
2023-06-03
The two segments with Keegan-Michael Key as a panelist were from the shows that aired on 2010-03-27 and on 2010-07-24.
When Peter Sagal segued from Keegan-Michael Key being on the show as a panelist to Keegan-Michael Key being on the show as a Not My Job guest, Peter mentioned that 8 years had past. Keegan-Michael Key appearance as a Not My Job guest was on the show that aired on 2016-08-06 show, which would be 6 years. Keegan-Michael Key was a Not My Job guest on a Best Of show that aired on 2018-07-07.
The Not My Job segment was Regina King was from the show that aired on 2019-10-12 with Chioke I'Anson as the guest scorekeeper. The Not My Job segments with Keegan-Michael Key, Colin Hanks, Bobby McFerrin and Susan Orlean had Carl Kasell as the scorekeeper.
While introducing the Not My Job segment with Colin Hanks, Peter said that Tom Hanks was a Not My Job guest in 2005. Tom Hanks was the Not My Job guest on the show that aired on 2006-05-13. Peter then said that they had interviewed Colin Hanks 6 years later in 2011. It should be 5 years.
2023-06-10
- First: Skyler Higley 11 (3 / 4)
- Second: Tom Papa 8 (2 / 3)
- Third: Emmy Blotnick 6 (2 / 2)
While providing options for the first Not My Job question, Peter Sagal thought Louisa May Alcott was from Little House on the Prairie. Radhika Jones corrected Peter by saying it was Laura Ingalls Wilder. For the second Not My Job question, Radhika initially chose "B" but switched to "C", which the latter was the correct answer.
2023-06-17
- First: Faith Salie 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Karen Chee 14 (2 / 6)
- Third: Adam Felber 12 (2 / 5)
2023-06-24
Good news, everyone. Not only is my voice beautiful, it also repels mosquitoes
- First: Negin Farsad 13 (3 / 5)
- Second: Karen Chee 11 (3 / 4)
- Third: Roy Blount, Jr. 10 (2 / 4)
2023-07-01
- First: Adam Burke 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Roxanne Roberts 14 (2 / 6)
- Third: Brian Babylon 13 (3 / 5)
Aleeza Ben Shalom wasn't sure which answer to choose for the second Not My Job question; so, Roxanne Roberts said that Aleeza could ask for a hint. Many in the audience shouted out "C"; which, Aleeza chose and it was the correct answer.
2023-07-08
I'm the voice Thomas Jefferson heard in his head when he wrote the "Declaration of Independence"
The Not My Job segment with Mariska Hargitay was aired as part of the 2023-01-07 Best Of show with Chioke I'Anson as the guest scorekeeper.
The Not My Job segments with George Takei, Martha Stewart and Vince Gill had Carl Kasell as scorekeeper.
2023-07-15
- First: Adam Felber 14 (2 / 6)
- Second Tied: Emmy Blotnick 9 (3 / 3)
- Second Tied: Joyelle Nicole Johnson 9 (3 / 3)
Another instance where all three choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
Even though Joyelle Nicole Johnson has a Wait Wait Stats database ID of 100, there is a panelist ID that is used to mark multiple panelists for earlier shows. The next new person to join the panel will be the 100th panelist to appear on the show.
2023-07-22
- First Tied: Helen Hong 12 (4 / 4)
- First Tied: Luke Burbank 12 (2 / 5)
- First Tied: Paula Poundstone 12 (2 / 5)
2023-07-29
- First: Josh Gondelman 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Tom Bodett 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Zainab Johnson 9 (1 / 4)
Randall Park initially chose "B" for the first Not My Job question, but Karen Chee urged him to reconsider. When Randall changed his answer to "A", Karen again urged him to change his answer. Randall changed his answer to "C", which was correct.
Normally, the panelist order for Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank is to go start with the panelist with the lowest starting score or rank and progress on up to the panelist with the highest starting score or rank. The order Karen Chee when with was: Zainab Johnson, Josh Gondelman and Tom Bodett. The order should have been Zainab, Tom and Josh, as Tom started the segment with 2 points and Josh started with 3 points.
2023-08-05
- First: Adam Burke 15 (3 / 6)
- Second Tied: Shane O'Neill 9 (3 / 3)
- Second Tied: Emmy Blotnick 9 (1 / 4)
2023-08-12
Still working on your summer tan? Just lie close to the radio and let my voice bronze you
The Not My Job segments with Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell, and Donny Osmond had Carl Kasell as scorekeeper.
2023-08-19
The Not My Job segment with Misty Copeland had Carl Kasell as scorekeeper.
2023-08-26
I'm the voice so beautiful a sea witch once tried to take it from me in exchange for legs
- First: Luke Burbank 17 (3 / 7)
- Second Tied: Alzo Slade 12 (2 / 5)
- Second Tied: Shantira Jackson 12 (2 / 5)
2023-09-02
- First: Josh Gondelman 17 (3 / 7)
- Second: Roy Blount, Jr. 16 (2 / 7)
- Third: Helen Hong 13 (3 / 5)
All three correct answers for the Not My Job questions were "A".
