Brian Lehrer: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone, as we continue with our end of year news quiz. Were you paying attention in 2025? Get two in a row, right, and you will win either a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or the 2025 WNYC tote that says, "You can't defund the truth." It'll be your choice. Our next set of questions are New Jersey headlines questions from 2025, and we're going to start with William in East Orange. Hi, William. Happy New Year. Ready to play?

William: I'd be ready.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, let's see if you can get two in a row right here. New Jersey is getting a new governor next year. The Congresswoman and Governor like Mikie Sherrill will be sworn in early 2026. It's January 20th, to be precise. Who's she replacing?

William: Oh, a fellow named Mr. Murphy.

Brian Lehrer: Governor Phil Murphy is right. That one was just to see if you're awake. Question two for the hat or the tote. Both the Giants and Jets play their home games in the same stadium, which is in New Jersey. Can you tell me either the name of that stadium, or the New Jersey town that it's in?

William: Well, let's try MetLife. I believe it's in East Rutherford.

[music]

Brian Lehrer: Absolutely right on both counts, so would you like a Brian Lehrer baseball cap, or "You can't defund the truth" tote?

William: Well, let me just make a statement that I have an epistemological quibble with the phrase "the truth." I would prefer "different truths", but I'm going to take it anyway.

Brian Lehrer: [chuckles] William, thank you very much, and with your epistemological difference, the tote will serve as a conversation starter for you and many more people, I think. That's awesome. Hang on. We're going to take your mailing address off the air. We're going to go next to-- Let's see who's been waiting a long time. Abel in Clinton Hill. You're on WNYC. Abel, thanks for calling in.

Abel: Hi, good morning, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Here we go with question three in our New Jersey headline set. An outsider progressive beat a disgraced former governor in a hotly contested mayoral race. Sounds familiar, right? Of course, I'm not talking about Mamdani beating Cuomo. I'm talking about James Solomon defeating Jim McGreevey. The question is, what New Jersey city is James Solomon going to be the mayor of.

Abel: What New Jersey city? I try not to think of areas west of the Hudson, but I think it's Fort Lee.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, I'm sorry. It is not Fort Lee. We're going to have to move on from there. Abel, thank you very much. Let's see. Should we give one more person? Looks like it's going be another New Yorker, but let's give Adam in the East Village a shot at this. Adam, did you hear the question? [silence] Hey, Adam, Happy New Year. Ready to play? Do we have you? Okay, maybe no Adam. How about Steve-- Kenneth in Brooklyn? Hi, Kenneth, ready to play?

Kenneth: Yes, I am.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. Did you hear that question, or would you like me to repeat it? Since somebody already got it wrong, we'll call this a bonus question. No penalty if you get it wrong, but you get a point if you get it right.

Kenneth: Right. Please repeat it just to make sure I heard it correctly.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, so what city in New Jersey is James Solomon going to be the mayor of after defeating former Governor Jim McGreevey? Hint. It's the second most populous city in the state.

Kenneth: I was going to say anyway, Jersey City.

Brian Lehrer: Jersey City is right, so that's one. We happen to have, up next, the bonus question, so again, credit if you get it right, and you'll win a hat or tote. No penalty if you get it wrong. Yes, Jersey City is the second most populous city in New Jersey with about 307,000 people. Newark is the biggest with about 325,000, according to World Population Review, which has 2025 stats.

Can you name either the number three, or four most populous city in New Jersey? Again, because I think this is hard, this is a bonus question. You'll get another one if you get it wrong, but can you name either the number three or four most populous city in New Jersey behind Newark and Jersey City?

Kenneth: I would pick Patterson or Camden.

Brian Lehrer: Patterson is exactly right for number three with about 160,000, and World Population Review lists Lakewood as the next most populous city-

Kenneth: Oh.

Brian Lehrer: -with about 140,000, but way to go, Kenneth. Would you like The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or the "You can't defund the truth" tote?

