* ActorAllusion: When Creator/TomHanks guest-hosted in January, 2017, the first two callers were from [[Film/SleeplessInSeattle Seattle]] and [[Film/{{Philadelphia}} Philadelphia]]. The caller from Seattle even jokingly complained about all the tourists that come to the city specifically because of Hanks.
* ContinuityNod: The name of Doug Berman's production company, Urgent Haircut Productions, is taken from another NPR show Berman produced, ''Radio/CarTalk,'' where it was an UnusualEuphemism for needing to go to the bathroom.
** Berman's job title at Urgent Haircut Productions really is "benevolent overlord," as announced at the end of each show; he gave himself that title so Mike Danforth could have the job title of executive producer.
* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: On two occasions, Paula has read bluffs about Ride/WaltDisneyWorld but showed her hand by getting bizarrely simple facts wrong. Namely, the location of a ride based on Franchise/FindingNemo[[note]]It's at Epcot, not the Magic Kingdom[[/note]], and the existence of an Franchise/IndianaJones ride.[[note]]While there's a ride in California, the story's specifically about Florida, where there's only a stage show.[[/note]]
* PermanentPlaceholder: The show offered Carl Kasell's voice on listener's answering machines as a prize because they couldn't afford to offer cash or items. However, the recordings quickly became coveted items, so it stayed as the one and only prize until Kasell's health started failing and the prize was expanded to allow winners to choose the voice of any regular on the show.
* OldShame: As revealed on ''Radio/ThisAmericanLife'', Peter Sagal wrote the script that would eventually become ''Film/DirtyDancing: Havana Nights''. His reactions to the final product are mixed to say the least.
* ReferencedBy: The ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' comic "[[https://xkcd.com/997/ Wait Wait]]" is a parody of the show's title, with a series of headlines based on the formula "Wait Wait, don't ____ me" covering the actions of an increasingly unhinged Peter Sagal.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/LenaDunham was booked to appear in person for "Not My Job" but couldn't make it due to inclement weather. Creator/StephenColbert agreed to step in at the last minute and asked that the interview questions and quiz questions not be changed on his account. Colbert stepped in again after another guest pulled out, although the interview was revised to protect the original guest's identity.
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