Commute | The Podcast

“Want to make some extra money on the side? Be your own boss?” Pyramid schemes - sorry, I mean, multilevel marketing companies - continue to flourish and recruit new members despite volumes of evidence suggesting that only a select few make money.  Why, why, why??

What moments define you? Both good and bad but, far too often, it’s hard to let go of the bad. And what if one of your worst days ended up on posters in dorm rooms and sports bars?  The lasting legacy of “the dunk of death.”

Do you like to travel?  See the world?  Have you considered Heaven tourism? We explore the controversial yet highly profitable business of dying, going to heaven, and coming back to write a book about the trip!

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a37543989/lularoe-true-story-now-lularich-amazon/

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/sports/basketball/for-frederic-weis-knicks-99-draft-choice-boos-marked-start-of-a-greater-struggle.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/22/the-boy-who-didnt-go-to-heaven-and-how-heaven-tourism-conquered-the-publishing-world/

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

We read it in the movie review: “this film stinks despite incredible A-list talent.” But is the A-list an actual list?

For the last two decades albums have been coming out of recent Billboard Top 20 songs with kids singing bizarrely squeaky clean lyrics. We explore.

It’s a nightmare that you hope you never experience: lost, alone at sea. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to survive?  We’ll tell you.

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/21688/ulmer-scale
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2015/03/03/not-even-will-smith-can-open-a-movie-anymore-so-what-defines-the-a-list-today/

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/3/17930132/kidz-bop-censorship-music

https://www.outsideonline.com/2275116/how-survive-75-hours-alone-ocean

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

The nonprofit Invisible Children released a 2012 documentary about Ugandan militia leader Joseph Kony. The group hoped to raise awareness about Kony and his crimes against humanity. It did that, but what did it do with all that attention?

Casting directors are crucial for a film’s success, finding the right actor for the proper role. How do they do it?  Plus, some of the most interesting ‘what if’ casting decisions in film history. Wait, that guy almost played Han Solo!?

Would you allow a demon-possessed doll (like Chucky) to come into your home? Would you pay for the opportunity??

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2016/09/kony-2012-quickly-became-a-punch-line-but-what-if-it-did-more-good-than-harm.html

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502068/10-secrets-casting-directors

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502068/10-secrets-casting-directors

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

So you ordered a pair of pants and, unfortunately, they don’t fit. The following steps seem simple, right? You mail them back, get a new pair, and move on with life. Well, it’s not so simple for that pair of pants you just returned. We explore the tragic journey of the returned item.

Technology has emerged to allow you to chat virtually with loved ones. There’s just one catch - they’re dead.

If you’re a child of the ’90s, or had a child in the ’90s, chances are you remember those little skateboards for your fingers, most notably by Tech Deck. Well, guess what? They still exist. We explore the subculture of finger skating and the reasons we humans do the weird things that we do.

www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/free-returns-online-shopping/620169/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/02/04/chat-bots-reincarnation-dead/

https://theoutline.com/post/8614/my-journey-into-the-tech-deck-underground

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

World War II officially ended on September 2, 1945. Why did one man continue fighting for nearly three decades?

You’re minding your own business when, unprompted, your brain blurts out, “I want my baby back, baby back baby back,” and suddenly you must have ribs from Chili’s. We explore the irresistible power of the jingle.

Halloween is coming and, if you’re like most of us, you’ll wait until the last minute to get your costume,  visiting a temporary Halloween store called “Spirit of Halloween.” Where do these suddenly appearing stores come from, and where do they go after All Hallows’ Eve?

http://www.commutethepodcast.com
-
This episode is brought to you by:
Hungry for Humans - the latest game from Lonely Hero Games.

Hungry for Humans is a fun, fast-paced “take that!” style game for 2 to 5 players where the humans must feed their monsters the best food they can find to avoid being eaten themselves. The game features real dishes from WV restaurants where the creators are from, as well as local cryptids such as the Mothman and Flatwoods Monster. Hungry for Humans is available for preorder on Kickstarter now. Learn more and support the game at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lonelyherogames/hungry-for-humans
-
Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/17/hiroo-onoda-japanese-soldier-dies

https://money.howstuffworks.com/commercial-jingle.htm

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/25/18023130/spirit-halloween-party-city-pop-up-stores

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

The 1980’s blockbuster film E.T. took the world by storm. With it came opportunities rarely seen in marketing: video games and toys based on the movie, and a powerful new form of advertisement - product placement. 

