Season 4 Finale: Operation Kid Takeover 🎉

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The Ten News: Season 4, Episode 43

Today on The Ten News 😎 Join Ten'ers Naomi, Everett, and Owen for Operation Kid Takeover at the Season 4 Finale! 🤩 Catch up on first-ever highlights from 2024 from things like Mexico electing their first female president to breakdancing at the Paris Olympics 🆒 Got any Summer plans? We've got you covered with some summer reading recs, movie watchlists, and more! 🎧 And, on the trivia throne: How many Ten News episodes have aired since Season 1!?

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TRANSCRIPT:

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

<SFX door opens> <SFX Ryan’s footsteps>

RYAN: Hey. Whatup Everett? You’re here early…

EVERETT: Good morning, Ry! Can you come a little closer? I’m having a hard time hearing you…

RYAN: Sure. But why are you sitting at my desk? 

EVERETT: Cause I just had a trap door installed. 

RYAN: A trap door?! No way! Where?!

EVERETT: There. 

RYAN: Here?

<SFX button click> <SFX trap door opens, Ryan falls through, down a SLIDE>

RYAN: AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

EVERETT: <SFX Walkie Talkie squelch> Everett for Naomi.

NAOMI: (Talking on walkie talkie) Naomi here

EVERETT: Ryan has fallen for the trap. Literally. 

NAOMI: (Talking on walkie talkie) Roger that. I’ve got Pam on the donut scavenger hunt–

EVERETT: We could’ve just used the trap door…

NAOMI: (Talking on walkie talkie) I don’t think Pam would enjoy that as much as Ryan probably did. Hold on I’m almost here–

<SFX door open, Naomi enters>

NAOMI: Alright. Operation Ten News Kid Takeover is underway. 

<SFX crack in the ceiling> <SFX CRASH from the ceiling>

<COUGHS FROM EVERYONE>

NAOMI: Owen? You okay buddy?

OWEN: Hey. (SFX Cough> Yup, I’m good. I heard there was a kid takeover and I wanted to help. 

EVERETT: Bet. I’m Everett. 

OWEN: I’m Owen.

NAOMI: And I’m Naomi. It’s Thursday, June 6th.

OWEN: This is the Ten News–

OWEN/EVERETT/NAOMI: KID TAKEOVER!

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

NAOMI: Today marks the Season 4 finale of the Ten News. And 2024 has been a pretty wild year so far and we wanted to highlight some 1sts that have already happened this year…

OWEN: First of all, this is the first kid takeover of the Ten News this season. 

EVERETT: And today marks the first time that Ryan fell for one of my traps. 

RYAN: (muffled, as in behind a wall) I HEARD THAT!

NAOMI: And Mexico just made history by electing their first female president, Claudia Scheinbaum! Scheinbaum is a former mayor of Mexico City and an environmental scientist. 

OWEN: And though Scheinbaum doesn’t practice a religion, she’s culturally Jewish, which is another first, since Mexico has one of the largest Catholic populations in the world! Scheinbaum will begin serving her 6 year term on October 1st. 

EVERETT: And a not so proud first for the United States… Donald Trump has become the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes when a New York Jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2020 election. 

NAOMI: Former President Trump will have his sentencing on July 11th. And while he could face jail time, he is expected to appeal the verdict and is still currently the likely 2024 Republican nominee for president. 

OWEN: On a more positive note, St. Paul, Minnesota had a really cool first: According to researchers with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, St. Paul is the largest US city they are aware of to EVER have an all-female city council. 

NAOMI: All seven women are under 40 years old and six out of the seven are women of color. They have a really cool range of professional experience, ranging from civil engineering to non profit directing. 

EVERETT: Okay, I’ve got one! 2024 is the first time that Marvel has only released ONE feature film since 2012, when the Avengers came out. And the only Marvel movie coming out this year? DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. It’s rated R so not for us, which also makes it the first time that there isn’t a MARVEL movie this year for us!

OWEN: There is a brand new sport debuting at the Olympics this year… For the first time in history, Breakdancing will be featured as an Olympic Sport! Breaking is a cultural dance that started in the 1970s by Black and Latine youth and debuted as a sport in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. 

