WeWow on the Weekend (7/5/25)

Summary

Wow in the World Episode Summary: "WeWow on the Weekend" (July 5, 2025)

In the July 5, 2025 episode of Wow in the World, hosted by Dennis and Reggie in their spinoff segment "WeWow on the Weekend," listeners are treated to a blend of scientific exploration, engaging Q&A, and creative storytelling. This episode delves into the fascinating world of hermit crabs, blending humor with insightful scientific discussion to captivate both young listeners and their grown-ups.

---

1. Introduction to Wee Wow on the Weekend

At the outset, Dennis enthusiastically introduces "WeWow on the Weekend," setting a casual and fun tone for the show.

Dennis [03:30]:
"Wee wow on the weekend. Wee wow on the weekend. Wee wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend."

This playful repetition underscores the relaxed, weekend vibe of the segment, inviting listeners to join in the weekend fun.

2. Interactive Q&A Segment

The hosts transition into an interactive Q&A session, inviting listeners to submit their questions. Dennis humorously navigates through listener inquiries, showcasing his playful personality.

Listener Galilee [05:16]:
"Hi, Dennis. We love your show. I'm Galilee. And I'm Genevieve and we're from Portland, Oregon. We have a question. Our question is, does dogs. Does dog's fur grow the same as humans? Bye."

Dennis [05:29]:
"Does dog's fur grow the same as humans? Uh, humans don't have fur, Reggie. That's not fur, that's hair. Ah, quit looking at my arm."

The exchange highlights the educational yet entertaining nature of the show, making complex topics accessible and fun for children.

Another listener, Noah, brings a more nuanced question about the science of smell and Dennis's background:

Listener Noah [05:44]:
"Hi, I'm Noah from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. And my question is in getting nosy about the science of smell. You said that you went to boarding school. What Boarding school did you go to?"

Dennis [06:02]:
"What boarding school did I go to? Well, Noah, I'm a proud alumnus of Count Montague's School for Nosy Little Children. I studied many important subjects. Snooping, prying, Busy body studies..."

This playful response not only entertains but also keeps the audience engaged in the Q&A format.

3. Inside Tinkercast Studios: Revisiting "The Hermit Crab Housing Crisis"

Transitioning from the live interaction, Dennis introduces a retrospective look at a past episode titled "The Hermit Crab Housing Crisis." This segment serves to deepen the listeners' understanding of hermit crab behavior through a revisited discussion.

Dennis [07:19]:
"The answer is Nach. Nacho cheese."
(Note: This appears to be part of a riddle segment, but the main focus shifts back to hermit crabs later.)

Mindy [10:37]:
"What in the world? You."

The segue leads into an imaginative portrayal of hermit crabs engaged in a mock reality show, blending factual information with creative storytelling to illustrate scientific concepts.

4. Imaginary Reality Show: "House Hunters Hermit Crab Smackdown Edition"

Dennis and Mindy engage in a whimsical reenactment of a fictional hermit crab reality show, "House Hunters Hermit Crab Smackdown Edition," to explore hermit crab behavior in a fun and relatable way.

Mindy [10:54]:
"Oh, hey, Guy Raz. I'm just watching an episode of House Hunters Hermit Crab Smackdown Edition. It's a real estate reality show mixed with professional wrestling and it stars Hermit Krabs."

Guy Raz [11:06]:
"Okay, and so why are you watching it with the TV turned off?"

Mindy [11:11]:
"Oh, that's because it doesn't exist. So I'm watching it in my head."

Through this playful dialogue, the hosts illustrate how hermit crabs compete for better shells, mirroring human behaviors in their quest for improved living conditions.

5. Scientific Insights into Hermit Crab Behavior

Interwoven with the imaginative segment, Mindy and Guy Raz delve into the scientific research conducted on hermit crabs, providing listeners with valuable insights.

Mindy [13:25]:
"Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do whatever it took to have it or achieve it, even if it seemed like a major stretch?"

Guy Raz [16:03]:
"And they're doing all of this without any lawyers getting involved."

The hosts discuss studies from the University of Mexico and Texas A&M University, highlighting how hermit crabs with damaged shells exhibit increased determination and willpower to secure better shells despite physical disadvantages.

Mindy [18:04]:
"Who says that this is the end? These scientists discovered that in the case of hermit crabs, what doesn't break you makes you scrappier."

