Frankenstein's Monster vs. Frosty the Snowman

MARLEY: From the Brains behind Brains On, it's Smash Boom, Best.

SPEAKER 1: The show for people with big opinions.

MOLLY BLOOM: Hi, I'm 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 an epic battle between two legendary characters-- Frankenstein's monster versus Frosty the Snowman. We've got theater-maker Shannon Custer here to champion the misunderstood, man-made marvel, Frankenstein's monster.

SHANNON CUSTER: Kids, good, fire bad. Let's monster mashes.

MOLLY BLOOM: And student and actor, and the first ever former Smash Boom Best judge to be a grown up debater, Kate Wexler is here to fight for the frozen fellow, Team Frosty the Snowman.

KATE WEXLER: Thumpety thump-thump. Who's that jolly happy soul? Well, it's Frosty the Snowman.

MOLLY BLOOM: And these debaters aren't just fierce competitors, they are family. In a Smash Boom Best first, this mother-daughter duo is facing off to discover if science or snow will win the day. And here to judge it all is Tiger from Rochester, New York. Tiger loves to play trumpet and percussion, has a deep passion for storytelling, and recently started interning at a planetarium. Hi Tiger!

TIGER: Woot woot! Insert jazz hands here.

MOLLY BLOOM: So, Tiger, I'm guessing since you work at the planetarium, you like space?

TIGER: Oh, yeah, definitely. Astronomy is my sphere of science.

MOLLY BLOOM: So what do you love about space?

TIGER: There's so much speculation, I guess. It's not even remotely close to something that already happens. I know it sounds really cheesy, but the Fermi paradox, which explains why we haven't found any aliens yet, and the Kardashev scale, which is ranking 1 through 5 civilizations. And it's really interesting to think of what could be out there from a different perspective. If we were ants, humans might as well be aliens, you know?

MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah. That's really, really cool. So you've been a judge for us before. Do you have any advice for our debaters today?

TIGER: References. It's all about the references.

MOLLY BLOOM: Will Tiger side with Shannon or Kate? 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, Tiger, will award points to the team that impresses him the most. But he'll keep his decisions top-secret until the end of the debate. Listeners, we want you to judge too. Mark down your points as you listen. At the end of the show, head to our website, smashboom.org, and vote for whichever team you think won. OK, Shannon, Kate, and Tiger, are you ready?

SHANNON CUSTER: Oh, yeah. Ready, ready, ready.

KATE WEXLER: Yes, yes, yes.

TIGER: Yeah.

MOLLY BLOOM: Then it's time for the--

MARLEY: Declaration of Greatness.

MOLLY BLOOM: 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 Shannon, you're up first. Tell us what makes Frankenstein's monster so unforgettable.

SHANNON CUSTER: Being a monster is really hard. People are always yelling at you, chasing you, and trying to show you the error of your ways. It's like being a kid. But monsters have something kids don't have-- monster support groups.

FRANKENSTEIN: Hello. Me Frankenstein's monster, or Frankenstein for short.

GROUP: Hi, Frankenstein.

FRANKENSTEIN: Scientist make me. And now people hate me. What did me ever do to people?

DRACULA: Blah. Hey, it's OK. You're great. You're as strong as Wolfman. Blah.

WOLFMAN: Yeah. Dracula's right. You're super smart, like the Creature from the Black Lagoon. And immortal, like Dracula. In fact, you might be the greatest monster there is.

FRANKENSTEIN: Really?

CREATURE: Yes, Frankenstein. You're the biggest, smartest, strongest monster in the world. But you know what else you are?

FRANKENSTEIN: What?

DRACULA: Blah. You're also the kindest.

FRANKENSTEIN: Oh, you monsters so nice.

SHANNON CUSTER: How sweet. Who knew monsters were so in touch with their feelings? Well, I did. Because I've read the original Frankenstein.

[PAGE FLIPS]

The book came out way back in 1818. It tells the tale of a monster who is persecuted just for existing. It's a touching story. But more than that, it's also the starting point for all science fiction, A.K.A. the greatest genre of all time. It all starts with Mary Shelley. She was on vacation with her husband and a friend, and they had a contest to see who could write the scariest story.

PERCY SHELLEY: OK, Mary, what did you write?

