Baby Geniuses

Hello babies!

We're trying something new today- a 100% Emily and Lisa episode! Emily saw the new film I, Tonya, and tells us about it. On Chunch Chat, Fernando helps Martha Stewart hang her Kugels. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for Vegetable Lamb of Tartary, a legendary zoophyte of Central Asia, once believed to grow sheep as its fruit.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt

Direct download: BG_12-16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

Hello babies!

Quick question - if we’re not supposed to pick our noses, why are our fingers *exactly* the right size to get up in there? What habits are you trying to break? On today’s episode, Emily goes to West Virginia and visits a secret government bunker. Lisa tells us about your butts. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “The Most Unwanted Song,” a novelty song designed to incorporate musical and lyrical elements annoying to most people. Everyone agrees it is much better than the song’s counterpart, The Most Wanted Song. We welcome actor/comedian/SNL alum Sasheer Zamata, who turned 21 while working at Disneyworld. On Expert Hour, we are joined by a small unnamed child who will share some animal facts.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Sasheer Zamata
Nicole Byer

Direct download: baby_geniuses_11-28.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:50am PDT

Hello babies!

Have you seen long bear? The legs are quite long. Get one for a significant other before they sell out! On today’s episode, Lisa discovers a new slime teen and one of Emily’s favorite ASMR artists returns. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Agnodice,” supposedly the first female midwife or physician in ancient Athens. We welcome TV writer Chris Marcil, who has brought in some of his favorite out of print books to show off. On Expert Hour, we are joined by commercial airline pilot and weatherperson Dumb Johnson.

Direct download: baby_geniuses_11-12.mp3
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Hello babies!

Hope you’re having a very spooktacular season! Lisa had a creepy experience recently, but not the fun kind of creepy. Emily preps her Halloween costume. If you’re a long time fan of the show, you’ll recognize it immediately! On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon.” We welcome comedian/actor/writer John Early, who has some thoughts about the 2015 Meryl Streep film Ricki and the Flash. On Expert Hour, we are joined by St. Louis native Mary Merry, who is excited to share her original Super Bowl party appetizer recipes. Quite timely!

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

John Early

Amber Nelson

 

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Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

Hello babies!

What is your word of the year? We have a few fun and totally not sad options for this year. Emily has a weird, creepy experience with some curtains. Curtains aren’t supposed to do that! Lisa gets a terrible DM on Instagram. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “List of premature obituaries.” A premature obituary is an obituary published whose subject is not actually deceased at the time of publication. Who knew not dying could be so fun? We welcome “writer” Jess Dweck who had a particularly bad Airbnb experience. On Expert Hour, we are joined by Ricky Tarps, who gives us some creative pointers on how to eat on a budget. 

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Jess Dweck
Paul Welsh

Direct download: baby_geniuses_10-16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:01am PDT

Lisa is finally getting around to watching The Sopranos in its entirety, so we’re finally getting around to discussing how James Gandolfini is actually kind of hunky. Well, specifically, when he was alive. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Republic of Molossia,” a micronation in the United States founded by Kevin Baugh (b. July 30, 1962) and headquartered at his home near Dayton, Nevada. Road trip, anyone? We welcome musician Patty Schemel, who had an interesting mole related experience recently. On Expert Hour, we are joined by actor and environmentalist Ed Begley Jr, who teaches us a few ways to help us lead greener lives.

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Patty Schemel

James Austin Johnson

Direct download: baby_geniuses_10-1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

Hello babies!

Maybe this is actually our five year anniversary show? I’m a little confused. Anyways, Emily celebrated a different anniversary recently by staying at the Disneyland hotel and accomplishing the impossible: eating the correct amount of edibles. Lisa recently watched The Craft (1996) and got nightmares. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for "Frozen Dead Guy Days," an annual celebration held in the town of Nederland, Colorado, to loosely celebrate the 1994 discovery of the cryonic statecorpse of Bredo Morstoel. We welcome Lindy West, who has the very continental Gilbert's Syndrome. On Expert Hour, we are joined by Hollywood's #1 party boy Chud Cubner. 