This revelation underscores the resilience of hermit crabs, drawing parallels to human experiences of overcoming adversity through inner strength and determination.

6. Conclusion and Takeaways

As the episode wraps up, Dennis reflects on the emotional connection to the hermit crabs' struggle, blending humor with heartfelt sentiments.

Dennis [19:56]:
"That episode made me really emotional, Reggie. Because I'm just like that underdog hermit crab."

The hosts conclude by encouraging listeners to stay curious and resilient, much like the hermit crabs they discussed, reinforcing the episode's central themes of determination and adaptability.

---

Key Takeaways:

• Hermit Crab Behavior: Hermit crabs are constantly seeking better shells, and those with damaged shells display remarkable determination to secure improved living conditions.

• Scientific Insights: Studies reveal that hermit crabs with compromised shells compensate with increased willpower, challenging the notion that physical strength alone determines success.

• Relatable Lessons: The resilience and determination of hermit crabs serve as a metaphor for overcoming personal challenges, inspiring listeners to persist in the face of adversity.

Notable Quotes:

• Dennis [13:25]:
  "Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do whatever it took to have it or achieve it, even if it seemed like a major stretch?"

• Mindy [18:04]:
  "Who says that this is the end? These scientists discovered that in the case of hermit crabs, what doesn't break you makes you scrappier."

This episode of "WeWow on the Weekend" successfully blends humor, storytelling, and scientific education, making complex biological concepts accessible and entertaining for a young audience and their families.

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 and Mindy here and Wowzers. If your family has some summer road trips coming up, take a pit stop to find some wow.

[Mindy]

We've teamed up with our friends at Geocaching hq, the Aspen Institute and the Nature Conservancy to create plans Planet Wow. An epic geocaching eco adventure that shares the wows of places on our Earth and encourages curious kids like you to become the next generation of climate crusaders.

[Guy Raz]

We've sent out Planet Wow trading cards to members of our World Organization of Wowzers to plant in a geocache near.

[Mindy]

Them and you can check and see if one of those cards are in a geocache near [e-mail] planetwow there you can also find the location of our official Planet Wow geocaches.

[Guy Raz]

And if there aren't any trading cards nearby your route, print yours at home and plant them in a geocache along the ride. We have printable cards available on our website Tinkercast.com Planetwow we can't wait to.

[Mindy]

Hear what you find on your eco adventures this summer. Leave us a video or audio message about places in your world that wow you for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode of wow. In the World.

[Dennis]

That's it.

[Mindy]

And now let's get back to the show.

[Reggie]

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, just your body and a little wiggle. Explore wild adventures with how to Train youn Drag, 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. Hey grownups. Looking for the family movie of the summer? Smurfs, in theaters July 18, is an adventure that will blue you when Papa Smurf is taken by evil wizards. Smurfette, voiced by Rihanna, leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to rescue him with the help of Some new friends, the Smurfs must work together and harness new magical powers to save not only Papa Smurf, but also the universe. Smurfs features a star studded cast including Rihanna, John Goodman, Nick Offerman, Amy Sedaris, Sandra oh, Octavia Spencer and many more familiar voices. Smurfs is filled with original new music from Tyla, DJ Khaled, Cardi B and Rihanna with her chart topping hit from the movie Friend of Mine. With a unique new animation style, all star cast and rocking soundtrack, Smurfs is the must see family movie of the summer. Don't miss Smurfs. Only in theaters starting July 18th.

[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. 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 Reggie. Yes, Reggie the giant pigeon. Right, Reggie the giant pigeon with a black belt and karate. We're here in my mother's basement bringing you wow and wonder on Saturdays and Sundays. That's right, Reggie. This show is super casual. We're still in our Jim jams, so. See, mine have little Reggies on them and Reggies have little Dennises on them. Anyway, how's about we get to it and answer some of the many, many yo, many banana fanifo fanny questions from our devoted listeners? That's right, Reggie. It's time for the Q and A segment. The Q and A segment. Alright, let's just get the old answering machine pulled up here. Okay, here we go. Hi, you've reached Dennis from We wow on the Weekend. That's me. Do you have a question? Well, I do too. Lots of them. And who's gonna answer all my questions? You? Probably not, but I guess I can answer yours. Leave me a message.

[Galilee]

Hi, Dennis. We love your show. I'm Galilee. And I'm Genevieve and we're from Portland, Oregon. We have a question. Our question is, does dogs. Does dog's fur grow the same as humans? Bye.

