Who Smarted? – "How is WHO SMARTED? Made?" (October 24, 2025)

Podcast: Who Smarted? (Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media)
Episode Theme: Behind the Scenes – The Making, History & Magic of Who Smarted?

Episode Overview

In this special fifth birthday episode, the Who Smarted? team pulls back the curtain to reveal how the show went from a funny idea among friends to a top-rated educational podcast for kids and families around the world. The episode blends the show's signature humor, lively banter, and interactive trivia while walking listeners through its origin story, beloved characters, the creative process, and the collaborative work it takes to produce each episode. Members of the cast and crew pop in to share personal stories and birthday wishes, making this an affectionate, inside look at the Who Smarted? phenomenon.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin Story & Early Days

• Show Launch & Growth (00:01 – 01:28):

  • Who Smarted? launched on October 18, 2020, during the early days of the global pandemic.
  • Opened with a birthday song and quick trivia about the first episode topic (Gravity).
  • Grew rapidly from a passion project in friends' apartments to over 900,000 downloads a month, ranking in the top 1% of all podcasts for kids and families.

• Quote:
  "Who knew that this little show... would go on to rank in the top 1% of all podcasts and become a beloved show for hundreds of thousands of smarty pants around the globe?"
  — Narrator/Jerry (01:28)

2. The Brains Behind the Podcast

• The Team’s Background (03:40 – 06:59):

  • Creators Jerry Colber and Adam Tex Davis previously worked together on TV’s Brain Games and Netflix’s Brainchild (with Pharrell Williams as a producer).
  • Lessons from TV: Kids and families loved learning together, inspiring the duo to make something specifically for children that was both entertaining and educational.

• The Pandemic Spark (07:50 – 08:32):

  • The COVID-19 shutdown led to increased screen time. Adam and Jerry saw an opportunity to create audio content that would educate and entertain without screens.

• Quote:
  "We knew kids would be spending lots of time sitting around staring at screens... what if we could provide something like Brainchild that's both fun and educational, that keeps kids off of screens?"
  — Chet/Adam (08:32)

3. Naming the Show & Developing the Brand

• Naming Journey (09:31 – 11:02):

  • The name "Who Smarted?" grew from a rejected suggestion for Netflix’s Brainchild—the team wanted something memorable and just a little silly.
  • Fart jokes are part of the appeal:
    "I was like, who farted? Who Smarted? You know, kids are gonna love it ..."
    — Adam (09:51)

• Creating the Theme Song (11:02 – 13:06):

  • Composer Brian Suarez crafted the catchy song; Adam recorded a playful placeholder vocal track that became the official version due to its humor and charm.
  • Key phrases like “Smartypants” and “Smarting” were invented in the process.

• Quote:
  "We just thought Who Smarted would be the perfect way to signal that this educational show was going to be funnier and a little cooler than all the other ones out there."
  — Adam (10:15)

4. Recording, Production, and Sound Design

• Recording Evolution (13:06 – 14:20):

  • Started with iPhones, quickly upgraded to professional mics at the insistence of audio engineer Josh Hahn.

• Creativity of Podcasts (14:30 – 15:46):

  • Unlimited locations and talking characters—space, the Titanic, talking armpits, and pickles—are all possible due to the audio-only format.
  • “Recurring characters” became a hallmark, including the Meat Cake Lady (inspired by Adam’s mom), Chet Nickerson (news reporter), and the iconic "Whoa Girl" (Adam's daughter Gia).

• Quote:
  "The great thing about podcasts, unlike TV or film, is you can literally set a scene anywhere... everything talks on Who Smarted."
  — Adam (14:30)

5. The Role of the Extended Team

• Cast & Crew Shoutouts (17:00 – 18:40, 25:56 – 29:46):

  • Multiple voice actors and writers appear, giving birthday wishes and sharing favorite characters.
  • Techniques to make the cast sound like they’re in the same room, even when recording in separate places.

• Production Pipeline (19:30 – 24:32):

  • Topics often come from fan suggestions; team brainstorms “whiffs of science or history.”
  • Writers craft scripts by posing 4–5 kid-friendly questions on each topic.
  • Actors record separately; episodes assembled by associate producer Max Kamasky and mixed/sound-designed by Josh Hahn, who adds sound effects (including, of course, fart noises).

