Turkey Love

Summary

Wow in the World: "Turkey Love"

Podcast: Wow in the World by Tinkercast
Episode: Turkey Love
Date: February 9, 2026

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Overview

This episode whisks listeners away on a fun, fact-filled adventure about wild turkeys, the science of their mating rituals, and conservation efforts. Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz get caught up in the excitement of turkey mating season and a reality show spoof—“Fouling in Love”—which serves as a playful lens through which the science of turkey courtship is explored. The episode blends storytelling, humor, and genuine scientific curiosity, making complex biology both accessible and delightful for families.

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Major Discussion Points and Insights

1. Springtime and Turkey Mating Season (05:35–06:19)

• Key Detail: Mindy is excited not to eat turkey, but because it's turkey mating season.
• Science Connection: The hosts explain that every spring, wild turkeys across North America “look for love,” setting up the episode’s exploration of turkey mating behavior.

2. Reality Show Spoof: "Fouling in Love" (06:25–08:34)

• Premise: Mindy dramatically reveals that her excitement is for the new season premiere of "Fouling in Love," described as the “highest rated turkey matchmaking reality show.”
• Science Connection: This TV-show parody is based on real scientific observations of turkey mating behavior, according to research by Dr. Richard Bucholtz of the University of Mississippi.

3. Field Trip to Hollywood (08:45–11:35)

• Adventure: Guy Raz and Mindy hop a ride with Reggie to attend a live taping in Hollywood, providing a whimsical setup that transitions to the main science segment.

4. The Science of Turkey Courtship (11:35–19:47)

a. Observation Studies (11:43–11:59)

• Research: Dr. Bucholtz has observed wild turkeys for decades, noting distinctive courtship behaviors.
• Mindy: "This researcher has been observing wild turkeys in North America for decades. And over that time, he's noticed a couple of things that turkeys do to try to attract one another." (11:45)

b. Males (Toms) and Group Courtship (14:30–14:56)

• Cooperation: Male turkeys, called "toms," often work in groups to court a female, with the flock collectively helping one tom stand out.
• Mindy: "They all collectively decide that one of them should be the one to get the girl. And the rest...try to make him look good." (14:40)
• Guy Raz: "You mean they'll try to convince the female turkey that one...is the one for her?" (14:49)

c. Attractive Features: The Snood and Beyond (15:03–18:22)

• Question: The show host asks, "What is your most attractive feature?"
• Answer: The snood—a fleshy appendage over the beak—is agreed to be most attractive.
  • Guy Raz: "Isn't that the fleshy little bit of skin that sort of hangs over the male's beaks?" (15:59)
  • Mindy: "If a turkey is able to grow a really long snood, then it must also be pretty healthy, like it's got energy to spare." (16:36)
• Other Features: Butterball (female turkey in the show) considers different traits: caruncles (neck bumps), skull caps, spurs (leg talons), and beards (chest feathers)—all real turkey attributes.
  • The toms pick "the beard" as the next most attractive, indicating good health.

d. Benefits of Group Courtship (19:47–20:27)

• Guy Raz: "Wouldn't it be more advantageous for them to all try and find their own mating partner?" (19:59)
• Mindy: "Turkeys that are supported by other turkeys like this are seven times more likely to find a mate." (20:06)
• Reason: Most of these turkeys are brothers, so if even one wins a mate, it benefits the whole family line. (20:15)

5. Conservation and Science in Action (21:45–22:21)

• Post-Show Conversation: The hosts discuss how conservation and understanding turkey behavior have helped wild turkeys recover in North America.
• Mindy: "Conservation programs that help bring turkeys together to have lots of little turkey babies is the main reason that the wild North American turkey has made a comeback in the last few years." (21:57)
• Guy Raz: "And a lot of those conservation successes are based on research like the one this show was based on." (22:10)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's only like the highest rated turkey matchmaking reality show on the planet. Surprised you never heard of it, Guy Raz.” – Mindy (06:39)
• “They all collectively decide that one of them should be the one to get the girl.” – Mindy (14:40)
• “The Toms are in agreement. And they have decided their most attractive feature is their snoots.” – Show Host (15:39)
• “If a turkey is able to grow a really long snood, then it must also be pretty healthy, like it's got energy to spare.” – Mindy (16:36)
• “Turkeys that are supported by other turkeys like this are seven times more likely to find a mate.” – Mindy (20:06)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 05:35 | Mindy reveals it's turkey mating season | | 06:25 | “Fouling in Love” reality show premise introduced | | 11:43 | Research by Dr. Richard Bucholtz explained | | 14:30 | Turkey toms explained to be group cooperative | | 15:35 | On-stage “most attractive feature” discussion | | 16:36 | Importance of the snood and what it signals | | 17:50 | Further attractive traits: caruncles, skull cap, beard | | 19:47 | Explanation of group courtship evolutionary advantage | | 21:45 | Post-show conservation discussion | | 22:10 | Link between research and turkey population comeback |

