transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:00] From your friends at PBS Kids.

Speaker 2:
[00:31] Kids! Testing, testing, one, two, three. Okay, sounds good. Hi there, Arthur Read here with another episode of The Arthur Podcast. Let me tell you about the time I was almost famous. Okay, listen to this. Do you know this tune? Yeah, London Bridge is Falling Down. Pretty easy. Now, see if you can name this one. If you don't recognize it, it's because it's made up. The person who wrote it is...

Speaker 1:
[01:07] Crabby in the morning, crabby at night.

Speaker 2:
[01:10] DW, stop, I'm recording.

Speaker 1:
[01:11] Hey, Arthur, are you doing our podcast without me?

Speaker 2:
[01:15] It's not our podcast, DW. It's my podcast. And what are you doing with those kitchen tongs?

Speaker 1:
[01:21] I'm a yodeling crab. The tongs are my pinchers. Pinchy, pinchy, body bite bite.

Speaker 2:
[01:28] DW, can you please be quiet?

Speaker 1:
[01:30] Does this story have been it?

Speaker 2:
[01:32] Yes, it does, actually.

Speaker 1:
[01:34] Then I'm definitely helping you. Because I'm the director.

Speaker 2:
[01:39] You are not the director, and you can only help me if you stop yodeling.

Speaker 1:
[01:45] Stopped. The Arthur Podcast, with a lot of DW in it. Take one, action!

Speaker 2:
[01:53] My story about becoming famous started on a cold winter morning when Dad was experimenting with a new breakfast recipe.

Speaker 3:
[02:08] Siree, on a chilly winter morning like this, you kids need a hot cereal that's really gonna stick to your ribs. Try my new granola stew. Ta-da!

Speaker 2:
[02:18] Dad, that looks gross!

Speaker 3:
[02:20] How about a nice healthy portion for you? Oh dear, it seems stuck. It's very thick and hardy. But I can't get it out of the pot.

Speaker 2:
[02:32] I don't think that's gonna work.

Speaker 3:
[02:33] The cold milk must have reacted with the molasses.

Speaker 2:
[02:38] Yuck!

Speaker 3:
[02:40] There's more granola stew on the wall than in your bowl.

Speaker 2:
[02:43] It's okay, Dad. Cold cereal is good with me. Crunch cereal coming right up.

Speaker 3:
[02:48] All right, all right. But it's not gonna be as good as my granola stew when I get the recipe right.

Speaker 2:
[02:55] Oh!

Speaker 1:
[02:55] Wow! An envelope just fell into your bowl, Arthur. I thought letters only came in the mail.

Speaker 2:
[03:01] It's called Crunch cereal! Announcing the Crunch Cereal Jingle Contest. Send us your song about crunch, and you could win a year's supply of crunch cereal.

Speaker 3:
[03:12] That's a prize?

Speaker 2:
[03:14] And your jingle will become the new crunch cereal commercial heard all over the world, on the internet, radio and TV. Cool! Um, at the bottom it says...

Speaker 3:
[03:30] 20 boxes? That is a lot of cereal.

Speaker 2:
[03:34] Here's some for you, DW.

Speaker 4:
[03:35] Keep eating.

Speaker 2:
[03:36] We've got 19 boxes to go. Now let's see, what are good lyrics for a song about crunch cereal?

Speaker 5:
[03:45] Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Speaker 1:
[03:48] Maybe you should try to think of a word that rhymes with crunch, besides crunch.

Speaker 2:
[03:53] I'm waiting for an idea.

Speaker 1:
[03:56] That sort of rhymes with crunch.

Speaker 2:
[03:58] You can't just think of things that rhyme, DW. A jingle has to be the perfect combination of words with the perfect melody. You're too young to understand great art.

Speaker 1:
[04:08] Hey, how about lunch?

Speaker 3:
[04:11] As in, don't forget your lunch. It's time to get to school kids.

Speaker 2:
[04:15] Let's finish up. Oh good, the music room is empty. I can use the school piano to work on my jingle. Nah, too sad.

Speaker 1:
[04:37] Crunchity, crunchity, crunch.

Speaker 2:
[04:39] Ah, too silly.

Speaker 5:
[04:40] Crunch.

Speaker 2:
[04:45] I guess it will do.

Speaker 6:
[04:47] Arthur.

Speaker 2:
[04:47] Buster, what is it?

Speaker 6:
[04:49] Snowball fight. The fourth graders captured Francine. They're gonna give her the powdered doughnut treatment.

Speaker 2:
[04:54] What's the powdered doughnut treatment?

Speaker 6:
[04:56] I don't know, but it can't be good. We gotta help her.

Speaker 2:
[05:00] Coming, Buster.

Speaker 6:
[05:15] This way.

