A Ten'er Takeover: The Kid's Choice Episode

A Ten News Deep Dive: Episode 620

It’s time for a Ten’er Takeover! An extra-special episode powered by our listeners and their favorite topics. 💙

Up first, we’re celebrating the life of Claude, the legendary albino alligator from San Francisco who was loved by countless fans. 🐊

Then, we’re blasting off into out-of-this-world space news from launch missions to the discovery of space gum! 🚀

Plus, we’re highlighting some of this year’s top indie games, big video games made by small but mighty creators.🕹️

And if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, today’s trivia is just for you! 🍿

Resources

• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/02/san-francisco-claude-albino-alligator

• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/science/russia-base-damage-iss-launch-collapse.html

• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/space-gum-sugars-asteroid-bennu-samples-nasa-reveals/

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Transcript:

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

<SFX knock knock knock>

RYAN: WHO IS IT!? (very loudly)

SASHA: Ummmm, it’s Sasha? The intern?

RYAN: Oh! Of course, come in, Sasha the intern! <SFX door opens, she walks in> 

PAM: Hey Sasha, how are you?

SASHA: I’m good, thanks Pam! I was just wondering if I could talk to you two for a minute…

RYAN: Of course! Wait. Am I in trouble for something? Because I didn’t leave all those crumbs in the break room. That was…Midnight, the Ten News Cat. <SFX Disapproving meow from Midnight>

PAM: What can we help you with, Sasha?

SASHA: Well, I just wanted to share a couple gifts with you both, since you’ve worked so hard this year. Here!

<SFX opens envelopes>

PAM: Oh my gosh, this is a day pass… to the _______ Spa?! That’s my favorite spa!

RYAN: And a day pass to…the Pixelab Arcade?!? That’s my favorite arcade! What kind of trickery is this?

SASHA: I just thought you both could use a day off to relax and have fun, after a crazy year. 

PAM: Okay, you don’t have to tell me twice. I’m out. Ry, if you need a ride to Pixelab, I got you. <SFX picks up, keys,  coat and walks out hurriedly>

RYAN: I’m coming don’t leave me Paaaaam! SILENCE. A BEAT. 

SASHA: Alright. WE’RE CLEAR! Pam and Ryan have left the building!

<SFX kids coming out of hiding places>

EVERETT: Let’s goooo!

SADIE: It was really stuffy in that closet…

MADISON: Hiding in the snack room was actually kind of a vibe. 

SASHA: Wait, where’s Owen? 

OWEN: (MUFFLED) be right there! <SFX CRASH FROM THE CEILING>  <SFX cough cough cough> Sorry I’m late. Let’s get this Ten’er Takeover underway. I’m Owen.

SADIE: I’m Sadie.

MADISON: I’m Madison.

EVERETT: I’m Everett, it’s Friday, December 19th. 

SASHA: And I’m Sasha, and this is a Ten’er Takeover!

SASHA: A lot of Ten’ers have left us spotify comments and Apple reviews, telling us things they wanted to hear about.

EVERETT: So today for the Ten’er Takeover, we’re gonna cover some of the topics you asked for… 

OWEN: We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so I brought my friends Sadie and Madison. What’s up first? 

SADIE: We’ve gotten multiple requests about more animal content from our Ten’ers, recently from 12589luna.

MADISON: We all love animals, so I think we should start there! 

OWEN: The big story that we first mentioned last week is about Claude… 

SADIE: Ahh yes, Claude the albino alligator passed away, at the age of 30 years old. He lived at the California Academy of Sciences and is an absolute icon in San Francisco and brought joy to millions of people at the museum and around the world. 

OWEN: I visited him a lot over the years.

MADISON: Claude was an albino alligator, when an organism is albino, it lacks melanin pigment, which results in very pale or light skin. Albino alligators are some of the rarest animals, it’s estimated that there are only 100 in the world! So in honor of Claude, here are some awesome albino alligator facts.  

OWEN: Albinism is incredibly rare because it is inherited, meaning it’s passed on by the parents. But the albinism gene is recessive, so both parents need to have albinism to pass it down to their offspring. And the chances of two albino alligators finding each other is really, really rare!

SADIE: Their white skin puts them at severe risk if they live in the wild. Their skin doesn’t help them camouflage or blend into their environment…it actually makes them stand out. So Albino alligators are easily seen and attacked by predators. 