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Lindy West
Nate Fernald

Direct download: baby_geniuses_9-18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:17am PDT

Hello babies!

It’s our five year anniversary episode! Won’t you come celebrate with us? The traditional five year anniversary gift is wood. We’re registered at iTunes, please give us a five star review and just leave us your favorite kind of wood (mahogany, birch, etc). No gross jokes please! On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for "Cobra Effect." This is surprisingly not about a Steven Segal movie! We welcome Eliot Glazer, who watches The View more than anyone really should. On Expert Hour, we are joined by fan favorite guest Jacob Jasmine to give us more etiquette tips.  

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Eliot Glazer
Jake Regal

Direct download: baby_geniuses_8-17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

Hello babies!

Emily is doing some shows in Texas this week! If you’re in the general vicinity of Texas make it a point to check her out and let her make you laugh! Is the brown noise real? On that note, when was the last time you laughed so hard you peed your pants? Was it this decade? Have you ever made someone pee their Levi’s? On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Margaret Howe Lovatt,” a volunteer naturalist from Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands, who took part in a NASA-funded research project in which she attempted to teach a dolphin named Peter to understand and mimic human speech. She used some unconventional methods in attempt to achieve her goal. We welcome Demi Adejuyigbe, who tells us the tale of Lincoln’s grave robbers. On Expert Hour, we are joined by brand consultant James Courtneay-Breadwich. 

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Demi Adejuyigbe
Brad Morris

Direct download: baby_geniuses_7-19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:16am PDT

Hello babies!

Have you seen Emily on tour this summer? Go do it if you live near a city! Have you bought a Ban Chunch shirt yet? Go buy one, unless you live somewhere that doesn’t have a post office. In that case, you probably have other things to worry about. On today’s episode, we struggle with impulse control. Also, we answer a difficult question from a listener. On Wiki of the Week, we read the section from the Wikipedia page for “Squatting Position,” titled, “Hunkerin’.” It was so popular it was suggested to world leaders to solve their problems! We welcome Nick Thune, who just got off tour with Emily. He has a really fun early career story about working in reality TV. On Expert Hour, we are joined by fast food refrigeration expert Tony Jacaloni-Stein.

Direct download: baby_geniuses_7-11.mp3
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Hello babies!

First things first: Go buy a Chunch shirt and go see Emily on tour this summer! lisahanawalt.threadless.com and emilyheller.tumblr.com respectively. On today’s episode, Lisa has a frustrating online purchase experience. Also on today’s episode, Emily has a frustrating customer service experience. On Chunch Chat,  Martha has been doing some garden tours and showing off Banchunch. Emily gives Lisa a Chunch themed gift. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Curse of the Colonel,” which refers to an urban legend regarding a reputed curse placed on the Japanese Kansai-based Hanshin Tigers baseball team by deceased KFC founder and mascot Colonel Harland Sanders. We welcome Zach Sherwin, who has a fun KFC connection. On Expert Hour, we are joined by professional paid protestor Winston James.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Zach Sherwin
Sean Keane

 

Direct download: baby_geniuses_7-24_new.mp3
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Hello babies!

Summer is in full effect! Emily overdid it at Disney’s California Adventure and threw up, which ranks as the third most interesting thing to do at Disney's California Adventure. Lisa has a hot take on Josh Gadd and Ed Sheeran. Can they really be as bad as we want them to be? Also on the episode, we discuss the rules of karaoke and which fictional characters (specifically animated) were the most horny-inducing. On Chunch Chat, Lisa made some Banchunch shirts! Go buy one at lisahanawalt.threadless.com . On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Lapland New Forest,” which was a Christmas-themed park that existed for a brief period in December 2008, near Ringwood, Hampshire, UK. The park really captures the disappointment that a lot of people feel during the holidays. We welcome Andrew Ti, who spends a lot of time arguing with creationists and racists online. On Expert Hour, we are joined by television superstar and author Kelsey Grammer.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Andrew Ti
Jon Daly

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Category:general -- posted at: 10:41am PDT

Hello babies!

