B&T Extra: Baby chicks, Screwworms, & Italian brain rot

Summary

The BOB & TOM Show Free Podcast
Episode: B&T Extra: Baby Chicks, Screwworms, & Italian Brain Rot
Release Date: July 11, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of B&T Extra, hosts Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold delve into a variety of intriguing and often bizarre topics, blending humor with insightful commentary. Covering everything from an alarming incident involving thousands of baby chicks to the resurgence of destructive screwworms, and the latest internet phenomenon dubbed "Italian brain rot," this episode offers listeners a captivating mix of news and entertainment.

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1. Abandoned Chicks in Delaware

Timestamp: [04:28]

The episode kicks off with a concerning report about an animal shelter in Delaware grappling with the aftermath of an unusual disaster: the abandonment of 12,000 baby chicks in a postal service truck. Bob introduces the story, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Bob Kevoian: "A Delaware animal shelter is trying to care for thousands of chicks that were abandoned in a U.S. Postal Service truck."
[04:28]

Tom reacts with disbelief and sarcasm, questioning how such an oversight could occur.

Tom Griswold: "That's more than a mistake, right?"
[05:15]

The hosts discuss the logistics and the tragic outcome, noting that while some chicks survived and are now being nursed at the First State Animal Center and SPCA, many did not make it.

Bob Kevoian: "The shelter is also offering the birds for adoption, but only a few hundred out of as many as 2,000 have been picked up, which is quite strange."
[06:15]

Tom humorously speculates on the fate of the deceased chicks, linking it to fast-food chicken nuggets.

Tom Griswold: "How could you ship 10,000 chickens and not have a proper destination for them?"
[06:43]

The segment underscores the bizarre nature of the incident and raises questions about logistical failures within large organizations.

---

2. New World Screwworms: An Agricultural Menace Returns

Timestamp: [07:37]

Shifting gears, the hosts address a pressing environmental concern: the reemergence of the New World Screwworm. Bob outlines the issue, explaining that these parasitic larvae, once eradicated in 1966, have resurfaced in Mexico, posing a significant threat to American agriculture.

Bob Kevoian: "The new world screw worm has reemerged as a threat. An outbreak in Mexico has US officials on high alert."
[08:01]

Tom adds a touch of humor while describing the gruesome nature of screwworms.

Tom Griswold: "They kind of screw themselves into the flesh of... they are parasitic flies."
[08:13]

Bob provides details on the government's response, mentioning the shutdown of cattle, horse, and bison imports at the southern border to prevent the spread.

Bob Kevoian: "USDA has shut down cattle, horse and bison imports at the southern border."
[08:32]

The discussion emphasizes the potential devastation these worms can cause to livestock if unchecked, highlighting the importance of swift and effective legislative action.

---

3. Italian Brain Rot: The Latest TikTok Craze

Timestamp: [12:48]

Tom introduces the next topic with enthusiasm, referring to a new internet trend identified by the New York Times as "Italian brain rot." This phenomenon involves AI-generated characters that blend animals or humans with inanimate objects, often infused with Italian cultural references.

Tom Griswold: "I have a theory about Italian brain rot."
[11:04]

Bob elaborates on the trend, explaining its origins and how it has captured the attention of millions on TikTok.

Bob Kevoian: "The Italian brain rot subgenre emerged in January with AI-generated characters that mix animals or humans with inanimate objects."
[12:56]

Examples include whimsical creations like "ballerina cappuccino," a ballerina with a cappuccino cup for a head, highlighting the absurd yet entertaining nature of these memes.

Tom Griswold: "A ballerina with a cappuccino cup head. Sounds funny."
[13:16]

The hosts discuss the cultural implications and the randomness that makes these memes appealing, while also touching on the rapid evolution of internet humor and its impact on different generations.

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4. Evolving Emoji Meanings and Communication Challenges

Timestamp: [15:06]

The conversation transitions to digital communication, specifically the shifting interpretations of emojis among different age groups. Citing the Wall Street Journal, Bob points out that many young people now perceive the smiley face emoji as patronizing or passive-aggressive.

Bob Kevoian: "According to the Wall Street Journal, many teens and 20-somethings see the smiley face emoji as patronizing or passive-aggressive."
[15:06]

Tom and Bob humorously lament their struggles with keeping up to date with emoji meanings, expressing frustration over generational gaps in digital language.