OWEN: Their skin is also very sensitive to the sun. If albino alligators are in the sun for too long, it can damage their skin and even burn their eyes! They’re usually kept in a special, warm enclosure that is away from direct sunlight. 

MADISON: Believe it or not, it’s actually safer for albino alligators to live in captivity. Their white skin has many dangers and humans can tend to their special needs and help them survive and live longer, more comfortable lives. 
OWEN: Claude, we will miss you very much, thank you for being the sweetest alligator I’ve ever seen!

SASHA: I think it’s time that we get… 

OWEN: OUT…

MADISON: OF…

SADIE: THIS…

OWEN/MADISON/SADIE: WORLD!

SASHA: Alright we got a request from a Ten’er, The Elemental Master, who wanted us to talk about SPACE… So here are three things you need to know about recent space exploration…

SADIE: Number 1: A mishap with a Russian launch pad could jeopardize getting astronauts and cargo up to the International Space Station…Russia sent three astronauts up to space in a Soyuz rocket that went up without incident…but the force of the rocket launch caused a service platform to fall into the flame trench and heavily damaged the entire launch pad! Russia will not be able to send any astronauts or cargo up to the International Space Station, which is problematic because the launch pad is used to send important fuel for the Russian segment of the International Space Station. Russia says they have the means to repair it but their next mission will certainly be delayed. 

OWEN: Number 2: In some cooler news, space gum was discovered in an asteroid! Samples taken from the asteroid, Bennu, could help us learn more about the origins of our solar system. NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft carried samples of Bennu back to Earth in 2020. Scientists have been studying them and recently found that they contain sugars   and NASA said they also contain, quote, "a gum-like substance not seen before in astromaterials." These materials don’t prove there’s life out there, but NASA said the molecules it contains, quote, "could have provided some of the chemical precursors that helped trigger life on Earth." Maddy, would you try space gum?

MADISON: Number 3: I’m good, I think I’ll stick to my my Bubble gum. But I’m excited because we’re going back to the Moon! NASA hopes to send astronauts on a 10 day trip around the moon, as early as February! No country on Earth has flown a crewed lunar mission in 50 years…and NASA will send four astronauts there and back to test systems. 

MADISON: Artemis II will be the second launch of the Artemis program, which hopes to land astronauts on the moon and to eventually establish a long term presence on it.

MADISON: The launch window could be as early as February. The astronauts lined up are: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, of Nasa and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. They will not land on the moon, but they will be the first crew to travel beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The flight director says the crew will travel further into space than anyone ever has.

OWEN: That would be so cool to see that, I’m so curious what the moon footage would look like with the technology we have now!

OWEN: We love shouting out awesome kids doing awesome things — and Jack and Veda (Vay-duh) Virgo are basically kindness superheroes in training! These two rockstars are leading a super-sweet project called “25 Days of Kindness.” Yep, for a whole month they do one kind thing every single day for someone in their community… and sometimes even beyond! This year is extra special because it’s Jack’s 10th year running the project, and his little sister Veda is jumping in for her very first. Oh! And get this: they also hand-make friendship bracelets to say thank you to anyone who donates to support their kindness missions. Friendship + kindness = unbeatable combo.Want to cheer them on or get inspired for your own acts of good? Follow along at @VirgosGiveBack25 — and maybe start your own kindness streak!

SASHA: And multiple Ten’ers asked for our next topic…VIDEO GAMES.  

EVERETT: LET’S GOOOOOO! I got this one, Sasha. It’s been an INCREDIBLE year for video games. So many amazing games came out this year that I couldn’t even play them all. But one particular kind of game has shined incredibly bright this year…and it’s INDIE GAMES. Games that are made by smaller studios and teams, not big publishers like Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo. Here are three awesome Indie Games that are cheaper and waaaay cooler than a lot of the big triple A games:
EVERETT: Deltarune Chapters 3 + 4 came out this Summer and it’s the spiritual successor to the legendary RPG Undertale. Deltarune takes inspiration from vintage Super Nintendo games like Earthbound. It’s an elevated old school RPG, with REALLY great  writing and an awesome story. Fun fact: Toby Fox created Undertale and Deltarune and he’s also a successful game composer who has recorded a bunch of tracks for the Pokemon franchise.
SASHA: I do love Pokémon…but there is one game I’ve been obsessed with this year…
EVERETT: What game what game what game?