And a special hello to all you fans of Frasier out there! There are at least three references to our favorite show. See if you can find them all, or if I missed any! THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS: Emily visited The Thing, an Arizona roadside attraction. If you don’t want to know what The Thing is, please fast forward. On Chunch Chat, we not only celebrate the return of Banchunch, but his victory in the Pleasure Class at the Bedford Riding Lanes Association BRLA! We’re just happy to hear that he’s alive. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Balloonfest ’86,” a 1986 event in which the United Way of Cleveland in Ohio set a world record by releasing almost one and a half million balloons. People died. We welcome Jen D’Angelo, who has great taste in media. She is a huge fan of the film “Rat Race” (2001) and TV’s “Friends.” On Expert Hour, we are joined by recent high school grad and movie buff Meghan Murphy, who has great taste in movies and unfortunate taste in older men.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Jen D'Angelo
Erin Whitehead

Direct download: baby_geniuses_6-21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

Hello babies!

On today’s episode, Emily and Lisa answer YOUR questions! That is, if you are one of the people who asked us a question via Twitter the day we recorded this episode. If you aren’t, maybe you can pretend that one of the questions they answer is your own. Use your imagination! On Chunch Chat, there is no new Chunch news. Don’t worry, it’s always darkest before the dawn. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Fartons,” confectionery sweets typical of the Valencian town of Alboraya, Spain. If anyone knows where to get some fartons in the LA area, let us know. They look incredible. We welcome Alison Leiby, who knows a bunch about crows. They are super smart, and super scary. She also talks about an experimental surgery that saved her life. On Expert Hour, we are joined by hyperprolific songwriter Barbara Dingman.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Alison Leiby
Kristen Studard

Direct download: baby_geniuses_5-1_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:36am PDT

Hello babies!

 

Emily has a fantasy about telling a skater off and shares a new piece of fan art inspired jewelry. Lisa is disgusted and intrigued by a stranger/new friend. On Chunch Chat, we are now months into a Chunch drought. We have some fun consolation Martha news. On Wiki of the Week, we read the WIkipedia Page for “Virgin Boy Egg,” a delicacy from Dongyang, China. These eggs are boiled in- you guessed it - boy urine! We welcome Megan Gailey, who is a lifetime fan of the Indianapolis Colts. On Expert Hour, we are joined by Ricky Martin, a freelance self driving car programmer with great practical experience.

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Megan Gailey

Dan Klein

Direct download: baby_geniuses_5-1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

Hello babies!

Emily is on tour, if you live somewhere in the US check if she’s coming to your town soon! Maybe she’ll even autograph a zine for you? Lisa is on hiatus from work so she has taken up weaving. On Chunch Chat, there is still no new Chunch news. We are suffering from the throes of Chunch withdrawal and no basket house or peafowl will feed our need. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Office Assistant,” better known as the infamous Clippy from Microsoft Office. We welcome Amy Aniobi, who shares the beautiful story of her parents’ semi-arranged marriage. I promise it is very sweet and will remind you how love is something you have to work at. On Expert Hour, we are joined by Dirke Foote, a resident of Florida.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Amy Aniobi
Allen Strickland Williams

Direct download: baby_geniuses_4-29_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

G’day, babies!

