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Chapter 1: What moments from 2025 are highlighted in this episode?
From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. That big ball in Times Square doesn't drop until it hears me count down from ten. I'm Bill Curtis, and here is your host at the Studebaker Theatre in the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois, Peter Sagal. Thank you, Bill. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you, everybody.
The new year has begun, but since we're so nervous about what's going to happen, we've decided to just pretend that it hasn't. 2025 isn't over until I say it's over. So, we're going to spend another show forthrightly avoiding the future. And we'll start with something it killed me to miss when it happened.
Pedro Pascal is one of my favorite actors, so I was extremely jealous of guest host Tom Papa getting to interview him in August. It was better this way, Peter. You would have fainted dead away the second you saw his face.
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
So great to see you. It's really nice to meet you. I feel like we all feel like we know you because you're literally in every movie.
How do you... I know, I'm sorry about that.
No, you're making us all very happy. How do you keep your characters straight? You must be filming some of these things at the same time, right?
There were intersections, and, you know, I'm in about ten minutes of Eddington, and Eddington is two hours and twenty minutes, so there was time. Right.
It's not that hard.
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Chapter 2: What insights does Pedro Pascal share about his acting career?
And I, you know, I desperately didn't want to be there.
I want to be honest with you. I've never understood the waiter's journey until that moment, Pedro. That was beautiful. Like, wow. I'm going to tip more every time.
Like, I see what you're doing, man. So at that time, what was scarier, the world in The Last of Us or your first apartment in New York?
Oh, gosh.
Wow.
Okay. Yeah, exactly. I mean, you know, I thought my apartment was really cute. And I... When I moved out to Brooklyn, the only place I could afford was a tiny little place in Red Hook. And I remember taking a friend of mine to it years, years, years later while I still had the lease. And she looked like she was going to cry knowing that I lived there for 12 years. Like she just was dumbfounded.
And it was hilarious. So I don't know, maybe to some people... My apartment in Red Hook, Brooklyn. But to me, definitely the post-apocalyptic fungal nightmare. Although there was a lot of fungal nightmares in that apartment.
LAUGHTER
I was curious for The Last of Us, which is so brilliant, but I know so many people, and Peter, who I'm filling in for today, he played The Last of Us on his PlayStation, the video game, and he talks to me about it like he's so moved by that game. It really hooked people in a profound way. Did you play that game before you starred in the adaptation?
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Chapter 3: How does Pedro Pascal manage multiple character roles?
It's funny to think of you going through the script when you get the role and looking like, where's the corner scene?
Yeah, exactly. Running in place.
You've been recognized by so many award committees. How did it feel to be named Grindr's 2024 Hottest Man of the Year? You are lying to me. You're not aware of this? You're lying to me. I'm just kidding.
If that is the truth, then I need to go.
Except it's 2025. Yeah, the buzz is worn off. All right. All right, Pedro Pascal, we've asked you here to play a game we're calling... The Last of Us Weekly. You star in HBO's The Last of Us, but what do you know about Us Weekly? The celebrity gossip magazine for folks who think People magazine is too literary.
answer two out of three questions right, and you'll win our prize for one of our listeners. Bill, who is Pedro playing for? John Biba of New Market, New Hampshire. All right. All right, you ready to play? I'm ready to play. Okay, here's your first question. Us Weekly is one of the best-selling magazines in the world, but some issues sell better than others.
According to a former employee, which of these is the kiss of death for an issue of Us Weekly? A, when the note from the editor at the beginning of the magazine starts with, listen, they can't all be winners. B, when the issue includes the rare, stars, they're just like us, only much, much better column. Or C, when the magazine's cover has a picture of literally any man on it.
That's too many words.
Let's do C. C?
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Chapter 4: What challenges did Pedro Pascal face as a struggling actor?
The answer is C. You're right. According to the employee, having a picture of a man on the cover pretty much guarantees that the magazine will undersell, which is crazy because who doesn't want to know about Kevin Jonas' skincare routine? Here's your next question. Slate called Us Weekly's celebrity questionnaire, 25 Things You Don't Know About Me, the best magazine feature in all of media.
As proof, they cited Cher's 2013 profile where she revealed what? A, that she's gone by just Cher for so long she's completely forgotten what her last name is. B, that all of her imaginary friends growing up were lumberjacks. or C, that the original lyrics for If I Could Turn Back Time were about stopping the JFK assassination?
Oh, my God. I mean, it's gotta be B. Those were my friends.
You're right, it was B. Cher also revealed that she owns, quote, a large collection of elephants.
Real ones. You can't have a small collection of elephants.
All right. All right, here's your last question. Without a doubt, the most popular section in Us Weekly is Stars, They're Just Like Us, where the magazine posts pictures of celebrities doing everyday things with captions including which of these? A, they tie their own shoes. B, they eat Mexican food. Or C, they squint in the sun.
I'm allowed to get help from the audience, right? Between A and C? What? All of them, but they would literally say they eat Mexican food?
You're right. All of the above. But thankfully, they don't do all those things at the same time. Bill, how did Pedro Pascal do on our quiz? Did he do anything better than be a winner? Pedro! Pedro Pascal is starring in The Fantastic Four, and he's up for an Emmy for HBO's The Last of Us. Pedro Pascal, thank you so much for joining us on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Thank you.
When we come back, some of our panelists' best lies of the past year and how Abbott Elementary subtly lets you know that one of its characters was secretly a genius. That's when we return with more of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPO.
