Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! - Renée Fleming

Episode Date: October 19, 2019

Renée Fleming, soprano, joins us in a new Not My Job game, along with some never-before-aired bits with our panelists. Also featured are Kate Mulgrew and Tiera Fletcher.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. I'm the man who makes the NPR wine club sound sexy, Chioki Ienso. And here's your host at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal. Thank you, Chioki. Thanks, everybody. Every fall, Congress comes back from their three-month summer break, and then, about three weeks later, they take another vacation. Because you want

to ease into the work thing gradually. We feel the same. I never work more than seven minutes a week, so it makes sense to me. So as we recharge our batteries and reconsider every choice we made that got us here, we thought we'd revisit some of the things we did when we were young and eager earlier this year. Let's start with our conversation with Kate Mulgrew of Star Trek and Orange is the New Black fame.

I asked her what role she's best known for. Oh, Captain Janeway. Yeah, I bet. I bet. Followed very closely by Red, and sometimes I get the double whammy, which is an absolute neck twister. Red! Captain Janeway!

Captain Janeway! Red! So when they came to you and they said, we want you to be the captain on this new Star Trek show, did you know what you were in for? Did you know? I had no clue. Really? I certainly had no idea that it was going to be as life-changing as it was.

Well, just imagine. I'd gone from living a sort of normal life as a typically ambitious and forward-leaning young actress in Hollywood raising my two sons and suddenly I'm spouting Technobabble which is absolutely like learning Greek overnight.

Sure. Working 18 hours a day in four and a half inch heels. Wait a minute. I can't remember seeing your feet. They made you wear heels on the bridge of the starship? Because the men were so tall. Really? And if I had not had those heels,

I would have looked like a little cartoon character. They could have made you decide you were just a particularly short kind of alien. They could have done that. They could have done that. Captain Jamie would have been

really, really pathetic. And how have you found, I'm sure it continues to this day, your interaction with the fans? I think the fans, the Star Trek fans, are the best fans in the world. Really? Yeah. But you never had a moment that was represented

by that classic Saturday Night Live sketch with Bill Shatner, Get a Life? You've never been cornered by these people arguing with you about the way you steered the Voyager? I'd rather have my hand chopped off than say such a thing. I mean, it's so rude. And I said that to Bill. Really?

He managed it. What did he say back to you? These people have given you your career. Why are you acting as if they haven't? It's no big secret. And it works both ways. Up to chop-chop. You lectured William Shatner about how you not being...

I lecture him all the time, and he only laughed at me oh So then a while ago you were cast as Red who is the the chef in the kitchen and a powerful person the cook in the beginning? She was the cook did she change that? Did you I mean I imagine there's not a lot of research you can do to be a starship captain But did you actually have to do like the classic like actor research to play that well? I had no audition for the role we all had to audition. They gave me a very small piece of paper And which was written. This is Galina red resin across. She's been in prison for some time

She's a Russian extraction, but we only want you to tap it We're just looking for this flight is flavor right of Russia, but that isn't you to tap it. Tap it. We're just looking for the slightest flavor of Russia. But that isn't what came out of my mouth. I wanted to talk about your new book, How to Forget, which is quite a remarkable book. I've been reading it all week. Have you really? I really have. Tell me the truth. Alright, I'm going to tell you the truth.

Make a sign of the cross in front of your viewing audience. I could make the sign of a cross. It's not going to make much difference. Seriously. But the truth of the matter is that a lot of the people we write, we have in the show, have written books, and I often make an attempt to read their books.

In your case, I actually got quite involved in it. It's beautifully written, and the story is, I'm not going to say entertaining as much as deeply involving. The book is about the death of your parents. Correct. And I am told that your book, How to Forget, is the number one bestseller on Amazon under the category dysfunctional families. Congratulations. Thank you.

That's wonderful to know. Right. So there's a lot of very intense stuff about your family, about your father, your mother. I know your parents are no longer with us because, as I said, I read the book. But... I wouldn't have written the book had they still been living.

Let me just say that that is obvious. Right, good. Did they live long enough to understand and appreciate how successful you became? He never saw me act. Never? He didn't even watch Star Trek? He never watched me on television. Not even like Star Trek, which is pretty much

a guy thing? He never watched me on Star Trek. That just confused him. Right. He seemed to be absolutely perplexed by it. What the hell are you doing up? Where are you? I said, I'm in the Delta Quad, Dad. Don't you get it?

He said, just go get the vodka. Forget about it. I'm just going to ask you about one more thing. Your first book, your more autobiographical memoir, is called Born With Teeth. Correct. Because you were born with teeth. I was, yes.

