Clowns vs. Magicians: a magical debate - podcast episode cover

Clowns vs. Magicians: a magical debate

Mar 20, 202537 min
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Summary

In this episode of Smash Boom Best, clowns and magicians face off in a debate filled with humor and surprising insights. Gregory Parks champions the comedic and emotionally powerful aspects of clowning, while Sandin Totten highlights the wonder and intellectual stimulation of magic. Judge Elliot ultimately crowns magicians as the Smash Boom Best, citing the energetic sneak attack round as the deciding factor.

Episode description

Today’s debate is a real showstopper! It’s Clowns vs. Magicians! Actor and professional clown Gregory Parks puts the whoop in whoopie cushion for Team Clowns, while Brains On co-creator and editor Sanden Totten dazzles for Team Magicians! Who will be crowned the Smash Boom Best? Head on over to smashboom.org and vote to tell us who YOU think won!


This week’s sponsor is:


Experience Disney's Snow White, only in theaters March 21. Rated PG, parental guidance suggested.


Also… do you have your Smarty Pass yet? Get yours today for just $5/month (or $45/year) and get bonus episodes every month, and ad-free versions of every episode of Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Moment of Um and Forever Ago. Visit www.smartypass.org to get your Smarty Pass today. As an added bonus, your Smarty Pass will grant you access to a super special debate starring Sanden and Molly!

Transcript

From the brains behind Brains On, it's Smash Boom Best. The show for people with big opinions. Hi, I'm Anna Wegel, filling in for Molly Bloom, and this is Smash Boom Best. the show where we take two things, smash them together, and ask you to decide which one is best. Today's debate is a real showstopper. Grab your rubber noses and magic wands because it's clowns versus magicians.

We've got actor and professional clown Gregory Parks ready to put the whoop in whoopee cushion for Team Clowns. Hello, everybody. Let's get ready to have some serious fun. And wait, what's that behind your ear? Why, it's Brains On co-creator and editor Sandin Totten here to defend magicians. Anna, I've got my top hat and I'm ready to pull a rabbit and a win.

And here to judge it all is Elliot from Washington. Elliot is a part of a robotics club, has a YouTube channel with his dad, and knows how to catch a running chicken. Welcome back, Elliot. Hi. So, Elliot, can you tell us about a robot that you've helped design? I made this robot called TriangleBot, and it was a triangle. It was not really good at anything, but it was a triangle instead of a square, so it was interesting.

I've never seen a triangle robot. That sounds really cool. Did it do anything? Yeah, it could like drive around. It was like a cheese wedge kind of. It was kind of silly. That's amazing. Did you name it? Cheese wedge. Okay, we have to hear more about this chicken thing. So how did you learn to catch a chicken? Okay, so they're really fast. They're not slow at all. Like, you know, you'd think they'd be slow, but they're...

Chickens are actually pretty fast. So how you get them is we're a lot smarter than them. So you like open up a door for them. And then when you chase them into the door, they'll go to the door and then you can just slam the door shut. But they're like running for cover and they'll be like, I want to go into cover. OK, so it's more about like outsmarting them and tricking them than like chasing them. Yeah. OK. Because you can't really catch one by just running.

It sounds like you've had a lot of practice with this. Is this something you have to do on a daily basis? I have to do it every once in a while if one of them escapes or whatever. Oh, my gosh. I wonder if this skill will translate into other areas of your life. I'm not sure if it will, but I mean chickens. Yeah, I will tell. So this is not your first time judging. Do you have any advice for our debaters today? Don't lean too hard and like trying to go after like your opponent, you know, like.

That's kind of just time that doesn't really mean anything. And you could use it for like facts or jokes or whatever. So don't play dirty. Go high is what you're saying. Yeah. Excellent advice. Not only in this debate, but in life. Will Elliot side with Gregory or Sandin? Only time will tell. But first, here are the rules of the game. Every debate consists of four rounds. The declaration of greatness, the micro-round, the sneak attack, and the final six. After each round, our judge...

We'll see you next time. team you think won. Okay, Gregory, Sandin, and Elliot, are you ready? Ready? Yes. Let's bring it on. Let's go. Then it's time for the Declaration of Greatness. In this round, our debaters will present a well-crafted, immersive argument in favor of their side. Then they'll each have 30 seconds to rebut their opponent's statements. We flipped a coin, and Gregory, you're up first. Tell us why clowns are your preferred...

