We take John Turturro to the Cheesecake Factory

Episode of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! · October 31, 2026 · 47 min

Guest host Negin Farsad quizzes panelists Faith Salie, Hari Kondabolu and Paula Poundstone on the week's news, and John Turturro plays a Hot Pockets quiz.

Summary

Negin Farsad guest-hosted this edition of NPR's news quiz from Chicago's Studebaker Theater, filling in for Peter Sagal, with Alzo Slade as announcer and panelists Faith Salie, Hari Kondabolu and Paula Poundstone. Topics included Barack Obama's joke that Donald Trump had made the White House look like 'Saddam Hussein opened a cheesecake factory,' a 71% rise in Halloween candy prices since 2021, the movie Wicker about a man made of wicker, and Airbnb's new rule barring hosts from requiring guests to do significant chores.

In the Bluff the Listener game on loneliness, caller Ellie Vitek correctly identified Kondabolu's true story about people in China raising moss-covered 'brick babies.' Other segments covered a store-bought dessert disguise guide, a prospector-made engagement ring, a GPS error that led a man to rescue 14 people from a fire, a World Series between short-rostered Brewers and Rays, the return of all-you-can-eat buffets, and charcuterie dip.

Actor John Turturro discussed Severance, working with Christopher Walken, his irritation with tourists who stop on New York sidewalks, and preparing for The Only Living Pickpocket in New York with help from magician-pickpocket Apollo Robbins. He then went three for three in a Hot Pockets quiz. Salie and Kondabolu tied for the win in Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank.

Chapters

0:21
Opening and Who's Alzo
Farsad opens as guest host and caller Mark identifies quotes about Obama's Cheesecake Factory joke, Halloween candy prices and the movie Wicker.
10:09
Panel questions: Airbnb chores
The panel discusses Airbnb's new rule against making guests do chores.
13:39
Bluff the Listener: Lonely no more
Panelists tell stories of unlikely companionship and Ellie Vitek picks the true brick-baby story.
20:10
Not My Job: John Turturro interview
Turturro talks about Severance, Christopher Walken, New York tourists and training as a pickpocket.
26:33
Pickpocket Meet Hot Pocket
Turturro answers three Hot Pockets questions correctly for a listener.
32:51
More panel questions
The panel covers faking homemade desserts, a panned-gold engagement ring and a GPS-guided fire rescue.
37:13
Listener Limerick Challenge
Joanna from Boston completes limericks on the short-statured World Series, buffets and charcuterie dip.
44:00
Lightning Fill-in-the-Blank
Panelists answer rapid news questions; Salie and Kondabolu tie for the win.
49:16
Predictions and close
Panelists predict the next big romantic movie after Wicker.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Linked moment · 4:50Skip to 4:50 using a listen link in the info box.
Paula Poundstone
Poundstone said she believed she had read that Trump has an investment in the Cheesecake Factory, while admitting she could not swear to it.
“I believe he has some sort of investment in the Cheesecake Factory. I read it. You know, I read it online”
Listen from 4:50 · Barack Obama Cheesecake Factory joke
Negin Farsad
Farsad reported that Halloween candy prices have risen 71% since 2021, leading families to cut back.
“The price of Halloween candy has gone up 71% since 2021. And a lot of families say they're having to cut back”
Listen from 6:25 · Halloween candy prices
Negin Farsad
Farsad reported that Airbnb's new global rules bar hosts from requiring guests to do chores involving significant effort.
“Airbnb hosts can no longer make their guests do any chores involving, quote, significant effort”
Listen from 10:34 · Airbnb
Hari Kondabolu
Kondabolu described Chinese people raising moss-covered bricks as low-obligation emotional companions.
“Just spray your brick with water a few times a day and moss spores already present in the atmosphere attach themselves to the brick and begin to grow”
Listen from 16:41 · Brick babies
John Turturro
Turturro said audiences of Severance enjoy the mystery rather than wanting spoilers.
“But I think people like the mystery. I think they want to know, but they like not knowing or trying to figure out what's happening”
Listen from 21:26 · Severance (TV series)
John Turturro
Turturro recounted that Christopher Walken sometimes doesn't understand the Severance scripts and that he tells him to just say the lines.
“Just say the lines and somehow they'll make sense because there's this subliminal message going on between us and our bodies”
Listen from 21:59 · Severance (TV series)
John Turturro
Turturro said Christopher Walken's original name was Ronnie and that Walken has said he would have preferred the name Nick.
“Chris has told me, you know, I don't really like that name, Chris. I should have been Nick”
Listen from 23:08
John Turturro
Turturro said he is irritated by tourists who stop on New York sidewalks to look up.
“Sometimes I am. I say you've got to move. You can't just stop”
Listen from 24:01
John Turturro
Turturro said he prepared for his pickpocket role by reading books and getting coaching from magician-pickpocket Apollo Robbins.
“I read a profile of Apollo Robbins in The New Yorker, who's a magician pickpocket. And he agreed to help me, first on Zoom and then in person”
Listen from 25:07 · The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
John Turturro
Turturro said he practiced on the subway by putting his hands in people's bags without stealing.
“And I did go on the subway. I didn't steal from people. I put my hands in people's bags”
Listen from 25:40 · The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Negin Farsad
Farsad reported that rising food prices have fueled a buffet comeback, with Yelp searches up 252% over the past year.
“Yelp reported a 252% increase in searches for all-you-can-eat buffets over the last year”
Listen from 40:28 · All-you-can-eat buffets

People

In the conversation

Negin FarsadAmerican comedian and panelist
Alzo SladeJournalist serving as the show's judge and scorekeeper
Faith SalieJournalist, CBS Sunday Morning contributor and podcast co-host, panelist
Paula PoundstoneAmerican comedian and podcast host; panelist
Hari KondaboluStand-up comedian and panelist
John TurturroEmmy Award-winning American actor and director

Discussed

Barack ObamaFormer president referenced in comparing 2010 midterm conditions
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States whose conduct of the Iran war is the episode's main subject
Christopher WalkenActor and Turturro's Severance co-star
Apollo RobbinsMagician and pickpocket who coached Turturro
Peter SagalHost of NPR's news quiz Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

Topics

From the publisher

This week, legendary actor John Turturro shows off his Christopher Walken impression and panelists Hari Kondabolu, Paula Poundstone, and Faith Salie talk Cheesecake Factory and learning to love a man made of wicker. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes, the chance to be a contestant in those bonus episodes(!), and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on November 2, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Comedy·News Commentary·Film Interviews