We all know that in NBC’s long running “America’s Got Talent,” it’s all about earning that coveted Golden Buzzer. Performers of all kinds grace the stage in hopes of wowing the judges, seizing the prize and moving onto the next round. What you might not know is that during commercial breaks, random audience members get a chance to show their stuff as well. Usually this bit is just for fun to pass the time. But one young singer gave such a spectacular performance that everyone was left in awe. Eleven-year-old Madison Baez Taylor was placed in the audience by the show’s producers unbeknownst to the judges. A huge AGT fan, Madison had been to tapings since she was 4 years old and would always try to sing during the commercial breaks. Finally—the year she came to actually audition, no less—her dream came true. Once Madison was handed the mic, there was no holding back. Her raw, soulful rendition of “Amazing Grace” instantly wowed, and the crowd burst into a standing ovation. Judges Sofía Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel spun in their chairs. Even the notoriously unimpressed Simon Cowell quickly came in from backstage to see who the mysterious powerhouse was. “We do ask people in the breaks if they’d like to sing a song and I was literally just coming back in and I heard this voice, thinking, ‘Who the hell is that?’ And then I see this little thing in the audience and it’s you,” Cowell told Madison. With a smile, Cowell then asked Madison to sing again. This time on the stage. For an official audition.Through tears, Madison sang again a capella, somehow with even more flair and gusto. And holy moly, that vibrato. Needless to say, cheers ensued. After her thrilling encore, Cowell told Madison, “I’m not kidding. In all the years we’ve ever done this, this has never actually happened before. I mean, I normally leave during the break because people do sing, so this is actually the opposite. It actually brought me back into the room.” Mandel then asked Madison what she might do with the $1 million grand prize if she were to win. Her heartfelt answer caught everyone by surprise. “I would help my dad with cancer research. He's had stage 4 colon cancer for the past nine years,” Madison said, getting emotional. Her dad, who had come to support his daughter during her big moment, later joined Madison on the stage. He revealed that she learned to sing by serenading him during his surgeries and chemo treatment. “She’d sing to me and help me get better, and I’m doing very well,” he told the audience. Madison received the Golden Buzzer from Mandel. No vote necessary. She and her dad shared a wonderful moment of victory as the golden confetti rained down. Whether she makes it to the final round or not, this girl is a winner.This article originally appeared on 6.13.22

Who hasn’t been led astray by dumb bet? The promise of five bucks to name every state capitol, or a whopping $50 to eat something bizarre or grotesque … why, it’s a classic form of mindless (but mostly harmless) entertainment. And sometimes the entire plot of a movie. When the chance of winning money is involved, that little voice inside our head that says “hey, since when can you do parkour?” can become nothing more than a whisper. Think Truth or Dare, but with a tiny capitalist twist. Plus, there’s the thrill of defying the odds. Get lucky, prove your friend wrong. What could be better?Personally, I still tend to play it safe. I’ll make some quick cash testing my obscure sci-fi knowledge, but that’s about it. But clearly, some people take it up a notch. Jimmy Fallon recently asked his “Tonight Show” audience to share some of of their wagers with #MyDumbBet on Twitter. Here are 20 of the silliest, most satisfying responses. Bet you can’t get through them all without shaking your head.1.My friend bet me $50 he could finish his beer without touching it. He then paid the bartender $5 to pour it in his mouth. #MyDumbBet— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) March 14, 2022 A $45 dollar profit! Not bad. 2.my friend bet me $50 that I wouldn’t jump off the garage roof and land on my feet. I landed on my feet… in the trashcan #MyDumbBet— Marina ╰(*´︶`*)╯? (@kanothenano) March 14, 2022 Sometimes even when you win, you lose.3.in HS - friend bet me to hop out the window at school, run across the lot, and sneak back in - I did it!I bet him to do it...he got out and ran, but as he returned, the teacher came to the window and stopped him dead in his tracks - his face was PRICELESS #mydumbbet— zach urquhart (@zurquhart) March 15, 2022 4.When we were kids I bet my brother he couldn’t sit in the babies safety swing at the park. Technically he won the bet but it took over an hour to free him and we had to call Mum and Dad #MyDumbBet— Sonya (@Sohnzie) March 14, 2022 5.When I was a kid, my grandmother bet me 100 bucks to eat a whole raw onion. I ate it. She didn't pay. #MyDumbBet— Dr. S e f e r ? ???? (@SeferMemaj) March 14, 2022 Wow. That's cold, grandma. 