Performers. You might think clowns are a joke. A bunch of big dupes riding teeny tiny bicycles. Well, think again, my friends. Us clowns are a serious bunch. Seriously talented. Seriously funny. Seriously powerful. Don't sat on my whoopee cushion. As I was saying. I've been a clown for 25 years, but I remember the first time I performed with the Ringling Brothers Circus like it was yesterday.

I was backstage, sweating in my grease paint, nervously fiddling with my big red nose. This was my first... big gig with graduates of Ringling Brothers Clown College, which, by the way, was harder to get into than the fanciest, schmanciest colleges. And... Hey, Greg, it's go time. As we walked down the hallway toward the big, bright arena, my heart started pounding. The stadium was packed. 18,000 people were in the stands.

going wild. As I gazed up at balcony after balcony of beaming faces, my heart skipped a beat. It confirmed what I already knew. Clowns are beloved. No matter what makes you giggle, I cross my heart and guarantee there's a clown out there that'll make you go. There are white-faced clowns with red noses, Auguste clowns who are mostly just funny actors, mimes who don't talk, bullfighting rodeo clowns, and even jesters who performed for kings and queens.

us clowns can juggle knives play musical instruments tell killer jokes walk on stilts wrangle bucking broncos do backflips make insanely cute balloon animals oh and did i mention Do magic tricks? Yeah, clowns can do what magicians do. Only funnier. We can't help it. We've been making people laugh for thousands of years. since ancient Egypt. That's right. You can even find clowns in ancient hieroglyphics. Where do pharaohs go when they want a break from being in charge? Denial! After that...

Clowns popped up around the world, in China, India, Japan, Europe, Africa, Russia, and these jesters, or fools as they were called, often worked for noblemen and royalty. For example, Macherin the Fool was the court jester for three French kings in the Renaissance. One time, a lady-in-waiting said, Ugh, I don't like having a fool on my right side.

And Machirine the Fool, with a twinkle in her eye, jumped to the lady's other side and said, I don't mind it at all. And you know what happens when you add seriously talented and seriously funny together. You get seriously powerful, my bro. Shakespeare put a whole bunch of jesters in his plays, and they were almost always wiser than everyone else. As Touchstone the Fool in the play As You Like It says, The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.

To translate, a foolish person thinks they're way smarter than they actually are, but a wise person realizes how much there is left to learn. Being wise isn't the only way clowns are powerful. We're also emotionally powerful. We can make people laugh so hard they pee their pants and make them so scared they start crying their eyes out. Isn't that right, little Lou?

I'm not scared, Greg. Okay, maybe a little. Sometimes people think clowns are scary because behind our face paint, our expressions can be hard to read. And sometimes... We do surprising things like pull a coin out of Little Lou's ear. Wow. Maybe you should clean in there. And for my next trick, I'm going to make you a balloon animal. What do you want, Loody Lou? An axolotl. An axo-waddle? An axolotl. Oh, an ax that waddles. Let me make one. Chop, chop.

Clowning takes serious skills and serious emotional power. But I do it, we all do it, because we have a special calling. To make people laugh. Ugh, Greg. Not my whoopee cushion again. Ugh. Big doofs riding teeny tiny bicycles, so much more. Elliot, what stood out to you about Gregory's Declaration of Greatness? I really liked all the reoccurring things, you know, like the whoopee cushion at the beginning and the end and the little girl. That was really funny, honestly, having a little goggle.

