Wow in the World – WeWow on the Weekend

Podcast: Wow in the World (Tinkercast)
Episode Title: WeWow on the Weekend
Date: March 8, 2026
Hosts: Dennis, Reggie (the pigeon), Mindy Thomas, Guy Raz

Overview

This lively episode of “WeWow on the Weekend” brings together silly fun, kid-submitted questions, review readings, and an interactive “cartoon for the ear” exploration into the science of why onions make us cry. Host Dennis, with help from Reggie the pigeon, kicks things off solo before launching into a relisten of the Wow in the World classic “Hey Onion, You’re Making Me Cry” with Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz. Science meets humor as listeners find out about onion cells, chemical reactions, and even real-life tearless onions—all wrapped in the show’s trademark blend of jokes, imagination, and playful banter.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Opening Fun & Membership Shoutout

[00:00-01:50]

• Mindy pops in briefly for a playful promo about the World Organization of Wowzers, the Wowzers membership club.
• Fun banter about Reggie delivering special “pigeon dropping” mail to members.
• Notable quote:
  “Grownups, you can sign your Wowzer up to be a member... It’s so top secret, I haven’t even seen it yet.” – Mindy [01:11]
• Info about quarterly mailings, birthday cards, activities, and exclusive content as club perks.

2. Dennis Takes the Mic – Weekend Show Kickoff

[01:50-04:12]

• Dennis opens the weekend show in his unique, silly style.
• Playful confusion about setting up the microphone and background music.
• Reggie arrives late; Dennis jokes about all the clocks he has—none agree on the time.
• Sets the relaxed, goofy tone for the episode.

3. “Reading Reviewsies” Segment

[04:12–07:41]

• Dennis reads out kid-supplied podcast reviews filled with questions and praise.
• Memorable moments:
  • Who invented the toilet?
    “A genius. A stone cold genius. A hero… From now on, I will use a porcelain throne with water in it that goes ‘whoosh!’” – Dennis [05:08]
  • How old is Reggie?
    “Let me see your driver’s license. Huh, I guess you are that old. Well, good for you.” – Dennis [06:10]
  • Suggestion for more guest segments.
    “Great show. Do more guest segments. Five galaxies.” – Read by Dennis [06:32]
    Leads to a gag about wanting to interview the studio goldfish (yet-unnamed).

4. Inside Tinkercast Studios – “Hey Onion, You’re Making Me Cry” Relisten

[07:41–23:14]

• Dennis introduces the behind-the-scenes relisten segment featuring Mindy and Guy Raz’s science adventure.
• Science Story Highlight: Why Do Onions Make You Cry?
  • Guy Raz is heard “crying”—revealed to be from chopping onions.
  • Mindy and Guy explain onion tears are caused by a natural chemical: the lacrimatory factor (“LF”). “LF is the chemical that makes your eyes water when you chop onions.” – Guy Raz [12:22]
  • Onions have this chemical as a defense against pests—“us” included!
  • They describe the parts of an onion plant (“bulb at the bottom”).
  • Mindy jokes about planting a “donut tree” from a Cheerio.
  • In a classic Wow in the World style, Mindy shrinks herself to explore an onion cell.
  • Inside, she observes the two critical bubbles—sulfenic acid precursor and alliinase—mix when the cell is cut, creating LF gas. “The sulfenic acid Precursor and the alliinase protein bubbles are mixing together and forming that oniony gas—the gas that makes our eyes tear up.” – Guy Raz [20:48] “My stinging eyes! My stinging eyes!” – Mindy [21:08]
  • They note that Japanese scientists engineered a “tearless” onion, but removing the chemical responsible also removed much of its onion flavor. “Not just the tears—they also took out the flavor!” – Guy Raz [22:28]
• Ends with Mindy dramatically swearing off onions.

5. Wrap-Up, Listener Interaction & Goofing Off

[23:14–26:16]

• Dennis and Reggie discuss what food they’d visit if they were tiny—corn on the cob for Reggie, butter for Dennis (“so we could hang out together… but we’d probably get eaten!”).
• Dennis thanks listeners, encourages messages and reviews, and imagines more shrunken adventures (like riding inside toy cars).
• Production credits and special thanks.
• Reminders about other Tinkercast shows and how to join the Wowzers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“A hero who thought, hey, I’m done pooping in a hole in the ground… From now on, I will use a porcelain throne with water in it that goes ‘whoosh!’”
— Dennis, explaining the invention of the toilet [05:08]

“LF is the chemical that makes your eyes water when you chop onions? And that was the chemical irritating my eyes that caused all those tears.”
— Guy Raz [12:22]

“If you wear goggles, like swim goggles or even a scuba mask while you chop onions, it can actually help keep the tears to a minimum.”
— Guy Raz [11:48]

“I also know that it rains diamonds on Neptune. Honestly, Guy Raz, if it rains diamonds on Neptune, then there has to at least be a small sliver of a chance that a tiny Cheerio seed can grow up to be a big donut.”
— Mindy Thomas [14:04]

“The sulfenic acid Precursor and the alliinase protein bubbles are mixing together and forming that oniony gas—the gas that makes our eyes tear up.”
— Guy Raz [20:48]

“Not just the tears—they also took out the flavor! Because it’s possible that the same chemical that causes tears is the same chemical that gives onions their special oniony deliciousness.”
— Guy Raz [22:28]

Important Timestamps

• [01:11] – Membership/World Organization of Wowzers pitch
• [02:26] – Dennis launches the show solo
• [04:20] – “Reading Reviewsies” segment
• [07:42] – ‘Inside Tinkercast Studios’ relisten introduction
• [09:44–23:14] – Full relisten of “Hey Onion, You’re Making Me Cry” with science explanations
• [23:21] – Dennis and Reggie’s post-show banter and wrap-up

Episode Takeaways

• Fun and Learning: Classic Wow in the World blend of scientific explanation and silliness, engaging for kids and grown-ups alike.
• Science of Onions: Onions produce tears as a defense mechanism via a specific chemical reaction. Wearing goggles can prevent the sting, but efforts to create tearless onions have also removed much of their flavor.
• Imagination Encouraged: Auditory storytelling, reviewing fan submissions, and interactive prompts (like naming a goldfish or fantasizing about shrinking into foods) invite audience participation and wonder.

For more episodes, activities, and exclusive content, visit the Tinkercast website. Wowzers can join the community for extra perks, and everyone is encouraged to send in questions or ideas for future episodes!