Jordan Birnbaum

Host

Wait Wait...It's Real Adam Felber Time!

May 21, 2013·27 visitors

Adam Felber

Cohost

Stage· 119 messages

May 21, 2013

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:00 AM

Mr. Felber, I presume?

Adam Felber · 1:01 AM

presumption correct!

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:01 AM

Ahh - first thing I've gotten right today

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:01 AM

Hi everyone! My plan for tonight is to start off by engaging Adam in a quick game of “Who’s The Favorite, What’s the Spead” (explanation forthcoming)

Adam Felber · 1:01 AM

Okayyyyyy

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:01 AM

during which you can write in all the questions and comments you have about “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” “Real Time,” “Skrull Kill Krew,” or any other amazing projects in his life.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:02 AM

And we’ll spend the second half of the Tawk on all that good stuff. OK, Adam –are you ready to learn the game?

Adam Felber · 1:02 AM

of course!

Adam Felber · 1:02 AM

[spent my weekend gaming]

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:02 AM

It’s basically the Bill Simmon’s “pick the NFL game spreads” game, but with a twist. Instead of handicapping NFL games on any given Sunday,

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:02 AM

you’ll be creating the betting lines for various geo-political (and other) conflicts at a specific point in the future, using NFL scoring as your scale.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:03 AM

And please share with us what you’re thinking as you reach these crucial decisions. ARE YOU READY MR. FELBER?!

Adam Felber · 1:03 AM

sure!

Adam Felber · 1:03 AM

so you want me to predict the nfl score, right?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:03 AM

OK - 2016 presedential election - dems vs. repubs. Who's the favorite, what's the spread?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:04 AM

yessir!

Adam Felber · 1:04 AM

Dems by a touchedown at least. I'll say 8.

Adam Felber · 1:05 AM

It doesn't even have to be Hillary. All that talk about "wrong side of history" is right,and they haven't been correcting very well.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:05 AM

excellent first answer. here comes a tougher one. 12 years from now - Mexican drug cartels vs. law and order

Adam Felber · 1:05 AM

They have won the popular vote once since 1988. That's not a situation they're going to fix in 3 years.

Adam Felber · 1:05 AM

law and order. Take 'em and give 4 points

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:06 AM

nice

Adam Felber · 1:06 AM

They're excellent, bloody, and ruthless cartels, don't get me wrong...

Adam Felber · 1:06 AM

they're just up against Mexico's rapidly improving economy. Non-secret business will win.

Adam Felber · 1:06 AM

plus, pot will be legalized by then

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:06 AM

yeah, just look at Vegas

Adam Felber · 1:06 AM

riiight?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:07 AM

legalization is the game changer on that one indeed

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:07 AM

OK - we're going to stay bloody - 6 months from now - Assad vs. The Rebels

Adam Felber · 1:07 AM

Tough one...

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:07 AM

there is such a thing as pick em

Adam Felber · 1:08 AM

6 months? I'd take the rebels, but only if I got a point

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:08 AM

★ Spotlighted from Trey Williamson

“"Dems by a touchdown" Amazing!”

Adam Felber · 1:08 AM

Assad's playing a long game.

Adam Felber · 1:08 AM

One year, though, I'd take the rebels and give 3

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:09 AM

gotcha - gonna include a little cartel commentary

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:09 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachael Workman

“So you're saying that the cartels have the talent, but maybe not the necessary marketing efforts in the front end office”

Adam Felber · 1:09 AM

★ Spotlighted from Blake Ian

“Now that that's out of the way... I REALLY want to know if Adam Felber has seen my favorite film "A Serious Man" and what he thinks of it!”

Adam Felber · 1:09 AM

★ Spotlighted from Blake Ian

“Welcome to the Forum, everyone! If you want to get involved, click “Who is Here” and then “Listen” to the people whose comments you want to see.”

Adam Felber · 1:10 AM

Blake - liked "Serious Man" a lot. Especially the ending. Though not my favorite Coen bros. film.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:10 AM

Big Lebowski for me

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:10 AM

and you?

Adam Felber · 1:11 AM

Yeah, though we should be forced to name our 2nd AFTER Lebowski! :)

Adam Felber · 1:11 AM

Had Jeff Bridges on Wait Wait a couple of months ago. The dude abides.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:11 AM

ahh. some of the pleasantries of your life are priceless.