MARY SHELLEY: A most chilling account of a man built out of the limbs of the dead, his decaying flesh awakened through the workings of science and technology. Once alive, he must grapple with his own wretched humanity.

[THUNDER CRACKS]

[FIRE CRACKLING]

PERCY SHELLEY: OK, but does he stand there (SINGING) with a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal?

MARY SHELLEY: He does not.

SHANNON CUSTER: Mary Shelley combined wild fantasy with cutting edge scientific ideas from her time to make a new type of story. Since then, we've enjoyed more than a century of incredible science fiction. Star Wars? Thank Frankenstein. The Avengers? Thank Frankenstein. Transformers? Oh, wait. Let me check my notes. Because psych! Thank Frankenstein.

[WHIMISCAL MUSIC]

Deep down, Frankenstein just wants love. But because he's so different, people hate and fear him. And can't we all relate to feeling different? To feeling misunderstood? As a mom, I gotta say, I can also relate to the creator, Dr. Frankenstein, a well-intentioned person creating a misunderstood monster who's afraid of pitchforks, and, apparently, calling her own mother.

[DRUM STING PLAYS]

Frankenstein is such a good story, we keep creating new versions of it. Did you know there are over 180 Frankenstein-inspired movies? That's way more than the number of Frosty movies.

MOM: For tonight's Frankenstein movie night, I thought we could watch Young Frankenstein, Frankenstein, the College Years, and then The Bride of Frankenstein.

LITTLE GIRL: Hey, Mom, can we watch a Christmas movie?

MOM: Sure. Let's watch the Munsters Scary Little Christmas, featuring Frankenstein.

LITTLE GIRL: Wow. That guy is in a lot of movies.

SHANNON CUSTER: People love Frankenstein's monster because he's innocent, strong, and curious. You can put this guy in any situation and have a great time. There's chills, thrills, and also humanity. The monster feels deeply, and that makes us feel for him. That's why he stood the test of time, and why I love him.

FRANKENSTEIN: You love me?

SHANNON CUSTER: Yeah. You're one of the greats.

FRANKENSTEIN: Thank you, Shannon. Have hug.

[GROWLS]

SHANNON CUSTER: That's-- that's a little tight.

[FRANKENSTEIN GROWLS]

MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] That's a big, good monster hug. We all love Frankenstein. Tiger, what stood out to you about Shannon's Declaration of Greatness?

TIGER: Well, the beginning with the monster support group was the beginning of Wreck-it Ralph. And I absolutely loved it.

MOLLY BLOOM: Any facts you learned about Frankenstein that stood out to you?

TIGER: Yeah. I didn't know Mary Shelley's friend thought Frosty was so scary.

[MOLLY LAUGHS]

MOLLY BLOOM: OK. Kate, it is time for your rebuttal. Tell us why Frankenstein's monster is just an imposter. You've got 30 seconds. And your time starts now.

KATE WEXLER: OK. So one thing that stood out to me was that Frankenstein doesn't give the best hugs. But guess who does? Frosty. And Frankenstein, I know he's misunderstood and whatnot. But he scares people. He's scary. But I know he has a heart. But Frosty, all wholesome, little, he's like candy--

MOLLY BLOOM: And time.

KATE WEXLER: Frankenstein-- OK.

[LAUGHTER]

I had a point.

SHANNON CUSTER: Oh, OK. Yeah, here's the thing. Hugs. Have you tried to hug snow? It's just, it turns into a puddle quicker than you can-- it's just wet. And there's nothing worse than being like, I'm wet, and I'm cold, and I don't know what's happening. Yeah.

MOLLY BLOOM: All right, Kate. It is your turn. Tell us why Frosty the Snowman is a winter wonder.

KATE WEXLER: I could go on and on about how much I love Frosty the Snowman. And I will. But first, I reached out to an expert who knows Frosty better than anyone. She sent me this audio clip.

CRYSTAL: Is this thing on? Are we rolling? Oh. Hello there. It's me, Crystal. As you can see, I am made of snow. I'm from the 1976 animated sequel to Frosty the Snowman, Frosty's Winter Wonderland. Spoiler alert, we get married in the end.