[Dennis]

Does dog's fur grow the same as humans? Uh, humans don't have fur, Reggie. That's not fur, that's hair. Ah, quit looking at my arm. Fur. Next question.

[Galilee]

Hi, I'm Noah from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. And my question is in getting nosy about the science of smell. You said that you went to boarding school. What Boarding school did you go to?

[Dennis]

What boarding school did I go to? Well, Noah, I'm a proud alumnus of Count Montague's School for Nosy Little Children. I studied many important subjects. Snooping, prying, Busy body studies, and the history of listening at closed doors with a cup pressed to your ear. And I was awarded Eavesdropper of the Month seven times. Where'd you go to school, Reggie? Yale. No, you did not. Oh, whatever. Next question.

[Galilee]

Hi, Dennis. I'm Emma, and I live in Charleston, South Carolina. I don't have a question, but I have a riddle. What do you call cheese that isn't yours?

[Dennis]

Oh, uh, it's. It's. Let's see. Oh, brie. Brie. Because it rhymes with me. Oh, no, you're right. That can't be it. Don't tell me, don't tell me, don't tell me. What are cheeses? What are cheeses? Gargonzola. Gargonzola. No, no. Cheddar. Cheddar. Pepper Jack. Pepper jacks. Pepper Jack. Swiss. Pepper jack. Swiss cheese. Queso. Queso fresco. Parmesan, Gruyere, Harvardi. Stilton Polish. Sheep's milk. Cheese.

[Galilee]

The answer is Nach. Nacho cheese.

[Dennis]

Nacho cheese. Emma, are you sure that's a cheese? Oh, nacho cheese. Like nacho cheese. Ah, that is good. Now I'm hungry. Yeah, we better move on so we can go make nachos soon. Thanks for your calls, everyone. If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message. The number is 1-888-7-WOW. Wow. I just might answer your question. Question on we wow on the weekend. Okay, that takes care of that. All right, next up is 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 this weekend, we're revisiting episodes from the very first season of. Of wow in the World. Today we're doing a story from episode four called the Hermit Crab Housing Crisis. Oh, good question, Reggie. Are hermit crabs crabs or hermits? Hmm. I'm gonna say crabs because I don't know what a hermit is. Is it a type of frog? Oh, right. No. Well, let's play the episode. Okay, here we go. And play.

[Mindy]

Wee. Wow will be right back. Grown ups, this message is for you.

[Reggie]

Hey, grown ups, it may be summer, but learning doesn't have to stop. Whether you're keeping up a light homeschool curriculum through the break or just want to help your child Catch up, stay sharp or get a head start on school. IXL can help. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits perfectly into your homeschool routine, even during summer. It offers interactive practice across math, language arts, science and social studies and adapts to your child's learning level to provide them with just the right challenge. At Tinkercast, we love learning all year long, so we appreciate the flexibility of IXL to give homeschool families the ability to learn whenever is best for them. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and WOW in the world. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com wow. Visit ixl.com wow to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Genevieve]

Summer's here and it's time for your kids to have fun in the sun. But it's also a great time to nurture growing minds. Million Bazillion, a podcast from Marketplace, teaches your kids about something that impacts all of us Money. From a fun explainer on tariffs. Yes, it's possible to why some athletes make so much money. Million Bazillion tackles big questions with easy to understand answers. Listen to Million Bazillion all summer long. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mindy]

That's it. Now back to the show.

[Dennis]

What in the world? You.

[Mindy]

Go get him, Scrappy. Don't give up the fight. You're a fierce little hermit crab with a broken shell and abs of steel.

[Guy Raz]

What the.

[Mindy]

Give him your best shot.

[Guy Raz]

What are you doing, Mindy?

[Mindy]

Oh, hey, guy Raz. I'm just watching an episode of House Hunters Hermit Crab Smackdown Edition. It's a real estate reality show mixed with professional wrestling and it stars Hermit Krabs.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, and so why are you watching it with the TV turned off?

[Mindy]

Oh, that's because it doesn't exist. So I'm watching it in my head.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, so you're sitting in front of a blank tv shouting at it and cheering on a hermit crab trying to.

[Mindy]

Fight for the ultimate dream shell to call home. Here, do you want to take a peek inside and see for yourself?

[Guy Raz]

Uh, just pop the top of your head.

