254. Rose asks: What if Mr. Eric got eaten by a Venus Fly Trap? (w/ Kesler Talbot)
Our young guest this week is Kesler Talbot, one of the stars of the new Netflix series, Lost Ollie. Can he help Fred narrate this story, or will he have to intervene in order to save Mr. Eric?
See Kesler Talbot on the new Netflix series, Lost Ollie!
Lessons include: The less control we have, the more stress we feel; a little treat can help with sudden stress, but we've got to enjoy all things in moderation
Lost Ollie is an epic adventure about a lost toy who braves the many dangers of childhood as he searches the countryside to reunite with the boy who lost him; and the story of the boy who lost more than a best friend. The four-part limited series was inspired by the book Ollie’s Odyssey by renowned author and illustrator William Joyce. Lost Ollie finds his way home to Netflix on August 24th.
Kesler Talbot is a regular kid just like you who grew up with parents who are actors. He did his first commercial at the age of 4 and has gone on to appear on some popular TV shows that have filmed in his hometown of Vancouver in Canada. He first appeared in a Hallmark Christmas movie at the age of 9 and went on to film Lost Ollie later that year working with puppets, actors, vocal artists and the director of one of his favorite shows, Into the Spiderverse. Now, Kesler is more than a little excited to be making a guest appearance on his favorite podcast, What If World!
Our special guest, Kesler Talbot!
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
253. Alex asks: What if a dog tooth became a house?
Make way for a true Monarch among butterflies as she tries to find a home for her great big family to live in the city. Can Peter the Realtor help?
Lessons include: getting older means new freedoms and new responsibilities; growing cities need shared green spaces; frisbee golf is a great alternative to golf if want to play a challenging game at a city park
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
252. What if cat hairballs turned into lion monsters?
How does JFKat end up leading a team of giant hairballs to the Little League championships? Presumably, it involves lots of naps…
Lessons include: winning without work doesn’t help us grow; healthy competition can teach resilience and cooperation
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
Mary Had a Little Yes And (Dorktales Storytime #51)
We're so happy to be bringing you a story that Mr. Eric told along with our friend Jonathan Cormur on his podcast, Dorktales Storytime. Normally, we replay an old favorite once a month, so I hope you all enjoy this rare treat!
Dorktales Storytime, hosted by voice actor Jonathan Cormur, is a podcast featuring slightly wacky and very geeky retellings of classic fairy tales with social-emotional lessons and untold stories about the hidden heroes of history.
The Story:
It’s the perfect day for pure play! Sherlock Nettlesbee, the great deducing squirrel detective, joins Jonathan and Mr. Redge in an afternoon of imagination and good old-fashioned make-believe. When their cloud gazing doesn’t cut it, Sherlock declares that “the Improv Game is afoot!” Can the trio find inspiration from Mary and her little lamb, Lula? Yes and…they’re sure to find a whole-lotta playful, floofy fun everywhere they go!
PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: This story is about making time for imaginary play! Improvisation, or improv, is when you make up a story, or a scene, or a little bit of music on the spot. The ‘Yes And’ game is when you listen to another person in your improv scene and agree with what they are saying—that’s the ‘yes’ part—and you use your own ideas to build on their thoughts—that’s the ‘and’ part. It’s entertaining, funny, and encourages listening skills, collaboration, and cooperation.
Go to the episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/mary-had-a-little-yes-and
Visit the Dorktales Storytime Podcast website: https://jonincharacter.com/dorktales-storytime-podcast/
CREDITS: Today’s story was written by Amy Thompson, and edited by Molly Murphy. Eric O’Keeffe voiced Sherlock Nettlesbee and created the Mary and Lula story with Jonathan Cormur. Jonathan and Mr. Redge were performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studio Recordings.
