Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! - Best of NMJ April 2022

Episode Date: April 16, 2022

Chance The Rapper, Japanese Breakfast, and brothers Bashir and Sultan Salahuddin, plus Paula Poundstone thinks a story is baloney.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. It must be spring because the daffo bills are blooming. I'm Bill Curtis, and here's your host, a man who thought he'd be tending to an energy-efficient garden by planting fluorescent bulbs last fall. It's Peter Sagan. Thank you, Bill. It's spring at last, and this year, while others are breaking out their seersucker suits and floppy sun hats, we're going through a more difficult readjustment, like a bear coming out of hibernation. I hate being awakened before I've finished burning up my reserves of stored fat. So while we blink our eyes and stretch our creaky limbs, we thought we'd review some

of the great things that happened over the winter. For example, in December of last year, we were joined live on stage by Bashir and Sultan Salahuddin, creators and stars of the Chicago-set comedy Southside. Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. So, let's start by talking about your background. You guys grew up on the Southside, right? Yes, we grew up on the Southside of Chicago in Gresham.

And one person, thank you. One guy up there was like, that's right, Gresham! So, Bashir, you went to ADs for college. You got into comedy writing. You wrote for Jimmy Fallon, right? Wrote for Jimmy. We actually got there before the show even started. And everybody's like, oh, we have no idea what's going to happen.

And we looked up a couple years later. We had some Emmy nominations. We were writing for President Obama. Oh, yeah, I heard that. That famous appearance of President Obama in Slow Jam News. You guys wrote that. Yeah, we did. And in fact, here's something.

I wrote the first pass. And I've never told anybody that. But I'm in a bragging kind of mode right now. Do it. Let's do it. Let's do it. That's right. That's right.

And, you know, we got to meet the president. And he couldn't have been more nice. And he really wanted to have a good time. How much did he put in his own stuff? Like, did he improvise? I mean, he, you know, he's a natural. There are detractors who would say, oh, Obama's a ham. Yeah.

And anyway. Like you just said. Sultan, so he's out there. I'm coming in hot, y'all. So I'm going to catch up with Sultan. So Bashir is out there. He's doing comedy writing. What are you doing at this time?

I was doing stand-up comedy in the Midwest for a while. I was cracking jokes and making people laugh and busting heads. But I went to college, had a couple of kids, did the normal domestic stuff. And then I decided to start writing at the urge of my brother and pin the show Southside. So wait a minute. So you're the guy, Sultan, who came up with the idea for the show Southside. So wait a minute. So you're the guy, Soltan, who came up with the idea for the show? Boom. Really?

Since we're bragging. Now there's a look for radio audiences. Not the only one that's cool. There's a look in Bashir's face. This reminds me of back when I was inventing the iPhone. The show's about two guys, one of whom you play Soltan, who worked for

a rent-to-own company. Spending a lot of time, and they got like side hustles upon side hustles. And Bashir, you play a Chicago cop. I do. Who is not the best cop. There's a lot of things about the show that I want to talk to you guys about, but one of them is its tone, and I was watching it, because all this stuff happens. And it just gets

crazier and crazier and crazier as the show goes on, until stuff is happening like, what? And I was watching it because all this stuff happens and it just gets crazier and crazier and crazier as the show goes on until stuff is happening like what? And I was like this is like Seinfeld. High praise. Alright. And I actually You heard it here first. In the classic Seinfeld

episodes somebody would do something small and they'd get dumb about it and they would just increase in dumbness. The old snowball effect. Right. And I actually heard that you guys actually had that in mind when you created the show, that you wanted to be like a Seinfeld for the south side. Is that right? You know, we definitely wanted something that moved the way Seinfeld

moved in terms of being funny. I think sometimes when you deal with content, especially black content, there's always this impetus and this need to put something deep into it. As if there's like... And I don't mean deep as in our show doesn't have meaning but our show doesn't need you to have characters prove they're from the south side because they cry right because they're running from bullets you know we don't have very special episodes where i grab me go hey brother what's going on and also i as an actor i'm not qualified do do that level of work. He really cares. Yeah, exactly.

So we said, no, we want people all over the world, and especially on the South Side, to come home and feel lifted up, and to let that ebullient spirit of the show really pervade every morsel and ounce of who they are as a person. And then to tell other people about it, so they watch, much like we're doing right now. Right. I understand. Ebullient. Ebullient.