I'm talking quietly because my little sweetie is taking his afternoon snow nap. Frosty worked so hard, bringing joy and magic to children during the day, that he gets tuckered out in the afternoons. Now, I know my Frosty would easily win any debate, especially one against an underachieving, loner monster. But let's not belabor that fact.

There are many other fun points to focus on, like he's not just Frosty the Snowman, but also Frosty the kind man, the good man. He's brave despite facing challenges, like melting in warm weather, or having to stand up to troublemakers like Jack Frost. No matter what, Frosty never gives up. He may be cold in temperature, but he sure is warm in heart.

[FROSTY SNORING]

Oh! That's him. I better bring him his afternoon snack-- a snowflake surprise! It's a bowl of snow with a surprise inside. The surprise is more snow. Ta-ta now.

KATE WEXLER: Wow! What a treat to hear from Mrs. Frosty herself.

["JINGLE BELLS" INSTRUMENTAL]

Frosty the snowman comes from a song written in the 1950s. It's all about a snowman who comes to life when children place a magical hat on his head.

["FROSTY THE SNOWMAN"] Frosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul

With a corncob pipe and a button nose

And his eyes made out of coal

Frosty the snowman

[SONG FADES]

KATE WEXLER: Man, that song slaps. Fun fact, the song never mentions Christmas. Frosty is a secular hero. But he's often associated with the spirit of Christmas because he's all about winter magic, wonder, and optimism. He teaches us to look for magic in everyday moments, such as a beautiful snowflake landing on your sleeve, or snuggling under a warm, fuzzy scarf on a cold day.

He shows us how to be in the moment. He's not worrying about how he's going to melt one day. He's having fun, now. He doesn't panic and get upset when he starts to melt. He just calmly says, I'll be back again someday. What great life lessons!

I'd hate to see what lessons kids are getting from Frankenstein.

GIRL: Hey, mom. School was great today. We read this long, morbid book called Frankenstein. I learned so much. Now I can stitch body parts together, use grunt-based communication and fashion a wonderful set of neck bolts.

[MOTHER SCREAMS]

KATE WEXLER: But I get it. Horror can be fun. Lucky for you, our man Frosty has range. There's a slasher movie called Frosty for you gore fans. If you're in the romcom type, try 2024's hit, Hot Frosty, where a snowman comes to life as a sizzling hunk who teaches a town to believe in love again.

HOT FROSTY: Babe, I may be made of snow. But you're the one making me melt.

KATE WEXLER: But nothing beats the 1969 Frosty cartoon, which I watched with my mom every year. You know, my mom, Shannon the woman I'm debating today, the woman who loves Christmas so much that she goes wild every year with decorations-- Santas, holly, Rudolphs from floor to ceiling. And each year, without fail, she delicately places her beloved Frosty ornament on the tree.

It's thanks to her and Frosty that I still find myself in wide-eyed wonderment every Christmas season. Gosh, mom. I'm trying hard to think if we've ever watched Frankenstein together, or read a page from it, or even talked about it-- at all. It's like that story never mattered to you. Hmm. Interesting. Anyway. Frosty rules.

MOLLY BLOOM: [CHUCKLES] Oh, a heartwarming Declaration of Greatness for a cold, little fella. All right, Tiger, what did you think about Kate's argument? Any moments stand out?

TIGER: [GRUNTING] Sorry. Practicing my grunt-based communication. OK. I'm not going to lie. The we've never even talked about Frankenstein, that's kind of a red flag.

MOLLY BLOOM: OK. Shannon, it's time for your rebuttal. Tell us why Frosty the Snowman is really like, No-man. You've got 30 seconds. And go!

SHANNON CUSTER: I've been protecting you, Kate. If you look at the source material, and Tiger, you wanted references. If you look at this particular song, he's not great with these kids. He makes them chase him. And he holds a broom. And then he takes him into the village and leaves him with a traffic cop.

And the whole time, they know that any minute, he's just going to melt. What a horrible day. Any time there's sun or warmth, he's not going to be around. Can't do anything indoors. He is a dark, cold creature that is going to eventually melt.

MOLLY BLOOM: And time.

SHANNON CUSTER: He's also a smoker.

[LOUD LAUGHTER]

MOLLY BLOOM: All right, Tiger. It is time to award some points. Please give one point to the Declaration of Greatness that 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 impeccable? Award your points. But don't tell us who they're going to.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

Have you made your decision?

