Wow in the World: WeWow The Great Indoors – Day 3: Bored Games

Date: December 31, 2025
Hosts: Mindy Thomas, Guy Raz, Dennis (with guest characters)
Podcast: Tinkercast

Episode Overview

This fun, science-filled episode of “Wow in the World” centers on the power of laughter—specifically, how laugh tracks and “canned laughter” can change how funny we find jokes. Mindy and Guy Raz explore a real scientific study on why jokes seem funnier with a laugh track, all while embarking on a comedic adventure inspired by Mindy’s purchase of “canned laughter” to boost her stand-up routine at the Banana Split Comedy Club.

The episode opens with a quirky, nature documentary-styled look at “the Great Indoors” through the antics of Dennis, before plunging into an imaginative and child-friendly experiment in laughter, humor, and a behind-the-scenes look at the science of why we laugh.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Boredom of the Indoors and the Invention of “Bored Games”

[01:03–05:08]

• The episode begins with a humorous documentary parody, observing Dennis as an “indoor creature” battling boredom by inventing elaborate (and comically complicated) board games.
• Memorable Scenes:
  • Dennis attempts to explain his game “Stratagems of Elder Scrunch” to Reggie, who quickly loses interest and tries to switch to “Go Fish.”
  • Dennis, undeterred, ends up playing his game with “Baby Dennis” (a version of himself) and learns to be flexible about sharing the role of “wizard king.”

“Here in the Great Indoors, boredom can set in quickly. Games are essential for passing the time.”
– Stan Pellegrino, narrator [02:17]

2. Mindy’s Encounter with “Canned Laughter”

[06:00–12:15]

• Mindy, looking over her shopping list (which includes “whale blubber” and “sardine-flavored Tart Pops”), is visited by a quirky door-to-door salesperson, who sells her a can of “laughter in a can,” promising her it will make her instantly funnier.
• The can comes with warnings: “Once opened, the effects are not retractable until the can runs out.”
• Mindy opens it, and suddenly her life has a live laugh track. Guy Raz is soon swept up in the bizarre “TV show” atmosphere created by the canned laughter.

"That's one of our bestsellers. Simply open that can of laughter and you too can live your life like a TV show."
– Salesperson [07:07]

3. The Science of Laugh Tracks: Why They Work

[13:13–16:52]

• Mindy explains to Guy Raz that research from University College London examined how canned and live laughter tracks affect perceptions of humor in otherwise corny “dad jokes.”
• The Experiment:
  • 40 jokes were collected and delivered in three versions: without laughter, with canned laughter, and with live audience laughter.
  • Participants rated each version for funniness.
• Scientific Insight: Both canned and live laughter significantly boosted how funny people found the jokes, showing that our brains are “tricked” into enjoying jokes more when others are laughing.

“I do remember reading a scientific study… that showed laugh tracks on TV shows actually trick your brain into thinking certain jokes were funnier than they actually were.”
– Mindy [11:20]

4. Comedy Club Experiment: Putting Science to the Test

[16:38–21:11]

• Mindy brings her can of laughter to the Banana Split comedy club, where she delivers corny jokes to an enthusiastic (artificial) audience.

• The canned laughter works: Mindy is a hit, earning a mic-drop moment and a headlining spot the next night.

  • Corny Dad Jokes Delivered:
    • “What American state has the smallest drinks? Mini-soda!” [14:05, 18:53]
    • “What does a dinosaur use to pay the bills? Tyrannosaurus checks!” [14:32, 19:01]
    • “What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot!” [19:24]

• The laughter suddenly stops when the can runs out, and Mindy's humor falls flat. She’s confronted by the club manager for “performance enhancing laughter” and is (gently) kicked out.

“Did you just say you were up there using performance enhancing laughter?... We have a zero-tolerance policy for artificially enhanced jokes.”
– Comedy Club Manager [21:17]

5. Wrapping Up: Real Science, Real Fun

[21:11–end]

• Mindy and Guy Raz reflect on the experiment, confirming that, just as in the scientific study, laughter (even artificial) can make things seem funnier.
• Mindy jokes about buying “spray-on happiness” next, and the hosts invite listeners to check out related STEM resources and become members of the “World Organization of Wowzers”.
• Ends with thanks to the production team and an encouragement to “keep on wowing!”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Boredom and Games:
  “The games are often simple and require little movement. This allows Dennis to conserve energy, essential for surviving the harsh winter months.”
  – Stan Pellegrino [02:34]

• On Canned Laughter:
  “Warning: Do not use this product if you are prone to giggle fits, obnoxious laughter, or laugh snorting… Side effects may include a perceived funnier personality.”
  – Mindy, reading the can [08:36]

• On Science and Laughter:
  “The study… showed that laugh tracks on TV shows tricked your brain into thinking that certain jokes were funnier than they actually were.”—Mindy [11:20]
  “The recordings that had the added laugh track, either natural or canned, scored much higher than the recordings that didn’t have any laughter at all.”—Mindy [20:06]

• Comedy Routine Dad Jokes:
  “What American state has the smallest drinks? Mini soda!”
  – Mindy [14:05, 18:53]

  “What does a dinosaur use to pay the bills? Tyrannosaurus checks!”
  – Mindy [14:32, 19:01]

  “What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot!”
  – Mindy [19:24]

• When the Laughter Stops:
  “Mindy, do you hear that?... Exactly. The canned laughter, it stopped.”
  – Guy Raz [21:02]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:03 | Documentary-style look at Dennis (“The Great Indoors”) | | 05:08 | End of Dennis segment | | 06:00 | Mindy gets the “canned laughter” | | 11:20 | Scientific insight: laugh tracks “trick” the brain | | 13:17 | The University College London joke study explained | | 16:38 | Arrival at Banana Split comedy club | | 18:53–19:24| Mindy’s stand-up comedy routine (dad jokes) | | 20:06 | Study results revealed: laughter makes things funnier| | 21:17 | Canned laughter runs out; Mindy gets “caught” | | 23:10 | Episode wrap-up, credits, and resource mentions |

Tone and Style

As always, the episode is delivered with playful energy, clever humor, and imaginative storytelling perfect for curious kids and families. Mindy and Guy Raz seamlessly blend real science with cartoonish comedy, keeping things light, accessible, and endlessly engaging.

Summary Takeaway

This episode of “Wow in the World” shows listeners that science can be found in the most unexpected places—like why jokes feel funnier when you hear other people laughing. It’s a lively, laugh-filled journey (punctuated by plenty of groan-worthy “dad jokes”), reminding everyone that a little laughter, whether canned or not, really does go a long way.