And I think that's the way. By the way, he debt me $5. I understand. A Boolean. A Boolean. And I think that's the way... That's the word. By the way, he debt me $5. I wouldn't use that word. Are people finding it more now in this halfway through the second season? Yeah, they're finding it more now because they can binge it. What I love is that our show is so joke dense that folks kind of have to watch it two or

three times to get everything, and then we always try to play jokes in the background. There's this one scene where the sorry see that's the effect south side has on i mean no but there's i love it let's go let's talk about it come on i love it police office and uh and they're like saying here's what we need to do today it's like gang day or whatever yeah gang week gang week yeah and yeah. And they're like, oh no, like we're scared of gangs or whatever. And then, but on the whiteboard in the background, there's a list of like the other stuff

that they're listing. And one item on the list is firemen that we hate. Chicago. She gets an A plus. Yeah, come on. All you can handle. Well, Bashir and Sultan, it is a real joy to meet you in person.

Thanks for having us. This is great. We have invited you here today. We've invited you here to play a game we're calling Welcome to the Real South Side. So, if you start, say, at the corner of 75th and Ashland, and you head south,

and you keep heading south, you will eventually reach the southest of sides, that is Antarctica. So we're going to ask you three questions about Antarctica. Get two right, you win a prize for whatever you do. Voice of their choice in their voicemail. He's ready. Bill Hora, Bashir, and Sultan playing

for you. Man, let's do this. Jen Freitag of Chicago, Illinois. All right. All right. Hey, Jen. Hi, Jen. Here right. All right. Hey, Jim. Hi, Jim. Here is your first question. The first person to reach the South Pole was the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in 1911. And the tent he set up when he got there

has been designated as an official world historic site, even though what? A, nobody has any idea where it is. B, it melted and dissolved into the ocean seven years ago. Or C. It is the place where Amundsen's group ate their weakest member. I think it's A. I'm going to support you, and we're going to vote for A. You're right. That's what it was.

Nobody has any idea where it is. Just so you know, I read about this before we came. Oh, you did your research. They think it's like 50 feet beneath the current surface of the ice, maybe over there that way. They don't really know. There it is. Next question. By the time Richard Byrd led his 1928 expedition to the South Pole and Arctic Ocean... Famous 1928 expedition.

That one, you know that, right? Yep, who doesn't? I'm aware of that. I got a Richard Byrd shirt at home. Yeah. When he led his expedition there in 1928, Antarctica had developed such a reputation for driving men insane in the wild, cold wastes

that he brought along what on the trip? A, 12 straitjackets. B, a couch so he could give his men therapy if needed, or C, three seasonal affective disorder lamps? What do you think? You say you're going to go, should we go A? I got to go with straitjackets, A. I'll support you.

You're right, it was straitjackets. Yeah. I don't know. My mom's going to be so proud. We'll see if we can make her proud. Last question. There are, of course, lots of current expeditions to South Pole. But if you wanted to go to the South Pole now on an expedition and you are a doctor,

you have to make some preparations before you go, including what? A, you have to bring along a lot of sugar pills because people get bored and make up reasons to see the doctor just to have something to do. B, have your own appendix removed. Or C, stock up on wooden medical instruments because your hand sticks to scalpels in that cold. What's your gut telling you? I'll tell you what, what's your appendix telling you?

By the way, doctors are like, wrong side, man. It's like they didn't even go to medical school. It's gay. I think it's Bravo. I think it's the appendix thing. They're like that. So what's it going to be, Tan? I support you, man.

I'm going with the wood, bro. All right. All right. That's fine. That's fine. You've already won. So anyway, Bashir is going versus appendix. Sultan is going with the wood, bro. All right. That's fine. That's fine. You've already won. So anyway, Bashir is going versus appendix. Sultan is going with the wooden instruments.

And the winner is Bashir. It was in fact. All right. Oh, wait. It was the appendix. In 1961, a Russian doctor was at the South Pole, his own appendix burst, and he had to remove it himself. Yeah.

I'm sure he used wooden instruments. I'm just saying. With metal tips. Bill, how did they do on our quiz? They've gone where few have gone before and got them all right! What? You did.

All right. Collectively, together. Oh, man. And guys, I've got to tell you, if you think these guys are funny here, you should see their TV show, Bashir and Sultan, Soledadine star in Southside.

It's on HBO Max, seasons one and season two is out now. Watch it, Bashir and Sultan. Thanks, guys. Thank you so much for joining us. It's a pleasure. Bravo. Bravo.

Speaking of getting punchy during the long, dark hours of winter, here's Paula Poundstone taking exception to a news item from last January, along with Cristela Alonso and Mo Rocca. Olympics. Right, this week a new line of cosmetic skincare face masks was released by blank. I have no idea. Oscar Mayer on Sunday, winter storms across the South forced the cancellation of over 2,000 blanks. Flights.

Exactly right, last week residents in the town of Hamilton, Ontario were shocked when they woke up to find that it was raining blanks. Ice. No, raining beans. A company called Bunge is taking responsibility for the bean rain. Love it. Blaming a malfunction at one of their nearby factories. But honestly, this is what they get for building the factory on top of that famed geyser. Old frijoles. I love me some Tommy.

