Moana vs Elsa

Rebecca Shear (0:07)

Are you ready for a brand new adventure? Then check out Lions and Legends, the new kids and family podcast featuring fun, fantastical retellings of myths, legends, folktales, and fables from around the world. I'm Rebecca Shear, former host of Circle Round, and the new host of Lions and Legends, inviting you to follow Lions and Legends on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and come join the pride.

SPEAKER_3 (0:37)

Brains on Universe.

Molly Bloom (0:42)

Smash Boom Best is a totally independent production, from the writers to the debaters to the person adding sound effects, like this one.

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Thank you.

SPEAKER_4 (1:16)

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

Nate (1:21)

The show for people with big opinions.

Molly Bloom (1:25)

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 a royal rivalry between two regal leaders. One of them is the wayfinding chief of Motonui, and the other a former queen who can control the ice and snow. That's right. It's Moana versus Elsa.

Here to rep the mighty Moana is writer, director, and my brother, Mickey Bloom.

Mickey Bloom (1:56)

Hey, everybody, and you're welcome.

Molly Bloom (2:00)

Here to cast a spell for Elsa is writer, funny person, and my sister, Delia Bloom.

Delia Bloom (2:07)

Which Bloom will win and how?

Molly Bloom (2:10)

In addition to a brother-sister debating duo, we have a brother-sister judging team as well. We've got Nate and Julia from San Francisco. They both started debating in middle school. Nate loves theater and creative writing, and Julia is about to head off to college. Hi, Nate and Julia. Hi.

Julia (2:29)

I'm so excited to be here again.

Molly Bloom (2:31)

We are so excited that you're back and you brought your brother this time. So, Julia, you judged a debate for us last season, and since then, you won an ESPY award, and it was presented to you by Alyssa Liu and Billie Jean King. Oh my goodness. What was the award for?

Julia (2:45)

It was for a program I started for teen girl athletes, basically supporting their mental and physical health called Hitting the Wall, because I'm a triathlete myself.

Molly Bloom (2:53)

Whoa, that's amazing. Okay, so tell us what a triathlete does.

Julia (2:57)

Basically, we do three sports in one. So we start in a lake or the ocean swimming, then we get on our bikes, and then finally we start running. It definitely hurts by the end of the races, though.

Molly Bloom (3:08)

I can imagine. And so you started a program to make sure athletes are taking care of their mental health, too. So what does that mean?

Julia (3:16)

So we work with schools and different community centers and clubs to go in and basically teach workshops about taking care of your menstrual health, make sure you're feeling for as long group workouts, and also just talking about your feelings and talking to your coaches.

Molly Bloom (3:29)

That is so cool. So is it a menstrual health program or a mental health program or both?

Julia (3:35)

It's everything, because there's a lot of different aspects to being an athlete.

Molly Bloom (3:38)

That is really cool. And so, Nate, I understand you are also an award winner. You won a national award for your story, Mouse Problem. Congratulations. Can you please tell us what Mouse Problem is about?

Nate (3:50)

So, yeah, it's about a group of intelligent mice terrorizing a cat to take control of the kitchen pantry.

Molly Bloom (3:57)

Oh, what do they do to that poor cat?

Nate (4:00)

A lot of things. They have little toothpick spears. They attach water guns on wheels.

Molly Bloom (4:05)

Oh my gosh. That sounds great, like Tom and Jerry, but in an amazing short story. So you've both done debate.

Tell me if you debate at home.

Julia (4:17)

I think we've been debating ever since Nate could talk.

Nate (4:20)

Yeah, and she's been losing since I could talk.

Molly Bloom (4:25)

So what is your strategy, Nate? You're the winner, apparently, so what is your strategy?

Nate (4:30)

I think, in the end, superior intelligence always triumphs, but if I had to say strategy, I'd say using metaphors. Those can be helpful.