Adam Felber · 1:12 AM

shucks.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:12 AM

★ Spotlighted from Blake Ian

“It ousted Barton Fink after a 20 year run on my top 100 list! #CoenObsession”

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:12 AM

I'll finish the Coen Brothers tribute with a shout out to Miller's Crossing

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:12 AM

Back to the favorites and spreads

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:12 AM

25 years from: technology vs. climate change

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:13 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rachael Workman

“i listened to that episode, he was great. the dude does indeed abide.”

Adam Felber · 1:13 AM

2038. Interesting question.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:13 AM

The judges are not accepting that as an answer

Adam Felber · 1:14 AM

not a real game there. Climate change will win the championship every year between now and 2020 at least.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:14 AM

that's why I went to 25 years

Adam Felber · 1:14 AM

But in 2038? What's left of planet will have its ass kicked by tech.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:14 AM

lol

Adam Felber · 1:15 AM

Translation: We're going to salvage the world. But not the world as it is today.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:15 AM

So take technology and give 4?

Adam Felber · 1:15 AM

Yeah. Give 4. And perhaps a continent or two.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:16 AM

that's quite a prop bet

Adam Felber · 1:16 AM

lol

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:16 AM

All right - 4 years from now in Iran -hardliners vs. The Green Party

Adam Felber · 1:16 AM

You're picking awesome time frames here.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:17 AM

that's the rub

Adam Felber · 1:17 AM

I'll gowith the hardliners and give 5, sadly.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:17 AM

bummer

Adam Felber · 1:17 AM

It really all depends on who replaces Ahmadinajad.

Adam Felber · 1:17 AM

Or... wait for it....

Adam Felber · 1:18 AM

...if he tries to wangle a way to stay in power. All hell then breaks loose.

Adam Felber · 1:18 AM

[just speculatin' here]

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:18 AM

Is it a good hell or a bad hell?

Adam Felber · 1:19 AM

bad at first. Then, who knows? Situation cloudy, ask again later. :)

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:19 AM

9 years from now - Wall St. greed vs. Academic integrity

Adam Felber · 1:20 AM

Sheeeet. Take Wall St. and give 38.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:20 AM

lol

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:20 AM

2 years from now -the NCAA vs. the free market

Adam Felber · 1:20 AM

NCAA what? football, basketball, or in general?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:21 AM

all of the above. in other words I'm calling it slavery and asking if it will last.

Adam Felber · 1:21 AM

Yes. Two years, at least. Take it and give 8

Adam Felber · 1:21 AM

But...

Adam Felber · 1:22 AM

Football is going away as a college sport. And basketball will succumb to the free market.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:22 AM

yeah - I should have made that 14 years...

Adam Felber · 1:22 AM

yup!

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:23 AM

OK - for the last 5 minutes I'm going to hit you with some quick fire questions - ready?

Adam Felber · 1:23 AM

shoot

Adam Felber · 1:23 AM

[this is totally fun, btw]

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:23 AM

Other than in rhetoric, are Democrats actually better than Republicans?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:24 AM

★ Spotlighted from Rick Rosner

“Greed over integrity, while we're still human.”

Adam Felber · 1:24 AM

Yes. They're not better than the old school republicans. But those old timers need to get some fresh blood and take the party from the loons.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:24 AM

Does your constant awareness of global and political affairs take a psychological toll on you?

Adam Felber · 1:24 AM

absolutely.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:25 AM

how do you cope?

Adam Felber · 1:25 AM

i think I'm just very fortunate, brain-chemistry-wise. Opposite of depressed.

Adam Felber · 1:25 AM

also, videogames and music are awesome.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:26 AM

How can you be funny and hapopy at the same time? It's not really fair.

Adam Felber · 1:26 AM

yeah, suck it!

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:26 AM

Optimistic or pessimistic about the direction of journalism?

Adam Felber · 1:26 AM

Actually, I think my cynicism runs so deep it's almost a form of idealism.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:26 AM

I completely understand that!

Adam Felber · 1:26 AM

journalism... it's fucked in the short term.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:27 AM

what global problem has the easiest solution?

Adam Felber · 1:27 AM

But it won't go away, and new models to pay for it will emerge. We need information that is real, and SOMEONE will pay for it.

Adam Felber · 1:27 AM

Global warming

Adam Felber · 1:28 AM

I know, that sounds counterintuitive.

Adam Felber · 1:28 AM

But really - have you seen the Tesla sedan?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:28 AM

amazing?

Adam Felber · 1:29 AM

If you had a cool car you could never fill up, charge at work so that your costs were essentially zero...

