Interview with Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s ‘Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,’ taping Dec. 10 at Cobb Energy Centre

For those who aren’t familiar, “Wait Wait” is a live theater game show, taped weekly featuring a panel of regular contributors, a guest star and callers who get quizzed on various news events. Normally taped in Chicago Thursdays for airing on the weekend, the show goes on the road once a month and is coming to Atlanta for the first time.

“Atlanta has a strange role in our history,” Sagal said. “It was always the one that got away.”

Public radio shows have to sell themselves one affiliate at a time, sort of like syndication in TV. After “Wait Wait” launched in early 1998, it gradually picked up stations. ”It’s tricky because every station has to dump something else to pick us up,” he said. Atlanta was one of the final big markets to do so around 2003, he said.

The show is more about the journey. That's why the prize is so modest: judge and scorekeeper Carl Kasell tapes a personalized voicemail or answering machine message for the winner.

”Nobody ever tunes in to see who won,” he said. “Honestly, nobody cares.” Although people have offered additonal prizes, Sagal has resisted. “We’re afraid if we actually add anything of value, it will ruin everything,” he said. “The great thing about Carl’s message is it’s both priceless and worthless at the same time. You can’t buy it or sell it.”

Kasell recently announced he is retiring as a morning newscaster on NPR,  but he will remain on “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.” “He’s treated like a rock star,” Sagal said. “He’s got the hot grandad thing going on.”

Last week’s show featured a sampling of Sagal’s humor (though as a blog reader below notes, Sagal’s verbal nuances and timing makes it much funnier than reading it.)

"Who survived a car crash perhaps hoping he wished he hadn't?" he asked a caller, after playing a mashup of "Leader of the Pack" and "Eye of the Tiger." Tiger Woods, of course., the caller said.

Then he makes an observation: “How in the world did the guy who is supposed to change the image of golf forever end up living in a gated community in Florida driving his Lincoln into a tree outside his own home. It’s true: Golf will turn anyone into an old white guy.” [UPDATE: Sagal realized he erred. Woods was driving a Cadillac but that doesn' t change the basis of the  joke.]

The show rotates about a dozen regulars at any one time. This Thursday, the three will be Roy Blount Jr., Charlie Pierce and Amy Dickinson. Rick Sanchez of CNN will be the celebrity guest panelist.

“We’re not easy to do,” he said. “You’re trying to be yourself in a very artificial environment. It’s hard for a new person.”

Sagal said he avoids jokes on topics that are simply too tragic such as the recent Fort Hood shootings. But he occasionally misses the mark even on topics he thinks are not that big a deal. For instance, he made a joke after "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin died that got a lot of flak. "I didn't realize how much he meant to people," he said.

For now, Sagal has plans to stick with the show as long as NPR lets him.

“I’ve got the best job in broadcasting,” he said. “I spend an hour a week taking over public radio and I say stupid things.”

IF YOU GO

"Wait Wait Don't Tell Me," (sold out), Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 10, $30-$65, www.ticketmaster.com.

IF YOU LISTEN

WABE-FM/90.1, 11 a.m. Saturdays

or online on demand at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=35

or pick up the podcast here: http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=5183214