Wow in the World: WeWow on the Weekend (9/7/25)

Hosts: Dennis, Reggie, Mindy Thomas, Guy Raz
Date: September 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively episode of "WeWow on the Weekend" continues the show’s tradition of blending humor, science, and creativity for kids and their grown-ups. Host Dennis, with sidekick Reggie, leads listeners through a hands-on popsicle stick crafting segment in the basement, followed by a special replay of the fan-favorite "Wow in the World" segment about why we shouldn't feed bread to ducks. The tone is playful, silly, and curious throughout—inviting listeners to think, tinker, and learn.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. Basement Antics and Crafternoon Chaos

[01:06–05:35]

• "What's in the Box?": Dennis finds old popsicle sticks from Mindy's failed spicy popsicle experiment, recounting the comical aftermath involving melted popsicles, a spicy pool, burning eyes, and bees.

  • Memorable moment: Dennis explains, “She put all the spicy popsicle juice in her pool and tried to throw a rainbow pool. But when everyone jumped in, their eyes started burning.” [03:08]

• Crafternoon Craft Project: Plans to build a scale model of the Eiffel Tower out of popsicle sticks spiral into slapstick mishaps involving ultra-strong glue (“Marvin Stickenheimer’s Ultra St. Mickey!” [04:15]), Dennis getting stuck to a paper towel, and ultimately to his keyboard.

2. Classic Science Rewind: Don’t Feed Bread to Ducks

[05:39–09:26]

• Setting the Scene: Mindy hangs out by a pond, pretending to share a stale bread snack with local ducks—who drop the bread because “they don’t have fingers” [06:13].

• The Problem with Feeding Bread:

  • Guy Raz (via Dennis) steps in to explain why bread isn't safe for ducks:
    • Bread offers little nutritional value (“It’s like giving them junk food.” – Dennis, [07:25])
    • Ducks may develop "angel wing," a condition caused by poor nutrition that prevents proper wing growth and flight.
    • Angel wing described as: “It can make it so the ducks can’t fly, and then they’d have to walk or swim everywhere.” – Dennis, [08:01]

• Healthy Alternatives: Instead of bread, Guy recommends:

  • Kale
  • Corn
  • Oats
  • Memorable exchange:
    • Mindy: “Is that…kale?”
    • Dennis: “Yeah, I always carry a little kale around with me for munching.” [08:35]

• Silly Touches:

  • Mindy jokes about finding spaghetti and an oyster in her pocket [06:46].
  • Mindy quips, “Kale makes him gassy,” after a duck noise [09:18].

3. Wrap-Up and Participation Invitation

[09:28–11:37]

• Dennis Recaps: Jokes about not listening to the science lesson, but learns “we shouldn’t feed ducks bread.”
• Listener Interaction: Kids are encouraged to call in or submit questions and Crafternoon project photos/videos to the show.
• Plugs and Credits: Information about becoming an official World Organization of Wowzers member, upcoming events, and the "Wow in the Wild" book.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Popsicle Pool Chaos:
  • “She put all the spicy popsicle juice in her pool and tried to throw a rainbow pool. But when everyone jumped in, their eyes started burning.” — Dennis ([03:08])
• Bread as Duck Junk Food:
  • “The problem is that bread might fill the ducks up, but there is almost no nutritional value for them. In other words, it’s like giving them junk food.” — Dennis ([07:25])
• Angel Wing Consequences:
  • “It can make it so the ducks can’t fly, and then they’d have to walk or swim everywhere. That would be awful.” — Dennis ([08:01])
• Carrying Kale:
  • “Yeah, I always carry a little kale around with me for munching.” — Dennis ([08:38])
• Duck Digestive Humor:
  • “That was a duck. Kale makes him gassy.” — Mindy ([09:18])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:06 — Start of “WeWow on the Weekend” theme and popsicle stick story
• 03:08 — Spicy popsicle pool mayhem flashback
• 04:15 — Crafternoon segment begins; glue mishap
• 05:39 — Transition to “Wow in the World” duck segment
• 07:25 — Science explanation: why not to feed bread to ducks
• 08:01 — Discussion of "angel wing" syndrome
• 08:34–08:50 — Guy Raz discusses safe foods for ducks
• 09:18 — Mindy’s digestive joke about the duck
• 09:28 — Show wrap-up and listener participation invitation

Episode Tone and Style

Light-hearted, inventive, and packed with playful banter. The episode masterfully mixes slapstick humor with memorable science lessons, making the content accessible, fun, and educational for kids and adults alike.

What Listeners Learn

• Why feeding bread to ducks is harmful, and what healthy alternatives exist
• How science and everyday life intersect in silly, unexpected ways
• That creative failure (like a spicy popsicle disaster) can lead to new fun activities, like crafting

In summary: This episode offers a delightful blend of craft-time chaos, science knowledge, and interactive fun—reminding listeners to be curious, to question what’s commonly done, and to always approach learning with a sense of wonder and “wow.”