WeWow on the Weekend (12/29/24)

Summary

Wow in the World – Episode Summary: "WeWow on the Weekend" (Released: December 29, 2024)

Hosted by Tinkercast | Wondery

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Introduction

In the episode titled "WeWow on the Weekend," hosts Dennis and Reggie take listeners on a fun-filled journey that intertwines their quirky antics with an engaging exploration of a classic "Wow in the World" episode, "Totally Spiced Out." This episode seamlessly blends humor, creativity, and educational content, making science entertaining for both kids and their grown-ups.

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Segment 1: Wee Wow on the Weekend

Hosts: Dennis and Reggie the Giant Pigeon

Dennis opens the show with infectious energy, setting the tone for a lighthearted weekend special. The duo embarks on creating a charcuterie board, showcasing their humorous take on culinary arts.

• Making the Charcuterie Board:

  • Dennis humorously navigates the selection of a suitable board, joking about snake-filled games like Snakes and Ladders before settling on a plain checkerboard.

  • Notable Quote:
    Dennis (01:33): "Let me look. Let's see. Oh, here are some board games. Maybe one of these will work... Snakes and Ladders. Ew, no."

  • They proceed to arrange assorted meats, including bologna, beef jerky, and leftover pepperoni, culminating in a comical presentation of their "fancy" charcuterie board.

  • Notable Quote:
    Dennis (03:00): "Whoa, sweet bologna. Oh, I can really taste the bag I had it in."

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Segment 2: Inside Tinkercast Studios – Revisiting "Totally Spiced Out"

Dennis transitions into the educational portion by revisiting "Wow in the World" Season 2, Episode 6, titled "Totally Spiced Out." This segment delves into the world of spicy peppers and the science behind their heat.

Discussion on Spicy Peppers and the Scoville Heat Scale

Characters: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz

Mindy and Guy Raz engage in a lively conversation about the intricacies of hot peppers, introducing listeners to the Scoville Heat Scale—a metric used to measure the spiciness of peppers.

• Explanation of the Scoville Heat Scale:

  • Notable Quote:
    Mindy (12:04): "Chili peppers contain something called capsaicin. And capsaicin is this colorless, odorless oil-like chemical compound."

  • They explain how capsaicin determines a pepper's position on the Scoville scale, originally measured by the dilution method involving sugar water and taste testers.

  • Notable Quote:
    Mindy (13:02): "So the amount of dilution... is what gives the pepper its rating on the Scoville heat scale."

Super Bowl of Spice Smackdown: A Fiery Showdown

The segment introduces a fictional event—the Super Bowl of Spice Smackdown—where the world's hottest peppers compete in a dramatic face-off.

• Introduction of Competitors:

  • Carolina Reaper:
    Mindy (09:13): "In this corner, we have the 2013 Guinness World Record winner, the Carolina Reaper."

  • Pepper X:
    Mindy (19:17): "Pepper X, the latest, most beloved, blisteringly hot pepper known to man, rates in at 3.18 million Scoville heat units."

• Grandma G Force's Triumph:

  • Mindy's Grandma G Force enters the competition, showcasing her legendary tolerance for spice by conquering the Carolina Reaper.
  • Notable Quote:
    Mindy (17:57): "You're your Grandma G Force is really incredible, Mindy."

• Science Behind Spiciness: Genetics and Culture:

  • The discussion shifts to how genetics influence an individual's tolerance to spicy foods, referencing studies from the University of Helsinki.

  • Notable Quote:
    Mindy (21:04): "Genes play a big role in how much spice we can handle."

  • Additionally, cultural habits are highlighted, explaining how regular consumption can build tolerance.

  • Notable Quote:
    Mindy (23:21): "People can develop or build a tolerance... depending on the kind of foods they ate in their countries."

Introduction to Extreme Peppers

Mindy introduces some of the world's hottest peppers, emphasizing their Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

• Carolina Reaper:
  Mindy (09:58): "The Carolina Reaper... was the hottest chili pepper in the whole world, coming in at a peak of 2.2 million SHU."

• Dragon's Breath:
  Mindy (19:55): "Dragon's Breath chili... came in at 2.5 million units."

• Pepper X:
  Mindy (20:30): "Pepper X... rates in at 3.18 million Scoville heat units."