What does that mean if a baby is born with a full set of teeth? That she's a witch. Oh! Are you a witch? I'm a kind of witch. Sure. Because I've always wanted to say this. And now I can.

Ready? Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Well, I've always wanted to say this to you. Go ahead. I'll get you, my little pretty, and your little dog, too. Well, Kate Mulgrew, we are delighted to talk to you. We've invited you here to play a game we're calling Red and Orange is the New Black.

Meet the rest of the spectrum. So we want to explain the theme. We noticed a lot of color in your recent work, so we thought we'd ask you about some other colors that didn't show up in your TV show. Answer two out of three questions and you'll win our prize for one of our listeners.

The voice of their choice on their voicemail. Bill, who is Kate Mulgrew playing for? Sebastian Clarkin of Fall River, Massachusetts. Alright, you ready to do this? I think you're ready to do this. I get that. Ready? I'm gonna give it a shot. Let's go. Alright, here's your first question. The nomadic Tuareg people of the Sahara don't have a word for the color purple,

which has resulted in some interesting quirks, such as which of these? A, when Tuareg filmmakers did a remake of Prince's Purple Rain, they had to call it Rain the Color of Blue with a little red in it. Definitely B. Definitely B. It was actually A. I be it was actually a I know what you know where yes but it was so obvious I thought I just played yeah this was this was

actually true was reported on NPR these twerig filmmakers made their own remake of Purple Rain they got it rain the color of blue with a little red in it and apparently it's not bad all All right, your next question. Pantone 448 is the technical name for a brownish color that has what distinction? A, dogs adore it, which is why all dog food is that color. B, it is the color of everything once you turn the lights off. Or C, it is the very worst color in the world. C.

You're right. That's what happened. What happened was an Australian marketing company did a survey. They found out that this shade of brown is the least appealing color in the world, and thus they then used it for cigarette packaging. Okay, last question. You may think you know all the colors, but you don't. Which of these is a real color? A, fulvus, B, gamboge, or C, smaragdine?

I'll bet it's A, but I'm going to go with B. B, gamboge? Yeah. You're right, but they're all real colors. That's okay. It's true. All of this can be described as a brownish-yellow, gamboge as a transparent mustard, and smaragdine as a kind of green.

What do you mean? How can it be mustard if it's transparent? Well, I think the idea is it's like it's a mustard color, but it's like lighter, I think. Oh, do we have to do colors? Are we finished? We're not quite finished. We're only finished when Bill gives the score.

So, Bill, how did Kate Mulder do in our quiz? Well, proving gamboge is the dubleck. Kate got two out of three, so she wins. Congratulations. Yes, you win. Kate got two out of three, so she wins. Congratulations! Yes, you win! Kate Mulgrew stars as Red on Orange is the New Black and is a former Starfleet captain on board Voyager who knew a very powerful memoir is called How to Forget.

Kate Mulgrew, what a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you so much. It's been all my pleasure. Thank you very, very much. Bye-bye. Take care. Bye-bye. Right now, panel, it is time for you to answer some questions about this week's news.

Faith, this week, the New York Times profiled a popular Dutch tradition known as the dropping. Tell me, Faith. Yes. What is the dropping? It's a Dutch tradition? It's a Dutch tradition, right? It is when you drop the

wheel of Gouda into your clog, Peter. A whole wheel of Gouda? A whole wheel of Gouda? And if it makes a sound, you know the Gouda is ripe. Anyway. It's a fascinating thing.

It turns out that people, this is so common in Holland that people there were kind of amazed that it's weird, it would be weird if we did it in America. You detach the windmill and let it roll down the hill for all the kids to run from. That's the dropping.

That's the dropping. It's a parenting thing. And all Dutch parents do it. It was done to them when they were children. Does this have to do with poop? No. Okay. I need more of a hint.

Apparently. But it's been fun to watch you flail. It's sort of like a game of hide and no seek. Oh, my gosh. You just leave your child? Yes. But where? In the red light district of Amsterdam?

Do you know this painting? I would imagine you leave them in the woods and let them find their way home. That's exactly it. You leave them in the woods and you let them find their way home. That's what it is. It's a tradition meant to teach pre-teen children independence. It starts when drivers release the sometimes blindfolded passengers. What?

Nine, ten, eleven years old. On the side of a wooded robe with nothing more than a rudimentary GPS. This is really helicopter parenting in that you have to call the park service to send a helicopter when your kid doesn't come out. So this is a rite of passage. This is a rite of passage that Dutch people think is totally normal. Sometimes parents even follow along to make noises and scare them. I mean, really, and you thought you were a bad parent. I mean, you are, but in a totally different way.

