WWDTM: Pedro Pascal, Chris Perfetti, Heather Gay, and more!

From NPR and W.B.E.Z. Chicago, this is Weight Weight Don't Tell Me, the NPR news quiz. That big ball in Times Square doesn't drop until it hears me count down from ten. I'm Bill Curtis, and here is your host at these Two to Victory Theater in the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Illinois. Peter Segal. Thank you, Bill. Thank you, everybody. The new year has begun, but since we're so nervous about what's going to happen, we've decided to just pretend that it hasn't. 2025 isn't over until I say it's over, so we're going to spend another show for rightly avoiding the future. And we'll start with something that killed me to miss when it happened. Pedro Pascal is one of my favorite actors, so I was extremely jealous of guest host Tom Papa, getting to interview him in August. It was better this way, Peter. You had a fainted dead away in the second you saw his face. Thank you, thank you for having me. So great to see. It's really nice to meet you. I feel like we all feel like we know you, because you're literally in every movie. How do you. I know, I'm sorry about that. No, you're making us all very happy. How do you keep your character straight? You must be filming some of these things at the same time, right? There were intersections, and you know, I'm in about ten minutes of Eddington and Eddington is two hours and twenty minutes, so there was time. Right. It's not that hard. But I mean, what a run. I mean, Narcos and Game of Thrones, Marvel, DC, Star Wars. Are you going to leave anything for any other actor or.? No. No, it's all mine. You started as a actor in New York, mainly, right? You were struggling actor in New York? Yes. Yes. That was like the longest role of my life was strong, especially in that. Wow. And how. and you must have started getting parts there, and you slowly did you do like commercial work, that kind of stuff? I mean, I couldn't get arrested, to be honest with you. There was. I had like a little bit of a promising start with jobs that were in Los Angeles, actually. But as far as New York was concerned, it just was a rough go. I was a waiter, and I was really bad at it, but I still didn't have the skill to learn something else. And I did eventually learn how to wait tables, I became good at it, but boy, it took years. What was the struggle in waiting tables for you? What was the hard part? It was the logistical labor of meeting everyone's needs in the right manner, the act won the water, act through the drink, and I read it, you know, I mean upsells, you know, like the whole of everything, and making them feel attended to and respected and everything. And I, you know, I desperately didn't want to be there. I want to be honest with you. I've never understood the waiter's journey until that moment, Pedro, that was beautiful. Wow, I'm going to tip more every time, like I see what you're doing, man. So at that time, what was scarier, the world in the last of us, or your first apartment in New York? Oh, gosh. Wow. Okay. Yeah, exactly. I mean, you know, I thought my apartment was really good. And I, when I moved out to Brooklyn, the only place I could afford was a tiny little place in Red Hook. And I remember taking a friend of mine to it years, years, years later, while I still had the weeds. And she looked like she was going to cry, like he just was dumbfounded and it was hilarious. So I don't know. To some people, my apartment in Red Hook, Brooklyn, or, but to me, definitely the post-apocalyptic fungal nightmare, although it was a lot of fungal nightmares in that apartment. I was curious, for the last of us, which is so brilliant, but I know so many people and Peter, who I'm filling in for today, he played the last of us on his PlayStation, the video game. And he was so moved. He talks to me about it, like he's so moved by that game. It really hooked people in a profound way. Did you play that game before you start in the adaptation? No, I tried. I really, really tried. I tried. I tried. And after you didn't have the patience, so it took the phone so it took me. And I was just like, well, then you **** do it, I'm sorry. And so I just watched him play. It's his kill. It's such a thumbs, I was like, you know, I was running in a corner and I couldn't get out of a corner. And you're going to like pick up the ladder and you've got to figure it out. It's funny to think of you going through the script when you get the role and looking like, where's the corner scene? You've been recognized by so many award committees. How did it feel to be named Grindr's 2024 hottest man of the year? Are lying to me. You're not aware of this? You're lying to me. I'm not. If that is the truth, then I need to go. You're probably, yeah, the buzzes weren't off. All right, all right, Pedro Pascale, we've asked you here to