6.Last year in a snowy winter, I bet my friend if he touch the pole with his tongue ? then i will give him $20. He told me to give him a demo and I ended up with my tongue stuck in the pole for 30min.?— BeatBot NFT creator (@BeatBot_NFTs) March 15, 2022 7.In high school, my friend Nancy and I couldn't get to the ice cream shop fast enough after school, so I bet her we could beat the train that was coming down the tracks in my 1978 Ford named "Bucky." Yeah. We made it in the nick of time. Dumb, invincible teenagers.#MyDumbBet— Laura Oakes (@LauraWCCO) March 14, 2022 My anxiety shot through the roof after reading this one. 8.I bet my friend $20 that a large trash bag could be used as a parachute. After breaking his ankles from jumping off the house, I’d say that I lost. Not as bad as him though. #MyDumbBet— Mark McMillan.. (@Markey227) March 14, 2022 9.It’s actually a cute one for me, a dumb one for my friend… I asked my friend if her gf would propose to her first, and she said her gf would never propose. I bet my friend she would… fully knowing that her gf was about to propose. Easiest $100 I ever won. #MyDumbBet— Bia? (@BiaKing93) March 14, 2022 An easy win and a sweet moment! 10.My cocky highschool friend was 3 weeks into martial arts lessons and was boasting his reflexes. He challenged me to red hands. He said "bet you $20 you can't slap my hands". SLAP. Then he got mad and said "double or nothin!"...SLAP. #MyDumbBet— bigmonu (@bigmonu) March 15, 2022 11.#MyDumbBet I bet friends I can jump higher than the building. I then hop, and tell the building,"your turn."— Grantt Ward Gaming (@GranttWard) March 14, 2022 This guy knew how to use language to his advantage. 12.In high school I bet my coworker I could "open" the ice cream store in 15 min (usually took an hour). Going great until I poured 6 gallons of liquid froyo into the machine. Heard splattering. I forgot to put the fronts of the machines on. Took an hour to mop it up. #MyDumbBet— seamirac1979 (@seamirac1979) March 14, 2022 Fro-oh no! 13.I bet my dad 100 bucks he couldn't eat a slice of pizza with chopsticks in 30 seconds. He then somehow managed to fit the entire slice in his mouth in one big bite. #MyDumbBet— Yash Jagnani (@TheJokerDead1) March 14, 2022 Dad's not messing around. 14.I bet my friend he couldn't slap my teacher on his head He proceeded to the board and gave him a hot slap...He told Mr. Charles that there was a mosquito on his head.???— Wendie the OverSabi?? (@Wendie_anya) March 14, 2022 15.I was riding on the church bus going to Sunday School and a girl put her glasses on the floor and bet that I wouldn’t step on them. I put my foot over them, not intending to step on them but we hit a bump and I crushed them. #MyDumbBet— Jay Offer (@joeoffer2) March 14, 2022 That's the thing about dumb bets ... you never know when you're being set up for failure. 16.I bet my nephew $50 he couldn’t stop saying the word “like” for one hour. Without hesitating he said, “This is gonna be like the easiest 50 bucks…Doh!” #MyDumbBet— Rob (@rschmidt42) March 14, 2022 Ugh, I would, like, lose so hard at this too. 17.#MyDumbBet I bet my college friend that she couldn't catch more 10 peanuts in her mouth from across the room... She caught them all, but also found out she had an allergy...— Samantha Davidson (@Sallyjo25) March 14, 2022 18.I bet my friend I could get a date with Chris Evans! ??Still trying so I didn't lose right? #mydumbbet— Danielle Nicole (@DNicola22s) March 15, 2022 Never give up! This article originally appeared on 3.16.22

When picturing a doctor’s office, you might imagine a less than warm atmosphere. Those oh-so-lovely fluorescent lights instantly come to my mind. Imagine if a doctor told you, “I want to design our visit in a way that makes you feel most comfortable.” Suddenly that annual check-up doesn’t sound so dreadful after all. Dr. Ryan Stewart, a urogynecologist at the Midwest Center for Pelvic Health, recently asked women to weigh in on the redesign of his office. Posting the question to Twitter, we wrote: “I have the opportunity to design my office from scratch. I’m asking women. How would you design/optimize a visit to the gynecologist’s office? No detail is too small.”His tweet ended with “If I’ve ever had a tweet worthy of virality, it’s this one.”And boy was he right. His tweet nearly instantly received thousands of replies. Turns out, there are a lot of ways to improve a visit to the gyno. Including: Empathy toward sexual traumaAcknowledgement that sexual trauma histories can make exams psychologically overwhelming for many. I’d feel safer if it wasn’t dismissed as “everyone needs these exams, it’s no big deal.” It is a big deal! Empathy would help in improving our sense of safety & reducing avoidance.