TIGER: I have.

MOLLY BLOOM: Excellent. Kate and Shannon, how are you two feeling so far?

SHANNON CUSTER: I'm all right. I'm hanging in there. You know what? I'm feeling pretty good.

MOLLY BLOOM: OK, good.

KATE WEXLER: Me, too. I'm feeling pretty good. Yeah.

[LAUGHTER]

SHANNON CUSTER: Yeah. Are you?

KATE WEXLER: I feel great. I feel great.

MOLLY BLOOM: It is time for a quick break. Polish up your neck bolts and put on your top hat.

TIGER: We'll be right back with more Smash Boom Best.

MARLEY: You're listening to State of Debate, home to ragin' rhetoric and awe-inspiring argumentation.

TODD DOUGLAS: Welcome, welcome, welcome. It's me. Debate, dude with a good attitude, Todd Douglas.

TAYLOR LINCOLN: And I'm Taylor Lincoln, the extinguisher of fallacies, the exterminator of bad arguments, (DRAMATICALLY) the destroyer of worlds.

TODD DOUGLAS: Taylor? You OK?

TAYLOR LINCOLN: Sure am. Logical fallacies just really get under my skin.

TODD DOUGLAS: Totally they're statements that make your arguments weaker. And no one wants that. Speaking of, I recently spotted a red herring fallacy in the wild.

TAYLOR LINCOLN: Ooh, red herring fallacies make me so mad. That's when someone doesn't have any good points to make. So they change the topic to something easier to argue about. Check out these two grown adults arguing over whether or not to buy snacks at the big baseball game.

[BASEBALL ORGAN THEME]

[BASEBALL BAT HITS BALL]

[CROWD CHEERS]

GEARALD: It's so fun to finally see a game in person, right Jerome? The energy is electric.

JEROME: Oh, you said it, Gerald. And don't forget about the delicious, tasty, yummarific stadium snacks.

GEARALD: Not sure I'd call them yummariffic. I think I'd call them overpriced.

JEROME: No way. The price is totally worth it. A hot dog tastes so much better at the stadium.

GEARALD: No way is it worth it. I can't justify paying $18 for a hot dog. That's why

[ZIP]

I packed my own snacks.

JEROME: You snuck in a giant sandwich in your pocket? That's going to taste like old pennies and lint. Your sandwich is yucky. That's why you need to buy stadium snacks.

GEARALD: I think storing it in a pocket, gives it more flavor. Besides, I thought we were arguing whether stadium food is worth it, not whether my snacks are tasty or not.

[BUZZER]

TAYLOR LINCOLN: Wowzer. Jerome decided he had no good way to argue stadium food is worth it. So he changed the subject.

TODD DOUGLAS: The red paint is for your faces to show your team colors, not for the herring you snuck in your pocket.

TAYLOR LINCOLN: Excuse me?

TODD DOUGLAS: That was a clumsy way of saying red Herring. Fallacies are not a good idea.

TAYLOR LINCOLN: Oh, Todd, you're not clumsy. You have a quiet elegance and grace.

TODD DOUGLAS: Aww. Thanks, Taylor. And that's all we have time for on this week's

TODD AND TAYLOR: State of Debate.

[OUTRO MUSIC]

MARLEY: 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.

[ROCKET BLAST OFF]

ALIEN: Its Alien Exercise Hour. Hi ya! Hoo ha! While I stretch my snootles, and bounce on my trampoliney, I'll listen to a new podcast. I'm going to try Brains On, the best science podcast ever.

[COMPUTER BEEPS AND BOOPS]

GIRL: It's starting, yay.

[ENERGETIC MUSIC]

EDEN: Hello, and welcome to Pop Planet, the only show that gets you up close and personal with space. I'm your host, star Eden--

ALIEN: Zoot! Come back here, podcast. Must listen to Brains On, now!

ANNOUNCER: Listen to Brains On, wherever you get your podcasts.

JOY DOLO: Hey, debate heads. It's Joy Dolo, your Smash Boom bestie and host of Forever Ago, a history podcast for the whole family. We're working on a Forever Ago episode all about school uniforms, and we want to hear from you.

