Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Storybooks (6/20/25)

Summary

Wow in the World Podcast Summary Episode: Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Storybooks
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
Production: Tinkercast | Wondery

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Introduction to "Two Whats?! And A Wow!"

In this engaging episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz dive into the enchanting world of storybooks through their interactive game show segment, "Two Whats?! And A Wow!" This segment is designed to test listeners' knowledge about famous stories, books, and fairy tales by distinguishing between fascinating truths ("wows") and delightful fabrications ("whats").

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Game Show Overview

[02:48] DJ Fuchs: "And now for everyone's second favorite game show. After having dessert before dinner, it's two what's and oh wow."

[03:04] Reggie: "With your hosts Mindy and Guy rats two watts two watts. Two what's two what's two what's and a wow."

Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz: Introduce the rules of the game:

• In each of the three rounds, three statements are presented.
• Only one statement is a true "wow."
• The other two statements are "whats" – made-up facts.
• Incorrect guesses result in a fun, ridiculous physical challenge.

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Round One: Folk Heroes and Legends

[04:31] Mindy Thomas: "Which of the following statements is a true wow?"

Options:

• A: The folk hero Pico Spill was originally a big blue ox.
• B: The story of Paul Bunyan was based on a real person.
• C: Johnny Appleseed was not based on a real person.

[05:35] DJ Fuchs: Provides the correct answer and explanation.

Correct Answer: B – The story of Paul Bunyan was based on real lumberjacks.

Notable Quote: [06:07] Mindy Thomas: "If you guessed the answer B, that Paul Bunyan stories were based on a real person, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow."

Insight: Historians believe Paul Bunyan was inspired by two actual lumberjacks, Fabien Fournier and Bon Jon, whose combined legends birthed the larger-than-life character familiar in American folklore.

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Round Two: The Origins of Fairy Tales

[07:38] Mindy Thomas: "Which of the following statements is A, true? Wow. Is it A, the Brothers Grimm wrote the first fairy tale? Or is it B, true fairy tales always contain fairies and the fairies always have tails. Or is it C, the first fairy tale is believed to have been written 6,000 years ago."

**Correct Answer: C – The first fairy tale is believed to have been written 6,000 years ago.

Notable Quote: [08:23] DJ Fuchs: "Fairy tales can go way back, way back in the day, even to the Bronze age, more than 6,000 years away."

Insight: Fairy tales have ancient origins, with some of the earliest known stories predating written history. The Brothers Grimm were not the original authors but rather collectors and compilers of existing folk tales.

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Round Three: Record-Breaking Books

[15:00] Mindy Thomas: "Which of the following statements is a true wow? Is it A, the heaviest book in the world weighs over 4,000 pounds? Or is it B, the smallest book ever written is called the Diary of a Tardigrade and it's less than 1 millimeter thick. Or is it C, the longest book ever written has more than 5 million words."

**Correct Answer: A – The heaviest book in the world weighs over 4,000 pounds.

Notable Quote: [16:05] DJ Fuchs: "The heaviest book in the world is 'Buddha and His Dhamma' by BR Ambedkar. Yes, it weighs 4,409 pounds and is made of stainless steel."

Insight: The monumental book "Buddha and His Dhamma" serves not only as a literary work but also as a massive artistic monument, illustrating the creative ways stories can be preserved and celebrated.

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Conclusion: Embracing Imagination and Storytelling

[17:57] Guy Raz: "We're giving everyone in the audience a chance to make up their own stories. Write them down, share them, draw pictures, or just tell a grown-up or a friend."

[18:44] Mindy Thomas: "And I guess nothing came out of."

**The hosts emphasize the importance of imagination and personal storytelling, encouraging listeners to create and share their own narratives. The prize for the game is not a physical object but the limitless potential of one's own imaginative capabilities.

Notable Quote: [18:49] Mindy Thomas: "Stories come from your own imagination. You already had the real prize all along."

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Key Takeaways

• Historical Roots of Stories: Many beloved folklore characters, such as Paul Bunyan, have roots in real individuals whose legends have been amplified over time.