— Kara K. (@karabear_1) December 5, 2021 This includes starting the exam off asking if a patient has any trauma, and not dismissing feelings of discomfort, according to commenters. Improved privacy No one should ever have to discuss any aspect of their care with anyone (I’m thinking nurse, receptionist) within earshot of other patients. Also, patients should not be able to listen to phone calls or dictation. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve heard while sitting.— Dr. Erin MacLean MD OB/GYN (ret’d) (@macdoin) December 5, 2021 As part of improved privacy, many advocated to not be asked if an intern can observe while the intern is still in the room."It's hard to say no to them," one person wrote. Another added "I'm sitting on the table in the gown and [the gyno] brings in this young guy and says 'you don't mind him observing this do you?' I consented but have been pissed off ever since and never went back to her."One person mentioned that their current doctor recently swapped the thin, exposing paper gown for spa style robes, adding both privacy and a dash of luxury. Diverse postersI'm black and black is beautiful!Diversity in Medical IllustrationMore of this should be encouraged! Illustration by @ebereillustrate#pregnant #MedEd #scicomm #inclusion #AcademicTwitter #MedTwitter #illustration #MetaversePlease support this cause? https://t.co/Tye9WT1hud pic.twitter.com/YGrzINJfoe— Chidiebere Ibe (@ebereillustrate) November 24, 2021 This suggestion comes aptly timed, as the diagram (above) of a black fetus recently inspired a viral conversation. Many were noting that they had never seen one in medical imagery before. One person remarked, "I am 53 years old and have never seen myself represented in anything in a doctor's office, even pamphlets. Change that!"Mental health screeningsmake screening for depression, domestic abuse, human trafficking, anxiety and PPD a normal part of your exam practice. my normal doc screens at every physical for depression, its just normal. Check in on emotional effects of birth control— Anschteeviee (@iamoutofideas12) December 6, 2021 Waiting until the clothes are ON to disclose important infoDon’t discuss care or diagnoses when people are naked, I remember how much more respected and comfortable I felt when a new gynaecologist introduced himself to me while I was clothed, did the exam, then had me get dressed and meet him in his office to discuss care! Much better!— B Davie is officially boosted ??? (@davieledgerwood) December 5, 2021 Bottom line: It's already a vulnerable time. Let people have a moment to get comfortable. One person added "I have always had to specifically ask to be able to talk to my doctor clothed first. Even when I hadn't met that doctor yet. I feel like that should be default, not up to me to ask for. It's such a power imbalance already, don't add unnecessary vulnerability." Ditching the pink It's super trivial, but...Not every place that's intended for women to inhabit needs to be pink. There are other colors.— Girl Geek for Getting Shaq some Magenta FFS (@girlgeek_rva) December 5, 2021 To some, it's mildly annoying. To others, it's even triggering. One person tweeted, "I went through a breast cancer scare, & EVERY women's medical office I went to–pink EVERYWHERE. I was at a really terrified moment in my life, & pink, pink, pink. I 100% can't stand it anymore." Offering pain medsFrom my non-Twitter-using wife: offer painkillers. Don’t make people ask/have to know to ask. Anyone getting a cervical biopsy should be offered the same suite of painkillers and anxiety drugs I was for my vasectomy.— Hairy Seldon ??? (@eschatomaton) December 6, 2021 Potentially painful procedures like IUD insertions or cervical biopsies typically only offer medication upon request. This Twitter user suggested offering them, making it clear that the patient has the option. More accessibility in the exam and waiting roomsFind women who are wheelchair/cane/walker/prosthetic users, and ask them what they need most. Wider hallways, exam tables that actually DO lower, more than one bathroom that is fully handicap friendly BY HANDICAP USERS CHECKLIST- not some random contractor. Furniture where a 1— its still a Holly Jolly Pandemic, folks! (@HTTOrganizers) December 5, 2021 Tables that lower for those with mobility issues as well as higher waiting room chairs were among the most frequently suggested items. And lastly … a variety of speculum sizesA wide variety of speculum sizes, and introduction to the exam room including a play by play of how the visit will go. Most people never get this and the office staff never ask if it’s their first exam and most people wouldn’t disclose fear or stress if they have it.