2023-09-09
- First: Amy Dickinson 14 (2 / 6)
- Second: Peter Grosz 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Maeve Higgins 7 (3 / 2)
2023-09-16
- First Tied: Josh Gondelman 16 (4 / 6)
- First Tied: Faith Salie 16 (2 / 7)
- Third: Dulcé Sloan 8 (2 / 3)
Dulcé Sloan's answer of "White Man" for her first Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank round question was accepted. The official answer was "Mitt Romney".
2023-09-23
- First: Tom Bodett 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Joyelle Nicole Johnson 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Eugene Cordero 11 (3 / 4)
Another instance in which all three choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
2023-09-30
- First: Jessi Klein 15 (3 / 6)
- Second: Maz Jobrani 10 (2 / 4)
- Third: Karen Chee 8 (2 / 3)
2023-10-07
- First: Roy Blount, Jr. 14 (4 / 5)
- Second: Shantira Jackson 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Maz Jobrani 10 (2 / 4)
Elizabeth Prologar initially chose "A" for the second Not My Job question, but changed her answer to "C" after getting a hint from Peter Sagal drawing things out. The correct answer was "B". For the third Not My Job question, Elizabeth answered with "A, unless that one's not right". "A" was the correct answer.
2023-10-14
The Bluff the Listener segment was from the show that was taped on 2023-09-01 at Hill Auditorium at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is the first time the segment has made it on a broadcasted show.
Karen Chee was the guest host for the show with Sam Waterston as the Not My Job guest.
Carl Kasell was the scorekeeper for the show with Stewart Copeland was the Not My Job guest.
2023-10-21
- First Tied: Alzo Slade 12 (4 / 4)
- First Tied: Faith Salie 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Matt Rogers 8 (2 / 3)
James Patterson had some assistance from the audience for the second and third Not My Job questions. For the third question, the audience shouted out "C", which James chose. It was another instance where all three choices for the third Not My Job questions were correct.
2023-10-28
- First: Paula Poundstone 14 (2 / 6)
- Second: Alonzo Bodden 10 (4 / 3)
- Third: Zainab Johnson 6 (2 / 2)
Paula Poundstone sneezed while Peter Grosz was explaining how the Who's Bill This Time? segment works.
For the third Not My Job question, Bernie Taupin initially chose "B" but Peter Grosz suggested that he change his answer. The audience was shouting out "C", which Bernie chose and it was the correct answer.
2023-11-04
- First: Tom Papa 13 (1 / 6)
- Second: Adam Burke 12 (4 / 4)
- Third: Maeve Higgins 4 (3 / 1)
For Maeve Higgin's first Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question, Peter Sagal made a joke by saying "Sam Blank-man-Fried" for "Sam Bankman-Fried" and that threw Maeve off. Peter gave Maeve a point.
2023-11-11
I'm the voice so beautiful, I can walk into any grocery store and use the intercom without asking
- First: Emmy Blotnick 13 (3 / 5)
- Second: Tom Bodett 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Skyler Higley 10 (2 / 4)
2023-11-18
- First: Roy Blount, Jr. 14 (4 / 5)
- Second: Hari Kondabolu 9 (1 / 4)
- Third: Maeve Higgins 6 (2 / 2)
The listener contestant for the Bluff the Listener segment disliked Spirit Airlines and initially chose Maeve Higgins' story to Peter Sagal's disbelief. After Peter asked the listener if she wanted to stick with Maeve's story, she said "It can't be Spirit" and chose Roy Blount Jr.'s story; which, was the correct story.
Maeve answered her third Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank question with "Dollars" and Peter enthusiastically accepted the answer as being close enough to "inflation". Peter also enthusiastically accepted Maeve's answer of "baseball" for her fourth Lightning question as being close enough to "Cy Young Award".
When Peter asked Bill Kurtis how Roy did answering the Lightning questions, Bill said, "Roy is the champion this week" without stating how many questions Roy answered correctly or the Roy's total score. Roy's scoring is based on the questions that made it into the edited version of the show, in which Roy answered five correct and two incorrect.
2023-11-25
I'm the guy who makes a black hat with a buckle look sexy. I'm your Bill-grim
The Not My Job segments with Jane Curtin, Muffet McGraw, and Adam Savage had Carl Kasell as scorekeeper.
2023-12-02
- First: Joyelle Nicole Johnson 13 (3 / 5)
- Second: Alonzo Bodden 12 (2 / 5)
- Third: Adam Felber 11 (3 / 4)
- Dakota Johnson 1 *
After Dakota Johnson incorrectly answered the first two Not My Job questions, Peter Sagal made the third question an all-or-nothing where Dakota would win if she correctly answered the question. Dakota answered the question correctly and won the voicemail greeting for the listener contestant.
In the edited version of the show, only five of Alonzo Bodden's Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank questions were included. Of those five questions, Alonzo answered four correct; meaning, the fifth correct answer would have been for one of the three questions that were edited out. The listed score for Alonzo is based on what Bill Kurtis stated on the show.