Bill, how did Cristela do in our quiz? Well, she had six right for 12 more points. And she now has 15. But Mo still has the lead with 16. Wait a minute. Did you say Oscar Mayer made face masks? I did. I said Oscar Mayer. Yes.

I wish there was an Oscar Mayer face mask. Exactly. Why are Oscar Mayer making a face mask? I don't know. Why would you just say Oscar Mayer and then move on like it was nothing? Paula, Paula, have you ever fried bologna? It's a perfect consistency for a mask. No, I'm not a big bologna person, but I did used to eat hot dogs, but I don't understand.

There's no relationship between these two products. It would be like buying a Tesla sausage. Why? Isn't a Tesla sausage. Why? Isn't a Tesla sausage the name of his spacecraft? When we come back, Chance the Rapper, and some other stuff too, but seriously, when you have Chance the Rapper,

do you need anything else? We'll be back in a minute with more Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPR. From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis, and here's your host, who's still convinced Easter eggs are laid by Easter bunnies. Peter Sagal. Thank you, Bill. So this week, as spring springs upon us, we're enjoying some memories from the dark days of winter.

First, from November, three of our panelists tell stories about somebody who loves something most consider unlovable. And no, it's not Pete Davidson. Hi, you are on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Oh, hi. This is Anna from Denver, Colorado. Oh, great. Well, how are things in Denver? Getting cold, I hope? Yeah, they're getting a little colder, but there's still some nice days. That's good. Well, I like it when it gets cold in Denver because then it snows, you can go skiing. Do you do all those fun Colorado things that people do to enjoy themselves in that beautiful

state? No. You don't? You just don't? I got a dog. You got a dog? Yes. All right. That's a Colorado thing. I appreciate that. What kind of dog did you get? He's a German Shepherd mix. And being a new dog owner, how did you find it? I mean, I know it allows you to fit into Colorado society because you have to bring a dog everywhere. I love it. She's the best. She just does everything I want to do. And I happen to get her one of those vests, not like a service vest, just like a regular harness. But people seem to think it's the best. Everywhere I go,

they think she's a service dog. So I've actually managed to bring her into places without people even questioning it. How awesome. Well, it's very nice to have you with us, Anna. You're going to play our game on what you must write to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Anna's topic? Let your freak flag fly. Our world is full of strange and wonderful things and also a bunch of really strange people. This week, we learned about a group of people who were proudly banding together and standing

up for their own particular bizarre interest. Our panelists are going to tell you about it. Pick the one who's telling the truth. You'll win the weight waiter of your choice in your voicemail. Ready to give this a try? Hell yeah. Hell yeah. All right. First, let's hear from Emmy Blotnick. An Indianapolis couple is fighting back after being banned from a hot lunch buffet where they were spotted serving themselves with their bare hands. As it turns out, there's more than a handful of people who prefer to eat this way, as evidenced by a recent uptick of similar incidents at salad bars and grocery store bulk bins nationwide, with some even calling themselves anti-tongers. Members of this growing movement believe that certain salad bar items

simply cannot be picked up with tongs, such as cherry tomatoes, grapes, and peeled hard-boiled eggs, a category they call the untongables. Said a Milwaukee woman no longer allowed in her local Whole Foods, personally, I reach into the bins because I don't like everything in the trail mix, and I shouldn't have to pay for things I don't like. Others argue that eschewing utensils provides extra dimension to mealtimes. You don't know sensory pleasure until you've sipped corn chowder through your own cupped hands,

said a man covered in soup. The anti-tonguers who use their hands to pick up the untongables. Your next story of a bunch of weirdos comes from Alonzo Bowden. Everybody is annoyed by a bird pooping on your freshly washed car hood. Everyone that is, except a group of artists in Bakersfield, California, who practice a variety of surrealism using avian excretion, an art form they call doo-doo-da-da. It began when Dave Ralston's car got dive-bombed right after he left the car wash, and before he could get mad, he noticed the pattern on his hood looked like the Thomas Gainsborough's Blue Boy painting. That gave me an idea, he said. What if we encourage the birds to explore their artistic impulses? So every Sunday morning,

Dave and a group of his friends meet outside the Bakersfield Farmers Market to park their freshly washed cars under carefully selected trees and light poles and wait for inspiration to splatter on their hoods. The grand prize in their competition will be awarded to a copy of a painting so accurate a passerby can recognize so far no one has won that lisa mendez from the bakersfield times art section asked what is the grand prize anyway a car wash of course said dave provides a fresh canvas for next sunday the doo-doo-da-da movement, who use birds to make art. Your last story of freaks being loud and proud comes from Paula Poundstone.

