WeWow on the Weekend (2/8/25)

Summary

Wow in the World Podcast Episode Summary
Episode: WeWow on the Weekend
Release Date: February 8, 2025
Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
Produced by: Tinkercast | Wondery

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Introduction: A Special Announcement

[00:02] Dennis:
The episode kicks off with Dennis rallying the Wowzers (listeners) for an exciting announcement. He announces the Make It Wow Listening Party, scheduled for Saturday, February 15 at 7 PM Eastern. This exclusive, members-only event will feature a never-before-heard performance of the Make It Wow Live show in New York City from last November.

Key Quote:
"Introducing the Make It Wow Listening Party... that'll be like reviewsies, but in real." — Dennis [00:02]

This segment emphasizes community engagement, encouraging listeners to become members to gain access to special events and perks like birthday cards and quarterly mailings.

Main Show: We Wow on the Weekend with Co-Hosts Dennis and Reggie

Following the announcement, Dennis transitions back to the main show, introducing Reggie as his co-host. The dynamic duo engages in playful banter, setting a lighthearted tone for the episode.

Key Quote:
"We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend." — Dennis [02:00]

Segment 1: Reviewsies with Baby Dennis

Dennis introduces a fun segment called "Reviewsies," where he and Baby Dennis (a ventriloquist dummy) read and respond to listener reviews.

Notable Moments:

• Baby Dennis humorously critiques ambiguous and symbol-filled reviews, prompting laughter and light-hearted interactions.

Key Quote:
"I would rate it a 15 out of 10." — Baby Dennis discussing a review by Ella Rose [05:19]

This segment not only entertains but also encourages listener participation by inviting more reviews.

Segment 2: Inside Tinkercast Studios

The hosts delve into a retro segment titled "Inside Tinkercast Studios," where they listen to a classic episode from Wow in the World.

Key Quote:
"Today we're listening to an episode... Let's Flamingo." — Reggie [07:00]

They play a portion of season one, episode eight, titled "Let's Flamingo," setting the stage for an in-depth discussion.

Deep Dive: The Science of Flamingo Balance

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to exploring a fascinating scientific study about flamingos' ability to stand on one leg with minimal energy.

Key Discussion Points:

1. Study Overview:
   • Researchers: Lena Ting (Biomedical Engineer, Emory University) and Yang Hui Chang (Neuromachinist, Georgia Institute of Technology).
   • Objective: To understand how flamingos maintain balance on one leg effortlessly.
   • Methodology: Utilizing force plates to measure the force exerted by flamingos while standing and sleeping on one leg.

Key Quote:
"They stood there steady, completely upright. Never flopped." — Reggie explaining the findings [20:06]

2. Findings:
   • Flamingos use almost no force to maintain their balance.
   • Their unique hip hinge design allows easy leg movement, enabling effortless balance shifts.

Key Quote:
"Because when we humans start to lose our balance, our brains freak out and start shouting things like mayday." — Dennis comparing human and flamingo balance [19:02]

3. Implications for Science and Technology:
   • Potential advancements in robotics and prosthetics inspired by flamingo biomechanics.
   • Enhancements in balance and energy efficiency for artificial limbs.

Key Quote:
"Maybe this discovery will lead to improvements in robotics or robot-powered prosthetics for humans." — Reggie [21:13]

Humorous Interactions and Adventures

Interwoven with the scientific discussion are humorous skits and interactions between Dennis, Reggie, and Baby Dennis, including:

• The Flamingo Suit Skit:
  • Reggie convinces Dennis to don a homemade flamingo suit to demonstrate the study's findings.

Key Quote:
"Now you are one fabulous flamingo." — Reggie to Dennis in the flamingo suit [15:00]

• Challenges of Balance:
  • Dennis humorously struggles to stand on one leg, highlighting the complexity of the science discussed.

Key Quote:
"Standing on one leg is surprisingly hard." — Dennis [22:23]

Conclusion: Wrapping Up the Show

As the episode draws to a close, Dennis and Reggie reflect on the day's discussions, emphasizing the blend of fun and educational content that defines Wow in the World.