Amazing. Okay, Elliot likes the callbacks. Everyone take note. Okay, Sandin, it's time for your rebuttal. Tell us why clowns are real jokers. You've got 30 seconds and your time starts now. Okay, Anna, clowns are beloved. Well, how many horror movies have you seen starring clowns? Tons. Magicians? Not so much. Because clowns, they're not just hiding their emotion without a makeup or a little surprising. They kind of fit into the uncanny valley of...

humans. You know, they sort of seem normal, but there's something off about them. I don't know. They give people the heebie-jeebies. They need to cut it out. Also, clowns, yes, they're good at making you laugh, but it's one note, you know? It's the same over and over again. Magicians, we make you gasp. We make you...

wonder. We make you laugh as well. We're like the full fruit section. Clowns are just like one apple. Gregory, do you have anything to say in return? Yes. The reason why we don't look... Why we look that uncanny valley is not because we are not human, but we are more human than human. Clowns encompass the entire range of human emotion. We are up, we are down, we are introspective, we are...

extroverted. We do everything, my friends. We are not afraid of emotions. We are not afraid to share emotions. And those emotions are how we connect with our audience. Okay, it's your turn, Sandin. Show us the razzle-dazzle for Team Magicians. Debatees and gentle judges, prepare to be stunned as I, the great Sandini, make my assistant, Sassy the Cow, disappear. Ready, Sassy?

A la cow sound! What's that? Oh, you don't see Sassy? That's the whole point. You see, I made her disa- Oh, you couldn't see her before she disappeared? Right. Podcast. Um, ah, no worries. I have lots of other amazing illusions. For your ears. Listen as I play you a beat. Do you hear how it's getting faster and faster? But hold on. Why isn't it just a blur of sounds at this point? You can still hear each individual drumbeat. The trick is, it's not actually getting faster. It's an illusion.

Or marvel at this tone that sounds like it's getting higher and higher. But wait a minute, if it actually kept getting higher in pitch, eventually you just wouldn't be able to hear it. Yet you hear it just fine. Ha! Another illusion! You see, that's the thing about magicians. We can make wonder wherever, whenever, with whatever. Sure, some magicians work with huge stage props, making tigers appear out of thin air, or sawing their assistants in half.

Ta-da! Don't worry, sassy's fine. But we can also do astounding feats with small things, like a deck of cards. Picture any card. Is your card the three of hearts? Nailed it. We can even blow your mind with simple everyday objects like rubber bands, pencils, or coins. What's that behind your ear, Olivia? Wow, look, a quarter! Here you go. Just transfer it to my phone, Mom. Who still uses cash?

Plus, magicians make any event better, whether it's a birthday party, a dinner party, even a wedding. You may now put the ring on your beloved's finger. But look! The ring is already on their finger. Magica. A clown at a wedding will be asked to leave the wedding. But wait. Don't you want to see what my flower does first? It shoots seltzer. I bet it shoots seltzer. It shoots seltzer! Please go.

Magicians can work in lots of styles too. Some tell stories or do stunts. Some are mysterious and spooky. Others are goofy and playful. But unlike clowning around, Watching magicians is good for your brain. That's because it teaches you to be skeptical, to question. You see, when you see magic, you know it's a trick, but it still fools you.

Later, you wonder how the performer did that. What tools and techniques did they use? In a world full of fake news stories, AI-generated images and scammers, understanding tricks is more important than ever. Magicians help you practice those skills in a fun, safe way. Clowns help you practice much less useful skills, like pretending to laugh. Yeah, that was great. The whole pie in the face thing. Yeah, well, I got to go to my hair. I mean, my doctor's appointment. Bye. Plus.

Understanding how a trick is done doesn't ruin the magic. I've been taking magic classes for the past year, and even though I know the mechanics behind a few illusions, I'm still amazed when a performer pulls it off seamlessly. You see... Tricks require hand control, timing, and style. It's like juggling. Just because you know how juggling works doesn't make it any less cool to watch.

Wow. I know it's just gravity making the swords fall back after each throw, but it's still so cool to watch him juggle. Swords? These aren't just swords. They're also... Magical doves! What? Magicians are amazing! Maybe the coolest thing about magicians, though... is that they make the impossible seem possible. A good magician will work so fast and do so many amazing things that at some point you just give up trying to figure it all out and you let the wonder sweep over you.

It gets your imagination racing and your blood pumping. And despite yourself, you'll soon start to believe that anything can happen. Even a cow that flies. Behold, sassy with wings. The great Sandini strikes again. Yeah. Oh, my sassy head wings. Are you kidding me?

Yeah, hold on. I got to get her out of the studio. This is taking a lot of space with these wings. What a surprise. Okay, Elliot, what did you think about Sandin's declaration of greatness? Did any moments in his argument really stand out? Yeah, I think probably the best part was the who still uses cash part. Because, I mean, it's kind of true. Really good point. Okay, Gregory, it's time for your rebuttal. Tell us why magic is all smoke and mirrors. You've got 30 seconds.

