A Lawyer's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast

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A podcast about geek culture..by lawyers. Can I patent a time machine? Who owns the copyright to the Klingon language? Can I sell my original story set in the Star Wars universe? We are here to discuss the many weird and interesting ways that geek cultu

A Lawyer's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast


    • Oct 5, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 127 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from A Lawyer's Guide to the Galaxy Podcast

    S06E11 - Dance Dance Litigation

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 40:24


    Kirk and Bed go over the 9th Circuit's holding in the dispute between a choreographer and Epic games over the use of popular dance moves as purchasable "emotes" in Fortnite. Other episodes referenced in this episode: Stairway to Heaven Episode: https://soundcloud.com/user-329223368/season-3-ep-11-the-edamame-episodes-part-3?si=316efde700464719ad52942ea937aae1&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Google v. Oracle Episode:https://soundcloud.com/user-329223368/s04e05-google-v-oracle?si=e1ec05aa97994891a35debd892f44835&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

    S06E10 - The Bad Batch: Season 3 Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 47:49


    Ben and Kirk dissect the final season of The Bad Batch. What went right, what went wrong, and where is the future of Star Wars content going? Bad Batch logo courtesy of Disney Plus (https://press.disneyplus.com/media-kits/the-bad-batch).

    S06E09 - Supreme Court Ruling: Can You Really Get Copyright Damages Forever?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 48:56


    Ben and Kirk discuss what the Supreme Court's recent ruling really means. Could you now get in trouble for that time in 1998 whenyou posted the lyrics to a LeAnn Rimes on your Angelfire page?

    S06E08 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 48:09


    Ben and Kirk discuss the tangled history of IP licenses to the Dungeons and Dragons brand, and the litigation required to sort through them before the recent film could be made. And, of course, they can't help but talk about the movie. Other related materials: * S06E07 - The Open Gaming License (https://soundcloud.com/user-329223368/s06e07-the-open-gaming-license-kerfuffle) * S04E07 - The TSR Trademark War (https://soundcloud.com/user-329223368/season-4-episode-7) * S02E05 - Why They Ban RPGs from Prisons (https://soundcloud.com/user-329223368/geek-culture-the-law)

    S06E07 - The Open Gaming License Kerfuffle

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 48:30


    At long last, Ben and Kirk dive into the open gaming license and the kerfuffle surrounding it. Image Credit: "Dungeons & Dragons dice 2" by lydia_shiningbrightly is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

    S06E06 - (In Camera) Visions Season 2 Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 59:58


    Kirk and Ben review the second season of the "Visions" series of Star Wars-themed anime shorts on Disney+.

    S06E05 - AI

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 55:22


    Ben and Kirk at least tackle the ever-present subject of AI, and discuss some of the legal and practical issues. The cover art for this episode was generated by DALL-E after many, many, many failed attempts to produce a lawyer-Terminator.

    S06E04 - (In Camera) The Last of Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 51:19


    In the first "In Camera" episode, Ben and Kirk discuss last year's hit zombie series, The Last of Us, on HBO. Image: Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us (2023), IMDB.COM.

    S06E03 - Public Domain Day 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2024 31:16


    Ben and Kirk are back after a long hiatus to go over the new works entering the public domain in 2024, not least of which is Steamboat Willie, the original public debut of Mickey Mouse.

    S06E02 - The Warhol Rule is Dead

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2023 44:37


    A long-running LGG inside joke was recently killed by the Supreme Court. Why can't we have fun things? Check out our prior episode about this case: https://soundcloud.com/user-329223368/s05e06-long-live-the-warhol-rule

    S06E01 - Public Domain Day 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2023 30:52


    Links and References: https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2023/ LGG: In Camera: The URL for the new feed is not set up yet, we'll update this once it's ready.

    The Star Wars Fall Holiday Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2022 48:12


    We tried not to talk about Star Wars. We really did. But now that we both have Disney+ subscriptions, there's just too much Star Wars to talk about it. Ben and Kirk react to the recently dropped Andor and Mandalorian S03 trailers and run through the lengthy slate of upcoming Star Wars content as published by IGN here: https://www.ign.com/articles/upcoming-new-star-wars-movies-2022-tv-shows-release-dates

    S05E07 - Parody Songs: "Weird" Al Yankovic and 2 Live Crew's "Pretty Woman"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2022 53:23


    An educational, non-commercial, transformative podcast episode about "Weird" Al Yankovic parodies and 2 Live Crew at the Supreme Court in Campbell v. Acuff-Rose, the seminal fair use decision involving parodies.