Key Quote:
"That's the end of the show. Standing on one leg is surprisingly hard. Tee hee." — Dennis [23:46]

They also remind listeners to engage with the podcast on various platforms, promoting early and ad-free listening through Wondery.

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

• Educational Value: The episode effectively communicates complex scientific concepts in an entertaining and accessible manner, making it suitable for both kids and grown-ups.
• Engagement: Interactive segments like Reviewsies and the Flamingo Suit Skit foster a sense of community and participation among listeners.
• Humor and Relatability: The playful interactions between hosts and characters like Baby Dennis keep the content lively and engaging.

Overall, "WeWow on the Weekend" blends humor, science, and community engagement to deliver an enriching and entertaining listening experience, staying true to the mission of spreading "WOW" to families and teachers around the world.

Transcript

[Dennis]

Hello, Wowzers. It's me, Dennis. And before we start the show, I wanted to invite you to a special spectacular, super secret event. Okay, fine, Reggie. Maybe it isn't a super secret anymore, but can I get a drum roll anyway? Thank you. Ahem. Introducing the Make It Wow. Listening party. That's right. On Saturday, February15 at 7pm Eastern, I will be hosting the second ever members only live listening party. And this time we'll be listening to the never heard before recorded performance of the Make It Wow. Live show in New York City from last November. Isn't that cool? Yes, Reggie. All of our members will be there and we can all chat together as we listen to it. It'll be like reviewsies, but in real. If you want to join the party grown ups, you can sign up to become a member of the world organization of Wowzers. Today. Just visit Tinkercast.com membership. That's Tinkercast.com membership. Every membership helps support our podcasts and Tinkercast mission to spread WOW to families and teachers around the world. That's right, Reggie. Our members also get birthday cards from Mindy and Guy, quarterly mailings from you, Reggie, and so much more members. We'll see you there on Saturday, February 15th. Just go to tinkercast.comevents to get the secret password to join my live stream at 7pm Eastern. That's it. Now let's get back to my show. I mean our show. I mean the show. 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. And then we. Oh, wait, no, I said laughing twice. Whatever. Wee. Wow on the weekend. Yeah. We wow on the weekend. Clap clap. 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 Reggie is my co host, which I guess also makes him your co host. I think this is the show where we hang out in mother's basement on the weekend and chit chat and play games and listen to episodes of Tinkercast podcasts and do all kinds of other stuff. I don't know, Reggie. All kinds. Hmm. Well, what do you want to do first? No, I don't want to do that. Let's play what's in the box again. What do you mean? That bit has played out well. I think it's still funky fresh. Let's do it. Ahem. I found a box down here in the basement and now I'm going to find Out. What's in the box? Okay, you stay here. I'm going to to go into the crawl space. Reggie, quiet. I'm not going to get stuck again. I just gotta duck under this wooden beam. Ow. Okay, I'm in. I'm just gonna grab a box here. Okay, I got one. Okay, got a box. Now let's open it and find out what's in it. Ready? What's in this box? It's Baby Dennis. Baby Dennis is back. Baby Baby Dennis, my favorite ventriloquist dummy. Who looks just like me. Nuh. Big Dennis looks just like Baby Dennis. What were you doing in the box? Baby Dennis, the giant pigeon put Baby Dennis in here. Reggie, how could you? Oh, yeah, I guess I did leave him sitting. Out. Thanks for putting him away. But now we need to start the show over because we have another co host. Yay. Hello, and welcome to Wee Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis. And I'm Baby Dennis. Reggie, Baby Dennis is not weird and creepy. Yeah, I'm adorable. Hey, Baby Dennis, what do you want to do on the show today? Baby Dennis wants to review Revoozies. Great idea, Baby Dennis. Reggie, you know what reviews are? Yeah, Reggie. Reviewsies are the comments people write on Apple podcasts or Spotify or whatever, and they give us stars, and we print them out and read them out loud. That's right. Very good, Baby Dennis.

[Reggie]

Hee hee.