And go. Okay, so magicians may teach you to be skeptical, but a good clown can also teach you empathy or also provide you an escape from whatever is weighing you down and making your day into a completely... Bummer. Magicians are also selfish. They guard their secrets and they only want you to adore them. And finally, if magicians are being clumsy or messing up on purpose as part of their act, guess what?

They're using clowning. And time. I mean, you want to talk about good at helping you escape. You're going to want a magician with that. They're experts at it, I've heard. And yeah, you know, we guard our secrets. But if you want to learn magic, there are plenty of books, plenty of places to get started. I recently started it and it is my favorite new hobby.

It's so fun to like grab a deck of cards and start flipping them around or practicing sleight of hand. And truth be told, it stops me from picking up my phone constantly. Now I'm fidgeting with magic tricks instead of with my phone. So I actually think learning magic and getting past that. That wall of secrets is great for any young person out there. All right, Elliot.

Give one point to the declaration of greatness you liked best and one point to the rebuttal that won you over. You get to decide what makes a winning argument. Did one team's jokes make you giggle? Was another team's logic to die for? Award your points, but don't tell us. who's getting those points. Have you made your decision? Yes, yes, yes. Excellent. Sandin and Gregory, how are you two feeling so far?

Well, actually, you know, I'm glad that this rivalry is not a real rivalry because I actually want to talk with Sandin some more. I want to learn about Sandin's journey and what drew him to magic. Is this your technique for getting under his skin? Well, you know, I had a...

I had a good clown friend who spent a lot of time. I got to watch him practice sleight of hand a lot. Oh, okay, okay. I didn't know clowns do so much sleight of hand. That's great. I mean, we could practice some techniques here. I bet you I could take your big red nose. I could disappear in my hand and reappear out of your ear. We could be a super team Sandin. Like if you started working with bigger illusions, I could be your assistant.

Gregory, let's blow this this lousy show together. I was going to say, let's see if you feel the same way at the end of this debate. Okay, it's time for a quick break. So grab some pies for throwing and boxes for sawing. And we'll be right back with more Smash Boom Best. You're watching State of Debate, home to rage and rhetoric and awe-inspiring argumentation. Hello, debate friends. Taylor Lincoln here with my favorite debate connoisseur, Todd Douglas. Todd, we're on the air. Oh gosh, so sorry.

This muffin is so tasty it almost made me forget about debate for a second. Todd! I said almost. Phew. I found this muffin as I was hunting down a logical fallacy. Logical fallacy? These policies make me lose my appetite. They don't stand up to scrutiny and make your arguments weaker. Well, I stumbled upon two muffins engaging in the correlation, not causation fallacy. That's when you give a coincidence way too much credit. Muffins? Let's listen in.

Sure is getting hot in this oven. Well, what do you know? A talking muffin. Hey, you're a talking muffin, too. Any other talking muffins in here? Anyone? Guess not. Why can't we talk? And those other muffins over there can't. Oh, look. We both have six raisins on top. The others, one, two, three. They only have three. That must be the reason we're so chatty. Are you sure it's not because of the spell that witch put on only the two of us? What? Preposterous.

It's obviously because of the number of raisins we have on top. Yuck. That talking muffin made the bogus assumption that it was the number of raisins that gave them the gift of gab. It's closed its mind to other, better ideas. That's a... fallacy. Yeah, no wonder these muffins are so delicious. They're enchanted. Do you want one? Please don't eat me. I'll pass. What, is it because they talk?

No, it's because food that uses logical fallacies has no place in this tummy. Fair. Well, that's it for today, Debate Dudes. We'll see you next time on State of Debate. Hey friends, Molly, Sandin, and Mark here with some very big news. Drumroll please. We're hitting the road in search of adventure, fresh air, and you. That's right. We're going to be live at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, April 27th.

Our science-themed live stage show takes the audience on an adventure through the brain, complete with magic tricks, dance moves, out-of-body experiences, mystery sounds, and a game show. Molly, you almost left out the most important part. Yeah, Molly, don't forget the big party. Oh, right.