So many nights I pray That you'll come home to stay. I'm so certain that if you did, you'd see. One thing that you can trust, there's nothing else like us. Won't you please come back to me? When we come back, brand new material from a show we did a short while ago with special guest Renee Fleming. That's in a minute with more Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPR. Think of NPR's Life Kit as that friend who always has great advice about everything from how to invest to how to get a great workout.

We bring you tools to help you get it together. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Listen and subscribe to Life Kit All Guides. From NPR in WBZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm one of the voices of the NPR credits, Chioki Ianson. And here is your host at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal. Thank you, Chioki. Thank you, everybody.

Thank you. So, in August, we went to Wolf Trap, the spectacular outdoor venue outside of Washington, D.C., and we loved it so much we couldn't just do one show. On the second night, Bill Curtis and I were joined by panelists Tom Bodette, Maz Jobrani, and Roxanne Roberts, and then we convinced opera superstar Renee Fleming to come play Not My Job. Here's some of that show which we've never broadcast before. Right now it's time for the Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me Bluff the Listener Game.

Call 1-888-WAIT-WAIT to play our game in the air. Hi, you are on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Hi, friends. This is Caroline Beeson calling from the beautiful Washington, D.C. Oh my goodness! I've heard of that place. What do you do there

not very far from us? I'm student at GW. Oh, yes And what are you studying there? I am studying international affairs Spanish and psychology What do you what do you do with the degree in international affairs Spanish and psychology I Let's see. I'm kind of torn between running for office and I also really want to be Secretary of State. Okay. It's nice to have you with us, Caroline. Now, you're going to play the game

in which you must try to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Caroline's topic? No more for me, thanks. So it turns out you can have too much of a good thing, like ice cream or children or people running for president. Our panelists are going to tell you about someone getting more than they bargained for in terms of a good thing. Pick the one who's telling the truth, and you'll win our prize, the weight-waiter of your choice in your voicemail. You ready to play?

I was born ready. Oh, I could tell. Here, then, first is Tom Beaudet. Erling Jørgensen has a good life. He's Danish, tall, blonde, handsome, health care, and his job installing solar window awnings is satisfying, endless, and a comfortable living. The only problem is he's the spitting image of Chris Evans, the Avengers movie superstar who plays the do-no-wrong

Captain America. Well, you wouldn't think being taken for an attractive movie idol would be much of a problem, but for Jurgensen, it's ruining his life. Everyone expects me to be super nice, says Erling, and I'm just sort of nice. People call me Cap and ask, where's Iron Man? How's Natasha? People call me Cap and ask, where's Iron Man? How's Natasha? Well, it all came to a head last Wednesday when a group of football hooligans decided to take on the sullen Captain America as he loaded up his van at the end of a day's work near the stadium. They threw beer bottles, becks for God's sakes. It hurt. To protect himself, Juergensen grabbed one of his solar awning stretchers,

which looked unfortunately similar to vibranium shields, and cowered behind it until the rowdies lost interest. And, of course, the whole thing was captured on a now viral video, which has added a whole new dimension to Juergensen's problem. Now I have to answer for being a superhero, which I'm not, who is really a pathetic coward, which I am. I have to try to restore a reputation I never had. When asked for comment, the real Chris Evans replied,

Welcome to my world, Erling. A Danish guy who looks too much like the incredibly handsome Chris Evans. Your next story of somebody who got more than they wanted comes from Roxanne Roberts. Fundraisers at the Royal Humane Society of Australia thought they had a hit with Pennies for Puppies, a campaign asking animal lovers to donate all those unused and unloved pennies sitting in jars at home.

The nationwide appeal kicked off in June, then went viral when Aussie native Nicole Kidman, who just adopted a little red poodle, tweeted her support. But all those pennies and all those donation bins throughout the country have become an unexpected problem. It turns out that the cost of sorting the one- and two-cent coins, which are no longer produced but still legal tender, plus rolling and shipping to banks exceeds the value of the pennies themselves. Quote, we're obviously thrilled with the support, RHSA President Franklin Dorsey told ABC TV, but it turns out we were, as it seems, barking up the wrong tree. Hundreds of bags of coins are

currently in storage, said Dorsey, while the organization seeks donation for their new fundraiser, dubbed Dollars for Pennies for Puppies, to cover the cost of processing the not-so-common-sense. A Pennies for Puppies fundraiser brings in too many pennies. Your last story of an overflow of goodness comes from Maz Jobrani. We have heard of divorces based on irreconcilable differences and abusive relationship are growing apart. But this week we found a case of a wife in the United Arab Emirates who filed for divorce because her husband was too nice. In filing her case, she said, he never yelled at me or turned me down. I was choked by extreme love and affection. He even helped me clean the house. Choked by extreme love and affection?

