Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

The Mayans say the world will end in 2012. Our panelists predict how it'll happen.

Carl reads three holiday letters from this year's newsmakers, including a family with a son on Wall Street; a man who can't stop bragging, and an annoyed media baron.

Our panelists answer questions about some of the biggest stories in 2011 ... Social Media claims another victim.

More questions for the panel about 2011's news: Crash Test Dummies Hit the Drive-Thru, My First Body Scanner, J-E-L-L-Uh, Oh.

Our panelists tell three stories about health care in the UK.

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Now on to our final game, Lightning Fill in the Blank. Each of our players will have sixty seconds in which to answer as many fill in the blank questions as he or she can. Each correct answer now worth two points. Carl, can you give us the scores?

CARL KASELL, HOST:

Maz Jobrani has the lead, Peter. He has three points. Paula Poundstone and Jessi Klein are tied for second. They both have two points.

SAGAL: Okay. Well, we have flipped a coin to break the tie. Paula has elected to go second. Jessi, you're up first.

Transcript

CARL KASELL, HOST:

From NPR and WBEZ-Chicago, this is WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!, the NPR News quiz. I'm Carl Kasell. We're playing this week with Paula Poundstone, Maz Jobrani, and Jessi Klein. And here again is your host, at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal.

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Thank you, Carl.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: Thank you so much. 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 on the air.

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Now, Panel, who will be Time's Person of the Year in 2012? Paula Poundstone?

PAULA POUNDSTONE: I think it's going to be Pat from Sheboygan because if all goes right, she's going to give us health and wealth.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: Jessi Klein?

Transcript

CARL KASELL, HOST:

From NPR and WBEZ-Chicago, this is WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME!, the NPR News quiz. I'm Carl Kasell, and here is your host, at the Chase Bank Auditorium in downtown Chicago, Peter Sagal.

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Thank you, Carl.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

Transcript

PETER SAGAL, HOST:

Hey, we want to remind everybody to check out the first ever WAIT WAIT...DON'T TELL ME! TV special airing Friday night, December 23rd at 8:00/7:00 Central on BBC America. We have invited some special guests across the pond and help us review our favorite stories of 2011.

Watch the show Friday night on BBC America, then tune into the radio show on Saturday and Sunday to hear us play all the bits too racy for cable. That's BBC America's WAIT WAIT TV special next Friday, December 23rd, 8:00 Eastern/7:00 Central.