[Dennis]

Okay, here we go. I'm reading reviewsies for me, for Youzies. We got us some doozies, so let's read reviews. Tease. All right, let's get the first reviewsie here. This one's from username. Uh. Oh, I can't read that. Oh, is it something naughty? No, it's not naughty. I just don't know what all these symbols are._6,^, open bracket, close bracket, circumflex. Again, I'm not reading all these symbols. Ahem. The title says Questions for Dennis. The message says Mr. Dennis. Ooh, I like being called Mr. Dennis. Mr. Dennis, I have. I have five questions for you. Five. Question one. Who do you think is Static Man? And then that's it. Where are the rest of the questions? Mr. Dennis. Mr. Dennis? Yes. Baby Dennis knows who Static man is. Well, that's just a. Static man is Mr. Danny. Okay, that's all right if you don't know Baby Dennis. We're all aware that Static man is probably someone really strong and really capable and really mysterious and really good at gardening. Next question. Static man is meat poo? No. Nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope. Next question. Okay, this one is from username ttgbjnk. The title says chicken and the message says chicken, chicken, chicken emoji. Huh? Well, my response to you is, I don't know, Baby Dennis. How do we respond? Pigeon, pigeon, pigeon, pigeon emoji. Next. Pigeon. I mean, next reviewsy. All right, this last reviewsy. Ah, I know, I know. My printer ran out of ink. Sorry. This last one is from username Ella Rose. The title says, this is for Dennis and his reviews. Uh, they're called reviewsies. Yes, thank you, baby Dennis. Calm down. And the message says, I would rate it a 15 out of 10. And then there's a whole bunch of thumbs up emojis. Ooh, how many? A lot. And gold smiley faces and gold medals. And gold trophies and gold ribbons. Hooray, we're rich. Thanks, Ella Rose. Yes. And thank you everyone, for all your reviewsies. Keep em coming. If you leave a comment on Apple podcast or Spotify, I just might read it on Wee Wow on the weekend. Five stars or more. Please, Baby Dennis, don't be ridiculous. Obviously we want five stars or more. Okay, now should we listen to a Tinkercast podcast? Yeah, Baby Dennis is ready. Perfect. Because next up is a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios. Ahem. Inside Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows. Oh, boy. And today we're listening to an episode of wow in the World from season one, episode eight. This is Baby Dennis favorite episode called let's Flamingo. All right, let's get the episode ready here. Baby Dennis want to push the button. No. Big Dennis wants to press the button. No, Baby Dennis want to push the button because baby Dennis is a baby. But that's not fair. Okay, fine. Baby Dennis can push the button. Hooray.

[Reggie]

Press Wee Wow will be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you. That's it. Now back to the show.

[Dennis]

What in the world?

[Baby Dennis]

Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo.

[Dennis]

I do believe it. I do believe it's true. Oh.

[Reggie]

Gotta do something about that door guy. Raz, it really blocks the entry to get inside your house.

[Baby Dennis]

Did you just run right through it?

[Reggie]

Don't worry, I'm finally. A few scratches, my beautiful door. Well, you ready for a day at the zoo?

[Baby Dennis]

Am I ever. I've checked off just about everything on my safety spreadsheet. Let's I see sunscreen. I got my first aid kit, some bubble wrap, some toilet seat covers. I Got a shovel to dig you out of trouble, Mindy? Yeah, I'd say we're all set for an accident free day at the zoo, right?

[Reggie]

So in that case, I brought along some bright reflective clothing for you to wear. You know, just in case there are hunters or something.

[Baby Dennis]

Hunters?

[Reggie]

Yeah, or if we could separated in a crowd of people. And I need to find you more easily. You should definitely have these bright clothes on.

[Baby Dennis]

Well, normally I'm not really one for flashy clothing.

[Reggie]

You can still wear your wool pants and tweed blazer. Just put this stuff on top. Okay?

[Baby Dennis]

Well, okay, but only for safety reasons.

[Reggie]

Mindy, what other reasons could I possibly have? Uh, here, put these on first.

