WWDTM: Natasha Rothwell

23:44And so Mike has really figured out the formula for the show, to be sure. Which is to cram you all into a luxurious place for months and not let you leave. Yes. I heard from an interview with a castmate of yours that it was actually quite hard to be in Thailand for that long because it was incredibly hot. And on the most miserable hot days, you all had to pretend that you were having the best time ever in this wonderful resort. And so are you willing right now to a national audience to complain about this gig? I won't complain, but I will say we all got very adept at putting ice packs in places you would have never dreamed.

24:26Really? Yeah. Yeah. Ice packs can go a long way. But, you know, they say want is the root of all suffering. And so after the first couple of weeks, I had to stop wanting it to be cold and, like, cool. So I had to accept it and, yeah, just put ice packs in a lot of places.

24:50Well, Natasha, it is absolutely great to talk to you. We have invited you here to play a game that this time we're calling. Sure, you roth well, but do you froth well? Who froths well, Natasha? Baristas, that's who. So we're going to ask you three questions about coffee professionals. Answer just two of them correctly, and you'll win our prize for one of our listeners. Bill, who is Natasha playing for? Joanna Lee of Tucson, Arizona. All right. You know the rules here. You get two right, you win our prize. Ready to go? All right. I just took a big breath. Is this like a stressful thing for you?

25:23Are you the kind of person who, even when it's utterly meaningless and dumb, takes tests seriously? My therapist is very well paid. Right, okay. Yes. Well, let's find out how much good they've done for you. Here we go. Here's your first question. Some baristas develop personal relationships with some of their customers. For example, after a customer's second visit of the day to a coffee shop, one barista told Reddit that he did what for the customer? A, walked a third and fourth cup of coffee over to his job to save him the trip. B, held up the line for 20 minutes talking to him about his recent breakup.

25:59Or C, Googled how much caffeine consumption will kill you.

26:08I'm going to say Google how much caffeine consumption can kill you, baby. That's right, Natasha, because what happened was the customer who was apparently a chef came in and ordered a drink with 12 espresso shots and then came back just a couple hours later and asked for another one, at which point the barista started Googling his personal safety. Okay, very good. Here's your next question. In the annual World Barista Championships, competitors serve the judges' drinks in three different categories, but competitors are warned they will receive a score of zero in the milk beverage category if they do what?

26:45A, draw an obscene picture in their latte art, B, use human milk in the drink, or C, make frothing noises with their mouth while frothing the milk. That sort of thing. Oh, okay. I'm going to say the eggplant art. No, actually, it's they're not allowed to use human milk. And we don't know why they came up with this rule, nor do we want to know. One guy. One guy. One pregnant woman. All right, this is fine, Natasha, because you've got one right with one to go. Here we go. There are Starbucks in unexpected places. some with unique rules, such as A, the Vatican, where they deliver but only to priests taking particularly boring confessions, B, the CIA headquarters, but baristas are forbidden from writing names on the cups, or C, the base camp of Mount Everest, but you have to pack in your own cup, coffee, grounds, and grinder.

27:58Base camp of Mount Everest feels too specific not to be true. So see. So the theory would be that there's a Starbucks just there at the base camp. Or like you would have to deliver it, right? You'd have to bring up your own coffee, your own cup. Oh, no. I misheard. I misheard. My ADHD is on fire. So I will say

28:29boring confessions? Is it the Vatican? There's one answer you haven't said. I don't know what you heard before this very moment, but I have been saying the CIA. You haven't. Yes. The other things I blame Zooms I blame Zooms Can't write the names on the cups Because they don't want people shouting out the names Of the CIA agents at the CIA Bill, how did Natasha do in our quiz? Well, 3-0 for the White Lotus Natasha Rothwell is an Emmy nominated actor and writer You can see her in season 3 of the White Lotus Streaming on Mac now Natasha, thank you so much for joining us Don't tell me. Thank you so much.

29:16Take care. Bye-bye. It's time for coffee. It's time for tea. It's time for those of you who really have to. In just a minute, Bill raises a toast to your good health and maybe saves your life. If it's our Listener Lumber Challenge, call 1-888-WAIT-WAIT to join us on the air. We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPR.

29:53From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis. We're playing this week with Peter Gross, Hari Kondabolu, and Joyelle Nicole Johnson. And here again is your host at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, Illinois, Peter. Thank you, Bill. In just a minute, Bill likes big limericks, and he cannot lie. If you'd like to play our Listener Limerick Challenge, give us a call at 1-888-WAIT-WAIT. That's 1-888-924-8924. Right now, panel, though, some more questions for you from the week's news. Peter, a group of scientists, believe it or not, say that they have, in fact, cloned DNA from a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but they're not going to reenact Jurassic Park.

