Wizard of Oz vs Mary Poppins

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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 we're pitting two beloved and cherished childhood stories against each other. One travels along a yellow brick road. The other floats in with her magical umbrella. It's Wizard of Oz versus Mary Poppins. There will be wonder. There will be whimsy, and there will only be one winner. Let's meet our debaters. First, she's supercalifragilistic, expeoidoscious, and more than a little percosious. It's singer, actor, and story pirate, Alex Nader. Like Mary Poppins, I'm about to be practically perfect in every way. Ooh, Nexysa comedian, singer, actor, and writer. It's the great and powerful Andrew Barbado. Drop on your ruby slippers because we're about to follow the yellow brick road straight to the winner's circle. Good. And here to oversee this fantastical face-off is our judge Rita from Long Island. Rita plays tennis. She loves chemistry. She likes to crochet and she recently went to Turkey and saw a cat have three babies. Hi, Rita. Hi. So, how did you end up seeing a cat have babies while you were traveling? So, when we went to Turkey, I had a hotel room and it had a backyard. And it was just a single mom cat and she would live there with her three babies and she would feed them and we would see them every morning. Oh, that's like a real bonus in a hotel room, I think. It was so cute. I would like to pet them all the time and their faces were so small. So, you like to crochet, which is very cool. I like to knit. They're different, though. I think crochet is harder. What do you like to make? I usually make clothing or bags for my cousins and my siblings for birthday presents. That's so cool. So, what kind of clothing do you make? Shirts that have little holes in it. I think they're like fishnet looking ones. And I think they were trending last year or something. So, I made that for my sister and for my little cousins, I would make them dolls and plushies, too. So, what is it about chemistry that fascinates you? Just like how it's the building block of life and it can be found in anything you do. Like, we're made up of chemistry and I think that's pretty cool. That is pretty cool. Do you want to do something with chemistry like when you're a grown-up? Yes, I do want to do something in the medical field so I think that'll help me. Very cool. So, you love talking. Smash your investments with your family, I know. So, what do you think makes a good argument? I think a good argument has like facts and also emotion in it. So, the debater really like understands their topic 100% and really believes in it. We'll read it, choose Alex and Mary Poppins or Andrew and the Wizard of Oz. Let's get to it. But first, here are the rules. Every debate consists of four rounds, the Declaration of Greatness, the Micarround, the Sneak Attack, and the final six. After each round, our judge Rita will award points to the team that impresses her the most, but she'll keep her decisions top secret until the end of the debate. Listeners, we want you to judge too. Mark down your points as you listen. At the end of the show, head to our website smashboom.org and vote for whichever team you think one. Okay, Andrew, Alex and Rita, are you ready? Yep. Oh, yes! I'm ready like the tin man after a full can of oil. Ready, ready, ready. Then it's time for the Declaration of Greatness. In this round, our debaters will present a well-crafted, immersive argument in favor of their side. Then they'll each have 30 seconds to rebut their opponent's statements. We'll flip to coin and Alex, you're up first. Time to pop off for Mary Poppins. Have you ever had a really awesome babysitter? Maybe they were your cool neighbor who taught you how to make pancakes? Or an older cousin who picked you up from school? Or even a big sibling who showed you music that absolutely blew your ear holes? You know, in a good way, in a good way. What are you listening to? This? Only the sickest band of all time? Elbow cheese! Burn it up! As a kid, an awesome babysitter can open up your world. They can make you feel seen and teach you lessons you didn't even realize you needed. They can change your life. And that is exactly what Mary Poppins does. Technically speaking, Mary Poppins isn't a babysitter, but a magical nanny extraordinaire. But please, let's not split hairs. She floats in with the wind, umbrella in hand, swooping in to bring families together with a level mix of traditional manners and whimsical flair. In the movie, Mary Poppins takes care of the bank's children, teaching them the joy of using their imaginations. And she also helps remind the always busy bank's dad about the importance of family. In fact, everything about Mary Poppins puts families at the center. Poppins started