Show Details: 2026
2026-01-03
That big ball in Times Square doesn't drop until it hears me count down from tenBill Kurtis
- Pedro Pascal Score: 3
- Chris Perfetti Score: 3
- Heather Gay Score: 3
Best Of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by revisiting of all the fun from 2025
Tom Papa was the guest host for the 2025-08-09 show with Pedro Pascal as the Not My Job guest.
The Bluff the Listener segment came from the show that aired on 2025-03-22.
Negin Farsad was the guest host for the 2025-06-14 show with Chris Perfetti as the Not My Job guest.
Alzo Slade was the guest scorekeeper for the 2025-08-02 show with Heather Gay as the Not My Job guest.
As of 2026-01-10, this episode has not made it on to the podcast feeds. The full show audio is available on the episode's page on NPR.org.
2026-01-10
I'm the voice so rich, it makes you sign a pre-nupBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Paula Poundstone
Total: 14
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 6
-
Rank:
Second:
Roy Blount, Jr.
Total: 12
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 5
-
Rank:
Third:
Joyelle Nicole Johnson
Total: 8
Lightning Start: 4 Correct: 2
- Delroy Lindo Score: 2
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about an unlikely hero saving lives; Not My Job about the New Orleans Saints; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: now that we have a new food pyramid, what will be the next new food to go on sale?
Delroy Lindo asked the audience for help on the second Not My Job question. The audience yelled out "B", which Delroy chose as his answer and it was the correct answer.
While explaining the story behind the second limerick for Listener Limerick Challenge, Peter Sagal had a verbal slip by saying "Dick and Chain" instead of "Dick and Jane".
2026-01-17
I'm the voice so smooth, lullabies listen to me to fall asleepBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Luke Burbank
Total: 12
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 5
-
Rank:
Second:
Hari Kondabolu
Total: 11
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 4
-
Rank:
Third:
Rachel Coster
Total: 10
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 4
- Kali Reis Score: 3
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about a celebrity encounter; Not My Job about the Consumer Electronics Show; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: what we'll find when we travel back to the Moon
2026-01-24
My voice is the only set of pipes in America that's not freezing this weekendBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Adam Burke
Total: 13
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 5
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Rank:
Second:
Mo Rocca
Total: 12
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 5
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Rank:
Third:
Shantira Jackson
Total: 8
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 3
- Kevin O'Leary Score: 2
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about innovation in stadiums; Not My Job about the biggest parties ever; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: now that they can use tools, what'll be the next surprising thing cows do?
2026-01-31
It's cold out there. But, don't worry, I'm still hotBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Negin Farsad
Total: 15
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 6
-
Rank:
Second Tied:
Peter Grosz
Total: 10
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 4
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Rank:
Second Tied:
Annie Rauwerda
Total: 10
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 4
- Jon M. Chu Score: 3
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about a surprising new international tourist attraction; Not My Job about Boston, Massachusetts; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: now that we know trees can explode, what will trees do next?
2026-02-07
I'm the reason everybody's throwing Super Bill parties this weekendBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Josh Gondelman
Total: 15
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 6
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Rank:
Second:
Tig Notaro
Total: 13
Lightning Start: 1 Correct: 6
-
Rank:
Third:
Tom Bodett
Total: 11
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 4
- Mychal Threets Score: 2
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about a secret revealed in the news; Not My Job about Skittles; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In the Blank; Panelist Predictions: what Super Bowl commercial we'll all be talking about next week?
Another instance where all three choices for the third Not My Job question were correct.
2026-02-14
Hey there, Cupid. Put down that arrow and let me voice pierce some heartsBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Paula Poundstone
Total: 13
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 5
-
Rank:
Second:
Beth Stelling
Total: 12
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 5
-
Rank:
Third:
Tom Papa
Total: 11
Lightning Start: 1 Correct: 5
- Arden Cho Score: 2
Who's Bill This TIme?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about a news story inspired by a movie; Not My Job about K-Mart; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: what will be the big story out of the final week of the Olympics?
