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PODCAST

INFLUENCE

What does it really take to make a living (and an impact) on the Internet today? Join Matt Silverman (who has been covering online culture for 15+ years) in conversation with YouTubers, musicians, podcasters, streamers, journalists, TikTokers and more about turning creativity into a job, building community on ever-changing platforms, and their complex relationships with huge online audiences. INFLUENCE is the relaunch of 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, a weekly comedy/interview show about fascinating online

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All Episodes

70:32

61 How 3D Printing Is Transforming the Board Game...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/12/03

What if you could 3D print that new lamp, designed by an Internet stranger for free, rather than ordering it from Amazon? When 3D printing tech goes mainstream, it will almost certainly revolutionize ecommerce (and create a whole new kind of online piracy). But until then, we're observing a microcosm of that play out in the tabletop gaming space, where designers are modeling pieces and creating entirely new games that players can download, print, or play virtually. Alli and Jen talk to Arian Croft

en

79:10

60 How One Guy Tricked the Internet Into Thinking His...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/11/26

When Oobah Butler was hard-up for cash, he found a gig writing fake reviews for London restaurants he'd never been to. He fell into an abyss of forgeries on TripAdvisor that gave him an idea. What if he invented a fake restaurant, powered by more fake reviews, to fool everyone? The performance art stunt took on a life of its own, and compelled him to have a fake grand opening of "The Shed," London's #1 restaurant on the Internet -- which served microwave meals in Butler's backyard. The ultimate

en

71:59

59 Creepypasta and the Evolution of Internet Horror...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/11/19

Ghost stories around the campfire are as old as humanity itself, but spooky tales became memes unto themselves as the Web matured. Creepypasta (a derivative of "copypasta" which is derivative of "copy/paste") is the catch-all term and dominant wiki for the spooky stories that circulate and mutate on the Internet. Alli and Jen talk to Andrew Movitz (aka ClericOfMadness), the founder of the Creepypasta wiki, about why these stories tap our deepest fears, and the transformation of Creepypasta culture

en

75:05

58 Meet the unlikely duo fighting Facebook's rampant...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/11/12

When Bryan Denny, a retired 26-year U.S. army veteran, started getting marriage proposals from strangers on Facebook, he knew something was up. Thousands of scammers were using stolen pictures of him in uniform to trick well-meaning Facebook users into sending money, iPhones, and gift cards overseas to a military hero with an honest face. Kathy Waters' family friend was among the victims. Denny and Waters now spend their free time busting fake accounts and pleading with lawmakers and Facebook for a

en

72:34

57 Will Sex Robots Ever Replace Your Human Partner?...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/11/05

Sex dolls have been around since at least the 17th century, but advances in AI and robotics are bringing them ever closer to meaningful companionship. Alli and Jen speak with Susan Pirzchalski, the chief robotics engineer of Realbotix, who is working to make the popular Real Doll sex toys come to life with sophisticated personalities. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy

en

71:08

56 Inside the terrifying rabbit hole of messed-up...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/10/29

If you leave a toddler alone with an iPad long enough, YouTube's algorithms will guide her down a deep, dark rabbit hole of strange, low-quality, and often disturbing videos manufactured for kid consumption. These channels use recognizable characters (Mickey Mouse, Paw Patrol) to draw kids into horrifying click-bait narratives they can't resist. Who is making these videos, and what is YouTube doing about it? Alli and Jen talk to K.G. Orphanides who has written extensively about YouTube's strange kid

en

62:19

55 Composer Kevin MacLeod Somehow Makes a Living by...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/10/22

If you've ever sought a soundtrack for your home movies that wouldn't get removed by YouTube, chances are you've come across Kevin MacLeod's music. He's composed thousands of original tracks, in every imaginable genre, that he gives away under a Creative Commons license, on a variety of platforms, absolutely free. His music has been used in commercials, films, video games, and an uncountable number of YouTube videos and podcasts without any compensation. So, how does Kevin feed himself? Alli and Jen

en

78:18

54 How Tay Zonday survived being 'Patient Zero' of...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/10/15

Way back in 2007 Tay Zonday uploaded the original song "Chocolate Rain" to YouTube, and nothing happened. Then Digg and 4chan found it. And then Zonday was on CNN and Jimmy Kimmel trying to explain his music on national television. His meteoric rise led to a 10-year journey of identity confusion, and eventually self-actualization. Alli and Jen have a long, deep talk with Tay about coping with viral fame and his new podcast about that very topic, called "Chocolate Pains." This week's episode is