as a book series created by the author, PL Travers. Now that was back in 1934. Travers based Poppins after her own great aunt, who balanced a certain firmness with a heart of gold. Travers series went on to catch the attention of another family. The Disney family! You see, Mary Poppins was Walt Disney's daughter's favorite series, and he promised her that one day he would turn it into a movie. In 1964, Walt fulfilled that promise. Choosing a nanny for the children isn't important and delicate task. It requires insight, balance, judgment, and an ability to read character. First of all, I would like to make one thing quite clear. Yes. I never explain anything. Mary Poppins, you look beautiful. We better keep an eye on this one. She's tricky. As I expected, Mary Poppins practically perfect in every way. Just like how Mary Poppins, the character seamlessly blends to seemingly opposing things, the prim and proper sensibility with the over-the-top imagination. The film does exactly the same. It's a cinematic musical masterpiece that blends live action with animation. The story combines unwavering silliness with a serious dose of morals and heart. We even get a mix of actual British actors and American actors with the most atrocious Cockney accents of all time. When you're with Mary Poppins, suddenly you're in places you've never dreamed of. And quick as you can say, Bob, Drunker, the most unusual things begin to happen. And of course, you have international treasure, Julie Andrews, who got rave reviews as Mary Poppins herself. Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in a most delightful way. Did you know that Mary Poppins was actually Julie Andrews' first film? You wouldn't know it, because much like Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews is practically perfect in every way. And she even won an Oscar for best actress for her first film ever. Julie Andrews! Mary Poppins was nominated for a whopping 13 Academy Awards, taking home five. Oh, what's that? A little birdie just told me that the Wizard of Oz only got five nominations and three wins, but who's counting? Mary Poppins wasn't just a critical success, but a blockbuster hit. It was the highest grossing film of the year and the highest grossing film of Disney's to date. It made so much money that Walt Disney was able to buy a piece of land in Florida for his next big project. I wonder if you can guess what that project was. That's right, Disney World! You heard me write Little Birdie, I said Disney World. Without Mary Poppins, who knows if we would even have Disney World? No Julie Andrews movies? Maybe no Epcot. No Princess Diaries? No Sound of Music? That's so not super-califragilistic expi-la-docious. Which, if you didn't know, is a very important word in the movie. Speaking of super-califragilistic expi-la-docious, that is objectively the greatest word of all time. Staying it feels like blowing bubbles or skipping down the sidewalk. You can't help but smile while you're doing it. Super-califragilistic expi-la-docious is the exact feeling of hanging out with your favorite babysitter. There's an easy, natural joy that you just want to sit with forever. We all need role models in this world. And truly, Mary Poppins is one of my role models. She shows us the way, one spoonful of sugar at a time. Wow, a heart-felt declaration of greatness there for Mary Poppins. Rita, what's it up to you about Alex's argument? I just want to say, like, who wouldn't want to have a magical babysitter? Like, imagine like a woman just flying down from the sky, and she just mends your family all back together. It does sound very magical. Andrew, it is time for your rebuttal. You have 30 seconds to drop a house on Alex's arguments, and your time starts now. Okay, first of all, incredible work there. I did love that, Alex, and you know that I, myself, have been a magical nanny extraordinaire, and I respect that. You mentioned that family is at the center of this story. I love that, but sometimes you're a single mom cat raising three name with kittens with tiny faces in Turkey. Sometimes you don't have the opportunity to get a nanny. You need to go on a magical adventure, and that's what happens in the Wizard of Oz. Who was that bird that popped in and read me for Phil saying the Wizard of Oz didn't win the nominee? Time. Okay. Let me tell you, it's not as if these banks children don't go on adventure of their own. In fact, I remember a very specific scene where they go into a chalk painting, and then sort of come out the other end, and there's animated characters all around them. I'm thinking kids and can have wonderful adventures. It's okay if they're just adult supervised, Andrew. What are you trying to say? No, I'm saying it's more fun when you go down the yellow brick road just sort of as a preteen