There are things that just go together. Peanut butter and jelly, movies and popcorn, Captain and Tennille, toothbrushing and orange juice. Wait, what? Yes, there are people who love to follow brushing their teeth with an orange juice chaser. Casey, a 34-year-old in Northern Virginia, explains, For me, the minty, tangy, one-two punch creates such a unique, potent flavor. Many who enjoy the dentifrice-slash-citrus combo identify themselves on social networks.

They don't claim to find it tasty so much as they appreciate the chemical reaction. Perhaps the way a member of a polar bear club known for plunging into icy cold water doesn't really enjoy freezing their ass off but relishes the aftermath. The part where they're brought warm blankets while they cry and swear they'll never do that again. No word yet on the unlikely social group's meetups to eat oysters near septic tank cleanouts. It must be in the offing, though. All right. So there's a group of people out there who are proudly claiming to enjoy something that other people just, well, don't. Was it from Emmy, the anti-tongers who just enjoy using their bare hands to pick up things from salad bars and bulk bins? From Alonzo Bowden, people who want birds to poop on their freshly washed cars for the sake of art?

Or from Paula Poundstone, people who actually enjoy and advocate for drinking orange juice right after they brush their teeth? Which of these are the people who are coming out of the shadows at last? I have a feeling it's the third one, but you guys really like to talk about poop on this show and I want Alonzo to get the point. So I'm going to go with Alonzo's story. You picked Alonzo's story of the bird poop artist. Well, to bring you the correct answer,

we spoke to someone who knows something about the real story. Some of them go out of their way to brush their teeth before drinking orange juice. They prefer it that way. That was Quinn Myers, a staff writer at Mel Magazine and the person who first reported on this phenomenon. So as you yourself knew would happen, it was Paula who was telling the truth. So you did not win, but you earned a point for your guy, your man, Mr. Bowden, for telling his story so effectively. So congratulations, I guess. Thank you, Anna. Bye bye.

Thank you. Bye. Bye bye. Also in November, we had our first hometown show in front of a live audience in two years. And to celebrate, we were joined on stage at the Harris Theater in Chicago by one of Chicago's greatest stars, Chance the Rapper. Peter asked him about everything that had happened since we last met him. Way, way back when, in the distant days known as 2015. So we had you on the show in 2015, summer of 2015. You were well known.

You were rising up in the hip-hop music scene. And it was right before Coloring Book came out. Huge album. And so much has happened since then. So much has happened since then. So much has happened since then. Have you ever looked around when, I don't know, when you're like playing in like this White Sox baseball stadium in a concert that you organized or on whatever late night show or hanging out with Beyonce

where you're like, this is crazy. Yeah, I think every once in a while. Every once in a while I'm like, this is cool. You know, there's no shell shock or anything. I'm just kind of living life. It is a dope life, though. Thank you. Yeah, no, it's not bad.

Thanks for reminding me how cool it is. You're not going to be that guy. No, it really doesn't matter. I just like to be home. No, it's cool. No, it's very cool. It's a lot of fun. You're also quite young at least

from my perspective are you gonna go to your 10-year high school reunion so it was that's so crazy that you just asked it was uh it was this year it was supposed to be and uh and there just really hasn't been any organizing around it that i know of I also wasn't super popular when I was in high school so there's a chance that they already did one and I didn't get invited. Really? Really? You honestly believe that your high school class is like

we're holding a reunion. Don't tell that chance guy. It's like a secret. I don't mean that I wasn't popular. They would forget to tell me, but they would intentionally be like... Are you telling me there's a conspiracy to keep you away from your 10-year high school

reunion? There's probably some people I graduated with here right now texting in a group chat going, he knows, because... They enjoy me in other spaces. If I'm performing, they always come. We saw you, I saw you, at least to me, in an unexpected place in the photographs of the Chicago Sky when they won the WNBA championship.

There you were on the court with the team. And I was like, wow, how'd you get around security? Man, you know what? What's funny is like, I do look at some of the pictures from this guy, from like their entire, like that, that end of that series and the parade. And I'm like, I probably should have fell back a little bit, but I was so excited. Because I saw you there and I was like, oh, I didn't know. It was like Chance owned the team and they're like, no, he's just really into it. And then I heard that you said that in celebration of the Sky's championship that you were going to get a Chicago Sky tattoo.

Did you do it? Yes. You did. Chance the Rapper, man of his word. I'm sorry, but the next question has to be, where is it? That is a very personal question. It is. But I will entertain it.

I got the tattoo on my right forearm. Right forearm. Right below the bow. Right. That's cool. And is it like logo of the team? No. I feel like I don't, it's so crazy that you just got me to say that.

