Tag: Media

DNA Podcast 137 – AI in Popular Culture

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 137 - AI in Popular Culture
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In this episode, Rob and Don look back at the past of humanity’s relationship with Artificial Intelligence and ponder where it will be going in the future. The duo discuss recent innovations in AI, how people’s concept of what AI is has changed over the years, and why AI might not want to wipe us out after all. All this, and why sexbots may herald humanity’s doom, is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Artificial Intelligence
Google Engineer Claims Google AI is Sentient
BF Skinner
ChatbotGPT
Dr. Susan Calvin (Robopsychologist from Issas Asimov stories)
Queensryche- The Warning (Album)
GREY (manga)
The Turing Test
Understanding Comics
Cognitive Dissonance
The Singularity
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Is the Internet Conscious? If It Were, How Would We Know?
Colossus: The Forbin Project
Electric Dreams (movie)
Lawnmower Man (movie)
Cyberpunk
Max Headroom
Gamma World
Tay Microsoft Chatbot
Korean Mukbang Videos


DNA Podcast 135 – Breaking Up With Fandom Is Hard To Do

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 135 - Breaking Up With Fandom Is Hard To Do
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In this episode, Don and Rob discuss the thorny issue of why people break up with their media darlings. The two delve into the reasons why people and the properties they love might go their separate ways, and explore whether that’s a good or bad thing. Along the way, the duo discuss heavy metal, isekai, and manga, but everything they talk about can be applied to anything that brings joy to peoples’ hearts. All this, and a healthy dose of nerd rage, is coming to you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Marie Kondo
The Phantom
Ghostbusters- Afterlife
A Headbanger’s Journey
The KISS Army
Venom (Band)
Kylie Jenner Diet Pepsi Commercial
Isekai
Truck-kun
Hikkomori
Being an Influencer is Soul Crushing
Sentai
Samurai TV DNA Episode
SLAM DUNK!
MASHLE
SPRIGGAN
MAZINGER
DEVILMAN
All-Star Squadron
The Desert Peach
The Streisand Effect

Don’s Four Ways Fans Break up with a Property
-(fans) Age Out
-(fans) Reach Saturation (with a property)
-Style Drift (of the media property)
-Hardcore Nerd Rage (because fans don’t get what they want from it anymore)

Rob’s Fifth:
-Fans are driven away by toxic fandom even though they still like the property.


DNA Podcast 130 – The Mandela Effect

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 130 - The Mandela Effect
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In this episode, Don and Rob explore the intersection of reality and human perception and how these two things often fail to match up. Along the way they discuss Don’s four ways reality and humanity tend to disagree, how the internet has been both a help and destructive force in determining reality, and more high weirdness than you can shake a Sasquatch at! All this, and how rye bread may have caused the Salem Witch Trials, is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

The Matrix
The Weekly World News
The Slenderman
Slenderman Murders
Richard Gere Gerbiling
The Jersey Devil
The Satanic Panic
The Salem Witch Trials
Did Climate Change Cause the Salem Witch Trials?
How Rye Bread May Have Caused the Salem Witch Trials
Cognitive Dissonance
Paul is Dead
Zines
CKLW The Big 8
King Diamond
Officially Pronounced Dead Patch
The Thunderbird Picture
The Berenstain Bears
The Mandela Effect
Penn Jillette
Roy the Game from Rick and Morty
STTNG The Inner Light
Ape Canyon Bigfoot Tale
The Legend of Boggy Creek
The Paterson-Gimli Film
Mysterious Monsters 1975 Movie
The Loch Ness Monster
In Search Of TV Series
Amityville Horror
In Search of The Amityville Horror
The Silly Season
Reddit Bazaar of the Bizarre group
Merman Seen off the Coast of Brest (1725)
The Necronomicron
SCP Foundation
SCP Abridged
Creepypasta


DNA Podcast 126 – Injuries in Popular Culture

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 126 - Injuries in Popular Culture
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In this episode, Don and Rob explore how the way that injuries are portrayed in a story has a bit effect on how the audience perceives both stories and reality. Along the way, the two discuss how movies, role playing games, and comics have shown injuries, and what it says about their presentations of reality. All this, and 16 Lies Movies have Told You About Violence, is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy Cartoon Ethnic Cast
The Last Action Hero
The Hays Code (aka The Motion Picture Production Code)
New Hollywood
Pam Grier
CHAMPIONS: The Superhero RPG
DC HEROES (Mayfair RPG)
16 Lies About Violence that Movies have Told You (from CRACKED.com)
Fight! Dragon TV series
The Dragon Man Skull