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Tone & Style

The tone is energetic, goofy, and highly engaging, mixing kid-friendly humor, dynamic banter, and clear science explanations. The show models curiosity, with Mindy’s wild ideas meeting Guy Raz’s measured skepticism, all the while tying back to real-world scientific inquiry and animal behavior research.

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Summary Conclusion

This episode of "Wow in the World" uses creative storytelling to showcase the weird and wonderful world of turkey dating, grounded in real research. By mixing in a reality TV spoof, group antics, and sharp dialogue, it delivers fascinating facts: wild turkeys cooperate in courtship, physical traits like snoods and beards signal health, and group support dramatically increases a tom’s romantic odds. Beyond the laughs, the show highlights how human-led conservation and scientific research protect species like the North American turkey—a strong “WOW” for both kids and grownups.

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

Grown ups, this message is for you.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, grown ups, it's Guy Raz and Mindy here.

[Mindy Thomas]

And before we jump into today's adventure, we want to share something important with you. Something we've never asked in our entire nine years of making this show.

[Guy Raz]

That's right. For nine years, WOW in the world has been free for every family, every teacher, every curious kid, and every grownup who listens.

[Mindy Thomas]

And we've been able to keep it going through partnerships, sponsors, distributors, and honestly, a whole lot of scrappy ingenuity.

[Guy Raz]

But the truth is, the media industry has changed a lot since we launched this show in 2017, and it's becoming a lot harder to financially sustain a show like WOW in the world without additional help.

[Mindy Thomas]

And that's because every episode, you hear every silly character voice, every story twist, every science deep dive. It's all handcrafted by an entire team of real humans.

[Guy Raz]

Writers, producers, editors, composers, researchers, science experts.

[Mindy Thomas]

And one lady who keeps exploding beakers in the studio.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

What? Science is messy. Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Every single episode starts with us searching far and wide for real scientific discoveries, sometimes buried in complex scientific journals.

[Mindy Thomas]

And then we translate that science into an adventure story that kids and grownups can enjoy together.

[Guy Raz]

After that, we send it to science experts for fact checking so you know what you're hearing is accurate, trustworthy, and full of integrity.

[Mindy Thomas]

And then we record all the voices from Guy to me to Grandma, GeForce to Dennis.

[Guy Raz]

You're welcome, everyone.

[Mindy Thomas]

Dennis.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, sorry. And finally, our team adds original music, sound design, editing, mixing and mastering until the world of the story comes to life inside your ears.

[Mindy Thomas]

No AI, no shortcuts, just real humans making something to spark your curiosity and imagination.

[Guy Raz]

And we do it because we believe science can inspire kids and grownups to do great things.

[Mindy Thomas]

Especially now, when the world is full of confusing information. Real fact based science is more important than ever.

[Guy Raz]

And here's the hard part we want to share with you. To keep doing this, to keep making the show at the level of quality you expect and should get, we need your help.

[Mindy Thomas]

That's right. For the first time ever, we are asking our listeners you to help support this show.

[Guy Raz]

If your family values what we create.

[Mindy Thomas]

If you've laughed or learned something new.

[Guy Raz]

If the show has inspired curiosity in.

[Mindy Thomas]

Your home or just saved your sanity on a long road trip, we're asking.

[Guy Raz]

You to consider making a contribution.

[Mindy Thomas]

And any amount truly helps. Big, small, medium.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Ish.

[Mindy Thomas]

Extra large, Astronomically huge. Mindy, I'm being inclusive.

[Guy Raz]

Anyway, your support goes directly to paying our team, the people who research, write, produce, fact check, compose and build this world every week.

[Mindy Thomas]

It keeps the show sustainable so we can keep making it.

[Guy Raz]

And it helps us keep wow in the world free for everyone who needs it.