Because I got the tattoo right after the rally. A bunch of the players got tattoos too. We all got tattoos. Only my second tattoo that I ever got. Wow. And that's why I was keeping it under wraps. Because I, I, I, the reason why I was going to get the tattoo. So I started going, I think it was, it was the round right before the finals. And there was a game that they had to, had to win in the finals that would put them in a position to, to clinch the

finals and the final round. So I had tweeted out, because there were people that had doubts, so I was like, hey, when they win, I'm going to get a tattoo. Shortly after that, I hit up my tattoo artist and had one of my best friends come over to my crib right after they won this non-championship game. And we talked for a long time, and shortly after that, I was like, yeah, I'm not going to do this.

This makes no sense. I'm not going to get this tattoo. So I escorted him out of my house. The tattoo artist. The tattoo artist. He said, thank you for your time. No, my friend got to stay, but yeah, but the tattoo artist had to go.

Take your ink and go, sir. Yeah, and I was like, I could get this tattoo at any time. I didn't say when I was going to get the tattoo. Right, right, right. I would get the tattoo. You're hedging. You're hedging at this point.

So I basically, a couple days was going to get the tattoo. Right, right, right. You're hedging. You're hedging at this point. So I basically a couple days later they won the finals and I went and celebrated with them that night. We went out and got drunk and that's when all the players are like, I'm getting my tattoo here. Where you getting your tattoo at? And I was like, I want a tattoo.

And so we all turned up. We had a great time uh it was a crazy night and then a couple days later i was still you know still still had champagne all throughout my body right and uh but i had to make it to the rally because they wanted me to come to the rally so i come to the rally and we end up, you know, drinking again. And long story short, the hangover part five, it's insane actually how it ended up happening, but I'm just going to end the story there. Cause I'm, I'm at this point, I'm rambling. The point that I was trying to make was I didn't really want to make a big deal out of it after I got the tattoo. Cause it's like, Hey, I got the tattoo. They got tattoos. We got tattoos. We don't have to ever talk about it again But I don't like lying

So when you asked me I was like I might as well say Yeah It's a good story though You're a man of your word Well it's too late Five million people know now

Yeah Yeah Well Chance We in fact Love to talk to you Whenever you choose to come by But this time We've asked you here to play a game

We're calling Chance Meet Community Chest. We assume, Chance, that you were named after one of the card decks in Monopoly. Yes. The other being Community Chest, you know, because Community Chest, the rapper, doesn't really fly.

So we decided, based on that connection, to ask you three questions about the classic board game Monopoly. Get two right, you will win a prize. Let's find out from our listeners, Bill, who is Chance the Rapper playing for? Anna Johnson of Chicago, Illinois. Here is your first question.

The game during World War II had a very big burst of popularity with sets being sent from home to allied prisoners of war. Why? A, to remind them of the capitalist system they were fighting for. B, because nothing makes a year in prison camp feel short in comparison than a game of Monopoly.

Or C, because maps, compasses, and other escape tools were hidden inside. I'm going to go with C. I think it's the smuggling. Yeah, it was. They smuggled an escape tool. I don't know if it worked. It would be really sad if the prisoners were like, yeah, yeah, we dug a tunnel, but, you know, we haven't finished the game yet. Next question. Monopoly

is almost as famous for the fights it causes as it is for anything else, so if you plan on playing this holiday, be sure to take advantage of what helpful resource for Monopoly players. A, an official 1-800 hotline where a mediator will help settle rules disputes. B, a small vial containing the cold virus

so you can catch it and sit the game out. C, soft bumpers for the edges of the boards so that when you throw it in anger, it will not hurt anyone or damage the furniture. As I recall, the corners are extremely sharp. They are. I think

it's A. You think it's A? I believe that there's... 800 line. That's what it is. There's an 800 line. You set it up and call up. They can have like ink packets for people who steal Monopoly money. There's always that one cousin that steals.

They can have ink packets. Oh, man. Last question. There have been dozens of different versions of Monopoly, of course, but maybe the worst version of Monopoly was which of these? Communist Monopoly.

B, longest game ever Monopoly was which of these? Communist Monopoly. B, longest game ever Monopoly designed to take six hours or more to play. Or C, post-apocalypse Monopoly in which instead of buying or trading properties you fight for them with knives. I want to go with the longest

game one. But then you said it's only six and a half hours. Six hours. Which doesn't sound that much longer than a regular game. That's what I was thinking. No, Monopoly takes time. The six hour one. You're right. Let's go!

In this game, it doesn't end until somebody owns all the properties, and there's twice as many of them. Bill, how did Chance the Rapper do in our quiz? Product of Chicago Public Schools, Chance the Rapper won all three. Chance the Rapper is a Grammy-winning artist, and he is the founder of Social Works, a youth empowerment charity. More information at socialworkschai.org. Chance the Rapper, thank you so much for coming. Thank you. You are the brightest photographer.