and discover yourself without your family involved. Okay. Read that. Read that. We have a lot to ponder. We're going to take a beat, and we'll be right back after this. Oh, mash. Smash. All right, back to the debate. Andrew, it's your turn to tell us why the Wizard of Oz will always be popular. Nice. Let's go. Okay. I've printed out all 432 pages of my case for the Wizard of Oz. Now, there will be an intermission after the first hour of arguments. So, what's that? I have less than five minutes. Are you kidding? Okay, okay. Andrew, speed arguments. I've come to tell you all about the glory of this righteous tale. It starts in Kansas. Things are dravid, sorted like some underscale. We assume in honor, arrow, win a kingdom, present, start the game. She's Mr. Weikras, she's a witch, and somehow doesn't go to jail. Hmm. She skips us down a yellow way. Meets a fellow made of hay, a metal dude, a lion, may. Kill another witch who's green, and everybody says hooray! Again, she is not even arrested for it. Laws are like very lax in the land of Oz. Dorothy leaves seems like the end. They made a sequel back again. The magic never starts a fizz because Michael Jackson makes the wizz. Later, someone writes a book. It gives us all a better look at the witch we almost took as an evil wicket-cruck. People love that story, so it gets many, many fans, made into a musical with catchy songs and lots of fans. While he would, it loves a tale that comes from old familiar breasts, so they make a two-part film starring Orianna Grand. Hey. It all started as a book series written in the early 1900s by Frank L. Baum. The wonderful Wizard of Oz was both a fairy tale and an allegory about the politics of the day. Along the way, it introduced us to some of the most interesting characters in fiction, like Dorothy, Scarecrow, Glinda, and Elphaba. Part of what makes them stand out is that they grow. Dorothy learns she's strong and capable. Scarecrow learns he's smart without a brain. In Wicked, Glinda learns you can't judge a book by its cover, and Elphaba learns that people in power aren't always good. Meanwhile, what are the kids in Mary Poppins learn, huh? That fun is nice. Sugar makes things taste better. Quality childcare is really important. Not exactly deep. My second point. The Wizard of Oz is better movie magic. In the original 1939 film, the first scenes are all in black and white. See, that was normal back then. So people were blown away when Dorothy lands in Oz and everything is suddenly in color. Total. I've been feeding we're not in Kansas anymore. This is a hammer. What? Like a rainbow exploded in my eyeballs. You also had elaborate sets. Flying monkeys, skywriting is such a spectacle that in the summer of 2025, the movie began playing again at the sphere in Las Vegas, which is a giant dome where the screen wraps around you. Over 80 years, 80 years since its release, and it's still wowing crowds. Turtle? I've been feeding we're not in Kansas anymore. Full color! Yes! It's still like a rainbow exploded in my eyeballs. If that was all to Oz, it would be enough. But it's not. You have the 1970s take. The Wiz. The creepy 1980s sequel returned to Oz. Who gives me chills just thinking about it? And of course, wicked. Parts one and two. Meanwhile, did you already forget there was a Mary Poppin sequel? Because I did! Lastly, we need to talk about the song. Some way over the rainbow. Stone Cold Classic. Or how about? I sing that daily while trying to solve my wordle. Or this. When night falls I gain gravity. That will never bring us down. I'm sorry. That gets me every single time. So, if you want to tell about some rich kids with everything they could ever want, getting even more nice things, pick Poppins. But if you want complicated characters, pure, movie, magic, and a soundtrack that just won't quit, you know what it is. It's gotta be the Wiz. A soaring and singing declaration of greatness there. Rita, what did you think of Andrew's argument? Anything surprised you or stand out? I think he's absolutely right about like the sequels and how many different like musicals and variations there are. But the beginning song really sold me. Very impressive. All right, Alex, it is time for your rebuttal. You've got 30 seconds to destroy Andrew's arguments with a spoonful of sugar. Your time starts now. I also really loved that opening song. It was a great way to center Andrew in the argument. Unlike Mary Poppins, who really centers the kids, you know. Mary Poppins is a self less character. That's why we absolutely love her. And I would challenge you in the original movie to think of another star that came out of it other than Judy Garland. I bet you can't. But Mary Poppins had Dick Van Dyke. The sequel had Lin Manuel Miranda, who I think you personally insulted. And you're really