And don’t forget to check out the final episode of the Good Words Podcast by our very own, Miss Lynn: goodwordspodcast.libsyn.com
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
251. Abacus’s Day Off
With the Observatorium closed for the summer, Abacus wants nothing more than to get out into his garden. Of course, sugar rain, cake clouds, and time traveling heroes aren’t going to make it easy on him.
Lessons include: We all need time to tend our own gardens (AKA take care of ourselves); a good friend will respect your boundaries.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
250. What if cats sneezed out bunny rabbits? (w/ Porter Mason)
JFKat wants to make a comic strip, so naturally he goes to the home of comic artist Porter Mason. Porter is a wonderful artist, improviser, and parent, but will he be able to handle JFKat’s bunny-branded allergies?
Lessons include: creativity comes in many forms; group projects take a lot of teamwork and listening (and sometimes a lot of messes).
Check out Porter Mason at rooniecomics.com for kid-friendly comic strips and great coloring pages! The Roonie the Rabbit comic is beautiful and hilarious, and is intended to help us focus on handling feelings both big and small.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
249. What if dogs lived in hairbrush trees?
Zach and Zizi find a rare hair brush pine, and they set out to find the fabled cloud dogs who are said to live at the top. Will they make it to the top? Can they stay safe climbing one of the tallest trees in What If World? We’ll see!
Lessons include: When working toward a goal, it’s okay to reassess as you go. Ask yourself (1.) if it’s important, (2.) if it’s achievable, and (3.) how you feel about it.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
248. What if “The Beatles” were actual beetles?
Pixicato sneaks out to a concert using a newly discovered magic, but then everything starts going wrong. Can she get her magic under control, or will she put her new bug friends in danger?
Lessons include: Your grownups always want to hear about your life, mistakes and all; trust can be built (and rebuilt!) as long as both sides put in the work.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
247. An Interview with Pipey-O!
What happens when your favorite sewer wizard gets his magic wrench wand chewed on by Fred the Dog? Why don’t we ask him! Wizards, pirates, and dragon-turtle-dogs come along for the ride in this story told through your interview questions.
Lessons include: it takes time and effort to discover our purpose in life; sometimes we need to give criticism a rest and just be there for our loved ones.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, episode art by Lynn Hickernell, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
246. What if flowers grew in play-dough?
Fred the Dog is shooting his new reality show, “inFredible!”, and special guest Chamomile, the famous giant sculptor, is the show’s first guest. Will fanboy Abacus P. Grumbler let her focus on her art, or will his magic make more trouble for everyone?
Lessons include: Fighting to stay awake almost always makes for bigger problems down the road; you’ve got to be your own biggest advocate sometimes, or others may not realize they’re ignoring your needs.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
245. G&G #15: Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Space Chicken?
It’s the final challenge of our latest adventure, and the team must face a magical maze, a giant space chicken, and an uppity cupcake at the same time! Can they save the Big Bad Wolf, or will they be too busy saving themselves?
Lessons include: no one else gets to tell you your value; labels of “good” and “bad” can be misleading and harmful, we all have to do our best to make good choices and learn from our mistakes
This story is part of the Guilds & Goblins miniseries, where What If World characters play an original tabletop RPG for kids and families. The dice rolls are all real and help inform the story, along with your questions and ideas! Patrons get access to our introductory rules and our character sheet. Listen to all previous G&G episodes: 176, 181, 182, 191, 192, 193, 199, 199 ½, 214, 215, 216, 217, 243, & 244.
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Eric andKaren O'Keeffe makeWhat If World. Our producer isMiss Lynn. Character art byAna Stretcu, podcast art byJason O’Keefe, and theme song byCraig Martinson.
244. G&G #14: What if cupcakes were alive?
The team finds itself in the clutches of the Big Bad Wolf, but there is more to them than meets the eye. Is the Wolf as bad as the cupcake people say? The team will have to investigate a magical maze in order to find out!
Lessons include: Just because someone says or writes something about us, doesn’t make it true; positive self-talk can help us feel better and believe in ourselves.
