The Imagine Neighborhood

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The Hastabee Sep 12, 2021

Show notes

A COUNT VACULA™ episode.

In this week’s episode, Scotty and Count Vacula are having a great time playing in their pillow fort . . . that is, until the famous blanket-castle architect Jill Koy (Carly Ciarrocchi) shows up. She's convinced that a pillow fort “hastabee” built a certain way—but when she changes everything around, things start to get a little shaky!

So, meet us under the couch cushions for another cozy COUNT VACULA™ chronicle!

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Re-run: Anyone Can Play Sep 05, 2021

Show notes

When Macho Supreme and Count Vacula find a big cardboard box and decide to play Nebula Trek in it, Vac is excited to pretend to be one of his favorite characters from his favorite movie! But every time Vac jumps in, Macho won’t let him play. Because the actors in the Nebula Trek movie are white, Macho thinks that only white people can play them, and Vac is Asian.

When we tell someone they can’t be part of something because of their identity, that’s called exclusion. And excluding people is not only wrong, it makes our world a little smaller!

When we exclude, we put limits on the kinds of fun we can have, the kinds of stories we can tell, and even the friends we can play with. But when we use our imaginations to make room for everyone to play, we can go anywhere, and we can do anything!

This episode is part of our 'Imagine Equity' project. Imagine Equity is supported by a generous grant from The Allstate Foundation; working to empower youth to reach their full potential and build the just, equitable, and healthy world we all deserve. To learn more, visit AllstateFoundation.org.

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No Filter with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Aug 30, 2021

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My guest this week is the very kind and very smart Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. He’s a podcaster like me—but he’s also a professor, and a National Book Award winner, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author of really terrific books like Antiracist Baby and Stamped (For Kids)!

We talked about playing basketball, and cardboard creations, and how when the people you care about are happy, it can make you feel happy too!

But we also talked about serious things, like how there are some rules that aren’t fair to everyone, and that it’s up to us to change those rules! It reminded me of when Big Bot Burger made a rule that said Wastelanders couldn’t eat in their restaurants. That wasn’t fair, so we all joined together to protest, and we got rid of discrimination in our neighborhood! Dr. Kendi says that standing up to discrimination is one of the kindest things we can do, and I think he’s right.

A great thing about meeting different people is that you can learn all sorts of new ways to be kind. Did you do something kind this week? Tell me about it, and then maybe I can do it too! Yay!

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Bonus: Dr Leslie Walker-Harding on Macho's Shot Aug 24, 2021

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In this week's bonus episode Dr Leslie Walker-Harding joins us to discuss ways to help kids who are afraid of getting shots. Dr Walker-Harding is the chair of pediatrics at Seattle Children's hospital and she's had to give, and get, a lot of shots. We'll talk about how she helps kids and grown-ups who are nervous to get a shot, and has some great tips for dealing with those big emotions.

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Macho's Shot Aug 23, 2021

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Going to the doctor can be scary, even if you’re as macho as—Macho Supreme! This week, Scotty needs to get his Merman Measles shot, but Macho is so afraid something bad might happen to Scotty at the doctor’s office that he yoinks Scotty away in the Mach Billion!

Will Scotty get back in time for his appointment with Dr. Alexander Camelguy, or will he . . . (apologies) . . . throw away his shot?

In today’s episode, we’ll learn some things that you can do to help make getting a shot less stressful. Along the way, we’ll hijack a spaceship, meet a very unusual medical professional, and make more Lin-Manuel Miranda musical references than, well, a Lin-Manuel Miranda musical. Stay safe, everyone. See you around the Neighborhood!

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Re-run: Blizzards and Wizards Aug 15, 2021

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Preston Changeo (special guest star Tom Lenk) doesn’t think that wizards and monsters should be friends, and when he learns that Alakazambra and Vac are buddies he gets so upset he accidentally summons a rainbow-sherbet monster! Everyone has to work together to solve the problem, and Preston learns that being pals with all kinds of different identities is not only fun, it helps you learn new skills and be a better friend.

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No Filter with Jad Abumrad Aug 08, 2021

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This week, you’ll meet my new friend Jad Abumrad! We have a lot in common—like, we both make podcasts, although . . . my podcast doesn’t have a Peabody Award, and Jad’s podcasts Radiolab and Dolly Parton’s America do . . . But we both like synthesizers! And we like imitating the sounds of synthesizers! And we like comparing different kinds of synthesizers! We like other things too, though, not just synthesizers.

But synthesizers are really cool!

Jad and I also talked about daydreaming, and making cardboard creations, and how to stop an argument from happening by being kind instead of angry. Jad was so awesome!

Love,

Vac

PS: Does anybody know where I put my synthesizer?

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Cap'n Marion Finds Her Focus Aug 04, 2021

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This week Scotty takes a pirate internSHIP (ahem) aboard the Burn Voyage, and finds out there’s a lot that a Second Mate needs to learn to do—especially the all-important ARRRt of treasure-buryin’. But Cap’n Marion keeps getting distracted, and the gold is just lying on the deck where anyone can steal it!

Will Scotty be able to help Cap’n Marion focus on what’s important before it’s too late, or will she lose her doubloons, her jewels, and even her mint-condition Splash Gordon action figure? Tune in to find out, and stay for a pirate chase, questionable parrots, and a pirate-approved technique that you can use to stay focused whenever your mind starts to wander.

Until next time, see you ARRRound the Neighborhood!

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July 2021 Q & A Jul 25, 2021

Show notes

It's no secret that we love hearing from our listeners, or that we get really excited when you send in questions about things going on in The Imagine Neighborhood™, because then we get to do a Q&A episode!

So, if you’ve ever wondered how Dr. Apocalypso got her name, what species of dinosaur Princess Donnasaurus is, or how many relatives Count Vacula has (lemme tell ya, that family cookout requires a LOT of crumbs!), this week’s episode has all the answers you’re looking for!

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No Filter with Carly Ciarrocchi Jul 18, 2021

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My guest this week is the amazing Carly Ciarrocchi. You might know her from her Emmy-nominated work hosting The Big Fun Crafty Show and Snug's House for Universal Kids, or as host of Sprout's The Sunny Side Up Show, or from Weird But True! on Disney+, or from her terrific podcast HEY STORY GO!

Even though Carly likes to get up early and I'm nocturnal (I just learned that word!), it turns out we both like construction cranes, and bumblebees, and cardboard creations. In fact, Carly has a whole show JUST about making things out of cardboard.

You know, every time I meet someone new, I find out that even though we have differences, we also have a lot of things in common. That’s a really fun thing about making new friends!

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