play a game. We're calling the last of us weekly. You star in HBO's The Last of Us. But what do you know about us weekly? The celebrity, gossip magazine for folks who think people magazine is too literary. Answer two out of three questions right and you'll win our prize for one of our listeners. Bill, who is Pedro playing for? John Bieber of New Market, New Hampshire. Here's your first question. Us Weekly is one of the best selling magazines in the world, but some issues sell better than others. According to a former employee, which of these is the kiss of death for an issue of us weekly? A, when the note from the editor at the beginning of the magazine starts with, listen, they can't all be winners. B, when the issue includes the rare, stars, they're just like us, only much, much better column, or C, when the magazine's cover has a picture of literally any man on it. C, the answer is C, you're right. According to the employee, having a picture of a man on the cover, pretty much guarantees that the magazine will undersell, which is crazy because who doesn't want to know about Kevin Jonas' skincare routine? Here's your next question. Slate called us Weekly Celebrity Questionnaire, 25 things you don't know about me, the best magazine feature in all of media. As proof, they cited shares 2013 profile where she revealed what? A, that she's gone by just share for so long she's completely forgotten what her last name is, B, that all of her imaginary friends growing up were lumberjacks, or C, that the original lyrics for, if I could turn back time, were about stopping the JFK assassination. Oh my god, I mean, it's got to be B, that was where my friends. You're right, it was B. share also revealed that she owns quote "a little bit more." a large collection of elephants. (audience laughs) - Real ones. You can't have a small collection of elephants. (audience laughs) - All right, here's your last question. Without a doubt, the most popular section in Us Weekly is stars, they're just like us. We're the magazine post pictures of celebrities doing everyday things with captions, including which of these. A, they tie their own shoes. (audience laughs) B, they eat Mexican food. (audience laughs) Or C, they squint in the sun. (audience laughs) - Come on, I'm gonna have to get help from the audience, right? Between A and C? (audience laughs) - What? - All of them. - All of them. - All of them, but they would literally say they eat Mexican food? (audience laughs) - You're right, all of the above. (audience cheers) But thankfully, they don't do all those things at the same time. Bill, how did Pedro Pascal do on our quiz? - Did he do anything better than be a winner? Pedro. (audience cheers) - Pedro Pascal is starring in the Fantastic Four and he's up for an Emmy for HBO's The Last of Us. Pedro Pascal, thank you so much for joining us on Weightway Downtown. (audience cheers) - When we come back, some of our panelists best lies at the past year and how Abbott Elementary softly let you know that one of its characters was secretly a genius. That's when we return with more of Weightway, don't tell me. From NPO. (upbeat music) - From NPR and WBEC Chicago, this is Weight, Weight, Don't Tell Me. The NPR News Quiz. I'm Bill Curtis, and here is your host at the Stuttabaker Theater and the Fine Arts Building in Chicago. Peter Segal. - Thank you, Bill. Thanks everybody. So, thank you. So we know the calendar says it is now 2026, but we are refusing to look at it. - Imagine saying, "La, la, la, we can't hear you, but with your eyes." (audience laughs) In our world, it's still 2025, and it is so great here, for example. Here are our panelists lovingly lying to you in a show we did in March. - Hi, Peter. This is Kim and I'm calling from Cumberland, Maine, so I was born and raised in Saskatchewan. - Right, so you moved from Saskatchewan, Canada to Maine, the United States. - Yes. - Do you regret that now? (audience laughs) - Sometimes, yeah. - What, what do you do there in Cumberland, Maine? - So I'm a primary care doctor. - Oh, you are? - Yeah, yep. (audience applauds) You're, that's the best kind of doctors, as far as I'm concerned. - Yeah, all about the preventative care. - Yeah, exactly. - Well, welcome to our show, Kim. You're gonna play the game moment, you have to tell truth from fiction. Bill, what is Kim's topic? - Honey, you're on TV. - It's always fun to be on TV, whether it's being interviewed in the local news or maybe seen in the crowd at a football game or French kissing your brother on the white lotus. (audience laughs) This week, we're heard about somebody getting on screen for a somewhat surprising reason. Our panel is each going to tell you about it. Pick the real story, you will win our prize, the weightweighter of your choice on your voicemail. Are you ready to play? - Yeah. - All right, let's hear it