Podcasts about ILife

乃木坂の岩本蓮加さんが画像流出で活動自粛したり、iLiFEの日日にこりさんもファンの男性との繋がりが露呈しグループを脱退したりと、相変わらずせわしない業界ですが、ぶっちゃけどうでもよくないですか？活休させたり脱退させたりすることによって誰が得をしてるんでしょうか？既存メンバーに対する見せしめ以上に機能してる気がしませんし、ファンの怒りをぶつける行動も、誰目線でいってるのかよくわかりません。

iLiFE!候補生!の歌奏おんぷさんが配信者ポケカメンのYouTubeに登場し、iLiFE!候補生の内情を暴露。彼女の話によると、iLiFE!候補生のなかに未成年喫煙飲酒問題や、いじめの問題があったと告白。その放送を受けて事務所側は、iLiFE候補生の現体制を終了するとアナウンス。候補生も無期限活動休止となった。この配信者は、彼女の告白によって、グループ活動が是正されたことを喜んでいたけど、活動休止になってしまったファンはそんな喜んでないし、実際のところiLiFEもファンもそっとしといてくれっていう感じじゃないですかね

If you've ever ordered at a chain restaurant, then you know the homey feeling of knowing you're about to eat the exact same meal as you could get at any other location. And even though the Golden Arches or a pair of red braids and freckles are some of the most recognizable franchise mascots today, if we flashback to the mid-1900s, then Simple Simon and the Pieman would've been just as recognizable as those other icons. Why? Because if you wanted a tasty clam belly, a delicious sundae, or to snag a couple of ZZZs, then there was one only one chain that fit the bill. Rob teaches Ray about how the eponymous Mr. Johnson went from owning one small Massachusetts eatery, to running a national network of restaurants and lodges; why we can thank Eugene O'Neill for HoJo's original boost in popularity; Jacques Pepin's contribution to the franchise's legacy; some unexpected controversies at HoJo's; and how, even after the HoJo's brand sank into obscurity, it still has a physical and cultural impact in today's world. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSHoward Johnson's Commercial 1962Chef Jacques Pépin on working at Howard Johnson's and his experiences on the American food sceneHOWARD JOHNSON RESTURANT1970 Howard Johnson's Animated Commercial #2Howard Johnson Restaurants This Is Howard Johnson Today 1988 TV Commercial HDADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and “Happy Boy End Theme”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

2024-06-25 I Life and Death I Inquiry Flint Spark by Appamada

With all this hubbub about TikTok possibly getting banned, we're revisiting three of our episodes about social media platforms that burned bright and burned out fast. And up first - MySpace!~~~Friendster, SixDegrees, Makeoutclub - if you're a 90s kid, then you probably remember at least some of those websites (and may they all rest in peace). But there could only be one top dog, and MySpace was it. Hillary Duff, Harry Styles, Kim Kardashian - everyone had a MySpace page, and you better pray your friends put you in their Top 8. So with all the hype, how did the site go from being a 12-billion-dollar gorilla to an Internet has-been?Rob teaches Ray about how this small, music-centric social site evolved into a global behemoth; why "the honor system" isn't exactly an enforceable privacy policy; the tragic betrayal of Tila Tequila; and why we could all use a little more Tom in our lives.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAMRay HebelRobert W SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESTom Anderson's InstagramAUDIO/VISUALEpisode ClipsTom Anderson InterviewSNL MySpace Sketch"Leave Britney Alone" VideoMusic & Sound EffectsAdditional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

iLIFEは新規のアイドルファン向けに、配信楽曲にコールガイドを付けてるが、ああいう一見オタクからバカバカしく見える施策が地味に新規ファン獲得に効いてるんだろうなあという話。

