Understanding Wait Wait Stats Page Data

Overview

The Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! Stats Page provides details about Not My Job guests, shows, hosts, scorekeepers, panelist and locations with the data presented in a straightfoward, if not slightly minimal, format.

This page provides additional information and context to how the data is presented and notated for each section of this site.

Shows

The following is a live example of the information block with data and details for the show that aired on 2017-08-26, though with the show description and notes fields removed for brevity.

Badges

The first section of the show information block displays the various badges for the show. All shows will have a badge with a link to the show page on NPR's website and a database ID for the show in the Wait Wait Stats Database. This database ID does not represent the show number or the proper order of all shows. Instead, the database ID is useful for querying the Wait Wait Stats data via the Wait Wait Stats API .

Additional badges will appear to denote Best Of and repeat shows. The repeat show badge will also include the original show date and a link to the show page.

Location

The venue and, if available or applicable, the city and state where the show was recorded.

Host and Scorekeeper

The Host and Scorekeeper sections list the show host and scorekeeper. If the show has a guest host or a guest scorekeeper, their name will be prefixed with "Guest".

If the scorekeeper used a unique introduction at the start of the show, the introduction will be listed above the scorekeeper's name.

Panelists

The Panelists section includes a list of panelists who were on the panel for a regular show. For Best Of shows, all panelists who made appearances on the original show where each segment came from.

If panelist scoring information is available, panelist ranking and scoring information will be included. The Wait Wait Stats Project uses standard competition ranking where a gap is in place between the tied panelists and the next rank after that.

For example, a show in which two panelists sharing the highest score are ranked as "First Tied" while the remaining panelist would be ranked as "Third". This ranking method was chosen due to the inconsistent ranking method used on each Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! show.

The scoring information for each panelist includes their total score, and if available, the score they had at the start of the final round (currently known as "Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank") and how many questions they answered correctly. The total score should equal the sum of starting score plus two times the number of correct answers. There can also be scoring anomalies that lead to a panelist not getting credit for correct answers. Any scoring anomalies should be noted in the Notes section for the show.

Not My Job Guest(s)

The Not My Job Guest(s) section will include a list of one or more Not My Job guests and their score, based on the number of questions that were correctly answered.

If a scoring exception was given, be it the scorekeeper given the guest(s) a win even if they did not correctly answer two or more questions or granting all three points, an asterisk (*) will denote the exception and an explanation included in the Notes section.

Bluff

The Bluff section will include a list data for each of the Bluff the Listener or Bluff-like segment with the panelist whose story or topic was chosen and the panelist whose story or topic was correct. Shows from 1998 had segments called "We'll Wait, You Tell Us" and "Listener Bluff" in which the listener contestant must correctly choose the correct story or topic to win. The first time "Bluff the Listener" was used for a segment name was on the 1998-11-28 show.

Only shows with a unique Bluff segment will have data entered, which would regular shows with a Bluff segment or Best Of shows that include Bluff segments that have never been included in a previous regular or Best Of show. Such unique Bluff segments from Best Of shows would be segments that were done when Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! travels to other cities and have a second show taping.

Guests

The following is a live example of the Not My Job guest information block with data, appearance and scoring information for Stephen Colbert.

Badges

The first section of the Not My Job guest information block displays the database ID for the guest in the Wait Wait Stats Database. As with the database ID for each show, the ID does not represent any official numbering or ID used by Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Appearances

The first two pieces of data presented in the Appearances section are the number of times the guest has appeared on regular shows (excluding Best Of and repeat shows) and on all shows (including regular, Best Of and repeat shows).

List of Appearances

Following the Appearances section is a list of shows that the guest has appeared on and their score from the Not My Job segment, if available. As with the Not My Job Guest(s) segment in the Shows information block, scoring exceptions will be marked with an asterisk (*).

Best Of and repeat shows will also be denoted with their respective badges.