Kenneth: I already have the tote, thank you very much, and couldn't agree with the sentiment more, so I'll take the baseball cap.

Brian Lehrer: All right, Kenneth, hang on. It's not Yankees blue. It's Mets blue-- I'm sorry, it's not Yankees blue, it's not Mets blue, so it is nonpartisan in that respect, so we're going to take your address off the air, and we're going to go on. Let me give Adam in the East Village one more shot here. Adam, you there?

Adam: I'm here. Can you hear me?

Brian Lehrer: Hi. We got you now. All right. Ready to play?

Adam: Totally ready.

Brian Lehrer: After long time, US Senator Bob Menendez was indicted on bribery charges. New Jersey voters chose a new senator in 2024. Who is the former Congressman who won the seat?

Adam: Andy Kim.

Brian Lehrer: Andy Kim is right, and he has a distinction of being an ethnic first in the US Senate. For the hat or the tote, the first what?

Adam: I'm going to say Korean.

Brian Lehrer: Korean American is exactly right. [music] The first Korean American elected to the US Senate. Adam, you win. Would you like a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or "You can't defund the truth" tote.

Adam: I'm so excited. I'd like a hat, please.

Brian Lehrer: One baseball hat headed your way. Hang on. We're going to take your address off the air, and we're going to go to our next contestant, Peter in Tampa, Florida. Hey, Peter. Happy New Year. Thanks for calling today. Ready to play?

Peter: I'm ready to play. I'm a New Jersey and New Yorker.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, good. All right. The Devil Wears Prada 2 wrapped filming this year, and is set to come out in early 2026. Name a star of this movie who hails from the great state of New Jersey.

Peter: Oh, of course. We-- I cannot-- Give me her-- She's so famous. Oh, she was in the so and so's daughter. Give me her first initial.

Brian Lehrer: You thinking of MS? I'm not--

Peter: Yes. Meryl Streep.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, that is exactly right. In fact, there were two answers that we would have accepted because Anne Hathaway.

Peter: Sophie's Choice, right? That's what--[crosstalk]

Brian Lehrer: Oh, Sophie's Choice. Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep are from New Jersey. Actually, Anne Hathaway was born in Brooklyn, and moved to Millburn when she was six, so largely raised there. They're both largely considered Jerseyans, Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. Okay, last question in this set. Our New Jersey headlines, and this is a New Jersey anniversary question, actually set of questions in our end of year news quiz.

Which classic Bruce Springsteen album had its 50th anniversary this year? I'll give you one hint. It's not the one that the movie, the Springsteen movie this year was about, but which classic, maybe the most classic Bruce Springsteen album had its 50th anniversary this year?

Peter: Born to Run.

Brian Lehrer: It absolutely did, so you were born to win, and would you--

[music]

Peter: Thank you. Instead, I already have a hat, I already have a tote.

Brian Lehrer: Oh.

Peter: Let me ask you. Do you know why-- A quick question, John Tyler, 10th President of the United States, born in 1790. Do you know why he was in the news this year?

Brian Lehrer: I actually don't. You tell me.

Peter: His grandson died. That's in other words, it's a span of 235 years from the birth of John Tyler to the death of his grandson.

Brian Lehrer: They each lived a long time.

Peter: It's 235 years. Yes. No one will ever replicate that. Harrison Tyler born-- It happened in Virginia. Note it down. It's quite a phenomenon.

Brian Lehrer: That's a good one. Tippecanoe and Tyler Too. [chuckles]

Peter: 235 years.

Brian Lehrer: [chuckles] Thank you, Peter. You can write our next news quiz, or maybe you'll write our next history quiz. Hang on, Peter, and we'll take your address, and you can tell our screener which you would like to get. All right. That ends that section of our news quiz. More to come. Stay with us.