first from Paula Poundstone. - Just before the start of their recent soccer game, Bulgarian team Arda paid tribute to recently deceased former team member, Petko Gonchev. Both teams lined up and bowed their heads for a moment of silence. Meanwhile, the 78-year-old Gonchev was running late to get home to watch the game on TV, as was his practice, he wasn't dead. When he pulled up at his house, his wife came out crying and shouting, "Petko, Petko, they announced on TV that you were dead." Gonchev was so shaken by not being dead. (audience laughs) He downed a glass of brandy. So many people called me relatives, friends, acquaintances and not so big acquaintances, Gonchev said. Like maybe, story and Ivan's friend from the bar that he met that time, Petko. Yes, it's me, Stoyan. Do I know you? Yes, we met at the bar that time. I'm Ivan's friend. Were you wearing a striped shirt? No, I had a blue shirt. Oh yes, Stoyan, hello. Petko, are you dead? (audience laughs) Petko may not have been dead, but he did watch a moment of silence for himself on the TV before a soccer game. Your next story of a television tale comes from Alonzo Bowden. Matt Collins worked for Amazon. Everyone thought Amazon Prime one day delivery was fast, then they saw Matt run. KCAB obtained this video from a neighbor's ring camera. Matt was dropping a package when Thor, a notorious neighborhood German Shepherd got loose. In the video, Matt ran past his truck, leaped a small garden hedge, and increased the distance between himself and Thor until Thor simply gave up. Thor wasn't the only one to see Matt run. Pete Walker, who once coached Dion Prime Time Sanders, said Matt was the fastest man he's seen since he saw Dion run a 4-2-40 in college. (audience laughs) Pete had to find and time Matt. Matt ran a 4-3-5-40. Now, it's rumored Thor's 40 time was about 4-5, but no one's been brave enough to verify that. It turned out Matt had been a high school player, but he didn't get recruited for college and was working at Amazon to help pay for his education. Well, Matt won't have that problem anymore. Since he didn't play college ball, even at age 21, Matt had his full eligibility and is now a full-time scholarship as cornerback at Alcorn State University. (audience cheers) And Amazon delivery man is caught on camera out running a German shepherd and gets himself a football scholarship. Your last story of somebody getting screen time comes from Eugene Cordero. When Jason Estrelas of Alhambra, California began his day with his usual cup of coffee and switching on the local morning news, he was met with a story asking, are we too addicted to junk food? During the segment, it showed stock footage of various people eating fast food or drinking soda. There was one noticeable snippet to Mr. Estrelas of a man drinking an extra large soda, holding a hotdog, and wearing a green t-shirt that read, "Got a bad case of bad shinkles, we can cure it." Estrelas roofing. This was, in fact, Jason Estrelas himself in the video. And he was shocked. I was excited at first that I was on the news until I saw what the story was about, said Estrelas. But lucky for him, more people were intrigued with the shirt than they were about his quick meal options that he chose. Businesses picked up quite a bit, Mr. Estrelas said. I hope they keep using the footage. It's free advertising, plus a few customers have had hotdogs ready when I arrived to do the job. (audience laughs) All right, here are your few choices. Somebody was surprised to see themselves on TV. Was it from Paula Poundstone, an elderly former soccer player who watched his own memorial service with a moment of silence, even though he was still alive to watch it from. Alonzo Bowden, an Amazon delivery guy who was caught on camera and then on the news, sprinting so fast, he got himself a gig and a football team or from Eugene Cordero, a man who saw himself use as an example of an unhealthy lifestyle. But it ended up bringing him some business, which of these is the real story of a surprise TV appearance. (audience cheers) Oh, hey, oh, hey. I think I'm gonna go with Paula's story. You're gonna go with Paula's story. Well, to find out the correct answer, we spoke to a reporter covering the real story. At a football match in Bulgaria, there was a minute silence for a former player of PFC Harder, who wasn't actually dead. That was Guardian reporter Paul McIns talking about the moment of silence at the soccer game. Congratulations, Kim. Paula was telling the truth. (audience cheers) I took a moment to glare at the people who objected. (laughs) Paula was telling the truth. You are to point for her for doing so, but you yourself have won our prize, the voice of your choice on your voicemail. Congratulations, well done. Thanks for calling and playing. Thank you. (upbeat music) Here is another interview. I am really