It’s official… I’m flying out to be a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show next week. Back in April of 2006 when a producer on the show originally contacted our office, I asked for your suggestions on experiments to do with Ellen. Lots of people suggested my Smoke Rings demo and Ellen might have taken your suggestion (hint, hint). Let’s just say that our office was filled with lots of smoke today as someone practiced shooting cups off of everyone’s head. We’re told that the air date will be next Friday, September 21, 2007. More to come.

When the phone rings, we never know quite what to expect. The phone rang and on the other end was a senior producer at the Ellen Show (you know… Ellen DeGeneres). It seems that this producer had been watching a few of our science videos and wanted to know if Ellen would have fun making huge clouds with liquid nitrogen, shooting potatoes, whipping up a batch of slime or learning how to make toilet paper fly. My response was “yes” to all of the above. But maybe it’s best if you help us decide which science experiments would be most fun to do with Ellen. Of course, the goal of the segment is to show parents how to make learning fun… and what could be more fun than 50 gallons of Insta-Snow erupting on the set?

Now this doesn’t mean that I’m automatically on the show… they’re just interested. So, what cool science demos should I pitch to the producers at the Ellen Show?

A popular guest on the Johnny Carson Show, Don Herbert was truly an inspiration to an entire generation of science enthusiasts. I remember watching him as a kid and being impressed by the fact that while he was amazing, he didn’t have a laboratory or wear a lab coat. He just looked like a friendly guy who did amazingly cool science experiments in his garage… what a great neighbor!

In contrast to television today, I was struck by the fact that he would allow an experiment to fail. Why didn’t they edit it out? Because he believed that failure was so important for children to see.

In 1991 I was approached by NBC television to host a 3½-minute science spot in a program called News for Kids. Remember, this was pre “Bill Nye the Science Guy” or “Beakman”. As we planned the look and feel of the segment, something inside told me to call Don Herbert and get his advice… so I did. Here’s what Don Herbet said, “Don’t’ let them put you in a lab coat if you don’t want to look like a doctor or research scientist… just be yourself… and “… never let the ‘gee-whiz-factor’ overtake what you are trying to teach”.

In my 14 years on TV, I can’t let the “gee whiz” overtake what I am trying to teach. And television has changed my teaching greatly - to truly create an edutainment experience.

Read more about Don Herbert and his place in television history, or visit the official Mr. Wizard Website and discover why he continues to influence a new generation of science teachers.

Listen to my podcast on Don Herbert, my hero

(File size is 1.3 MB) (Show length 5 minutes 20 seconds)