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Chapter 5: What unique experiences does Chris Perfetti discuss from Abbott Elementary?
Well, welcome to our show, Kim. You're going to play the game in which you have to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Kim's topic? Honey, you're on TV. It's always fun to be on TV, whether it's being interviewed in the local news or maybe seen in the crowd at a football game or French kissing your brother on the White Lotus.
This week we heard about somebody getting on screen for a somewhat surprising reason. Our panel is each going to tell you about it. Pick the real story. You will win our prize, the weight weighter of your choice on your voicemail. Are you ready to play?
Yes.
All right, let's hear it first from Paula Poundstone.
Just before the start of their recent soccer game, Bulgarian team Arda paid tribute to recently deceased former team member Petko Gonchev. Both teams lined up and bowed their heads for a moment of silence. Meanwhile, the 78-year-old Gontchev was running late to get home to watch the game on TV, as was his practice. He wasn't dead.
When he pulled up at his house, his wife came out crying and shouting, Petko, Petko, they announced on TV that you were dead. Gontchev was so shaken by not being dead... He downed a glass of brandy. So many people called me relatives, friends, acquaintances, and not so big acquaintances, Gonchev said. Like maybe Stoyan, Ivan's friend from the bar that he met that time. Petko? Yes?
It's me, Stoyan. Do I know you? Yes, we met at the bar that time. I'm Ivan's friend. Were you wearing a striped shirt? No, I had a blue shirt. Oh yes, Stoyan, hello. Petko, are you dead?
Petko may not have been dead. But he did watch a moment of silence for himself on the TV before a soccer game. Your next story of a television tale comes from Alonzo Bowden. Matt Collins worked for Amazon. Everyone thought Amazon Prime one day delivery was fast. Then they saw Matt run. KCAB obtained this video from a neighbor's ring camera.
Matt was dropping a package when Thor, a notorious neighborhood German shepherd, got loose. In the video, Matt ran past his truck, leaped a small garden hedge, and increased the distance between himself and Thor until Thor simply gave up. Thor wasn't the only one to see Matt run.
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Chapter 6: How does Chris Perfetti relate to his character in Abbott Elementary?
When Jason Astralis of Alhambra, California, began his day with his usual cup of coffee and switching on the local morning news, he was met with a story asking, are we too addicted to junk food? During the segment, it showed stock footage of various people eating fast food or drinking soda.
There was one noticeable snippet to Mr. Estrellas of a man drinking an extra-large soda, holding a hot dog, and wearing a green T-shirt that read, Got a bad case of bad shingles? We can cure it. Estrellas roofing. This was... In fact, Jason Astralis himself in the video.
And he was shocked. I was excited at first that I was on the news until I saw what the story was about, said Astralis.
But lucky for him, more people were intrigued with the shirt than they were about his quick meal options that he chose. Business has picked up quite a bit, Mr. Estrella said. I hope they keep using the footage. It's free advertising, plus a few customers have had hot dogs ready when I arrived to do the job. All right, here are your three choices. Somebody was surprised to see themselves on TV.
Was it from Paula Poundstone, an elderly former soccer player who watched his own memorial service with a moment of silence even though he was still alive to watch it? From Alonzo Bowden, an Amazon delivery guy who was caught on camera and then on the news sprinting so fast he got himself a gig on a football team?
Or from Eugene Cordero, a man who saw himself used as an example of an unhealthy lifestyle but It ended up bringing him some business. Which of these is the real story of a surprise TV appearance?
Green!
Oh, hey.
I think I'm going to go with Paula's story.
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Chapter 7: What does Heather Gay reveal about her experiences on Real Housewives?
Okay, so then they just put you at another Starbucks.
Yeah, there's like a few of them, I guess.
And then, okay, so as a Starbucks barista, did you intentionally screw up names on the cup?
I was not trusted with the customers. They learned very early on. at the bar to make the drinks. I was really good at that.
I could, you know, but... Were you doing the hearts, the heart shapes and the palm tree shapes on the foam?
Oh no, there was no time. What are you talking about? I feel like I worked at quite possibly the busiest Starbucks in the world, and so you were just lucky if your order came out correct.
So you spent this time at Starbucks, but you put a lot of time in serious theater. Is there like a favorite theatrical piece that you did?
I don't know. I think doing Shakespeare in the Park really kind of like came up first for me. You're doing a play for, first of all, just so many people. It's outdoors and sometimes it rains halfway through and you flip and fall on your butt in front of everyone.
Did that happen? You fell on your butt in front of everyone?
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Chapter 8: What surprising facts does Heather Gay share about her new book?
Yeah, yeah.
I'm sure, did she also do that with Shakespeare in the Park?
My mother has given notes on everything I have done since the day... So you play this iconic teacher on TV.
Have your own teachers from the past approached you with tips or feedback?
Oh, no. I think if they ever saw me in person again, they would probably... physically harm me. I've made very clear of them and probably they of me. I made their lives a living hell.
Wait, so you were not, were you like not a good student?
No, not at all. Were you like a troublemaker? No. Oh. No, I really enjoyed school, but school did not enjoy me. Okay.
All right, Chris. Well, we've asked you here to play a game we're calling... Abbott Elementary meets the Elementary Abbotts. So, you star in Abbott Elementary. Don't be scared. Don't be scared. It's going to be okay.
It wasn't good at school, Nadine!
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