# 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. 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.

## Contents

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

## January

| Date | Guest | Panelists | Notes |
| January 5 | "Best of 2018" episode, featuring segments with actors LeVar Burton and Uzo Aduba | "Best of 2018" episode, featuring segments with actors LeVar Burton and Uzo Aduba | "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 |
| 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

| 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 | "Best of" episode featuring South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, singer Sarah Brightman, author John Grisham, and NPR veterans Nina Totenberg & Robert Siegel | "Best of" episode featuring South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, singer Sarah Brightman, author John Grisham, and NPR veterans Nina Totenberg & Robert Siegel |

## March

| 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

| 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 | Previously unaired segments Encore segments featuring actors William Shatner and Candice Bergen, late night host Conan O'Brien, and basketball star Aaron Gordon | 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 | |

## May

| 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

| 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 | 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 | 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

| 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 | 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 | 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 |
| July 27 | Marin Alsop, principal conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | Petey DeAbreu, Adam Felber, Faith Salie | |

## August

| 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 | "Best of" episode featuring Hall of Fame athletes Ozzie Smith and Jerry Rice, actress Anna Kendrick, and basketball coach Mike D'Antoni | "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 | "Best of" episode featuring explorer Fabien Cousteau, writer Lindy West, hip-hop group Beastie Boys, and actors Retta and Matt Smith | "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

| 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

| 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 | Previously unheard segments, including an interview with opera soprano Renée Fleming Encore segments, including interviews with actress Kate Mulgrew and aeronautical engineer Tiera Fletcher | 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 |

## November

| 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 | Previously unheard segments, including an interview with singer/actor Alex Boyé Encore segments featuring actors Olivia Wilde & Henry Winkler and writer Piper Kerman | Previously unheard segments, including an interview with singer/actor Alex Boyé Encore segments featuring actors Olivia Wilde & Henry Winkler and writer Piper Kerman |

## December

| 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 | "Best of 2019" episode featuring chef José Andrés, symphony conductor Marin Alsop, musician Steve Earle, author Jennifer Weiner, and actor Anthony Anderson |