About this episodeThis episode of Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me covers the end of the federal government shutdown, the release of …AI summary
This episode of Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me covers the end of the federal government shutdown, the release of Jeffrey Epstein's emails containing derogatory remarks about Donald Trump, and Pope Leo's list of favorite movies. The show also highlights the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck trending on TikTok, an acoustic phenomenon at the London Olympic Velodrome, and an interview with Tiffany Haddish about her career and new Peacock show.
Key takeaways 5
Jeffrey Epstein's released emails contain harsh criticisms of Donald Trump, describing him as 'borderline insane,' 'gross,' and 'a dirty businessman,' with one email noting he was 'even worse in person than on TV.'
The 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck has become a viral trend on TikTok among young people, demonstrating how historical tragedies can gain new cultural traction through social media.
The London Olympic Velodrome's double-curved roof, nicknamed the 'Pringle' due to its shape, reflects fireworks sounds in a way that creates loud farting noises, turning a post-Olympic 'white elephant' into a source of amusement.
Pope Leo released a list of his favorite movies including 'Life is Beautiful,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'It's a Wonderful Life,' and 'Ordinary People,' which panelists noted reflects a traditional, family-oriented sensibility.
Tiffany Haddish worked as an 'energy producer' for events like bar mitzvahs and funerals for 11 years, a role she describes as hyping up crowds and making guests dance.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“He is the dog that did not bark. After months of people demanding that they be released, that was one of the thousands of emails released this week from the account of whom? ... Epstein calls Trump quote borderline insane, so gross, a dirty businessman, and quote, 'Even worse in person than on TV, unquote.'”
▶ 03:11Host Peter Sagal introducing the news story about Jeffrey Epstein's emails and reading the specific insults directed at Donald Trump.
“I would love to take all those emails and then dump them in the chat GBT and say, 'Hey, man. what you think about this...'”
▶ 04:34Panelist Roxanne Roberts joking about using AI to analyze the 20,000 pages of Epstein's emails.
“The company that built the ship way back when named it after their own president, Edmund Fitzgerald, even though he begged them not to... I just feel incredibly sorry for that guy because he walked around for the rest of his life just muttering, I said, 'Call it the centennial.'”
▶ 08:14Peter Sagal sharing a humorous anecdote about the naming of the Edmund Fitzgerald ship.
“The building has this double curved roof that they call the Pringle cuz that's what it looks like. And people who live near it notice that during say fireworks displays, the loud bangs get reflected off the curves in a funny way that sound a lot like well a fart.”
▶ 10:30Explanation of the acoustic phenomenon at the London Olympic Velodrome.
“I bought a $359 microscope that took pictures of bacterias and I could upload those bacterias to Google and I could find out exactly what it is to me. Okay. So in my mind it was me developing my relationship with God and just seeing all the things he created.”
▶ 25:51Tiffany Haddish describing her first purchase after becoming successful.
Chapters & Sections (72)▼
00:00Federal Government Shutdown Endschapter3
00:00Environmental Responsibility in Business Practices
00:58Government Shutdown and Its Effects
01:49New Space Station and NASA Funding
02:41Emails Released from Trump's Account Analysischapter3
02:41Released Emails from President Trump's Account
03:32Jeffrey Epstein's Character and Associates
03:58Jeffrey Epstein's Emails and Implications
04:40Pope's Movie Preferences and Catholic Hierarchychapter5
04:40Pope's Favorite Classic Movies Revealed
05:22Interpreting a List of Movies as a PR Stunt
05:50Evaluating the Pope's Movie List
06:21Requirements to Become a Pope
06:44Separation of Church and State Laws
07:05The Edmund Fitzgerald Shipwreck's 50th Anniversarychapter