Mice invade the FDA and learn to live their best life with Atsuko Okatsuka
Mice invade the FDA and learn to live their best life with Atsuko Okatsuka
This is an excerpt from the latest episode of Everyone & Their Mom, a new show from Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or listen on NPR One, and you can find us on Instagram.
Not-so-modest mice
Atsuko Okatsuka joins host Emma Choi to discuss the mice that now run the Food and Drug Administration's office. You know, the FDA, the people who make sure facilities aren't overrun with mice. Apparently the employees went home in March 2020 and left a bunch of food behind, which ended up being an all-you-can-eat buffet for the area's rodents, which is ironic because COVID closed all of our favorite buffets.
An exterminator, a rapper and a life coach walk into a bar...
Cameron, an exterminator/rapper/therapist/life coach based in New York City, gives us the lowdown on the craziest rodents he's seen and analyzes our producer Nancy's apartment. He ends up refusing Emma's suggestion to change his rap name to "Rat King" but gets us wondering... are rat kings REALLY real?
Dr. Bobby Corrigan crowns rat royalty
Rat expert Dr. Bobby Corrigan has never seen an illustrious rat king, which is in theory a bunch of rats getting their tails tied together and becoming one disgusting organism. But there's still hope they could be real. "They do get together and they do hugger mugger... where they all huddle together to share body warmth," shares Dr. Corrigan. And yes, hugger mugger is a real term.
He talks about rat eating habits and rat acts of kindness, then plays a game about whether he would snuggle, marry or kill our favorite rodents.
Hit 'em with your ratwalk
Instagram star Lindsay Rogers, the genius behind RuPaw's Drag Race, is a pro at creating couture for animals. While her usual seamstressing involves making avant-garde outfits for her 18-year old cat Laila, Emma asks her for insight on what rodents may wear to work at the FDA.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about secret messages and play along with our quizzes. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or listen on NPR One, and you can find us on Instagram.