The woman went on to complain, I long for one day of dispute, but this seems impossible with my romantic husband who always forgave me and showered me with gifts. The poor husband asked the court to advise his wife to withdraw the case. Apparently, he didn't want to ask her himself because we know he doesn't like to argue. The court ordered the adjournment of the case to give the couple a chance at reconciliation. All right, then.

Caroline, you've got three choices. From Tom Baudet, a guy in Denmark who looks too much like the incredibly handsome Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, causing him problems. From Roxanne Roberts, a pennies for puppies fundraiser that was too successful, and now they need another fundraiser to pay Roberts, a pennies for puppies fundraiser that was too successful, and now they need another fundraiser to pay for processing the pennies. And from Maz Jobrani, a woman files for divorce because her husband is too nice to her all the time. Which of these is a story from the news about too much of a good thing? I'm going to have to go with the second story. You're going to go with the second story. That was Roxanne's story of the pennies for puppies.

Too many pennies. They need to have a second fundraiser to raise money to process the pennies. Yes. All right. That's your choice. To bring you the correct answer, we spoke to someone familiar with the true story. A wife in the UAE has applied for divorce because her husband shows extreme affection. That was Kostadin Kushly, who's an assistant professor of psychology at Georgetown down the street, talking about the divorce case in the United Arab

Emirates. I know it was hard to believe because of Maz's accent. That's what the problem is. I'm doing my best. I understand. So I'm sorry, Caroline, you did not pick the correct answer. That was, of course, was Maz's, but you did win a point for Roxanne. It's okay. This is the best day of my life, no matter what happens. Well, thank you. Thank you, Caroline. Thanks for playing. That's very sweet. Take care. And now the game where somebody who spends their lives breaking new ground

has to dig up something unpleasant that we buried. It's called Not My Job. Now, back when I was a kid, many years ago, opera divas had a certain reputation. It involved thick European accents, horned helmetsed helmets and very very wide breastplates that stereotype was shattered by a generation of singers who started to appear in the 1990s most especially the soprano Renee Fleming her met debut came in 1991 she has since sung all over the world including at the 2014 Super Bowl where she was the first classical singer to perform the national anthem. Renee Fleming, welcome to Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.

Thank you, thank you so much Peter. Very excited to be here. It's very exciting to have you. Did you grow up liking opera? Did you love opera as a kid and that was your ambition to sing opera? No, no, no. I grew up in a very musical household. My parents were high school vocal music teachers, so we all sang. We had to. There was no real choice. And I was interested in animals. I wanted to be first lady president. I was very ambitious. I had that piece. Yes. Unfortunately, the job is still open. Yeah, well, there's a chance. I always wonder about people who really achieve extraordinary things in their profession.

Was there a moment where you were a young age where you knew that this was a path that was open to you, that you could actually make it in this very difficult world? You know, I got interested in jazz. I was doing other styles. And it was really kind of in my... I was a late bloomer, I would say. So it was really in my mid-30s that things started to really push forward. And I thought, okay, this is going to work. Do you sing in the shower? Only if I'm vocalizing, you know, but car's good. Any place, you know, showers or bathrooms are good because the acoustic is so great, right? Who likes to sing in the shower, right? Yes.

The acoustic is so great, right? Who likes to sing in the shower, right? Yes. But of course, we all sound like you in the shower. Your great gift is that you continue to sound that good once you've left the shower. No, but when I'm warming up my voice, I'll do anything to make it work. And sometimes it's just really bizarre, the sounds I make.

For example? You know, like a siren. I'll warm up with my tongue sticking out all the way. Can you do a siren for us? Yeah! Do you worry about intimidating people when public singing happens, like when you're singing Happy Birthday or anything like that? You're like, all right, I'm Renee Fleming, but I'm just going to be cool about it.

I so worry that it's the opposite, that people are going to say, oh, that's it? Oh, wow. I thought she'd be louder. You have to tell us about singing the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl. Well, that was incredible. So 110 million people, something like that. Did you stick around and cheer for the game? Absolutely.

Could people hear you like, tackle tackle him you son of a we're like you know that is the best way to cheer i think so it is it can be heard you know anything else is sort of oh it does occur to me that that again would be a superpower in case you were the group of people and you're all trying to hail a cab you would win yeah well you know and i do this at dinner parties actually or in, and particularly when it's loud. If I just really pitch high, like, hello, then I can be heard. Otherwise, forget it. My speaking voice is too weak.

