List of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! episodes (2019)


The following is a list of episodes of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, NPR's news panel game, that aired during 2019.[1] All episodes, unless otherwise indicated, feature host Peter Sagal and announcer/scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, and originate at Chicago's Chase Auditorium. Dates indicated are the episodes' original Saturday air dates. Job titles and backgrounds of the guests reflect their status at the time of their appearance.

January

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
January 5 "Best of 2018" episode, featuring segments with actors LeVar Burton and Uzo Aduba
January 12 Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni Luke Burbank, Paula Poundstone, Roxanne Roberts Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I’Anson[2]
January 19 Late night TV host Conan O'Brien Alonzo Bodden, Helen Hong, Mo Rocca
January 26 Former pro football defensive back Charles Tillman Bim Adewunmi, Adam Burke, Amy Dickinson

February

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
February 2 Actor Richard E. Grant Tom Bodett, Adam Felber, Maeve Higgins
February 9 Georgia politician Stacey Abrams Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts, Mo Rocca Show recorded at Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah, GA
February 16 Actor Matt Smith Maeve Higgins, Alonzo Bodden, Luke Burbank
February 23 "Best of" episode featuring South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, singer Sarah Brightman, author John Grisham, and NPR veterans Nina Totenberg & Robert Siegel

March

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
March 2 Writer/producer Aaron Sorkin Tom Bodett, Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie
March 9 Costume designer Ruth E. Carter Adam Felber, Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts
March 16 Skateboarder Tony Hawk Luke Burbank, Helen Hong, Jessi Klein Show recorded at Civic Theatre in San Diego, CA
March 23 Actress Aidy Bryant Adam Burke, Negin Farsad, Mo Rocca Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I’Anson
March 30 Actor/singer Andrew Rannells Paula Poundstone, Brian Babylon, Hari Kondabolu

April

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
April 6 Musician Steve Earle Tom Bodett, Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts
April 13 Journalist Dan Rather Alonzo Bodden, Negin Farsad, Maeve Higgins Show recorded at Laurie Auditorium in San Antonio, TX
April 20 Previously unaired segments
Encore segments featuring actors William Shatner and Candice Bergen, late night host Conan O'Brien, and basketball star Aaron Gordon
April 27 Surfer Laird Hamilton Luke Burbank, Bobcat Goldthwait, Paula Poundstone
Date Guest Panelists Notes
May 4 Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer Petey DeAbreu, Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts
May 11 Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith Brian Babylon, Tom Bodett, Amy Dickinson Show recorded at Fox Theatre in St Louis, MO
May 18 Actor Lance Reddick Roy Blount, Jr., Adam Felber, Helen Hong
May 25 Actress Kate Mulgrew Alonzo Bodden, Tom Papa, Faith Salie

June

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
June 1 Hero-themed "Best Of" episode, featuring costume designer Ruth E. Carter, former NFL star Charles Tillman, actress Aidy Bryant, writer/producer Aaron Sorkin, and politician Stacey Abrams
June 8 Actress/director Olivia Wilde Adam Burke, Maz Jobrani, Aida Rodriguez
June 15 Former U.S. Women's soccer team member Kristine Lilly Roy Blount, Jr., Jordan Carlos, Helen Hong
June 22 Former White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett Adam Felber, Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts
June 29 Author Jennifer Weiner Luke Burbank, Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie Show recorded at Mann Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

July

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
July 6 Previously unaired panel and game segments
"Not My Job" encores featuring IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, journalist Dan Rather, and late night TV host Seth Meyers
July 13 Aeronautical engineer Tiera Guinn Fletcher Jordan Carlos, Paula Poundstone, Roxanne Roberts
July 20 Writer Piper Kerman Alonzo Bodden, Maeve Higgins, Mo Rocca Show recorded at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH[3]
July 27 Marin Alsop, principal conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Petey DeAbreu, Adam Felber, Faith Salie

August

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
August 3 Actor Anthony Anderson Adam Burke, Paula Poundstone, Aida Rodriguez
August 10 Actor Henry Winkler Alonzo Bodden, Helen Hong, Hari Kondabolu
August 17 "Best of" episode featuring Hall of Fame athletes Ozzie Smith and Jerry Rice, actress Anna Kendrick, and basketball coach Mike D'Antoni
August 24 "Best of" episode featuring explorer Fabien Cousteau, writer Lindy West, hip-hop group Beastie Boys, and actors Retta and Matt Smith
August 31 Chef José Andrés Negin Farsad, Peter Grosz, Faith Salie Show recorded at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA

September

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
September 7 Vocalist Mary Wilson Bim Adewunmi, Amy Dickinson, Paula Poundstone Guest host Tom Papa
September 14 New York Liberty center Tina Charles Adam Felber, Peter Grosz, Helen Hong Show recorded at NJPAC in Newark, NJ
September 21 Comedian/actor Zach Galifianakis Alonzo Bodden, Bobcat Goldthwait, Roxanne Roberts
September 28 Actor Charlie Day Roy Blount, Jr., Adam Burke, Negin Farsad

October

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
October 5 Former motorsports star Danica Patrick Tom Bodett, Helen Hong, Faith Salie
October 12 Actress Regina King Shannon O'Neill, Paula Poundstone, Mo Rocca Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I’Anson
October 19 Previously unheard segments, including an interview with opera soprano Renée Fleming
Encore segments, including interviews with actress Kate Mulgrew and aeronautical engineer Tiera Fletcher
October 26 Ecologist Nalini Nadkarni Roy Blount, Jr., Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts Show recorded at Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, UT
Wait Wait's 1,000th original episode[4]

November

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Date Guest Panelists Notes
November 2 Author and activist Gloria Steinem Negin Farsad, Josh Gondelman, P. J. O'Rourke
November 9 Actor Leslie Odom, Jr. Jordan Carlos, Adam Felber, Faith Salie
November 16 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia Tom Bodett, Luke Burbank, Maeve Higgins Show recorded at Altria Theater in Richmond, VA
November 23 Fashion journalist Elaine Welteroth Joel Kim Booster, Paula Poundstone, Roxanne Roberts
November 30 Previously unheard segments, including an interview with singer/actor Alex Boyé
Encore segments featuring actors Olivia Wilde & Henry Winkler and writer Piper Kerman

December

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Date Guest Panelists
December 7 Comedian/actor Ali Wong Alonzo Bodden, Adam Felber, Aida Rodriguez
December 14 Washington Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle Peter Grosz, Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie
December 21 Jennifer Lee, filmmaker and CCO of Walt Disney Animation Studios Adam Burke, Roxanne Roberts, Mo Rocca
December 28 "Best of 2019" episode featuring chef José Andrés, symphony conductor Marin Alsop, musician Steve Earle, author Jennifer Weiner, and actor Anthony Anderson

References

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  1. ^ "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! archive". npr.org NPR:National Public Radio. pbs.org. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  2. ^ Source: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! on Twitter (1/11/2019)
  3. ^ Source: "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! event page on ClevelandOrchestra.com
  4. ^ "The Essential A&E Picks for October 24-30," from Salt Lake City Weekly, accessed 10/26/2019
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