Adam Felber · 1:29 AM

.. you'd want one, right?

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:29 AM

yes. before I let you go, do you know why we can't start developing Tesla technology for all of our energy needs?

Adam Felber · 1:29 AM

Sorry - I meant "you never had to fill up"

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:29 AM

wasn't it just suppressed? shouldn't it still work?

Adam Felber · 1:30 AM

batteries are cool. But solar is a huge deal too. We're racing the clock, but these things work.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:30 AM

all right Adam - thank you so much! I had a blast!

Adam Felber · 1:30 AM

me too!

Adam Felber · 1:30 AM

Thanks all!

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:31 AM

everyone watch everything he does - that's my advice!

Adam Felber · 1:31 AM

what he said.

Jordan Birnbaum · 1:31 AM

And if you're coming here after the fact, hit the "top" button in the upper left corner to pick it up from the beginning. Felber rules.

Forum · 41

Forum· 41 comments

27 visitors

Blake IanMay 21, 2013, 12:49 AM

And don’t forget to “Like” the comments you want the Hosts to see. They only see comments that get enough likes to become “Overheard”

Blake IanMay 21, 2013, 12:49 AM★ Spotlighted

Welcome to the Forum, everyone! If you want to get involved, click “Who is Here” and then “Listen” to the people whose comments you want to see.

Trey WilliamsonMay 21, 2013, 12:53 AM

Now that that's out of the way... I REALLY want to know if Adam Felber has seen my favorite film "A Serious Man" and what he thinks of it!

Blake IanMay 21, 2013, 12:54 AM★ Spotlighted

Now that that's out of the way... I REALLY want to know if Adam Felber has seen my favorite film "A Serious Man" and what he thinks of it!

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 12:56 AM

evening :-) anyone want a cookie?

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 12:56 AM

Hello All!

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 12:56 AM

hey Rick!

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 12:59 AM

What kind of cookie?

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 12:59 AM

Bon jour

Blake IanMay 21, 2013, 12:59 AM

What up Rickies and Dick!

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 1:00 AM

choc chip

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 1:01 AM

now thats not true ,jordan

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 1:02 AM

or we can just talk amongst ourselves...

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 1:03 AM

*bangs head on desk*...not sports questions!.....

Lucy DyerMay 21, 2013, 1:04 AM

i'm out.bye

Jordan SudyMay 21, 2013, 1:05 AM

What is the reason for the touchdown prediction?

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:05 AM

Come back, DB - just handicapping events to come.

Trey WilliamsonMay 21, 2013, 1:07 AM★ Spotlighted

"Dems by a touchdown" Amazing!

Rachael WorkmanMay 21, 2013, 1:07 AM★ Spotlighted

So you're saying that the cartels have the talent, but maybe not the necessary marketing efforts in the front end office

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:08 AM

Maybe they'll all drop dead.

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 1:10 AM

Let's not forget Raising Arizona

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:10 AM

The JB abides.

Blake IanMay 21, 2013, 1:11 AM★ Spotlighted

It ousted Barton Fink after a 20 year run on my top 100 list! #CoenObsession

Rachael WorkmanMay 21, 2013, 1:12 AM★ Spotlighted

i listened to that episode, he was great. the dude does indeed abide.

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:13 AM

We'll all be surfing in Philadelphia.

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:15 AM

But technology will give us proximity sensors in our genitals.

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 1:17 AM

The Ayatollah and Ahmadinejad have the army...it sucks

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 1:19 AM

We definitely chose the wrong IRA country to attack

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:20 AM★ Spotlighted

Greed over integrity, while we're still human.

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 1:21 AM

To make it more interesting is there a minimum bet? Things are better when you have skin in the game

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:23 AM

Oh, a gun question

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:23 AM

Better looking, anyway.

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:25 AM

Try downers.

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:26 AM

A lobotomy helps.

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:28 AM

Yeah, for 85 big ones.

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:29 AM

Not a great solution for the masses.

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 1:30 AM

In two words, Big Oil

Rick RosnerMay 21, 2013, 1:30 AM

Thanks, gentlemen.

Seth HochmanMay 21, 2013, 1:30 AM

They worked hard on killing the EV1 and are working hard on killing the infrastructure for making electric cars take off

Rachael WorkmanMay 21, 2013, 1:30 AM

this was great!

Jordan SudyMay 21, 2013, 4:52 AM

terrific Tawk. Glad i wait waited.