We share our Apple Vision Pro pre-order war stories, accessories too, influencer demos of Apple's new headset, we discuss the AI-loaded Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Google's new 'Circle to Search,' and personal tech goes back iLife and iDVD.Watch on YouTube!Subscribe and watch our weekly episodes plus bonus clips at: youtube.com/@primarytechshowSponsored by:Rogue Amoeba: Audio Hijack is simply the best way to record audio on your Mac. Through the end of January, get $20 off Audio Hijack or any Rogue Amoeba bundle when you visit: macaudio.com/primarytech and use the promo code: PRIMARYTECHSupport the showJoin our member community and get an ad-free versions of the show, plus exclusive bonus episodes every week! Subscribe directly in Apple Podcasts or here: primarytech.memberful.com/joinReach out:@stephenrobles on Threads@stephenrobles on XStephen on Mastodon@jasonaten on Threads@JasonAten on XJason on MastodonWe would also appreciate a 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts and SpotifyPodcast artwork with help from Basic Apple Guy.Those interested in sponsoring the show can reach out to us at: podcast@primarytech.fmLinks from the showApple Vision Pro AccessoriesVision Pro Influencer Photos - Parker Ortolani Apple Vision Pro hands-on, again, for the first time - The VergeA Survey of Popular Apps Currently Compatible With Apple Vision Pro - MacStoriesEverything Announced at Samsung Unpacked: S24 Phones, Galaxy AI and One Surprise Reveal - CNETThe Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with a higher price and loads of AI - The VergeGoogle introduces 'Circle to Search,' a new way to search from anywhere on Android using gestures | TechCrunchApple to Developers: Show Me the Money | Inc.comDistributing apps in the U.S. that provide an external purchase link - Support - Apple Developerxacwhite Apple Park MerchThe Apple Store Time Machine (00:00) - Intro (03:10) - Apple Vision Pro Pre-Orders (16:00) -  Vision Pro Accessories (24:52) - Influencer Demos (38:36) - VisionOS Launch Apps (42:03) - Sponsor: Audio Hijack (44:45) - Galaxy S24 (55:19) - Google Circle (Lens) (57:49) - Apple Gets Their Cut (01:05:09) - Follow-Up: Apple Merch (01:08:51) - iLife and First Macs ★ Support this podcast ★

Please note: this episode contains content and discussion about the death of an infant and child kidnappings.Charles Lindbergh may have earned himself the nickname “Lucky Lindy” and captivated the world with his record-setting solo flight from New York to Paris, but sadly, he may be best remembered for the tragedy that befell him and his family in 1932. And while the nation mourned Lindbergh's child, little did they know that the controversy around this case would continue for decades to come. In fact, the investigation itself would set a precedent for how, and whether, celebrities should be allowed to exercise influence over police proceedings.Rob teaches Ray about the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Junior, the mysterious ransom request made by the kidnapper, and the terrible discovery of the child's body only a couple of months later; the man imprisoned for and charged with the crime of the kidnapping, Bruno Hauptmann; the evidence provided to secure Hauptmann's execution; Lindbergh's personal involvement in the investigation of his child's abduction; and why questions about this case and its outcome have persisted over the past century.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSThe Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping CaseWhere Baby Lindbergh Was Found (1932)The Lindbergh Kidnapping - Reel 1 (1930–1939)1935 Trial of Bruno HauptmannLindbergh Baby Case Aka the Lindbergh Kidnapping - Reel 2Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping/ Bruno Hauptmann Trial, 1932–35ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and "Bad Idea (Clean)”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and

