Smash Boom Best: "Mega Mini-Boom Bonanza"

Date: July 17, 2019
Host: Molly Bloom
Judge: Ty Poole (of CBC’s "Ty Asks Why")
Guests: Teen debaters from the Minnesota Urban Debate League

Episode Overview

The "Mega Mini-Boom Bonanza" episode of Smash Boom Best is a fast-paced, fun-filled debate extravaganza featuring four mini-debates on classic showdowns, all judged by guest Ty Poole. Each debate, inspired by listener suggestions, pits two passionate high schoolers against each other for a single round plus a 30-second rebuttal each. The episode also features interludes on debate strategies, logical fallacies, and tips for young debaters, making it both educational and highly entertaining for kids and families.

Key Segments & Debates

1. Spring vs. Fall

Debaters: Mason (Spring) vs. Zach (Fall)
Listener Suggestions (00:30)
Debate Start: 04:27

Key Arguments

• Mason (Spring):

  • Celebrates the end of winter and return of warmth and light.
  • “Spring is not only better temperature and vitamin D wise, but is also the time of birth and new life all around us.” (04:41)
  • Spring signals new opportunities—baby animals, plants growing, increased fun; compared to fall, when “animals begin to hibernate, the insects die, and so do most of the plants. How morbid is that?” (04:55)
  • School ends in spring, while fall marks its return.
  • Fall sports aren’t compelling; spring activities are more exciting.

• Zach (Fall):

  • Claims fall is actually warmer than spring on average (06:19).
  • Fall’s allergies and bugs in spring are a nuisance.
  • The name “Autumn” is “awesome,” cooler than “spring.”
  • Holidays: “Thanksgiving and Halloween…amazing food like turkey and stuffing and pies, and Halloween has oodles of candy and costumes and fun with your friends.” (06:59)
  • Fun autumn activities: leaf piles, pumpkin and apple picking, corn mazes.

Notable Quotes

• Ty Poole: “I always feel like spring’s like the wet underbelly of summer.” (04:13)
• Zach: “Spring is actually colder than fall…50 degrees vs. 59.” (06:19)
• Zach: “Autumn’s weather is what makes it so amazing…the leaves are fantastic to look at and that’s before raking them into an epic pile and jumping in it.” (07:15)

Rebuttals

• Mason: “A lot of the food that is best in fall, because we have GMOs now, is available throughout the entire year…spring is definitely a better name. It's all about springing forward and progressivism.” (08:21)
• Zach: Defends fall’s positive connotations and events.

Ty's Judgement (09:03)

Winner: Spring

• Ty: “I was really intrigued by the concept that spring opens opportunities and fall closes them.” (09:20)

2. Zombies vs. Werewolves

Debaters: Maddie (Zombies) vs. Cassie (Werewolves)
Debate Start: 10:25

Key Arguments

• Maddie (Zombies):

  • Zombies are classic, relatable monsters: “Everyone feels like a zombie some of the time…There are all sorts of walking ones, running ones…There are zombies who don’t even know they’re zombies yet.” (10:40)
  • Variety and inclusivity; anyone can become one and "be monsters with your friends." (14:10)

• Cassie (Werewolves):

  • “Getting to turn into a super strong, super fast, super scary wolf—that’s a werewolf.” (12:50)
  • Only supernatural a few times per year; easier to blend in.
  • Werewolves have creative, unexplored “frontier” potential in classic horror.

Notable Quotes

• Maddie: “They have a refined palate. Only brains for them, so you know they have good taste. Us picky eaters in the world can really relate.” (10:40)
• Cassie: “Why are they linked to the full moon? Why turn into a wolf instead of, like, a bear? There’s way more fresh ideas with werewolves than overdone zombies.” (13:26)

Rebuttals

• Cassie: “Are you even trying to talk to them? Most of the time you’re trying to run away…” (12:06)
• Maddie: “Why go undercover with your friends when you can bite them and be monsters with them?...If you’re a werewolf, you better say goodbye to any jewelry, cool coins, anything that’s made with silver. With a zombie, you do not have to worry about that…Wet dog smell. You’re cursed to a life of every single month having the wet dog smell of your life.” (14:10)

Ty's Judgement (14:58)

Winner: Zombies

• Ty: “I feel like there’s never going to be a werewolf apocalypse. If you’re a zombie, you could still, like, have friends and like a weird Twilight-esque thing.” (15:09)

3. Rats vs. Pigeons

Debaters: Isabel (Rats) vs. Simon (Pigeons)
Debate Start: 23:42

Key Arguments

• Isabel (Rats):

  • “Rats are secretly way cooler than people give them credit for. They can adapt to almost any habitat and can even go without water for longer than a camel can.” (23:42)
  • Great pets, like hamsters; can be teachers (Mr. Ratburn from Arthur).
  • “One study from Harvard found that rats can sometimes even be smarter than humans.” (24:29)

• Simon (Pigeons):

  • “Pigeons are like rats with wings. That seems like an upgrade to me.” (25:19)
  • Can fly, deliver messages, play ping pong, ride the subway; saved soldiers in WWI.
  • “Pigeons have been recorded flying up to 100 miles an hour, which is faster than a speeding car.” (25:51)

Notable Quotes

• Simon (Pigeons): “Have you ever wanted to call your friend or send them a funny picture, but didn't have a phone? Tie it to a pigeon's leg and send it away!” (25:51)
• Isabel (Rats): “Would you rather have an intelligent companion to share your pizza with or a bird to poop all over it?” (27:03)