— Móniquita (@mvasquez_owner) December 5, 2021 The general Twitter consensus: and while you're at it, warm them up too. Dr. Stewart’s tweet did receive constructive criticism asking for more inclusionI would not just ask women. I'm not a woman and GYN care is essential to my health.Physical space is important, but invest in comprehensive training for your staff to ensure the safety of BIPOC, queer, disabled, and other marginalized patients. This is essential.— hannah starflower ♿️ (@HannahntheWolf) December 5, 2021 Dr. Stewart welcomed the insight, sending a follow-up tweet that read:“Folks have [correctly] pointed out that I [incorrectly] said “women” when what I should have said was “folks who may need gynecologic care.” I named the practice with this in mind @midwestpelvis, but I find that I still have a lot of internalized/implicit bias.”This viral thread might have started a trend. Soon after another medical practitioner tweeted:“Love urogynecologist Dr. Stewart asking for input on ideal office design and wanted to ask the oncology community something similar: given that no one wants to come to a cancer doctor…what makes the experience MOST comfortable?”Though Dr. Stewart describes his philosophy online as “I want you to leave every appointment feeling as though you’ve learned more about yourself,” it’s lovely to see that he is equally invested in learning about his patients as well. This article originally appeared on 12.11.21

When we hear about racial bias in education, we might picture things like disparities in school funding, disciplinary measures, or educational outcomes. But it can also show up in the seemingly simplest of school assignments—ones that some of us wouldn't even notice if we don't look outside our own cultural lens. Ericka Bullock-Jones shared one such instance on Facebook, with her daughter's responses to questions on a high school ancestry assignment. "My kids go to a pretty much all white school," she wrote. "They got an assignment yesterday asking them to talk to their relatives and document how their families came to 'immigrate' to the US. The teacher asked for details about the 'push and pull of the decision' and really made it sound like a light hearted assignment. Female Offspring was INCENSED. She is a beast - and I mean that in the best possible way. I wish I had a scintilla if [sic] her nerve, knowledge and courage when I was her age. This is what she put together to turn in for this assignment..." The top of the assignment reads: "Your objective: Learn a little about your family history by talking to parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles, etc. Go home over the next few days and talk to family members to discover as much information as you can concerning how your family came to live in the United States. As you gather information, type the information you learn to the questions below. Find as much as you can and be prepared to share with the class next week during our Zoom call on Wednesday." The image shows the questions the teacher asked in bold, with the students' answers underneath them. Two of the questions were crossed out by the student and reworded to fit her ancestors' reality. It reads: "Who is my first ancestor to come to the United States? My first ancestor to come to the US has no name. They most likely had an African name, but there are no records of this ancestor because they were not treated as human beings. Which side of your family is this? Both sides of my family are mostly black. Where did they migrate to the United States from? Where were they taken from? They did not migrate to the US, they were forcibly ripped from their homes and packed in ships similar to sardines (see pictures). They were stolen from Africa. Where in the United States did they migrate to? Where were they sold to? They were most likely sold somewhere in the 13 colonies. What brought them to the United States? They were forcibly relocated to the US by slave ships and white men who wanted to profit off of human trafficking to build their country on the land that they stole from the indigenous people, which they all did under the delusion that they were entitled to do so." Ericka Bullock-Jones/Facebook The assignment assumes the dominant cultural narrative in the U.S.