eager to revisit, 'cause I missed it the first time. - In June, guest host, Megan Farsad, interviewed actor Chris Perfetti from the hit sitcom Abbott Elementary. And they talked about what makes Chris character, the smartest, most sophisticated person ever seen on TV. (audience applauds) - Chris, first of all, love the show. You're so funny. we have something in common. We both started out our careers in entertainment as baristas. Apparently, you were a Starbucks barista, right? >> I was, I still feel bad about it to this day, but I sort of used it as a way to get a job elsewhere. I knew about this kind of like Starbucks loophole that if you got hired, you could be transferred somewhere, and I knew when I went to drama school, I needed a job. And so I didn't tell them, but I applied and got a job in my hometown, just so that I would have somewhere to work when I went to school. >> Oh wow, so okay, so then they just put you at another Starbucks. >> Yeah, there's like a few of them, I guess. >> Yeah. >> [LAUGH] >> And then okay, so as a Starbucks barista, did you intentionally screw up names on the cup? >> I was not trusted with the customers. >> They learned very well. >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, at the bar to make the drinks, that was really good at that. I could, you know, but- >> Were you doing the hearts, the heart shapes and the palm tree shapes on the foam? >> No, there was, there was no crime, what are you talking about? There was, I feel like I worked at quite possibly the busiest Starbucks in the world. And so you were just lucky if your order came out correct. >> [LAUGH] >> So you spent this time at Starbucks, but you put a lot of time in serious theater. Is there like a favorite theatrical piece that you did? >> I don't know, I think doing Shakespeare in the park really kind of like came up first for me. You're doing a play for, first of all, just so many people, it's outdoors. And sometimes it rains halfway through and flip and fall on your butt in front of everyone. [LAUGH] >> That happened, you fell on your butt in front of everyone? >> Maybe. [LAUGH] >> Maybe it happened more than once. [LAUGH] >> Now, let's actually, let's talk about Abbott Elementary. And there's something about that show that the elephant in the room, which is that you have one major quirk in the show. Your character is a huge weight weight, don't tell me, fan. >> [LAUGH] >> Now, that's yeah, huge fan of the show. >> Now, I want you to be honest, did you know about weight weight before you were that character? >> Are you kidding, Nikki? >> Thank God. >> And using that just kind of has renewed my fears about season five. I'm terrified about, the line between Chris and Jacob is getting very blurry. And the slide it did not share with Quinta any other personal details about my life. Because we show up to a table read and there it is. So, yeah, I'm so glad that that made it into our show. >> So when that trait was given to you, did that affect how you did that character? Was it, were you like, no, I got this. Like, what did you change about the character? Knowing that you could go full weight, weight, dork. >> Really not much, I mean, I feel like Quinta has given us such permission to be sort of the authority on these characters. And I think it made perfect sense. And once again, I'm just like, I'm terrified about what's going to show up next season. >> Now, actually, so I heard this rumor and I wonder if it's true. I heard you remember that your mom pitches ideas for Abidela Mentry. >> Yeah, she totally does, God bless her. She reminds me that the show is on and she likes to, you know, kind of like go through the plot of that week with me when I call on Sundays. >> She gives notes. >> That's always a joy. Yeah, yeah, she thinks. >> Yeah, I'm sure, did she also do that with Shakespeare in the park? >> My mother has given notes on everything I have done since the beginning. >> [LAUGH] >> So you play this iconic teacher on TV, have your own teachers from the past approach you with tips or feedback? >> Oh no, I think they, I think if they ever saw me in person again, they would probably physically harm me. >> [LAUGH] >> They'd very clear of them and probably they of me, I made their lives a living hell. >> Wait, did you or not, were you like not a good student? >> No, not at all, no. Now, I really enjoyed school, but school did not enjoy me. >> [LAUGH] >> All right, Chris, well, we've asked you here to play a game we're calling. >> Abbott Elementary, meet the elementary Abbott. >> So you star in Abbott Elementary. >> [LAUGH] >> Don't be scared, don't be scared, it's gonna be okay. >> It wasn't good at school, Megan. >> [LAUGH] >> Okay, so you star in Abbott Elementary, so we thought we'd ask you three questions about another kind of Abbott. That's right, we're talking about