30:40they have isolated this DNA and they're going to use it to make what? Some tech bro is going to inject it into himself. Yeah. Tyrannosaurus Rick.

30:56Final answer. I have no more guesses. I have no more guesses. I'll take a hint. The T-Rex will from now on be known as the I don't know, Birkinosaurus. Birkinosaurus? They're going to make shoes out of it? Not shoes, not Birkin stocks, but the Birkin... I don't know. Birkin... Merkin? Birkin Merkin. No. Dinosaur Merkin. You are so straight. Because I don't know what a Birkin something is. You don't know what a... Yeah, Birkin is probably the most famous kind of... I will cede this to Joelle, who seems to know the answer. Yes, that's a pocketbook, baby. Yeah, it's a bag. They're going to make handbags out of Tyrannosaurus Rex leather.

31:35Oh, my God. Oh, my God. That's so elitist. Well, it makes sense. when you think of the T-Rex, you think of its towering size, its terrifying teeth, its supple, buttery coat. Who hasn't looked upon the fearsome visage of the tyrant lizard and thought, someday I'd like to lose a chapstick in that guy? Yeah, I feel like Lauren Sanchez is gonna get this bag and take it to space with it. Yes, yes, exactly for her. And also, this is going to go wrong, right? Oh, yeah. They're not gonna be like, we're just gonna make part of the side. Just that. Just that part. Jurassic Park is happening. Everything in science fiction is happening.

32:13I really thought it was going to be a nuclear disaster that did this in, but this whole dinosaurs coming back thing has really thrown a wrench into the odds. It's going to be like somebody's going to be walking around, and all at once, all the bags are going to become alive. They start eating people up their arms. Oh, but they'll eat the rich first. Oh, that's true. Oh, I love this plan. I'm behind this plan. Joyelle, this week we learned about a new place to meet someone. Apparently, more and more people, according to the New York Times, are seeking love where? Cracker Barrel. No. I'll give you a hint.

32:49If you want love, all you need is platinum status and three hours before your flight. The Delta Lounge? Yes. Airport lounges. Oh. That's the new, you know, meat market. People are sharing their meet-cute stories at airport lounges like the United Club, Delta Sky Club, and the JetBlue Kissing Booth. The Southest Airlines cardboard box. No, they say it's the best place to meet, you know, attractive strangers. It's perfect if your type is man on business trip drinking cocktails at 7 a.m. According to one MX Centurion lounge lover, airport lounges provide a, quote, targeted location to meet like-minded people.

33:31You know, because the thing I look for in a partner is also willing to pay$700 a year for three-hour-old oatmeal. It is. It's like a money in class thing. That's what it is. Yes. It's like we belong here. That person also belongs here. Yeah. Yeah. They don't want to meet someone at the Hudson News. Yeah. Someone who's buying a Watch of McCall. That could be anybody. They want somebody. No one's getting a Watch of McCall. They want somebody with a ticket. Excuse me. I buy a Watch of McCall at the Hudson News. I don't know why not just go to the gate and look for love there. It's perfect if what you're looking for in a life partner is somebody wearing pajama pants who lines up 90 minutes before boarding.

34:10Yes. Oh, I love the way you're wearing your neck pillow as you walk around the airport.

34:20Coming up, it's lightning fill in the blank. But first is the game where you have to listen for the rhyme. If you'd like to play on air, call or leave a message at 1-888-wait-wait. That's 1-888-924-8924. Come see us most weeks right here at the Studio Baker Theater in Chicago or catch us on the road this summer. We'll be in Des Moines, Iowa on July 10th and at Tanglewood in western Massachusetts on August 28th. For tickets and information about all of our live shows, go to nprpresents.org. Hi, Aaron. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Hi, my name is Caleb Popsin-Garcia. I'm from Tallahassee, Florida. Hey, Tallahassee, the state capital, what do you do there?

34:54I work in the environmental science field. Wow. We've been getting a lot of that today on this week's show. It's really wonderful to hear. It's kind of like a farewell tour, but it's still great to hear.

35:08Well, Caleb, welcome to the show. Bill Curtis is going to read you three news-related limericks with a last word or phrase missing from each. If you can fill in that last word or phrase correctly in two of them, you'll be a winner. Ready to go? Sure thing. Here's your first limerick. Sparkling wine will relieve my crammed brain, and my heart will relax its damned strain. My pulse feels no trouble while I sip these bubbles. My doctor says, drink more. Wine? It is a form of wine. It rhymes with crammed brain, damned strain. Bubbles are mentioned. Champagne. Champagne, yes. Yes, indeed. New medical research says you might be able to reduce your risk of a certain heart attack by drinking champagne, which is great news because what's worse than somebody holding up a glass of champagne saying, I'd like to propose a toast and then dropping dead so you never find out to whom.