• Notable Segment:
  The associate producer keeps a personal "bloopers folder" and hopes to share a blooper reel in the future.
  — Max Kamasky (22:50)

6. Timeline: How Long to Make an Episode?

• Making an Episode (24:07 – 24:55):

  • Entire process can take up to a month, but typical time from initial idea to completed episode is roughly a week.

• Quote:
  "The actual time to pick a topic, find a writer, write, rewrite, cast, record, assemble, edit, sound design, mix, and master and post takes roughly a week."
  — Chet/Adam (24:32)

7. The Heart of the Show: Community and Impact

• Appreciation for Listeners (24:55 – 25:56):

  • The team thanks “Smartypants” (listeners), families, educators, and supporters for five years of engagement and suggestions.
  • Shares favorite listener stories: kids requesting the show in the car or parents continuing to listen after kids leave.

• Quote:
  "There are no words to express how grateful and thankful we are to all of you smarting with us."
  — Narrator/Jerry (25:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Who smarted? Who smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science? Or history?"
  — Theme song (02:17)
• "As long as there's a whiff of science or history, we can do pretty much any topic on Who Smarted."
  — Adam (20:39)
• "It's a real testament to our performers and editing team that it sounds like everybody's together... in reality, everybody's recording separately."
  — Adam (22:09)
• "My favorite thing about working at Who Smarted is getting to hear all the bloopers and keeping them in my blooper folder. Maybe someday we can release a trusty blooper reel."
  — Max Kamasky (22:50)
• "Happy birthday, Who Smarted. We are so happy to be part of the first five years and we want to be part of the next 5, 10, 15, 20."
  — Jason Williams & Charlotte Cohn (28:13)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Birthday intro & show stats – 00:01 – 01:28
• Origin: Brain Games/BRAINCHILD & Netflix/Pharrell Williams – 03:40 – 06:59
• Pandemic inspiration for launch – 07:50 – 09:31
• How the name & theme song were invented – 09:51 – 13:06
• Professionalizing production/sound, podcasting’s creative flexibility – 13:06 – 15:46
• Recurring characters explained ("Meat Cake Lady," "Whoa Girl" Gia, etc.) – 15:46 – 17:41
• Fan questions: Show process and timeline – 17:58 – 24:55
• Making-of breakdown by team (writing → recording → editing → mixing) – 19:45 – 24:55
• Appreciation and stories from the cast/crew – 25:56 – 29:46

Fun Facts & Behind-the-Scenes Nuggets

• The joke “Who Smarted?” echoes “Who Farted?”, purposely keeping the tone playful.
• Many recurring characters are based on real family members or spontaneous gags (e.g., the Meat Cake Lady).
• Each episode starts with answering questions that real kids might ask, relying on suggestions from fans.
• No visuals means more freedom—anything (or anyone!) can be brought to life by the team’s imagination and sound.
• The “Whoa Girl” is voiced by Gia (Adam’s daughter), who became an iconic recurring presence.
• Production now involves a team of writers, voice actors recording in closets and booths worldwide, audio engineer, and associate producer.
• The theme song vocals were originally a scratch track, but its goofiness made it a keeper.

The Episode’s Tone and Style

True to Who Smarted?'s schtick, the episode is packed with chuckles, silly asides, playful trivia, and fourth-wall-breaking quips. Banter between voices (and recurring gags about “meat cake” or fart jokes) keeps everything light and accessible for young listeners and amusing for grown-ups.

For Listeners Who Haven't Heard the Episode

This birthday edition of Who Smarted? is a loving look at how a simple idea between friends grew into a worldwide hit by making learning fun, funny, and truly interactive. You’ll hear cast and crew’s affection for both the material and their fans, discover how strange ideas become classic recurring bits, and find out how a tight-knit team can create educational joy—even when recording from kitchens and closets.

If you or your kids are fans of science, history, laughter, and learning—Who Smarted? is for you. And now, you know everything behind the magic of how it’s made.