• Ancient Origins of Fairy Tales: Fairy tales have been a part of human culture for thousands of years, evolving through oral traditions before being documented.

• Record-Breaking Literature: Books can transcend traditional formats, serving as both literary works and monumental art pieces.

• Power of Imagination: Storytelling is a fundamental human activity that fosters creativity, connection, and personal expression.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Wow in the World not only entertained listeners with fun facts and interactive gameplay but also deepened their appreciation for the rich history and enduring power of stories. By blending education with playful interaction, Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz continue to inspire both kids and their grown-ups to explore, imagine, and keep saying "WOW!"

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Listen to the full episode on Wondery

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

Grown Ups Wondery subscribers can listen to wow in the World early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery App or Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Guy Raz]

Hey Grown Ups. Ever feel like everyone's glued to their own screen? Want to actually feel good about your family's screen time? Next Playground flips the script with games that get the whole family moving, laughing and playing together. It's a motion powered game system. No controllers or wearables. Your body and a little wiggle. Explore wild adventures with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop Bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse or Kick it with Kung Fu Panda. It's 100% fun, 0% ads or in app nonsense. Safe silly screen time that you'll actually feel good about. Ready to play? Visit nexplayground.com that's n e xplayground.com to bring the fun home. Today's episode is presented by Samsung. Hey Grown Ups Looking for a kid friendly smartwatch that's parent approved? Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids lets you manage their contacts and see their locations and lets them call, text and play games like the two what's in a wow. Daily Game show app? Get Galaxy Watch 7 on T mobile now. Kid ready with a new paired line. Visit t mobile.com to order yours today. Trusted contact applies to compatible apps. It does not restrict communication through third party or other communication apps. Emergency services, services and contacts remain accessible. Location sharing is dependent on network connectivity and device being recently active. Hey grownups. Looking for the perfect story to accompany you on your summer adventures? Well, look no further than Audible. Audible has thousands of titles to choose from, so unleash your adventurous side and try something new like hotly anticipated new releases or Must Listen best sellers that you haven't explored yet. There's an adventure out there that will captivate you here at Tinkercast. We love audio storytelling on Audible because you can enjoy the story while having an adventure of your own. You can listen to Audible titles while out for a walk, on a road trip or even on an airplane. So wherever you find your thrills, you can always keep a few more in your back pocket. Start your adventure today. Sign up for a free 30 day trial at audible.com wow and dive into a world of new thrills. Audible knows there's no greater thrill out there than yours. That's audible.com wow.

[DJ Fuchs]

And now for everyone's second favorite game show. After having dessert before dinner, it's two what's and oh wow.

[Reggie]

With your hosts Mindy and Guy rats two watts two watts. Two what's two what's two what's and a wow.

[Guy Raz]

Hello and welcome to two what's in a wow? Two what's in a wow?

[Mindy Thomas]

The game show that separates the wows from the what.

And the category or our theme for today is storybooks.

Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants.

On how the game works?

[Guy Raz]

You know it, Guy Raz. Wowzers. In each of our three rounds today, Guy Raz and I will present you with three statements about stories, books, and fairy tales. But. And this is a big but, only one of those statements will be a true wow. The other two, just a couple of made up whats. But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop, and do a ridonkulous physical challenge.

[Mindy Thomas]

And today we have a special guest who will give us all of our winning wows.

[Guy Raz]

And it's not Dennis, just in case you were wondering. But it could be maybe next time, Dennis.

[Reggie]

Aw, rats.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, everyone ready to get this show going?

[Guy Raz]

Okay, great.

[Reggie]

Then let's get.

[Mindy Thomas]

All right, round one.

Which of the following statements is a true wow?

Is it A, the folk hero Pico Spill was originally a big blue ox?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it B, the story of Paul Bunyan was based on a real person. Or is it C, Johnny Appleseed was not based on a real person. When you think you have the correct answer, moo like a big blue ox named babe. Hey, Reg, we need a little thinking music here.

[Mindy Thomas]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow.

[Guy Raz]

And to do just that, we're going to bring you our special guest, the host of the hit podcast Once Upon a Beat, our friend and yours, DJ Fewch.

[Mindy Thomas]

Welcome, DJ Fewch.