I know you have children, or were now grown, but did that work when you were a mother? It did. It did. It's the only way I still call them. Girls! And it can be heard. And with your instrument, you don't even have to use the phone. That's right.

500 miles away, they're like, what? It's all about the acoustic, absolutely. It really is. We have to ask you one other thing. We have on occasion tried to get opera performers on our show, and we have often been told, oh, I'm sorry, they're on vocal rest. Yes. That's what we were told.

Is that a real thing, or were we being shined on? It you know interesting a use it's always been a real thing. Yeah, are you okay? Yes vocal rest I hear something coming on. It definitely has been a real thing I've had to do it a couple of times and once because I was yelling at one of my children. Really? You were yelling at your child? Well, not at length. It was just like an emphatic come down here right now

and I felt it go. I went, oh my God, what did I just do? And I missed three performances. Oh my. I mean, my children laugh at me when I'm angry. Right. They just laugh. Because it is usually, what have you done? Clean up

your room. It's not really scolding, it's just recitative. It's recitative. It's on pitch. It's somebody playing like a harpsichord while you're singing. I know what my job is. But nowadays they say that you don't have to be on vocal rest anymore. Really? Yeah, you have to kind of take it easy, but not silence. Right, which is why you didn't have an excuse, and now you're here. And you were actually on Broadway playing in a play an opera singer. Right, right.

Living on Love was so much fun. It was a comedy. I'm like, oh, I've always wanted to be funny, and I never get to be funny. I know the feeling. We die. All right, Renee Fleming, we have asked you here to play

a game we're calling... Baby Shark. Do-do, do-do, do-do. So you are world famous for, shall we say, swimming in the deep end of the musical pool. So we thought we'd wade into the other end and ask you three questions about the song Baby Shark, very popular with toddlers and the Washington National. Answer two to three questions about the song, taken a history of it put together by Vulture, and you'll win our prize for one of our listeners, the voice of anyone on our show they might like.

Bill, who is Renee Fleming playing for? Nick Isaac of Minneapolis, Minnesota. All right. Great town. Are you ready to play? Yep. All right. Here's your first question.

The origin of the song Baby Shark is actually lost in time. People think it might have started decades ago as a campfire song. Now, the first version of the song ever to be put up on YouTube more than a decade ago is different from the version that our kids have all been singing for the last year. How? What is the difference? A, instead of sharks, it's about a family of eels. B, the sharks in the song hunt and dismember a swimmer.

C, instead of do-do-do-do-do-do, it's don't-da-don't-da-don't-don't-don't. You really think it's B, don't you? Yeah, I really do. Wow. All right, I've got to go with them. It's B. They're right. They've heard the song. Wow. Thank you. All right, second question. There's another version of the song. There are lots of versions of this song. Another one that was recorded back in 2007 achieved a particular honor. What was it? A, it became the number one song in Germany.

B, it was the first song ever to be officially banned by the Catholic Church. Or C, it was played as punishment to prisoners at Gitmo. Okay, I think I'm going to go with A. You're going to go with A. A, the number one song in Germany. You must have been to Germany because you're right. Whoa. So let us hear...

Wow, I never win anything. That's great. Let us hear, if you will, the number one dance hit in Germany in 2007. Baby hi. Doo doo. Doo doo doo doo. From China hi. Do, do. Do, do. Do, do. From China, hi.

Do, do. Do, do. Do, do. There you go. We're going to need a bigger dance floor. It's fun. Catchy. Yeah.

I'm assuming it knocked David Hasselhoff off the number one shot. It's an earworm. One more chance. One more chance. Now, everybody talks and jokes about how incredibly annoying it is to have Baby Shark on all the time, but it has done some good in the world. Is it A, 10% of the proceeds from the song go to a charity which buys pacifiers for actual baby sharks? B, a woman performed CPR on someone to the beat of Baby Shark and saved their life.

Or C, the song has so improved Shark's image that people are now swimming in shark-infested waters, resulting in more food for sharks. I'm going to say it's got to be B. You're going to go with B, a woman performed CPR. You're exactly right. Bill, how did Renee Fleming do in our quiz? Didn't do any better. Three straight. There you go.

Renee Fleming is one of the world's most celebrated sopranos. She can currently be seen in the light in the piazza at L.A. Opera until October 20th and at the Lyric Opera in Chicago from December 14th through the 29th. Ms. Renee Fleming, thank you so much for being with us. Renee Fleming, everybody! And just a minute, you don't have to take your clothes off to have a good time in our Listener Limerick Challenge. Call 1-888-WAIT-WAIT to join us in the air.