Chance the Rapper, everybody. Give it up. When we come back, a groundbreaking indie musician and a famous pro hockey player. So pretty much something for everybody, right? That's when we return with more Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis, and here's your host, a man who is too impatient to compost, so he just throws eggshells onto the dirt and then goes to Whole Foods. Peter Sagal.

Thank you, Bill. And while Bill finishes putting sunscreen on my back in anticipation of NPR's beach volleyball season, we will review what happened back in the dark days of winter. Almost done, Peter. Michelle Zahner performs music under the name Japanese Breakfast and last year wrote a memoir, Crying in H Mart. When she joined us in April of last year, Peter asked her how she got started.

You know, I just never, this was started as a sort of side project. I was in another band called Little Big League, and I had a Tumblr that I would upload photos of animated food GIFs with these side project demos, and one of them was a photo of Japanese breakfast. And I just called the project that on a whim, not thinking that this would ever take off. I want to talk about your music first. I have heard, I've been listening to your music all week. I've been enjoying it. I've heard it described as shoegaze music. And I'm told by my younger associates that that is a real term. It is a real term, I guess, because shoegaze music. And I'm told by my younger associates that that is a real term.

It is a real term, I guess, because shoegazers use a lot of guitar pedals. So they're frequently looking at their shoes to see what they're stepping on and what sound it will create. Oh, I just thought that you were very shy. It could be that too. I feel like most shoegaze bands are probably a little bit introverted. And part of your act of Japanese Breakfast is a gentleman who is your husband. Yes, the guitar player is my husband, who's also mentioned in the book. I think it's sweet when couples still gaze at each other's shoes. I think that's cute, even after marriage. That's very adorable. That's adorable. Many of your songs are about yourself and your feelings and even about your husband, right?

That is true. So you ask your husband to stand there and play guitar while you sing about him. That is correct. I mean, do you ever have like songs like, you know, if you leave your laundry lying around, I don't know what I'll do. I'll do. I'll do that sort of thing. Not really. No, it's a little more do, I'll do, I'll do, that sort of thing? Not really, no. It's a little more threatening, I guess. I want to talk to you about your book, which I've been reading, and is remarkable and moving and tragic and resonates on a bunch of levels,

but mainly it made me very hungry. Your book is called Crying in H Mart. Could you describe it for the listeners? Well, the title comes from this Korean groceries chain called H Mart. And my mom passed away in 2014 from a very aggressive battle with a GI cancer. And I'm mixed race. I'm half Korean. And my mother was Korean.

And I'm mixed race. I'm half Korean. And my mother was Korean. And I found myself oddly gravitating towards cooking Korean food in the wake of her loss. And it was a way for me to sort of, I guess, like excavate memories that were good. It was also this way that I felt like I was sort of preserving that part of my culture that had always felt like this kind of innate part of me that felt at risk in this new way. And you do an amazing job in the book of conjuring your early childhood and also of like really getting into this food culture of Korea, which people aren't as familiar with in America as they should be. Um, and you also describe, there's a scene early on in the early chapters of it, going over to Korea with your mother when you were young and, and, and you prove to the family that you can eat anything by eating live octopus. Is that a true story? It is. It tastes really good. It's very briny and, uh, fresh.

I would hope so. But isn't it like wriggling around? Yeah, I mean, they take a live octopus and they sever the tentacles. So that's so fresh that it's like still pulsing. I feel like Korean food culture, they really appreciate the extremes. Like they like food to be really vibrant and really spicy. And anything that's supposed to be hot is like scalding. Anything that's supposed to be cold is served with ice. Everything that is supposed to be fresh is very fresh.

You have a song called Jimmy Fallon Big, which is about hitting it so big that you get to be on Jimmy Fallon. You actually sang that on Jimmy Fallon. What was that like? It was wild. Yeah, I wrote it about my old bass player in the band Little Big League who left our band to go play in another band to be Jimmy Fallon Big. And they actually never played Jimmy Fallon. They only played Seth Meyers. And then three years later, he rejoined our band,

and we became Jimmy Fallon Big together. Oh, really? So you were sort of singing it. You were doing a song, making fun of him. Yes. I'm going to be Jimmy Fallon Big. Now, because he had been wise enough to rejoin you, you actually got to be in Jimmy Fallon. And probably just rough on poor Seth Meyers' feelings when he saw that.

