Wow in the World – WeWow on the Weekend (10/18/25)

Episode Overview

This "WeWow on the Weekend" edition of the Wow in the World podcast delivers a blend of the show's signature silly banter, a fun unboxing, and a fascinating re-air of a classic science segment from Season 1: “The Fish with the Killer Kiss.” Host Dennis, assisted by his giant pigeon friend Reggie, explores the weird and wild world of the tubelip wrasse—a fish with lips that let it eat poisonous coral—mixing science facts with laughs and engaging storytelling for curious kids and their grown-ups.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Shenanigans & Mail Delivery

[02:40–05:28]

Dennis introduces himself and Reggie, teasing Reggie’s identity as a giant pigeon.
Mail arrives in the middle of the banter, with a humorous exchange about the importance of the mail carrier in the neighborhood.
Dennis receives a package and, prompted by Reggie, starts a round of “What’s in this box?”
- Unboxing outcome: It’s a special ice cube tray—one that makes ice spheres instead of cubes, leading to a quick demo (and a reminder that the ice isn’t instant).
  - ”Round ice is fancier than square ice. Everyone knows that.” – Dennis ([05:00])

2. Inside Tinkercast Studios: Listening to a Classic Science Segment

[06:20–13:44]

Dennis and Reggie introduce a "flashback" segment, featuring the Wow in the World Season 1 episode, “The Fish with the Killer Kiss.”
Mindy and Guy unpack the biology and odd habits of the tubelip wrasse—a small, colorful coral reef fish with thick, slimy lips used to eat poisonous coral.

Science Spotlight: The Tubelip Wrasse’s Gross and Amazing Adaptations

What’s grosser than gross?
”What's grosser than gross, Guy Raz is a killer kiss from a fish with big, thick suction cuppy fish lips. Lips that look like an upside down mushroom top. Fish lips that are covered in slime…” – Mindy ([08:30])
The tubelip wrasse, native to Indian Ocean coral reefs and featured in many aquariums, has evolved to feed on poisonous coral, a rarity among fish species.
Coral can be sharp and coated in poisonous slime, making it dangerous for most sea creatures.
- “Some types of coral are covered in a slimy coating that is poisonous to small sea creatures.” – Guy Raz ([10:05])
Special Feeding Technique:
- The fish puckers up, using a long, tube-like mouth with mucus-covered lips to “kiss” the coral, forming a suction seal.
  - ”The tubelet wrasse puckers up and puts its slimy, mucusy lips on the coral like it's going in for a kiss.” – Mindy ([11:28])
- The fish’s lips have special detectors to scout the tastiest spot ([12:00]).
- Upon “kissing,” the wrasse sucks off the coral’s flesh and mucus, leaving a characteristic mark.
How does it avoid being poisoned?
- Scientists speculate the fish’s mucus acts as a barrier against the coral’s stinging cells.
  - “They think that maybe the tubelip wrasse’s slimy magic mucus-producing lips might actually form sort of a barrier or protective shield.” – Mindy ([12:54])
Gross-out humor and friendly teasing abound:
- “Well, I'm just glad that I'll never have to come face to face with a smooching tubelip wrasse.” – Guy Raz ([13:30])
- Mindy jokes about pulling one out of Guy’s bathtub.

3. Closing Antics and Audience Participation

[13:58–15:15]

Dennis and Reggie react with playful disgust to the fish segment (“Ew, ew, ew, ew!”) and plan not to discuss gross fish lips with the mail carrier.
Reminder for listeners to call in with questions—Dennis’s voicemail ([14:40]).
Episode wraps up with Dennis’s sing-song goodbye.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Reggie, you'll never guess who's coming on the show tomorrow... the mail carrier. She’s very powerful.” – Dennis ([04:30])
“Round ice is fancier than square ice. Everyone knows that.” – Dennis ([05:00])
“What's grosser than gross, Guy Raz is a killer kiss from a fish with big, thick suction cuppy fish lips... covered in slime.” – Mindy ([08:30])
“The tubelet wrasse is so tough that it eats the poisonous coral for breakfast.” – Mindy ([10:42])
“Once the lips seal against the coral, they start acting like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up the good parts but separating the poisonous parts from being eaten.” – Mindy ([13:19])
“Don't tell me you're gonna pull one out of your pocket.” – Guy Raz ([13:36])
“No, I'm gonna pull one out of your bathtub.” – Mindy ([13:38])