We'll be back in a minute with more of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me from NPR. Maddie Safaya here, host of Shortwave, a new daily science podcast from NPR. Listen for new discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines, all in about 10 minutes. It'll be fun. You'll learn some stuff. And yeah, it's gonna get a little weird. Because science. Listen and subscribe now to Shortwave. From NPR.

From NPR and WBZ Chicago, this is Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. I'm Chioki Ianson, and here's your host at the Chase Bank Auditorium in Chicago, Peter Sagal. Thank you, Chioki. Thank you, everybody. We have been making too much radio lately, so we're taking the week off so we can play some of that surplus. It's taking up too much room at headquarters. Yeah, Steve Inskeep has been very clear. Nobody can put anything else in his man cave. So let's listen to some stuff we've done that you've never heard before.

All right, here's your next limerick. This avian trend is absurd. By Hitchcock, this flock has been spurred. They dive bomb for fun while I'm out on a run. I have just been attacked by a... Bird! I'm sorry, you didn't say it. They did, and I got confused.

That's amazing. Never. You won a point for Peter. I feel so good. You, you, you said it. I heard someone say it. I was like, oh, she got the right answer. And it's not them, it's you.

I mean, it's not you, it's them. My God, what have I done? Let's ask her again. I'm like, oh, she got the right answer. And it's not them, it's you. I mean, it's not you, it's them. My God, what have I done? Let's ask her again. I'm going to ask you again. I'll take it, I'll take it. All right. Say it again. Not you! You've already caused too

much trouble. I don't want to hear another word from you people. Adam, after facing scores of confused and disappointed customers in recent months, the Bible seller Christian Book Distributors in Canada has announced it will no longer go by what acronym?

Could you read that question again? Sorry, you missed it. No, the company is called Christian Book Distributors. Long-standing business in Canada. I would guess it would be CBD. That's exactly right. Because of the cannabinoids. Exactly.

So you need to chill. You're a little anxious. You see there's a website called CBD.com. Perfect. That's CBD oil from pot. You've heard that's just a thing. Dude, let's do some Leviticus. Exactly. CBD, everybody says it'll solve whatever problem you have, so you click

the link, and Jesus Christ, what is this? So, Christian book distributors has been selling Bibles and other Christian literature for 40 years. Under that name, CBD.com. Well, not.com for 40 years, but you understand. But about a year ago, they started

getting flooded with people looking for edibles and tinctures or just wanting to point out, you know what's a weird word? Smoked. Yeah, there's really no better friend to stoners than Jesus. Guy just walks around in sandals turning bread into more bread. Gold frankincense?

And CBD. Adam, a woman Visiting Louisiana Found herself in quite the pickle this week When she got trapped under what? An overwhelming sense of obligation No Happens to us all No idea

Fortunately for her, it wasn't the two-hump kind Oh, I know this story I just didn't know the Louisiana part. See if it was Florida, I would have got it straight away. She got trapped under a camel. That's right. You can if you want. And then she extracted herself by biting a part of the camel.

Yes. Which, not the humps you're thinking of. Yeah. The other ones, the southern humps. Exactly. A woman and her husband on a road trip stopped at this truck stop in Louisiana, and they went over to take a look at the camel

they keep there for people to see. Naturally, they threw some dog treats to the camel. The camel didn't care for them. But again, naturally, their dog ran under the fence to get the treats. So naturally, the woman climbed over the fence to save the dog,

which the camel didn't like. So naturally, it sat on her. So there she is. She's trapped under a camel. Very heavy animal. What to do? Well, to quote the woman, I bit his testicles to get him off me.

And it worked gives you a picture of what part of her he was sitting yes does yes you get a sense so anyway deputies arrested the couple for trespassing saying quote the camel did nothing wrong unquote and by And by the way, the couple was, of course, from Florida. Maz, a treasured memory of our youth is apparently no longer just for young people. More and more adults are participating in what? Oh, wow. More and more adults are participating, a treasured memory of our youth eating Jell-O? No.

No. Is it a game? It's actually a time when you can play games, among other things. A time when you, a recess. That's exactly right. I love this. Welcome to the wonderful world of adult recess. Cities across the country are putting on adult recesses to help older people pretend to reclaim their youth.