Calling Dick Tracy! Calling Dick Tracy! This Was A Thing has a mystery only a seasoned, hard-boiled comic strip detective can solve: why did a movie based on such a popular character, whose story stretches all the way from the 1930s through the late 20th century, fail to make a splash at the box office even though it featured a cotillion of celebrities? Well, call up the Retouchables and grab your trenchcoat, because this one's a doozy…Rob teaches Ray about the cartoonist Chester Gould's most iconic creation, Dick Tracy; the highly problematic stereotypes that Gould's comic strip and its cartoon adaptation contained; why the original Superman movie revived interest in putting Tracy on the big screen; the convoluted path Warren Beatty took to secure the film rights for Dick Tracy, and how he subsequently went on to direct and star in the infamous cinematic adaptation; the who's who of Hollywood celebs featured in the movie; and why a film that was relatively well-reviewed and received by fans has never had any sort of resurgence in popular culture like other cult favorites. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSSiskel & Ebert - Dick Tracy (1990)Dick Tracy SpecialDick Tracy: Behind the Badge (Tv Special, 1990)Al Pacino Hilarious Rant Scene (Dick Tracy)Madonna: Sooner or Later (Dick Tracy Footage)ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Here at This Was A Thing, we're no fashionistas (although Ray would argue otherwise), but even with our limited knowledge, it's hard to avoid noticing the current trend of tapered, tighter clothes. But in the early 1900s, a garment rose to popularity that shunned that trend toward tightness, boasting extra fabric and a looser fit. More than that, this particular clothing item became so identified with certain groups that its name was used when describing a notable riot in the 1940s that was emblematic of social tensions of that time, and involved United States servicemen, the Latin-X and Mexican-American community and a mysterious, unsolved murder…Ray teaches Rob about the 1943 Zoot Suit Riots which occurred 80 years ago this week, and the events which precipitated so much violence and unrest; how London's “drape suit” traveled across the pond, got a name change, and was sported by celebrities from Cab Calloway to Frank Sinatra; the 1990s swing revival that brought back both the music and clothing of that era (and produced some famous earworms); and why these riots provide one of the earliest examples of clothing styles becoming synonomous with cultural tensions between different social and ethnic groups.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSCherry Poppin' Daddies - Zoot Suit Riot (Full Length Mp3 + Lyrics)A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Gal) ~ Bob Crosby & His Orchestra (1942)Cab Calloway - Minnie the MoocherThe Who - Zoot SuitRoyal Crown Revue - Hey PachucoADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and “Private Eye”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

When a neighborhood in Niagra Falls is named "Love Canal," you might think it would be a perfect place for a weekend get-away, or an idyllic spot to raise one's family. Tragically, as its residents discovered in 1978, a chemical company had already put this area to use as a dumping site for highly toxic chemicals - which they then covered up, literally and figuratively. But it couldn't, and didn't, stay buried forever, and once the citizens actually learned about the horrific compounds stored in the very soil they lived on, there was only one thing to do: get out as soon as humanly possible.Rob teaches Ray about any terrible history of Love Canal, New York, where deadly chemicals were discovered and identified as the cause of persistent health and safety issues that were afflicting the adults and children of the community; why the United States government originally allowed the Hooker Chemical Company to use the area as a dumpsite before it was populated; how this catastrophe impacted local and national politics; how Hooker managed to sell off the contaminated area; and how the story of Love Canal provided a tragic example to the entire nation about the dangers of industrial waste and its impact on those living near it. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon or on Apple Podcasts.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSThe Love Canal Disaster: Toxic Waste in the Neighborhood | Retro Report | the New York TimesLove Canal TRAGEDY..PT 1 of 3Abc News Close-Up: The Killing Ground (1979)Love Canal Tragedy (Part 2 of 3)ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Do you ever feel like there's just no getting away from the texts, emails, and Slack messages? Like life would be so much easier if there were a dedicated place you could go to talk with people, rather than feeling your pocket buzz at every single moment? Well, break out the cringey screen names and Away Messages, because this week, we taking AIM at a topic that's sure to warm the modems in every early Internet kids heart. Just make sure no one needs the landline for the next few hours.Ray teaches Rob how the Internet grew from a DARPA military project to a breeding ground for a new frontier of instant communication; how the CB radio was an integral part of early marketing for chat rooms; what Richard Nixon might've used chat rooms for; and who's still using these outdated forms of communication today.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSAol (Sign on - Dial Up)CompuServe - First Internet Commercial - October of 1989Aol- the Sweetest SoundsEarly Aol Commercial (1995)Yahoo! Jingle (Yodel)Msn Messenger Message SoundCb Bears IntroADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and “Feelin Good”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