Emily is back from Australia, and she is very disappointed by a missed connection with a koala. Lisa teaches us about “the danger triangle,” which is an area on your face and not a large part of the Atlantic ocean, as I’d assumed. On Chunch Chat, we are itching for a Chunch fix, as Martha has been fowl-focused as of late. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Dirty Blues,” which “encompasses forms of blues music that deal with socially taboo subjects, including sexual acts and/or references to drug use of some kind.” If you thought Lil Wayne’s music was vulgar, you should check out what Lil Johnson was singing in the 1930’s. We welcome Jen Statsky to discuss trypophobia, the fear of small holes. Don’t Google it if you think you might suffer from it. Pretty creepy images await if you do. On Expert Hour, we are joined by Bey Stevens, an early childhood educator who happens to be in her late childhood.

Direct download: baby_geniuses_4-29.mp3
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Hello babies!

 

Lisa is back from India and is relieved to be back home in calm and empty, relatively traffic-free Los Angeles. Emily’s grandmother recently passed and she recalls some nice stories. On Chunch Chat, we get a drone’s eye view of Martha’s property. Check out the roofs on those basket houses! On Wiki of the Week, we read the WIkipedia page for “Zozobra,” a giant marionette effigy that is built and burned during the annual Fiestas de Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Very proto-Burning Man! We welcome Moshe Kasher (who’s new show premiers on Comedy Central tomorrow night!), to teach us about Burning Man, which he has attended eighteen times. On Expert Hour, we are joined by LIBSTIC representative Spooner Oldham, who clears up some commonly held misconceptions about Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Moshe Kasher

James Austin Johnson

 

Direct download: baby_geniuses_leveled96.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

Hello babies!

 

Special greetings to our babies down under! Emily is performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this week. She will be telling jokes with that American accent she is known for. 

 

This is the first episode we’ve recorded since having our conversation about ADHD recently, and we touch on how our feelings have and haven’t changed since. On Chunch Chat, there is no new Ban Chunch news, but we do learn about Martha Stewart’s new pussy willow grove. We are amused by Martha’s silvery gray catkins. We also learn about her “basket house,” a house that was built to store her basket collection. On WIki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Highgate Vampire,” a media sensation surrounding reports of supposed supernatural activity at Highgate Cemetery in London in the 1970’s. We welcome Siobhan Thompson, who joins us to teach us about Boudica, queen of a first century AD Celtic tribe who defended against the occupying forces of the Romans. On Expert Hour, we are joined by Werner Herzog, who has recently become an expert in 90’s alternative rock lyrics.

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Siobhan Thompson

Josh Fadem

 

Direct download: baby_geniuses_3-11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:57am PDT

Hello babies!

It’s MaxFunDrive 2017- go to Maximumfun.org and help support the Babies and all your other favorite shows! Check out the Baby Geniuses themed gifts! I want a Baby Geniuses butt pin really badly!!

We’re traveling a lot this month which has us wondering - how do you pronounce this dang place? Do you make an effort to do as the locals do? When in Rome, say Roma? Or does “Paris” rhyme with “heiress” to you? Emily finally got around to seeing A Dog’s Purpose. On the subject of gut wrenchingly bad movies, we respond to feedback we received about our La La Land opinions. On Chunch Chat, Martha adds some colorfully named fowl to the coop. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Concealed Shoes,” or shoes that are hidden inside buildings while they are being constructed. We welcome Jackie Kashian, who is not ashamed to tell us about her love of Romance Novels. On Expert Hour, dessert medium Roy Lips joins us to share how he uses sweets to connect us with the deceased.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Jackie Kashian
Paul Welsh

Direct download: baby_geniuses_3-20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:02am PDT

Hello babies!

 

We have a local election tomorrow! Get educated and make a difference at the local level (LA listeners - vote NO on S)! What is Gunther from “Friends” up to? Is he loaded or did he get a raw deal? Fill us in if you know! How much should you give to charity? (Boy) Friend of the show Adam says you should give as much as makes you a little uncomfortable. Maybe get a little uncomfy with us? Speaking of uncomfy, we touch on a very personal topic. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Shrek (Sheep),” a sheep who evaded being shorn for six years. Please do an image search and check this guy out. We welcome Laurie Kilmartin, who joins us to teach about the magic of FasciaBlasting. On Expert Hour, we’re joined by Lunk Dunkleman, who is an expert in navigating the workplace, or in his words, “making boss happy.” 