And which grown-ups play classic recess games like kickball, tetherball, and dodgeball, which are just as fun, fun, and traumatizing, respectively, as they were when you were a kid. Well, the problem here is, as we get older, I'm sure you guys are familiar, I'm 47, and the injuries just, I'm not made for recess, you know. The other day, I'm not kidding, I hurt my knee sleeping. I swear to God. And I wasn't even running in my dream. So you were just lying there perfectly still on a bed, and you were like, ow!

No, I woke up in the morning, and I was like, I go, what happened? I go, what did I do? I don't know. I have no idea how it happened, but then I had a knee injury. So what I'm trying to say is recess for adults is a bad idea. It's possible. Isn't recess for adults just happy hour? Could be, yeah.

It seems like we already have it. Finally, here's one of our favorite interviews from the past year. Tierra Fletcher went from Atlanta, Georgia to MIT to study rocket science, and at the age of 23, she was designing rockets for Boeing. When she came on Wait, Wait in July, Peter asked her if she always loved science. So before we get to your current job, did I get that right, that you wanted to be a rocket scientist from a very young age? Yes, from the age of 11, I decided to be an aerospace engineer. Now, what inspired you to do that?

So I actually had a program at my elementary school that introduced students to the fundamentals of aerospace engineering. I know, that's ridiculous. Since the fourth grade, I have been wanting to be an aerospace engineer because of that program. Wow. Wow. I love that.

So you went to MIT. Yes. And that was a pretty impressive thing. And we're told you graduated with a 5.0 average. Yes, it was a very interesting time there. Yeah. As far as we knew, the scale goes up to four. How did you manage that?

So my parents always encouraged me to just reach beyond what's expected of you. So I just worked hard, worked, oh my God, so many hours, late, late nights. And I just made it happen. So even for... Well, you just made so many parents feel like crap. So you were like a nerd at MIT, which is already nerd heaven.

Wow. I tried to keep a good balance. I was still very involved in different student organizations. What student organizations were you involved in? Many of the cultural groups, the Black Students Union, also MIT University, and also an African

dance team. I tried to mix it up a little bit. That is so cool. You probably understood the dynamics of the movement. Yes, exactly. Right? Which is almost cheating. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Would you say to the other, to the rest of the team, like, no,

you need a 25 degree angle at your knee. Right. Right. All of us as kids maybe drew airplanes and rocket ships. I did that. Or maybe made paper airplanes or models. But you're like, you were not satisfied. You wanted to make them out of steel and make them fly. Exactly.

And I wanted them to be pink. For sure pink. Oh, wow. Wait a minute. That's great. Yeah, I'm still working on that. Really? So you were recruited by, what was it, Boeing right out of school, right?

You worked for them before you even graduated. Correct, yes. And so tell us what your job is. So I'm a rocket structural engineer. What that means is that I design various parts of the rocket, analyze those parts, and then I'm also doing manufacturing engineering as well to get all of those parts

together into the rocket that you'll see. Because you're a girl, they didn't make you do the curtains? Right, yeah. I was very happy that they did not make me do that. So you're actually designing the rocket engines, and everybody told us that the rocket specifically that you're working

on to design is the one that's going to go to Mars, is that correct? That's correct. And first we'll be going to the moon, per the most recent charge from our Vice President. Oh, are you taking him to the moon? If you would like to. Oh, man. Is it like a pit stop before you hit Mars you go to the moon, or what's going on there?

Yeah, so we'll be creating a NASA gateway in order to get ready for longer missions such as Mars by establishing a habitat on the moon. Right, you're going to do that first and then you'll go on to Mars from there. Do you personally care about Mars? I do, I do. I find it to be very exciting, just the point of exploring the unknown. Are you guys going to go get the rover back?

You know, we could pick that up, Tom. We could pick it up. I mean, it would be nice of us to clean up our messes for once. It's so sad. You are a rocket scientist, literally.

That is the absolute cliche for extraordinarily smart person. You know the phrase, it's not rocket science. So do you intimidate people when they find out what you do for a living? Well, a little bit, I guess, by the title. but I assure them that many people can be a record scientist. That's just not true. I mean, it's very pretty to think so, and I want everybody to be encouraged, but no. Your husband is an astrophysicist, that's right? He's a rocket propulsion test engineer. Oh, wow! Wait a minute.

What a slacker. So you build the rockets, and he tests them? Exactly! It's so cringing, yes. Wait a minute. That seems to me that it might provide cause for tension. I mean, what if you build an engine, he tests it, and it blows up? What's dinner at home going to be like that night?