good. I think you personally insulted me Alex. I mean, the whole, maybe the first 15 seconds of your rebuttal was just focus on me as a person. That's the first of all, you're getting down in the muck. You're getting dirty. You're slinging mud in this debate already, Alex. And I don't think Mary Poppins would like that. Maybe you should take a trip down the yellow brick road and learn something. Read up. It is time to award some points. Please give one point to the declaration of greatness that you liked best. And one point to the rebuttal that won you over. You get to decide what makes a winning argument. Did one team's jokes make you giggle? Was another team's logic impeccable? Award your points, but don't tell us who they're going to. Have you made your decision? Yep. Excellent. And you're an Alex. How are you two feeling so far? I'm feeling full of brains, full of heart, and full of heart. I honestly am having so much fun. I really feel like I am on a carousel of joy, seeing a lot of wonderful horses going up and down because I'm, you know, really with the people that I love. Oh, that's so sweet. All right, it's time for a quick break. Feed your flying monkeys or sweep your chimney. And we'll be right back with more Smash Boom Best. You're listening to state of debate, home to rage and rhetoric and awe-inspiring argumentation. Hello, you logic-loving lovelies. It's me, All Star Debate, Champ Taylor Lincoln. Here with everyone's favorite debate, Dutorino, Todd Douglas. Hello, friends, and boy, oh boy, do we have a doozy of a debate to play for you today? That's right. And this one is chock full of logical fallacies. Those are bad arguments that make it easy for your opponent to poke holes in what you're saying. And these two have fallen into the same trap. They're using the appeal to ignorance fallacy. That's when you say something must be true because there's no evidence showing otherwise. Let's take a listen. Admit it, Maggie. Admit what, Maxine? The cookies. They're gone. So? So? You stole them. You stole the cookies from the cookie jar. Who me? Yes, you. Must be you! Wow, not only are they all out of cookies, they're all out of logic too. Talk about adding insult to injury. Right? Mmm, chocolate chip. Todd, did you take the cookies? What? Of course not. You have crumbs all over your shirt. Well, that's all the time we have for today. We'll see you next time on... State of debate! Smash Boom! Best! You're listening to Smash Boom Best, I'm your host Molly Bloom. And I'm your judge Rita. And we love getting debate suggestions from our listeners, like this one from Listener Journey. Hi, my name is Journey. I'm from Melissa and Texas, and my debate idea is detectives versus spies. Ooh, a super sleuthy and sneaky smackdown. I love it. We'll check back in at the end of this episode to see which side journey things should win. And now it's back to our debate, Wizard of Oz versus Mary Poppins. That's right, and it's time for Round 2, the... Micro Round. It's time for a fact off. Andrew and Alex will each get three chances to make a microargument backed by a cool fact or idea. Alex went first last time, so Andrew, please start us off with your first fact. All right, so not only a great movie, but a great mystery. One pair of Ruby slippers was stolen from a museum in Minnesota in 2005, okay? After 13 years, the shoes were recovered by the FBI. But to this day, there hasn't been no arrests. And officers are still trying to find information about the great Ruby Slipper heist. Honestly, the theft that could make its own hit movie. If anyone has information regarding this theft, please reach out directly to me. Andrew Barbita. Rita, I remember you said that maybe one day want to be in the medical field. Well, the song, Spoonful of Sugar, was actually inspired by a public health win. One of the song's writers' children got the polio vaccine at school. And it was an oral vaccine, and they had to put it into a sugar cube in order for them to take it. So that was actually the inspiration around the song, Spoonful of Sugar. And nowadays, kids have sweeteners with their medicine all the time. So that was actually inspired by Mary Pete. That's so cool. I did not know that. That is really cool. Yeah, there's a lot of medical clients to the Wizard of Oz that we're not really talking about as well. Kind of on the negative side. And this isn't even in my notes, but the actor, I just know this off-top of my head, the actor who was originally supposed to play the Tin Man, had to get replaced because the makeup that they used on him made him extremely sick. And they had to like stop filming. The drama of this can only match the drama of the best movie of its time, The Wizard of Oz. That's so interesting, Andrew, because I have, my next fact is actually like about actor