Radio host gradually reveals he's a comics fan

[Rob Allen]

One of my favorite radio shows is NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me", www.npr.org/programs/waitwait/, a comedy/quiz show that focuses on current events. On the surface, it's a competition, actually several competitions - one of the three panelists each week is the "winner" by answering more questions correctly, and the listeners that call in are trying to win NPR newscaster Carl Kasell's voice on their home answering machine. But the real points of the show are the odd news items they find to ask about, and the spontaneous banter among the panelists, host and guests.

Anyway, it's become increasingly clear that the host, Peter Sagal, is a comics fan. Two specific recent examples: a week or two ago, a panelist made a joke about some public figure turning into the Hulk. Another panelist said that the person's new motto would be "It's clobberin' time", and Peter immediately said, "No, Adam, that would be the Thing, not the Hulk". And this past weekend, they had a listener contestant named Joe Orlando. The first thing Peter asked was whether he was aware of the comics artist Joe Orlando. He was aware, and they briefly discussed Orlando, mentioning his work at Mad in the 1950s. Seems to me that someone who knows who Joe Orlando is and who says "It's clobberin' time" is probably a fan.

So, any other "Wait Wait" fans here?

[Jonathan Bogart]

I've listened to it, on the rare occasions when I'm in a car that has radio on a Saturday. Never caught any comics references before, though. Those definitely sound like comicsenti comments.

[Nate C.]

When does the show air? I listen to NPR, but have not caught the show.

[Mike Kuypers]

When does the show air? I listen to NPR, but have not caught the show.

It's a weekend show, on at different times depending where you live. Here's a list of stations/times:

http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=46

[dan bailey]

i've never heard "wait, wait, don't tell me" (it's been years since i listened to the radio except on longish car trips), but i well remember listening to the apr show "whad'ya know" back in the mid-'90s & hearing host michael feldman talk to a random audience member who turned out to be, if memory serves, william gaines' daughter ...

[Rob Allen]

Dan, APR is now PRI (Public Radio International) (www.pri.org), but "Whad'ya Know" is still on, and Michael Feldman is still the host. That must have been pretty cool, unexpectedly hearing Gaines's daughter like that.

[Rob Allen]

It's a weekend show, on at different times depending where you live. Here's a list of stations/times:

http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=46Thanks, Mike! I'd never heard of that site before. Looks like a lot of good info, but their list of stations airing "Wait Wait" doesn't include the station I hear it on. Here's NPR's schedule page for the show:

http://www.npr.org/wheretohear/index.php?prgId=35

[dan bailey]

Dan, APR is now PRI (Public Radio International) (www.pri.org), but "Whad'ya Know" is still on, and Michael Feldman is still the host. That must have been pretty cool, unexpectedly hearing Gaines's daughter like that.

well, heck -- i knew that, or should have known it. the apr-to-pri change occurred while i was still listening to the show. i used to be an absolute fiend for both whad'ya know & car talk back in the early to mid-'90s, but got out of the habit when i started working nights & found myself unable to stay awake during the saturday a.m. broadcasts on the npr station in little rock.

[Aaron King]

I love Wait, Wait. I also listen to This American Life which occasionally has superhero/comic themed stories. There's the classic "Flight or Invisibility" segment where the writer just has discussions on which power they'd rather have and the psychological ramifications of each choice. It's goofy.

[Mike Kuypers]

Thanks, Mike! I'd never heard of that site before. Looks like a lot of good info, but their list of stations airing "Wait Wait" doesn't include the station I hear it on. Here's NPR's schedule page for the show:

http://www.npr.org/wheretohear/index.php?prgId=35

If your public radio station broadcasts over the Internet you might want to email the fellow who runs http://publicradiofan.com and let him know. He is good about correcting mistakes.

[matt levin]

Hi!

I get Wait, Wait-- on Saturdays around noon, I guess, I usually waste an hour not quite tuning out car talk, which preceeds it; also, Weekend Edition Saturday's host (not Neil Simon, not Paul Simon.... damn, there's that memory default again) has several times made comics references that a reader, rather than a dabbler, would know. All together now,

EnnPeeArr! EnnPeeArr!

best wishes,
Carl Castle

oh, no, wait--
I mean: best wishes,
Matt