Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

WWDTM: Cynthia Nixon

September 27, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The episode features guest Cynthia Nixon discussing her career, including her dual Broadway shows and her iconic roles in *Sex and the City* and *The Gilded Age*. 
  • The 'Who's Real News' segment focused on three unusual stories: a malfunctioning escalator at the UN involving President Trump, the financial struggles of Broadway musicals, and a viral rumor about the Rapture. 
  • The panel played 'Bluff the Listener' with a theme of 'Fishtales,' where contestant Paxton Daly correctly identified the true story about redfish having message-spelling spots. 

Segments

Show Introduction and Guest Announcement
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(00:00:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode of Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! features guest Cynthia Nixon, known for Sex and the City and its sequels.
  • Summary: The program opens with the standard NPR identification and introduction of the host, Peter Sagal, and announcer Bill Curtis. Guest Cynthia Nixon is announced, with Peter Sagal humorously noting that people often tell him he resembles the character Mr. Big from her famous show. The segment concludes by inviting listeners to call in for the game portion.
Who’s Real News Quiz Begins
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(00:02:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Contestant Coop Daly from Jersey City, New Jersey, plays the ‘Who’s Real News’ game.
  • Summary: Contestant Coop Daly is welcomed to Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! and introduced to the panelists: Negin Farsad, Adam Burke, and debut panelist KC Shornima. The rules for ‘Who’s Real News’ are explained: identify or explain two out of three quotations read by Bill Curtis to win a voicemail message.
News Quiz: Escalator Incident
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(00:02:40)
  • Key Takeaway: President Trump demanded an investigation into a malfunctioning escalator at the UN General Assembly that briefly delayed his arrival.
  • Summary: The first quote concerns President Trump demanding an investigation into a stopped escalator at the UN, which panelists joked about in relation to autism and his general demeanor. The incident occurred live on television, causing Trump to become furious over the mechanical failure.
News Quiz: Broadway Financial Woes
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(00:04:56)
  • Key Takeaway: Not a single one of the 18 musicals that opened on Broadway this year has reportedly made a profit.
  • Summary: The second quote addresses the financial crisis in Broadway theater, where high ticket prices do not guarantee profitability for new shows. Panelists joked about the high cost of attending shows and suggested integrating product placement or legalized gambling to save the industry.
News Quiz: Rapture Rumors
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(00:07:02)
  • Key Takeaway: A rumor spread on TikTok predicting the Rapture would occur on September 23rd or 24th, leading people to worry about being inside during the physical ascension.
  • Summary: The final quote relates to widespread belief in the Rapture, fueled by a TikTok prediction, causing people to worry about physical bodies being unable to ascend if they are indoors. The discussion humorously explored the logistics of being trapped by a roof or sucked into a jet engine during the event.
Quiz Results and Transition
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(00:09:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Contestant Coop Daly correctly answered all three news quiz questions, winning the game.
  • Summary: Bill Curtis confirms that Coop Daly correctly identified all three news items, making him the winner of the ‘Who’s Real News’ segment. Coop thanks the show and mentions his support for the Cubs before the program transitions to the next game.
Panel Game: Pets as Witnesses
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(00:09:59)
  • Key Takeaway: A paper in the Journal of the American Bar Association explored the possibility of pets being admissible as witnesses in court, potentially aided by AI translation.
  • Summary: Panelist Adam Burke is asked about a paper suggesting pets could become court witnesses, leading to jokes about badgering a badger witness and cats being hostile witnesses. The premise relies on future AI technology accurately translating animal communication into English.
Panel Game: Bluff the Listener
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(00:15:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Contestant Paxton Daly, a physical therapy student, plays ‘Bluff the Listener’ on the topic of ‘Fishtales.’
  • Summary: Contestant Paxton Daly from Duluth, Georgia, joins the game to distinguish true fishing news from fabricated stories told by the panelists. The topic is ‘Fishtales,’ referencing tall tales told by fishermen. Paxton must choose the true story among three presented by Adam Burke, KC Shornima, and Negin Farsad.
Bluff the Listener Results
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(00:19:41)
  • Key Takeaway: The true fishing story was Negin Farsad’s claim that secret written messages are being found on the skin markings of redfish.
  • Summary: Paxton Daly correctly chose Negin Farsad’s story about redfish spots spelling out letters and symbols, earning a point for Negin and winning the game. The true story was verified by speaking with Andrew Brown, founder of Drum Spots, who tracks these unusual markings.
Guest Interview: Cynthia Nixon’s Career
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(00:20:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Cynthia Nixon once performed in two different Broadway shows simultaneously, requiring her to change costumes and rush between theaters.
  • Summary: Cynthia Nixon discusses her early career, including the logistical challenge of performing in two concurrent Broadway shows, Hurley Burley and The Real Thing, by managing her character’s costume and makeup changes between acts. She also reflects on the cultural impact of Sex and the City, admitting some guilt over setting unrealistic expectations for women moving to New York City.
Guest Game: New York Nixon
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(00:26:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Cynthia Nixon correctly answered two out of three questions about the New York Knicks basketball team to win the game for listener James Lee.
  • Summary: Cynthia Nixon plays ‘You’re a New York Nixon’ by answering questions about the New York Knicks. She correctly identified that James Dolan uses facial recognition to find suing lawyers and that an ’epic fart’ reportedly broke tension before a pivotal playoff game. She missed the question about the Knicks’ elaborate attempt to recruit LeBron James.
Listener Limerick Challenge
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(00:37:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Contestant Alyssa from Morristown, New Jersey, correctly solved all three news-related limericks.
  • Summary: Child psychologist Alyssa plays the Limerick Challenge, correctly filling in the blanks for stories about hard-to-open Talenti gelato jars, tooth tattoos, and the Baywatch reboot. She successfully answered all three, winning the game for herself.
Lightning Fill in the Blank
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(00:44:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Rookie panelist KC Shornima won the Lightning Fill in the Blank round with 16 points, securing the overall game victory.
  • Summary: The final game awards two points per correct answer, putting KC Shornima in the lead after her strong performance. She correctly answered eight questions, including identifying that the Meta CEO’s smart glasses demo failed due to dropped calls and that a man got a traffic light stuck on his head. Her score of 18 points secured her the overall win for the episode.
Show Wrap-up and Credits
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(00:50:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The panelists offered humorous predictions for the next Broadway hit, including ‘Epstein!’ and ‘Phantom of the Misarabla on the Roof.’
  • Summary: Peter Sagal thanks the panelists, especially congratulating KC Shornima on her winning debut performance. The show concludes with production credits, acknowledgments to the Studebaker Theater audience, and announcements for upcoming live shows in Honolulu and Costa Mesa.