Adorable Suburban 6-Year-Old Appears on ‘Ellen,' Talks About His Science Podcast

At just 6 years old, Nate Butkus already has a profitable science podcast, but when it comes to his earnings, there’s only one thing he’s ever wanted to spend it on.

A bobblehead of himself.

The Wilmette elementary student, dressed in a lab coat and his typical shirt and tie ensemble, appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” Tuesday, where he revealed that his love of science first sprouted when he was just 3 years old.

“Science has been my favorite topic since I was three,” he said. “And when I was three I mixed together water, salt and food coloring. I made red salt water.”

Out of that love of science sprouted his podcast “The Show About Science,” where he interviews professors and scientists around the globe about topics like climate change, physics, evolution, radiation, animals and recycling.

“Sometimes I book the guests, and that’s what usually happens,” Nate told Ellen. “And sometimes my dad books the guests, but I still have to approve of them. And if we’re lucky sometimes our guests book us.”

He added, however, that he’d still have to approve of those guests as well.

“Here’s a quick shout out, I’ll always approve,” he told the audience.

The podcasts average about 3,000 to 4,000 listens per interview, with over 80,000 total listens to date. He began the podcast at the age of 5. 

“When I was six, I ate crayons,” DeGeneres joked.

Nate brought along with him to the interview his haboob goggles, which are used as eye protection during “ginormous sandstorms,” he said.

“I keep them around in case I ever go to Arizona or Utah,” he told the talk show host.

The young podcaster then revealed that he has made a total of $500 for his science podcast so far.

“Basically, I said, ‘Hey dad, could I please have a custom bobble head of myself? And they were like were like, ‘Do you know how much money that is? It’s $100 you are not getting that in our money,’” he said. “And so four months later, maybe half a year later, I got $500 through this best podcast and then they said, ‘That’s a little too much money for a 6-year-old, we’re going to have to put some of that money into your college fund.’ And I said, ‘OK dad, can I just have $100? And I was texting, so I was like, ‘Deal? Deal? Deal?’ And he was like, ‘Deal.’ And I was like, ‘Yes, I’m getting a bobblehead.’”

Nate then proudly showed off his new bobblehead before DeGeneres gifted him with a brand new lab coat featuring an “Ellen” tie.

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