monks. >> [LAUGH] >> Answer two out of three questions correctly, and you'll win a prize for one lucky listener, the voice of anyone they choose for their voice mail. Bill, who is Chris Perfetti playing for? >> Jake Evans of Los Angeles, California. >> [APPLAUSE] >> Jacob, let's go! >> Okay, here's your first question. A group of monks in the French Alps have taken a vow of silence, but they are allowed to speak in certain conditions, including which of these. Is it A, when singing along to their favorite bad bunny song? >> [LAUGH] >> Is it B, when they really need to talk about a cool leaf they saw? Or is it C, when calling the monastery cats to dinner by making kitty calling noises? >> [LAUGH] >> I really didn't think I needed to hear any more options after A, but I'm glad I did, I'm gonna go with C, I think. >> Well, that's right. >> Very good. >> That's right, every Abby makes an exception to their vow of silence as long as the monks are being adorable. >> [LAUGH] >> Okay, here's your next question. Monks are known for living lives of peaceful contemplation, which is why one monk in Japan got in trouble when he started doing what? Was it A, halfway through meditation time, he loudly said, boring. >> [LAUGH] >> Is it B, angrily responding to every negative yelp review about his monastery? >> [LAUGH] >> Or is it C, trying to jazz up the chance by doing some sick harmonies? >> [LAUGH] >> I feel like I want to go with B. >> That is right. >> [APPLAUSE] >> When one reviewer complained about the food of the Abby, the monk responded, and this is true. Yeah, it's monastic cuisine, you uneducated [BLEEP] >> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] >> 2025, we'll do that to a monk. >> Yeah. >> [LAUGH] >> All right, here is your last question, though, it surprises a lot of people. Monks have unknowingly made a huge impact on pop culture as proven by which of these. Is it A, lawn orders done sound is partly a recording of 500 monks stomping on a wood floor? >> [LAUGH] >> Is it B, the members of the band one direction first met during a school trip to a monastery? >> Or C, the reason Vin Diesel shaves his head is because a monk came to him in a dream and told him he'd look cool bald. >> [LAUGH] >> God bless you, wait, wait, don't tell me, those are so funny, I'm going to go with A. >> That's right. >> [APPLAUSE] >> That didn't done, also includes a sound of a hammer hitting an anvil and if he listened closely the scream of a man who just hit his thumb with a hammer. >> [LAUGH] >> Bill, how did Chris Provetti do? >> The teacher is always right and this teacher got every single one correct. >> [APPLAUSE] >> Yeah. >> Thomas is going to be proud. >> Congratulations, Chris, you're a big winner and Chris Provetti is one of the stars of Abbot Elementary. All four seasons are streaming now. Chris Provetti, thank you so much for joining us on, wait, wait, don't tell me. >> Thank you, guys, I love you. >> Thank you so much, Chris. [MUSIC] >> When we come back, we talk to a real housewife of Salt Lake City and we've got the receipts, proof timeline and screenshots to prove it. >> Thank you. >> [LAUGH] >> That's when we come back with more of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" from NPR. [MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> From NPR and WBEZ Chicago, this is "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me The NPR News Quiz." I'm Bill Curtis and here is your host at these Due to Baker Theatre and the Fine Arts Building in Chicago, Peter Seigl. Thank you, Bill. Thank you everybody. Thank you everybody. We have decided to spend the start of the new year desperately clinging to the old one. Come back 2025. Come back! We knew all year that no matter how stressful the week was, at least at the end we got to hang out with our panelists. So always made things seem, well, if not better, at least sillier. Here are some examples of what I mean. Luke, an expert on automated customer service lines has offered some tips and how to get through it to a real person, for example. He suggests you should say one word over and over. What is that word? I don't think I can say it on public radio. That's right. We've all tried that word but this is something you can say perhaps if your children are listening. I usually start out yelling "human" and then when that doesn't work, then I break out the F word. This is an alternative to both of those. He says it'll work. Can I get a hint? Yeah, it might get confusing if you're calling, say, "Customer Service for the Chiquita Corporation." Banana. Banana, banana. You can now stop being the worst version of yourself. Every time you call customer service and end up screaming, speak to human, representative, representative. Now you can just say banana, banana, banana. Say it over and over again. The automated system is looking for certain words. So repeating a nonsense word or a word, it's not programmed for over and over, will get you transferred to a real person quickly. Wow. So, you have to be a million. