The following is a list of episodes of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, NPR's news panel game, that aired during 2021.[1] All episodes, unless otherwise indicated, feature host Peter Sagal and announcer/scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, and are produced through the facilities of Wait Wait co-producer WBEZ/Chicago (participants join the show through remote links). Dates indicated are the episodes' original Saturday air dates. Job titles and backgrounds of the guests reflect their status at the time of their appearance.
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists |
Notes
|
| January 2 |
"Best of 2020" episode featuring actors Christine Baranski & Doug Jones, disguise expert Jonna Mendez, and adventurer Kellee Edwards
|
| January 9 |
Actress/singer Jane Krakowski |
Joel Kim Booster, Amy Dickinson, Maeve Higgins |
|
| January 16 |
Singer/songwriter Phoebe Bridgers |
Luke Burbank, Negin Farsad, Roxanne Roberts |
|
| January 23 |
Actor/singer Mandy Patinkin and actor Kathryn Grody[2] |
Josh Gondelman, Helen Hong, Mo Rocca |
Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I'Anson
|
| January 30 |
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki |
Jessi Klein, Yassir Lester, Tom Papa |
|
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists
|
| March 6 |
Jordan Jonas, survival skills expert and Season 6 winner of Alone |
Brian Babylon, Peter Grosz, Charla Lauriston
|
| March 13 |
Comedians & late-night TV hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero |
Karen Chee, Josh Gondelman, Maz Jobrani
|
| March 20 |
Sam Sifton, food editor of The New York Times |
Amy Dickinson, Negin Farsad, Mo Rocca
|
| March 27 |
Filmmaker Kemp Powers |
Alonzo Bodden, Helen Hong, Roxanne Roberts
|
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists |
Notes
|
| May 1 |
Tariq Trotter (Black Thought), rapper and lead MC of The Roots |
Adam Felber, Helen Hong, Laci Mosley |
|
| May 8 |
Drag performer Symone |
Alonzo Bodden, Luke Burbank, Paula Poundstone |
|
| May 15 |
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts |
Karen Chee, Peter Grosz, Hari Kondabolu |
Guest host Maz Jobrani
|
| May 22 |
Author and activist Jennifer Finney Boylan |
Tom Bodett, Negin Farsad, Maeve Higgins |
|
| May 29 |
Actor/comedian/TV host Joel McHale |
Helen Hong, Cristela Alonzo, Jessi Klein |
|
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists |
Notes
|
| July 3 |
Roger Bennett, soccer analyst and co-host of the Men in Blazers podcast |
Cristela Alonzo, Peter Grosz, Paula Poundstone |
Guest host Faith Salie
|
| July 10 |
Audience-themed "best of" episode featuring actors Leslie Odom, Jr. & Regina King and surfer Laird Hamilton
|
| July 17 |
Actress Phillipa Soo |
Gina Brillon, Helen Hong, Mo Rocca |
|
| July 24 |
Ellen Stofan, undersecretary for science & research at the Smithsonian Institution |
Karen Chee, Bobcat Goldthwait, Laci Mosley |
|
| July 31 |
Actor/writer Stephen Fry |
Tom Bodett, Maeve Higgins, Hari Kondabolu |
|
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists |
Notes
|
| August 7 |
Larry Krasner, district attorney of Philadelphia |
Alonzo Bodden, Mo Rocca, Dulcé Sloan |
Show recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, (Mann Center)
Wait Wait's first show before a live audience since March 2020[3]
|
| August 14 |
"Best of" episode featuring actors Zach Galifianakis & Charlie Day and soccer star Kristine Lilly
|
| August 21 |
"Relaxing" best-of episode featuring Singer/songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, survival skills expert Jordan Jonas, animated filmmaker Jennifer Lee, and actor Owen Wilson
|
| August 28 |
Actress Jane Kaczmarek |
Josh Gondelman, Maz Jobrani, Paula Poundstone |
Show recorded in Lenox, MA (Tanglewood)
Guest announcer/scorekeeper Chioke I'Anson
|
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists |
Notes
|
| October 2 |
Rapper/actor RZA |
Emmy Blotnick, Negin Farsad, Josh Gondelman |
|
| October 9 |
Comedian Ilana Glazer |
Adam Burke, Helen Hong, Roxanne Roberts |
|
| October 16 |
"Best of" episode featuring actors Joel McHale & Phillipa Soo, scientist Ellen Stofan, and rapper Black Thought
|
| October 23 |
Actor Clint Howard and filmmaker Ron Howard |
Alonzo Bodden, Karen Chee, Maz Jobrani |
|
| October 30 |
New Jersey Devils defenseman P. K. Subban |
Josh Gondelman, Amy Dickinson, Peter Grosz |
Guest host Negin Farsad
|
| Date |
Guest |
Panelists |
Notes
|
| November 6 |
Hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper |
Brian Babylon, Negin Farsad, Bobcat Goldthwait |
Show recorded at the Harris Theater in Chicago's Millennium Park
|
| November 13 |
Actor and activist Ed Begley, Jr. |
Alonzo Bodden, Emmy Blotnick, Paula Poundstone |
|
| November 20 |
Basketball centers Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks) and Robin Lopez (Orlando Magic) |
Adam Felber, Hari Kondabolu, Atsuko Okatsuka |
|
| November 27 |
"Best of" episode featuring actor/writer Stephen Fry, author Jennifer Finney Boylan, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, and basketball hall of famer Chris Bosh
|