    S05E06 - Long Live the Warhol Rule

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 59:08


    Kirk and Ben discuss the ins and outs of the latest copyright case to make its way to the Supreme Court. Could this be the end of the Warhol Rule? You can look at the 2nd Circuit opinion here: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca2/19-2420/19-2420-2021-03-26.html

    S05E05P02 - Kenobi Predictions Revisited

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2022 48:58


    Ben and Kirk go over their predictions for Kenobi, and require your help to break a veritable tie.

    Summer 2022 Brief Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 1:02


    A short scheduling update.

    (Edamame) The LGG Reading Room

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2022 35:09


    In this edamame episode, Kirk and Ben break from the usual format to talk about their favorite science fiction and fantasy books, ranging from classics to newer works by Ken Liu and Liu Cixin.

    S05E05 - Kenobi Predictions!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2022 32:54


    Ben and Kirk provide some predictions (of various levels of seriousness) for the upcoming Disney+ series Kenobi.

    A Brief Production Update

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2022 0:44


    Ben provides a short update on our recently unproductive production schedule.

    (Rewind) S01E15 - File Sharing, BitTorrent, and Takedowns (orig. Jan. 22, 2018)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2022 49:29


    A DMCA reform act was introduced to Congress last week, and we plan to talk about it soon. To refresh you on some of the issues, we are running this Rewind episode, originally released Jan. 22, 2018, in which we talk about the legal issues around hosting third party works.

    S05E04 - Twitch, Fair Use, and the Meaning of Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2022 55:10


    Ben and Kirk dive into some of the tangled legal issues with video game streaming and how pragmatic considerations sometimes become the ultimate mediator of how people use the IP of others.

    (Rewind) S01E04 - Minecraft is an Elaborate Pixel Editor (orig. rel. Aug. 11, 2017)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2022 33:50


    In this rewind episode, original aired Aug. 11, 2017, Ben and Kirk discuss IP issues related to the things players create in Minecraft.

    (Edamame) Toys, Games, And Hobbies

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2022 30:19


    In his first edamame episode in some time, Kirk answers a listener's question about his unusual collection of unusual collectables, including some rare 1980s-era Transformer toys of uncertain origin.

    transformer edamame toys games games and hobbies
    (Rewind) S01E23 - The Monkey Selfie , AI, And Public Domain

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 51:18


    In this rewind episode, originally released May 14, 2018, Ben and Kirk discuss the "Monkey Selfie" lawsuit and the potential implications for authorship by AI creators. We also provide our predictions for the then-upcoming Han Solo movie.

    S05E03 - Book of Boba Fett Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2022 55:28


    Your hosts break down the seven-episode Disney+ series, The Book of Boba Fett. "Boba Fett Square Cut" by Jens Rost is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse&atype=rich

    (Rewind) S01E26 - Cultural Differences in IP Rights (orig. aired June 25, 2018)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2022 67:42


    In this rewind episode of S01E26, which originally aired June 2, 2018, Kirk and Ben discuss the origins of intellectual property institutions and what happens when they don't fit in neatly with non-western cultures.

    S05E02 - Bonus Materials - Dune (1984) Is Weird

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 1:58


    In this short bit that didn't make the episode, Ben and Kirk discuss David Lynch's 1984 adaptation of Dune, and why Herbert's empire-spanning novel is so difficult to adapt for cinema.

    S05E02 - NFTs and Jadorowsky's Dune

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 67:18


    Kirk and Ben explore the intersection between NFTs and intellectual law in response to issues raised by the recent purchase of a copy of Jadorowsky's Dune bible, and discuss what exactly an NFT is and why they are perceived to have commercial value.

    (Rewind) S02E12 - Star Wars: Film in Law

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2022 52:58


    This is rewind episode of S02E12, originally released in June of 2019. Ben and Kirk begin with a brief discussion of the then-very-recent Stanley Cup championship won by the St. Louis Blues, and then proceed to break down various lawsuits over the years involving a favorite topic: Star Wars.

    (Edamame) The Greatest Legal Movie Ever Made

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2022 19:07


    In a break from our usual subject matter, Ben takes a minute to talk about the greatest legal movie ever made, and what makes it so good. If you've listened to us before, this take probably won't surprise you.

    S05E01 - Happy Public Domain Day 2022!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2022 54:56


    Happy Public Domain Day 2022! Kirk and Ben talk about major works entering the public domain this year and discuss copyright term and whether it's begun to cost us some of the very works it was meant to foster and protect.