[Mindy]

Here, I'll do it for you.

[Guy Raz]

Whoa.

[Dennis]

And in this corner, Hulk Hul with.

[Scrappy]

A shell so strong you could bounce a nickel off it.

[Mindy]

Tell me what you see.

[Guy Raz]

Well, I see one very confident looking hermit crab in a wrestling ring in the middle of a suburban neighborhood where all the homes are shells.

[Reggie]

Oh.

[Mindy]

This is where all the action happens.

[Scrappy]

And in this corner, we have Cranky crab meister with a broken shell and an attitude to match.

[Mindy]

What else do you see?

[Guy Raz]

And now I'm seeing another hermit crab.

[Dennis]

Yeah.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, that's Crabby Crabmeister dragging himself into the ring. He does not look happy. In fact, I think his shell might be broken. It looks like it might be really heavy for him to carry. Is that the one you were rooting for, Mindy? Because I don't think he's gonna make it, that other hermit crab.

[Mindy]

Oh, Hulk Hermit.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, Hulk. Herm Dastinoli has the advantage here. Just look at his beautiful shell. It's just stunning.

[Mindy]

Okay, pause the imagination.

[Guy Raz]

Ah, Mindy, we were just getting to the good part. They were about to fight for the title of the ultimate dream shell to call home.

[Mindy]

Well, that's just the thing, Guy Raz. If you had to place a bet on which of those two hermit crabs would win the shiniest, strongest shell in the end, who would you pick?

[Guy Raz]

Mindy. Without question, it would be Hulk Hermit. He just looks like a winner. Definitely had the upper claw.

[Mindy]

Krabby Crabmeister.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, that one, he was just kind of falling apart. His shell was cracked and he could barely even carry it into the ring.

[Mindy]

Well, Guy Raz, the results of this match might just surprise you.

[Guy Raz]

Oh really?

[Mindy]

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do whatever it took to have it or achieve it, even if it seemed like a major stretch?

[Guy Raz]

Oh yeah, like the time I tried to order a kale salad at KFC and they called the police.

[Mindy]

That really happened? Uh, nevermind, don't answer. Anyway, so it's the same thing with hermit crabs.

[Guy Raz]

How so?

[Mindy]

Well, two scientists, one from the University of Mexico and one from Texas A and M University here in the US recently spent a lot of time with hermit crabs.

[Guy Raz]

That certainly seems like time well spent.

[Mindy]

And after getting to know these tiny little hard shelled creatures, they started to notice a few things.

[Guy Raz]

Like what?

[Mindy]

Well, like the fact that much like we humans, hermit crabs just want to have a nice place to live.

[Guy Raz]

Like with a pool and a two crab garage?

[Mindy]

No, like a really nice shell.

[Guy Raz]

Oh. So how do they find them?

[Mindy]

Well, basically by fighting for it.

[Guy Raz]

Hence the hermit crab cul de sac wrestling ring reality show happening inside your head.

[Dennis]

Exactly.

[Mindy]

So as anyone who has ever had a hermit crab for a pet knows, hermit crabs basically spend their whole entire lives just looking to move on up in the world. They're constantly on the hunt for for better fitting shells that are strong and free of cracks and will last a long time until they're ready to Move it on up again.

[Guy Raz]

And if there are two hermit crabs living together and one of them has a nice roomy shell and the other one has a damaged smaller shell, then the one with the crummier shell is willing to fight for the other hermit crab's shell.

[Mindy]

You got it, Guy Raz. The hermit crab with the mess up shell will straight up try to kick the luckier crab out of his lap of luxury shell and not even apologize.

[Guy Raz]

And they're doing all of this without any lawyers getting involved.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, the scrappy hermit crab will walk right up to the lucky hermit crab and start banging like crazy on his shell. Then that hermit crab will get all annoyed and start fighting back. And in the end, only one hermit crab gets to call the shell home. Because they're basically like one bedroom hermit crab studio apartments.

[Guy Raz]

Well, that doesn't seem very fair.

[Mindy]

I never said hermit crab life was fair, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

Well, what's so bad about having a cracked shell anyway? I mean, isn't there beauty and imperfections?

[Mindy]

Well, that's one of the things that these scientists set out to discover. So one of the things that they began to notice was that when hermit crabs have broken shells, they themselves are in pretty bad shape as well.

[Guy Raz]

Like their health.