Speaker 2:
[05:17] So where's Francine?

Speaker 6:
[05:19] Let's look over here.

Speaker 2:
[05:20] Ew, get down behind this giant snowball. It's big enough for both of us to hide.

Speaker 6:
[05:26] So, how's that jingle coming, Arthur?

Speaker 2:
[05:28] I've pretty much finished the words. It goes, eat, crunch.

Speaker 6:
[05:33] I like it.

Speaker 2:
[05:34] But no matter how hard I try, I can't think of a tune.

Speaker 6:
[05:37] You know what you need?

Speaker 2:
[05:38] A band.

Speaker 6:
[05:39] If you had more musicians, it'd be easy to come up with a tune.

Speaker 2:
[05:43] Maybe you're right, Buster. All I need to do is...

Speaker 6:
[05:46] Arthur, is this snowball shaking?

Speaker 2:
[05:49] Yeah. It's like it's hatching. Francine! What were you doing in there?

Speaker 6:
[05:58] Because you two didn't get here soon enough, I got rolled into a snowball. Oh, so that's what the powder doughnut treatment is.

Speaker 2:
[06:07] Hey, Francine, want to be the drummer in my band?

Speaker 6:
[06:09] A band?

Speaker 2:
[06:11] Sure.

Speaker 7:
[06:11] And I didn't even have to try out.

Speaker 2:
[06:13] Oh, great idea, Francine. I should have tryouts to get more people in my band. I'll do it tomorrow after school.

Speaker 6:
[06:20] I'd like it. Now, let's get out of here before the fourth graders come back and we all get the powder doughnut treatment. Come on, you two.

Speaker 2:
[07:08] Everyone. Thanks for coming to the Crunch Bunch Band Practice. Okay, we've got Francine on drums, Binky on clarinet, Muffin the Brain on strings, Sue Ellen on horns, and Grandma Thora on the spoons. Oh yeah, Ellen providing the snacks. Eat up a crunch cereal, I've got seven boxes to go. Now, for the jingle. I want to start off with a bang, so I think everyone should play a really loud note, and then I'll-

Speaker 7:
[07:44] What if we don't do that? I had an idea that maybe we could-

Speaker 2:
[07:47] Does someone have a question? I didn't see anybody raise their hand.

Speaker 6:
[07:52] My hand is up now.

Speaker 2:
[07:54] Yes, Francine?

Speaker 7:
[07:55] I just thought that it might be nice to start off with a drum roll.

Speaker 5:
[07:58] Hmm, nope.

Speaker 7:
[08:02] Well, I like the drum roll. Thanks, Muffy. And after the drum roll, then Brayden and I can come in with the strings.

Speaker 2:
[08:19] I got the entry form. I've eaten 13 boxes of crunch, and this is my jingle, so we're going to play it my way. Are there any questions? Good. Now, everyone play a really big bang in one, two, three.

Speaker 5:
[09:00] Hey, wait!

Speaker 7:
[09:00] Where are you all going? Maybe we should come back when you have an actual tune for us to play.

Speaker 1:
[09:02] So we can make some real music.

Speaker 5:
[09:03] Wait, don't go!

Speaker 1:
[09:03] We'll come up with a tune together.

Speaker 6:
[09:03] That's what you're here for.

Speaker 7:
[09:03] But how can we help you if you won't take any of our suggestions?

Speaker 6:
[09:05] You know, I bet a kid won't win the contest anyway. They never do.

Speaker 7:
[09:09] Maybe you should give it a rest for a while.

Speaker 2:
[09:11] Did Mozart give it a rest? Did the guy who wrote Ring Around a Rosie give it a rest? I don't think so, Francine. Fine, leave. I've got work to do. I can't believe this. No resting, I have a song to write.

Speaker 3:
[09:27] Back already, Arthur? Band practice over?

Speaker 2:
[09:30] Definitely over. I don't need a band, I just need my piano.

Speaker 3:
[09:36] Eat, crunch.

Speaker 2:
[09:40] I'm never going to come up with anything. Wait, what's that humming? That's a good melody. It's coming from upstairs. From DW's room.

Speaker 1:
[09:59] Oh, I have a hunch, breakfast, dinner and lunch would be so fun to munch if I had it with my friend Nadine.

Speaker 2:
[10:21] I gotta tell somebody! Buster!

Speaker 6:
[10:28] I've got it!

Speaker 2:
[10:29] I've got the jingle! Listen to this!

Speaker 6:
[10:40] That was fantastic! How did you come up with it?

Speaker 2:
[10:43] I was sitting in the living room and I heard this tune... in my head. And then the words just came to me.

Speaker 6:
[10:53] Wow! I guess that's how a great jingle is born. Nothing, nothing, and then poof! Out of nowhere, something beautiful.