[Mindy Thomas]

So grown ups, if you have the means to help support our show, you.

[Guy Raz]

Can visit tinkercast.comsupport where you can pick from a handful of fun things we've curated as thank you gifts for your support.

[Mindy Thomas]

And there's some good things on there.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah.

[Mindy Thomas]

So Again, just visit tinkercast.com support to help us keep the show going. We'll also drop the links in the podcast show notes.

[Guy Raz]

So from the bottom of our hearts.

[Mindy Thomas]

And the tops of our brains, thank you.

[Guy Raz]

Now onto the show.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Proceeded 3, 2, 1. Decision.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Get ready for an adventure of magnificent proportion. I don't know what you've been told we're in a golden age so many discoveries that are jumping off the page While in the world While in the world While in the world While in the world wow.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Houston.

[Mindy Thomas]

It's my guy phone telling me that I have a message. Oh my.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

I gotta tell Guy Raz. Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run. Hey, Mindy.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, where are you going?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Why are you running away from me? Good morning, Mindy. I've got a pet.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Before you hear it.

[Mindy Thomas]

Sorry, can't stop now. I've got big news.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Oh, Mindy.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, Rossi, why are you so out of breath?

[Mindy Thomas]

Cause I just ran all the way over here from my house.

[Guy Raz]

But your house is next door.

[Mindy Thomas]

Exactly. Which is why I should probably move my gingerbread mansion to your kitchen.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

Anywho, do you know why I ran all the way over here?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, not really, no.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, because, Guy Raz, it's the first day of spring. And you know what that means.

[Guy Raz]

That my microorganic cherry tomatoes are finally almost ready to harvest.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

What? No.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right.

[Mindy Thomas]

It's turkey season. Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, you can eat turkey any time of the year.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, I'm not talking about eating turkey. Gross. I'm talking about turkey mating season.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, what?

[Mindy Thomas]

Turkey mating season, Guy Raz. The flowers are blooming, the weather is warming, and every wild turkey from San Francisco to New York City is looking for love.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, I'm confused here, Mindy. Why exactly are you excited for turkey mating season?

[Mindy Thomas]

Because it means that they're about to start filming a brand new season of fouling in love.

[Guy Raz]

Fouling in love?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Yeah.

[Mindy Thomas]

Get it? Foul like a bird.

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh.

[Mindy Thomas]

It's only like the highest rated turkey matchmaking reality show on the planet. Surprised you never heard of it, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Well, it never occurred to me that someone would even make a show like that.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy, what's it about? Oh, great question, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

I didn't ask.

[Mindy Thomas]

They take one female turkey and then introduce her to five eligible turkey bees. Bachelors. Then she asks them a bunch of questions and has to decide which tom she wants to take home.

[Guy Raz]

Which tom?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh yeah, Male turkeys are often called toms.

[Show Host/Announcer]

What's that? Someone say my name?

[Mindy Thomas]

Nothing. Thomas Fingerling, Go back to your gardening.

[Show Host/Announcer]

I ain't gardening. I'm stealing Mr. Rozzie's turnips.

[Guy Raz]

Hey.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Oh no, it's old farmer Rozzie.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Show Host/Announcer]

I'm just gonna keep taking your turnips. Kay.

[Mindy Thomas]

Anywho, the season premiere is today. You wanna watch with me?

[Guy Raz]

I don't know, Mindy. I'm still not entirely sold on the idea of reality tv.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh really? Well, you seemed pretty sold on reality TV when Sunny and Ned got together at the end of Lizard Island.

[Guy Raz]

Well, yeah, but that was because of the scientific observations that the show was based on.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh huh.

[Guy Raz]

It's true.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, would it help to know that this show is also based on real life scientific observations?

[Guy Raz]

Really?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, the show is based on research from Dr. Richard Buckles. He's a professor of biology at the University of Mississippi.

[Guy Raz]

Oh yeah, I think I've read some of his work.

[Mindy Thomas]

So what do you say, Guy Raz? Are you in or are you in?

[Guy Raz]

Well, I guess. Guess so. Mindy? Sure, I'm in.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, Reggie's waiting just around the corner.

[Guy Raz]

Oh great, Reggie's coming to watch it too.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, I don't know if he's gonna watch the show, but he did say he'd give us a ride.

[Guy Raz]

A ride to where?