[MUSIC - Marden Hill: Hijack]

Brian Lehrer on WNYC. In addition to our one-day end of year fundraiser, it's our end of the year news quiz, where you paying attention in 2025? Get two in a row right, and choose between a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, and our 2025 tote that says, "You can't defund the truth." This next stretch actually isn't news quiz questions per se.

They're questions from the series we did on the show, A 100 Years of a 100 Things in honor of the station's hundredth birthday, but all the questions were about news, or newsmakers of their day and with connections to today in many cases, so we thought some of these would be fun to include in our end of year news quiz. 100 years of a Hundred Things series history questions, and it's still get two in a row right, and win a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or a "You can't defund the truth" tote. Sophia in Brooklyn ready to play? Hi, Sophia. Happy New Year.

Sophia: Hi, happy New Year. I'm a longtime listener. I've been listening since the show started, so very excited to be on.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, wow. Maybe a bit of history this deep. What proposed constitutional amendment was first introduced in 1923? We haven't been on that long, and adopted by Congress in 1972, this potential constitutional amendment, and may or may not have the requisite number of state approvals to be considered ratified?

Sophia: Ooh. That should be-- My mom's going to kill me if I get this wrong. The Equal Rights Amendment?

Brian Lehrer: Absolutely. The Equal Rights Amendment, as the official US National Archives states the origin story three years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, right? 1920. the Equal Rights Amendment was initially proposed in Congress in 1923 in an effort to secure full equality for women. It seeks to end the legal distinctions between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment and other matters.

On the current controversy, it's disputed whether the recent votes to approve it, Nevada in 2017, Illinois in 2018, Virginia in 2020 count, since that happened after a deadline that was set by Congress decades ago. All right, question two for the hat, or the tote. Our Ask the Mayor series on this show is hardly the first time a New York City mayor appeared on WNYC. What New York City mayor is this reading a Dick Tracy comic strip on the station?

Speaker 5: The picture shows a hand of Breathless. She's got hold of that iron pot. Remember the iron pot she took from the Van Hoosens, and crash, she crashes it on his head.

Brian Lehrer: Could have had a career in showbiz that mayor, who is he?

Sophia: Could have had a career in showbiz.

Brian Lehrer: Well, I'm just saying that, because he read that the comic so well there.

Sophia: I should know this. Can I get a hint?

Brian Lehrer: Maybe he's like the most famous mayor in New York City history before the lifetimes of most people living today.

Sophia: Most people living today.

Brian Lehrer: Maybe you saw the Broadway play named after him, or flew out of the airport, something like that.

Sophia: Oh my gosh. Yes, LaGuardia.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs] Would you like, with some help, would you like a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or a "You can't define the truth" tote?

Sophia: I appreciate the assist. I would love a hat.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, hang on. We'll take your address off the air. Who else wants to play? 212-433-WNYC. We finally have some open lines as we've gone through a lot of our callers from the first set. 212-433-9692. Alex in Poughkeepsie are up next. Hi, Alex. Happy New Year. Ready to play?

Alex: Ready to play, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, in our 100 Years of a 100 Things history quiz section, we tend to think of the Trump administration as uniquely harsh on immigrants, but they're actually continuing a storyline of American history. A big anti-immigration law was passed 101 years ago in 1924. What era, as we often call it an era, was it intended to end, or what main nationalities was it intended to stop coming in big numbers?

Alex: Was it the Chinese Exclusion Act?

Brian Lehrer: Oh, that was going to be the next question, but since you got that right, I'll give you one more chance. Now, that was in 1882, which was the first restrictive immigration law that singled out one nation, but then came 1924. I'll give you one more chance. We say the blankety blank era of immigration ended after that law was passed, and you can also take a guess at some of the main nationalities that it was intended to stop, who are coming in in large numbers up through 1924.