He wanted to be Jimmy Fallon Big. He only played Seth Meyers. God. Well, Michelle Zauner, we are delighted to talk to you. We have invited you here to play a game we are calling The Breakfast of Champions. You perform as Japanese breakfast. We thought we'd ask you about The Breakfast of Champions. Answer two out of three questions about Wheaties breakfast cereal. You win our prize. One of our listeners, the voice of their choice on their voicemail. Bill, who is Michelle Zauner playing

for? Ruth Manson of New York, New York. All right, so here we go. Now, one reason that Wheaties is considered the breakfast of champions is that it is fortified with vitamins and minerals that can sometimes have weird side effects, though like which of these? A, Wheaties has so much iron in it, you can lift up the flakes with a magnet. you can lift up the flakes with a magnet. B, you cannot feed it to hamsters or other small mammals because it might induce cardiac arrest in animals that size. Or C, some Wheaties eaters report becoming so strong they crush their spoons in their hands.

B. You're going to go for B, that you cannot feed Wheaties to hamsters, gerbils, other small mammals of that kind because it will pop their little hearts like grapes. Yes. No, actually it was A. It has so much iron iron in it this is apparently true of other fortified cereals that you can actually pick it up with a strong magnet but don't worry you still have two more chances here michelle this is this is not a concern now wheaties has made a claim to be

responsible for one of these historical events and they might be right which is it is Wheaties responsible for a man landing on the moon b the presidency of Ronald Reagan or c the invasion of Kosovo by Serbia oh my god uh b b yes the presidency of Ronald Reagan all right you have one more chance. If you get this right, you win. Oh, God. You've got this. Wheaties is nowhere near as popular as it once was, which is sad because it created so many innovations in the breakfast cereal space, such as which of these? A, they were the first cereal to suggest that people pour milk on it rather than the usual beer. B. Frosted Flakes stole Tony the Tiger from Wheaties' Champy the Lion, which was even voiced by the same person. Or C. They invented the term erectile dysfunction, which they then suggested Wheaties could cure. B?

You're going to go for B, that Frosted Flakes stole Tony the Tiger? You're right. What for B, that Frosted Flakes stole Tony the Tiger? You're right. What? Okay, good. I mean, I don't know why I'm surprised because C and A are pretty out there. Yeah, I know. I can't imagine it was either of those. I am pretty sure that over the years, people have, in fact, poured beer on their breakfast cereal, but they're never supposed to. Bill, how did Michelle Zauner do in our quiz?

Michelle, one, two out of three. Michelle, you ought to be on a box of Wheaties. Absolutely. Yay, Michelle. I'm Wheaties big. You are. You are. Michelle Zauner is the singer-songwriter behind Japanese Breakfast, her new album Jubilee is out June 4th, and her new memoir

Crying in H Mart will be available on April 20th. It's remarkable and moving and will make you hungry. Michelle Zauner, thank you so much for joining us. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Thank you so much for having me. Nice to meet you all. Thank you. Take care, Michelle. Bye, guys. Finally,

while Peter was away in October of last year, guest host Nagin Farsad was able to indulge her first love and her greatest enthusiasm, professional hockey. New Jersey Devils star P.K. Subban has won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defender. He's been the league's top scoring defenseman, and he won an Olympic gold medal for Canada in Sochi. But most importantly, he is one of the top gold medal for Canada in Sochi. But most importantly, he is one of the top three Subban brothers in professional hockey. So let's start with this. I love this detail that you also have brothers who have played in the NHL and you even faced your brother Malcolm for the first time in a 2017 game. And like, I hate to be the one to say it, game. And like, I hate to be the one to say it, but your brother won that game. So like my question,

my first question to you is how was Canadian Thanksgiving that year? Well, first of all, thank you for the introduction. You didn't have to throw all of that in there, but I appreciate it. Secondly, on the point of my brother beating me, it's probably deservingly so. I mean, the amount of times that I've plugged out gaming consoles or I've teased them about beating them in NHL or in PlayStation, I mean, that's happened hundreds and hundreds of times. So, you know what, That's happened hundreds and hundreds of times. So, you know what? I think maybe you can say I got what I deserve, you know, on that night. But so, OK, I'm going to ask you a really, really critical question. You are on the cover of the NHL or you were on the cover of the NHL video game.

Yeah. Have you ever played the video game as yourself? No, you know, I actually stopped. No, I'm being honest. Too meta. I stopped playing video games like a long time ago. You know, I think when I really put the video games to rest was when I was actually on the cover in 2019. I was like, like, I was just like, honestly, I'm,

that was so exciting. Like the Norris trophy was really, really cool. Being on the cover of NHL 19 for me was like, like, I was like, wow. But how did it turn you off to playing video games forever? You beat your brother forever there it is let's go through it you know being a pro hockey player having your own foundation i have so many different things that eat up my time i really don't have time to sit down and play video games. Like I wish I did, but like when I have my free time, I just want to kick it, chill, like relax, do nothing, like turn my brain off, you know? Oh my God. Is it the height of narcissism that if I was in the NHL video game,

I would be playing it all the time. And as myself, it's one of those things, right? Like, you know, before you have it, you're like, Oh, I do this. And then once you're there, you're just like, I'm good. You know what I mean? So I'm good. PK, we will never know. We will never know about that. Well, PK Subban, we have asked you here to play a game that we're calling... That's icing. Delicious icing. So icing is bad when you're a hockey player, but icing is fantastic when you're a baker. So, we're going to ask you three questions about bakeries.