Tom Griswold: "I use those old-fashioned emoticons. Yeah, you still go with the semicolon close parenthesis."
[16:15]

They debate the merits of traditional emoticons versus modern emojis, touching on the potential for misunderstandings in digital communication, especially when conveying sarcasm or nuanced emotions.

Tom Griswold: "One of the problems with texting is if you're being sarcastic. Unless they have a sarcastic font. It's not necessarily clear..."
[18:53]

The segment highlights the complexities of digital communication and the importance of context, while also offering a lighthearted take on the challenges faced by those trying to stay relevant in the ever-evolving landscape of online interaction.

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Conclusion

Throughout this episode of B&T Extra, Bob and Tom blend informative discussions with their signature humor, providing listeners with both awareness and entertainment. From the tragic mishandling of thousands of baby chicks to the grim resurgence of screwworms threatening agriculture, and the quirky rise of Italian brain rot memes on TikTok, the hosts cover a broad spectrum of topics with engaging banter and insightful commentary.

Whether you're a regular listener or tuning in for the first time, this episode offers a compelling mix of stories that are both thought-provoking and amusing, ensuring a memorable listening experience.

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Notable Quotes:

• Bob Kevoian: "A Delaware animal shelter is trying to care for thousands of chicks that were abandoned in a U.S. Postal Service truck."
  [04:28]

• Tom Griswold: "How could you ship 10,000 chickens and not have a proper destination for them?"
  [06:43]

• Bob Kevoian: "The new world screw worm has reemerged as a threat. An outbreak in Mexico has US officials on high alert."
  [08:01]

• Tom Griswold: "A ballerina with a cappuccino cup head. Sounds funny."
  [13:16]

• Bob Kevoian: "According to the Wall Street Journal, many teens and 20-somethings see the smiley face emoji as patronizing or passive-aggressive."
  [15:06]

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and humorous exchanges from the episode, providing a clear and engaging overview for those who haven't had the chance to listen.

Transcript

[Tom Griswold]

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[Bob Kevoian]

A Delaware animal shelter is trying to care for thousands of.

[Tom Griswold]

What did Delaware boys? What did Delaware. I don't know.

[Bob Kevoian]

Alaska?

[Tom Griswold]

I don't know. God, what a tur. She wore a brand new Jersey. She wore a brand new Jersey. She drank a mini soda. She drank a mini soda. She was hurt. I said Hawaii. Yes. She said, I'm bleeding to death. That was the last word. Say something. Bleeding to death.

[Bob Kevoian]

A Delaware animal shelter trying to care for thousands of chicks that were abandoned in a u. In a postal service truck. It's still unclear how 12,000 chicks were left for three days. 12,000 inside the truck in a Delaware male distribution center.

[Tom Griswold]

That's more than a mistake, right? Yes. 12,000 chicks.

[Bob Kevoian]

And they're surviving chicks. Which means not all of them did.

[Tom Griswold]

Oh, yeah. KFC by them.

[Bob Kevoian]

Nursed and cared for. You're going to have to serve Little Fro. They don't.

[Tom Griswold]

Where do you think the nuggets come from? You have to. Thank you, Chuck. You're going to. Saving. Saving that idiotic shish to run all those. Yeah.

[Bob Kevoian]

The surviving chicks are now being nursed and cared for at First State Animal center and spca.

[Tom Griswold]

I think it'd be a chick. Onion green pepper. Oh, yeah. Onion green pepper. Sounds like a terrible country song. What's that? This is 12,000 chicks. 10,000 chicks in a hot postal car. Bacon and a dying like my mother did last week. You know what? He's right. That does sound like a terrible country song. Bacon and a dying like my mother did last week. That's a sad song. She was baked in the first verse. She dies in a. In a truck.

[Bob Kevoian]

The shelter is also offering the birds for adoption, but only a few hundred out of as many as 2000 have been picked up, which is quite a strange. Okay, so wait a minute.

[Tom Griswold]

They're waiting until they get tender. Boy, there's nothing worse than. Than chewy chicken, right? Like rubbery. A chicken Jerky, do the math on this.

[Bob Kevoian]

10,000 of those chicks didn't make it. That's really sad.

[Tom Griswold]

How could you ship 10,000 chickens and not have a proper destination for them? Wouldn't you know what happened here?

[Bob Kevoian]

They hear them, they just ended up.

[Tom Griswold]

In a mail truck.

[Bob Kevoian]

Why wouldn't they hear them?

