Episodes

  • One-Liners and Free Throws
    Dec 10 2025

    Ian and Mike help a listener lighten the mood with her clients, help another listener mess with an opponent’s free throw shot, and Peter Sagal shares his secret for falling asleep on an airplane.

    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 Schuyler Swenson and Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.

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    27 mins
  • Volcanoes and Roosters
    Dec 3 2025

    This week from the archives: how to make s’mores with a volcano. Plus a barn animal sanctuary worker wants to know how to live harmoniously with roosters.


    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. Technical direction from Lorna White.


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    18 mins
  • Carsickness And Traffic Jams
    Nov 26 2025

    Ian and Mike look to the skies to help a listener solve her problem with motion sickness. Plus, a survivor of the longest recorded traffic jam in history shares how she got through it.

    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 Schuyler Swenson and Heena Srivastava. Technical direction from Lorna White.


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    19 mins
  • The Gilligan Rule
    Nov 19 2025
    This week from the archives: a fire captain puts out a fire with the help of an unexpected beverage, showrunner Vince Gilligan discloses when it’s appropriate to drop a spoiler, and what ever happened to the lost fourth Rice Krispie elf?

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


    The first-ever NPR Pod Club Awards are coming up, and YOU get to crown the winner of the People’s Choice Award. Vote for our show here!



    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 WaitDon'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 Stephen Tobias. Technical direction from Lorna White.


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    17 mins
  • Broadway Musicals And Best In Show
    Nov 12 2025

    This week: A Broadway star tells us how he finished the New York Marathon and then performed in two shows back to back, a wife seeks advice on how best to shave her hairy companion, plus, are the lyrics to Bye Bye Birdie what we think they are?

    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 and Schuyler Swenson. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    ******

    And if you’d like us to be your out of office emergency contact, use this copy:

    “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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    18 mins
  • Talent Shows & Phone Call Etiquette
    Nov 5 2025
    This week from the archives: how to stand out at a talent show, how to go to the bathroom during an important phone call, and an unlikely way to check the Wifi on a plane. Plus a “where is he now” 12 years later.

    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. This episode was produced by Blythe Haaga. Technical direction from Lorna White.


    And if you’d like us to be your out of office emergency contact, here’s the copy:


    “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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    19 mins
  • Motivation, Secret Messages, and Stealing Your Thunder
    Oct 29 2025

    This week: Filmmaker Alice Wu shares a clever trick to help you finally finish that thing you’ve been working on, why teenagers are taking over the comments sections of old podcast episodes, and the origins of the phrase “steal your thunder”. Plus we continue in our quest to be your out of office emergency contact.

    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 and Schuyler Swenson. Technical direction from Lorna White.

    ******

    (Once again) 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.”

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

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    18 mins
  • Signs of Winter, Mystery Smells, and Blimps At Night
    Oct 22 2025

    This week from the archives: Mike and Ian search for signs of winter, and Peter test-smells a mystery scent from a professional flavor chemist. Plus a Goodyear blimp pilot reveals more than you’d ever think to ask about blimps including where they go to sleep at night.

    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. This episode was produced by Gillian Donovan. Technical direction from Lorna White.


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    24 mins