PETER SAGAL, HOST:
We want to remind everybody that they can join us most weeks at the Chase Bank Auditorium in Chicago, Ill. For tickets and more information, just go over to wbez.org. You can find a link at our website. That's waitwait.npr.org. Right now panel, time for you to answer some questions about this week's news. Luke, the British National Environmental Research Council decided to let the public pick a name for its new research vessel via an internet poll.
(LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: And the people chose - in their wisdom - in our wisdom - chose what name?
LUKE BURBANK: This is why we can't have nice things, you people.
(LAUGHTER)
BURBANK: This is why 'cause people will name things Boaty McBoatface.
SAGAL: Boaty McBoatface.
(SOUNDBITE OF BELL, APPLAUSE)
SAGAL: They were hoping for a great and noble name from British history, like the RMS Shackleton or the RMS Benny Hill. But no, the Internet has spoken. The vessel shall henceforth be Boaty McBoatface.
(LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: You may laugh - and you will - but think of the crew who has to serve.
(LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: Aye, she's a good ship.
(LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: There she sits, Boaty McBoatface.
(LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: Aye, she is yar.
(LAUGHTER)
ROXANNE ROBERTS: I want the stories when there's a boating tragedy.
SAGAL: Oh, yes, the tragic sinking of the Boaty McBoatface.
(LAUGHTER)
BURBANK: Everyone saw it coming.
SAGAL: Yeah.
BURBANK: It was known as the sinkable ship, Boaty McBoatface,
SAGAL: And there is nobody more stern and commanding, right, than a British naval captain.
(LAUGHTER)
SAGAL: And can you imagine that poor guy - hail to the ship. This is Cptn. Allen of Her Majesty's vessel Boaty McBoatface.
(LAUGHTER)
BURBANK: I like that...
SAGAL: Wipe that smile off your face and prepare to be boarded.
ROY BLOUNT JR.: How did that work? Did lots of people come up with that name independently?
SAGAL: No, one guy - who has apologized - came up with it. And everybody said that's the name.
(LAUGHTER)
BURBANK: You know that when it's time to christen the ship, they're going to have to do it with, like, a Capri Sun...
(LAUGHTER)
BURBANK: Bounce it off (unintelligible)...
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "COME SAIL AWAY")
STYX: (Singing) Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me, baby. Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me.
SAGAL: Coming up, pack your bags. You're going to Romania in our Bluff The Listener game. Call this 1-888-WAIT-WAIT to play. We'll be back in a minute with more WAIT WAIT... DON'T TELL ME from NPR. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.