# List of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! episodes (2017)

The following is a list of episodes of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, NPR's news panel game, that aired during 2017. All episodes, unless otherwise indicated, are hosted by Peter Sagal with announcer/scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, and originate at Chicago's Chase Auditorium. Dates indicated are those of the episodes' original Saturday air dates. Job titles and backgrounds of the guests reflect their status at the time of their appearance.

## Contents

* Top
* January
* February
* March
* April
* May
* June
* July
* August
* September
* October
* November
* December

## January

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| January 7 | "Best of 2016" episode, featuring actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth, actor Terry O'Quinn, and country singers Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks | "Best of 2016" episode, featuring actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth, actor Terry O'Quinn, and country singers Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks | "Best of 2016" episode, featuring actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth, actor Terry O'Quinn, and country singers Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks |
| January 14 | Gymnast Simone Biles | Paula Poundstone, Luke Burbank, Faith Salie | Guest host Tom Hanks |
| January 21 | Author Daniel Handler | Peter Grosz, Roy Blount, Jr., Amy Dickinson | |
| January 28 | El-P and Killer Mike of the hip-hop duo Run the Jewels | Helen Hong, Maz Jobrani, Mo Rocca | |

## February

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| February 4 | Singer Mavis Staples | Faith Salie, Luke Burbank, Roxanne Roberts | |
| February 11 | Late night TV host Stephen Colbert | Faith Salie, Peter Grosz, Mo Rocca | Show recorded in Brooklyn, NY (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Guest announcer/scorekeeper Glynn Washington |
| February 18 | Romance novelist Nora Roberts | Roy Blount, Jr., Tom Bodett, Alexandra Petri | |
| February 25 | "Best of" episode featuring French chef Jacques Pépin, hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper, and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson | "Best of" episode featuring French chef Jacques Pépin, hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper, and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson | "Best of" episode featuring French chef Jacques Pépin, hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper, and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson |

## March

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| March 4 | Comedian/director Jordan Peele | Roxanne Roberts, Mo Rocca, Faith Salie | |
| March 11 | Comedian Neal Brennan | Alonzo Bodden, Adam Felber, Helen Hong | Guest host Jessi Klein |
| March 18 | Musician Paul Shaffer | Tom Bodett, Adam Burke, Negin Farsad | |
| March 25 | Country singer Charley Pride | Roxanne Roberts, Peter Grosz, Paula Poundstone | Show recorded in Dallas, TX (Music Hall at Fair Park) |

## April

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| April 1 | Podcast producer/host Sarah Koenig | Luke Burbank, Amy Dickinson, Greg Proops | |
| April 8 | Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado | Tom Bodett, Paula Poundstone, Alonzo Bodden | Show recorded in Denver, CO (Buell Theatre) |
| April 15 | Previously unaired panel and contestant segments "Not My Job" encores featuring soul singer Mavis Staples, hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, and gymnast Simone Biles | Previously unaired panel and contestant segments "Not My Job" encores featuring soul singer Mavis Staples, hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, and gymnast Simone Biles | Previously unaired panel and contestant segments "Not My Job" encores featuring soul singer Mavis Staples, hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, and gymnast Simone Biles |
| April 22 | Celebrity chef Ina Garten | Jeff Garlin, Mo Rocca, Faith Salie | |
| April 29 | Former CIA advisor John Nixon | Tom Bodett, Amy Dickinson, Roy Blount, Jr. | |

## May

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| May 6 | Filmmaker Guy Ritchie | Luke Burbank, Paula Poundstone, Roxanne Roberts | |
| May 13 | Moguls skier Hannah Kearney | Alonzo Bodden, Negin Farsad, Mo Rocca | Show recorded in Salt Lake City, UT (Abravanel Hall) |
| May 20 | U.S. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska | Tom Bodett, Janelle James, Faith Salie | |
| May 27 | Singer/songwriter John Prine | Alonzo Bodden, Amy Dickinson, Adam Felber | |

## June

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| June 3 | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring sportscaster Joe Buck, comedian Neal Brennan, composer Michael Giacchino, and choreographer Garth Fagan | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring sportscaster Joe Buck, comedian Neal Brennan, composer Michael Giacchino, and choreographer Garth Fagan | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring sportscaster Joe Buck, comedian Neal Brennan, composer Michael Giacchino, and choreographer Garth Fagan |
| June 10 | Psychotherapist Esther Perel | Tracy Clayton, Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie | |
| June 17 | Andrew Farah, chief technological officer for General Motors | Roy Blount Jr., Alonzo Bodden, Amy Dickinson | Show recorded in Detroit, MI (Fox Theatre) |
| June 24 | Comedian Eddie Izzard | Alonzo Bodden, Brian Babylon, Phoebe Robinson | |

