YMMV / Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me

• Base-Breaking Character:
  • Frequent panelist Paula Poundstone is either the world's funniest comedian, or someone whose voice is so annoying that listeners turn off the volume until she's done talking.
  • Adding in Bobcat Goldthwait as an occasional panelist also divided fans, and don't think Bobcat wasn't aware of the frisson of his lowbrow reputation in an NPR setting.
    Carl: Roxanne Roberts has the lead, Peter. She has five points. Brian Babylon and Bobcat Goldthwait are tied for second, they both have two points.
    Brian Babylon: How is that possible?
    Peter: I don't know.
    Bobcat: Why are you insulted that you're tied with me? "How is that possible? He was in Police Academy for god's sakes!"
  • Maeve Higgins appears to never actually keep up with the news, which causes her to do terribly, given that Wait Wait is a news quiz show.
• Genius Bonus: The February 18, 2017 show had a rabbi from New York State as the "Who's Bill This Time?" contestant. Peter, who is also Jewish, immediately points out that the rabbi responds to the question about his first quotation with another question.
• Harsher in Hindsight: Early in 2016, one of the panelists joked that Donald Trump's ego was so big that he'd simply declare himself president if he lost. Weeks before the election, Trump began to hammer the idea that he'd contest the election if he lost. Trump would also eventually refuse to acknowledge his loss in the 2020 election.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Patrick Stewart briefly attempted a Maurice Chevalier Accent in his 2014 appearance on the show, and explained that the undeniably goofy-sounding result was the Real Life reason Captain Picard didn't have one. He went on to use the same accent in-character in ''Stardust City Rag" while Picard was in disguise.
• Retroactive Recognition: Frequent panellist Mo Rocca spent five years as a correspondent on The Daily Show during both the Craig Kilborn and Jon Stewart eras.

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