2026-02-21
I'm the man who does quadruple axels with my voiceBill Kurtis
- Roy Choi Score: 2
- Ally the Piper (Ally Crowley-Duncan) Score: 2
- Cynthia Nixon Score: 2
Best Of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! where we give out our own Olympic gold medals to some of our favorite guests and segments of the past year
Alzo Slade was the guest scorekeeper for the 2025-11-08 show that included Roy Choi as the Not My Job guest and the included Bluff the Listener segment.
The first portion of the included Panel Questions segment was from the 2026-01-10 show. The second and third portions were from the 2025-12-20 with additional content that was cut for time or other reasons.
2026-02-28
I'm the man with a voice so smooth, you could go curling on itBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Alonzo Bodden
Total: 17
Lightning Start: 5 Correct: 6
-
Rank:
Second:
Josh Gondelman
Total: 15
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 6
-
Rank:
Third:
Faith Salie
Total: 14
Lightning Start: 4 Correct: 5
- Lilly King Score: 2
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about a new travel hack in the news; Not My Job about short kings; Panel Questions: Clearing Out the Cabinet; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Questions: after American Girls, what will be the next toy to get an update?
2026-03-07
I'm the voice so powerful, I command the clocks to spring forwardBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Hari Kondabolu
Total: 17
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 7
-
Rank:
Second:
Negin Farsad
Total: 12
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 5
-
Rank:
Third:
Luke Burbank
Total: 11
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 4
- Jason Benetti Score: 2
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about a time out in the news; Not My Job about confetti; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: after looksmaxxing, what will be next big internet beauty trend?
When the Bluff the Listener contestant said that they were from Indiana, Peter Sagal said that he said that she didn't see the listener when they taped in Bloomington, Indiana the prior week. The contestant said that they asked Peter a question during the Q&A session after the taping finished.
When Peter listed the teams that Jason Benetti had been announcers for, someone booed after the Detroit Tigers were mentioned. Jason said that they were saying "Luke". This is in reference to the audience chanting "Luke", which sounds like they are booing Luke Burbank. Of course, people could be booing as well not knowing the lore behind the "Luke" chant.
2026-03-14
I'm Alzo Slade filling in for Bill Kurtis, who flew to LA to accept the Oscar for Best PipesGuest: Alzo Slade
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Rank:
First:
Adam Felber
Total: 13
Lightning Start: 5 Correct: 4
-
Rank:
Second:
Rachel Coster
Total: 11
Lightning Start: 1 Correct: 5
-
Rank:
Third:
Joyelle Nicole Johnson
Total: 8
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 3
- John Cusack Score: 3
Who's Alzo This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about something 30 years in the making; Not My Job about people who should have stayed quiet; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: what will be the big surprise at this year's Oscar ceremony?
Joyelle Nicole Johnson answered her third Lightning Fill In The Blank question with "Pill". Peter Sagal responded with "Sure, what the hell" and gave Joyelle credit for her answer.
2026-03-21
I'm the voice so hot, the mic could drop itselfBill Kurtis
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Rank:
First:
Paula Poundstone
Total: 16
Lightning Start: 2 Correct: 7
-
Rank:
Second:
Shane Torres
Total: 15
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 6
-
Rank:
Third:
Alonzo Bodden
Total: 11
Lightning Start: 3 Correct: 4
- Aasif Mandvi Score: 2
Who's Bill This Time?; Panel Questions; Bluff the Listener about someone's first trip to New York City; Not My Job about wedding cakes; Panel Questions; Listener Limerick Challenge; Lightning Fill In The Blank; Panelist Predictions: now that his identity has been revealed, what will Banksy do next?
Aasif Mandvi initially chose "B" for the third Not My Job question. The audience started shouting out "C" and Aasif switched his answer to "C". "C" was the correct answer.
During Lightning Fill In The Blank, Alonzo Bodden mentioned that his mind was slightly pre-occupied by NCAA's March Madness. The third Lightning question that Shane Torres was about March Madness.