# List of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! episodes (2016)

The following is a list of episodes of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, NPR's news panel game, that aired during 2016. All episodes, unless otherwise indicated, are hosted by Peter Sagal with announcer/scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, and originated 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.

## Contents

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

## January

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| January 2 | "Best of" episode, featuring comedians Richard Lewis and Jenny Slate and writer/producer Matthew Weiner | "Best of" episode, featuring comedians Richard Lewis and Jenny Slate and writer/producer Matthew Weiner | "Best of" episode, featuring comedians Richard Lewis and Jenny Slate and writer/producer Matthew Weiner |
| January 9 | Rapper/actor/producer Ice Cube | Greg Proops, Amy Dickinson, Roy Blount, Jr. | |
| January 16 | Actress/singer/dancer Sutton Foster | Bobcat Goldthwait, Roxanne Roberts, Mo Rocca | Guest host Mike Pesca |
| January 23 | U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez | Paula Poundstone, Luke Burbank, Faith Salie | |
| January 30 | Actor Richard Dreyfuss | Peter Grosz, Shelby Fero, Tom Bodett | Guest host Mike Pesca |

## February

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| February 6 | Actress Lena Headey | Alonzo Bodden, Roy Blount, Jr., Helen Hong | |
| February 13 | Film & TV producers/directors Mark and Jay Duplass | Maz Jobrani, Roxanne Roberts, Mo Rocca | |
| February 20 | "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 |
| February 27 | Singer Trisha Yearwood | Paula Poundstone, Roy Blount, Jr., Faith Salie | Show recorded at Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA |

## March

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| March 5 | U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey | Adam Burke, Roxanne Roberts, Bobcat Goldthwait | |
| March 12 | Singer Josh Groban | Faith Salie, Mo Rocca, Paula Poundstone | Show recorded at Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, NY |
| March 19 | Actor Andre Royo | Peter Grosz, Marina Franklin, Tom Bodett | |
| March 26 | Jazz musician Esperanza Spalding | Luke Burbank, Roxanne Roberts, Roy Blount, Jr. | |

## April

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| April 2 | Author R. L. Stine | Alonzo Bodden, Amy Dickinson, Adam Felber | |
| April 9 | Reality TV personalities Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott | Peter Grosz, Paula Poundstone, Tom Bodett | |
| April 16 | NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth | Mo Rocca, Roxanne Roberts, Luke Burbank | Show recorded at Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, WI |
| April 23 | "Best of" episode featuring U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, singer Trisha Yearwood, rapper Ice Cube, and motivational speaker Tony Robbins | "Best of" episode featuring U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, singer Trisha Yearwood, rapper Ice Cube, and motivational speaker Tony Robbins | "Best of" episode featuring U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, singer Trisha Yearwood, rapper Ice Cube, and motivational speaker Tony Robbins |
| April 30 | Journalist Lesley Stahl | Adam Burke, Faith Salie, Alonzo Bodden | |

## May

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| May 7 | Actress and writer Rachel Bloom | Tom Bodett, Helen Hong, P. J. O'Rourke | |
| May 14 | Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island | Amy Dickinson, Peter Grosz, Mo Rocca | Show recorded at PPAC in Providence, RI |
| May 21 | Race car and stunt driver Ben Collins | Faith Salie, Adam Felber, Paula Poundstone | |
| May 28 | FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate | Roy Blount, Jr., Luke Burbank, Roxanne Roberts | |

## June

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| June 4 | Musician-themed "Best Of 'Not My Job,'" featuring Esperanza Spalding, Marky Ramone, Josh Groban, Jewel, and Max Weinberg | Musician-themed "Best Of 'Not My Job,'" featuring Esperanza Spalding, Marky Ramone, Josh Groban, Jewel, and Max Weinberg | Musician-themed "Best Of 'Not My Job,'" featuring Esperanza Spalding, Marky Ramone, Josh Groban, Jewel, and Max Weinberg |
| June 11 | Chris Wink and Phil Stanton of Blue Man Group | Faith Salie, Peter Grosz, Brian Babylon | |
| June 18 | Actor Terry O'Quinn | Paula Poundstone, Mo Rocca, Tom Bodett | |
| June 25 | Portland Pilots men's basketball coach and former Trail Blazers star Terry Porter | Bobcat Goldthwait, Maz Jobrani, Roxanne Roberts | Show recorded at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR |

## July

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| July 2 | TV producer Norman Lear | Adam Burke, Amy Dickinson, Gabe Liedman | |
| July 9 | Best of "Not My Job," featuring fashion consultant Tim Gunn, authors Elizabeth Gilbert and Lee Child, travel guru Rick Steves, and actress Lena Headey | Best of "Not My Job," featuring fashion consultant Tim Gunn, authors Elizabeth Gilbert and Lee Child, travel guru Rick Steves, and actress Lena Headey | Best of "Not My Job," featuring fashion consultant Tim Gunn, authors Elizabeth Gilbert and Lee Child, travel guru Rick Steves, and actress Lena Headey |
| July 16 | Julian Castro, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | Brian Babylon, Jessi Klein, Roy Blount, Jr. | |
| July 23 | NASA Administrator Charles Bolden | Roxanne Roberts, Tom Bodett, Paula Poundstone | Show recorded at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA |
| July 30 | Singer Sharon Jones | Peter Grosz, Amy Dickinson, Adam Burke | |