[DJ Fuchs]

Thanks, guys. You know, I love my what's and my wows. And I love my words, my consonants and my vows. And on Once Upon a Beat, we have Paulie B, a folk tale hero who was taller than a tree. It's hard to believe, and you actually might feel a little skeptical when I tell you some historians think he was actually real.

[Guy Raz]

Winner, winner, giant, food for dinner.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thank you, Fuch. Contestants, if you guessed the answer B, that Paul Bunyan stories were based on a real person, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Guy Raz]

Historians believe that fun Paul Bunyan was based on an actual lumberjack. Well, actually, they think he was based on two of them. A French Canadian timberman named Fabien Fournier who was really tall and had the nickname Saginaw Joe. The other lumberjack was named Bon Jon, who was also kind of a Canadian folk hero. Experts believe that the stories about these two characters got mixed up over time and, and people started thinking that they were the same guy. And some historians believe that Paul Bunyan's last name comes from English speakers trying to say Bon John, but instead pronouncing it Bunyan.

[Mindy Thomas]

Johnny Appleseed actually was a real person. His name was John Chapman, and he was an American pioneer who grew up in the late 1700s and made it his life's mission to spread kindness, generosity, and apple seeds all across North America.

[Guy Raz]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and put a pot on your head and throw apple seeds into the air.

[Mindy Thomas]

On to round two. Which of the following statements is A, true? Wow. Is it egg the Brothers Grimm wrote the first fairy tale?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it B, true fairy tales always contain fairies and the fairies always have tails.

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it C? The first fairy tale is believed to have been written 6,000 years ago.

[Guy Raz]

Hmm, lots to think about here. When you think you have the correct answer, shout Once upon a time.

[Mindy Thomas]

And time is up. And once again, here's the fantastic DJ Fuchs from Once Upon a Beat with the right answer.

[DJ Fuchs]

So many good stories in the world. So many tales from so many times, so many words, so many rhymes. But fairy tales can go way back, way back in the day, even to the Bronze age, more than 6,000 years away. The story called the Smith and the Devil may not sound fun, but lots of folks think when it comes to stories, that's the oldest one.

[Guy Raz]

Winner, winner, cakes for dinner.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thank you, DJ Fewch. Wowzers. If you guessed C that the first fairy tale is believed to have been written 6,000 years ago, congratulations. You found the winning. Wow.

[Guy Raz]

It's true. Folk tales have been around for a long time. It's hard to know exactly when they were first created because lots of times these stories were told out loud and not written down. Experts think that the story of the Smith and the Devil is one of the oldest.

[Mindy Thomas]

And the Brothers Grimm didn't actually write any folk or fairy tales themselves. They became famous because they collected a lot of stories that they had heard over the years, rewrote them and put them in books.

[Guy Raz]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and tell yourself a good bedtime story. And now it's time to take a moment to thank our sponsors. Today's show is brought to you in part by Glimmerix Tiny pocket sized book. Poems that are fun and funny and easy to remember. Take it away, Guy. Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, right.

Limericks are funny little poems. They rhyme so it's easy to know em. The words sound the same so they stick in your brain and your friends will all laugh when you show em.

[Guy Raz]

Limericks use cool rhythms and rhymes to tell stories, which is actually a lot like the podcast Once Upon a Beat starring DJ Fuchs.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thank you limericks. Now let's take a quick break and hear some other important messages for grownups.

[Reggie]

To once in a while. We'll be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you.

[Guy Raz]