[Tom Griswold]

Like loaded to the guild. I mean, every once in a while you read about. You read the. The errant mail carrier that they. They find 80,000 pieces of mail in his garage, Right? But this. Who takes the truck full of the chickens and goes, I'm just gonna park it. What were they doing in there in the first place?

[Bob Kevoian]

I don't know. Chicken.

[Tom Griswold]

I don't know, Artie there. These packages are chirping at me. I don't know what the problem is. Baffling. Yeah, right. I mean, it must have been fold filled completely.

[Bob Kevoian]

12,000 chicks and it had to have made noise. The guy had to have gone, what the heck?

[Tom Griswold]

I don't know what's happening. Somebody needs to go.

[Bob Kevoian]

Who does? The chicks. Did you just do the chicks? That's very good.

[Tom Griswold]

Very good.

[Bob Kevoian]

You want to talk about screw worms?

[Tom Griswold]

Why not? What are they? Yeah, let's do it. This is if they're up for it. I am. This is a really serious issue. Let's screw worms. Let's do it. Oh, geez. Look at this. Frank. Look who's back. He's gonna screw.

[Bob Kevoian]

Lawmakers in Texas have introduced new legislation. And here to get ahead of an impending new world screw worm invasion.

[Tom Griswold]

I got to look these things up.

[Bob Kevoian]

The new world screw worm is back.

[Tom Griswold]

I hope they look just like long screws. They, I think they. They don't. They kind of screw themselves into the I hope flesh of.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yeah, we have. Once eradicated, in 1966, the screw worm has reemerged as a threat. An outbreak in Mexico has US officials on high alert. That's right, Tom. Screw worms, larvae, they look just like maggots. Burrow into living flesh, killing livestock. If untreated, they become flies.

[Tom Griswold]

Huh.

[Bob Kevoian]

USDA has shut down cattle, horse and bison imports at the southern border. Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the screw worm related shutdown on X. And they pose a serious threat to American agriculture.

[Tom Griswold]

Yeah, yeah. They're essentially maggots and they become parasitic flies. The name screw worms though, it sounds like something you'd a college guy would catch after spring break in Tijuana. Yes, well, I got the screw worms, so we whipped screw worms though, in 1966.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yeah, but they're back.

[Tom Griswold]

They're full name. The Cochleomaya hominovorex. So the New World Screw Worm is a much more elegant name. Yes. Yeah, that'd be a good name for a minor league baseball team. That's not bad, but it's gross. The New World Screw Worms. Yeah, that'd be a cool mascot, don't you think?

[Bob Kevoian]

Yeah.

[Tom Griswold]

You got a worm with like a corkscrew set of legs. Absolutely. And a little hat. And screw worms will live inside an animal until it is deceased.

[Bob Kevoian]

Oh, God.

[Tom Griswold]

The animal or the screw worm? The animal. They can squirm into the belly buttons of newborn mammals.

[Bob Kevoian]

Oh.

[Tom Griswold]

This article is from PBS and it's titled 7 Reasons Flesh Eating screw worms are as gross as you think. Yeah, they win. Yeah, they are. They are not. Going into belly buttons is like a. I don't like that at all.

[Bob Kevoian]

No, no.

[Tom Griswold]

So they're coming up from Mexico.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yes, sir.

[Tom Griswold]

So, no. No cattle being important. Isn't that how the alien got into John Hurd or whatever? Who? Whichever guy that was. Belly button. Yeah. An alien. No, it gives birth through the mouth. That's why it wraps around your face. Oh, I thought it went in the belly button. Okay. A four year old girl in India was once treated for a screw worm infestation. I'm not going to tell you where. How many. Oh, let's just keep going. You can't have. She can't have babies. Is that right? No, no, she can. Yeah. Oh, here's. They extracted this 12 year old girl from Columbia. They extract. They extracted 142 larvae from the girl's scalp. And you thought those lice checks at school were gross. All right, we're gonna need a Phillips and a flathead. We got them both. Here, take a step. That is actually making me itch my head. Yeah. Oh, God. Okay, well, what do you got? Coming up, Christy Lee?

[Bob Kevoian]

Coming up, we have Italian brain rot. We have the smiley face emoji. Be careful where you send it. We have Mount Fuji in the news.

[Tom Griswold]

I have a theory about Italian brain rot.

[Bob Kevoian]

Okay.

[Tom Griswold]

Is it when you eat so much pasta that you can't think?

[Bob Kevoian]

No. Oh, I like that though.

[Tom Griswold]

Real sleepy. That would be nice.

[Bob Kevoian]

It would be great. There's no way you can eat too much pasta.

