Episodes

  • OOO Baby, with Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, and U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón

    OOO Baby, with Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, and U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón
    Sep 3 2025

    We are so back! How To Do Everything returns for a packed second season. This episode, one listener asks Mike and Ian how to write the perfect “out of office” message. So, they confer with the highest language authority in the land, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón.


    Comedians Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon join the show to answer your couple’s advice questions, some stranger than others. Plus, a fashion tip for your post-Labor Day needs.


    You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org.


    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! featuring show outtakes, extended guest interviews, and a chance to play an exclusive WW+ quiz game with Peter! Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.


    ******

    After listening:


    “I am OOO from (INSERT DATES HERE). For any urgent concerns, please email Mike and Ian at howto@npr.org. Please bear in mind that Mike and Ian don’t know anything about anything and their help may in fact make your urgent concern worse, but they did promise to answer any email they get from this out of office message.”

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    21 mins
  • "How To Do Everything" is so back

    "How To Do Everything" is so back
    Aug 27 2025

    How To Do Everything is back for season two! With more taste tests, more life hacks and more help for our beloved listeners. This season, Rick Ross gives advice to The Pope, Arnold Schwarzenegger helps a listener work out, Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon host couples therapy and poet laureate Ada Limón drafts the perfect “out of office” message. Seriously, this time around, we’re saving lives.

    First episode drops next week. You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me! featuring show outtakes, extended guest interviews, and a chance to play an exclusive WW+ quiz game with Peter! Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

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    2 mins
  • Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media

    Congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media
    Jul 18 2025
    Act now to ensure public media remains free and accessible to all. Your donation will help this essential American service survive and thrive. Visit donate.npr.org now.

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    2 mins
  • Heckling, Yawning, and Imitating, with James Austin Johnson and Patton Oswalt

    Heckling, Yawning, and Imitating, with James Austin Johnson and Patton Oswalt
    Jan 15 2025
    On our season finale, when a young listener has a question on behalf of her fifth grade class, we call up an old friend/chimp butt expert to help her out. And Saturday Night Live's James Austin Johnson walks us through his hilarious Donald Trump impression to tend to a listener's curiosities. Plus, Mike and Ian are stressed about some (cryptic) hate mail, so they call Patton Oswalt for some words of encouragement.

    You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org. And not to fear, we will be returning for season two. Follow @waitwaitnpr on Instagram for updates on how to stay in touch in the meantime.

    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! featuring exclusive games, behind-the-scenes content, and more. Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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    27 mins
  • Pee-Rex

    Pee-Rex
    Jan 8 2025
    Today from the archives, a chance to win a free t-shirt if you have a sharp ear for dinosaur moans. And we help a listener with a question about public bathrooms. Plus, why both "Nathaniel" and "Phyllis Isabel Gertrude" are statistically awful names for a child.

    You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! featuring exclusive games, behind-the-scenes content, and more. Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    NPR Privacy Policy
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    15 mins
  • Don't Get in the Fridge, with Jesse Eisenberg

    Don't Get in the Fridge, with Jesse Eisenberg
    Jan 1 2025
    Ringing in 2025: Mike and Ian knock out a New Year's resolution with the help of filmmaker Jesse Eisenberg, and a listener calls in to settle a high-stakes bet on the sturdiness of honeybees. Also, the world's northernmost towns are in the middle of months-long darkness. To learn how to survive it, we call an astrophysicist who spent six months in complete Antarctic darkness.

    You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! featuring exclusive games, behind-the-scenes content, and more. Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    NPR Privacy Policy
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    25 mins
  • Moo-ey Christmas!

    Moo-ey Christmas!
    Dec 25 2024
    From the archives: When cows need help, Ian and Mike create a Christmas miracle, with the help of some adorable reinforcements.

    You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! featuring exclusive games, behind-the-scenes content, and more. Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    NPR Privacy Policy
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    10 mins
  • A Holiday Special with the NFL's Gerald McCoy and the NPR's Peter Sagal

    A Holiday Special with the NFL's Gerald McCoy and the NPR's Peter Sagal
    Dec 18 2024
    On this week's archive episode, Mike and Ian learn about a unique Catalonian Christmas tradition that celebrates nature's calling. And when a listener calls into question her boyfriend's family traditions, Peter Sagal steps in to give a final ruling. Plus, NFL defensive tackle Gerald McCoy on how to show someone that you care.

    You can email your burning questions to howto@npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is available without sponsor messages for supporters of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me+, who also get bonus episodes of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! featuring exclusive games, behind-the-scenes content, and more. Sign up and support NPR at plus.npr.org.

    How To Do Everything is hosted by Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag. It is produced by Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    NPR Privacy Policy
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    18 mins