## July

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| July 1 | Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent | Tom Bodett, Luke Burbank, Roxanne Roberts | Show recorded in Philadelphia, PA (Mann Center) |
| July 8 | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring musician Paul Shaffer, celebrity chef Ina Garten, comedian/director Jordan Peele, and novelist Nora Roberts | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring musician Paul Shaffer, celebrity chef Ina Garten, comedian/director Jordan Peele, and novelist Nora Roberts | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring musician Paul Shaffer, celebrity chef Ina Garten, comedian/director Jordan Peele, and novelist Nora Roberts |
| July 15 | Actress/comedian Aubrey Plaza | Luke Burbank, Negin Farsad, Faith Salie | |
| July 22 | Comedian Bassem Youssef | Tom Bodett, Adam Burke, Paula Poundstone | |
| July 29 | MLB Network analyst and former Major League Baseball player Ryan Dempster | Roxanne Roberts, Adam Felber, Mo Rocca | Show recorded in Chicago's Millennium Park (Jay Pritzker Pavilion) |

## August

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| August 5 | Actor Jeffrey Tambor | Adam Burke, Patton Oswalt, Faith Salie | |
| August 12 | Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice | Roy Blount, Jr., Alonzo Bodden, Paula Poundstone | Show recorded in San Francisco, CA (Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall) |
| August 19 | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring late-night host Stephen Colbert, actors Alan Cumming and Daniel Radcliffe, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring late-night host Stephen Colbert, actors Alan Cumming and Daniel Radcliffe, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper | Previously unaired panel segments "Not My Job" encores featuring late-night host Stephen Colbert, actors Alan Cumming and Daniel Radcliffe, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper |
| August 26 | Encore of 1/14/2017 broadcast featuring guest host Tom Hanks and gymnast Simone Biles | Encore of 1/14/2017 broadcast featuring guest host Tom Hanks and gymnast Simone Biles | Encore of 1/14/2017 broadcast featuring guest host Tom Hanks and gymnast Simone Biles |

## September

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| September 2 | Comedian/producer Raphael Bob-Waksberg | Adam Felber, Roxanne Roberts, Mo Rocca | |
| September 9 | Musician Win Butler of Arcade Fire | Tom Bodett, Helen Hong, P. J. O'Rourke | |
| September 16 | Singer/songwriter Josh Homme | Amy Dickinson, Hari Kondabolu, Paula Poundstone | |
| September 23 | Producer/director Lee Daniels | Roxanne Roberts, Luke Burbank, Adam Burke | |
| September 30 | Actor Adam Scott | Amy Dickinson, Mo Rocca, Alonzo Bodden | Show recorded in Dayton, OH (Schuster Performing Arts Center) |

## October

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| October 7 | Actor/writer and late-night personality Andy Richter | Brian Babylon, Roy Blount, Jr., Helen Hong | |
| October 14 | Previously unaired panel and contestant segments "Not My Job" encores featuring comedian Eddie Izzard, hockey great Bernie Parent, and actress/comedian Aubrey Plaza | Previously unaired panel and contestant segments "Not My Job" encores featuring comedian Eddie Izzard, hockey great Bernie Parent, and actress/comedian Aubrey Plaza | Previously unaired panel and contestant segments "Not My Job" encores featuring comedian Eddie Izzard, hockey great Bernie Parent, and actress/comedian Aubrey Plaza |
| October 21 | Alan Page, Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman and former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice | Adam Burke, Negin Farsad, Roxanne Roberts | Show recorded in Minneapolis, MN (Orpheum Theatre) |
| October 28 | Musician and astrophysicist Brian May | Adam Burke, Luke Burbank, Paula Poundstone | |

## November

| Date | Guest | Panelists |
| November 4 | Astronaut Scott Kelly | Alonzo Bodden, Helen Hong, Faith Salie |
| November 11 | Animated film director Lee Unkrich | Tom Bodett, P. J. O'Rourke, Roxanne Roberts |
| November 18 | Cartoonist and children's author Liz Climo | John Hodgman, Paula Poundstone, Mo Rocca |
| November 25 | Previously unaired segments, including a talk with culinary expert Andrew Zimmern Encore segments featuring moguls skier Hannah Kearney, comedian Bassem Youssef, and novelist Nora Roberts | Previously unaired segments, including a talk with culinary expert Andrew Zimmern Encore segments featuring moguls skier Hannah Kearney, comedian Bassem Youssef, and novelist Nora Roberts |

## December

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| December 2 | Writer/director Greta Gerwig | Luke Burbank, Negin Farsad, Hari Kondabolu | Show recorded in Seattle, WA (Moore Theatre) |
| December 9 | Rapper and actor Method Man | P. J. O'Rourke, Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie | |
| December 16 | Journalist Katy Tur | Negin Farsad, Tom Bodett, Mo Rocca | Guest host Mike Pesca |
| December 23 | Actor Bradley Whitford | Alonzo Bodden, Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts | |
| December 30 | Previously unaired segments, including an interview with drummer Lars Ulrich Encore segments featuring singer Mavis Staples, celebrity chef Ina Garten, and late night host Stephen Colbert | Previously unaired segments, including an interview with drummer Lars Ulrich Encore segments featuring singer Mavis Staples, celebrity chef Ina Garten, and late night host Stephen Colbert | Previously unaired segments, including an interview with drummer Lars Ulrich Encore segments featuring singer Mavis Staples, celebrity chef Ina Garten, and late night host Stephen Colbert |