NAOMI: 16 men and 16 women will compete for medals. There will be one-on-one battles with three rounds, each one minute long. The nine judges will score the dancers based on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality. 

EVERETT: The coolest part about breaking is that the breakers do not know the music ahead of time and they have to IMPROVISE their routine to the beat! 

NAOMI: Hey Ten’ers, is there anything that you’re doing for the first time this Summer? We want to hear what it is! Leave us a voice note at 877-TEN-NEWS and we might just have you on the show!

<SFX phone rings>

RYAN: PAM! There you are!

PAM: Yeah, I’m on an epic donut run, just calling to tell you that I’m going to be late–

RYAN: They started the show! The kids showed up early! 

PAM: Wait…they started the show? Are you saying the kids have taken over?

RYAN: YES! And I fell through a trap door and went down this crazy slide, but because I’m wearing shorts I skidded to a stop and I have leg burns. And now I’m stuck on the slide because I don’t know where it goes and I don’t want to go any further. 

PAM: Whoa. Okay. So I’m gonna get the rest of the donuts and I’ll come back, find the trap door and pour some olive oil on the slide to help you get down.

RYAN: Hold up. Wouldn’t that make me go down faster?

PAM: Hopefully! And watch out for the butterflies, I always used to see them when I would go down slides. Gotta go!

RYAN: BUTTERFLIES? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

INT. TEN NEWS BULLPEN (we hear Ryan’s muffled NOOOOOOOOO! through the wall)

OWEN: Do you think Ryan made it down the slide…?

EVERETT: Yeah, he’s an adult, he’ll be fine.

RYAN: (muffled) DON’T CALL ME THAT!

NAOMI: Are you guys excited for the Summer break?

EVERETT: I’m more excited than my Dad when he’s running a triathlon. And he like, wakes up at 4 in the morning to do those.

OWEN: I will not be waking up at 4 in the morning, I will be sleeping in, like a champion. 

KAPLAN: <SFX squelches in on a walkie talkie> Ummmm, Mr. Owen? What will you be doing after you sleep in?

OWEN: Ummm, thanks for the reminder Mom… I have a bunch of books on my Summer reading list! Starting with Just Shy of Ordinary for school.

NAOMI: I have a big list of books that I want to read this summer, and I’m really excited for the Summer movies coming out. Inside Out is one of my favorite movies and Inside Out 2 is coming out on June 14th! We follow Riley as she adjusts to being 13 years old and some brand new emotions join the crew: Anxiety, Envy, Boredom, and Embarrassment. I’m looking forward to this one.

EVERETT: And I’m hyped for Despicable Me 4! I love that series, but man, the minions get me every time. And this time, they take Super Serum and become Mega Minions. It’s gonna be phenomenal.

OWEN: I can’t wait to go to camp… ADLIB ABOUT CAMP

EVERETT: I’m going to Europe for the first time ever! We’re going to visit some family in London and then we’re going to Paris. I’m gonna see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

NAOMI: Oh wow! That’s really cool, E. I’m also going to camp. But my biggest adventure happens in the fall when I start high school… ADLIB ABOUT HS

EVERETT/OWEN: Coooooooooool.

OWEN: Wait Everett, are you going to Paris for the Olympics??

EVERETT: Unfortunately…no. We’re going for pastries and sightseeing. Are you hyped for the Olympics?

OWEN: Oh yeah. I’m really excited to watch the brand new Breaking competition, and surfing will be fun to watch. 

NAOMI: They are holding it in Tahiti, French Polynesia!

OWEN: Now that is a cool spot! This is going to be an awesome Summer.

OWEN: Okay, let’s get this Trivia Throne up and running–

RYAN: Hello, Owen.

OWEN: AHHHHHHHHH!

RYAN: Welcome. To MY Trivia Room.

OWEN: How did you get in here? 

RYAN: Pam greased the slide and it shot me through the ceiling. 

OWEN: Good to know there’s another entrance.

RYAN: Now that I have you here, would you like to win back the trivia throne? If you get the answer right, the throne is yours, if you get it wrong, IT IS MINE FOR. EV. ERRRRRRR.

OWEN: Yeah, I’m pretty confident in my trivia game. Bring it on, Ry. 