Today's episode is presented by Samsung hey grownups. If you've been looking for the right smartwatch to get your kids connected, look no further at Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids. It gives your child the right tools to safely learn, play and explore the wows in their world and gives you the tools to set boundaries and monitor their activity. It's the perfect balance of independence for kids and peace of mind for parents. Your kid can call and text right from their wrist, but you choose who they can connect with. It can also share your child's location with you and even establish safe zones with alerts if they venture outside of them. We are so excited about the Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids here at Tinkercast that we teamed up with them to make one of our first apps ever. That's right. Wow in the World. Fans can now play a new round of two what's in a wow every day on their wrist with the two what's and a wow game for watchos. Guess the real wow from the made up what's to earn prizes, unlock badges and enjoy special seasonal games. And they can take Guy, Mindy and Reggie on all of their adventures with the wow in the World watch face. See the wow crew come to life with motion activated animation that mirrors the watch's motion. Choose from an outer space theme or seasonal scenes, tap to uncover hidden surprises and pick a background color to really personalize it. Kids can find these awesome wow in the World features and tons more age appropriate content on Google Play. And when playtime is over, you can always put the Watch in do not Disturb mode. Let your kids keep the wows rolling wherever they go with the Samsung Galaxy Watch for kids. Get Galaxy Watch 7 on t mobile now. Now kid ready with a new paired line. Visit t mobile.com to order yours today. Parent and child must have a Samsung account and Google account with Family Link requires initial pairing with a compatible Samsung smartphone and qualifying wireless plan with LTE service activated. Please check with your carrier for more information. Trusted contact applies to compatible apps. It does not restrict communication through third party or other Communication apps, emergency services and contacts remain accessible. Location sharing is dependent on network connectivity and device being recently active supervised Google account required. Kids can still access limited features like calling and texting emergency contacts. Hey grown ups. If you're planning on taking a family trip to Orlando this summer to be transported to magical universes, well, you should know there's one portal you don't want to miss. Your portal to the original Kennedy Space Center Visitor complex where they have flying dragons too. It's about science where. No spells required. Walk beneath a towering Falcon 9 booster, touch a real moon rock and come face to face with space shuttle Atlantis. Plus, take a Behind the Gates bus tour for an exclusive look at NASA's legendary launch sites and the future of space exploration. Visitors also have the chance to meet an astronaut. Talk about a core memory in the making. And get this. Our friends at Kennedy Space center have offered our listeners $7 off admission. Just use code WOW at checkout. With missions to Mars, rocket launches and deep space exploration, no trip to Orlando is complete without landing at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Discover something real.

[Jim]

Do you want to spend another summer stuck at home?

[Reggie]

Hey, Jim, how's your back?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, you know.

[Reggie]

I hear ya.

[Jim]

Leave the small talk behind because Disney and Pixar invite you on an out of this world adventure.

[Guy Raz]

Engaging hyperspeed.

[Reggie]

This is awesome.

[Jim]

This Friday.

[Guy Raz]

Welcome to the communiverse. Prepare to be conquered.

[Reggie]

But I just got here. Follow me. What is this place? These are the lava tunnels.

[Guy Raz]

I am not fireproof.

[Jim]

Disney Pixar's Elio in Peter's Friday tickets available now. Rated PG for rental guidance suggested.

[Reggie]

That's it. Now back to the show.

[Mindy Thomas]

Welcome back to two what's and a wow.

[Reggie]

To what's and a wow.

[Guy Raz]

The game show that separates the wows from the whats.

[Mindy Thomas]

And now we're on to to our final round of questions with our special guest, DJ Fuchs. Round three. Which of the following statements is a true wow? Is it A, the heaviest book in the world weighs over 4,000 pounds?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it B, the smallest book ever written is called the Diary of a Tardigrade and it's less than 1 millimeter thick.

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it C, the longest book ever written has more than 5 million words.

[Guy Raz]

Take a second to think this over and when you think you have the correct answer, make a shushing sound like a librarian.

[Mindy Thomas]

And time is up. And DJ Fuch is back one more time with our final answer. Fuch, please tell us the winning wow.

[DJ Fuchs]

We're going big on this one. It's even bigger Than it sounds. The heaviest book in the world is Buddha and his Dhamma by BR Ambedkar. And yes, it weighs 4409 pounds. It's made of stainless steel. And that's not all. This metal book monument is over 9ft tall. I'd love to read it, but a book that big could be kind of scary. I can tell you. I won't be checking that out at the library.

[Guy Raz]

Winner, winner, metal bookworms for dinner.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thank you, DJ Fuch. Wowzers. If you guessed a that the heaviest book in the world weighs over 4,000 pounds, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Guy Raz]

Buddha and His Dhamma was originally written as a 400 page book that tells the story of Buddha's life. As a way to celebrate, some artistic grownups turned it into a giant statue that is actually a readable 24 page book.