In today's hyper-connected world, it's almost impossible to avoid the constant flood of news, whether it's coming from our TVs, phones, or computers. So give your brain a break and cast your mind back to a time when news was just another segment on TV, and the idea of a 24-hour news cycle was almost unheard of – that is, until one small toddler in Midland, Texas, took an unexpected fall in her backyard…Rob teaches Ray about the harrowing tale of Baby Jessica McClure, and how the broadcast of her rescue glued audiences to their screens; earlier examples of news stories that also captured the nation; the wonderful, and also tragic, outcomes for both for Jessica's family and for those involved in her rescue; Ray's recommendation for a new HGTV show; and how Baby Jessica's story may have set the stage for the today's world of news bombardment and public scrutiny.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSAbc News - Baby Jessica Rescue - 1987Jessica McClure Rescue (Cbs) 10–16–87Baby Jessica: 30 Years After Being Rescued From the Well | PeopleTVEverybody's Baby the Rescue of Jessica McClure 1989 Abc Sunday Night Movie PromoADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Join us for a jaunt down memory lane – a.k.a., Central Park West – as we take a trip to see the nicest apartments ever to be rented by supposedly down-and-out New Yorkers. That's right, we're visiting Monica, Joey, Chandler, Ross, Phoebe, and, of course, Rachel. And if there's one thing that endeared viewers to Jennifer Aniston's waitress-turned-fashion executive, on top of her sarcasm and “will-they-won't-they-okay-yes-they-will” dynamic with Ross, it's her season one hairstyle that took every salon in the country by storm.Rob teaches Ray about the iconic “Rachel” haircut, including the designers responsible for the layering and colors that made it so sought after; Jennifer Aniston's mixed feelings on her dramatic 'do; what “balayage” is; other famous follicle fandoms from past TV shows; and how the “Rachel” always seems to be making a comeback, despite only being on Friends for less than a season.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSJennifer Aniston, “Friends” Reunion, and Her Iconic Hairdo - The Graham Norton Show on BBC AmericaADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

If you saw that title and you're chomping at the bit to get listening, and can hardly rein in your excitement, then you're in the right place. So hop on a rainbow, make sure you've packed your bag full with friendship, loyalty, trust, and honesty, and join us on an express journey to Equestria!Ray teaches Rob about the history of fandoms, and the specific origins of the Brony subculture within the My Little Pony-verse; how the Internet and anonymous image boards were instrumental in its rise; what Star Wars the Black Series and Twilight Sparkle have in common; the staggering number of celebrities who have also galloped through the Ponyverse; and how this surprising and heartwarming fandom can remind all of us to resist cynicism and embrace joy.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSBronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little PonyVintage 80's Very First My Little Pony COMMERCIALMy Little Pony Trailer 1986G3 Mlp "The World's Biggest Tea Party" SongsMy Little Pony - Friendship Is Magic Theme Song!"Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay ZondayMLP "Equestria Girls" Extended Hub Promo EditionMy Little Pony: The Movie (2017) Official TrailerADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS"Happy Bee" and "Fireflies and Stardust"• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Since it's almost spring, it's the perfect time to throw out those ratty rags from last year and add some fresh looks to your wardrobe. So, to inspire your inner fashionistas, we're taking a look back at the work of an unsung hero behind the outfits of Hollywood's early movie stars: costume designer Edith Head.Ray teaches Rob about how Edith went from substitute teacher to Mae West's costumer and confidante in only a few short years; Rob's new Dorothy Lamour-inspired sarong; Pixar's homage to Head's superhuman capabilities; and the hundreds of films through which Edith's work continues to be celebrated.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSEdith Head (1978) - From the Videofashion Vault | VideofashionSabrina and Gate of Hell Win Costume Design: 1955 OscarsEdith Head Talks About Audrey HepburnEdith Head and the OscarsMarvin Hamlisch's Two Oscar Score Wins for "The Sting" And "The Way We Were"The Incredibles: No Capes!ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS"Happy Bee"• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Roll out the red carpet and grab a tub of Redenbacher's, because it's time to go to the movies. The Academy Awards are one of the most anticipated cinema celebrations in the world, so naturally, when the show seemed like it was losing its pizzazz, the producers need to find a way to spice things up again. And what better way to do that than to add in lavish production numbers, incongruous sketches, and appearances from some of the greatest stars of yesterday and tomorrow? Rob teaches Ray about the infamous 1989 Oscars, and its impact on the format the ceremony now follows; how Allen Carr's outrageous vision for a star-studded night of glitz and glamour became an overproduced nightmare; why the House of Mouse wasn't too pleased with Mr. Carr's opening number; and how the perception of this particular Oscars not only cratered Carr's career, but might have some redeeming qualities when viewed in the light of recent awards show flops and failures.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSBruce Vilanch on "The 1989 Oscars" with Rob Lowe and Snow White The 11 minutes that ruined Hollywood producer Allan Carr's career forever Billy Crystal's Opening Monologue: 1990 Oscars The Stars of Tomorrow: 1989 OscarsRob Lowe Recounts Bombing at the 1989 OscarsDustin Hoffman's Oscar Acceptance Speech 1989ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS"Happy Bee," "No Spam Polka," and "Teddy Bear Waltz"• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