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Segment 3: Dennis Takes on the Heat

Inspired by the fiery discussion, Dennis decides to challenge himself by trying a spicier snack.

• Attempting Spicy Food:

  • Dennis humorously debates whether he can handle the heat, ultimately opting to start with pepperoni from their earlier charcuterie board.

  • Notable Quote:
    Dennis (26:15): "I'm gonna eat a hot pepper... I have a mouth made of the stuff they make spaceships out of."

  • His attempt ends comically as he realizes the pepperoni isn't as spicy as anticipated, leading to playful banter about trying even spicier foods.

  • Notable Quote:
    Dennis (27:31): "It's getting. Actually, it's not that spicy. Yeah, I did it. I ate a pepperoni... I am fine."

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Conclusion

"WeWow on the Weekend" masterfully blends humor with educational content, offering listeners an entertaining yet informative experience. Through the whimsical creation of a charcuterie board and an engaging revisit to the "Totally Spiced Out" episode, Dennis and Reggie provide insights into the science of spiciness, the cultural and genetic factors influencing our taste buds, and the exhilarating world of extreme peppers.

This episode not only entertains but also inspires curiosity about the natural world, embodying the essence of "Wow in the World" by making science accessible and fun for all ages.

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Notable Quotes Recap:

• Dennis (01:33): "Let me look. Let's see. Oh, here are some board games. Maybe one of these will work... Snakes and Ladders. Ew, no."
• Mindy (12:04): "Chili peppers contain something called capsaicin. And capsaicin is this colorless, odorless oil-like chemical compound."
• Mindy (19:17): "Pepper X, the latest, most beloved, blisteringly hot pepper known to man, rates in at 3.18 million Scoville heat units."
• Dennis (26:15): "I'm gonna eat a hot pepper... I have a mouth made of the stuff they make spaceships out of."

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For more exciting episodes and updates, visit Tinkercast.com YouTube or subscribe to Wondery+ on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Guy Raz]

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. Hey Wowzer fams. It's Guy Raz here and before we start the show, have you watched wow. In the world on YouTube? That's right. You can now watch some of your favorite tinkercast podcasts like 2 what's and a wow Flip and mosey. Who when wow and wow in the World. To start watching today, head to Tinkercast.com YouTube. That's Tinkercast.com YouTube. That'S it. Now back to the show.

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[Dennis]

Wee wow on the weekend. Wee wow on the weekend. Wee wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing, me and Reggie singing, laughing. And then we. Oh wait, no, I said laughing twice. Whatever. We wow on the weekend. Yeah. We wow on the weekend. Laugh, clap. We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Hello and welcome to Wee Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis and that's my co host, Reggie the giant pigeon. Reggie, I think it's time you stepped it up as co host a little bit. You know, like sometimes I start the show by asking you questions. So how about you ask me some questions? Oh, that's a good question. And my answer to that is. England, 1846. Another great question. I'm gonna say Yellow. No, no, no, no. Blue. Okay, so see now that would be a tie between blobfish makeovers and Mesopotamia's Got Talent. Wow. Good questions. Reggie. You are an excellent conversationalist. Okay, let's get into our first segment, Dishing it Up with Dennis. Ahem. Dish it up on a dish. Anything that you wish. Take a bite that's delish. Dishing it up with Dennis and Reggie. Today on Dishing it up with Dennis and Reggie, we'll be making a charcuterie board. A charcuterie board is a fancy way of saying a plate full of meats. Step one, get a board. Yeah, I think we have a board around here somewhere. Let me look. Let's see. Oh, here are some board games. Maybe one of these will work. Let's see, what's this one? Snakes and Ladders. Ew, no. I told mother to sell that at the yard sale last year. Ew, I hate snakes. What else we got? Okay, here's one that doesn't have snakes on it. Just a bunch of squares. All right, It's a checkerboard or a chessboard. Whatever. Well, I lost all the game pieces, so it doesn't matter. Okay, so we have our board. So now. Now it's on to step two. Add the meat. I have a whole bag of bologna here. And I'm just gonna arrange it in a little festive pile. There we go. And I'm gonna sprinkle on a little beef jerky. And then I'll put on one of these pepperoni that I picked off last night's pizza because they're too spicy. You can eat those, Reggie. Fine, donate it. Whatever. And done. Yay, charcuteri. I know, it's so fancy. Let's try some. Mmm, warm bologna. Oh, I can really taste the bag I had it in. Oh, hang on. There's a card here stuck from some other game to the board. Let's see, what does it say? Acquire bonus value point. I don't know what that means, but hooray. Bonus value points. Okay, that's enough charcuterie. Let's move on to a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios. Inside Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows. And today we're listening to wow in the World, Season 2, Episode 6, called Totally Spiced Out. Oh, I think this is the one where Grandma GeForce eats all those hot peppers. Yeah, I'm sweating just thinking about it. Quick, Reggie, hand me the fake money from that board game over there. No, Reggie, all of it. I need to make a fan. Okay, give me that. Okay. Okay, that's better. Alright, let's listen to the episode. Here we go. And play wow in the World.