36:06According to the study, in addition to drinking champagne, it also helps if you eat a lot of fruit and have a, quote, positive outlook on life. So shocking. I can't believe being a thin, rich optimist is good for you. Yeah, are they sure it's the champagne that's making a difference? Yeah, it's the ability to buy champagne and treat every day like it's New Year's Eve. Exactly. All right, here is your next limit. When I go to the beach or the chip shop, with gross toenails, I can't make the quips stop. But lazy day fashion is my greatest passion. I spent 600 bucks on some flip-flops. Flip-flops, yes.

36:52Celebrities, influencers, they're all obsessed this summer with the humble rubber flip-flop because nothing says fashion like here is my whole foot. Flip-flops may make you look carefree and whimsical, but they make you sound like slap, slap, slap, slap, slap. Is there another article of clothing that is named after what it sounds like? That is a really good question. I don't have an answer. I'm posing this. Is that onomatopoeia? I'm just thinking. I'm thinking what the shirts go, shirt, shirt, shirt. No. Do pants pant? No. I'd like to slow the show down and talk about every article of clothing.

37:31No, but it is true. I mean, it turns out high fashion is now, you know, flip-flops. You have to love it when something goes straight from a really sketchy gym shower to the runway. way? I don't like flip-flops. You don't? No, I don't like feet. And my boyfriend doesn't wear them. That makes me so happy. Really? What do you have against feet? Look at them. Bill, show Peter your feet. All right, here is your last limerick. As he sits by the aisle, he's not shedding. And his bark, you won't need to be dreading. There won't be any doo-doo when you exchange I do's, I'll be watching your dog at your wedding.

38:16Yes, the latest must-have assistant for your wedding is a dog chaperone, at least according to one in Northern Ireland who went viral this week. She says she has booked 50 weddings so far this year at$400 a day. And for that fee, she'll look after the dog, train it to pay attention during the ceremony, stand still during photos, and not to start yowling when the minister says if anyone has objections to this union. For an extra fee, she will train the dog to carry the ring down the aisle, so adorable, and help you choose the perfect song for the traditional doggy daughter dance. And have the dog look away on the wedding night.

38:58Very awkward when the dog is in the room when people are trying to express their love to each other. But I feel like if your dog is at your wedding it also sleeps on the bed with you. Oh, yeah. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. Yes, and your partner has already had a conversation where you're like, so when we get married, the dog's not going to do that anymore, right? And they're like, no, no, it is. Yeah. Bill, how did Caleb do in our quiz? He was perfect. He got them all right. Congratulations.

39:26Really well done. Congratulations, and thank you for calling. Thank you. Bye-bye. Because when you got a dog, you've always got a friend. It's the kind of love That's gonna be there till the end Never judge and never leave you Always happy just to see you It's when you got a dog Always got a friend

40:01Now on to our final game, Lightning Fill in the Blank. Each of our players will have 60 seconds in which to answer as many fill-in-the-blank questions as they can. Each correct answer now worth two points. Bill, can you give us the scores? Joyelle and Hari each have three. Peter has two. All right. So, Peter, you are in second place. That means that you are going to go first. Here we go. Fill in the blank. In response to the signal texting scandal, Trump announced he was reassigning National Security Advisor blank. Whoever that guy is. Yes. His name is Mike Waltz, and he is going to be UN ambassador.

40:34At the end of April, both the S &P 500 and the blank closed in the red. The other one, the Dow Jones. Yes, the Dow Jones. This week, Canada and Mexico reported outbreaks of blank. Oh, are we exporting measles to them? Yes, we are exporting things. Trade continues. On Tuesday, lawmakers in Florida signed a bill to ban blank in the state's drinking water. Fluoride? Fluoride, yes. This week, a highway in Texas was shut down for 12 hours after a truck spilled$800 ,000 worth of blank. Oh, I heard about this. Dimes. Yes, dimes. Not dime bags. Dimes. On Wednesday, it was revealed that Martin Scorsese filmed one of the blank's final interviews.

41:13One of the blanks? Yes. That is a clue. Oh, a pope. The pope, yes. On Monday, blank kicked off her Cowboy Carter world tour in Los Angeles. The pope for black women. Beyonce. Yes. This week, a priest in Pennsylvania was sentenced to community service after he stole$40 ,000 from his parish and spent it on blank. Cowboy Carter tickets. No. One ticket. Exactly what I was saying. Power-ups in Mario Kart. $40 ,000? $40 ,000. The 52-year-old priest used the parish credit card to buy thousands of dollars in video game power-ups for Mario Kart Tour. Oh, my God. God, can you imagine going to the confession booth saying, Bless me, Father, for I have sinned in hearing, It's-a me.