[Mindy Thomas]

But turning those pages could be trouble because each one weighs over 200 pounds.

[Guy Raz]

Wow. Hope they've got a really big bookmark.

[Mindy Thomas]

I hope so too. And it's worth pointing out that the longest book ever written is remembrance of Things Past, also known as In Search of Lost Time by a French author named Marcel Proust. And it has more than 1.2 million words.

[Guy Raz]

Now if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and find a really, really big book and ask your grownups to carry it for you.

[Mindy Thomas]

What was that?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, Guy Raz, that sound can mean only one thing.

[Mindy Thomas]

We're having a party. Yes.

[Guy Raz]

You nailed it, Guy Raz. We are having a story party. Oh, that sound means it's time for today's winning Wowzers prize. And today all of our Wowzers will be receiving their very own imaginary storybooks.

[Mindy Thomas]

Imaginary storybooks? Not real books.

[Guy Raz]

No, I definitely don't want to shoot real books out of a prize can in Guy Raz. Especially if they weigh 4,000 pounds.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, fair point.

[Guy Raz]

We're giving everyone in the audience a chance to make up their own stories. Write them down, share them, draw pictures, or just tell a grown up or a friend. That's how stories started in the first place. Okay, Reg, cue the prize cannon.

[DJ Fuchs]

Fire away.

[Mindy Thomas]

And I guess nothing came out of.

[Guy Raz]

The canon because the prize is imaginary. Exact Oritos. Guy Raz, stories come from your own imagination. You already had the real prize all along. Now you just have to open it up and let the stories flow out.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, that's about all the time we have for today. We'd like to thank our special guest DJ Fuch for bringing all of the wows this week.

[Guy Raz]

And don't forget you can check out DJ Fuchs amazing musical hip hop storytelling podcast called Once Upon a Beat. Follow Once Upon a Beat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mindy Thomas]

And if you want to keep the fun going then become a member of the World Organization of wowzers and unlock hundreds of activities.

[Guy Raz]

And for any teachers out there, be sure to join Tinkerclass. It's our free project based learning program. Just visit Tinkercast.com membership that's Tinkercast.com membership.

[Mindy Thomas]

Be sure to come back on Monday for a brand new episode of wow.

[Guy Raz]

In the World and again on Friday for a new episode of 2 what's in a wow? And don't forget we WOW on the weekends with Dennis.

[Mindy Thomas]

Until then, keep on wowing.

[Guy Raz]

Grownups. If you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Mindy Thomas]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Guy Raz]

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey. Thanks for playing along with our show. If you're a kid with a big wow to share, call our wow hotline at 1-888-7-WOW wow and you just might be featured on an upcoming episode of two what's in a wow? Once again, that's 1-8887-wow- wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

And to keep the wow rolling, visit [e-mail] there you can become a member of the World Organization of wowzers to get year round mailings and weekly activities.

You can shop our wow Shop, get.

Tickets for upcoming live events, find our best selling books and learn all about our other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast Grown Ups.

[Guy Raz]

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hello in tinkercast.com 2 what's in a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Is executive produced by Meredith Halpern, Ranzer, Mindy Thomas and me, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

These episodes are written by our Tinkercast Head writer Kenny Curtis and Anna Zagorsky.

[Mindy Thomas]

Sound production and design is by Marion Lozano and Henry Moskal with help from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thole and special.

[Guy Raz]

Thanks to our Tinkercast team including Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kristin Yang, Thuy Mac, Erica Medina, Jody Nussbaum, Ally Paxima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa and all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast hq.

[Mindy Thomas]

Our theme song was written and composed by the Pop Ups. For more on their three time Grammy nominated All Ages Music.

[Guy Raz]

Find [e-mail] thanks again for listening and for playing along with us. Meet us back here every Friday for more episodes of two what's in a wow. Saturday and Sunday for We wow on the Weekend with Dennis and Mondays for Wow in the World. It's all right here on the wow in the World podcast feed.

[Mindy Thomas]

Until then, keep on wowing.

[Reggie]

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

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