[Mindy]

We'll be right back.

[Dennis]

Grown ups.

[Mindy]

This message is for you. That's it. Back to the show.

[Dennis]

Well, in the world.

[Guy Raz]

Hang on, I'll be Right there.

[Mindy]

Guy Pause. Hurry up. We're gonna be late for the super bowl of Spice Smackdown.

[Guy Raz]

Oh. Oh, hi, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Are you ready yet?

[Guy Raz]

Whoa, Mindy, what are you wearing?

[Mindy]

Isn't it awesome? It's my Red Hot Silly Peppers T shirt, and I made it just for this occasion. Oh, and here, I made one for you too. Only yours says ta da Spice Spice, baby.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I'm not.

[Mindy]

And I got us both a pair of shiny spandex tights that will make our legs look like a bunch of banana peppers.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, no.

[Mindy]

And last but not least, try this baby on for size.

[Guy Raz]

A hat shaped like a giant chili pepper.

[Mindy]

Come on, where's your spicy?

[Guy Raz]

Okay, but just be careful with my hair. I had to wax it down extra tight this morning.

[Mindy]

Just gonna shove your head into this hair tight.

[Reggie]

Wait.

[Mindy]

There, that's never coming off. Cause I glued it.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy]

Now you look like a party pepper.

[Guy Raz]

I think it's squeezing my brain.

[Mindy]

Oh, that's okay. It'll bounce back.

[Guy Raz]

Lindy.

[Dennis]

Reggie.

[Mindy]

Reggie, we need you to take us to the super bowl of Spice Smackdown.

[Guy Raz]

You know, on second thought, why don't we just hang out here and organize my collection of hold on to your.

[Mindy]

Hot tamales, Guy Raz, because here we go.

[Dennis]

Whoa.

[Guy Raz]

Did you see that? There were actual voices. Flames coming out of Reggie's talons.

[Mindy]

Reggie bringing the heat. Think that means he landed us in the right place.

[Guy Raz]

Where are we?

[Mindy]

Guy Raz? Look over there.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, what's that? It looks like a giant stadium sized bowl of chili with steam coming off the top.

[Mindy]

Oh, that's because it is a giant stadium sized bowl of chili with steam coming off the top.

[Guy Raz]

What in the.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz. Welcome to the super bowl of Spice Smackdown. World Championship Face off. You know, my grandma G Force used to take me here when I was a baby. In fact, she was once crowned world champion, but then she burned her tongue and she never competed again.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, well, that's kind of sad. I guess. So what exactly is this thing?

[Mindy]

Oh, so it's when all of the hottest peppers from all over the world come together and try to spice out their human opponents.

[Guy Raz]

So kind of like a professional wrestling match, except with peppers.

[Mindy]

Well, yeah, sort of. I mean, peppers and people. Come on, let's go inside so you can see for yourself.

[Guy Raz]

Okay. What? Check it out, ladies and gentlemen.

[Reggie]

In this corner, we have the 2013 Guinness World Record winner, the Carolina Reaper. And in this corner, the self proclaimed world's hottest Reva Jeeper Hot hands in spicy.

[Dennis]

Whoa.

[Mindy]

Is that Mindy?

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, that's your Grandma G Force?

[Mindy]

I guess her tongue must have finally healed after all these years.

[Guy Raz]

Years?

[Mindy]

Go, Grandma G Force.

[Guy Raz]

You show that Carolina Reaper who paws Mindy. Look, she's circling that pepper like she's about to go in for the kill.

