List of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! episodes (2025)
The following is a list of episodes of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! NPR 's news panel game , that aired during 2025 .[ 1] Peter Sagal as host and Bill Kurtis as announcer/scorekeeper, and originate from the Studebaker Theatre at Chicago 's Fine Arts Building . Dates indicated are the episodes' original Saturday air dates, and the job titles and backgrounds of the guests reflect their status and positions at the time of their appearance. On some occasions, member stations alter the episodes for their donation drive breaks, which only impact the show's airing within their broadcast area.
January
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
January 4
Unaired segments from previous episodesRenée Elise Goldsberry , rapper Danny Brown , economic historian Claudia Goldin , Top Chef Kristen Kish , and CBS NFL studio analyst Bill Cowher
January 11[ 2]
Actor Josh Gad
Negin Farsad , Rachel Coster, Josh Gondelman
January 18
Comedian/actress Rose Matafeo
Maz Jobrani , Alzo Slade, Helen Hong Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I'Anson[ 3]
January 25[ 4]
Singer-songwriter/Youtuber mxmtoon
Paula Poundstone , Hari Kondabolu , Faith Salie
February
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
February 1[ 5]
Taxidermist Amber Maykut
Adam Felber , Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Rekha Shankar Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I'Anson[ 3]
February 8[ 6]
Actress/comedian Vanessa Bayer
Peter Grosz , Shantira Jackson , Rachel Feinstein Guest host Tom Papa [ 6]
February 15[ 7]
Mike Derks & Mike Bishop , members of heavy metal band Gwar Negin Farsad , Alzo Slade, Adam Burke Show recorded in Richmond, VA (Altria Theater ) [ 3]
February 22
Unaired segments from previous episodesJohn Leguizamo & James Marsden , musician Mark Ronson , ultramarathoner Tara Dower , and actor/singer Billy Porter
Guest host Tom Papa
March
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
March 1[ 8]
Comedian/actor Roy Wood Jr.
Helen Hong , Paula Poundstone , Tom Bodett
March 8[ 9]
Actress Lauren Graham
Faith Salie , Shantira Jackson , Roy Blount Jr.
March 15[ 10]
Actress Amanda Seyfried
Emmy Blotnick, Peter Grosz , Fortune Feimster
March 22[ 11]
Orlando Magic center Moe Wagner Eugene Cordero , Paula Poundstone , Alonzo Bodden Show recorded in Orlando, FL (Walt Disney Theater )
March 29
"Not My Job" encores featuring actress Diane Lane , actor/comedians Eric Idle , Bridget Everett , & Jeff Hiller , and musicians Christian McBride & Kathleen Hanna
April
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
April 5[ 12]
Actor Sterling K. Brown
Negin Farsad , Josh Gondelman , Tig Notaro
April 12
Austan Goolsbee , president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Shane O'Neill, Rachel Coster, Peter Grosz
April 19[ 13]
Comedian/actor Lewis Black
Alonzo Bodden , Adam Burke , Dulcé Sloan Show recorded in Durham, NC (DPAC )
April 26[ 14]
Actor Brian Tyree Henry
Negin Farsad, Luke Burbank , Brian Babylon
Guest host Karen Chee
May
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
May 3[ 15]
Actress/writer Natasha Rothwell
Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Peter Grosz , Hari Kondabolu
May 10[ 16]
Actor/singer Nathan Lane
Shantira Jackson , Luke Burbank , Roy Blount Jr. Guest announcer/scorekeeper Alzo Slade
May 17
"Not My Job" encores featuring actor Josh Gad , singer–songwriter/former National Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson , musician Mike Derks & Mike Bishop of Gwar , taxidermist Amber Maykut and governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer
May 24[ 17]
Actress/comedian Ego Nwodim
Tom Papa , Hari Kondabolu, Dulcé Sloan
May 31[ 18]
Former Boston Red Sox left fielder/hitter Jim Rice
Maz Jobrani , Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Adam Felber Show recorded in Boston, MA (Wang Theatre )
June
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
June 7[ 19]
Jeff Gordon , vice-chairman of Hendrick Motorsports and Former NASCAR championAdam Burke , Negin Farsad , Zach Zimmerman
June 14[ 20]
Actor Chris Perfetti
Luke Burbank , Alonzo Bodden , Joyelle Nicole JohnsonGuest host Negin Farsad
June 21[ 21]
Olympic sabre fencing medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad
Hari Kondabolu , Rachel Coster, Jeff Hiller
June 28
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
Show recorded in Portland, ME (Merrill Auditorium )
July
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
July 5
"Not My Job" encores
July 12
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
Show recorded in Des Moines, IA (Des Moines Civic Center )
July 19
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
July 26
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
August
September
Date
Guest
Panelists
Notes
September 6
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
September 13
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
September 20
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
Show recorded in Location TBA
September 27
TBA
TBA, TBA, TBA
References