[Baby Dennis]

Hot pink leggings. Okay.

[Reggie]

Yep, just squeeze them on right over your wool trousers. Looking great.

[Baby Dennis]

This seems a little weird.

[Reggie]

Just remember we're doing this for safety.

[Baby Dennis]

Right? That's.

[Reggie]

Now just climb into this hot pink unitard. Easy does it. Got it.

[Baby Dennis]

Okay, hold it right there. What is this all about?

[Reggie]

Okay, remember how you once said that you would do anything for science?

[Baby Dennis]

Yeah, pretty much anything, I guess.

[Reggie]

Well, would you go into a dark cave filled with bats?

[Dennis]

Sure.

[Reggie]

Living with a pack of wild wolves?

[Baby Dennis]

Sure. Especially if they listen to Prokofiev.

[Reggie]

Well, I am asking you now if you believe in science.

[Baby Dennis]

Okay.

[Reggie]

I need you to dress up like a pink flamingo.

[Baby Dennis]

Ah, now I get it. Okay. But I am absolutely drawing the line at the beak.

[Reggie]

No worries. I can just paint your nose to look like one.

[Baby Dennis]

Okay, if you're sure this is gonna help science.

[Reggie]

Now come here. We gotta screw wheeze you into this pink leotard. Ah, yeah, that's the stuff.

[Baby Dennis]

All of this pink spandex is starting to feel a little tight.

[Reggie]

It's just doing its job, Guy Raz. Now for the final touch, I just need to glue all of these to you, so stay really, really still. Okay.

[Baby Dennis]

Pink feathers.

[Reggie]

Remember, this is for science. Okay, now hand me that crazy glue and turn around. I gotta get the bag.

[Baby Dennis]

Are you sure about this, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Do I not look like I know what I'm doing?

[Dennis]

Hey, hey, hey.

[Baby Dennis]

What are you gonna wear?

[Reggie]

Oh, I'm just gonna wear a sensible, tailored pantsuit to the zoo. Yeah, people already think I'm ridiculous, so this is gonna show them my serious side.

[Baby Dennis]

I have no idea what's going on anymore.

[Reggie]

Okay, let me just glue one last little feather to your forehead and we are done. Done, Guy Raz. The look is complete. And you are one fabulous flamingo. Okay, now grab your safety sack. It is time to go to the zoo. We Gotta hurry though, because there's something I want to investigate once we get there.

[Baby Dennis]

Investigate?

[Dennis]

Come on, let's go.

[Reggie]

My carrier pigeon is waiting outside and he charges by the minute. Okay, saddle up and get ready for takeoff because here we.

[Baby Dennis]

Wow, Mindy, your carrier pigeon moves fast. I still can't believe you trained him to carry you everywhere you want to go.

[Reggie]

I can't believe we made it to the zoo in one piece.

[Baby Dennis]

Mindy, are you sure that all this pink feathered spandex was a was a good idea? I feel like everyone's staring at me weird.

[Reggie]

Oh, well, if that's what you're worried about, then I know a place where you will fit right in.

[Baby Dennis]

Oh, no.

[Reggie]

Come on, let's go.

[Baby Dennis]

Woo. Okay.

[Reggie]

Okay, here we are.

[Baby Dennis]

The flamingo pen. Really, Mindy?

[Reggie]

Now, with your beak held high, I want you to march right on into the middle of that block.

[Baby Dennis]

Whoa.

[Dennis]

Whoa.

[Reggie]

And I want you to start to flamingle. Okay.

[Baby Dennis]

Wha. Why is everyone taking my picture?

[Reggie]

Me? Guy Raz, look at me. Look at me. You are the most beautiful and you unique flamingo in the flock. There is literally no other flamingo like you, so own it. Okay.

[Baby Dennis]

Okay.

[Reggie]

Now just follow my directions. First, squat down like you're going to sit on an invisible chair. Like a toilet or something like this. Now, with your back straight, use your hips as a hinge and push your butt backward.

[Baby Dennis]

This feels weird.