[Mindy]

Oh, man. Guy Raz. You know, just a few years ago, the Carolina Reaper, a cross between a ghost pepper and a red Savina Habanero, was the hottest chili pepper in the whole world, coming in at a peak of 2.2 million SHU.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, SHU? 2.2 million? What are you talking about?

[Mindy]

Oh, so SHU stands for Scoville Heat Units.

[Dennis]

Ah, of course.

[Guy Raz]

Named after Wilbur Scoville, the American pharmacist who came up with the Scoville Heat Scale.

[Mindy]

Wait, you know about the Scoville Heat scale?

[Guy Raz]

Well, would I be wearing a Spice Spice Baby T shirt with elbow patches if I didn't?

[Mindy]

Elbow patches on your T shirt? Wait, Mindy.

[Guy Raz]

Wilbur Scoville created the Scoville Scale as a way to measure the heat or spiciness of a hot chili pepper.

[Mindy]

Right. And spin. Speaking of hot peppers, did you know that peppers are actually a fruit?

[Guy Raz]

Huh. I've always thought of them as vegetables.

[Mindy]

Well, not all fruits are sweet, Guy Raz. There are a bunch of fruits that we normally think of as veggies, like tomatoes and eggplants and even cucumbers.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, cucumbers are fruits, too?

[Mindy]

Technically and botanically speaking, yes.

[Dennis]

Ah, of course.

[Mindy]

It's the seeds. Well, yeah, that and the fact that they all come from flowering plants.

[Guy Raz]

Huh. You know, as strange as it seems, Mindy, it makes total sense. I guess I just tend to think of fruits as more sweet than spicy.

[Mindy]

So you're saying that you would not dump slices of jalapeno peppers on your oatmeal in the morning?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, no.

[Mindy]

You sure? It'd give you a little kick to start your day.

[Guy Raz]

I'm pretty sure. Mindy. So you were saying about the Scoville Scale?

[Mindy]

Oh, yeah. So, as you were saying, the Scoville Scale is a measure of the hotness of a pepper and other spicy foods, and it ranges from 0 to 16 million Scoville heat units.

[Guy Raz]

But how exactly does it work?

[Mindy]

Well, first, I should start by saying that chili peppers contain something called capsaicin. And capsaicin is this colorless, odorless oil like chemical compound.

[Guy Raz]

Interesting.

[Mindy]

I mean, basically, capsaicin is the stuff in the pepper that makes your mouth feel like it's on fire after you eat a really hot one.

[Guy Raz]

And so I'm guessing that to figure out where a pepper Falls on the Scoville heat scale, A scientist would have to squeeze out some of that oil, like capsaicin, from a pepper.

[Mindy]

Yep. And back in the day, scientists would mix that capsaicin with a little bit of sugar water, and then they would hand it to a professional taste tester to take a sip to see if it still had its hotness. And if it did, they would keep adding more and more sugar water until the taste tester could no longer taste the heat.

[Guy Raz]

So they would water down the capsaicin or the stuff that makes peppers hot until it was no longer detectable.

[Mindy]

Exact oritos, Guy Raz. It's called diluting, which is a scientific term that means watering something down. Kind of like what you do to my orange juice when you pour me a tiny bit and fill the rest of the glass with water when you think I'm not looking.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I dilute your orange juice with water because there's so much sugar in a 24 ounce glass of just orange juice.

[Mindy]

I know there is, Guy Raz. That's what makes it so delicious.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, back to the Scoville scale.

[Mindy]

Right, so the amount of dilution or the amount of sugar water it takes to snuff out the heat of a pepper's capsaicin is what gives the pepper its rating or measure on the Scoville heat scale. So, for example, if a taste tester could no longer taste the heat after one cup, it might be a pretty mild pepper. But if it took, say, 100 cups of sugar water to kill the heat, then you might be dealing with. With a crazy hot pepper.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, and about those professional taste testers you mentioned.

[Mindy]

Yeah?

[Guy Raz]

Well, it seems like what might be spicy to one person might not be so spicy to another. I mean, how do you get an accurate rating if all human tongues taste things differently?

[Mindy]

Yeah, so that was actually one problem with the original Scoville scale. So ever since the 1980s, scientists have left the spice measuring to a fancy machine, and instead of relying on other people's tongues.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, so just to get an idea of where a pepper would fall on the Scoville scale, let's take a sweet pepper, for instance.