Ever wonder where they find the houses used in television shows and moves?  If you play your cards right, your place could be next.

The plot of Minority Report includes a futuristic form of policing that arrests bad guys BEFORE they commit a crime.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could do that in real life?  Well, we kind of do, and it gets complicated.

http://www.commutethepodcast.com
-
Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://mwmblog.com/2019/06/16/e-t-mms-vs-reeses-pieces/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/18383/stories-behind-10-famous-product-placements

https://www.wsj.com/articles/using-your-house-for-a-movie-or-tv-set-can-be-lucrative-but-also-disruptive-11633547149

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/18/stash-house-stings-carry-real-penalties-for-fake-crimes

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

Like over 90% of internet users, you utilize Google for all of your search needs. Heck, Google is synonymous with search! But what about the distant second place option: Microsoft’s BING?  Shouldn’t BING concede to Google and quietly go away?  It’ll never happen. We’ll tell you why.   

Near the North Pole there’s a facility that  guards mankind’s most critical resource. It’s not a medicine, it’s not a fuel, it’s not Santa’s workshop. What could it be?

Abercrombie & Fitch used to be the official uniform of hip teenagers everywhere - until it wasn’t.  Another tale of massive corporate failure … or is there still hope for A&F?

http://www.commutethepodcast.com
-
Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://medium.com/decodein/how-did-bing-survive-over-the-years-a17fb649ac9b

https://time.com/doomsday-vault/

https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-clothing-brand-abercrombie-and-fitch

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

A few years ago, in an attempt to revise struggling sales, JC Penney hired a new CEO and immediately changed its sales strategy - doing away with coupons and discounts in exchange for “fair and square” pricing. The result? Well, seven months later, that CEO was looking for a job.

Netflix. Hulu. Apple TV+. Disney +. Quibi. One of these is not like the others. 

The latest version of the popular Sims video game has user-created challenges. One has players portrayed as a homeless person. Is this a good way to better understand homelessness - or just cruel?

http://www.commutethepodcast.com
-
Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/27/business/jcpenney-history/index.html

https://qz.com/1907265/why-quibi-failed/

https://www.wired.com/story/sims-homeless-challenge-youtube/

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

In 1996, Microsoft debuted a virtual assistant to help folks navigate Microsoft Office - a cartoon paper clip named Clippy. What started as “Aw, that’s kinda cute,” quickly turned to “Let’s kill him!”  How did it go so wrong?

In the 1990s, a movie about a goofy genie captivated the hearts of American moviegoers. No, it wasn’t Disney’s Aladdin or the Shaquille O’Neil feature, “Kazaam.” This movie was called Shazaam - and it doesn’t exist. We explore the bizarre reason that so many people are convinced that it does. 

Would you spend $4.99 on :30 of a hit song? Chances are that in 1999 you would have (and probably did). We’re exploring the history of HitClips - is it the strangest way we’ve ever consumed music?

http://www.commutethepodcast.com
-
Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/504767/tragic-life-clippy-worlds-most-hated-virtual-assistant

https://ourcommunitynow.com/film/sinbads-shazaam-the-strange-case-of-a-movie-that-doesnt-exist

https://mashable.com/article/hitclips-toys-music-nostalgia

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

You’ve tried to use Wikipedia as a scholarly source, only to have it rejected because anyone can edit Wikipedia.  Right…?

McDonalds had not only Ronald McDonald (ep 9) in its advertising, but an entire gang of wacky characters.  Hamburgler, Grimace, and The Pirate (??) to name a few. What happened to them?

If you were rich how would you spend your money? A couple of houses? A few cars? Maybe even a private island?  Billionaire Marc Lore has an idea of his own on how to spend his - build a brand new city.

http://www.commutethepodcast.com
-
Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast

***

Episode Sources/Go Deeper:
https://www.wired.com/story/wikipedia-anniversary-game-rpg/

https://www.mashed.com/136474/how-mcdonalds-stole-their-mcdonaldland-characters/

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/telosa-marc-lore-blake-ingels-new-city/index.html

http://www.commutethepodcast.com

Follow Commute:
Instagram - instagram.com/commutethepodcast/
Twitter - @PodcastCommute
Facebook - facebook.com/commutethepodcast