This one's got it all: true crime, big reveals, legal drama, Uta Hagen. So if any of those things spark your interest, then this one's for you, dear listener. Because even though this real-life case of a wealthy heiress's mysterious coma initially seemed cut-and-dry, nothing was as simple as it seemed. Was Sunny von Bülow's coma the result of foul play? What was in that strange black bag her children discovered in their stepfather's closet? And did my lady really take insulin?Rob teaches Ray about the case of Claus von Bülow, who was accused of attempting to murder his wife to obtain her fortune; how the testimony of Claus's mistress was a linchpin in the investigations; why you probably shouldn't leave incriminating notes lying around if you're being investigated for murder; how to steal the scene in any movie; and why this case may have been one of the first modern examples of publicly sensationalizing the legal process in order to rivet audiences to their television screens. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSAmerican Justice: Claus Von Bulow - Full Episode (S6, E13) | A&E"Reversal of Fortune" TrailerADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS”Happy Bee,” “Enter the Maze,” and “Aitrack”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

If there's one thing America's great at, it's franchising literally anything. Self-help book series, TV show spinoffs, Subways - we love a good franchise. And when it comes to America's global influence, the movie industry continues to be one of the biggest cultural exports from the USA to other countries. So, given that American films and movie stars have so much cultural cachet, and that quintessential love of franchises, it would be brilliant to build a restaurant chain all around worshiping movie celebrities, right? It's a fool-proof, can't-fail concept? Right? Ray teaches Rob how two venture capitalists took the idea of a Hollywood-themed restaurant chain and ran with it, then ran it into the ground; why celebrities bought into the Planet Hollywood hype; the unexpected places people store old movie props (check your backyard gardens); a chicken dish that Rob now really wants to try; and why Planet Hollywood, and themed restaurants in general, have faded since their glory days. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSMichael Aspel with Stallone, Schwarzenegger & Willis about Planet HollywoodPlanet Hollywood Opening 1996Planet Hollywood - Saturday Night LivePlanet Hollywood Comes Home (ABC Special 11/4/95)Planet Hollywood Karaoke TrackADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS"Happy Bee"• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

Happy Valentine's Day, listeners! Or, if you prefer not to recognize this particular holiday, Happy Tuesday! Given that today's episode happens to fall on this uniquely American holiday all about capitalism-fueled love, we wanted to give you all something that fits the occasion. And what better way to celebrate a holiday of romance and rampant commercialism than an episode all about a book that sits squarely at the center of both of those things?Rob teaches Ray (and Emalee!) about the history of therapy and couple's counseling; John Gray's rise to prominence the field of relationship advice books; how Dr. Gray spun his success into a franchise of epic proportions; why Lauren Gray has every daughter's dream job; and whether this kind of book would still be commercially successful or relevant to partners today.If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaARTICLESEPISODE CLIPSJohn Gray: How Men Think and FeelJohn Gray Looks Through A Woman's Purse On StageMen are from Mars, Women are from Venus - Sex TalkADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS"Happy Bee"• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