I have to be really careful with my designs because I know that my husband is testing them, and it's just, it's a lot of pressure. It is a lot of pressure. Do you ever say to him, do you want more coffee? And he says yes and you go, what's your capacity? We do have those moments, unfortunately. Wait a minute, you do? You actually like, you do nerd humor with each other?

We have a ton of nerd humor. So you at 24 are already designing the rocket that's going to go to Mars, which I imagine would be the pinnacle of other people's career. So do you have goals or something you want to do before you're finished? I do. Of course I have my passion for rockets, but I also want to explore the side of planes as well. So you want to design airplanes? Yes.

Any particular kind of airplanes? I do love military aircraft. That was the exact type of aircraft? I do love military aircraft. That was the exact type of aircraft that I fell in love with at first. Really? You were an 11-year-old girl and you loved, like, fighter jets? Yes. You were a different kind of kid. Like the F-35, F-22.

Oh, man. I'm just imagining you at the age of 11, like, playing with your friends, and they're playing, like, with their dolls, and your jet comes in and strafes the tea party. Wait, the F-35 is the one that just takes straight off, right? Yes, it has different variations. I just wanted to get something right in front of you. I know.

Well, Tiara, it is a pleasure to talk to you, and we are going to see if we can stump you, because we have invited you here to play a game we're calling... We Must Defeat the Mun Stars. Sure, space is your jam, but what do you know about the movie Space Jam? Oh, no. We're going to ask you three questions about that 1996 movie,

which starred Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny. Oh, man, I was like one year old. Oh, don't say that. You know what? That's not cool. Yeah. If you get two questions right, you'll win a prize for one of our listeners. Bill, who's Tiara playing for?

Jonathan McRae of Bangor, Maine. All right, Tiara, ready to do this? I'm ready. Here is your first question. Space Jam was a huge success in 1996. Its appeal is far-reaching, as proven by which of these? A. In an interview, Neil Armstrong said, This movie is the greatest space thing ever done.

B. There is a VHS copy of the movie Space Jam enshrined in the North Korea International Friendship Museum in Pyongyang. Or C, Smucker sold out of its Space Jam, which was just a jar that's, quote, empty, just like the vastness of space. I might need a little help here. What is the audience thinking? A, B, or C? Who knows? Well, I know who's a movie fan.

We know who's a movie fan. Are we saying B? Is this what you did at MIT, by the way? I'm just saying. I'm kidding. Yes, of course it's B. Of course it's B. We use whatever resources we have. There is a VHS copy of that movie.

North Korea is weird. All right. Your next question. Chuck Jones was the There is a VHS copy of that movie. North Korea is weird. All right, your next question. Chuck Jones was the original creator of Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, all the rest. He was invited to make a speech to the filmmakers who were making Space Jam, which used all his characters. What happened?

A, he challenged Michael Jordan to a game of one-on-one and lost 108 to zero. B, he announced that Porky Pig had been cured of his stutter and therefore would be speaking perfectly from now on. Or C, he insulted the film with such vigor he had to be escorted off the Warner Brothers lot. Oh, I'm going to go with C. You're right, C.

Chuck Jones, who is, of course, a genius, hated the movie, thought it disrespected his characters, made his feelings known, and he had to be escorted off the lot. Wow. Last question. LeBron James is producing a sequel to Space Jam,

starring himself. There's been one problem with the production, though. What? A, LeBron's co-star Kyrie Irving walked off the set after refusing to believe the original Space Jam was not a documentary. B, the guy who voices Elmer Fudd has not forgiven LeBron for leaving Cleveland

and keeps adding profane insults to all of his lines. Or C, other NBA stars have reportedly refused to join the cast because they know the movie will just be LeBron dunking on them. Let's go with C. You're right again! Yes! They don't want to be embarrassed on film by LeBron or Bugs Bunny. Bill,

how did Tierra do in our quiz? She got a 5.0. Another success. Tiara Fletcher is a rocket scientist. She's building the spaceship that'll get us to Mars. You can find out more about her by searching for Rocket with the Fletchers on Facebook. Tiara Fletcher, thank you so much for joining us on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Congratulations, Tiara. Thank you.

That's it for today's show 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 intern is Nareba Khan Our web guru is Beth Novy

BJ Liederman composed our theme Our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Dornbos, and Lillian King Technical direction is from Lorna White. Her business and ops manager is Colin Miller. Our production manager is Robert Newhouse. Our senior producer is Ian Chilock. And the executive producer of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is Michael Danforth. Thanks so much to Chokya Yansen and of course to Bill

Curtis. Thanks to all of our panelists that you might have heard on our show and thanks of course to you for listening. I'm Peter Sagal and we'll see you next week. This is NPR.