Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! · Podcast summary
The Wait Wait 2026 summer spectacular, part 1!
Jason Benetti, the new voice of Sunday Night Baseball on NBC, shares stories from his broadcasting career, including his start in high school band announcing and his move from the White Sox to the Detroit Tigers.
Listen on the show ↗Key takeaways
- 😂Jason Benetti's childhood dream of becoming a White Sox announcer was one of 50 career aspirations he wrote down, including district attorney and burger flipper.01:45
- 🎤Benetti's first broadcasting experience was announcing high school marching band sets, a role he took on because marching with a tuba was difficult due to his cerebral palsy.03:48
- ⚾Benetti's move from the White Sox (who then had their worst modern record) to the Detroit Tigers (who then made the playoffs) led to a humorous 'curse' narrative.04:13
- ⚡Benetti once broadcast the 'National Electricians Championships,' where his ad-libs about 'sparks flying' were censored for implying 'bad craftsmanship.'06:21
- 💪The repetitive motion of throwing 3,000 pounds of confetti by hand in Times Square can lead to a medical condition known as 'confetti arm.'09:08
- 📄Confetti at the 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was made from shredded police documents, some containing names of undercover officers.10:17
Chapters
- 1:57⚾ Jason Benetti's Origin Story
- 5:05🎤 From Tuba to the Booth
- 6:49🏆 The Benetti Curse and Triumph
- 8:18⚡ National Electricians Championships
- 13:36🎉 Confetti Arm and Shredded Documents
- 23:34📚 Michael Threet: The Enthusiastic Librarian
- 32:07🍬 Zombie Skittles and Trash Talk
- 38:10🏊 Lilly King: Olympic Swimmer
- 45:05👑 Short Kings and Sticks
The digest
This week, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me kicks off its summer spectacular, reflecting on some of the most memorable moments and guests from the first half of 2026. The first segment features Jason Benetti, the new play-by-play announcer for Sunday Night Baseball on NBC, who shares his unconventional path to the broadcast booth and some hilarious anecdotes from his career.
From Third Grade Aspirations to the White Sox
Peter Sagal opens the conversation by asking Benetti about a famous origin story: as a third-grader, he wrote an essay declaring his ambition to become the announcer for the Chicago White Sox. Benetti admits that "essay" might be a bit of a stretch, but confirms the core truth of the story. "I actually did," he says, referring to his childhood dream. He then humorously reveals, "What people don't know is I wrote 50 of those. One was, I'd like to be a district attorney. One was, I'd like to flip burgers." This early ambition, however, set him on a path that would eventually lead him to fulfill his dream.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 7-minute article, 9 more sections, and every new episode from Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and the creators you follow.
- The Unlikely Path to Broadcasting: Marching Band Announcer
- The "Curse" of Jason Benetti: A Tale of Two Teams
- The National Electricians Championships: A Career Highlight (or Lowlight?)
- The Search for a Signature Home Run Call
- Confetti: From Sweet Treats to Huge Messes
- Michael Threet's Enthusiastic Library Adventures
- Skittles: Taste the Rainbow, But Watch Out for Zombies
- Lilly King: An Olympic Swimmer's Journey
- Witches, Workouts, and the Met Gala
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