If you've ever ordered at a chain restaurant, then you know the homey feeling of knowing you're about to eat the exact same meal as you could get at any other location. And even though the Golden Arches or a pair of red braids and freckles are some of the most recognizable franchise mascots today, if we flashback to the mid-1900s, then Simple Simon and the Pieman would've been just as recognizable as those other icons. Why? Because if you wanted a tasty clam belly, a delicious sundae, or to snag a couple of ZZZs, then there was one only one chain that fit the bill. Rob teaches Ray about how the eponymous Mr. Johnson went from owning one small Massachusetts eatery, to running a national network of restaurants and lodges; why we can thank Eugene O'Neill for HoJo's original boost in popularity; Jacques Pepin's contribution to the franchise's legacy; some unexpected controversies at HoJo's; and how, even after the HoJo's brand sank into obscurity, it still has a physical and cultural impact in today's world. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon.TEAMRay HebelRobert W. SchneiderMark SchroederBilly RecceDaniel SchwartzbergGabe CrawfordNatalie DeSaviaEPISODE CLIPSHoward Johnson's Commercial 1962Chef Jacques Pépin on working at Howard Johnson's and his experiences on the American food sceneHOWARD JOHNSON RESTURANT1970 Howard Johnson's Animated Commercial #2Howard Johnson Restaurants This Is Howard Johnson Today 1988 TV Commercial HDADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS“Happy Bee” and “Happy Boy End Theme”• Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)• Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro