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Laurie Kilmartin

Jake Regal

 

Direct download: baby_geniuses_3-6.mp3
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Today, we’re doing one of my favorite segments. We answer your questions via Twitter! Tune in to find out what Lisa considers a “gastric burden!” On Chunch Chat, we learn about Martha’s twenty new pigeons. They have really fun names and might taste good. Don’t @ me. On Wiki of the Week, we read the Wikipedia page for “Kappa (Folklore),” a legendary Japanese creature. Stay out of the water if you don’t want to get impregnated with a monster child! Or, don’t worry so much because they’re easily fooled. We welcome David Gborie, who waxes poetic about his favorite album, Madonna’s 1990 greatest hits album The Immaculate Collection. On Expert Hour, trend expert Ned Svending joins us to discuss how 2017 is going to be the trendiest year yet.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
David Gborie
Nick Vatterott

Direct download: baby_geniuses_1-22-17_Second_ep.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:52am PDT

Hello babies!

How are your New Year’s resolutions holding up? Still staying off social media? We hope so! Feeling like you need to do something? We have some tips for people in blue states/districts who don’t feel like they can do anything. On Chunch Chat, WE HAVE NEW BANCHUNCH NEWS! We have a new Banchunch pic! Martha has blessed us with a sighting of our favorite Fell pony. On Wiki of the Week, we read the page for “Telling the Bees,” a traditional European custom in which bees would be told of important events in their keepers’ lives. Bees get really mad when they’re not updated. We welcome Jack Moore, who tells us an INSANE story about his time spent as an Uber/Lyft driver. On Expert Hour, fake news expert Duane Reade joins us to discuss a very contentious and confusing topic.

Emily Heller
Lisa Hanawalt
Jack Moore
Matt McCarthy

Direct download: baby_geniuses_1-22-17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:28am PDT

Hello babies!

 

Welcome to the other side of the looking glass! We’re discussing how our lives have changed post-inauguration. We’re not on social media a lot, so if you’ve tried to slide into our mentions we might have missed you. We’re wasting less time on Twitter, but that time is well spent thinking about how La La Land is so terrible. On Chunch Chat, Martha Stewart has been quite withholding of Chunch news. Alternatively, Lady Gaga was recently spotted riding her Arabian mare Bailey Ann. On Wiki of the Week, we read the page for “Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands,” or The Gay Kingdom of the Coral Sea. I want to go to there! We welcome Matt Braunger, who we talk with about his cousin’s book The Disaster Artist. Required reading for fans of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room. On Expert Hour, millennial funeral curator Hunter Barry joins us to talk about the business of being remembered.

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Matt Braunger

Paul Danke

Direct download: baby_geniuses_1-8-17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:35am PDT

Hello babies! 

 

We did it. We actually did it. We lived through 2016. I know it is hard to believe but you are stronger and better for it. You deserve to pamper yourself. Maybe treat yourself to one of the many wonderful products dedicated to making your bathroom experience (read: pooping) better? You could also consider making or buying a really great sandwich. On Chunch Chat, Martha gives us an update on her Sicilian donkeys Rufus, Clive, and Billy. On Wiki of the Week, we read the page for “Melon heads,” the name given to legendary beings and urban legends in parts of Michigan, Ohio, and Connecticut generally described as small humanoids with bulbous heads, theorized in the 1970s, who occasionally emerge from hiding places to attack people. We welcome Kurt Braunohler, who tells us about Neural Nets, which are networked computers that are now talking to each other and we don’t know what they’re saying. SCARY! Family photographer Violet Beechman joins us to give us an appreciation for the many different types of non traditional families she works with. 

 

Emily Heller

Lisa Hanawalt

Kurt Braunohler

Kristen Studard

Direct download: baby_geniuses_12-18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

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