DNA Podcast 106 – Lost Genres 2 Sitcom Bugaloo

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 106 - Lost Genres 2 Sitcom Bugaloo
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In this episode, Don and Rob dive into another round of the genres that time forgot as they explore more things that have washed away into the river of time. The pair jump right into the types of TV shows and TV stories that once ruled the airwaves but have faded, and then go on to explore lost corners of print, toys and music. All this, and why Pac Man Fever was the end of an era, is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Variety TV Shows
Texaco Star Theatre
Pink Lady and Jeff
Carol Burnett Show
Smothers Brother’s Comedy Hour
Sitcoms
The Spin-Off
All in the Family
Happy Days
Laverne and Shirley
Hooterville Trilogy
Good Times
Diff’rent Strokes
High Concept
Mork and Mindy
Quark
Herman’s Head
My Mother the Car
The Munsters
Daytime Soap Operas
Christmas Specials
That’s Incredible!
America’s Funniest Home Videos
Magazines
Korean Webtoons
Video Game Market Crash of 1983
Pac Man Fever
Shining Force
Novelty Songs
Dr. Demento
Nerdcore
Gloryhammer
Edguy
Beast in Black
Outlaw Country
Crooners
Surf Music
Gangsta Rap


DNA Podcast 104 – Lost Genres

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 104 - Lost Genres
/

In this episode, Don and Rob cast a look back in time to the 20th century and look at comic book and film genres that were once popular but have faded into the past. Hillbillies, Funny Animals and Greek demi-gods abound in this journey into the vaults of time. All this, and the amazing art of Mel Birnkrant, is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Cracked Podcast – How We Get the Old West Wrong
Hillbilly Comics
L’il Abner
The Hooterville Trilogy
The Beverly Hillbillies
Deliverance (film)
Sports Comics
Joe Palooka
Anthology Comics
Heavy Metal Magazine
Jungle Comics
Romance Comics
Funny Animal Comics
Howard the Duck
Movie Adaptation Comics
Gorgo
Reptilicus
Konga
Dell Comics
Gold Key/Disney/Dell Comics Connection
Kids Comics
Star Comics
Animax Toys
MelBirnkrant.com
Starship A.R.C.
Gag Comics
Archie Ripoffs (part1/part2/part3/part4)
Meet Corliss Archer
Dan Decarlo
Erotic Comics
Singing Cowboy Films
Sword and Sandal Films (wikipedia – scroll down the whole page, I dare you!)
MST3K Heracules Films on YouTube
Luchador Films
Deepfakes
Beach Movies/Teen Sex Romp


DNA Podcast 099 – Trust Us, We’re Lying

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 099 - Trust Us, We're Lying
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In this episode, Don and Rob are joined by Jack Ward to discuss the book Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday and the implications that come with his tell-all book about media manipulation. The three delve into the techniques used by Holiday and media manipulators, how the media hacks human psychology, and why fake news may have always been with us. All this, and the startling truth about the reptilian invasion, is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:
Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday
“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” – William Randolph Hurst
Source Amnesia
The Thunderbird Photo
The Backfire Effect
Yellow Journalism
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
James O’Keefe
Andrew Brietbart
D&D Satanic Panic
The Internet Research Agency (Russian Troll Farm)
A Russian Facebook page organized a protest in Texas. A different Russian page launched the counterprotest.
Gawker Media
4-chan
8-chan
Nick Denton
Jezebel
Freakonomics
The Lumiere Brothers
The New York Sun / Benjamin Day
Mutual Audio Network
Scott Adams (Created Dilbert)
Kinda Racist? Try Diet Racism! (Collegehumour)
This Video Will Make You Angry
What is an Influencer?
Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
Quora
Jordan Peterson
The Year 2525
The Congress (film)


DNA Podcast 092 – Police in Popular Culture

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 092 - Police in Popular Culture







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In this episode, Don and Rob take a look at the messy history of the police in popular culture. Starting off with a history of the police themselves, the pair explore how police stories are very much a reflection of the society which produces them, and how we seem to alternate between two forms of cop story in the modern era depending on society’s mood. All this, and why Sherlock Holmes was the original Deadpool, is waiting for you in this episode of the Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:

Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Criminals in Popular Culture DNA Podcast
A History of Police
Sheriff
Robin Hood
Yakuza
Sam Vimes – Discworld
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Pinkertons
The Moonstone (first Police Detective Novel)
Sherlock Holmes
The Keystone Kops
Dick Tracey
Bulldog Drummond
Dragnet
Serial Podcast
G-Men Movies
Heart to Heart
McMillan and Wife
Columbo
Dirty Harry
S.W.A.T.
Miami Vice
ADAM 12
C.H.I.P.S.
Hill Street Blues
Sledge HAMMER
COPS
Cop Rock
NYPD Blue
LAW and ORDER
LAW and ORDER: Criminal Intent
C.S.I.
VG CATS – 67 – Choice Words
CSI Zoom and Enhance Meme
Murder She Wrote
The Mentalist
Matlock
Elementary TV Series


DNA Podcast 085 – Media and the Law

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 085 - Media and the Law







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In this episode, Rob, Don and Jack Ward discuss the relationships between the law and entertainment media. These three gumshoes leave no stone unturned as they delve into the seedy and often antagonistic relationship between those who make the rules and those who make the fun. Along the way, they discuss how copyright law has affected Audio Drama, real-life superheroes, and a surprising amount of adult material. All this, and why the king of Prussia was one sneaky S.O.B., is waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:

Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

Google Books Uncovers Massive Plagiarism
How Mickey and Superman Changed Copyright Law
Broken Sea Audio
Conan the Barbarian Copyright Issues
The History of Trademarks
The History of Copyright
History of Disclaimers
Disney
DC Comics
Marvel Comics
Pendant Productions
Brampton Batman
The Crimson Canuck
Batman Dead End
Spider-Man in Television
Audio Drama Ratings System
A History of PG-13
Dreams of Fisherman’s Wife by Hokusai (NSFW)
Libel
Slander
Parody
Ratings Systems
This Hour Has 22 Minutes
Marg Warrior Princess
Star Trek: The Next Generation a XXX Parody (Trailer)
The Air Pirates
Censorship
Friendly Franks – The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Japanese Comic Book Demographics
Inspector Kurokochi
King of Prussia Markets Potatoes
Chinpokomon South Park

 

Jack’s Notes:

Lone Ranger Unmasked
http://mentalfloss.com/article/12536/court-ordered-unmasking-lone-ranger
But Moore’s career hit a speed bump in 1978, when Jack Wrather, who still owned the rights to the character, obtained a court order barring him from appearing in public as the Lone Ranger. The suit came because Universal Pictures felt it was time for a new take on the legendary masked man.
After a year-long court battle, Moore lost the right to wear the mask in 1979, a move that devastated both him and his fans. Moore was quoted as saying, “It felt like a slap in the face.”

Gary McKinnon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_McKinnon
McKinnon stated that he was able to get into the military’s networks simply by using a Perl script that searched for blank passwords; in other words his report suggests that there were computers on these networks with the default passwords active.
He said he investigated a NASA photographic expert’s claim that at the Johnson Space Center’s Building 8, images were regularly cleaned of evidence of UFO craft, and confirmed this, comparing the raw originals with the “processed” images. He stated to have viewed a detailed image of “something not man-made” and “cigar shaped” floating above the northern hemisphere, and assuming his viewing would be undisrupted owing to the hour, he did not think of capturing the image because he was “bedazzled”, and therefore did not think of securing it with the screen capture function in the software at the point when his connection was interrupted.

Real Life Superheroes
https://listverse.com/2013/03/24/10-outrageous-real-life-superheroes/
Knight Warrior- Supernatural Power- to make the world a better place
Although he doesn’t have any combat training, gadgets, weapons, or identifiable means of protection, he does have a flashy costume, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need to get people’s attention. According to him, “When people see me coming up it does tend to stun them into silence.” Knight Warrior lives with his mother.

Wheel Clamp Man

His main “heroic” activity is a full-fledged crime—he patrols Perth with an angle grinder and cuts wheel clamps off cars that have been illegally parked.Dressed in a skintight green leotard, rainbow socks, and a glue-on mustache, Wheel Clamp Man has only been working in the area for a relatively short time, but motorists are grateful for his help in helping them avoid a $135 fine.

Dark Guardian

New York, Inspiring video taking out a drug dealer out of the park
https://vimeo.com/3529737

Captain Australia

With gardening gloves flexed and ampersat blazing, Captain Australia is waging a one-man war against crime in Fortitude Valley. In his day life he’s a stay-at-home father of two, but a desire to clean up Queensland’s streets has motivated him to put together a makeshift costume and patrol some of the “seedier areas” of Brisbane at night.