If you've ever ordered at a chain restaurant, then you know the homey feeling of knowing you're about to eat the exact same meal as you could get at any other location. And even though the Golden Arches or a pair of red braids and freckles are some of the most recognizable franchise mascots today, if we flashback to the mid-1900s, then Simple Simon and the Pieman would've been just as recognizable as those other icons. Why? Because if you wanted a tasty clam belly, a delicious sundae, or to snag a couple of ZZZs, then there was one only one chain that fit the bill.  Rob teaches Ray about how the eponymous Mr. Johnson went from owning one small Massachusetts eatery, to running a national network of restaurants and lodges; why we can thank Eugene O'Neill for HoJo's original boost in popularity; Jacques Pepin's contribution to the franchise's legacy; some unexpected controversies at HoJo's; and how, even after the HoJo's brand sank into obscurity, it still has a physical and cultural impact in today's world.  If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS Howard Johnson's Commercial 1962 Chef Jacques Pépin on working at Howard Johnson's and his experiences on the American food scene HOWARD JOHNSON RESTURANT 1970 Howard Johnson's Animated Commercial #2 Howard Johnson Restaurants This Is Howard Johnson Today 1988 TV Commercial HD ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and "Happy Boy End Theme" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony the Tiger, Jake from State Farm, the GEICO Gecko – so many ads are inseparable from their spokespeople. And maybe one of the most versatile and quirky of those characters, Mr. Ernest P. Worrell, would sell you anything from buttermilk to loans with his signature enthusiasm, stylish denim vest, and unforgettable catchphrase… Ray teaches Rob about how Jim Varney, a.k.a. Ernest, and John Cherry created one of the most iconic characters in commercials; why Ernest's success in local broadcasting actually worked against him when it came to national ads; how Cherry and Varney parlayed Ernest's popularity into film success; why some of Ernest's film and characters don't age very well; and whether there's still a place for broad slapstick comedy in today's movies and TV.  If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia   WEBSITE Hey Vern! It's Ernest.   ARTICLES Mel Magazine Mental Floss EPISODE CLIPS 1980s Commercials Vol. 53 (1982-1987 - Bonus All-Ernest Edition!!) Jim Varney Stand Up: Comedy Shop 2/25/80 1991 "Earnest" Jim Varney Cerritos Auto Square TV Commercial Ernest P Worrell's Best Commercial Ever! Jim Varney - CBS Evening News Dec 06, 1985 Ernest's Family Album Comedy Special Official Ernest: Ernest Goes to Camp - Jake and Eddie's Eggs Erroneous Ernest in times square 1988 Happy New Year America Ernest Goes To Splash Mountain Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) At Those Movies Jim Varney Performing Shakespeare's Hamlet on NBC Nightly News March 22, 1985 ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and “Undaunted” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here at This Was A Thing, we love a good political scandal. And even though they pop up like weeds nowadays, back in 1972, right before a story broke about a certain hotel and a certain series of tapes by a certain president who shall not be Nixoned, uh, named, the hot goss around Washington was all about one figure in particular. Especially because he could have been next in line to be the leader of the free world.  Rob teaches Ray about George McGovern's presidential campaign, and his choice of Thomas Eagleton as his V.P. nominee; how Eagleton's medical history became such a hot topic; why crying in politics is a strategic misstep; and the discussions the Thomas Eagleton story inspired about the level of privacy a politician deserves. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS ABC Evening News 1972 VP Drama SYND 29-7-72 SUPPORT FOR THOMAS EAGLETON Eagleton speaks after stepping down as VP candidate VP candidate Eagleton drops out of 1972 race Novak on sources-"I keep your secrets only til you die."Pt2 SYND 6-8-72 MCGOVERN NOMINATES SHRIVER ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee," "Waunobe March," and "Rainbows" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world before Zoom conferences, virtual meet-ups, and social media, getting together and connecting with other people took a lot of time, and traveling to other countries was pretty much a non-starter for any normal person. And when countries wanted to show off their shiny new inventions and of course make other countries jealous, how were they supposed to do that? Well, what if there was one, single, blowout event that brought together people from across the globe? That could be a good start - and 130 years ago, a certain windy city was the perfect place to do just that. Ray teaches Rob about the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, which was one of the biggest demonstrations of global ingenuity and culture in history; why frequent flyers can thank the exposition for saving them walking time; what "medicinal peanut paste" and "unfermented grape juice" are called today; how to out-Eiffel Eiffel; and how the idea of a World's Exposition is carried on in modern equivalents. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia WEBSITES 1893 World's Columbian Expo BOOKS The Devil in the White City ARTICLES Britannica Chicago Architecture Center Chicago Tribune Chicagology Everything, Everywhere History Hit James Beard Foundation Time Travel Smart Woman 1893 World's Columbian Expo Info  ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and "DarxieLand" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Auld Lang Syne" by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com • Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com • Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of the New Year, This Was A Thing is making some serious resolutions: 1. We're going to find even more ways to work Bea Arthur into future episodes.  