After the shows, we're throwing a brain-tastic bash. Join us afterward for a VIP party where we'll play games, guess mystery sounds, pose for photos, and give as many high fives as humanly possible. Snag a spot by purchasing a VIP pass when you buy. your show ticket. Oh, that reminds me. I've got to start training. These hands aren't going to high five by themselves. Good idea. And remember, Spots are limited, so grab your tickets today at BrainsOn.org slash events.

The Sold a Story podcast is about how teaching kids to read went wrong. But now we have a story about a school district where things are going very right. Let me make sure my friends are sitting crisscross applesauce. I've never had a child that couldn't read. How did they do it? When I tell some of my other colleagues that may be at other schools that this is what I do, and they would say, are you kidding me?

New episodes of Sold a Story are available now in your podcast app. Brains on Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Smash Boom Best, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore. It's alien laundry day. While I wash my nose mufflers and tummy togas, I'll listen to a new podcast. How about Forever Ago, my favorite history podcast?

Whoa, I was not expecting that to work or for it to sound as good. That's the DJ Dolo technique. DJ Dolo! When I say pizza, you say bagel. Pizza! Signal down! Stay right there, tummy togas. Must find Forever Ago now! Listen to Forever Ago. wherever you get your podcasts.

You're listening to Smash Boom Best. I'm your host, Anna Weigel. And I'm your judge, Elliot. And we love getting debate suggestions from our listeners. Take a listen to this transporting debate idea from Lucy. Hi, my name is Lucy and I'm from New South Wales. Charlie, and my debate idea is road trips versus plane trips. Now that's a debate that'll send you packing. We'll check back in at the end of this episode to see which side Lucy thinks should win. And now, it's back to her debate.

Clowns versus magicians. That's right. And it's time for round two, the micro round. For the micro-around challenge, each team has prepared a creative response to a prompt they received in advance. For Gregory and Sandin, the prompt was, be my roommate. Gregory and Sandin, we all know that finding roommates is really hard. So for this challenge, we asked you to write a...

really compelling roommate ad. Make us want to be your roomie. Gregory went first last time, so Sandin, you're up. Tell us why Houdini would make a good roomie. Wanted. Roommate for a pad in a Victorian mansion on the corner of Siegfried and Roy. It's super spacious, with plenty of storage, if you just stuff things inside my bottomless top hat.

Your room is very private. In fact, it's hidden behind a bookshelf. Just pull the tattered copy of The Wizard of Oz to open the door. Oh, and I hope you're not afraid of heights because the bed levitates from time to time. We don't have a laundry chute, but there are plenty of trap doors you can drop your dirty duds into. Feel free to gaze into the crystal ball in the living room, you know, to see your future, get answers to burning questions, or stream Netflix and YouTube.

I can promise there will always be fresh flowers around. I pull them from my sleeve daily. Rent is $700. I'll pull it from behind your ear on the first of each month. Oh and we'll split utilities and groceries down the middle. Don't worry, I'll be fair. I'm really good at cutting things in half. Just ask my assistant. You'll have to help keep the place tidy, but, you know, feel free to use my magic wand to make dirty dishes and, you know, little messes disappear.

We'll share the main closet, but be warned, I have a lot of capes in there. Must love bunnies and doves. Oh, I'm so glad Sassy made a cameo. You have to live with a giant cow. I mean, I hope that's acceptable. It sounds like Elliot already is used to having cows, right? You live on a farm, right? Yeah, he knows all about it. Gregory, now it's your turn. Show us why a clown would make the perfect roommate. I'm a clown. Yes, a real clown.

I've been around the kind of clowns that you think all clowns are. Loud, messy, slipping on banana peels. I know. But... If you're a responsible adult who's okay with some steamer trunks and a lot of circus posters, I could be the roommate for you. I'm six feet tall with arms like albatross wings, but... If you need to reach something way up, like changing a light bulb or getting a tchotchke off a shelf, I can strap on some stilts. Done. Have other roommates broken your stuff? I won't.

I do not mess with other people's props. And since I can pack a Volkswagen Beetle with 20 full-grown adults, imagine how skilled I am with putting things away. Laundry, put away. Dishes? Put away. Seven pairs of clown shoes? You'll find them where you expect them. Out of the way! Tripping on them is my job, not yours. Need makeup tips?