Alex: I'm sorry, I may need a hint there, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, Alex, I'm going let you go, because I gave you a bunch of hints, but thanks for trying. It's the Ellis Island era. That's what we generally call it, and that restrictive 1924 immigration law was aimed largely at Italians, and other Southern Europeans, and East Europeans, very much including East European Jews, so there you go. The bonus question was going to be about that 1882 law, with the Chinese Exclusion Act. We're going to continue with other 100 years of 100 Things Questions with Meredith in Westfield. Hi, Meredith. Ready to play?

Meredith: Yes.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. Women have served in the US Military in roles such as nursing since the Civil War, but they began to officially serve in World War I a little over 100 years ago. Which military branch first allowed women to serve based on a loophole that didn't specify gender? You can mention the loophole if you want? Fairly obscure, or guess between the Air Force, the Navy, the Coast Guard, or the Space Force. Which of those four was the first to allow women to serve?

Meredith: I am not 100% sure, and I listened to so many of those 100 Year segments. I'm going to guess the Army.

Brian Lehrer: Well, that wasn't on the list. The multiple choice was the Air Force-- I'm going to bail you out to this degree. The Air Force, the Navy, the Coast Guard, or the Space Force?

Meredith: The navy.

Brian Lehrer: World War I-- The Navy is right. [laughs]

Meredith: Woo. Lucky. [chuckles]

Brian Lehrer: Yes. World War I. Certainly, they didn't have a Space Force there. That was a joke inclusion on the list, but here's the note on that from the National Archives. The Naval act of 1916 had vague language that declared that the reserve force within the US Navy would consist of "All persons who may be capable of performing special useful service for coastal defense." All persons, and so that was a loophole that allowed women to enlist, because it didn't specify men.

All right, here's another one from the 100 Year series. This one may be kind of tough, but let's see. Chicago Society for Human Rights in 1924 was the first gay rights organization in the United States, and it was created by a soldier who was stationed in Europe during World War I, who saw the nascent gay rights movement in which country? The question is, which European country was ahead of, and inspired the gay rights movement in the United States? France, Great Britain, Germany or Greece?

Meredith: Oh, I am going to go with France.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, I'm sorry. Thanks for giving it a try. It was Germany. Professor Mark Stein told us on the show, a German American immigrant named Henry Gerber had been in Europe during World War I, came back informed by the nascent European gay rights movement, and tried to form an organization in Chicago based on what he saw in Germany. Meredith, thanks for giving it a shot. We're going to go on next to Ed in Sea Cliff. Hi, Ed. Ready to play?

Ed: Yes. Hi.

Brian Lehrer: Here we go from our 100 Years of a 100 Things series on causes of death and life expectancy. Cancer mortality worldwide has decreased significantly, falling 33% since 1991, in part due to early detection. Now, here's the question. Which of the following routine cancer screenings was invented a hundred years ago? Mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap tests, or low dose CT scans? Mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap test, or low dose CT scans. One of Those was invented a hundred years ago and made a big difference in cancer outcomes.

Ed: I'm going to guess colonoscopy.

Brian Lehrer: It was the Pap test, unfortunately. Ed, thanks. Thanks for giving it a try. Okay. That was tough. We had a couple of tough ones in a row. Maybe we're going to go to an easier, at least a funner one next with Steven in Westchester. Steven, you're on WNYC. Happy New Year. Ready to play?

Steven: I'm ready to play, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Imagine the years 1925, 100 years ago, and you're in Brooklyn, looking over to the Manhattan skyline. Which of the following buildings would have been missing from your view on the skyline a hundred years ago? Only one of these was not yet built in 1925. The Woolworth Building, the Chrysler Building, MetLife Tower, or the Flatiron Building? Only one of those.

I'm going to take MetLife Tower off the list, because I'm not sure that it was called that at that time, so maybe it was, but I'm not sure, so I'm going to say Woolworth Building, Chrysler Building, or Flatiron Building. Two of those were up, one of those was not. Which one?

Steven: The Chrysler Building wasn't up yet.