—that we are a nation of immigrants and that our ancestors at some point along the line left a faraway homeland in search of a better life and found it here. But that narrative completely erases the experiences of the millions of descendants of enslaved Africans, in addition to the descendants of Native Americans whose ancestors have lived here for thousands of years. This 15-year-old succinctly and boldly showed that, intentional or not, this assignment was designed only with non-Black and non-Native students in mind. Bullock-Jones shared an update with the email that the student sent to the teacher with her assignment as well as his response. She wrote: "History Assignment Update: Today is the day the students were scheduled to present their homework assignments to the other classmates via Zoom. The teacher postponed the presentation. My guess? I suspect he may have caught wind of her completed assignment making the rounds to thousands of people here in the US as well as abroad. Before Female Offspring submitted her work to him, she sent an email directly to the teacher. It is below: Dear ____ Good afternoon. I am unsure of whether or not it came to mind when creating this assignment that not all students come from a line of descendants whose history involves voluntary immigration. As an African American, my family history involves somber deep rooted wounds involving enslavement and exploitation which (as you know) continues to constantly weigh heavily on our shoulders. I want to make it clear that I understand that history is not always pretty and in this class we will learn and gain a deeper understanding of tragic historical events. The topic of this assignment it not something I take lightly. I am telling you all of this in the hopes that in the future you might give assignments like this more thought before asking these types of things of your future students. Monday, the Female Offspring had office hours with the teacher. He was apologetic, conciliatory and complimentary of the assignment she turned in. He told her that it was insensitive of him to put her in that position. He said that he would need to re-evaluate the assignment, after having assigned it to his students for many years. He complimented her on how she had chosen to answer and re-frame his questions. Finally, he told her that it was the BEST response to the assignment that he had ever received and he's been teaching for more than 15 years. I assume that when he said her response was the best he'd ever received, that means that she'll be getting an A. Right on, Female Offspring! Keep up the good fight!" Indeed, keep up the good fight. We all need to learn to look outside our assumptions, challenge the dominant cultural narrative when it erases other Americans, and courageously speak the truth. Kudos to this student, and good for her teacher for hearing her, acknowledging the impact of the assignment, and committing to reevaluate it. (And also for giving her an A—she certainly earned it.) This article originally appeared on 9.2.20

Astronomer Carl Sagan was the original host of "Cosmos" back in 1980 and it became most watched show in public television history. Few science communicators have been able to match his talent for stoking wonder about the universe.Shortly before his death in 1996, he appeared on "Charlie Rose" and made a dire warning about how the average Americans' lack of skeptical, scientific thinking could lead to disastrous consequences.Today, we can see the problems that are happening due to America's anti-science streak whether it's anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories or climate change deniers. Sagan was right, America will suffer due to a lack a lack of scientific skepticism. Carl Sagan and Government_ Charlie Rose.wmv www.youtube.com "We've arranged a society on science and technology in which nobody understands anything about science and technology, and this combustible mixture of ignorance and power sooner or later is going to blow up in our faces," he told Rose. "I mean, who is running the science and technology in a democracy if the people don't know anything about it?"He then warned that our lack of critical thinking leaves us vulnerable to those who wish to exploit our ignorance."Science is more than a body of knowledge, it's a way of thinking," he says. "If we are not able to ask skeptical questions to interrogate those who tell us something is true to be skeptical of those in authority, then we're up for grabs for the next charlatan political or religious who comes ambling along."Sagan believes that a democracy cannot function without an educated populace."It's a thing that Jefferson lay great stress on. It wasn't enough, he said, to enshrine some rights in the Constitution and the Bill or Rights, the people had to be educated and they have to practice their skepticism and their education," he says. "Otherwise, we don't run the government, the government runs us."This article originally appeared on 9.4.20