To school uniform or to not school uniform? That is the debate. We want to hear your awesome arguments for either side. Record yourself telling us your name, age, and whether your team school uniform, or no school uniform, and why. Then, send it to us at Smashboombest.org/contact. Can't wait to hear from you.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

ANNOUNCER 2: Smash Boom Best.

MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Smash Boom Best. I'm your host, Molly Bloom.

TIGER: And I'm your judge, Tiger.

MOLLY BLOOM: And we love getting debate suggestions from our listeners. Take a listen to this tasty debate idea from Liza.

LIZA: Hi, I'm Liza from Plymouth, Minnesota. My debate question is peanut butter versus almond butter.

TIGER: Now, that's not your average debate.

MOLLY BLOOM: We'll check back in at the end of this episode to see which side Liza thinks should win.

TIGER: And now it's back to our debate. Frankenstein's monster versus Frosty the Snowman.

MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. And it's time for round two, the

MARLEY: Micro Round.

MOLLY BLOOM: For the Micro Round challenge, each team has prepared a creative response to a prompt they received in advance. Shannon and Kate, your prompt was babysitter. We asked you to pretend your side was interviewing for a babysitting job, and to tell the parents why you're the perfect candidate to care for their kids.

Shannon went first last time. So, Kate, you're up. Tell us why Frosty would make such a great babysitter.

[CHRISTMAS MUSIC]

FROSTY: Well, hi there, busy parents. Frosty here. Picture this. Your alarm goes off. You wake up to a big, stressful workday. You roll out of bed and notice there's a blizzard outside. That's when you get the text.

[TEXT CHIME]

Oh, icicles. School's canceled. It's a snow day.

LITTLE GIRL: Yay!

MOM: Oh, no.

FROSTY: Do you call into your work and tell them that you can't come in. Are you in a flurry trying to find the last minute babysitter? Well, look, no further. I know how to make snow days a blast for your kids, and worry-free for you.

There's no business like snow business. And boy, do I know snow business. I'm a jolly, happy babysitter who loves sledding, playing freeze tag, making snow angels, snow forts, and snow cones. Oh boy, do I make a good snow cone.

And just because school's canceled, doesn't mean we put the freeze on learning. I'll show you kids how to make the perfect snowball, how to skate, how to construct the coolest snow sculptures you'll ever see. Plus, I'll teach your kids about climate change. Global warming is a topic I care deeply about, given my tendency to melt in warm weather. Life without snow is unbrrrable.

And most importantly, I'm very mindful of making sure everyone is safe and warm while playing in the snow. You'll never see me without my signature hat and scarf. So the next time there's a snow day, call good old Frosty for magical, stress-free fun for all.

MOLLY BLOOM: Wow. Frosty's going to educate my kids on the many, many snow days they have here in Minnesota. Very useful. All right, Shannon now it's your turn. Why would Frankenstein's monster make the perfect caregiver?

[BELL TOLLS]

FRANKENSTEIN: Need babysitting job. [GRUNTS] Need money for new, shiny neck bolts. [GRUNTS] Turn on computer.

[COMPUTER CHIMES]

[GRUNTS]

Name. Me monster Franken-- delete. Delete. Delete. Frank. Frank. Frank. Mons-- [GRUNTS] Frank Mons. Here to babysit human kids while you do work or fancy dinner night. Competitive rates. [GRUNTS]

Skills-- 8 feet tall. [GRUNTS] Pick a big things. No fire, please. Can do piggyback rides with all children in neighborhood and pets at same time. [GRUNTS] Can blow up tires on bike with face.

Make good Mac and cheese. [GRUNTS] Skilled at stitching up cuts. Work experience. [GRUNTS] Been in over 100 movies. Pushed snow off sidewalk with hands. One time helped peasants. [GRUNTS] Phone number. Zero. Zero.

Email, monster1818@aol.com. [GRUNTS] And save. Save. [GRUNTS] Print, then get job. Print. No paper. Need paper.

[SMASH]

Whoops. Clean up mess, then get job. [GRUNTS]

MOLLY BLOOM: [LAUGHS] Wow. I really felt Frankenstein's existential pain at having to go through that process. Tiger, what stood out to you about Shannon and Kate's Micro Rounds?

TIGER: Nah. How was Frank typing with those giant fingers?