Lines? Blending? I gotcha. And I don't bring my work home. You won't see me wandering the house in full grease paint and a bright red nose. When I'm clocked out, I'm clocked out. No noisy, messy doves. No fake, mystical secrets. No one asking you to pick a card or trying to saw you in half. Prepare to experience a marvel in adulting roommates. Be one of few people who can say they live with an actual clown. We're smarter than you think. Seriously.

Now, Gregory, if we have a lifelong dream of being sawed in half, is that still on the table for a potential roommate? That's outside my expertise. I would pass that job on to a professional, perhaps like Sandin. Got it. Especially now since I know Sandin. So, you know. contacts now. OK, Elliot, what did you like about Gregory and Sandin's micro rounds? Well, I really liked the part where you're like, oh, yeah, I'm six foot. I thought that was kind of funny. And also Netflix. I mean.

Pretty good. Pretty good. And watching it on a crystal ball. I mean, that's the high def of those alone, you know. I mean, pretty special. Pretty special. Plus, they could see into the future. So you're already watching season five of Stranger Things, you know. It's time to award a point, but don't tell us who you're voting for. Have you made your decision? Yes.

Fantastic. Then it's time for our third round, the super stealthy sneak attack. This is our improvised round where debaters have to respond to a challenge on the spot. Today's sneak attack is called. Workout challenge. Sandin and Gregory, you're going to narrate a funky fresh dance workout video as a clown or a magician. Tell us what moves we're making, what muscles we're flexing, and why we should watch your video.

Debaters, are you ready for your sneak attack? Yes. Okay. Gregory, you're up first. Give us your best clown-tastic workout. All right, everybody. So up on our feet, we're going to march in place. Lift those knees up because those shoes are long. You don't want to trip over those toes. Lift your feet up. That's right. Three. two, one, and breathe. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Let those lips just like letting air out of a balloon. And then just shake your body. Your limbs are noodles. Shake, shake, shake. Oh, yeah. Nice and loose. And. Then fall down. And then get back up. Brush yourself off. One more. Fall down. Get back up. Brush off. And wait, look behind you. What was that? Look back front. Look behind you again. What was that? Back in front of you. And now we're going to cool down. We're going to wave our bodies.

Like we're really sleepy. And he fell asleep. Just snore. as loud as you want. Wake up! You're late for work! Find your shoes! Find your shoes! Find your jacket! Find your jacket! Find your keys! Where are your keys? Where did you put your keys? Oh no, where are your keys? And relax. Yay! Oh, that is exhilarating. That was exciting. You need to do levels, you know. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, Sandan, it is now your turn. Show us how magicians can work up a sweat.

Okay, here we go. We're going to do some magicizing, all right? So first, grab your magic hat here, and we're going to do some stretches by reaching into that hat, and stretch, and reach down into the hat. Keep going, keep going, deeper, deeper. Yep, yep, all over the floor. Oh, keep going past the floor.

Yep. And now pull out a bunny. That's right. And set the bunny down. We're going to hop like the bunny. Hop like the bunny. Shake your little tail. Hop like the bunny. Oh, that's some good cardio right there. Okay. Now I want you to use your magic fingers and wave and poof and wave and poof and look at that.

a tiger appear! And it's really angry. Okay, so run from the tiger. Run from the tiger. That's it. Keep running. Oh, that's good cardio right there. The fear really helps get the blood pumping. I love it. All right. Okay, now everybody, the tiger's gone. Here we go. One, two, three. And...

We're going to do a simple little trick here. Everybody just follow with me and levitate. Yep, that's it. Float in the air and levitate and levitate. Elliot, you're looking great. Great floating and levitate and levitate. Okay, and come back to the ground. All right, didn't that feel good? Whew, you worked up a...

sweat now, just pull a hanky out from your sleeve and keep pulling and keep pulling and keep pulling. Okay. And wipe your forehead. There we go. And it's a dove. All right. Great job, everybody. Yay! Now, Shannon, during the levitation portion, I did remain in my seat. Is that bad? You know, that's, you know, a beginner.

