Wow in the World: WeWow on the Weekend (11/22/25)

Date: November 22, 2025
Hosts: Dennis, Mindy Thomas, Guy Raz, Reggie the Giant Pigeon, Sensei Sharon
Main Theme:
A playful, science-filled weekend episode—hosted by Dennis and Reggie the Giant Pigeon—featuring listener comments, humorous banter, and a relisten of the “Karate Kicking Cockroach” episode from Wow in the World, where Mindy and Guy Raz explore the wild science of cockroach defense against the fearsome jewel wasp.

Episode Overview

WeWow on the Weekend brings together fun, science, and fan interaction. This episode blends Dennis’ comedic hosting, shout-outs to listener reviews, and a quirky, educational relisten of the hit episode about how cockroaches karate-kick their way out of danger—from a wasp! The tone is light, goofy, and inclusive, designed to delight both kids and adults with jokes, musical segues, and surprising scientific facts.

Key Discussion Points and Segments

1. Weekend Vibes & Museum Adventures

Timestamps: 02:33–03:12

• Dennis recounts a trip to the Natural History Museum, aweing at geodes, fossils, and dinosaur bones.
• Jokes about who had the bigger adventure: Dennis among fossils or Mindy and Guy Raz "going back to the Cretaceous period" to see real dinosaurs.
• Dennis on dinosaur bones:
  “It’s like dinosaur Halloween, plus I bet there wasn’t even a gift shop in the Cretaceous period or a concession stand where you can get frozen lemonade in a t rex cup.” (03:05)

2. Listener Reviewsies

Timestamps: 03:16–08:57

• Dennis reads and reacts to listener-submitted reviews—playful, silly exchanges that showcase the interactive spirit of the show.
  • Review Highlight: “Why does baby Dennis live in a box?” (by ‘breevn’)
    • Comedy skit: Dennis discovers Baby Dennis is content in a "studio apartment" box, complete with snacks and cozy decor.
    • Baby Dennis insists: “Baby Dennis turned it into a cool studio apartment, baby bachelor pad.” (05:23)
  • Review Highlight: “Do you have a crush, Dennis?” (by ‘rowtheboat221’)
    • Dennis humorously claims he’s a "total catch" and lists his "crushable qualities," like rollerblading and having a cool mustache.
    • “I have so many crushable qualities... mother says I’m very, very handsome.” (07:05)
  • Review Highlight: Infinite stars for Dennis and Reggie (by ‘greek mythologyking94’)
    • Dennis riffs on “chillest of vibes” and dreams of naming a constellation after themselves.

3. Inside Tinkercast Studios: Karate Kicking Cockroach

Timestamps: 08:58–27:19

• Dennis intros a relisten: Season 3, Episode 2—"The Karate Kicking Cockroach."
• He fibs about being a karate master, but sheepishly admits, “Okay, I’ve never done karate in my life… Can we just play the episode, please?” (08:41)

Relistened Episode Highlights:

Wacky Karate Class Setup

• Mindy unexpectedly shows up in a giant cockroach suit, insisting, “Why would I not be dressed up in a giant cockroach suit?” (11:25)
• Guy Raz reluctantly dons a matching outfit, lamenting, “The last time you put me into an abdomen and thorax I became the victim of an exploding ant!” (13:26)

Surprising Cockroach Science

• Mindy drops rapid-fire facts:
  • “A cockroach can live for a whole week without its head...because they don’t need their heads or mouths to breathe.” (16:18)
  • “A one-day-old baby cockroach ... can run as fast as its parents—three miles an hour!” (16:47)
  • “Cockroaches have 18 knees—six legs, three joints per leg!” (17:00)
  • “Cockroaches can hold their breath for 40 minutes.” (17:07)
  • “Ancient cockroaches lived at the same time as dinosaurs.” (17:10)

The Jewel Wasp vs. Cockroach Drama

• Karate Cockroach Instructor (Sensei Sharon): “You will be instructed by an unlicensed and unprofessional cockroach...”
• The narrative explains how jewel wasps zombify cockroaches, as Mindy narrates:
  “...a venomous sting that turns that cockroach into a zombie. The wasp grabs it by the antennas, drags it into a hole, lays an egg on it, and when the egg hatches, the larvae eats the cockroach from the inside out...” (21:04–21:34)

The Science of Karate-Kicking Cockroaches (Dr. Kenneth Catania’s Study)

• Dr. Catania (Vanderbilt University) videotaped cockroaches facing jewel wasps; the outcome:
  • Cockroaches defend themselves by rising up, rotating away, and kicking at the wasp’s head.
  • “Kicks so fast, so ferocious, that a wasp wouldn't be able to escape if it tried—at least 63% of the time according to scientific research.” (25:00)

Memorable Karate Steps Recap (Comedic)

• 1. Stilt stand and prepare
• 2. Aim and deliver back-leg kicks
• 3. Wipe wasp guts off spines...
• 4. [Not in-class!] Take a bite out of wasp abdomen (but only in nature!)
• 5. Make it out alive!

Comedic Wrap-Up

• The fake karate class charges $75 per cockroach—Dennis exposes the “counterfeit cash.”
• Mindy chimes: “See you at the next intrusion—what you call a group of cockroaches!” (26:50)
• Everyone escapes, cockroach-style: “Scurry, scurry, scurry, scurry...” (27:08)

4. Post-Episode Banter and Wrap-Up

Timestamps: 27:19–28:46

• Dennis and Reggie riff on fashion (“Rule number one: wear whatever you want, as long as it's not a roach suit!”), plan their own fashion show, and encourage listener participation:
  • “If we get enough stars for a whole constellation, we can name it after ourselves.” (08:45)
• Dennis closes:
  “That’s the end of the show, I need to go and try to put on all my clothes at the same time and then strut around the living room...” (28:24)
• Invitation for kids to call with questions for future episodes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dennis (on cockroach facts):
  “Did you know that a one-day-old baby cockroach the size of a speck of dust can run as fast as its parents—three miles an hour!” (16:47)
• Mindy Thomas (on cockroach defense):
  “I was just reading this amazing new study...cockroaches rise up, turn away, and karate kick the wasp’s head.” (22:00–22:38)
• Sensei Sharon (fake Sensei):
  “You will be instructed by an unlicensed and unprofessional cockroach...in our state-of-the-art facility.” (18:21)
• Guy Raz, about going along with Mindy’s antics:
  “Why can’t we ever just do a run-of-the-mill anything?” (13:43)
• Dennis (on listener reviews):
  “Keep ‘em coming... If you leave a comment, I just might read it on WeWow on the Weekend. Five stars or more please!” (08:42)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–02:01: Hosts announce upcoming specials, events, and listening parties for Wow in the World.
• 02:33–08:57: Listener reviewsies, playful banter, comedic listener questions; Dennis and Baby Dennis in the box.
• 08:58–27:19: Inside Tinkercast Studios relisten of “Karate Kicking Cockroach” with lively science facts and character comedy.
• 27:19–28:46: Dennis and Reggie reflect on fashion, wrap up, and invite participation for future shows.

Tone & Style

• Silly, fast-paced, and highly interactive, mixing goofy sketches with cool science.
• Always family- and kid-friendly; characters banter, joke, and riff on each other in a casual, welcoming way.

Overall Takeaway

This episode of WeWow on the Weekend delivers a blend of hilarious sketches, direct listener engagement, and a genuinely fascinating look at cockroach survival strategies. The relisten segment cleverly weaves real science (the jewel wasp-cockroach saga, Dr. Catania’s experiments) with slapstick, costumed antics and memorable sound bites—making complex biology wildly accessible for children and their grown-ups alike.