SHANNON CUSTER: Giant keyboard, Tiger. Giant keyboard.

TIGER: One thing I noticed is that Frosty can teach the kids. But can Frank?

MOLLY BLOOM: OK. It is time to award a point, Tiger. The criteria are totally subjective and totally up to you.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

Have you made your decision?

TIGER: I have.

MOLLY BLOOM: 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 theme song swap.

We want you to improvise a new theme song for your side, but in the style and genre of the other side. So that means the Frosty song might be kind of spooky. And the Frankenstein song might be kind of jolly. Does that make sense, debaters?

KATE WEXLER: Oh yeah.

MOLLY BLOOM: Yes, wonderful. All right. We're going to start with Shannon. Let's hear your bouncy tune for Frankenstein's monster.

SHANNON CUSTER: OK.

(SINGING) Frank a monster

He will never, never melt

He will have some fun and make Mac and cheese.

Thumpity thump-thump, thumpity thump-thump

He'll never leave you with a traffic cop.

[ROARING LAUGHTER]

MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, excellent work. A new theme song that's going to be running through all of our heads, all the time. All right, Kate. It is your turn. Let's hear your morose melody for Frosty the Snowman.

KATE WEXLER: All right, I got it.

(SINGING) Frosty

Frosty the snowman

He's a jolly, happy soul that loves kids

He likes to go sledding

And has a bunny friend

Frosty the Snowman.

(SPEAKING) I tried with Thriller.

MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, that was thriller.

KATE WEXLER: I don't know what happened.

[LAUGHTER]

I think I left my body a little bit during that.

MOLLY BLOOM: I can picture Frosty doing the Thriller dance, though, in my head now. So that's good.

SHANNON CUSTER: I can.

KATE WEXLER: Because he's more in the winter spirit. He's not in the Halloween land. So maybe he listens to a little bit of Thriller. But he doesn't know it fully.

MOLLY BLOOM: Fair. Very fair.

KATE WEXLER: He tries his best.

MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah. We're all doing the best we can, including Frosty. OK, Tiger, it is time to award a point for this wonderful theme song swap. Think about which side impressed you the most, and award your fourth point. But don't tell us who it's going to.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

Have you made your decision?

TIGER: I have.

MOLLY BLOOM: Perfect. Then it's time for our final round.

MARLEY: The Final Six.

MOLLY BLOOM: In this round, each team will have just six words to sum up the glory of their side. Kate, let's hear your six words for the fantastical Frosty.

KATE WEXLER: We all have magic within us.

MOLLY BLOOM: Very nice.

SHANNON CUSTER: Wow.

MOLLY BLOOM: Shannon, it's your turn. Give us six words for the formidable Frankenstein's monster.

SHANNON CUSTER: Strong, tall friend always has back.

MOLLY BLOOM: Very nice. Ooh, this is tough, Tiger. You need to award a final point for this Final Six.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

Have you made your decision?

TIGER: Uh, this is intense.

MOLLY BLOOM: It's hard. It's tough. But I know you can do it. You are an honest, unbiased, fair judge.

TIGER: I have made my decision.

MOLLY BLOOM: Are you ready to crown one team the Smash Boom Best?

TIGER: Yeah. Yeah, I am.

MOLLY BLOOM: OK drumroll, please. And the winner is--

TIGER: Frankenstein's monster.

SHANNON CUSTER: Ho! Oh, yeah!

KATE WEXLER: Oh, no.

SHANNON CUSTER: Yes! (SINGING) This is Halloween.

MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah!

SHANNON CUSTER: I'm so sorry, honey. How are you feeling, Kate? Are you OK?

KATE WEXLER: No, I'm feeling good.

SHANNON CUSTER: You're still magical.

KATE WEXLER: Aww.

[LAUGHTER]

Thanks.

MOLLY BLOOM: Aww. Now, Tiger, what was the moment that really decided it? Or what was your favorite part of the debate?

TIGER: Frosty was making the children break the law? And he's a smoker.

MOLLY BLOOM: All right. All right. Excellent points.

KATE WEXLER: I guess, yeah. Different times, different times.

MOLLY BLOOM: Different times.

TIGER: They were very different times.

SHANNON CUSTER: OK. Hi, Kate. Kate, I appreciated--

KATE WEXLER: Hi.