You'll get there. Okay. Thank you so much. All right, Elliot. Think about which side impressed you the most and award your fourth point. But don't tell us who you're giving it to. Have you made your decision? Yes. Perfect. Then it's time for our final round. In this round, each team will have just six words to sum up the glory of their side. All right, Sandin, let's hear your six words for magicians. Sharpen your mind, awaken your wonder.

Amazing. Okay, Gregory, it's your turn. Give us six words for clowns. Great people. Serious fun. No fooling. Okay, Elliot, it's time to award a point for the final six. Have you made your decision? Yes. Are you ready to crown one team? The Smash Boom Best. Yes. Drum roll, please. And the winner is... Magicians. Hocus pocus. Oh, yes. I have egg on my face. So, Elliot, was there a moment that decided things for you?

Probably the sneak attack, actually. It was just so energetic, you know? Yes. I disappeared, like, several cups of coffee before this. That probably helped. I came by it, you know, through a little performance-enhancing cold brew. That definitely helped.

Oh, goodness. It was really easy for me to appreciate my opponent because it's true what Sandin said. Even if you learn how a trick works, that's still... makes it all the more amazing because somebody took the time to figure that out and then they practiced and practiced and they still practice that is amazing it is impressive and i am always floored by that very Same thing. So.

That's what hit me the hardest. Yeah. Gregory was great. I really thought, first of all, whoopee cushion, 10 out of 10. No notes. Couldn't approve that at all. But also you bring such the thing about clowns and that you really exemplify is the heart.

You know, they're all about making you laugh, but there's so much heart to it. And you really I felt the warmth through the microphone thousands of miles away from you. And I still felt the warmth in all your arguments and your presence. And that to me is a sign of a great clown.

And that's it for today's debate battle. Elliot crowned magicians the Smash Boom Best. But what about you? Head to smashboom.org and vote to tell us who you think won. Smash Boom Best is brought to you by Brains On and APM Studios. It's produced by... We had engineering help from Derek Ramirez and Zach Miller with sound design by Our editors are We'll see you next time.

Our executive producer is Beth Perlman, and the APM Studios executives in charge are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Our announcer is Marley Feuerwerker Otto, and we want to give a special thanks to Austin Cross and Taylor Kaufman. Gregory, is there anyone you want to... give a shout out to today? I would like to give a shout out to all of those clowns out there, big and small people who work within makeup, without makeup, and even my friends who straddle the line of magicians.

and Clouds. They dabble in both. And anybody who's just trying to make the world better for even just one person. How about you, Sandin? Any special shout-outs? Yeah, I want to shout out Charlie Mount and my Magic 101 class. Everyone in there, great job. It was so fun. And my friend Matt Bruce, a.k.a. Mattacadabra, who did magic at my 40th birthday. Thanks, dude.

really got me into magic as an adult. And I love it. Do you want to give any special thanks, Elliot? Yeah, I want to do it to my sisters, Emily, Liza, and my brother, Arrow. And of course, the most important. Before we go, let's check in and see who Lucy thinks should win the road trips versus plane trips debate. I think planes are better because they are quicker, better, and sometimes they have movies.

Smash Boom Best is a non-profit public radio program. If you're between the ages of 13 and 18 and you'd like to be a judge, or if you're any age and you have an idea for a knockdown, drag-out debate, head to smashboom.org slash contact and drop us a link. And while you're at it, join SmartyPass for bonus episodes and ad-free versions of all four shows in the Brains On universe. We'll be back with a new Smash Boom Best Debate battle next week. Catch up versus ranch. Bye!

Bye-bye. See ya. Poof, I'm gone. All right, I'm going to stand up for this, but Gregory, don't put a whoopee cushion on my chair. Actually, do. I love a whoopee cushion. Put as many as you want. I might. I might not. The Sold a Story podcast is about how teaching kids to read went wrong. But now we have a story about a school district where things are going very right. Let me make sure my friends are sitting crisscross applesauce. Hands in their lap.

I've never had a child that couldn't read. How did they do it? When I tell some of my other colleagues that may be at other schools that this is what I do, they would say, are you kidding me? New episodes of Sold a Story are available now in your podcast app.

This transcript was generated by Metacast using AI and may contain inaccuracies. Learn more about transcripts.