drama. Julie Andrews, who played Mary Poppins, was actually at the same time, passed over for the lead role in the movie My Fair Lady, which I'm sure you remember Andrew, and some of us know this, but My Fair Lady was a musical turned into a movie. And Julie Andrews actually originated the part on Broadway, the leading part, and was heartbroken when they passed on her for the then Audrey Hepburn, that played it in the film. But if that hadn't had happened, Julie Andrews would have never gotten the opportunity to play Mary Poppins and go on to win an Oscar for the role. So it's just an amazing lesson on what's coming your way is coming your way. What's meant for you is meant for you. Yes, I completely agree with that. That is very cool. Alex, I remember earlier you said something like there were no stars to come out of The Wizard of Oz. You kind of backhanded and rudely said that to me if I remember correctly. But guess what, honey? The movie was full of stars, including Toto. The Terrier was named Terri, and Terri was a veteran dog actor by the time she filmed Oz. She even starred alongside Shirley Temple by the end of Terri's career. Terri had been in 16 films. And guess what, Judy Garland desperately wanted to adopt this dog. But they were like, no, you can't do it. This dog is like a big money maker. She's going to start in about 10 more films. I wish that she was able to adopt that dog. Terri and Judy. Oh, Terri and Fudy. There's so much drama. I'm so like confused on what to pick. I don't know. I have so many facts prepared. But what I really want to talk about is the other iconic thing to come out of Mary Poppins. And that was Dick Van Dyke's accent. I think it's because. So Dick Van Dyke is an American actor, honestly an icon in so many spaces and actually just celebrated his hundredth birthday. Shout out Dick Van Dyke. Truly. And he took on a Cockney accent at the time, which actually was sort of like my Fair Ladies accent when you find that character. And Dick Van Dyke at the time was critically acclaimed for the part. And now if you ask any English actor, they will say Dick Van Dyke had the worst accent on record of any American playing an Englishman. That's a crazy fact. In for me. Okay, Rita, this is tough. You were just learned a lot of great facts. They were pretty juicy, honestly. But only one of them can get a point. Have you made your decision? Yes, it was very hard. Perfect. All right. Keep it a secret. We'll be all right back. Want Smash Boom without the ad breaks? Join Smarty Pass and get an ad free feed of this and all the other brains on Universe shows plus hangs with me and the crew and discounts on merch. Sign up at brainson.org. Thanks. Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom smash boom rest. We're back and the debate must go on time now for a surprise. It's the. Sneak attack. This is our improvised round where debaters have to respond to a challenge on the spot. Today's sneak attack is called fantastical fitness. Pick a character from your side and pretend you are them leading a fitness class. What activities do you want us to do? Are there special exercises? Make us stretch fly, lift umbrellas or broomsticks, whatever it is, it's up to you. Does this make sense? Yes, I love that. Yes, right. So Alex, you're up first. When your chim chim are ready, please tell us the character that you'll be embodying and do your fitness routine, please. I'm so excited to be here today. I am Mrs. Banks. Yes, you don't hear about me very much. You see, I am actually out most days fighting for the women vote. That's right. That's what I do during this movie. I am a mother who's out there with my sash fighting for the women's right to vote at this time. I think that's what I'm doing. Here's what I want you to do, my friends. I want you to throw your hands in the air, fist up like a cheerleader. And I want you to say, women should have the right to vote. Women should have the right to vote. Thank you so much, dearest. And now I want you to kick one leg out to the side and kick one leg out to the other side. Absolutely everyone should have the right to vote. Absolutely everyone should have the right to vote. Absolutely everyone should have the right to vote. Thank you so much, dearest. I am going to go to my women's meeting now because that's what I think I do during the day as Mrs. Banks. Oh, I worked up a sweat and I was fighting for rights for everyone. That's very satisfying. Okay, Andrew, it is your turn. Please tell us your character and show us their wonderful work out of us. All right. I think what's coming to me right now is that I would like to attend a workout class given by the mayor of Munchkin City. I love that man. So you walk in. Here we go. As the mayor of the Munchkin City in the county of the Land of Oz, my constituents