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. You just have banana, banana, banana. Wow. Of course, even if this works, it's hard to feel like you're winning when you're the one going, banana, banana, banana. Paula, according to the Wall Street Journal, the cosmetic industry is finally moving away from floral and natural sense. The latest trend in perfumes and shampoos, stuff like that, is being sent it like what? Fish. Ooh. No, I don't think so. I'm assuming it's popular eye, industrial waste. No. I'll give you a hint. Insiders say that you have to be careful. You should only wear, for example, crispy cream when the fresh hot sign is lit. Do you smell like donuts? Yes, donuts are the new sense. According to Wall Street Journal, dessert-based fragrances now dominate the market. These are all true. There's natives Boston cream, shampoo, doves confetti cake, body scrub, homeworks, apple cider, donut, fragrance. They say, if you put these on, they give you this aura that says, tonight, I am hitting the club, and I am going to attract bees. [LAUGHTER] Never dated so many cops in my life. What the hell's going on? But really, it's the reaction, I think, my understanding. This makes sense, because as far as I know, it's the reaction every woman wants to inspire. Excuse me, miss. But I have to ask her, you wearing Duncan number five? I mean-- Do they make a toilet water with donuts smell? Because isn't that what they call one of the products? Yeah, toilet water is what it's called. Boy, that seems to turn off. Toilet water. I think it doesn't mean toilet in the sense that you're thinking. Yes, but it's the same word, Peter, and it's pronounced much the same. [LAUGHTER] Peter, in the latest nostalgia craze, more and more 20 and 30-somethings are getting injured doing what? Opening a coconut water. No, did that happen to you here? That happened to me when I cleared 40. Not a coconut, just being like-- they're getting nostalgic. Jamming themselves into telephone booths. No. Is it something nostalgic like that that people-- young people used to do on time? Well, it's nostalgic from their youth, not from safe years ago. Well, as a member of that generation, let me just harken back. No, I'll take a hint. I'll take a hint. It's like duck, duck, ow, my ACL. Oh, duck, duck, goose. Yes. That's a great hint. And other summer campgrounds. Yes, summer, yes, yes, yes. What you said. Exactly. You're so smart. Boy, I did that all by myself. Adult field days are all the rage right now. grownups are competing in childhood games, sac races, dodgeball, tug of war. They're doing these things with the energy of youth and the knees of age. They've even invented new games. The most popular one is called "Limping Back to the Car." But it's people in their 20s and 30s? Yeah. That's they shouldn't be getting injured doing that. They should be still doing it well. Well, one social club in Utah drew over 300 people to their field day event. And the only complaint was people who thought the capture of the flag game involved. And this is a real quote, too much running. Yeah, that is a little weird. In their 20s and 30s, they should be injured from these things. They should not be getting injured. That's like people in the Olympics are that old, right? Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure they are. Yeah, exactly. I think I would do it if I could play children. Because I think I could beat them. I think I could beat children, says. Peter Segalov, NPR's, wait, don't tell me. Wow. Yeah. What? The federal government just pulled their funding again. Yeah, no. Joiella, a recent survey of kids in the US shows 40% of children think bacon is what? Delicious? Perhaps I shall give you a hand to Joiella. For sure, I would appreciate that. I think we all would. Thank you so much. It's there to the kid, you know, eat all you want. It grows on trees. Oh, gosh. A plant? Yes, they think bacon is a plant, a survey in the journal of environmental psychology showed 40% of kids surveyed. Think bacon is a plant. The same amount of adults think it's a doughnut topping, which is even here. I did use to work at a diner that had vegetarian options. And I did one serve what was supposed to be a tempé, BLT, an actual BLT to a vegetarian. And I was like, how is everything? And I saw it. And they went, this is the best tempé I've ever had. And I just looked at them and went, it's really good. [LAUGHTER] [MUSIC PLAYING] Finally, one of the surprise TV hits of the year was Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. John Oliver, for example, said that no matter what your favorite show was, Real Housewives of SLC was better. So of course, when we