Brian Lehrer: Chrysler Building is right. That was built in 1930. Okay, very good. For the hat or the tote. This year marked the hundredth anniversary of one of the most iconic novels in American Literature, and we did a 100 Year segment about that novel. Which book was it? Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, or F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby.

Steven: The Great Gatsby.

Brian Lehrer: It was The Great Gatsby. Way to go, Steven. Do you want a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or a "You can't defund the truth" tote?

Steven: I think I'm going get another hat.

Brian Lehrer: Another hat? One to share with a friend. Great. Hang on. We're going take your mailing address off the air, and we're going to go next to Gabriel in Mount Vernon. Hey, Gabriel, ready to play?

Gabriel: I'm always ready, Brian. Let's go.

Brian Lehrer: Gabriel's always ready. All right, let's see if you're ready for this. During our year-long 100 Year series, some of the segments celebrated what would have been the hundredth birthdays of some famous individual Americans. Our next few questions we'll ask if you can name a couple of them. Here is a very well-known New Yorker speaking in 1968, who would have been 100 years old.

James Baldwin: The reason that Black people are in the streets has to do with the lives they're forced to lead in this country. Everybody knows, no matter what they do not know, that they wouldn't like to be a Black man in this country.

Brian Lehrer: Who was that born a hundred years ago?

Gabriel: Oh my God. I mean, to me that sounds just like James Baldwin.

Brian Lehrer: Just like James Baldwin, so much like James Baldwin that it was James Baldwin, so way to go.

Gabriel: Oh, I thought that was you.

Brian Lehrer: That was me. No, I can't do James Baldwin that well.

Gabriel: These are sound clips. I get it.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, we did a sound clip. All right, so the next one does not have a sound clip, and I'm not going to try to imitate him except for that, one former president lived to see a hundred, and died one year ago today. Can you name him?

Gabriel: Oh, may his memory be a blessing. The very-- I don't know if this is his official title, but it's the very Reverend and honorable Jimmy L.? Carter, but definitely Jimmy Carter.

Brian Lehrer: I don't remember the middle initial. [music] Oh, I think it was Earl.

Gabriel: I think it's L.

Brian Lehrer: Wasn't it Earl? I think the name might have been Earl.

Gabriel: Oh, maybe.

Brian Lehrer: It sounds like L. [crosstalk]

Gabriel: Do I still get it? Do I still get it?

Brian Lehrer: Oh, yes.

Gabriel: He was the best president.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, you like Jimmy Carter a lot? Well, guess what? You got that right.

Gabriel: I love him. [crosstalk]

Brian Lehrer: Yes, go ahead. Did you want to say something about him?

Gabriel: Yes, I was just going say that I grew up all my life on the Upper West Side, and I've been living in Georgia recently, and it's been pretty harrowing. Sometimes I call in and actually dispatch my experiences from Southern Georgia, but currently, I'm actually in Mount Vernon, New York, where we have civilization. Jimmy Carter represents one of the coolest parts of old Georgia culture.

People love to make fun of him, especially in this MAGA era, but let me tell you something, he-- Without Jimmy Carter, the man down my road wouldn't protect me, basically, and I got that man to not vote for Trump. How about that? Jimmy Carter is the man. I'm glad he got me the Brian Lehrer tote. I'm going to go with the tote.

Brian Lehrer: WNYC tote that says, "You can't defund the truth." That's awesome. Gabriel, thank you very much. We appreciate your calls. I didn't realize you were that Gabriel. Yes, I know we get a Gabriel from Georgia once in a while calling in, so in Mount Vernon today. Glad you're a winner. All right, let's see. We have two questions to go in our 100 Year set, and let's see who's been hanging the longest. It looks like Lenny in Manhattan. Lenny, ready to play?

Lenny: I'm ready. Good morning, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Good morning. All right, one more from the people file. A sports giant born in 1925, a sports giant would have turned a hundred this year. He actually came on the show in his later years to promote the Montclair Public Library, but we also talked about famous things that he said by accident, so in this clip from his appearance, he told the story of the first time it happened.

