Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

4.8 (29K) · COMEDY · UPDATED WEEKLY

NPR's weekly current events quiz. Have a laugh and test your knowledge with host Peter Sagal and the panel of comedians and journalists.

3D AGO

Episode #1601: Who's Bill This Time? — March 8, 2026

A week in which the news cycle moved so fast that two of the panelists had to be caught up mid-recording. Features the famous "Bluff the Listener" game, "Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank," and a surprise Not My Job guest who had Peter Sagal briefly speechless.

10D AGO

Episode #1600: Who's Bill This Time? — March 1, 2026

The 1600th episode! Recorded live in Chicago with a packed house and special games designed to celebrate the milestone. Peter Sagal shares his favorite moments from 28 years and the panel roasts him extensively. Bill Kurtis reads the entire show in his best documentary voice.

SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Wait Wait Presents: The Outtakes Episode

An all-outtakes special featuring moments that didn't make the broadcast — the joke that went sideways, the Not My Job guest who answered too well, and the recording where the panelists devolved into fifteen minutes of laughter over a story about a confused pelican.

24D AGO

Episode #1599: Who's Bill This Time? — February 22, 2026

A particularly strong panel tackles a week that featured three separate news stories involving rogue animals, a government agency that may not exist, and a celebrity apology that made no sense. Not My Job features an Oscar-winning director who knows exactly zero things about competitive cheese rolling.

31D AGO

Episode #1598: Who's Bill This Time? — February 15, 2026

Valentine's Day special! The panel plays love-themed games while reviewing the week's news, including an update on the ongoing saga of the world leader who accidentally sent a romantic text to the wrong recipient. Bill Kurtis's delivery of the phrase "smoldering passion" earns a standing ovation.

38D AGO

Episode #1597: Who's Bill This Time? — February 8, 2026

A week dominated by Senate hearings, a surprise resignation, and a viral video involving a senator and a vending machine. The panel is at its sharpest. Not My Job: a celebrated marine biologist is asked about the plot of Baywatch.

45D AGO

Episode #1596: Who's Bill This Time? — February 1, 2026

A panel that includes three people who had never been on the show before, leading to an unusually chaotic and delightful recording. Peter Sagal visibly lost control of the panel at minute 23 and never fully recovered. A minor classic.

52D AGO

Episode #1595: Who's Bill This Time? — January 25, 2026

The panel processes a particularly dense news week with the grace and composure of three people who definitely read the news. Not My Job: a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist answers questions about professional yo-yo competitions. She does not do well.

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Hosts & Guests

Peter SagalHost

Bill KurtisScorekeeper & Announcer

4.8

out of 5

29K Ratings

The only news I can process right now

In a world where the news is relentlessly grim, Wait Wait is the one place I can catch up on what happened while also laughing. Peter Sagal is one of the great comedy minds in America. Bill Kurtis reads everything like it's a true crime documentary and I love him for it.

NPRSuperfan · Mar 6, 2026

28 years and still essential

I have been listening since college. The show has evolved beautifully — the panels are better, the games are sharper, and Peter Sagal has grown into one of the great live performers in radio. The live shows in Chicago are bucket list material.

Chicagoan · Feb 21, 2026

Makes the news survivable

There is something deeply necessary about a show that takes the news seriously enough to engage with it but lightly enough to make it bearable. The Not My Job segments are consistently brilliant and I have learned things from this show that I use in real life.

SaturdayMorning · Feb 8, 2026

About

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is NPR's weekly hour-long quiz program. Each week, host Peter Sagal and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis invite three panelists — a rotating cast of comedians, journalists, authors, and cultural commentators — to play games built around the week's news. A celebrity guest calls in each week to play the "Not My Job" game, answering questions about something completely unrelated to their field of expertise. Equal parts news quiz, comedy panel show, and celebration of American public life, the show has been a Saturday staple on NPR since 1998 and remains one of the most warmly beloved programs in public radio history. The live shows at the Chase Auditorium in Chicago are famous for their energy.