[Mindy]

Okay, so a sweet pepper, hence the name, contains almost no capsaicin at all, which means that it rates in at a big fat zero on the Scoville scale. Here, watch me take a bite. See? No heat at all.

[Guy Raz]

And what about a jalapeno pepper?

[Mindy]

I mean, those are pretty hot jalapeno peppers, which I dump all over my nachos and pancakes. Rates in at 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units.

[Guy Raz]

Blah.

[Mindy]

Here, watch me take a bite.

[Guy Raz]

Wait.

[Dennis]

Hand me the milk. Hand me the milk. I'm breathing fire.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, so if a sweet pepper is a Wimpy Zero and a jalapeno pepper can reach up to 8,000, what about something that's record breaking hot? Like say, the Carolina Reaper that your Grandma G Force is about to take on in the wrestling ring.

[Mindy]

Oh, man, look at her. She's circling the pepper. She's got her milk ready. It's not going to be long now before she makes her move.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, you mentioned earlier that this pepper had a rating of up to 2.2 million Scoville heat unit.

[Mindy]

Yep. Oh, man. It would take a lot of sugar water to dilute all of that capsaicin heat. What we're looking at right now is one of the hottest peppers in the universe.

[Guy Raz]

That's a menacing looking pepper. Bright red and wrinkly texture and pointy little stinger like tail.

[Mindy]

I know. I'm getting kind of worried that maybe grandma G Force has finally met her match.

[Reggie]

And now Grandma G Force, 1949 Super bowl spice Smackdown World Champion has pulled out her knife and fork.

[Guy Raz]

I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous.

[Mindy]

Ross. Guy Raz, calm down. The Carolina Reaper is a hot pepper, but grandma G Force, she's a tough cookie.

[Reggie]

She's putting on her bin. She's going for it. Her knife is hitting the pepper. She's cutting its head off.

[Guy Raz]

It has a head. Shh.

[Mindy]

I think he means the stamp.

[Reggie]

She stabs it with her for him.

[Guy Raz]

Poor little Carolina Reaper.

[Mindy]

It's food. Guy Raz, you're supposed to stab it with a fork.

[Reggie]

She brings the pepper up to her mouth.

[Guy Raz]

Did your grandma have her teeth sharpened for this?

[Mindy]

Nah, those vampire fangs run in our family. See?

[Guy Raz]

Blah.

[Reggie]

Chews up the Carolina Reaper and spits it out.

[Guy Raz]

I can't look. I can't look. Finn, what's happening?

[Mindy]

Yes, Grandma G Force. I knew you could do it. The original Spice Girl.

[Guy Raz]

Woo. Is. Is it over?

[Reggie]

The referees are handing her antacids and she is refusing. I've never seen anything like this.

[Mindy]

Did I win a million dollars? Oh, man, I am so spiced out right now. Guy Raz, I can't believe she did it.

[Guy Raz]

Wow. You're your Grandma G Force is really incredible, Mindy.

[Mindy]

I know, right? Oh, man, that was intense. Okay, you ready for round two?

[Guy Raz]

Wait, there's more?

[Mindy]

Yeah.

[Guy Raz]

Is she gonna shoot herself From a cannon or something?

[Mindy]

What? No.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, phew.

[Mindy]

They don't do that until they crown a new champion at the end.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, right.

[Mindy]

And the reigning world champion is up now. His name is Peter Piper.

[Guy Raz]

Huh. Why do I think I know that name?

[Mindy]

Well, the rumor is that Peter Piper once picked a peck of pickled peppers.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, yeah, I know the backstory. Wait, he's here?

[Mindy]

In the flesh. Oh, look, he's coming out to the ring now.

[Guy Raz]

Wow, he's so much bigger than Mother Goose made him out to be.

[Dennis]

Shh, shh.

[Mindy]

Listen, he's up.

[Reggie]

Next up, reigning world champion, Peter Bummer will pick a peck of Pepper X.

[Mindy]

Wait, did he just say Pepper X?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, it says right here on the program, a peck of Pepper X. Peter.

[Mindy]

Piper, pick Guy Raz. Do you know anything about Pepper X?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, that it's a pepper. Looking for a name.