^ "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! archive" . NPR . Retrieved December 27, 2024 .^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaiytnpr]; (January 11, 2025). "We're starting off 2025 strong with our first guest of the year @joshgad 🎉 The actor, snowman, and author of In Gad We Trust joins us with our in house Josh G, @joshgondelman , @neginfarsad and newbie panelist @rachelcoster 💖 Tune in now!!! Also, I will not apologize for the above image. It's just science, people" . Retrieved January 19, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ a b c Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (January 15, 2025). "In honor of Chioke I'Anson stepping in as Bill for the next few weeks, here he is reading the iconic trench coat buttoned up to the TOP monologue. You're welcome" . Retrieved January 19, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (January 24, 2025). "Singer/songwriter/internet culture final boss @mxmtoon joins us this week to talk about her new album Liminal Space! Tune in to hear Maia, who, by the way, grew up listening to the show, with guest announcer Chioke I'Anson and panelists @paulapoundstone @harikondabolu and @faithsalie 🔮👾🦄" . Retrieved January 25, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (January 31, 2025). "Taxidermist to the stars Amber Maykut of @brooklyntaxidermy joins us this week with @adam_felber @joyellenicole and first time panelist @rekha_s 🦝🐿️🐇🐭" . Retrieved February 1, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ a b Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (February 7, 2024). "We're so excited to have @vanessabayer on the show this week with guest host @tompapa guest Bill Chioke I'Anson, and panelists @petergrosz @tira_tira_tira and newbie @rachelfeinstein_ 🎉 and just in time for a Totino's Super Bowl weekend!" . Retrieved February 7, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (February 14, 2025). "GWAR's Mikes join wait wait this week live from the @altriatheaterva in Richmond, VA with panelists @neginfarsad @alzoslade and @atpburke 🏴☠️☠️🫡✨" . Retrieved February 15, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (February 28, 2025). "Comedian @roywoodjr joins us on Wait Wait this week alongside panelists @funnyhelenhong @paulapoundstone and @tombodett1123 !! AND BILL IS BACK! His BBL went perfectly and was 100% worth it #slay" . Retrieved March 2, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (March 7, 2024). "🎶La la la la laaaaa….🎶 This week the iconic @laurengraham plays our silly game on Wait Wait!! The Gilmore Girl herself is joined by panelists @faithsalie @tira_tira_tira and Roy Blount Jr. Oh, and #teamjess forever" . Retrieved March 8, 2024 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (March 14, 2025). "Mamma Mia! We've got @mingey on the show this week talking about her new show Long Bright River and how exactly she got so awesome at the dulcimer. This OG Mean Girl is joined by @emmyblotnick @petergrosz and first time panelist @fortunefeimster 🎉🎉 #imamouse" . Retrieved March 15, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (March 22, 2025). "Tune in to hear Moe live onstage in Orlando Florida with panelists @paulapoundstone @zofunny and @eugcordero" . Retrieved March 22, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (April 4, 2025). "This week the amazing @sterlingkbrown joins us on the show to NOT TALK about the twist in new show @paradiseonhulu 🤫 plus we got panelists @neginfarsad @joshgondelman and first timer Tig Notaro on the panel! Yup THAT Tig Notaro! Let's DO THIS!!!" . Retrieved April 5, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (April 19, 2025). "Tune in to hear @thelewisblack live at DPAC in Durham, North Carolina with panelists @zofunny @dulcesloan and @adam_felber 🤘🤘🤘" . Retrieved April 21, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (April 25, 2025). "Tune in this week to hear guest host @karencheee play Kiss, Marry, Kill with the one and only @briantyreehenry 🧸 The Paper Boi himself joins us with panelist @neginfarsad @luke_burbank and @brianbabylon 🐻🐻🐻" . Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (May 2, 2025). "The White Lotus's premier masseuse and bag-getter @natasharothwell joins us on Wait Wait this week! Also checking in is our panel @joyellenicole @petergrosz and @harikondabolu 🌺🍹and this time no one's leaving in a body bag!!! Probably" . Retrieved May 3, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (May 9, 2025). "Nathan Lane joins us on Wait Wait this weekend to talk @midcenturyonhulu and to reminisce on Broadway's biggest flop of all time, Merlin 🔮 Tune in to hear the legendary Lane along with panelists @tira_tira_tira @luke_burbank and Roy Blount Jr 🙇🏻♂️💖" – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (May 23, 2025). "SNL's own @eggyboom joins us on the show this week with panelists @tompapa @harikondabolu and @dulcesloan !!!!!" . Retrieved May 24, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (May 30, 2025). "Red Sox legend and Cooperstown Hall of Famer Jim Rice joins us live in Boston this week with panelists @mazjobrani @joyellenicole @adam_felber ⚾️🏟️ Let's PLAY BALL!!" . Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (June 7, 2025). "The motor GOAT himself @jeffgordonweb joins us LIVE onstage this week to talk about how freaking fast he can go!!!! Plus with panelists @atpburke @neginfarsad and NEWBIE @zzdoublezz you KNOW it's going to be a vroom vroom time!!!! 🏎️🏁" . Retrieved June 8, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (June 13, 2025). "Abbott Elementary's star 6th grade teacher @chrisperfetti joins us this week with panelists @luke_burbank @zofunny and @joyellenicole and special guest host @neginfarsad 🎉🎊📕📓" . Retrieved June 14, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waiwaitnpr]; (June 20, 2025). "This week on Wait Wait Olympic fencer @ibtihajmuhammad joins us with panelists @harikondabolu @rachelcoster and first timer @boomboomhiller !!" . Retrieved June 21, 2025 – via Instagram . ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! [@waitwaitnpr]; (June 11, 2025). "Come see us in Salt Lake City on July 31!" . Retrieved June 14, 2025 – via Instagram .
External links
Episodes by year Hosts Judge and scorekeeper Regular panelists
