Something Offbeat

From a voice assistant that sounds just like Scarlett Johansson to political deep fakes to a computer-generated sports broadcaster, AI is beginning to make some of its most public-facing moves yet in the media industry.

To discuss what the future holds for artificial intelligence in sports, news, and entertainment, Dr. David Gunkel, a professor of media studies at Northern Illinois University, joined Something Offbeat's Mike Rogers.

On this week's episode of Offbites, Lauren and Chris discuss knockoff Donald Trump sneakers, the 10 most unhealthy fast food items at America's five favorite spots, and a video game argument that wound up with an in-person fight.   

When Apple released iOS 17.5 in May, some users found previously deleted files popping up on their devices, including old photos. Apple released a fix -- iOS 17.5.1 -- just days later, but it raised the question of where those deleted files came from.

Victoria Song, senior reviewer of wearable and fitness tech for The Verge, joined host Mike Rogers to discuss the iOS bug and the privacy we give up for the sake of convenience with our technology.

In the Colonial Room of the Drake Hotel in Oak Brook, Illinois, near Chicago, there’s a soup – not just any soup. Its price alone sets it apart. It costs around $1,900 to take part in the Bookbinder Soup experience. On this episode of “Something Offbeat” we have a reservation with Chef Colleen Garcia, director of curriculum and content development for the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, to learn more about big ticket menu items. Are they worth the hype, or the price? The answer is complicated.

Avocados have become a beloved part of the U.S. diet. So much so that we’ll even shell out extra money for a scoop of guacamole at Chipotle amid high inflation. This week, the “Something Offbeat” podcast explores how something that we take for granted at the grocery store may become endangered by 2050. Tierra Curry, an endangered species codirector and senior scientist for the Center for Biological Diversity, explained what’s going on and what we can do to keep avocados on the table in the future.

About 90% of tattoo inks in the United States contain ingredients not listed on their labels, according to a study published this spring in the journal Analytical Chemistry. So how can consumers know what is safe to put into their skin?

To find out, Mike Rogers visited with Dillon Forte, a tattoo artist based in the Austin, Texas area, about how to know who to trust, the differences between black and colored tattoos, and how the industry is regulated differently in the U.S. than it is in Europe.  

It seems like everyone in Hollywood is ready for their close up, even wild animals. For example, a smiling bear that was recently photographed near Pasadena, Calif. According to the Los Angeles Times, wildlife photographer Johanna Turner captured the rare black bear image with a trail cam in late April. Nature and urban life seem to be crossing paths more and more lately. Sam Benson Smith, digital managing editor at Audacy station KNX in Los Angeles, joined the “Something Offbeat” podcast to talk about it.

On this week's episode of Offbites, Chris and Lauren discuss a fast food restaurant's newest dessert, which name could set a world record in a specific country, and why anyone would dive into the water with a killer whale.

A decade ago, a plane carrying 239 people vanished over the Indian Ocean. Since then, the mystery has stumped experts and left the loved ones of those aboard without closure. However, some researchers believe that searching in the right area will reveal the remnants of Malaysia Airlines flight 370. One of them is Vincent Lyne, and he recently joined the “Something Offbeat” podcast to discuss his research. He’s a researcher for the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania who has been independently researching the disappearance for years.

For years, a 17-second song clip was floating around the internet, puzzling music fans. People loved it, but they had no idea where it was from. This year, they finally found out. Laura Holliday, a writer who specializes in internet culture, joined host Mike Rogers on the “Something Offbeat” podcast to talk about the mystery and how it was finally solved.