Being the parent of a toddler is a unique joy that only lasts for a fleeting season, which is why you have to take full advantage of it while you can. And one dad is clearly doing just that.Christopher Kyle is father to adorable, 18-month-old Ava, who treated her dad to a meal at her sit-down restaurant. Only according to Kyle, the service left much to be desired. In a post on Instagram, Kyle shared a photo of Ava in her play kitchen while he sat waiting for his food in a tiny chair at a tiny table. He wrote:"So I tried to support another Black Owned Business for lunch today. It's called Ava's Kitchen, just opened end of April. It's a very clean establishment, but whewww let me tell you about this owner.First off, I asked why there are balloons on my chair, and it's not my birthday? She talm'bout, mind yah business; those are Mommy's.I been waiting on my order to get done for 45 minutes, and I'm the only customer here. She was making good progress at first, then she stopped for 20 minutes to go watch Paw Patrol.Overall the customer service could be better, but the cook is a cutie; so I'll give her another chance. Let's not give up on Black businesses so fast after one mistake. ?" See on Instagram People absolutely loved this dad's humor and clearly stellar parenting skills. Anyone who has sat through a tea party—or any activity with the wee ones—knows that for all of its cuteness, toddler play is an exercise in patience and endurance. Upworthy shared Kyle's story well on on our Instagram page and our readers did not disappoint. Some played right along with the game:"Starting a restaurant is tough.. give her a chance ❤️❤️""I mean, she started a restaurant during a global pandemic, give her a break ?""Is she taking reservations?"Fans of Paw Patrol had some words:"Paw Patrol is a must watch so ??♀️?""I died at Paw Patrol ??? that's my show though. I don't have kids I just watch it just because lmao.""Paw Patrol break is mandatory. Too cute! ♥️"Others just gushed over the entire scene:"Love EVERYTHING about this!! The adorable owner, the custumer's humor and the incredible love""That's the cutest restaurant owner I've ever seen. The dad's face is priceless! ??❤️""LoL the story is funny & beautiful!!! This warms my heart!! This babygirl will grow up to have such a healthy look at men (in any capacity) as long as she & her Daddy keep such a beautiful bond!! Happy Father's Day (early) Keep encouraging her to do her thing and her confidence will continue to soar!! I just love this!! ???"Well done, dad. And well done, Ava. Can't wait to see you open your own real business someday, baby girl.This article originally appeared on 5.28.20

Sometimes it seems like social media is too full of trolls and misinformation to justify its continued existence, but then something comes along that makes it all worth it. Apparently, a song many of us have never heard of shot to the top of the charts in Italy in 1972 for the most intriguing reason. The song, written and performed by Adriano Celentano and is called "Prisencolinensinainciusol" which means...well, nothing. It's gibberish. In fact, the entire song is nonsense lyrics made to sound like English, and oddly, it does. Occasionally, you can hear what sounds like a real word or phrase here and there—"eyes" and "color balls died" and "alright" a few times, for example—but it mostly just sounds like English without actually being English. It's like an auditory illusion and it does some super trippy things to your brain to listen to it.Plus the video someone shared to go with it is fantastic. It's gone crazy viral because how could it not. And if you thought that video was something, check out another one of the same song by the same singer. Why are there two videos? Who knows. But this is truly one of the most 1970s things that has ever happened. Adriano Celentano - Prisencolinensinainciusol www.youtube.com Wow, right? In a 2012 interview on NPR's All Things Considered, Celentano explained how the silly pop song came about."Ever since I started singing, I was very influenced by American music and everything Americans did," he told Guy Raz, through interpreter Sim Smiley."So at a certain point, because I like American slang—which, for a singer, is much easier to sing than Italian—I thought that I would write a song which would only have as its theme the inability to communicate," he said. "And to do this, I had to write a song where the lyrics didn't mean anything."In fact, Celentano didn't even write down any lyrics for the song at first, but just improvised the sounds. And people didn't appear to care. "Prisencolinensinainciusol" reached number one on the charts not only in Italy, but also in France, Germany, and Belgium. Celentano's ability to sound like he's singing in English without actually saying anything in English is pretty impressive. Especially when you hear him sing in Italian, like this: Adriano Celentano - L'emozione non ha voce - Official Video (With Lyrics/Parole in descrizione) www.youtube.com Languages are fun. And funky. And frustrating when you don't understand them. Celentano was purposefully making a point with "Prisencolinensinainciusol" to break down language barriers and inspire people to communicate more. Whether he succeeded in doing that or not, it sure is entertaining to see him try. This article originally appeared on 12.1.20

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