[Reggie]

Great. That means you're doing it right. Now stay steady. Don't lean forward. Your knees and ankles should be at a 90 degree angle.

[Baby Dennis]

Okay.

[Reggie]

Yeah. You're doing great. Now try it with just one leg and close your eyes and try to fall asleep. Okay.

[Baby Dennis]

Mindy, I'm not sure what the point of all this is.

[Reggie]

Easy does it. Now, without losing your balance, switch over to the other leg.

[Baby Dennis]

I am not understanding the science here.

[Reggie]

Oh, well, for that I have a really good explanation.

[Baby Dennis]

Okay, this better be good.

[Reggie]

Well, Guy Raz, remember how I told you that I wanted to come to the zoo today to conduct sort of an investigative science experiment?

[Baby Dennis]

So there is a scientific reason why I'm standing here in a flock of flamingos dressed in pink feathers?

[Reggie]

Of course there is. Sort of.

[Baby Dennis]

This better be good.

[Reggie]

Okay, so yesterday I read this crazy study led by two scientists in Georgia. Lena Ting, a biomedical engineer at Emory University, and Yang Hui Chang, a neuromachinist at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

[Baby Dennis]

So I know that a biomedical engineer is a scientist that helps doctors invent new devices and tools to help them do their jobs better. But I'm not As familiar with neuromachinists, it sounds like maybe someone who works with machines and the brain.

[Reggie]

Well, yeah, sort of. So the way I understand it is a neuromachinist is a scientist who works with prosthetics, meaning, like artificial arms and legs for people who have either lost them or were born without them.

[Baby Dennis]

Wow. So how did their study lead me to standing here in the middle of a zoo in a homemade flamingo suit?

[Reggie]

Well, it didn't really. Technically, I led you here. But what these scientists noticed was that flamingos can stand for a really, really long time on one leg. So long that they even sleep while standing on one leg.

[Baby Dennis]

Yeah, but don't lots of birds stand on one leg?

[Reggie]

Yeah, they do, but flamingos make it look effortless. I mean, they can stand on one leg for hours at a time, whereas most birds have to shift from one leg to the other after a while or just give up altogether and use both legs.

[Baby Dennis]

I'll say. I am definitely not cut out for flamingo life. This one leg thing is a workout.

[Reggie]

Well, that's the thing. So when we humans and even other birds stand on one leg, it takes a lot of muscle strength to hold us up and help us keep our balance. But with flamingos, these scientists discovered that they used almost no force at all. The baby flamingos just slept there on one leg like nobody's business.

[Baby Dennis]

Wow. So how did they discover this?

[Reggie]

So the first thing they did was go to the zoo just like us.

[Baby Dennis]

And were they dressed as flamingos?

[Reggie]

What? No. That would be ridiculous. They're respected scientists, Guy Raz.

[Baby Dennis]

Oh, right.

[Reggie]

So they went to the zoo, and with the help of the zookeeper, they got eight baby flamingos, and they put them on this measuring device called a force plate.

[Baby Dennis]

And what's it look like?

[Reggie]

Well, a force plate is like a little flat square that looks sort of like a tiny dance floor, and it's used to measure things like balance and whatever's standing on it, and I guess.

[Baby Dennis]

In this case, baby flamingos.

[Reggie]

Right. And so they fed the babies, put them on the force plate, and then they waited for them to get sleepy.

[Baby Dennis]

This is starting to sound really cute.

[Reggie]

Oh, you have no idea, Guy Raz. Anywho, once the baby flamingos started to fall asleep, they used the force plate to measure how much force they were using to keep their balance as they slept there on one leg.

[Baby Dennis]

And what did they discover?

[Reggie]

They discovered that they used almost no force at all. The baby flamingos just slept there on one leg like nobody's business.

[Baby Dennis]

So how is this possible. I mean, when I stood here on one leg and closed my eyes, I almost fell into that pond over there.

[Reggie]

That's because when we humans start to lose our balance, our brains freak out and start shouting things like mayday, mayday. To our muscles so that they tighten up and start doing their jobs.