[Mindy Thomas]

Hollywood, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Hollywood? What are we doing flying to Hollywood?

[Mindy Thomas]

I've got us two tickets for a live taping.

[Guy Raz]

A live taping?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Really?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, Reggie knows a turkey who does casting for the show. So.

[Guy Raz]

And he was able to get you tickets.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, but you gotta make a move. The taping starts in 10 minutes.

[Guy Raz]

10 minutes?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah. Why do you think I ran all the way over here? Come on, follow me. Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run. Hey, Reg, you ready to go? Sorry, I know I'm a little late, but Guy Raz needed some convincing. All right, Guy Raz, come on. All right, let me just climb aboard Reggie and I'll pull you up. Oh, come on, grab my hand.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

There you go.

[Mindy Thomas]

There you go.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Okay.

[Mindy Thomas]

Er, good morning, Passengers and welcome to Reggie Air flight direct from here to Hollywood, California. And in the event of an emergency, adopt the brace position and put your head between your legs and kiss your booty goodbye.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

Thank you and have a pleasant flight. All right, Reg, we're all strapped in and here we go. Coming in for a landing, Guy Raz. Hang on tight.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Okay. Whew.

[Mindy Thomas]

Nice landing, Reg. Very smooth. You've been practicing. You still in one piece back there, Guy Raz?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Yup. Great.

[Mindy Thomas]

Let's unbuckle and hop off here.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Ow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hollywood, California. You can smell the fake tan. Oh, okay, Reg.

[Guy Raz]

What was that?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, Reggie's just gonna pitch his movie script to a couple of studios while we're here.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, great.

[Mindy Thomas]

Come on, Guy Raz, we're gonna be late for the taping.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, Mindy, I'm right behind you.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

What? Hmm?

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, where is it? Huh? Oh, I think it's behind this door that says pirate.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy. I think that says private.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Ah.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Uh.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Oh, hey, you can't be here.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, sorry, officer. We're actually here for a taping of. What was it called again, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Fouling in Love.

[Guy Raz]

Right, Fouling in love. And we seem to have gotten a.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Little lost.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Tickets to falling in love, eh?

[Guy Raz]

Uh huh.

[Show Host/Announcer]

You lucky ducks.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Phew.

[Show Host/Announcer]

You wanna head over to Studio 4H over that way?

[Guy Raz]

Great. Thanks for the help.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thanks, buddy.

[Show Host/Announcer]

No worries. Have a good time.

[Mindy Thomas]

Come on, Guy Raz, the show's about to start.

[Guy Raz]

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

[Mindy Thomas]

Opening the door.

[Guy Raz]

So, Mindy, before it starts, tell me a little more about the research that this show is based on. What, what was his name again? Dr. Richard Bucholtz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, great memory, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, so this researcher has been observing wild turkeys in North America for decades. And over that time, he's noticed a couple of things that turkeys do to try to attract one another.

[Guy Raz]

You mean different things that the males do to try and get the attention of the females?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, it turns out they're super picky when it comes to selecting a mate.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, so do they have some kind of mating dance or is it more about what they look like?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that's what we're about to find out, Guy Raz. Hey, look. Studio 4H. We're here.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, great.

[Mindy Thomas]

Come on, let's sneak in and try to find a seat.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, this is quite a set, Mindy.

[Mindy Thomas]

I know. Looks like they really went all out this season.

[Guy Raz]

Look over there, Mindy. I think there's some spare seats right there.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah. Good eye, Guy Ross, come on, let's go get him. Excuse me. Hey.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Sorry. I'm just gonna.

[Guy Raz]

Sorry, I didn't mean to step on you.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Excuse me.

[Mindy Thomas]

You'll lift your legs a little bit.

[Listener/Caller]

My apologies.

[Mindy Thomas]

I am so excited.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, Mindy, I think it's starting.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Hello and welcome to Violin in Love. That's right, the only show that's dedicated to helping young turkeys find their one true ma. Right this minute, backstage, is one lovely female turkey and five eligible young turkey bachelors who are hoping to be her top. Are we just about ready to meet these birds? All right. All right, everyone. Please welcome our first contestant, the beautiful Butterball. Butterball is a wild North American turkey who comes to us all the way from New England. She enjoys long walks in the forest and using her big old claws to scratch at piles of leaves. What a character. And now let's meet the five male turkeys that will compete for Butterball's heart. These plump young fellows are from all over the United States, from San Francisco, California to Burlington, Vermont. Please welcome to the stage our contestants, Tom. Tom, Tom, Tom and Tom.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Ha ha.