Thanatos

Vancouver! Wearing a black trench coat, black hat, and a green skull mask, Thanatos takes a community involvement approach to vigilante justice, passing out food and clothing to people on the street, even though he still keeps an eye out for any crimes that cross his path.

Phoenix Jones

Seattle Washington is an MMA fighter. Bullet proof vest and armor plating

The Flashing Blade

Has only been involved in one incident so far, but it was definitely bizarre. A gang armed with chains and knives attacked two detectives in South Shields in 2007. The detectives were unarmed, but out of nowhere a man leaped into the fight, swinging a katana and shouting, “Leave him alone, he’s a police officer!” The sword caught one of the gang members on the arm, and the rest of them turned and ran, according to the report.After the detectives were safe, The Flashing Blade disappeared and was never seen again. The only description the police got was that he was white, in his 40s, and had a mustache. So, be on the lookout.

Chinese Redbud Woman.
http://www.chinahush.com/2011/12/31/female-superhero-chinese-redbud-woman-appears-in-beijing/
She has been spotted several times in Beijing wearing a mask and cape and handing out food to homeless people on the streets.Are these people vigilantes, putting their lives and the lives of others in danger, or are they actually making a difference in whatever way they can?

Paramount and Axanar
https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/21/cbs-and-paramount-settle-lawsuit-with-star-trek-fan-film/
Official fan guidelines. Specifically, the production can only be 30 minutes long in total, and even then it has to be split into two parts. The Axanar film also can’t have “Star Trek” in the title, cannot use public crowd-funding and may not compensate any of the professional talent for their work.

Flagpole sitting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_sitting
Flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid-to-late 1920s. The fad was begun by stunt actor and former sailor[2] Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly, who sat on a flagpole, either on a dare by a friend[3] or as a publicity stunt.[2] Shipwreck’s initial 1924 sit lasted 13 hours and 13 minutes. It soon became a fad with other contestants setting records of 12, 17 and 21 days. In 1929, Shipwreck decided to reclaim the title. He sat on a flagpole for 49 days in Atlantic City, New Jersey, setting a new record.[4] The following year, 1930, his record was broken by Bill Penfield in Strawberry Point, Iowa who sat on a flagpole for 51 days and 20 hours, until a thunderstorm forced him down. Flagpole sitting in the 1920s was a major part of the decade. For the most part, pole sitting died out after 1929, with the onset of the Depression.

Conan the Barbararian and Broken Sea
www.sffaudio.com/conan-and-new-zealands-new-copyright-law-vs-broken-sea/
February 24, 2009
An intellectual property company has been harassing fans that were making audio versions of public domain Robert E. Howard CONAN stories.

They’d keep going, but the new fucked-up New Zealand copyright law will shut down their whole operation if the company complains.

Broken Sea Audio Productions, headquartered in New Zealand, has shut down all their Robert E. Howard projects after receiving another threatening letter from the lawyers for Conan Properties International LLC (aka Paradox Entertainment).

Disney, Universal and Warner Brothers
https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2017/12/13/hollywood-is-about-to-become-a-cage-match-between-disney-universal-and-warner-bros/#5823958243fa


DNA Podcast 082 – Character Progression and Gamerisms in Media

The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs
DNA Podcast 082 - Character Progression and Gamerisms in Media







/

In this episode Don and Rob discuss Don’s view that tabletop RPGs and video games have influenced the way people write and consume stories. Delving deep into the topic, the pair discuss Kung Fu movies, westerns, Isekai stories and (naturally) litRPGs. All this and a deep discussion into where Dr. Who went wrong and how it’s connected to sitcoms, are waiting for you in this episode of The Department of Nerdly Affairs.

Closing Music:

Ode to Joy performed by Oliver Eckelt

Things Discussed:

The Lester Dent Pulp Formula
Michael Moorcock’s How to Write a Book in Three Days
White Box Dungeons and Dragons
The Hero’s Journey
Commando (movie)
The Shaw Brothers (That’s all you need to know….)
Horse Operas
The Rebel: Johnny Yuma
Shout Factory TV
Go (the game)
Where Eagles Dare
Die Hard
litRPGs
Dragonball Z
“It’s over 9000!”
Isekai
The Righteous Avenger Plot (from my blog)
Death Wish
WTF Happened to PG-13? (YouTube Video)
No Game No Life (Abridged Version)
Rocky (film)
All the Write Moves by R.A. Paterson
Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
The Kishotenketsu
Buffy The Vanpire Slayer
BLEACH Manga
Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star)
Two Broke Girls
How I Met Your Mother