At a Glance
- Marcello Hernández sampled bone-conduction lollipops on The Tonight Show Thursday, Jan. 15
- The edible Lollipop Star transmits songs like M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” through teeth and jawbone
- Tech YouTuber Linus Sebastian demonstrated how vibrations bypass the eardrum
- Why it matters: Viewers saw a candy that lets you literally taste music-no earbuds required
Marcello Hernández experienced the wonders of science and technology in real time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
During the Thursday, Jan. 15, episode, the Saturday Night Live cast member, 28, sat behind the desk alongside Fallon, 51, while YouTuber and tech expert Linus Sebastian showed them innovative tech. The first product was the Lollipop Star, an edible lollipop that lets you “hear music” through your mouth.
Upon hearing the explanation, Hernández began to laugh.
“That’s the slogan?” Fallon asked.
“It’s really easy to use. I’m gonna be really careful. I’m not gonna touch the end, because you’re gonna need this.”
Sebastian then pulled out the product, a bright pink stick with a knob at the top, and passed one to Fallon and another to Hernández before explaining how the device works.
How the lollipop plays music
Sebastian walked the guests through the steps:
- Pull the protective tab
- Hold the button for three seconds
- Place the candy between your teeth
- Bite gently while covering your eyes
“I wish you all the best in your career. But I have a problem with the stuff that you have been saying today,” Hernández joked as the audience laughed.
“Press, hold it for three seconds,” Sebastian instructed.
“Is it supposed to be blinking?” Hernández asked.
“Yes,” Sebastian replied.
“What in the world?” Fallon said while biting down on the lollipop.
“Oh, man!” Hernández exclaimed.
Questlove of the late-night show’s house band, The Roots, also indulged in the unique lollipop and expressed awe as well.
Bone-conduction tech inside candy
Sebastian broke down the science:
“Normally, sound is vibrations in the air. They hit our eardrum, and then they get transferred to our inner ear, to the bones in there. With bone conduction technology, you just put a very minor vibration up against your bones, and it takes it straight to the inner ear.”
Hernández then began humming “Bad Girls” by M.I.A., indicating that it was the song connected to the lollipop. Fallon joined in, creating an impromptu duet.
The comedian hosted his first Netflix comedy special, American Boy, on Jan. 7.