[Show Host/Announcer]

You said it, Butterball. What a crop.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, Mindy, they're all called Tom?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Yeah.

[Mindy Thomas]

Remember I told you that male turkeys are sometimes called toms?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, but I thought that at least they'd have different names. Doesn't that get super confusing?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Oh, yeah.

[Mindy Thomas]

And on top of that, most of these turkey flocks are related to each other.

[Guy Raz]

Why is that?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, because they all stick together and try to help each other out.

[Guy Raz]

How so?

[Mindy Thomas]

They all collectively decide that one of them should be the one to get the girl. And the rest of them will spend the entire time trying to make him look good.

[Guy Raz]

You mean they'll try to convince the female turkey that one of the turkeys in their squad is the one for her?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, they'll hype him up, show off his best qualities, try to make him look good, you know? Oh, look, they're about to start.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Alright, alright folks, let's get started. Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom and Tom, our first question is for you. What would you say is your most attractive feature? You may have a moment to decide as a group. And time's up. Do you Toms have an answer? One at a time. One at a time. Tom, why don't you speak for the group, please?

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh huh.

[Listener/Caller]

Uh huh.

[Show Host/Announcer]

All right, the Toms are in agreement. And they have decided their most attractive feature is their snoots. And more specifically, they agree that Tom, there, third from the left, has the best, most attractive snood among Them?

[Guy Raz]

His snood. Huh. Isn't that the fleshy little bit of skin that sort of hangs over the male's beaks?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah. How'd you know?

[Guy Raz]

Well, I once read a book on turkey anatomy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Really?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, yeah. It was really fascinating.

[Mindy Thomas]

Mindy, I find that hard to believe.

[Guy Raz]

Well, I guess that snood on the turkey third from the end is pretty long. But I don't understand. Why would that be attractive to female turkeys? The snood doesn't do anything, right?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, they can make it change color sometimes, but aside from that, it's a pretty useless appendage.

[Guy Raz]

So if that's the case, why do the female turkeys care about it at all?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, many of the researchers believe that it might be due to the fact that if a turkey is able to grow a really long snood, then it must also be pretty healthy, like it's got energy to spare.

[Guy Raz]

I guess that does make sense. I mean, if a male turkey is so healthy that it's able to grow a. A big long snood, then it's probably also likely that any little chicks that the turkey has would also be pretty healthy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Exact oritos.

[Guy Raz]

So what else do female turkeys look out for?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, well, keep watching. We're about to find out.

[Show Host/Announcer]

All right, all right, you dudes with snoods. Butterball likes your answer, but this next question is going to be a little more difficult. That's right. It's time for multiple choice. Is everybody ready? Tom, you paying attention? No, not you, Tom. You're doing great. You, Tom. Yes, you. Are you ready? Okay, here is your multiple choice. After the snood, which of the following attributes do you think is most attractive? Number one, Caruncles.

[Mindy Thomas]

Those are the pebble like bumps on their heads and necks.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, I know.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Number two, skull caps.

[Mindy Thomas]

That's the toughened skin on top of the turkey's head.

[Guy Raz]

I know.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Number three, spurs.

[Mindy Thomas]

Those are the talons on the ends of their legs.

[Guy Raz]

I know, Mindy.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Or number four, beards.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, those are the tufts of feathers on the fronts of their chests.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I read a book about all of this. I know what a turkey beard is.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Be quiet.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, sorry.

[Show Host/Announcer]

I'll give you a moment to discuss amongst yourselves.

[Guy Raz]

So wait, the female turkeys have to consider all of these things when selecting a mate?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, but some of them are more important than others. Let's see if this group of toms picks right.

[Show Host/Announcer]

All right. All right. It sounds like the. The toms are ready to answer. Let's hear it. What did you decide the beard. Very interesting. Now tell us, how did you decide that the beard, the dark hair like tuft of chest feathers, is the most attractive quality in a mate? Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. Because of vibrant coping of feathers means a clean bill of health. Very good. And you all believe that Tom, third from the left, with the best snood, also has the most vibrant beard. And how about you, Butterball? What do you say? Do you agree with these fellas? Wow, strong words. Tom, third from the left half, has taken a large lead thanks to the encouraging words from the other four toms. Ladies and gentlemen, this competition is all but decided.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Oh, I love, love.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, Mindy, these other toms are really hyping up this turkey. Third from the end, huh?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, like I said, this is what they do. They go around in flocks and support each other like this.