[Baby Dennis]

But don't flamingos have the same signals running between their brains and their muscles?

[Reggie]

Very little. They don't even need it because their bodies are just designed to balance on one leg like that.

[Baby Dennis]

Wow. So how did they find this out?

[Reggie]

Okay, so this part is a little gross.

[Baby Dennis]

Gross.

[Reggie]

These scientists used flamingo cadavers.

[Baby Dennis]

Oh, dead flamingos, who I guess, donated their bodies to science.

[Reggie]

I guess you could say that the reason they used cadavers is because they don't have any muscles at all. Because, you know, cadavers are.

[Baby Dennis]

Thanks.

[Dennis]

I got it.

[Baby Dennis]

They're dead.

[Reggie]

So they took the cadavers and they set them up on one leg with nothing else to hold them up. And guess what happened?

[Baby Dennis]

They keeled over and died all over again.

[Reggie]

Nope. They stood there steady, completely upright. Never flopped.

[Baby Dennis]

Wow.

[Reggie]

And so then they decided to press their luck. In an effort to throw the flamingo cadavers off balance, they tilted the upper part of their bodies forward and backward. And no matter what they did, those cadavers just stood there majestically. And what's even crazier is that because of that hinge in the flamingo's hips, the scientists were able to move their legs so easily that they were still able to stand upright in a way that required almost no energy or muscle strength.

[Baby Dennis]

Amazing.

[Reggie]

So in living flamingos, if they have to jump out of the mud and run from a predator or an animal that's trying to eat it, or even just stay steady on a windy day, they can easily switch their leg and stay upright without really having to activate any of their muscles.

[Baby Dennis]

That's incredible, Mindy.

[Reggie]

I know, right?

[Baby Dennis]

You know, earlier you mentioned that Dr. Ting works with prosthetics or artificial arms and legs. So did her discovery lead to any helpful connections between the two?

[Reggie]

Yes. So Dr. Ting studies how people can start to move again after they've been hurt really bad or lose an arm or a leg in an accident. And sometimes this requires the help of prosthetics. So the idea here is that if flamingos can go back and forth standing on one leg with almost no energy, then maybe this discovery will lead to improvements in robotics or robot powered prosthetics for humans. Or just people like you who really want to be flamingos Mindy.

[Baby Dennis]

I did this for Science Guy.

[Reggie]

Raz. You did this for the crowd of people taking pictures of you?

[Baby Dennis]

Yeah.

[Dennis]

Come on.

[Reggie]

You're a fancy flamingo.

[Baby Dennis]

Oh, no.

[Reggie]

Now give the people what they want. Step right up. Step right up and come and get your souvenir photos of the human flamingo boy.

[Baby Dennis]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Reggie]

Hold tight. I'm coming in to save you, little buddy.

[Baby Dennis]

Look at my beautiful feathers. They're ruined.

[Reggie]

You're a good guy, Raz, but a terrible bird. Come on, let's get you out of this pink spandex and flamingo.

[Baby Dennis]

Yeah. Adios, Flamingos.

[Dennis]

Yay. Yay. Reggie Baby Dennis. Heard you on the podcast. You're so cool and famous. Hey, Reggie, how long can you stand on one leg? What? That's all? Flamingos can do it for hours. Baby Dennis, how about you? How long can you stand on one leg? Um. How long can Big Dennis hold up his arms? Oh, right. You're a ventriloquist dummy. Your legs are just little floppy plastic things. Your legs are little floppy plastic things. Uh, no, they're not. Watch. I can stand on one leg. Okay, here I go. One, two, three. Ow, my rumpus. Stop laughing. Is Big Dennis okay? Yeah. And Big Dennis wants to wrap up the show. Let's do the goodbye song. Good idea. That's the end of the show. Standing on one leg is surprisingly hard. Tee hee. But I'll do another show tomorrow. But for now, that's the end of the show. Bye. Say goodbye, Baby Dennis. Goodbye, Baby Dennis. Oh, you.

[Reggie]

Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Baby Dennis]

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

[Reggie]

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