## August

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| August 6 | Comedian and actor Keegan-Michael Key | Bobcat Goldthwait, Helen Hong, Faith Salie | |
| August 13 | Journalist Katie Couric | Alonzo Bodden, Adam Felber, Paula Poundstone | |
| August 20 | "Best of" episode, featuring comedienne Carol Burnett, astronaut Sunita Williams, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, and Chris Wink and Phil Stanton of Blue Man Group | "Best of" episode, featuring comedienne Carol Burnett, astronaut Sunita Williams, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, and Chris Wink and Phil Stanton of Blue Man Group | "Best of" episode, featuring comedienne Carol Burnett, astronaut Sunita Williams, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, and Chris Wink and Phil Stanton of Blue Man Group |
| August 27 | Encores of interviews with actress/writer Rachel Bloom and Property Brothers' Drew & Jonathan Scott, plus previously unaired segments including an interview with TV writer Bill Oakley | Encores of interviews with actress/writer Rachel Bloom and Property Brothers' Drew & Jonathan Scott, plus previously unaired segments including an interview with TV writer Bill Oakley | Encores of interviews with actress/writer Rachel Bloom and Property Brothers' Drew & Jonathan Scott, plus previously unaired segments including an interview with TV writer Bill Oakley |

## September

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| September 3 | Former Major League Baseball pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee | Roy Blount, Jr., Paula Poundstone, Tom Bodett | Show recorded at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA |
| September 10 | Actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth | Luke Burbank, Adam Felber, Faith Salie | |
| September 17 | Musician and A Prairie Home Companion host Chris Thile | Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts, Adam Burke | |
| September 24 | Actress Jamie Lee Curtis | Maz Jobrani, Amy Dickinson, Mo Rocca | |

## October

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| October 1 | Author Randy Wayne White | Alonzo Bodden, Tom Bodett, Faith Salie | Show recorded at Straz Center in Tampa, FL |
| October 8 | Chef Marcus Samuelsson | Luke Burbank, Peter Grosz, Helen Hong | |
| October 15 | Best of "Not My Job," featuring producer Norman Lear, supermodel Cindy Crawford, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Portland Pilots men's basketball coach Terry Porter | Best of "Not My Job," featuring producer Norman Lear, supermodel Cindy Crawford, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Portland Pilots men's basketball coach Terry Porter | Best of "Not My Job," featuring producer Norman Lear, supermodel Cindy Crawford, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Portland Pilots men's basketball coach Terry Porter |
| October 22 | Choreographer Garth Fagan | Paula Poundstone, Adam Felber, Amy Dickinson | Show recorded at Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, NY |
| October 29 | Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young | P. J. O'Rourke, Faith Salie, Mo Rocca | Guest host Mike Pesca |

## November

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| November 5 | Country singer Wynonna | Peter Grosz, Roxanne Roberts, Alonzo Bodden | Show recorded at TPAC in Nashville, TN |
| November 12 | Sportscaster Joe Buck | Maz Jobrani, Amy Dickinson, Luke Burbank | |
| November 19 | Country singer Garth Brooks | Roxanne Roberts, Adam Felber, Paula Poundstone | |
| November 26 | Best of "Not My Job," featuring author R. L. Stine, actor Richard Dreyfuss, journalist Katie Couric, comedian/actor Keegan-Michael Key, and NASCAR's Matt Kenseth | Best of "Not My Job," featuring author R. L. Stine, actor Richard Dreyfuss, journalist Katie Couric, comedian/actor Keegan-Michael Key, and NASCAR's Matt Kenseth | Best of "Not My Job," featuring author R. L. Stine, actor Richard Dreyfuss, journalist Katie Couric, comedian/actor Keegan-Michael Key, and NASCAR's Matt Kenseth |

## December

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| December 3 | Actor/singer Alan Cumming | Adam Felber, Helen Hong, Luke Burbank | |
| December 10 | U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont | Peter Grosz, Paula Poundstone, Faith Salie | Show recorded at State Theatre in Cleveland's Playhouse Square |
| December 17 | Chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain | Tom Bodett, Adam Burke, Roxanne Roberts | |
| December 24 | Composer Michael Giacchino | Brian Babylon, Amy Dickinson, Adam Felber | |
| December 31 | "Best of 2016" episode featuring musicians Chris Thile and Esperanza Spalding, Property Brothers' Drew & Jonathan Scott, and an all-Paula Poundstone segment | "Best of 2016" episode featuring musicians Chris Thile and Esperanza Spalding, Property Brothers' Drew & Jonathan Scott, and an all-Paula Poundstone segment | "Best of 2016" episode featuring musicians Chris Thile and Esperanza Spalding, Property Brothers' Drew & Jonathan Scott, and an all-Paula Poundstone segment |