RYAN: You think you’re an OG Ten’er, huh Owen? Well as we close out Season 4 of the Ten News, I’m curious, how many episodes of the Ten News have we done in total, over the past 4 seasons? Is it:

1. 325

2. 367 or

3. 368

RYAN: The answer is…<SFX drumroll> C!! The Ten News began in 2020, during the Pandemic, when show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan realized that she wanted a way to keep you, Naomi and every Ten’er out there, cool, kind and informed. We’ve done 368 episodes since 2020. And we will be using the Summer break to prepare for SEASON 5!

OWEN: That is very exciting because in Season 5 THE THRONE IS MINE! I told you I know my trivia. 

RYAN : Touché, Sir Owen. GGs, as they say. Though I shall challenge you next season for said throne. 

OWEN: Ten’ers, if you have a great trivia question or want to sit on the Trivia Throne, leave us a message at 877-TEN-NEWS and we might have you on the show!

<sfx shimmer/shine fades and door closes>

PAM: Naomi, you gotta try this peanut butter and jelly donut…and Owen, I got you a Churros Donut…

OWEN: Thanks Pam!

<SFX footsteps>

PAM: there you are Ry!

NAOMI: We saved you an Ube donut! 

RYAN: Thank you, but…Pam, are you feeding the kids that tricked us and took over the show??

PAM: I actually asked them to take over the show, I thought for the finale we could use a day off!

RYAN: Wait. You let them take over?!

PAM: Yeah! 

OWEN: And you can keep trying Ry, but you will never overthrow the Trivia Throne.

EVERETT: Though, the trap door was my idea, and I will not apologize for it. 

RYAN: Whose idea was it to put butterflies down there too?. 

NAOMI: Maybe… you should give out some Ten News Snaps and find out…

PAM: Great call! But first, here’s a quick note for the grownups.

RYAN: Time for Ten News Snaps! <Grand fanfare SFX>

PAM: We’ve got a handful of Ten News Snaps to give out today… Krazyfox132.0 said, “I love this podcast, does Pamela like foxes? Also Ryan will you please like butterflies. The pod is better than most.”

RYAN: Thank you Krazyfox but no, I do not think that’s possible—

PAM: A Ten’er named Here’s to all that said, “I need to know please I have not heard the ten news I need to know… and then sent a bunch of butterfly emojis and said, I’m new here but we’re coming Ryan.”

RYAN: WHUT.

PAM: and Ten’er named Talia said, “I love this show so so so so much I can't wait for the next episode, it’s so good I just love it. And she sent a bunch of butterfly emojis and said, butterfly’s are so pretty you shouldn’t be afraid of them, I love them so much they make you smile and I love them,”

RYAN: Cool, thanks Talia, well I think butterflies are colorful, flying agents of terror. 

PAM: And Happy Girl said, “This is the best podcast ever, I listen to it every night and I love it!!! PS Ryan, the butterfly’s are coming for YOUUUUUU” and then she left a bunch of butterflies.

RYAN: NO HAPPY GIRL NO!

PAM: And a Ten’er named Dragon said, “It’s great I just love it please please give this a Ten News Snap and Ryan, I’m going to get you.” then they left lots of butterfly emojis. And then Dragengamer1225 said, “You will never escape us we will find you…from the butterflies.” And left a bunch of butterfly emojis. And Fox lover892 said, “Ok so I love this podcast and it is honestly amazing also, THE BUTTERFLIES ARE COMING FOR YOU RYAN!!!! And left a whole page of butterfly emojis. 

RYAN: WHY…are they doing this to me?! I love you Ten’ers but I don’t love butterflies! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! On another note, our episodes drop on Thursdays and if you want some bonus content, you could join the Ten’ers Club on our website. And to our grownups, if you want to help support the Ten News, you can make a tax-deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support!

PAM: “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts, and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

RYAN: The Ten News creative team is ready for the Summer break! and includes Tracey Crooks, Logan DeYoung, Corinne Catibayan, and Carson Potter. Big thanks to Naomi, Everett and Owen for contributing to this episode. 

PAM: Our Production Director is Jeremiah Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. 

RYAN: I’m Ryan Willard.

PAM: And I’m Pamela Kirkland, thanks for listening to The Ten News. 

RYAN: Have a great Summer break and keep in touch Ten’ers!