Daily Giz Wiz x 900

I'm a fan of tech gadgets. And although crocheting requires less digital tools than my other artsy pursuits, I still listen to technology podcasts while I work with yarn.

Podcasts are shows that are subscribed to—and shown—over the internet, and my favourite podcast is the Daily Giz Wiz. Each episode focuses on a gadget, but the show's energy comes from the funny banter between the co-hosts. From left to right: Leo Laporte and Dick DeBartolo:


Leo and Dick were preparing to record their 900th podcast episode this month, and I wanted to crochet something for their special show.

The first figure I began to crochet was a mini Leo Laporte. I've been a fan of Leo's down-to-earth approach to tech talk since 2001, and our paths have crossed since then.

Here's a video of when MJ and I called Leo's computer help show in 2005:

And here's a video of Leo viewing some illustrations I sent him a month later:

This video shows my geeky thrill of 2007: being interviewed by Leo about digital illustration:

Finally, here is the crocheted Leo, wearing his headphones, his seldom-seen yellow clog slippers, and sitting on his inflatable exercise ball:


The co-host of the Daily Giz Wiz is Dick DeBartolo, whose nickname is the "Giz Wiz". He is also known as "Mad's Maddest Writer," having written for every issue of MAD magazine since 1966. MJ's favourite magazine is MAD, and she even has two issues autographed by Dick De.

Here is the crocheted Dick De, wearing his MAD t-shirt and sitting on his Giz Wiz Biz logo:


The Daily Giz Wiz podcast occasionally features gadgets that are surprisingly low-tech. In fact, two of their most popular episodes featured a toothpick bird and a spork.

A plastic toothpick bird uses its beak to pick up toothpicks from its base, but this yarn toothpick bird only simulates that pickup action:


A metal spork can be used as a fork and a spoon, though this yarn spork is best kept clear from foodstuff:


Here is the entire Daily Giz Wiz family:


I sent the DGW figures to Leo and Dick for their live recording of episode 900, and here's a video of the surprise gift opening:

Congratulations to Dick and Leo for 900+ episodes of the Daily Giz Wiz! Will I be a geeky fan of their next 900 episodes? As Dick says at the end of each episode: "I'll be here!"