Timestamps for Important Segments

Mail delivery & unboxing: 02:40–05:28
Inside Tinkercast Studios (Tubelip Wrasse segment begins): 06:20
Gross and amazing fish science: 08:30–13:44
Dennis & Reggie’s reactions and call for questions: 13:58–15:15

Tone & Style

The episode is light-hearted, silly, and engaging, filled with playful banter, relatable kid humor, and a knack for making even the grossest science facts fun.

In Summary

This WeWow episode is a delightful blend of humor, curiosity, and science, perfect for weekend listening. Whether you’re here for silly songs, zany unboxings, or want to learn why some fish “kiss” coral with mushroomy lips, there’s plenty for listeners of all ages to say, “WOW!”

Transcript

Guy Raz (0:00)

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.

Mindy Thomas (0:12)

Hey wowhouser fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, it's almost Halloween. And to celebrate with all of Boo. I mean you, we've put together some of our favorite spooky episodes of wow in the World and Halloween experiments and crafts all in one place. So you can make your Halloween extra WOW from home. Plus, if you want to dress up like someone from the wow crew this year, you can find Halloween costume ideas from your fellow wowzers there too. We can't wait to see what costumes you come up with this year. Oh, and just a tip for how to make your Mindy costume more realistic, add some leftover Mac and cheese to your jacket pocket. For activities, episodes, videos and more wows, visit Tinkercast.com Halloween that's Tinkercast.com Halloween that's it. And now let's get back to the show.

Sponsor/Announcer (1:06)

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Dennis & Reggie (2:13)

Ah ah ah ah. We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing. Me and Reggie singing, laughing.

Sponsor/Announcer (2:30)

And then we.

Dennis & Reggie (2:31)

Oh wait, no, I said laughing twice. Ah, whatever. We wow on the weekend. Yeah we wow on the weekend.

Mindy Thomas (2:39)

Quack quack.

Dennis & Reggie (2:40)

We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Hello and welcome to We Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis, and that's my co host, Reggie. What? No, I don't need to say you're a giant pigeon. The listeners already know that. Fine. If you're tuning in for the first time because you've apparently been living under a rock. My co host, Reggie, is a giant pigeon. Right. And I'm a regular sized human person, not giant. Oh, right. Ants might think I'm giant. Good point. Now what? Who is it? Package for Dennis. The mail's here. The mail's here, Reggie. It'll just take a second. Hello, regular sized human mail carrier Person. Not my name. Right, sorry. Can I get a signature for this? Oh, sure. Sure, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure. There you go. Much obliged. And here's your package. Thank you. Oh, hey, wait. Post officer lady wanna be on my show? It's called Wee Wow on the weekend? Uh, no, sorry. I gotta finish my mail route. All right, that's okay. I know you're very busy and very important and very cool, But I could come back tomorrow. Hooray. That would be amazing. Okay, have fun delivering the mail and knocking on all the doors and ringing all the doorbells and shaking everyone's packages to try to guess what's inside them. Reggie, Reggie, you'll never guess who's coming on the show tomorrow. What? How'd you guess? Oh, you heard the who. Even the part where she said no. And the part where I got all rambly and embarrassed. Whatever, it doesn't matter. I got the most important person in the whole neighborhood as a guest on my show. Oh, sorry. The most important person in the whole neighborhood as a guest on our show. Reggie the mail carrier is so the most important person in the whole neighborhood because she carries the mail, Reggie. And she knows who's writing letters to each other and who's getting which magazines and who lives in which house. She's very powerful. My what? Oh, right. My package. Oh, Reggie, you're a genius. We can play what's in this box? Ah. Ahem. Found a box that was delivered to my house by the mail carrier. And now I'm gonna find out what's in the box. Okay, here we go.