have told me we need to get fit here. It was. There's a lot of fun here and a lot of beautiful outfits, but we need to put health first. So what I want everybody to do is stretch up to the sky and say vote for me in the next election. Yes, that's right. That's right. Now my friends, I know we've had a hard time with a big house falling in the middle of this, but I want everybody to take some of that wood and remove it from the center of Munchkin Land. I know it seems like I'm just putting you all to work, but with somebody's got to do it. So I want us to happily march with Munching as mayor of the Munchkin City. I'm telling you to lift it up and clear it. This looks amazing. Not only have we gotten fit today, but we've beautified our land. I want to thank you and I'm going to go back into my home. You're not going to see me for a long time, but vote for me next election in Munchkin Land. Goodbye. Well, multi purpose workout there. Yes. Wow, I think I pulled something, but it was fun. All right, Rita, please think about which sides workout you liked best was one of real sweat fest. Did one make you giggle? Did one amaze you? Have you awarded your fourth point? Yes. Perfect. Then it's time for the final six. In this round, each team will have just six words to sum up the glory of their side, a small, but mighty argument. Andrew, let's hear your six words for all things. Okay, let's do this. We're going to say somewhere over the rainbow. Go transform. All right, Alex, it's your turn to sweep us off our feet for Mary Poppins. Happens a bag. Feed the birds. A real thinker. A real thinker there. You have to think about it, but when you really think it's going to get you know what I mean? Sneak up on you. Really hard. Rita, this time to make your decision, please award your final point for the final six. All right, let's call you up those points. Are you ready to crowd one team the smash boom best? Yes. All right, drum roll, please. And the winner is the Wizard of Oz. There's no place like winning. There's no place like winning. So Rita, was there a moment that decided it for you? It was your tie until the final six. Oh, so close. Alex, I love. Okay, okay, I love to know this. Oh, my gosh. Knowing that it was I will say this. I will say this. I felt like Wizard of Oz just by the nature of how much it is in the zeitgeist right now does have a bit of an edge. So to know that Mary Poppins was it we were neck and neck speaks to the power of my friend Alex. I think Alex, I'm going to say this to I would love to do a rematch of any topic with Alex again on Smash Boom Best. Nothing is as fun as debating with that person. I just have to say thank you so much for telling us how the points really shook out. I. I will have nightmares about my last six words for a really long time. You know, you're going to have a rematch. You and Andrew are really good friends in real life. So I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity to continue this debate. She was just feeding the birds. Well, that is it for today's debate battle. Rita, crowned Wizard of Oz the Smash Boom Best. But what about you? It's a Smash Boom dot org and vote to tell us who you think one this episode was produced by me Molly Bloom, Mark Sanchez and Sandin Totten. It was sound designed by Mark Sanchez and he also wrote our theme song. We had engineering help from James, Calendrino. Our announcer is Marley, for your worker, Otto, and we want to give a special thanks to Austin Cross and Taylor, Kaufman. Alex, is there anyone you'd like to give a shout out to today? I would love to give a shout out to Mary Poppins. Girl, I love you. How about you, Andrew, any special shout outs? Absolutely, and this is going all the way to Turkey. A single mom who works to dogs who love cats and never stops. The single mom cat. I love that, I love that. And Rita, do you want to give any special thanks or shout outs? I want to thank you guys for letting me come on here and shout out to my siblings and my cousins and my parents. Before we go, let's check in and see who journey thinks should win the debate between spies and detectives. I think spies would win because they use more technology and are more modern while detectives are old school. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18 and you'd like to be a judge or if you're any age and you have an idea for a knock down drag out debate, head to smashboom.org slash contact and drop us a line. And if you're a fan of the show and want to keep it going, head to smartypass.org to subscribe. We'll be back next week with a new smash boom best episode, Spaghetti versus Ravioly. Bye, see ya. In the birds chop in sub-bag. Bye. There's no place like home. Goodbye. It's for safety. Let's get you saying Mary Poppins. You know, just in case. You know, just in case.