en

71:07

53 Botnik's Algorithms Create TV Shows and Harry...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/10/08

Robots have a long way to go before they replace artists and writers...but they're getting closer. A collective known as Botnik is using algorithms, predictive text, and machine learning to challenge our traditional notions of art, and create some hilarious TV Guide show synopses in the process. Alli and Jen speak with Jamie Brew, the creator of Botnik, about his ambitions to build new creativity tools for the digital age. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which

en

70:34

52 Bad Dragon: The Marriage of High Fantasy Art and...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/10/01

Rule 34 is alive and well on the Internet, but the enterprising sex toy company Bad Dragon has taken it even further with their epic dildo designs that imagine what kind of heat our favorite high fantasy creatures might be packing: dragons, aliens, elves, and even a demogorgon. Turns out there's a huge market for fulfilling sexual fantasies, Tolkien-style. Alli and Jen speak with Derek "Tsukaza" Young, a representative of the toy company, about the evolution of these products, what customers keep

en

71:53

51 The Birth of Online Dating

INFLUENCE ·

2018/09/24

Kids today have it easy, with their "swiping right" and their "J-dates." Back in the early '90s, you could barely send a profile pic to your crush. Gary Kremen wanted to change that. He co-founded Match.com, disrupted the personal ads industry, and forever changed how humans fall in love. Alli and Jen ask Kremen about the tumultuous early startup days, the data behind lasting relationships, and why they're still single after countless Tinder matches. Support 2G1P on Patreon

en

73:41

49 This guy ate 100,000 calories in 4 days and lived...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/09/10

Move over, food porn. Competitive eating is about slamming as many calories as possible, and there's a massive YouTube community around it. Erik the Electric's food challenge videos have been viewed 80 million times. Alli and Jen talk to him about approaching this extreme lifestyle in a healthy way, and his personal battle with anorexia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

65:17

48 Where Do Emoji Come From?

INFLUENCE ·

2018/09/03

Most people think of emoji as trivial text message pictures. But creating them is a complex process debated by a consortium of tech giants. And as emoji become more widespread, so too does their cultural and linguistic importance. Alli and Jen talk to Jennifer 8. Lee about her campaign for multi-racial emoji, and whether emoji might evolve into a true language with grammar and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

55:30

47 YouTube's Survivalist Community Is Prepping for...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/08/27

Thousands of "Preppers" are amassing food, water, tools, batteries, and other essentials in their basements and bunkers. But for what? Alli and Jen speak with Todd Reynolds, AKA The Dynamic Prepper, about survivalist culture, YouTube, knives, aliens, and why a "Go Bag" is a smart idea, whether you think the apocalypse is coming or not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

75:48

46 The Women Editing Thousands of Wikipedia Articles...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/08/20

For countless historical and social reasons, most of the people editing Wikipedia are white men. This has led to broad bias across the world's de facto repository of online knowledge. But a loose affiliation of women are making up the ground by writing and editing the biographies of historically significant women and minorities who might otherwise be overlooked by academic or popular culture. Alli and Jen speak with Rosie Stephenson Goodknight, a lauded Wikipedian with more than 4000 articles to her

en

70:33

45 Twitter Is the Last Social Network Left for Nudists

INFLUENCE ·

2018/08/13

Most social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have firm restrictions on nudity. Twitter is much more lax, making it a digital haven for the nudist community. Taylor Lorenz, a journalist for the Atlantic, breaks down the difference between sexual and non-sexual nudity, and the double standards many tech companies have when it comes to the human body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

78:56

44 The Grandma Guildmaster of Ultima Online

INFLUENCE ·

2018/08/06

The multiplayer RPG "Ultima Online" came on the scene in 1997, and it remains a thriving, persistent world to this day, two decades later. Those who prefer the "classic" version host private servers (shards) where longtime players congregate. Alli and Jen speak with Alyssa Schnugg, a grandmother in real life, and a veteran guildmaster in "Ulima Online Forever." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

83:01

43 Rise of the Airbnb Superhost

INFLUENCE ·

2018/07/30

Airbnb has completely revolutionized tourism, but the legal and regulatory battles around whom you can rent your room to rage on. Alli and Jen speak with Evelyn Badia, an Airbnb "Superhost" who makes her living by renting her home to strangers -- often while she's still in it. She shares what makes a great host, and how the rise of Trump changed New York tourism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

78:46

42 Bronies: Combating toxic masculinity, one Little...

INFLUENCE ·

2018/07/23

The reboot of "My Little Pony" has reached fans far beyond the "little girls" demographic. Thousands of adult men self-identify as Bronies: Dudes who love the stories, characters and themes of the whimsical cartoon. Alli and Jen speak with Charlie Worthley, a Brony convention organizer, about this far-reaching community built on acceptance and gender empowerment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

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