[Mindy]

Pepper X is a brand new pepper developed by a guy named Smokin. Ed Curry. Wait, the same guy who developed the Carolina Reaper and took it to Guinness World record stardom in 2013?

[Guy Raz]

And I'm almost afraid to ask, but how hot is Pepper X?

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, hold on to your habaneros. Because this pepper is so hot and spicy, it makes the Carolina Reaper look like baby food.

[Guy Raz]

And just to be clear, you should never, ever, ever, ever, ever feed a hot pepper to a baby or to me.

[Mindy]

Wait, wait, are you a baby?

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy]

Nevermind. Guy Raz. On the Scoville heat scale, the Carolina Reaper can reach up to 2.2 million units.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah.

[Mindy]

And another pepper called the Dragon's Breath chili, which was accidentally invented earlier this year by a farmer in the country, Wales, that pepper came in at 2.5 million units.

[Guy Raz]

Whoa.

[Mindy]

And now, Pepper X, the latest, most beloved, blisteringly hot pepper known to man, rates in at. Wait for it.

[Guy Raz]

Okay.

[Mindy]

Wait for it.

[Guy Raz]

Okay.

[Mindy]

Wait for it.

[Guy Raz]

Okay. I can't wait anymore.

[Mindy]

Okay. 3.18 million Scoville heat units.

[Dennis]

Wa.

[Mindy]

In the.

[Guy Raz]

Wow.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, did you just eat one that I'm not aware of? What is happening? Gareth, are you sweating?

[Guy Raz]

No, no, I'm just imagining what that would feel like on my tongue and sliding down my esophagus.

[Mindy]

Well, pull yourself together, man.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I just don't understand how anyone would eat something that hot and spicy.

[Mindy]

Okay, so here's the deal. In our mouths and our throats and even our eyes, we all have these teeny tiny capsaicin detecting spice detectors, right?

[Guy Raz]

Yeah.

[Mindy]

And when we eat something spicy, it's their job to send a message up to our brains, to let our brains know that we have just been properly spiced out.

[Guy Raz]

So this must be why our mouths feel that tingly burning sensation or our eyes start to water.

[Mindy]

Exact, Orita. And some people are born with more or less of these capsaicin receptors than others. They're just born that way.

[Guy Raz]

So people with less spice receptors may not experience the hot sensation in spicy foods the way that others, like me, would.

[Mindy]

You got it. In fact, some researchers from the University of Helsinki in Finland conducted an experiment with a bunch of twins. And from that experiment, they were able to figure out that genes play a big role in how much spice we can handle.

[Guy Raz]

So, genes. We were just talking about that, weren't we? The teeny microscopic bits inside of us that were passed down from our parents and grandparents and great grandparents and great, great grandparents and great, great, great, great, great grandparents and great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents.

[Mindy]

Yeah, I think you got it. So, basically, if, say, your mom likes spicy food, then you could be more likely to like it, too, as you get older if you don't now.

[Guy Raz]

But if your mom is easily spiced out by even the wimpiest pepper in.

[Mindy]

The world, oh, then there's probably no hope for you. Pack your bags and don't let the door hit you on the way out of this spicy smackdown.

[Guy Raz]

Ouch.

[Mindy]

Hey, I didn't make up the genetic code guy, Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Well, but what about other countries and cultures? Like, I have a friend from Chile in South America, and even though the country is called Chile, they don't really eat spicy foods. But then I have a friend from India who's been eating hot chilis since he was a little kid. So liking spicy food can't just be about our genes, can it?

[Mindy]

Well, yeah, and that's not at all surprising. I mean, in some parts of the world, like India and Mexico, people are used to eating spicy food as a regular part of their breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[Guy Raz]

That's fascinating. I mean, that would suggest that people can develop or build a tolerance or the ability to handle very, very spicy food, depending on the kind of foods they ate in their countries.

[Mindy]

You got it.

[Dennis]

Ooh.

[Mindy]

Wow, Look. It looks like Peter Piper is up. Oh, man. If he successfully crushes this pepper x, he'll be crowned the world champion two years in a row.

[Guy Raz]

And what happens if he doesn't?

[Mindy]

And if he doesn't? Well, it looks like grandma j G force might be toning up for a little victory dance.

[Guy Raz]

I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous. I'm so nervous.

[Mindy]

I'm so nervous. Garage.