Get two out of three right, and you'll win a prize for one of our listeners. Bill, who is P.K. Subban playing for? Sarah Page of Las Vegas, Nevada. Okay, are you ready? Okay. P.K, really, really turn your brain off for this. Okay.

The reality show Cake Boss is famous for the intricate icing and decoration on their cakes. They made a cake version of Wrigley Field for the park's 100th birthday that was 25 square feet and weighed 400 pounds. But, according to the Chicago Tribune, how did it taste? A, it was, quote, the perfect pairing for a cup of warm old style. B, it was,

quote, dry and chewier than a catcher's mitt. Or C, we don't know, the cake was tossed in a dumpster without anyone eating a single bite? I'm going to go with A. I don't know. Did you have another instinct that maybe wasn't A? C. C. C. Oh my gosh, that's right. It's totally C. Wait, but hold on. Hold on a second. Hold on a second. How does no one, not one person tried the cake? Yeah, nobody ever ate it. I'm disappointed.

I would have definitely grabbed a handful of that just to see what was up. Okay, let's move on to the next question. So a bakery in Germany was told by the courts to stop making the cookies they'd been selling online for 20 years. But why? Was it A, the icing on them was so colorful and cheerful that the cookies were, quote, un-German? Was it B, there was no decoration on them at all, so they couldn't legally be called cookies? Or was it C, they were mostly made of sawdust? I'm going to go with A.

So you think that the German are going to be on the record that they don't like colorful and cheerful stuff and say they've gone on the record with worse i'm gonna i'm just joking i'm gonna say i'm gonna say b that's my final answer right or wrong i'm going with b and by and by final did you mean you were gonna give it like one more shot though final what i meant was yeah c i'm probably gonna go with c when it's all oh my gosh you're so good at this game because it is c yes it's totally the court didn't buy the argument that sawdust is a vegetable product. Okay, let's move on to your final question. Nikola Tesla has an important place in bakery history, though not many people know about it.

What is it? Was it A, he was a guest at the first ever birthday party to have a stripper pop out of a cake? B, he invented the apple fritter? cake. B, he invented the apple fritter. Or C, a baker's dozen is 13 because of a feud he had with Thomas Edison over how many things were in a dozen.

I'm gonna go with B. What if you minused B by one, where would you land? Oh, A! It's A, right? That's right, The answer is A. Oh, my God. He was a guest.

I promise I'm not cheating. I promise I'm not cheating. I couldn't... This guy knows his baking stuff. The answer is A. He was a guest at the first ever birthday party to have a stripper pop out of a cake. Nobody had ever thought of that before. She wasn't supposed to be in there. She accidentally pop out of a cake. Oh, my God. Like, nobody had ever thought of that before.

She wasn't supposed to be in there. She accidentally got baked in a cake. Popped out. And then someone was like, we should keep doing this every time we have a bachelor party. That, I'll tell you what, that rules. Tesla. I know it was a mistake. They're all chanting his name.

I love that Tesla was actually the first tech bro. Bill, how did P.K. Zuban do on our quiz? Well, using the principle of try and try again, we're going to say that P.K. is a winner. Thank you, P.K. Good job. P.K. Zuban

is an Olympic gold medal winning hockey player who currently plays defense for the New Jersey Devils. P.K. Zubon is an Olympic gold medal winning hockey player who currently plays defense for the New Jersey Devils. P.K. Zubon, thank you so much for joining us on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Thank you, guys. You guys are awesome. Let's do this again. You were super fun. Thank you.

That was awesome. That's it for our spring break edition. 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 Godeka writes our limericks. Our public address announcer is Paul Friedman. Our production assistant is Sophie Hernandez-Simionides.

BJ Litterman composed our theme. Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Dornbos, Lillian King, and Nancy Seichau. Our body shot coordinator is Peter Gwynn. Technical direction is from Lorna White. Our business and ops manager is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse. Our senior producer is Ian Chilog. And the executive producer of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is Mike Danforth. Thanks to everybody you heard

this week, all of our panelists, all our guests, of course, Bill Curtis. And thanks to all of you for listening. I'm Peter Sagal. We'll be back with you next week. This is NPR.