Yogi Berra: First time I followed up was my day in St. Louis. I asked Bobby Brown, our third baseman to write a speech for me. He said, "All you have to say is a one line to thank everybody here for making this night necessary." I got up there, nothing necessary, make a nice day-

Brian Lehrer: Possible.

Yogi Berra: -possible. I got up there and I said, "I want to thank everybody for making this night necessary." I didn't even know I said it, to tell you the truth, until I got back to Bobby. He said, "You know what you said?"

Brian Lehrer: You got a big laugh, huh?

Yogi Berra: I got a laugh, and they said, "Learn how to talk a little bit." [chuckles]

Brian Lehrer: [chuckles] Who is that?

Lenny: I think I know who he is, but I can't think of his name. Can you give me a hint?

Brian Lehrer: Oh, boy. Well, let's see.

Lenny: The Malaprop King.

Brian Lehrer: Malaprop King. Well, I'll give you the bonus question that we had with respect to him coming up next, and if you get it, then I'll consider that you got both of us-- Both of them. Was his real first name Yogurt, Yogananda, or Lawrence?

Lenny: Oh, Yogi Berra.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs] Yogi Berra is right.

Lenny: Thank you.

Brian Lehrer: Was his real first name Yogurt, Yogananda, or Lawrence, just for the fun of it?

Lenny: Lawrence.

Brian Lehrer: Lawrence is right. He was Lawrence Peter Berra.

Lenny: Oh. [laughs]

Brian Lehrer: There's probably nobody whose full first name is Yogurt.

Lenny: Thank you.

Brian Lehrer: The way it happened was, as a teenager, he went to a movie that had a short piece on India, and a friend noticed a resemblance between him and the yogi, or person who practiced yoga on the screen. The friend said, "I'm going to call you Yogi," and from that moment, the name stuck. Lenny, would you like a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or "You can't defund the truth" tote?

Lenny: I'd like a tote, please.

Brian Lehrer: Hang on. We will take your address off the air. That's our 100 Years of a 100 Things section of our end of year news and history quiz. We're going to go on to an arts and entertainment and sports section of the quiz. There's our last section coming up. Stay with us.

[MUSIC - Marden Hill: Hijack]

Brian Lehrer on WNYC. All right, let's see how many of these we can get in, as we wrap up the end of year news quiz. Get two in a row right, and you win your choice of a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap, or the "You can't defund the truth" WNYC tote bag, and by the way, all the thank you gifts available in the membership drive when you donate. Get two in a row right, and you'll win one of those. This is arts, entertainment, and sports. Jeffrey in Ocean Township ready to play?

Jeffrey: Yes, I am.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, question one. We're going to start with a few sports questions. What do you call it when the Mets and Yankees play against each other?

Jeffrey: A Subway Series?

Brian Lehrer: That was to see if you were awake. [music] Then, many Mets fans are unhappy that a popular player with the nickname "The Polar Bear" has signed with the Baltimore Orioles. The Polar Bears hit more home runs as a Met than any other player. Who is this departed Polar Bear?

Jeffrey: Alonso.

Brian Lehrer: Pete Alonso is right. [music] Do you want a hat or a tote?

Jeffrey: I'd love a hat.

Brian Lehrer: Hang on. We're going to take your address off the air. Moving right along. Michael in Montvale in Jersey, you're on WNYC. Hi, Michael. Ready to play?

Michael: Yes.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. The only NFL team that plays In New York is headed for the playoffs. What team is that?

Michael: Buffalo Bills.

Brian Lehrer: [chuckles] They're the only team that plays in New York, because the New York Jets and New York Giants play at MetLife stadium in New Jersey. All right, so for the hat or the tote, those Jets have had another dismal year, losing way more games than they won, and the misery has been going on for a long time. Within three years, how long has it been since the Jets even made the playoffs?

Michael: 15.