[Guy Raz]

I'm so nervous.

[Mindy]

Guy Rod. Guy Roz.

[Guy Raz]

Ouch.

[Mindy]

Guy Rod.

[Dennis]

What?

[Reggie]

Ladies and gentlemen, stepping into the ring is Peter Pfeiffer in a face off against the one, the only pepper X rating in at a whopping 3.18 on the Scoville scale.

[Dennis]

I can't look.

[Mindy]

I can't look away.

[Reggie]

Peter Piper, wearing his pickled pad, circles the infamous Pepper X. He's clearly got his eye on the prize.

[Dennis]

Whew.

[Guy Raz]

Is it hot in here or is it just me?

[Reggie]

Peter Piper. He picks up the pepper, he places it into his mouth. He bites down.

[Mindy]

Oh, man. Look at him. His hands are flapping, his face is turning red. He's sweating through his pickled pepper pants.

[Reggie]

In order for Peter Piper to win this championship, he must hold onto this pepper for three more seconds.

[Dennis]

Three, two.

[Reggie]

And he spits out the pepper.

[Mindy]

Oh.

[Reggie]

GeForce is officially this year's super bowl of Spice World Champion.

[Guy Raz]

She's won. Your Grandma G Force won if you can.

[Mindy]

I can't stand the heat. Then give me the pepper. Oh, no. She's going to bite into the Pepper X.

[Reggie]

And what's this? A turn of events, it seems G Force now attempting to take on the blisteringly hot pepper axe.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, this is crazy.

[Mindy]

Oh, my goodness.

[Dennis]

She's doing it.

[Reggie]

She chews, she swallows, she frees.

[Mindy]

She's breathing fire. Where's my golden tiara, Blah?

[Guy Raz]

Wow, Mindy, you know, knowing that your genes were passed down from Grandma GeForce, you know, you might be just like her in the future, accepting the title one day soon.

[Mindy]

Wow. I guess I never really even considered it. You think I've really got it in me?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, yes, I do. But first, we have to get you on a strict training regime. Start with a simple bell pepper, then work your way up to a. Oh, boy. Not to be Jalapeno Business Guy Raz, but how do you like your chicken wings? Come on. Mild, medium, or hot? Because I.

[Dennis]

Oh, so spicy. Reggie, did you really have flames shooting out of your feathers when you flew to the arena? Oh, wow. You know what, Reggie? I think I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna eat a hot pepper. Reggie, I am so tough. I'm rough and tough. I'm tetherball tough. I have a mouth made of the stuff they make spaceships out of. Okay, well, how about I just start with the pepperoni from the charcuterie board? I know before I said I couldn't handle it. But Guy Raz said people can build a tolerance to spicy food and I'm a very tolerant person. Kind of. Okay, here I go. Ah.

[Guy Raz]

It'S getting.

[Dennis]

It's getting. Actually, it's not that spicy. Yeah, I did it. I ate a pepperoni. I ate a pepperoni. I ate a pepperoni and I am fine. You know what? I bet I could eat something spicier. Ya ha. Let's wrap up the show and go find some spicy stuff. Ahem.

[Guy Raz]

Ahem.

[Dennis]

Thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning in to Wee Wow on the weekend. If you have a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW. That's 1-888-7-WWOW. I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the weekend. Okay, let's go. Reggie, what should we try first? Maybe some ground black pepper. Yeah, it's spicy, trust me. Oh, and then maybe some tartar sauce. Yes, it is. It's so spicy. One time mother made fish for dinner.

[Mindy]

And I put grown ups. If you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Guy Raz]

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

[Mindy]

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Dennis]

Thanks for joining us for this edition of We Wow on the weekend. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of Baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson. Ah, will do. Who who plays the role of victimis. Never you mind Teehee. Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal with contributions from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thole. Original music for Wee Wow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Fralich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpen, Ranzer Tweema, Erica Medina, Henry Muskil, Jodi Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski, and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ. Be sure to visit Tinkercast.com where you can become an official member of the world organization of wowzers. Learn about upcoming events, shop our wow Shop, find our best selling books and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast. Thanks again for hanging out in the basement this weekend. Be sure to check out episodes of wow in the World every Monday and remember who Wows I know. No, baby. Dennis. We wow. All right. We wow.

[Mindy]

Wow in the world Was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.