This story is part of the Guilds & Goblins miniseries, where What If World characters play an original tabletop RPG for kids and families. The dice rolls are all real and help inform the story, along with your questions and ideas! Patrons get access to our Intro Rules and character sheet. Listen to all previous G&G episodes: 176, 181, 182, 191, 192, 193, 199, 199 ½, 214, 215, 216, 217, & 243.
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Eric andKaren O'Keeffe makeWhat If World. Our producer isMiss Lynn. Character art byAna Stretcu, podcast art byJason O’Keefe, and theme song byCraig Martinson.
243. G&G #13: What if there was a giant space chicken?
The G&G crew is back! This time, Mr. Eric is acting as GM and Zizi is playing a new character, Turtock the Turtle Timekeeper! Will our adventurers finally meet the mysterious Underlows? Or will they be distracted by a giant space chicken?
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Eric andKaren O'Keeffe makeWhat If World. Our producer isMiss Lynn. Character art byAna Stretcu, podcast art byJason O’Keefe, and theme song byCraig Martinson.
242. The Pirate, the Penguin, and the Pickle
Bob the Pickle Penguin has one every pickle-eating contest What If World has ever had. Can Potty the Pirate defeat the bobbing inflatable pickle-absorbing balloon penguin in a pickle-eating contest?
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson. This episode’s artwork was made using images by OCAL.
241. What if you took a vacation in a sandcastle?
Fred the Dog, JFKat, and Abacus P. Grumbler fly to Why-Why-E to enjoy a vacation. But there own crabbiness gets in the way of them having fun.
Lessons include: sometimeswe need to endure something unpleasant to get to do something we really enjoy; when we let out our emotions in a healthy way, they’ll eventually pass or change, and that’s okay, too.
Stay tuned at the end of the episode to hear Miss Lynn’s song, “Itty Bitty Nitty Gritty” from her album “Something New.” This song helped inspire today’s episode. Our family loves Miss Lynn’s music and we hope you enjoy it, too!
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
240. What if a robot, a tree, and an opera singer started a band?
Harrigo’s singing gets the attention of some of What If World’s more musical characters, but working (or singing) together in harmony is harder than it looks (or sounds)!
Lessons include: Group activities can be fun and inclusive if we’re not always trying to run the show; plastic glitter is a microplastic but there are lots of nature-safe biodegradable glitter options out there.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
239. What if coffee made you tired instead of awake?
Professor Xiao, a powerful panda wizard, has come to teach a class on undoing magical mistakes… so of course, a few mistakes have to happen first!
Lessons include: not even adults are immune to the effects of peer pressure; people with dietary restrictions appreciate when you are sensitive to their needs
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
238. Anti-Fools’ Ray!
When Alabaster Zero and all of What If World get struck by the Anti-Fool’s Ray, things start to get very… normal… It might be the detectives only chance to accomplish an otherwise impossible mission.
Lessons include: families take many shapes, but should always include people who love, value, and respect you; we cannot force other people to change, but that does not mean they get to treat us poorly!
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
237. What if my cat, Dr. Jack Murphy PhD, had to tell the story?
Mr. Eric succumbs to Ghostcatsination! Fortunately, Jojo Fluffy Cat, Fred the Dog, and Dr. Jack Murphy PhD, cat therapist, are there to help!
Lessons include: Taking a break from screens and devices is important for kids and grown-ups alike; we all need to accept help from our friends and family sometimes.
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.
236. What if Cthunkle teamed up with a psychic cobra?
When Cthunkle and Fred are searching for the perfect Ain’t Bad Tricks Day gift, magical snakes start appearing and making it much more difficult.
Lessons include: Gifts should reflect your friend’s interests and passions, not just your own; give gifts for the joy of it, not to get something in return
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Eric and Karen O'Keeffe make What If World. Our producer is Miss Lynn. Character art by Ana Stretcu, podcast art by Jason O’Keefe, and theme song by Craig Martinson.