[Tom Griswold]

I concur. Yeah. Delightful and delicious. That would be my last meal, too.

[Bob Kevoian]

Me too.

[Tom Griswold]

I'd eat that pasta and listen to this. My last meal. Here comes Perry Como. She wore a brand new Jersey. Did they think this was clever when they did it? Very clever. They knew it was clever when they did it. Okay, this Is the. The white men drummers. Why did California. All right. Sing it like white people. She called to say Havaya. Boy, that's really pushing it. Havaya. Who says Havaya, California. Do they fit them all in? I I, I know that she has a Minnesota at one point. Does have. Yeah. Soda. Yeah. Okay. It's a lot of them. Where is Ori? Gone. I think that is. You won't find this surprising. It seems a lot longer than it is. I like Perry Co. So this was done after Hawaii and Alaska were admitted to the union? Oh, absolutely. Yeah. That's surprising because it sounds like it would have been interesting in the 1910s. That was the. That was from the album Como says what? Of course.

[Bob Kevoian]

Form of Internet absurdity dubbed Italian brain rot is taking over TikTok.

[Tom Griswold]

Hey.

[Bob Kevoian]

This is. According to the New York Times.

[Tom Griswold]

Am I a brain.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yes. The Italian brain rot sub genre emerged in January with AI generated characters that mix animals or humans with inanimate objects. The memes have some vague references to Italy, either in their names or the depiction of stereotypes.

[Tom Griswold]

I love stereotypes. They come from somewhere, right? Yeah.

[Bob Kevoian]

Among the most recent and most popular entries into the cast of character is ballerina. Cappuccino. A ballerina with a cappuccino cup head. Sounds funny.

[Tom Griswold]

These things, these. This is the new. What was the thing that scaboody. What was it? The toilet with the head coming out? Oh, it was.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Tom Griswold]

This is the new version of that.

[Bob Kevoian]

Right.

[Tom Griswold]

I see. This is what people are doing on Tick Tock. Yep.

[Bob Kevoian]

That's why I'm not on it.

[Tom Griswold]

Yeah. Nor am I.

[Bob Kevoian]

An associate professor of communication at the University of Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences explained that the sheer randomness of the meme is the point.

[Tom Griswold]

I see.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yotam Ofir said what users get from it is in a sense that they are in the know that they know something their mom doesn't know.

[Tom Griswold]

If he's. You're a friend of his, you got to just call him yo, right? Yeah. Yeah. You don't call him Yo Tam. Yo Tam, Yo Tam. Just Yo. So this is. This is a Hypnos thing. You're part of a crowd that you got a little private boy. I'm happy not to be part of this boy.

[Bob Kevoian]

Me too.

[Tom Griswold]

Yeah. Social media, 3 billion views.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yeah. But the. Have you seen the babies? AI generated babies.

[Tom Griswold]

As we were saying the other day. I've just not without it.

[Bob Kevoian]

It's unbelievable.

[Tom Griswold]

They've done everything now, including Sling Blade and ordering French fried potatoes. Ye at the window.

[Bob Kevoian]

I'm surprised our show hasn't been baby showed.

[Tom Griswold]

It was funny in the beginning. Yeah. When. When do we get Bob and Tom babies to come? Usually when we, you know, whenever we get on it, it's about one month too late. Let's be honest. That's not wrong.

[Bob Kevoian]

The next time you text a gen zer, you might want to refrain from using certain emojis. By the way, according to the Wall Street Journal, many teens and 20 somethings see the smiley face emoji as patronizing or passive aggressive.

[Tom Griswold]

Well, you want to know these things or not, Josh?

[Bob Kevoian]

Likewise, Josh. The cry Laughing emoji is considered basic, but the skull emoji means I'm laughing so hard I'm dying.

[Tom Griswold]

All right, so skull emoji, good. Laughing emoji, sarcastic.

[Bob Kevoian]

Erica Darwin, author of Digital Body Language how to Build Trust and Connection no Matter the Distance.

[Tom Griswold]

First of all, the title's too long, so I'm not reading it.

[Bob Kevoian]

Told the Journal that while older generations tend to take emojis at face value, younger generations have assigned the icons entirely different meanings. And we've talked about that before. The ever changing meanings behind the icons, though, have not only led to misunderstandings, but have also become something of a minefield for parents as they supervise their children in the digital age.