Brian Lehrer: 15 is exactly right, so you want the hat or the tote?

Michael: I am going to take the hat. Brian, I just want to let you know that today is my birthday, so you made me very happy.

Brian Lehrer: Well, happy birthday.

Michael: It's the second time that I've actually won on my birthday, so I really appreciate it. [crosstalk]

Brian Lehrer: How about that? Two-time winner for a December 29th fundraiser. Michael, hang on, we'll take your address. Emily in Ossining ready to play?

Emily: I hope so. [laughs] Hi, Brian. Happy new year.

Brian Lehrer: Hi, Emily, and same to you. That same Jets and Giants stadium in New Jersey will host a much bigger sporting event than the home team's football games next year. The recent announcement of this coming attraction made sports news around the world. What is coming to MetLife next year?

Emily: Will it be the soccer? The world cup.

Brian Lehrer: The world cup is exactly right.

Emily: Oh my gosh.

Brian Lehrer: Here are two questions. Well, here's one question for you if you get it right. By way of a segue from sports to entertainment, who will be the Halftime Show music superstar to perform at the Super Bowl in February?

Emily: Ooh. Can you give me a hint?

Brian Lehrer: I don't know. He's not a good rabbit.

Emily: Oh, it's the Puerto Rican bunny. Bad bunny.

[laughter]

Brian Lehrer: Yes. That was a good hint, right?

Emily: Yes. Thank you. [chuckles]

Brian Lehrer: Do you want the hat or the tote?

Emily: I have so many totes that I'll take the hat with pleasure.

Brian Lehrer: Hang on. We will take your address off the air. Rachel in Manhattan, ready to play.

Rachel: Yes, just so long as you don't ask me a sports question. [chuckles]

Brian Lehrer: Well, this is one more sports to entertainment segue question. The sports part of it is the harder part, but can you name the superstar singer, songwriter, and NFL player who got engaged this year? I do need both names. The superstar singer, songwriter, and NFL player who got engaged.

Rachel: Oh, is it Taylor Swift?

Brian Lehrer: Yes.

Rachel: I have no idea what's the name of the guy.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, I'm sorry, Rachel. It's Travis Kelce. Stuart in Brooklyn. Ready to play?

Stuart: Yes, sir.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. In the new Broadway musical Oh, Mary, actor Cole Escola played a fictionalized version of what president's wife?

Stuart: Mary Todd Lincoln.

Brian Lehrer: That is absolutely right. Bonus question. Well, question two, really, which 30 Rock alum is now playing the role? Cole Escola started it.

Stuart: Jane Krakowski, who played Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock. That is absolutely right, sound the trumpets.

[music]

Stuart: [chuckles] Yay.

Brian Lehrer: Hang on for a hat or a tote. You can tell our screener what you want. Going to see if I can sneak in one more. How about Sarah in Clinton Hill? You ready for a one question quiz?

Sarah: Yes, I'm ready.

Brian Lehrer: Celine Dion is bringing a new musical to Broadway this spring, and it features one of her most popular songs. Here's a little of it.

Celine Dion: Wherever you are, I believe that the heart does--[crosstalk]

Brian Lehrer: All right, so name the musical, and what movie is it based on? Name either one.

Sarah: Oh, I'm stumped.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, I'm sorry.

Sarah: Sorry.

Brian Lehrer: The musical is Titanique after Titanic. All right. We gave away a lot of hats and totes. That was fun. Thanks for playing along, folks. Hope you had fun with our end of year news quiz, and that's The Brain Lehrer Show for today. Thanks for all your donations as well, of course. Coming up next, it is All Of It, where the new board president of PEN America talks about the future of the fight against censorship, and how he thinks about the value of free expression.

Plus, the groundbreaking street photographer Jamel Shabazz talks about his new book, Prospect Park: Photographs of a Brooklyn Oasis, 1980 To 2025, all coming up on All Of It with Alison Stewart right after the latest news here on WNYC.

 

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