We Say So Long To Kristi Noem And Benetti Plays Ball

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• The episode features guest Jason Benetti, the new voice of Sunday Night Baseball, and includes segments discussing the firing of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the 'looks maxing' trend.  Copied to clipboard!
• The first game segment involved listener Laura Braun correctly identifying news quotes related to the departure of Kristi Noem, the 'looks maxing' trend, and the Pope banning priests from using ChatGPT for sermons.  Copied to clipboard!
• The 'Bluff the Listener' game centered on stories of mid-game stoppages, with the true story being a Turkish soccer game interrupted when a team captain performed CPR on an injured seagull.  Copied to clipboard!

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Show Introduction and Guest Reveal

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(00:00:19)

• Key Takeaway: The episode features panelists Luke Burbank, Negin Farsad, and Hari Kondabolu, and guest Jason Benetti, the new voice of Sunday Night Baseball.
• Summary: The show opens with the standard NPR news quiz introduction from Chicago. Host Peter Sagal expresses excitement about interviewing Jason Benetti, noting Benetti’s Chicago roots as a White Sox fan. The segment concludes by welcoming the first listener contestant, Laura Braun from Cypress, Texas.

Who’s Bill This Time Quiz

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(00:03:12)

• Key Takeaway: Department of Homeland Security employees reportedly celebrated the firing of Secretary Kristi Noem, who was subsequently offered the title ‘special envoy for the shield of the Americas.’
• Summary: The first quote revealed DHS employee rejoicing over Kristi Noem’s departure, with Peter Sagal sarcastically noting her new, vague title. The second quote concerned the ’looks maxing’ trend among young men obsessed with physical appearance, which panelists labeled a mental health crisis. The third quote involved Pope Leo XIV commanding Catholic priests to stop using ChatGPT for writing weekly sermons.

News Quiz Results and Panel Question

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(00:10:39)

• Key Takeaway: Listener Laura Braun correctly answered all three questions in the ‘Who’s Bill This Time’ segment.
• Summary: Laura Braun correctly answered all three quiz questions, winning the prize. The panel then moved to a news question for the panelists regarding a Washington State office phone system that delivered Spanish options in English with a ‘Spanish accent.’

Bluff the Listener Game Setup

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(00:14:19)

• Key Takeaway: The Bluff the Listener game topic centers on surprising mid-game timeouts called during various competitions.
• Summary: Listener Heather from Brookston, Indiana, joins the game to identify the true story among three panelist claims about premature game stoppages. The panelists offer tales involving a runaway Zamboni, a bird struck by a soccer ball, and mass lower-body injuries among corporate basketball players.

Bluff the Listener Reveal

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(00:20:07)

• Key Takeaway: The true story was Luke Burbank’s account of a Turkish soccer game stopped so a team captain could perform CPR on a seagull struck by a ball.
• Summary: Heather guessed Luke Burbank’s story about the bird revival, which was confirmed as true by an exotic pet veterinarian. The other two stories—a driverless Zamboni going berserk and six corporate basketball players sustaining major injuries—were bluffs.

Not My Job with Jason Benetti

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(00:20:58)

• Key Takeaway: Guest Jason Benetti shared that he began his broadcasting career announcing high school marching band competitions after being moved from playing the tuba due to his cerebral palsy.
• Summary: Jason Benetti discussed his journey from a childhood dream of announcing the White Sox to his new role at NBC, noting he left the White Sox right before their record-setting losing season. He recounted broadcasting the obscure National Electricians Championships, where his ad-lib ‘sparks will fly’ was rejected for implying bad craftsmanship. Benetti asked the panel for suggestions for a signature home run call.

Confetti Game with Jason Benetti

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(00:27:28)

• Key Takeaway: The 3,000 pounds of confetti dropped in Times Square on New Year’s Eve is thrown entirely by hand, leading to a condition called ‘confetti arm.’
• Summary: Benetti played for listener Tim Hudson of Washington, D.C., answering questions about confetti. He correctly identified that the Times Square confetti is hand-thrown, causing ‘confetti arm,’ and that shredded police documents, some containing undercover officer names, were used as confetti at the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He missed the question about a band stopping confetti cannons after they knocked ceiling tiles onto the audience.

Listener Limerick Challenge

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(00:37:18)

• Key Takeaway: The limerick segment featured news about a ranch-flavored milkshake at Great Wolf Lodge and scientific findings that chimpanzees prefer quartz crystals over plain rocks.
• Summary: Listener Eli, a corporate litigation lawyer from Royal Oak, Michigan, correctly filled in the blanks for all three limericks. The topics included a ranch-flavored milkshake topped with chicken nuggets at Great Wolf Lodge, chimps showing a preference for crystal energy, and the non-existence of ’teacup pigs.’ Eli won the game.

Lightning Fill in the Blank

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(00:43:56)

• Key Takeaway: Negin Farsad took the lead in the final round by correctly answering five out of seven questions, including one about a phone exploding to save a man from dogs in Brazil.
• Summary: Negin Farsad scored 10 points in the final round, taking the lead with a total of 12 points. Hari Kondabolu scored 14 points, ending with 17, while Luke Burbank missed the win by one point. Negin correctly answered that the phone that exploded to scare off dogs in Brazil was the item that saved the man.

Show Wrap-up and Predictions

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(00:50:43)

• Key Takeaway: Panelists predicted the next internet beauty trend after ’looks maxing’ would be ‘feet maxing,’ ‘brain smashing,’ or ’looks snacksing.’
• Summary: Hari Kondabolu won the episode with 17 points. The panelists offered their predictions for the next internet beauty trend, with Negin Farsad suggesting ‘feet maxing’ (surgically added bunions) and Hari Kondabolu suggesting ‘brain smashing.’ The show concluded with thanks to the staff and audience.