[Guy Raz]

Amazing. But why would they do that? I mean, wouldn't it be more advantageous for them to all try and find their own mating partner?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, in the grand scheme of things, turkeys that are supported by other turkeys like this are seven times more likely to find a mate.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, that's quite a statistical advantage.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, and since most of these turkeys are brothers, if just one of them finds a mate, it helps their families to continue to grow for generations to come.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Wow.

[Show Host/Announcer]

All right, all right. It's time for Butterball to pick a mate. Butterball, who's it gonna be? Tom? Tom, Tom, Tom or Tom?

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Oh, and there it is.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Tom, third from the left, is the winner. Congratulations, Butterball. You have successfully fallen in love. That's right. What a wonderfoul competition, and another beautiful step in the ongoing conservation efforts to protect the wild American turkey. That's all the time we have for today, folks. Make sure to join us next week for another episode of Fowling in London.

[Guy Raz]

Where's the duck?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, that's just my phone telling me I have a text message. See here. Oh, it's Reggie.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, what does it say?

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, it says he wants to meet us outside. He has a big surprise.

[Guy Raz]

I wonder what it could be.

[Mindy Thomas]

Me too. Let's go find out.

[Guy Raz]

So, Mindy, what did that host mean when he said that this was another step forward in conserving the American turkey?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that's another reason why this show is so great, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Why?

[Mindy Thomas]

Because conservation programs that help bring turkeys together to have lots of little turkey babies is the main reason that the wild North American turkey has made a comeback in the last few years.

[Guy Raz]

And a lot of those conservation successes are Based on research like the one this show was based on.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, that's why shows like Fouling in Love are so important.

[Listener/Caller]

Right.

[Mindy Thomas]

Reggie?

[Guy Raz]

What's the big news, Reggie?

[Mindy Thomas]

What is it a movie deal?

[Guy Raz]

You mean they finally bought your script? Rockin Reggie.

[Mindy Thomas]

Aw, congraturitos, Reg. You're gonna be famous. I mean, more famous.

[Guy Raz]

This calls for a celebration.

[Mindy Thomas]

Milkshakes, anyone? Yeah, I'm sure they have birdseed flavor. This is la.

[Guy Raz]

I could go for a birdseed milkshake.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow in the world. We'll be right back, grown ups. This message is for you.

[Flip]

Greetings, Earthlings.

[Mosi]

I am called Flip, and you can call me Mosi.

[Flip]

And we are extraterrestrials, what you may call space aliens.

[Mosi]

Flip, you can't just blurt it out like that. The humans will get freaked out and think we're weird.

[Flip]

Regardless, our star cruiser broke down and we've got to wait 3,000 years for the repair ship to show up.

[Mosi]

So while we're waiting, we decided to make a podcast all about exploring your planet.

[Flip]

We particularly enjoy interacting with many of the earthlings you call animals, like giraffes, pandas, and penguins.

[Mosi]

On our podcast feed, we transmit different kinds of episodes back to our home planet and to all of you. You can hear musical episodes, travel pod interviews, and our newest addition to the feed are mini pods. We are calling Postcards from Earth.

[Flip]

Experience life on Earth in a whole new way. Check out Flip and Mosi wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mindy Thomas]

You can listen to Flip and Mosi's new Mini Pods, Postcards from Earth, starting next Thursday, February 12, in the Flippin Mosey podcast feed. Don't miss out on any earthly adventures. Subscribe to Flip and Mosey wherever you get your podcast. Hey, grownups, it's Mindy and Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

And we have an important message to share with you. For nine years, wow in the World has been free for every family, teacher, curious kid, and grownup who listens.

[Mindy Thomas]

And we've kept it going through partnerships, sponsors, distributors, and, honestly, a whole lot of scrappy ingenuity.

[Guy Raz]

But the truth is, the media industry has changed a lot since we launched this show in 2017, and it's becoming a lot harder to financially sustain a show like WOW in the world without additional help.

[Mindy Thomas]

And that's because every episode you hear is handcrafted by an entire team of real humans.

[Guy Raz]

So for the first time ever, we are asking our listeners you to support the show. If your family values what we create.