SHANNON CUSTER: I appreciated your emphasis on magic, and climate change, and snow days. I'm a big fan of all those things. I'm not a fan of climate change. But I'm a fan of educating about climate change. And I love magic. And so I really appreciated your whimsical take in this debate.

KATE WEXLER: Mom, I loved your Micro Round. It was so funny. And I could just see him in my mind, trying to type all of that out. And I loved that. I haven't thought about Frankenstein in a while. And you know what? I feel like he's a friend.

SHANNON CUSTER: Oh, that's good.

KATE WEXLER: Yeah.

SHANNON CUSTER: We'll watch all the movies. It'll take a couple of years. But we will watch all the movies.

KATE WEXLER: Yay!

MOLLY BLOOM: And that's it for today's debate. Tiger crowned Frankenstein's monster the Smash Boom Best. But what about you?

TIGER: Head to Smashboom.org and vote to tell us who you think won.

MOLLY BLOOM: Smash Boom Best is brought to you by Brains On and APM Studios, is produced by me, Molly Bloom,

ANNA: Anna Weggel,

MOLLY BLOOM: And

ARON: Aron Woldeslassie.

MOLLY BLOOM: We had engineering help from Alec Simpson, Johnny Edward, Demanie Warren, and Coleman Conelly, with sound design by--

ANNA: Anna Weggel.

MOLLY BLOOM: Our editors are--

SHAHLA: Shahla Farzan.

MOLLY BLOOM: And--

SANDEN: Sanden Totten.

MOLLY BLOOM: With fact checking by--

REBECCA: Rebecca Ram.

MOLLY BLOOM: And we had production help from the rest of the Brains On universe team.

ROSIE: Rosie duPont

RACHEL: Rachel Brees

MARLEY: Anna Goldfield, Nico Gonzalez Wisler

RUBY: Ruby Guthrie

LAUREN: Lauren Humpert

JOSHUA: Joshua Raye

MARC: Marc Sanchez

MOLLY BLOOM: And

CHARLOTTE: Charlotte Traver.

MOLLY BLOOM: Our executive producer is Beth Pearlman. 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, Taylor Kauffman, Luna, and Coco.

Shannon, is there anyone you'd like to give a shout out to today?

SHANNON CUSTER: Oh my gosh. Kate. Kate, all the way in Chicago. Come home soon.

MOLLY BLOOM: Aww. And how about you, Kate? Any special shout outs?

KATE WEXLER: I'll give a shout out to my mom, I guess.

[LAUGHTER]

But I also want to give a shout out to our dog, King. Because he is also going to be there for our movie nights watching Frankenstein and Frosty. And thank you to Smash Boom Best, 100%.

MOLLY BLOOM: This is very special for us. Because Kate has been a part of Brains On universe since she was a little girl. And now she's a grown up. And she is a debater on Smash Boom Best. Incredible. Tiger, do you want to give any special thanks or shout outs?

TIGER: Yeah. I want to thank my family, mostly my mom because she drove me here, and also everyone here at Smash Boom Best.

MOLLY BLOOM: All right, I love it. Before we go, let's check in and see who Liza thinks should win the peanut butter versus almond butter debate.

LIZA: I think peanut butter would win because it is more common.

TIGER: Smash Boom Best is a non-profit public radio program.

MOLLY BLOOM: 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 knock-down, drag-out debate, head to smashboom.org/contact and drop us a line. And make sure to subscribe to Brains On Universe on YouTube, where you can watch animated versions of some of your favorite episodes.

We'll be back with a new Smash Best debate battle next week-- accordions versus bagpipes. Bye.

KATE WEXLER: See ya.

SHANNON CUSTER: Bye bye.

TIGER: Generic goodbye statement.

[THEME MUSIC]

You're the Smash Boom Best

Put you through the test

Oh, you're the Smash Boom Best

Ooh, better than the rest.

It's a Smash Boom Best

It's a Smash Boom Best.

SHANNON CUSTER: You guys.

KATE WEXLER: I'm sorry.

SHANNON CUSTER: My mic is working perfectly. So I'm just waiting for my daughter to pull it together.

[GIGGLES]

KATE WEXLER: I'm sorry, Mom.

[CHUCKLES]