visited Salt Lake in August, we welcomed that show's breakout star, Heather Gaye. Peter asked the obvious question to a Real Housewife. Is she real? We are all pretty real. And I think Salt Lake City keeps us real. We're all each other has in this community. And we have grown up here. We have lived here. We have roots here. And we are just messed up enough to keep it interesting. [LAUGHTER] Do you think you are representative of the Housewives of Salt Lake City? Like a random sample could have entered up at the same cat? Yes, I feel like we are representative of the Housewives of Salt Lake City. There's a little something for everybody. And here you go. Now, I just want to make everybody clear, to be more familiar, this is not secret lives of Mormon wives. Different show. For someone who's new to it, how would you tell the two shows apart? I would say that we are the mighty oak. And secret lives of Mormon wives is the acorn that fell and sprouted as a result of that. [LAUGHTER] Wow. You've got to tell them. Tell them. We proved the market. Tell them, baby. And we created a little bit of Mormonism in the zeitgeist that's created intrigue, I think. That mighty oak is casting some shade. So Housewives shows are known for the Housewives. Starting the show every season, by turning to the camera, and giving your opening like line. What's our technical term for that? The opening-- It's called your tagline. Your tagline. Yeah, your season tagline. Can you share some of yours? My first one was, just like my pioneer ancestors, I'm trying to blaze a new trail. [LAUGHTER] Well, that shoulder rotation is so important today. Yes. And then, I think season two was, I was raised Mormon, but now I'm raising a glass of shanty. That's true. Yeah, I've had a couple. I've had six now. No. Yeah, six. Wow. Do you workshop them? Do you try them? No, they're assigned. No. No. You're allowed to contribute to ideas, but they shut those to hell immediately. Wait a minute. My world has been rocked. Somebody wrote that for you? Well, I had alluded so much to my pioneer ancestry that it kind of wrote itself. In a way, right. Yeah, and you can kind of like, they'll give you three or four to keep you gassing. And you can kind of try to mess up the ones that you don't like that don't represent you fully. Yeah. Do you remember any of the bad ones, the ones you tried to kind of fumble? Well, they're usually picked. I remember. Remember, like, I may be a bad Mormon, but I'm always a good time. (audience laughs) And I think I said that in a funny way, and they used the funny way, which made it invariably worse. (audience laughs) Heather, a huge fan, so glad you're here. - Love you. - I cannot believe that my worlds are climbing like this. Would you indulge me, could I workshop a tagline? - Anything, please. - I don't wait, wait, but I always tell. (audience laughs) - There you go. (audience applauds) - Love it, and then I turn. (audience applauds) - It's pretty good. - It's pretty good. - It's the bed of it's pretty good. - If the world could have seen Shane, you're smoldering the last. - Thank you. - And I am willing to relocate to Salt Lake City, so you have a new book called Good Time Girl. - Yes. - And this book is sort of a recounting of your various exploits, presumably once you left the LDS Church. Can you give everybody sort of a taste, as a sample of the stories you tell on your new book, Good Time Girl? - My senior trip to Tijuana, where I discovered that I might be more of a good time girl than I anticipated. (audience laughs) - As one does in Tijuana, yes. - It's right there in the name. - Yeah, and I thought I was having the most worldly foreign experience of my life. - Tijuana. - Right, but then I later went on a mission for my church in the South of France, which ended up being even more of an adventure. - It's amazing. - I realized that you had gone on an LDS mission to the South of France. If only the church had not sent you to a place with wine. - Yes. (audience laughs) - The land of love and I was preaching celibacy and so believing, not so great. (audience laughs) - Not so great, not so receptive. The truth actually closed down. - When in province. - Yeah, don't be Mormon, that's what they say. (audience laughs) - Well, Heather Gaye, we could talk to you all day, I think. But we have asked you to play a game we're calling. - Good time, girl. Meet good crime girl. (audience laughs) - As you know, some women are just virtuous as you. And they cross the bright red line of the law. So we're gonna ask you three questions about female criminals. And if you're too correctly, you'll win our prize for one of our listeners. Also, who is Heather Gaye playing for? - Melissa Snyder of Mill Creek, Utah. (audience cheers) - Here we go, everybody does here. (audience applauds) So here's your first question. A woman in Florida