10-Question Quiz: 2026 News Oddities

Brian Lehrer (0:10)

It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. And yeah, during this fall membership drive, we'll do a 10 question quiz each day around the middle of the show to break things up and have a little fun and hopefully give away some stuff while we're otherwise discussing serious things and asking you to support the station. We are doing today's 10 question quiz as a quiz of news oddities from 2026 And they may be obscure, but I promise they'll come with clues. And so for today, you'll only have to get one right, usually it's two, in order to win a prize. And you will be able to choose between The Brian Lehrer Show Baseball Hat or the new WNYC Pro-Democracy Tote. So who wants to play? Our lines are full, but you can get in as people finish up at 212-433-WNYC, and we will start on line one with Linda in Queens. Hi Linda, ready to play?

Yes, I am. Okay. Question one. Senator Tommy Tuberville told the Senate that many airline pilots and flight attendants and air traffic controllers belong to which community? It's a community of people who are infatuated with a certain kind of being. That's the first hint. Do you know already what it is?

Aliens? Not aliens. That's a good one. Here's the hint. Think of what stuffed animals feel like, and add an L after the first letter.

Or just think of what, I'm sorry.

I was wrong about the L. I saw a misspelled version of this. But it makes it even easier. Think of what soft stuffed animals feel like, the plural. Cuddly.

Smugly. Close. Starts with an F. Not fluffy, but... What? Fluffy. Oh, I'm going to have to leave it there, Linda. It's furries. Senator Tuberville said it in a September 22nd floor speech pointing to a convention of furry enthusiasts in Minneapolis called Aviation Furs Meet Up. And furries are fans of anthropomorphic animals, fictional non-human characters with human traits. All right. So that's question one. Heather and Brooklyn, ready to play?

SPEAKER_2 (2:52)

I'm ready, Brian.

Brian Lehrer (2:54)

Plenio Trump, Mick Jagger and Samurai Taxi Driver were all candidates in the recent elections in which country?

At least they were on the ballot under the names Samurai Taxi Driver, Mick Jagger and Plenio Trump. Which country?

SPEAKER_2 (3:16)

Wow, if you had said Dengai, I would have said the UK, but I'm going to say it anyway. The UK? United Kingdom?

Brian Lehrer (3:23)

No, I'll give you a hint. Trump loves the election-denying family in this rainforest-soaked nation.

SPEAKER_2 (3:31)

Oh, Brazil.

Brian Lehrer (3:33)

Brazil is right. AP says that they're keeping the country's tradition of joke candidates alive. They have that tradition in Brazil, apparently.

Plinio Trump, a helicopter pilot, got 161 votes and for the record was not elected. But Heather, would you like a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or WNYC Pro-Democracy tote?

SPEAKER_2 (3:56)

Since I'm already a proud wearer of the baseball cap, Brian, I'd like the tote, please.

Brian Lehrer (4:01)

All right. Hang on. We'll take your address off the air. One tote headed toward Brooklyn. Darren and Rye, ready to play?

Hi, Darren. I am.

Here we go. Question 3, true or false? Ben Affleck auditioned on Jimmy Kimmel Show to be the new voice of an American city's airport. True or false?

SPEAKER_3 (4:25)

I would think that's true.

Brian Lehrer (4:27)

That is true. Well, you've already won the prize, but bonus question, can you name the city? Was it Austin, Boston, or LAX in Los Angeles?

SPEAKER_3 (4:40)

Uh, Affleck's a Boston guy. I'm going to guess Boston.

Brian Lehrer (4:42)

It was Boston. So there you go. Would you like a WNYC Pro-Democracy Tote or a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap?

SPEAKER_4 (4:50)

I would like a Tote, Brian.

Brian Lehrer (4:52)

One Tote, showing your Pro-Democracy, what's the word, Pro-Democracy vibe, Pro-Democracy dedication heading toward Rye. Thank you very much. Joe and East Harlem, you're on WNYC. Hi Joe, ready to play? Yes. Question four, a 78-year-old Scottish grandmother who streams as Grumpy Grand 1948, just earned a Guinness World Record as the oldest female streamer of which video game? Oh my gosh. Video game. I will give you the hint if you need it. Hint, it's a word that means two weeks.

That's a really good hint.

SPEAKER_3 (5:38)

Oh, score? No, I don't know.

Brian Lehrer (5:45)

Sorry, Joe. All right. Let's give Phil and Manhattan a shot at that one, then we'll go on to the next one if he doesn't get it. Phil, did you hear the question and the hint?

SPEAKER_4 (5:54)

I did, and I have a daughter who teaches in London, Fortnite.