[Mindy Thomas]

If you've laughed or learned something new.

[Guy Raz]

Or if the show has inspired curiosity in your home, we're asking you to consider making a contribution.

[Mindy Thomas]

Your support goes directly to paying our team and keeps wow in the World free for everyone who listens to it.

[Guy Raz]

So grown ups, if you can just.

[Mindy Thomas]

Visit tinkercast.comsupport to see the thank you packages that we've put together for your support.

[Guy Raz]

Once again, you can visit tinkercast.com support and we'll put all this information in the podcast. Show Notes.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thanks for helping to power the wow at Tinkercast. And now let's get on with the show. That's it. Back to the show.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Wow in the World.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hi, thanks for calling wow in the World. After the beep, get ready to record.

[Listener/Caller]

Hi, Mindy, Guy Raz. I'm Presley and I'm from Florida. My wow in the world is that mercury is slowly shrinking over time. Bye. Thanks. I love your show. Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Max and I live in Berkeley, California. My wow in the world is that blue whales can have hearts that can be as big as a car. Isn't that crazy? Say hi to Reggie, Static Man, Dennis.

[Guy Raz]

Ahoy there.

[Listener/Caller]

And the Sleigh cats.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Bye.

[Listener/Caller]

Hi, My name is Knock and I live in Los Angeles. My wow is that my mouth produces 1 liter of saliva a day. Say hi to Reggie and Static Man. But I know Static man is Dennis Fine.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

No, I'm not Static Man.

[Guy Raz]

We just look alike and sound alike.

[Listener/Caller]

Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name's Elise and I am from the Woodlands, Texas, and I am 10 years old. My wow in the world is that some lizards can detach their tails if they are caught by a predator. This helps them get away quickly, but they can regrow their tails. Isn't that bonkerball? Say hi to Reggie. Grandma G Force.

[Mindy Thomas]

Did somebody call my name?

[Listener/Caller]

Thomas Fingerling.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Sup.

[Listener/Caller]

And Dennis. Hi also Reggie.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Bye.

[Listener/Caller]

Love your show. My name is Esme and I live in Brooklyn, New York. My wow Edge eggplants are actually fairies. Hi, Mandy and Guy Raz. My name is Anaya and I live in Germantown, Maryland, and I am 8 years old. And my wow in my world is that you can't see flamingo's knees because they're up in the feathers. The part that you see is the ankle. Say hi to Grandma G first.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah.

[Listener/Caller]

And Reggie, Thomas Zingley.

[Show Host/Announcer]

Ooh, cool, dude.

[Listener/Caller]

Playcat. And oh, Dennis, I know you're a static man.

[Mindy Thomas]

What?

[Listener/Caller]

Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Eleanor and I live in Los Angeles, California. My wow in the world is that there's such a thing as a pink pigeon. Say hi to Reggie for me. Hi, my name's Rosie and I live in Santa Rosa, California. My WOW is that scientists will dress up as an adult panda in front of panda orphans to teach them to live with pandas and not humans. Bye.

[Mindy Thomas]

End of messages.

[Guy Raz]

Wow in the World is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalken with help from Me Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Original sound design and music editing is done by Tyler Thole with help from our supervising producer, Jed Anderson. You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis, Thomas, Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.

[Guy Raz]

Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker and Meredith Halpern Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.

[Mindy Thomas]

Our theme song was composed and performed by three time Grammy nominees the Pop Ups. Find them at thepopups.com Special thanks to.

[Guy Raz]

Steph Sosa, Henry Moskal, Anna Dannecker, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger, Sana Ali Mohammed, Anna Zagorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.

[Mindy Thomas]

To keep the wows rolling, visit [e-mail] where you can become an official member of the World Organization of wowzers. Learn about upcoming events, Shop our Wow Shop, find our New York Times Best selling books and learn about all of our other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast Grown Ups.

[Guy Raz]

You can follow wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hellonkercast.com and if.

[Mindy Thomas]

You'Re a kid with a big WOW to share with us, call us at 1-888-7www. For a chance to be featured at the end of our show or an upcoming episode of 2 what's in a wow?

[Guy Raz]

Thanks again for listening and until next time, keep on wowing.

[Narrator/Show Voice]

Wow in the World. Wow in the World Wow in the World Wow in the World Wow in.

[Mindy Thomas]

The World Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.