[Mindy]

Yeah, they become really unhealthy and weak.

[Guy Raz]

And all of this is because of their cracked shells?

[Mindy]

Yep. A bat shell can make a hermit crab really miserable. And by miserable, Guy Raz, I mean crabby. You get it, you get it?

[Dennis]

Uh huh.

[Mindy]

Ugh, nevermind.

[Guy Raz]

But does it make the hermit crab even more determined to want to leave his or her shell and find a new one?

[Mindy]

Well, that's exactly what these scientists were thinking. So they started to experiment.

[Guy Raz]

And what did they do?

[Mindy]

Well, they set up a hermit crab wrestling arena.

[Guy Raz]

You're making this up, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Well, not entirely. They got a bunch of hermit crabs off the coast of Mexico. Some had broken shells, and some shells were fully intact.

[Guy Raz]

And then what did they do?

[Mindy]

They gave them all awesome wrestling names.

[Guy Raz]

No, they didn't.

[Mindy]

Okay, fine. But they did put them in a tiny wrestling ring. And in one corner of the ring, and they put one scrappy hermit crab with a sad little broken shell.

[Guy Raz]

And in the opposite corner of the.

[Mindy]

Ring, they put a strong, healthy hermit crab with a pretty good shell.

[Guy Raz]

And in the middle.

[Mindy]

In the middle was a glowing, strong, shiny, roomy lap of luxury shell that the scientist had attached to a thread.

[Guy Raz]

A hermit crab's dream home.

[Mindy]

You know it.

[Guy Raz]

And then they fought for the new shell.

[Mindy]

They did. And the thread Attached to the shell was also attached to a pulley and a dynamometer, which is a special device that measures force or power.

[Guy Raz]

And that was so they could measure which hermit crab was the strongest.

[Mindy]

Yep. And then they had pairs of hermit crabs wrestle each other. And once again, two with broken shells, two with intact shells. And who do you think came out the the strongest?

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, I'm gonna place all my money on the underdogs here. I'm gonna guess that the broken shelled hermit crabs proved to be stronger.

[Mindy]

Welp, you'd think that what doesn't break you makes you stronger, but that's just not the case here.

[Guy Raz]

I really thought this story would have a happier ending.

[Mindy]

Who says that this is the end? These scientists discovered that in the case of hermit crabs, what doesn't break you makes you scrappier. Meaning while they don't have the muscle strength to beat their opponents in a fight, what they do have is the sheer raw willpower to match their opponents when going for what they want.

[Dennis]

Bring it on.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, so you're saying they can win the fight for the best shell just because they're willing to fight so intensely for it?

[Mindy]

Yep. And as it turns out that after living for a long time in these old broken shells, these hermit crabs value the better life that a new shell would bring them so much that they're motivated to fight harder than even the strongest hermit crabs around.

[Guy Raz]

And they ultimately win the title of world's best shell.

[Mindy]

Not always. But their chances of winning are way better than their general health and muscle strength would suggest.

[Guy Raz]

So now I'm dying to see who wins the hermit crab dream shell in that reality show you were watching in your head.

[Mindy]

Ready to pop the top?

[Guy Raz]

Nope.

[Mindy]

Okay, I'll do it.

[Scrappy]

He may be little, may be weak, but using tenacity and sheer aggression, I give you your champion, the underdog crabby crab meister.

[Dennis]

I did it.

[Scrappy]

He will trade his crab shack for a spacious four bedroom shell with a swimming pool and indoor tennis court. Such luxury.

[Guy Raz]

I knew he had it in him. It's just too bad they can't share.

[Mindy]

Yeah, I agree. But you know what they say about crabs, Guy Raz. They're very shellfish.

[Guy Raz]

Crabsolutely. Mindy.

[Scrappy]

Oh, wow.

[Dennis]

That episode made me really emotional, Reggie. Because I'm just like that underdog hermit crab. Reggie. No, not because I smell like a crab. Because I'm scrappy and independent. And it's only a matter of before I get my dream home with a pool and indoor tennis court. Well, let's wrap this up. Thank you everyone for listening to this episode of 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. Hey Reggie, should we do the goodbye song? Okay, that's the end of the show. I'm not scared cause I'm a really strong crab and I'll do another show tomorrow. But for now, that's the end of the show. Bye.

[Mindy]

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 free on Amazon Music.

[Mindy]

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