SASHA: HADES 2 from Supergiant.
EVERETT: Ahhhhh, what a great choice!
SASHA: The original, Hades, was a huge indie hit in 2020. And the sequel does not disappoint. It’s all centered around Greek mythology and you follow Melinoë (Mel-I-No-Ay), the daughter of the God of the Underworld: Hades. As Melinoë you’re going up against Chronos, the God of Time, who has imprisoned your family and taken over Mount Olympus. You travel through the Underworld and up Mount Olympus, rallying other Gods to assist you with their special powers. Hades 2 is a rogue like, so each time you play the game, you can choose different combinations of Gods to help, making each play unique.
EVERETT: Supergiant is one of the coolest indie studios. Fun fact: the composer and musical director, Darren Korb, is ALSO the voice of Zagreus, the main character in the first Hades!
SASHA: That’s so cool, I had no idea. Wait, what’s your last favorite indie game of 2025?
EVERETT: It’s gotta be Hollow Knight: Silksong. It’s the long awaited sequel to another indie smash hit, Hollow Knight. Silksong shadow dropped in September and the demand was so big that it caused a huge traffic spike. The Sony, XBox, Steam and Nintendo e-stores were either stained or totally crashed.
EVERETT: Silksong is a 2D, side-scrolling Metroidvania, with incredible hand drawn art. It’s some of the coolest graphics I’ve ever seen, with tight gameplay and an absolutely epic soundtrack.
EVERETT: You play as Hornet, a warrior who gets kidnapped by a local God named Grand Mother Silk. And as you explore the world of Pharloom, you gain more strength and abilities and eventually save the residents you meet along the way.
EVERETT: Fair warning: Hollow Knight: Silksong is NOT easy. It’s one of the most challenging games I’ve ever played, but honestly, I’m not mad at it. I dig the challenge. So much so that it’s my highest recommended game of 2025. 

SASHA: Alright, last but certainly not least, let’s go to our Trivia Master, Owen.

OWEN: Thanks, Sasha. So a Ten’er Halbrand Sauron has requested that we cover Lord of the Rings… It’s one of the most popular stories ever written; the books have been adapted into movies, tv shows and video games. The author of the books goes by J.R.R. Tolkien…but what does the J. R. R. stand for? Is it…

1. Joshua Rexmond Reardon

2. Jackson Ronald Regan

3. Jimmothy Rigby Ryan 

4. John Ronald Reuel (Roo-el)

Alright, Ten’ers, did you guess it? The answer is…D! The author of the Lord of the Rings’ full name is John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. His family called him Ronald, which his mother chose. So, I actually have that in common with him, since my mom chose my name too! 

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

<SFX door opens> <SFX footsteps as they walk in>
RYAN: Okay, not gonna lie, Sasha, Owen, Sadie, Madison and Everett are pretty fire. 

PAM: Yeah they were awesome! These Ten’er Takeovers are TREMENDOUS. 

RYAN: RIGHT?! Ten’ers write us an Apple review or a Spotify comment and tell us what they want to hear about…and then…other Ten’ers takeover? And do all the work and we get the day off?

PAM: Best. Day. Ever. I love hearing from the Ten’ers, I hope they keep telling us what they want us to cover!
RYAN: I do know they love Ten News Snaps–

PAM: We’ll let them do it, but first, here’s a quick note for the grownups. 

<AD BREAK>

WHOEVER WANTS TO TRY TO SING IT!: It’s time for Ten News Snaps!

SASHA: Try Force Hero left a review on Apple Podcasts and said…Best Podcast Ever. Love this podcast so much and can you make a episode on Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom? Butterflies are weird.

EVERETT: Ooooh, next Ten’er Takeover, I’d definitely do a segment on TOTK. And I don’t know Try Force Hero, I think butterflies are pretty cool! 

RYAN: the uploaded snaps file.

SADIE: Well, that’s it for this episode. Let’s wrap things up.

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

EVERETT: The Ten News creative team is ready to enjoy the holiday season and includes Tracey Not a Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas, The Duke of Earl Davis, and Carson Not So Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen, Not Slowin Down for Anybody.

SASHA: Our Production Director is Jeremiah Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald Albright, Albright, Albright! and show creator Tracy Takes the Leeds Kaplan. I’m Sasha. 

MADISON: I’m Maddy
EVERETT: I’m Everett.

SADIE: I’m Sadie.

OWEN: And I’m Owen, and thanks for listening to the Ten News Ten’er Takeover! Happy Holidays!