took a lift to a gas station, robbed it, and then we tried to get back in the lift, the driver refused. So, what did the woman then do? A, gave the driver one star and sent a detailed complaint to lift. (audience laughs) B, returned all the stolen goods, gave up in the robbery and got back in the car. Or C, just called an Uber instead 'cause they'll do anything. (audience laughs) - Well, I'm wondering if the lift had a pink mustache attached to the fender. - Oh yeah. - 'Cause that could be a factor. As an Uber fan, I'm gonna go with C. - You're gonna go with Uber? Yes, that's what she did. (audience applauds) - I'm applauding too much now. We have to do that on our prize 'cause no one else will. (audience laughs) - Well, the lift driver called the police and the police found her waiting for the Uber. She had ordered. (audience laughs) All right, very good. A Massachusetts woman convicted of making and possessing cocaine, meth, LSD, and other drugs in 2016 got sent to prison, but also, of course, lost her job. What was her job? A, she was the president of DARE, the police program to encourage me to get enough of these drugs. B, the scientist in charge of drug testing for police across the state of Massachusetts. Or see, Harvard Law Professor. - I'm just gonna like zero in on the making of and assume that there is some scientific background for the chemical creation of such a litany of drugs, which I'm completely unfamiliar with. - Absolutely. - Wait a minute, let me quickly check the index of your new book. (audience laughs) - I'm a good time girl, not a great time girl. - Okay, we don't know our limits. - So I'm gonna go with B. - You're gonna go with B, that's right. She was in charge of drug testing. She says that she went to work high on cocaine every day for eight years. - Wow. - She sounds like a real housewife. - Oh yeah. (audience laughs) - All right, you're doing great. Let's go for perfect. One of the most famous lady lawbreakers of all time was mob barker whose kids and husband were part of a notorious gang of bank robbers back in the 1930s, but she was also a beloved cultural figure as evidenced by what? A barker house rolls based on her family recipe, which were later changed to barker house rolls because of her bad press. B, people came out to have picnics while watching her final shootout with the FBI or see while on the run, she got an endorsement deal from Smith and Wesson, which she called, quote, "Mama's little helper." - I mean, I believe that Angie Dickinson started a movie called Big Bad Mama in the '70s. Was that based on Mama Barker? - I don't know. - Well, I only could watch it when my parents weren't home on HBO and in segments. So I'm going to go with B. - You're gonna go with B, they came out to watch her have her shootout, that's right. - Wow. - Yeah. - What happened? (audience cheers) - Congratulations. - Challenge me with perfection, I will take it. - It happened naturally in Florida and the shootout with the FBI lasted so long, the people were like, oh, this will be fun and they packed a picnic lunch and they came out and they watched the gunfight. - Wow. - Yeah. - Well, I mean, you got it right and then just goes to show you kids, please stay up late and sneak and watch HBO. - Yeah. (audience laughs) - You'll be a winner. - It is good to be clean from rated our movies. - Yeah, there you go. - Also, how did Heather Gaye do in our quiz? She did criminally well, three out of three. - Heather Gaye is an author, but of course, one of the real housewives of Salt Lake City, her new book, Good Time Girl, is available now. Please give it up for Heather Gaye. - Thank you so much for being on my way home. (audience cheers) - That's it for our happy, only year's day edition. We'll be back next week with a new show, but first let me tell you all that, wait, wait, don't tell me it's a production of NPR and WBZ. Chicago and association with urgent haircut productions, Doug Burman, Benevolent Overlord, Philip Gaudica, writes our lemurix, our public address and answer is Paul Friedman, our tour manager is Sheena Dommel. B.J. leaderman composed our theme, our program is produced by Jennifer Mills, Miles Dornboss, and Lillian King. Special thanks to Monica Hickey, Peter Gwynn, is our real house husband. Our visual house is Emma Choi. Technical direction is from Lauren White or CFO. Is Colin Miller, our production manager is Robert Newhouse. I've seen your producer, that's Ian Chilog, and the executive producer of Wait, Wait, don't tell me. Is Michael Danforth. Thanks to everybody you heard on our show this week, that would be all our panelists, our guests, our guest hosts, Tom Boppa and Megan Farsad, of course, Bill Curtis. And thanks to all of you for listening, I am Peter Segelwell, grudgingly admit, it's a new year when we see you next week. (upbeat music) This is NPR.