Rebuttals

• Simon: “Imagine if a pigeon delivered your pizza and ate it with you, too. Sounds pretty cool, right?” (25:19)
• Isabel: “Pigeons aren’t the brightest. …Rats, on the other hand, bond closely with their friends, which…is way more important and cooler than speed.” (27:03)

Ty's Judgement (27:43)

Winner: Rats

• Ty: “I was really, really, really excited about rats. But then I felt like pigeons really, really just brought it through for me…with messengers, fast, smart, and good companions. But I don't know, I just had to go with rats.” (27:51)

4. Breakfast vs. Dinner

Debaters: Maddie (Breakfast) vs. Amy (Dinner)
Debate Start: 29:10

Key Arguments

• Amy (Dinner):

  • “Dinner is the best meal of the day. Countless studies show that families who eat dinner together are better together.” (29:10)
  • Emotional and physical benefits: better academics, self-esteem, lower depression if you eat dinner as a family.
  • Dinner has unmatched variety (“pizza, pasta, tacos…can you see yourself crunching on french fries for breakfast?”).
  • “Dinner can be literally anything your heart desires.” (29:49)

• Maddie (Breakfast):

  • “Breakfast. It’s the only meal where it’s very acceptable to eat pancakes, donuts, and bacon, on one plate. Who doesn’t love that?” (31:19)
  • Eating breakfast helps your body break down glucose, gives you energy, and improves focus, reasoning, and physical performance during the morning.
  • “Breakfast gives you that foundation to start your day.” (31:56)

Notable Quotes

• Amy: “Lunch…crying about how much cooler dinner is.” (29:17)
• Maddie: “Not to mention that breakfast energizes the body. …Eat breakfast. Be a super smart, active superhero.” (31:39)

Rebuttals

• Maddie: “Biggest problem with dinner: You do not get the same level of breakfast food. Sure, you can try and have breakfast for dinner, but are you gonna get the experience of seeing the sun rise…no.” (30:41)
• Amy: “Breakfast, it’s just such a lonely meal. Dinner can be eaten with your family, in front of your tv, with friends, with anybody. But breakfast, it’s kind of a solitary thing.” (32:35)

Ty's Judgement (33:20)

Winner: Dinner

• Ty: “I like how dinner is just more food, better food. Although I like to have breakfast cause I’m hungry when I wake up, I feel like dinner is always more variety and true.” (33:30)

Additional Highlights

Debate Tips & State of Debate Segment (15:46)

• Lighthearted segment ("State of Debate") discusses the logical fallacy of hasty generalization, complete with a garden-themed example debate.
• Quote: “Logical fallacies are common mistakes people make when they're debating…weed all those hasty generalizations out.” (16:51-17:49)

Debate Coaching with Alex Demar (18:12)

• Judge Ty Poole discusses real-life debate with debate coach Alex Demar (Minnesota Urban Debate League).
• Tips given: Summarize your arguments clearly, provide multiple reasons, anticipate counterarguments (“even if…”), and organize points for clarity.
• On confidence: “Just believe in yourself. You can do it. Every single person up there has had a moment where they’ve felt like they were gonna drop all their cue cards and catch on fire. But you know what? They came out of it, and they were fine.” (22:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ty Poole on debate persistence: “It’s like, Ty, it’s three in the morning. No, I still think recess is better.” (02:21)
• On fall vs. spring: “I’m big advocate of not going to school for 10 months, like 2 months. I’m down, 10 months way too much.” (05:51)
• Ty, after making a tough decision: “I’m so not prepared. I need to get a drink of water. Oh, God, I’m freaking out. No, I’m ready.” (09:40)
• On classic monster creativity: “Now I'm gonna get nightmares about bear wolves.” (13:54)
• On rats: “If you have a pizza party and you have to share with rats, you might want to just...fix your decisions a little bit.” (24:54)
• On judging breakfast vs. dinner: “She was very passionate. I'll say that much.” (30:27)

Timestamps of Major Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|----------------------------------| | 00:00 | Episode intro / Host & Judge intro | | 04:27 | Debate #1: Spring vs. Fall | | 10:25 | Debate #2: Zombies vs. Werewolves| | 15:46 | State of Debate: Logical Fallacies| | 18:12 | Debate coaching with Alex Demar | | 23:42 | Debate #3: Rats vs. Pigeons | | 29:10 | Debate #4: Breakfast vs. Dinner | | 33:20 | Final decision on Breakfast vs. Dinner| | 34:04 | Show wrap-up and credits |

Episode Takeaways

• Debate is fun, accessible, and for everyone—the episode showcases creative and fact-based arguments on topics both silly and serious.
• Critical thinking and humor go hand in hand; the show spotlights strategies, logical fallacies, and debate etiquette (listening, anticipating rebuttals, clarity).
• Listeners are encouraged to vote for their favorite arguments and try debating at home or in their communities.

For Listeners Who Missed It

If you couldn’t tune in, this episode is a rapid-fire celebration of debate, with topics ranging from seasonal showdowns to monster mashups. The show is equal parts competition, education, and comedy—with memorable defenses (“breakfast is superhero fuel”), playful jabs (“fall is like the wet underbelly of summer”), and lots of inspiration to flex your own argument muscles. And if you ever wondered if a rat or a pigeon is cooler—now you’ve heard both sides!