Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary, discusses her expertise in Candy Crush, the concept of putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, and the comical mishap involving psychedelic mushrooms during a state dinner in China.
Janet Yellen oversees the financing of cumulative deficits and ensures the safety and attractiveness of the national debt.
Janet Yellen shares a funny anecdote about practicing smoking cigarettes before trying marijuana.
Deep dives
Responsibilities of the Treasury Secretary
The podcast episode features an interview with Janet Yellen, the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. Yellen discusses her role and responsibilities in managing the country's finances, including overseeing the financing of cumulative deficits and ensuring the safety and attractiveness of the national debt to Americans and people around the world. She also touches upon the significance of her signature on dollar bills and her access to reading Venmo receipts.
Janet Yellen's Interesting Preparations
The podcast delves into Yellen's approach to preparedness and shares a remarkable anecdote from her college days. In anticipation of trying marijuana for the first time, Yellen attempted to practice smoking by buying and smoking packs of cigarettes. Although this experience didn't go as planned, it inadvertently led her to become a heavy smoker for a decade. Additionally, Yellen reveals her affinity for mobile games, particularly Candy Crush, which she started playing after becoming addicted to Brick Breaker on her Blackberry. She humorously admits to reaching a high level in Candy Crush and dispels the rumor of being internationally ranked.
Our friends at NPR's news quiz Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! recently had a very Planet Money guest on their show: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. They asked her about smoking pot, her extremely high scores in Candy Crush, and when to expect the Harriet Tubman $20 bill.
Today, we're sharing an excerpt of that episode with you, along with some exclusive questions just for Planet Money listeners.
You can listen to the full show and subscribe to Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! wherever you find your podcasts.