Hosts and Scorekeepers

The following is a live example of the host information block with data and appearance information for guest show host Josh Gondelman. Both the host and scorekeeper information blocks contain the same sections.

Badges

The first section of the host and scorekeeper information block displays the database ID for the respective host or scorekeeper in the Wait Wait Stats Database. As with the database ID for each show, the ID does not represent any official numbering or ID used by Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

If preferred pronouns have been collected and entered into the Wait Wait Stats Database, a pronouns badge will be displayed. The pronouns will only be entered into the database if the host or scorekeeper provides them in their own official social media bio or on their official website. If their preferred pronouns cannot be found from either source, then none are entered into the database.

Appearances

The first two pieces of data presented in the Appearances section are the number of times the host or scorekeeper has appeared on regular shows (excluding Best Of and repeat shows) and on all shows (including regular, Best Of and repeat shows).

List of Appearances

Following the Appearances section is a list of shows that the host or scorekeeper have appeared on. Best Of and repeat shows will also be denoted with their respective badges.

Locations

The following is a live example of the location information block with data and recording information for Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland, Oregon). The location map section has omitted from the block for brevity.

Badge

The first section of the location information block displays the database ID for the location in the Wait Wait Stats Database. As with the database ID for shows, hosts and scorekeepers, the ID does not represent any official number or ID used by Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Located In and Coordinates

If available or applicable, the Located In and Coordinates fields will display the city and state, and the latitude and longitude (both listed as decimal degrees) for the location. When hovering over the latitude and longitude, the degrees, minutes and seconds equivalent will be displayed in the tooltip.

Recordings

The two pieces of data presented in the Recordings section are the number of times a regular show (excluding Best Of and repeat shows) has been recorded at the location and all shows (including regular, Best Of and repeat shows) that have been recorded there.

List of Recordings

Following the Recordings section is a list of shows that have been recorded at the location. Best Of and repeat shows will also be denoted with their respective badges.

Panelists

The following is a live example of panelist information block with data and for the panelist Hari Kondabolu. The List of Appearances section has been omitted for brevity.

Badges

The first section of the panelist information block displays the database ID for the panelist in the Wait Wait Stats Database. As with the database ID for guests, hosts and scorekeepers, the ID does not represent any official numbering or ID used by Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Appearances

The Appearances section provides a count of regular shows (excluding Best Of and repeat shows) and all shows (including regular shows, Best Of and repeat shows) the panelist has appeared on, as well as shows where scores have been entered for the panelist. In addition, the section lists the first time the panelist has appeared on the show and their most recent show (excluding Best Of and repeat shows).

Scoring

The Scoring section lists the panelist's minimum, maximum, mean (or average), median, (population) standard deviation and total scores across all regular shows (excluding Best Of and repeat shows). Both the mean and standard deviation values are rounded to

Rankings

The Rankings section provides a count of each time a panelist has come in first, second or third place, or has been tied for first or tied for second. Along with each ranking count is a percentage based on the ranking count divided by the number of appearances for Shows with Scores.

Bluff the Listener

The Bluff the Listener section lists the number of times the panelist's Bluff story was chosen and the number of times they had the correct story. The counts include all unique Bluff the Listener-like segments.

Available Graphs

The Available Graphs section includes links to two graphs for the panelist on the Wait Wait Graphs Site. The Score Breakdown graph plots out how many times the panelist has scored a specific score. The Scores by Appearance graph plots how the panelist's score for each appearance on a regular show (excluding Best Ofs and repeat shows).

List of Appearances

Following the Available Graphs section is a list of shows that the panelist has appeared on, scoring information, ranking, and if applicable, badges for Best Of and repeat shows.

If scoring information is available, the panelist's total score is listed along with their score at the start of the final round (currently known as "Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank") and how many questions they answered correctly. The total score should equal the sum of starting score plus two times the number of correct answers. There can also be scoring anomalies that lead to a panelist not getting credit for correct answers. Any scoring anomalies should be noted in the Notes section for the show.