Fuel Your Fandom

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We're living in a world of incredible tech acceleration. Moore's Law is on the verge of being broken, AI is terrifying everyone, and if you don't have a device in your hand, are you really even alive? One of the most interesting and most rapidly evolving technologies is 3D printing. From figurines to costume parts, cars to houses, it seems like there's nothing we're not trying to create with precision extrusion. But what are the limits? What are the dangers? And what's next? Also: Saint and Jim dive into all the news that's fit to nerd, including what Guardians of the Galaxy 3 could mean for the larger MCU, a rare moment of vulnerability for Microsoft, and what the writers' strike means for upcoming entertainment. Earhole time.

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Welcome to another episode of "Fuel Your Fandom." Today, Saint and Jim are diving into the fascinating and rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, or AI. AI has been a buzzword in the tech industry for decades, but recent advancements in machine learning and natural language processing have brought it to the forefront of popular culture. In this episode, they'll be discussing what AI is, how it's being used today, and what its implications are for the future of our world. From chatbots and virtual assistants to self-driving cars and predictive analytics, AI is already transforming the way we live and work. But with great power comes great responsibility, and there are many ethical and societal implications of this technology that we must consider. So sit back, relax, and join them as they explore the fascinating world of AI on this episode of "Fuel Your Fandom." Oh, and all except for this very last sentence — an AI wrote this introduction.

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We've all heard the cliché that "Hollywood is out of ideas." And while it's often been expressed as a cynical, eye-rolling sentiment, it's veering ever-further into self-fulfilling prophecy lately. "Everything old is new again" seems to simply be the direction for most entertainment, now. Given the astronomical expense inherent in producing films and television (not to mention the insane levels of competition given the state of modern streaming) most studios simply aren't willing to take the risk on original IPs anymore. The upshot is that re-makes, -boots and -treads are the only dishes left on the ol' entertainment buffet given their (assumed) pre-existing audiences. In this episode, Saint and Jim take a look at a whole slew of redux projects we'll all be expected to consume in the near future, and break down the reasons behind why that might be happening.

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With their Vegas adventures in the rearview mirror, your intrepid co-hosts Saint and Jim dig into something of a post-mortem during this week's edition. Because while getting there is half the fun, sometimes getting BACK is a different story. From there, it's time to kick around a little "what might have been" when it comes to some of everyone's favorite movies — since some roles we very closely identify with iconic actors almost went to different people entirely. So join us for salacious stories of barking dogs, driving through tornadoes, and Magnum P.I., adventure archaeologist.

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In this episode, you're invited to join Saint and Jim as they join each other — in MEATSPACE. That's right, for the first time in the history of not just the podcast, but the history of everything, your intrepid co-hosts are actually in the same room together. And in LAS VEGAS, to boot! Will wonders never cease? So, as long as they find themselves in the entertainment capital of the world, they've made the decision to make their setting their subject. Viva Las Vegas, baby! A lot of surprises in this one, so you'll definitely want to cram this edition way down deep in your ear holes.

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The ongoing popularity of entertainment like Skyrim, Renaissance faires, "Lord of the Rings" and Dungeons & Dragons speaks to an extremely interesting facet of the human psyche. Specifically: we seem to like anything that lets us escape into fantasies of going medieval on someone's butt. Nowhere is this more apparent than within the organization known as the Society for Creative Anachronism (a.k.a. SCA). SCA devotées are dedicated to the preservation and advancement of all things middle-aged, including (but not limited to) costuming, food, weaponry and customs. And they delight in getting their swords n' sandals on as often as they can get away with it. Not only is our venerable co-host Saint a longtime SCA veteran, but so is our guest today, Chuck "Volk the Gray" Preston. So join us as we make our way back in time to the age of lords, ladies and leather, and peel back the red, velvet curtain on a truly fascinating hobby.

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Animation and video games have been a huge part of the geek experience for as long as most of us can remember. And although a lot of work goes into producing quality media in these channels, one of the highest-profile aspects of games and cartoons? Their voices. Although voice acting as the definition of an "invisible" art, the performance of these actors is absolutely crucial for bringing these projects to life. Interestingly, the group of first-call artists responsible for performing these characters is a relatively small, and very elite club. And since you know their voices far better than their names or faces, we thought we'd take some time to highlight the people behind the performances. So tune into this episode as Saint and Jim take you on a tour of the folks responsible for bringing such rich sounds to the characters in digital and animated entertainment.

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Kids' movies are a lot of fun, aren't they? Bright colors, engaging characters and wacky hijinks aplenty have always been a great way to keep youngsters entertained. HOWEVER. Those of us of a certain generation have distinct memories of certain "children's" movies that raise the question, "What the hell were they THINKING?!?" Sure, that animated film about bunnies or puppies may have LOOKED innocent on the surface. But when our parents plunked us down in front of them and left the room, we were nevertheless often subjected to themes and imagery that haunt us to this day. Depending on the movie, we had to deal with everything from cute horses dying of depression, to kidnappings by candy-waving maniacs, to straight-up body horror that wouldn't have been out of place in a Cronenberg or Carpenter production. So join Saint and Jim for this lively jaunt back in time for a look at some of the more traumatizing, nightmare-fuel kids' entertainment that your youthful self was in NO way prepared for.

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If you're a geek (and chances are FAR better than fair that if you're reading this you qualify), then you're probably a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For nearly four decades (gulp!) these titanic terrapins have been entertaining audiences with their escapades across countless types of media. Comics. Toys. TV. Video games. And soon, a brand-new, star-studded animated feature from none other than  über-nerd Seth Rogen. Of course, the last 40 years of turtle tales haven't been without ups and downs of controversy, and this latest iteration is no different. So join Saint and Jim for this episode as they break down the history, present and future of the half-shelled heroes. PLUS: "The Last of Us", more tech woes, and why the Peach isn't in the 'fridge for once.

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Seems like every few years, a weird phenomenon happens in the popular culture: a nerdery purveyor will make a boo-boo in production, and then undertake drastic measures to literally bury their mistakes. It's not exactly a PATTERN, per se — but it's happened just often enough to be curious. To wit: the folks behind the ubiquitous Funko Pops — those impossibly proportioned chibi-style figurines depicting everything from rock stars to video game characters to your uncle's best friend — apparently overestimated how many toys they should make for the year. And rather than liquidate, donate, accumulate or procrastinate, the company opted for a much weirder solution: evacuate. Meaning they're just dumping the beady-eyed little bastards into a landfill. Yeah, really. And they're not the first geekufacturer to have done so. Want to know more? Give this episode a listen, and we'll dig into it together. PLUS: more Twitter takeaways, Marvel movements, and DC drama (both comics, and Washington).