Speaker 2:
[11:04] Just like that. Well, I gotta go write this down and get it in the mail. The deadline's tomorrow.

Speaker 6:
[11:10] Good luck, Arthur.

Speaker 2:
[11:12] Yeah. Bye, Buster. Okay, let's see. Crunch cereal jingle contest entry by Arthur Read. Oh, or contest entry by DW. But I'm the one who wanted to enter the contest, not DW. I've eaten nine boxes of cereal. So the jingle contest entry by Arthur Read, right?

Speaker 1:
[11:42] Cut. Arthur, you've totally messed up my Nadine song. Is this story over soon? I'm hungry.

Speaker 2:
[11:50] Yeah, but DW.

Speaker 1:
[11:52] You should let me perform my songs on your podcast. My songs are awesome.

Speaker 2:
[11:57] Well, maybe, but I gotta tell you.

Speaker 1:
[11:58] You entered the contest a long time ago, and you haven't heard anything, so you didn't win.

Speaker 2:
[12:05] Yeah, that's right, but DW, I wanna tell you.

Speaker 1:
[12:09] I'm star-ving. Okay, podcast people, DW, the director, will perform her songs.

Speaker 3:
[12:25] So I retried my granola stew recipe, and let's just say that it couldn't beat good old oatmeal. So here you go, hot tunes on the radio and hot oatmeal in your bowls. I made it with blueberries. You're gonna love it. Spoonful for you, DW.

Speaker 1:
[12:43] Thank you.

Speaker 3:
[12:44] And for you, Arthur.

Speaker 2:
[12:46] Thank you.

Speaker 4:
[12:47] I have a hunch breakfast, dinner and lunch would be so much fun to munch if I had it with crunch, crunch cereal.

Speaker 2:
[12:55] The song! DW, I can explain everything. I was going to tell you, but I was convinced you'd lose.

Speaker 1:
[13:03] What are you talking about?

Speaker 3:
[13:05] Who could that be?

Speaker 7:
[13:10] Is this the Read residence?

Speaker 3:
[13:12] Yes.

Speaker 7:
[13:15] On behalf of the Crunch Cereal Company, I am happy to present you with a year's supply of crunch cereal. My guys will leave it right here on the lawn. Dump it, boys!

Speaker 3:
[13:29] There are hundreds and hundreds of boxes of cereal in our yard.

Speaker 7:
[13:34] And a certificate proclaiming the winner of the Crunch Cereal Jingle Contest, Ms. DW. Read.

Speaker 2:
[13:42] I was trying to tell you. I sent your song in.

Speaker 1:
[13:45] You sent that crummy old song in? I have much better songs than that.

Speaker 5:
[13:51] But, DW you won!

Speaker 1:
[13:52] Woo-hoo! I won all that Crunch Cereals for me! Well, for us. I'm going to share my cereal with my big brother, Arthur.

Speaker 2:
[14:04] Thanks, DW.

Speaker 3:
[14:09] What are we going to do with all that cereal?

Speaker 2:
[14:13] Sorry, podcast listeners. In all the celebration, I accidentally turned off the microphone.

Speaker 1:
[14:18] That's why you should let me hold it, Arthur.

Speaker 2:
[14:20] You were jumping just like me, DW. Anyway, it turns out that I'm not a famous songwriter. But my sister is. And I bet some of you are too. I'm checking my inbox for your Crunch cereal jingles.

Speaker 7:
[14:35] Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, today crunch, crunch. Crunching a cereal with crunch. Crunch, crunch, today crunch, crunch, crunch.

Speaker 1:
[14:59] Pretty good. Arthur, you promised that I could sing one of my new songs on our podcast.

Speaker 2:
[15:05] Well, actually I said maybe.

Speaker 1:
[15:08] I made up the song this morning. Oh, everyone thinks that my brother stinks like a piece of yellow cheese. But me, I say that he's okay as long as there's a breeze.

Speaker 2:
[15:29] You've been listening to The Arthur Podcast. Hey, parents, do you want your kids to answer my next inbox question? First, go to the Arthur website at pbskids.org to find out what I'll be asking. Then email me a voice recording of your child's response to arthur at wgbh.org. Your child's answer might even be featured on a future podcast.

Speaker 6:
[15:53] That's the show, Podcast Nation. If you liked it, ask your grown-up to subscribe so you don't miss any new episodes. You can listen to all our podcasts, play games, and more at pbskids.org.

Speaker 2:
[16:07] The Arthur Podcast is produced for PBS Kids by GBH Kids in partnership with Gen Z Media and distributed by PRX. Thanks for listening, and have a wonderful kind of day.

Speaker 1:
[16:43] GBH Kids.

Speaker 3:
[16:49] From PRX.