"Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" producer wows the Luther commencement audience

(Left to right): Luther College President Paula Carlson and Commencement speaker (and 1995 Luther grad) Mike Danforth (Photo courtesy of Luther College)

Mike Danforth graduated from Luther College in 1995 and even he would admit his career at college was less than stellar.  He told Sunday's commencement audience at Luther that "Standing here is a bit of surprise."  He told the audience that the fact that he had been invited to give the Commencement speech meant "the level of success you need to be invited back as Commencement speaker has fallen."

Danforth married a fellow Luther College graduate--and when she heard he had been invited to give this year's Commencement speech, she complained, "But I got much better grades than you!"

Danforth then launched into a speech that frequently was interrupted by laughter and applause.  He told the graduating students that after college, he felt like he had fallen off a cruise ship and was "hanging out, just trying to survive."

Eventually, he figured out what he wanted to do for a career, which led to a job with Minnesota Public Radio, then a job producing "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" for NPR. 

Danforth says that came about because he stopped trying to let people know how much he knew, started admitting when he didn't know something and then worked to find new mentors who saw the talent he did have.  "The key to surviving is within you," he said--although maybe not in the context you would think.