[Tom Griswold]

I use those old fashioned emoticons. Yeah, you still go with the semicolon close parenthesis. Yeah, that's the way to go. That's the hips. The hip way to go. Maybe just don't use. I bet that makes a comeback. I bet those at some point are considered cool.

[Bob Kevoian]

Again, a lot of people are using them. I've been noticing that.

[Tom Griswold]

Well, your friend group.

[Bob Kevoian]

Yeah, mostly men. Thank you.

[Tom Griswold]

Well, they're still a bit old.

[Bob Kevoian]

Really? Really.

[Tom Griswold]

Do you ever. Do you ever get the tear them out, the sarcastic eggplant and the squirting hose, whatever it is?

[Bob Kevoian]

No.

[Tom Griswold]

Oh, that's not okay. See, I have the hardest I. I have the hardest time with this in this room, I promise you. Because you are all so old that you're supposed to be clueless about this stuff. I'm a little younger. I should be in the know. I hate it all and I'm not young enough to embrace it. So I am in the most uncomfortable position. You're the man in the middle.

[Bob Kevoian]

You're lamboed.

[Tom Griswold]

Yeah, now, but don't you. You have a niece, for example? Do you. You guys didn't laugh at. You are all so old. Well, it hurt.

[Bob Kevoian]

It did hurt. I'm with you, Batman.

[Tom Griswold]

It was. It was meant as a Joke. It was a glimpse into the window of what you really think. You came here grumpy.

[Bob Kevoian]

It's like the third time you've said it in a week.

[Tom Griswold]

Remember when you couldn't believe you worked on the show? Remember that? You were very happy and excited. You guys. In my defense, you were all eight years younger then. That's a fair point. So much I could argue. I would. That is younger. Way back. No. Do you ever. With your niece. Do you ever send emojis or do you stick to actual words? I don't text with my nieces and nephews. You don't know. That's fun. Order. Yes. That's the implication. I'm gonna get you back. Don't call bad old. Whatever anyone has bad his age. He tries to remember what lie he told them. Absolutely. Stay consistent. What you are saying is absolutely true. I want to. Should we make. Could we make our own line of emojis?

[Bob Kevoian]

You've asked that.

[Tom Griswold]

We're so old. I don't know if we can figure it out.

[Bob Kevoian]

I have 2 20, some 320 somethings. They never use emojis. Ever. They hate them.

[Tom Griswold]

See, this is the whole thing. You can't win.

[Bob Kevoian]

Nope. You can't.

[Tom Griswold]

All right. I'm so sorry that we're not hip anymore. I am too. I am too. I am really sorry as well. And we. I've never been hit.

[Bob Kevoian]

We're not expected to be.

[Tom Griswold]

We've been saying forever that one of the problems with texting is there is if you're being sarcastic. Unless they have a sarcastic font. It's not necessarily clear that what's what your. What your intention is when you write something.

[Bob Kevoian]

Correct.

[Tom Griswold]

So context should be. It should be clear. But I mean, it's not my fault if I write something sarcastic to you and it's full. It's all there in context. It's not my fault if you don't get it.

[Bob Kevoian]

Really?

[Tom Griswold]

Yes. What about the court of law? It's like when I joke around with Chick and I go, you know I'm kidding, right? And he takes it seriously. It's not my fault that you're taking it seriously. I'm joking. I'm not speaking to you. You're way out of line today. Way out of line. Thank you. Walked in in a bad mood. No, I didn't walk in. First of all, you weren't even walking. I've seen slugs go fast. Yeah, we haven't forgot about you. Lumbering. I thought it was like a constipation issue. He was afraid you're so snippy with our older boss. It was like a parade float, wasn't it? Get a diarrhea plug if you have to go that bad. No bathroom issue. Okay. Just. Just. Holy hell, man. It was the piece of crap behind me. I was upset about it. You piece of old crap. Have some self respect. Are you guys older than me?

[Bob Kevoian]

Yes.

[Tom Griswold]

I'm not. That's it for another Bob and Tom show. Extra. Catch us on itunes, Google play and stitcher for Bob and Tom. Extra. This is Christopher. Take care, everybody. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because you're not playing me with rapid fire takes and a lot to get to and I'm not sure you're gonna like all of it. Honestly, I don't even care if you like all of it or not. I have a job to do. Scorching debates on any given week. You have lots to beef about. Take advantage of. But get up in here. He's the spitfire of sports. Smack. She's not my fault. We will get to all of that. The Jim Rome show podcast. Get up in here and we'll beef later on. Which your beef follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.