    (Edamame) Ghostbusters Afterlife Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2021 17:45


    In this short review episode, Ben provides some general thoughts on the new entry in the Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

    LGG Podcast 2021 Anime Holiday Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2021 74:53


    For their 2021 Holiday Special, Ben and Kirk dive into some anime content and discuss the nine Star Wars: Visions short films released on Disney+ this year, followed by closing thoughts on The Bad Batch season 1.

    (Edamame) Dune (2021) Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2021 23:08


    Ben provides his thoughts on the 2021 Dune film.

    (Edamame) Show Update + Monsters

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2021 22:14


    After a long fall break, Ben provides an update on the show and we belatedly publish Kirk's Halloween episode (in December).

    S04E10 - Copyrighting your Magic: The Gathering Decks

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2021 61:15


    In one of the stranger twists and turns we've seen recently in copyright law, somebody registered a copyright to their Magic: the Gathering deck. Kirk and Ben dive into what exactly that means for the future of CCG tournaments.

    (Edamame) - Roblox Redux - Settled!

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2021 3:53


    Ben provides a brief update on the Roblox music lawsuit, which recently settled.

    (Edamame) - The Mysterious Benedict Society

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2021 17:46


    Kirk provides a overview/review of The Mysterious Benedict Society, a curious show we briefly mentioned on a prior episode.

    S04E09 - The Roblox Music Lawsuit

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2021 52:04


    Kirk and Ben go over the complaint and affirmative defenses in the Roblox music lawsuit, with the usual assortment of digressions along the way. Image Attribution: "Carnaby Records (Liège)" by Marc Wathieu is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

    (Edamame) - Cruella

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2021 28:51


    In the last of our set of four edamame episodes about television, Kirk discusses his reaction to Disney's Cruella live-action take on the villainess from 101 Dalmations.

    (Edamame) - Star Wars: Rebels

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2021 15:52


    In this edamame episode, Kirk provides a review of the Star Wars: Rebels television series. Image Credit: "[135/365] The Rebel Yell" by pasukaru76 is marked under CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/cc0/1.0/

    S04E08 - IP in Programming Languages (and the Next Google v. Oracle?)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2021 58:41


    Kirk and Ben get into the details of a case that is being described in the press as the next Google v. Oracle, and discuss how various copyright doctrines interact in unusual ways with source code. This episode also features a special guest appearance by an interloping helicopter. Image Attribution: "Python Source Code" by joncutrer is marked under CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/cc0/1.0/

    (Edamame) - The Bad Batch

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2021 16:04


    Since Ben hasn't seen it yet, Kirk flies solo in this episode, providing his thoughts on the first season of The Bad Batch.

    (Rewind) S01E05 - Qapla'! Who Owns the Klingon Language?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2021 30:32


    In this rewind episode, Ben and Kirk discuss intellectual property issues related to planned languages.

    owns qapla klingon language
    (Edamame) Intellectual Property in Popular Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2021 35:36


    In this edamame episode, Kirk discusses the various ways that popular depictions of intellectual property get our day jobs right ... and more often, wrong. SPOILER ALERT! Kirk gets into some discussion of the Season 3 of Roswell.

    A Brief Scheduling Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2021 3:02


    Ben provides a brief update on the podcast schedule for the rest of 2021.

    Announcing the New LGGPodcast.com Web Site

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2021 4:47


    A short PSA announcing our new and improved web site, http://www.lggpodcast.com/. PHOTO ATTRIBUTION: "the world wide web" by frankieleon is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

    S04E07 - The Great TSR Trademark War of 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2021 47:42


    We break down the recent drama over who owns the revived TSR trademarks and associated registrations, including a side quest through who owns the rights to Gary Gygax's name and legacy. Please see this episode posted on our website, www.lggpodcast.com, for the show notes. The show URL is: https://lggpodcast.com/?p=268

    (Rewind) S02E02 + S02E16 - Rights of Publicity and the EA Sports Video Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2021 56:38


    In this rewind episode, we collect our prior discussion of the rights of publicity issues (also known as "name/image/likeness" or "NIL") surrounding the retirement of the Electronic Arts title NCAA Football. Refresh your memory on the issues, as we may talk about how the 2021 anti-trust ruling against the NCAA could impact both the future of these video game titles, and how NIL issues may spill over into other genres.

    S04E06 - In Real Life!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2021 53:49


    After more than year of pandemic-impose separation , Ben and Kirk reunite to cover COVID-19 IP waivers, the recent anti-trust ruling against the NCAA by the US Supreme Court, and, of course, Star Wars and Star Trek.

    S04E05 - Google v. Oracle

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2021 72:16


    Ben and Kirk break down the long-awaited Supreme Court opinion in the Google v. Oracle case, and speculate wildly about the potential consequences.

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