42:01Bill, how did Peter do in our quiz? Very well. Six right, 12 more points. 14 is his total. All right. Joyelle. Yes. I am arbitrarily choosing you to go next. Here we go. Fill in the blank. On Tuesday, to commemorate his first 100 days in office, blank held a rally in Michigan. Trump. On Monday, Spain and Portugal were hit with a massive 12-hour blank. Blackout? Yeah, power outage. This week, severe blanks tore through 12 states. Tornado. And storms, yes. On Wednesday, a judge suggested opening a criminal case against blank for their app store policies. Oh, Apple? Right. After the Lakers lost their spot in the postseason, blank hinted he may retire from the NBA.

42:40LeBron. LeBron James. On Thursday, George Clooney, Bob Odenkirk, and Sarah Snook were all nominated for blank awards. Tony! Yes, this week, the U.S. Navy lost a$60 million F-18 fighter jet. after the aircraft carrier, it was on blanked. Crashed into the ocean? No, the aircraft carrier turned too quickly and the jet slid off and into the water. The Navy confirmed that a quick turn caused the plane to slide off the ship and into the ocean, which is a real, you know, you had one job, aircraft carrier. Also, they are famously the slowest things to turn. Yes, I know. It's a cliche, right? Well, you know, getting the government to change just like turning an aircraft carrier.

43:22Turns out, turning an aircraft carrier, just jerk the wheel really hard. Bill, how did Joyelle do in our quiz? Six rights, 12 more points. Slipping by Peter with a 15. There you are. You didn't even need it. You didn't even need it. So Hari is left to play. How many does he need to win? Well, six to tie and seven to win. All right, here we go, Hari. This is for the game. Fill in the blank. Months after tense negotiations began, And the U.S. signed a rare minerals deal with blank. Ukraine. Right. On Monday, the White House fired all the scientists working on a massive study of blank's effect on the United States.

43:58What are fruity pebbles? Climate change. Climate change. In her first major speech since leaving office, blank sharply criticized Trump's policies. Kamala Harris. Right. During an interview this week, Ben Affleck said he thought that blank was the best work of his career. What are his children? No. What is, you think this is Jeopardy? Let me have dreams, Peter. Okay, no, no. He said the best work of his career was the DVD commentary track for Armageddon. On Thursday, department store Blank fired their CEO for funneling business to his romantic partner. Macy's? No, Kohl's. On Wednesday, officials in Nepal drafted a law requiring anyone who wants to climb Blank to be an experienced climber.

44:44Mount Everest. Right. Last week, a woman in South Carolina sued a local restaurant after she took a bite of her sandwich and cracked her tooth on blank. What is a gold nugget?

44:57She cracked her tooth on another person's tooth.

45:03Apparently, the woman bit into her sandwich, cracked her molar on something hard, and then discovered it was a tooth. She's understandably traumatized, as I believe you are now. But this is why you have to be specific when you order a burger with everything on it. Bill, did Hari do well enough to win? How dare you? Well, we've got to read him anyway. Three right, six more points. Nine means Joy-El is the Kent. Well done. Oh, perfect. I love that chant. Your audience is thrilled. Yes! Coming up, after the Bill Belichick and Jordan Hudson story broke there, what would be the next hot celebrity gossip we get from CBS Sunday Morning?

45:55But first, let me tell you all that Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is a production of NPR and WBEZ Chicago in association with Urgent Haircut Productions, Doug Berman, Benevolent Overlord. Philip Godica writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our tour manager is Shana Domel. Thanks to the staff and crew. At the Studi Baker Theatre, B.J. Lederman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Dornbos, and Lillian King. Special thanks this week to Blythe Robertson and Monica Hickey. Our jolly good fellow is Hannah Anderson. Peter Babytooth-Gwynn has no verb.

46:25Emma Choi is our vibe curator. Technical director is from Lorna White. Our CFO is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse. Our senior producer is Ian Chillog. The executive producer of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is Mr. Michael Danforth. Now, panel, what would be the next hot gossip we learn from CBS Sunday Morning? Hari Kondabolu. I'm dating a weighted blanket. It's always down for a snuggle, and it always wants to be on top. Peter Gross. Bill Belichick and Jordan Hudson are going to announce they are in a throuple with CBS Sunday Morning and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me's Mo Rocca. And Joyelle Nicole Johnson.

47:03Melania leaves Trump for Trudeau. Hey, if any of that happens, we're going to ask you about it here on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Thank you, Bill Curtis. Thanks also to Peter Gross, Hari Kondabolu, and Joyelle Nicole Johnson. Thanks to our fabulous audience here at Studio Vicar, theater, and to all of you out there in Radioland, wherever you might be. I'm Peter Seg. We'll see you next week.

47:35This is NPR.