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NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me

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NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me Tickets

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Rating: 4.1 out of 5 based on 195 reviews

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About

NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me On Tour

When the majority of news becomes downright depressing, the folks at National Public Radio (NPR) and WBEZ-Chicago have just the right tonic. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is a Peabody Award-winning comedic news quiz show that's been offering up timely wisecracks since its on-air debut in January 1998. Over the years, it's become one of public radio's most popular shows, with millions of listeners tuning in nationwide every week.

Host Peter Sagal, a writer and playwright, has been with the show since its inception, originally as a panelist. Each week, Sagal leads a rotating panel of guests, including comedians, actors, writers, and listeners of the show as they pick apart the week's weirdest and most fascinating news — often to hilarious results. Since 2005, the show has been recorded in front of a live audience. It's taped nearly every Thursday evening, beginning at 7:30 PM at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago. But they also sometimes venture beyond the Windy City, making stops in various cities around the country every year.

Alongside regular panelists like Mo Rocca, Jessi Klein, and Paula Poundstone, a number of actors, musicians, athletes, and politicians have served as guests, from Barack Obama and Madeleine Albright to Salman Rushdie and Stephen Colbert. Listeners of the show also get a chance to participate in games based on the week's news, like "Bluff the Listener," in which the contestant has to pick out the real news story from three presented by the panelists. Winners get a custom-recorded greeting by one of the cast members for their personal voicemail.

Wait Wait continues to be a favorite among listeners and those lucky enough to see the show live. It was even given a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting in 2008, 10 years after it first hit the air. After 10 more years, the show celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018 with a tour around the U.S., hitting up venues such as Los Angeles' Greek Theatre and New York's Carnegie Hall.

Reviews

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 based on 195 reviews
  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Great evening!

    by Jill on 4/22/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    Thoroughly enjoyed seeing Wait Wait Don't Tell Me being recorded! It was fantastic.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Overall Great!

    by JTex678 on 4/15/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    Good, if somewhat scripted, banter, though I couldn't understand some of what the Irish comedienne was saying [better mic and/or enunciation]. Would have been nice to have the Trinity security folks helping us cross the street from parking and directing parking too at the beginning of the even, though they did a bit better at the end. Was hoping for Paula Poundstone, but the traveling road show was really good and to have Dan Rather as the special guest was amazing! Jog on! That said, this whine would have gone better with cheese, as I would go again and highly recommend seeing this great event and great folks anytime. Please return to SA, BEFORE the next 21 year cycle!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Sooooo great!!!!

    by S.Q on 4/15/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    The show was a blast. It was brilliant and bright and fun! Thank you for coming to San Antonio.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Awesome Show

    by Veggie08 on 4/14/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    It was fascinating to watch how a radio show comes together. So much more dialog occurs than what makes it onto the Saturday morning show. Dan Rather was an amazing guest! Only disappointment of the evening was parking. I wish Laurie Auditorium and the Alamo Stadium would be able to avoid scheduling high traffic events on the same night.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Loved it!

    by Beanie on 4/14/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    I had a great time at Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me!! The Laurie Auditorium was the perfect venue, and all seats provided a good view and good acoustics. Loved seeing and hearing Dan Rather, an icon of journalism. Can’t wait til they come back!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Wait Wait

    by MauryB on 4/14/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    What great fun it was to see this show live and to watch how they make the show work. Also fantastic to have Dan Rather as their guest.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    Fantastic Show, parking poor

    by heloteschick on 4/14/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    The production quality of this show is top-notch. Peter and Bill were joined by panelists Maeve Higgins, Alonzo Bowden, and Negin Farsad, who were all devilishly funny. Our special guest was the legendary Dan Rather! The crew kept the show moving and lively. The venue was beautiful and visibility of the stage was great. The only negative was parking...the campus covered and open lots were small and completely filled. We had to park out on one of the streets about 10 minutes away from the theater, which I had not anticipated.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    bucket list item checked

    by Eric on 4/14/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    I'm a long time listener/fan of Wait, Wait and have always wanted to attend a live taping. Finally seeing the show in person was a great experience and was neat to 'see' what we all hear every week. I'd highly encourage attendance at least once!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Bucket List

    by K. on 4/14/19Laurie Auditorium - San Antonio

    Attending Wait Wait has been on my Bucket List for ages. So glad I had the opportunity to see it love & experience the taping. Stellar as expected

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    lots of fun

    by Kevin on 3/18/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    It was enjoyable to put faces to names and voices on the radio.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Wait Wait a Wow!

    by RobinB on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    The "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" production at the Civic Theatre on Thursday 3/14 was a "hoot" and a "wow." The show is funny to hear on the KPBS broadcast each week, but was even better in person. The jokes and "quiz" questions are always topical and clever, but we got even more of them in person than can ever get aired in the shorter broadcast time--as proven by actual experience of taping compared to the Saturday 3/16 radio broadcast. So glad I went!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Always fun

    by RevSteveP on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    Wait, Wait is always fun. This is my third time catching the show on the west coast. It is always fun, funny, hilarious, thoughtful, witty, clever, and a most enjoyable evening. The audience are all really into the banter and wit of the host and players. So everyone really participates in making it a fun event.

  • Rating: 3 out of 5

    Very Good with Problems

    by Allen on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    The humor, format, host and announcer were great. However, the program was less than enjoyable because the sound was bad so that the clapping and laughing made one unable to hear the hosts, guests and panelists. On top of that, we received an email telling us how important it was to get there one hour before showtime only to find out that the theater did not allow seating until 30 minutes before showtime, which started 10 minutes late.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Great to see it

    by BCS99 on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    We are big fans of the radio show and it was great fun to see the "behind the scenes" process by which the show is produced. Peter Sagal and the rest of the cast are very funny and it was a very enjoyable evening.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    BEST EVER!!!

    by J. on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    Enjoyed the whole experience; tooooooo expensive. Hilarious show.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Wonderful

    by SoCaLady on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    As great as WWDTM is on the radio, it is three times better live. We loved every moment of the show. Brilliant dialogue!

  • Rating: 3 out of 5

    Not easy to see or hear in balcony

    by Melba on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    Though I love listening to Wait Wait - - - on the weekends and was excited to see the show live, my experience would have been better had we been able to sit further down and closer. We were seven floors high in top balcony. Faces were a blur onstage. Would have helped to have big screens for viewing in the theater. Also, missed half of what was being said as the audience loudly applauded and hooted, and those on the stage began talking without waiting for audience to be quiet. Expensive tickets just to be there. I will be content to continue listening to the show at home or in my car, thank you.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Hilarious, great fun.

    by Renee on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    You get to go behind the scenes of a radio show and learn how it’s put together. Peter Sagal has the quickest whit of anyone I’ve ever seen, which allows him to keep the show moving at lightning speed without missing a beat. The only problem is that you’re laughing so hard that you miss some of the dialog. It’s great fun. We’ve been to three tapings of Wait, Wait, and I highly recommended it to everyone.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Great time

    by Guin on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    Great experience being there to experience the recording of a favorite show. As usual the host and panel kept us laughing with their wit! Only complaint, come back again and sooner!

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    Funny but bad sound/accoustics

    by bleset on 3/17/19San Diego Civic Theatre - San Diego

    The show was very entertaining and well done. However the acoustics where terrible. You could hardly hear the three panel participants.