2. Ray and Rob are going to start a new Patreon perk - "Fight Club with Fred Silverman." 3. We will not program any computers in any way that could even possibly cause an infrastructure catastrophe. If that last resolution sounds oddly specific and familiar, then you're probably remembering 1999 - when the entire country (and world) was asking itself: will we make it to the year 2000? Rob teaches Ray about how the world nearly experienced a computer crisis at the turn of the millennium; why two extra digits make a world of difference; how the Backstreet Boys prep for the digital apocalypse; and how the fear of a global shutdown 23 years ago compares to the recent real-world pandemic experience. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS New Year's Eve, 1999 Into 2000 - YouTube Y2K - www.NBCUniversalArchives.com - YouTube Y2K Bug: Much Ado About Nothing? | Retro Report | The New York Times - YouTube The Y2K Scare | National Geographic - YouTube Y2K Survival Kit Ad - YouTube Y2K: Are You Ready? A Drill for Y2K Preparedness (1999) - YouTube Y2K: Tensions in the Last Days of the 1900's - YouTube Warrior News ~ Predictions For Y2K Millenium Bug - YouTube From Freaked to Fine: Celebs React to Y2K (1999) | MTV News - YouTube KGBT 4 Archives - Valley Residents Prepare For Y2K (December 28, 1999) - YouTube WPXB TV-60 (PAX) May 26th 1999 Commercial Breaks - YouTube Looking back 20 years at the fears of Y2K: From the Vault - YouTube 1999 - Millennium Y2K Prep - Las Vegas New Years Eve - KVBC TV - YouTube Y2K News Report - YouTube Y2k Family Survival Guide With Leonard Nimoy [1999] [VHSRIP] - YouTube 20 years after Y2K panic, what happened to the guy with a bunker of food? - YouTube ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and "Variation on Egmont" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you need a sunny day to sweep those winter clouds away? Join us for a little stroll down the memory lane of merchandising, because there's nothing more sure to lift you out of your blues than a certain Muppet with a nose like an orange, a song in his heart, and a vibrating motor installed inside his belly. Ray teaches Rob about the origins for this best-selling behemoth, including how a chimpanzee news anchor served as part of the original inspiration for its creation; the spinoffs that this red original spawned; why toy stores in the mid 90s should've been offering much better health insurance; and why we could all use a little more laughter, and Elmo, in our lives. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES Mental Floss New York Times - 1 New York Times - 2 New York Times - 3 People Time Times Union EPISODE CLIPS Commercial - Tickle Me Elmo "Sesame Street Theme" 1998-2001 Sesame Street - We're All Monsters (updated version) Rosie O'Donnell & Elmo - Do You Hear What I Hear FROM THE ARCHIVE: Tickle Me Elmo, hottest holiday toy in 1996 The Tickle Me Elmo craze that caused a Walmart employee to get trampled, 1996 Christmas Through the Decades: The Terror of Tickle Me Elmo | History Tickle Me Elmo Story 1996 Taz Sounds Ruff Ryders Karaoke ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and "Oh Xmas" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After The French Connection and The Exorcist, William Friedkin needed something big. Something bold. Something daring. And when someone brought him the novel Cruising he found a property that more than fit the bill. Unfortuantely, it also ended up being a quagmire of political controversy and ambiguous plot lines that modern audiences are still trying to figure out. Rob teachers Ray about the origins of the movie Cruising, including the original novel; what made William Friedkin decide to set his adaptaion within the world of 1980s BDSM gay clubs; how Friedkin's commitment to authenticity resulted in such graphic scenes that he was forced to leave chunk of the movie on the cutting room floor; the severe backlash this movie faced from gay rights advocates across the country who; James Franco's take on the whole thing; and how this movie, despite all its issues, continues to fascinate audiences as they ask themselves: is Cruising deliberately provocative and intricate, or just terrible? If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS Homosexuality in Film - 1931 Harry Rose - Frankfurter Sandwiches Mike Wallace The Homosexuals 1967 Victim (1961) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers Clip: ALL IN THE FAMILY - 2/9/1971 - "Judging Books by Covers" Cruising (1980) Official Trailer #1 - Al Pacino Movie HD - YouTube 'Cruising' Movie Demonstrations in SF 1980 Cruising (1980) movie review - Sneak Previews with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel The Making Of Cruising (1980) - William Friedkin Documentary ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and "Eighties Action" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was love at first sight: you watched them enter the room, heard their adorable laugh, chatted with them all night, and thought to yourself: "Someday, I'm going to leave this person and want to split their assets 50-50…"  Rob teaches Ray about "palimony" and talks through two landmark cases that catapulted the term into the zeitgeist; the history of common law marriage; why Ray has now named himself Marvin M. McMarvin Jr.; palimony's influence in and importance to the gay community; and how this niche legal concept developed into a lasting judicial philosophy for unmarried partners.  If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS Lee Marvin Interview A&E Divorce Wars: Lee Marvin SNL Weekend Update: Jane, You Ignorant Slut Liberace on Gay Rumors Liberace Interview with Oprah Liberace Plays "I'll Be Seeing You" ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and "Sing Along with Jim" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you looking for a story that is 100% guaranteed to blow your mind? A true crime tale that'll leave you wondering how crooks got away with it for so long in the first place? Well, hold on to your girdle, because this one's a doozy. It's got everything: insurance scams, fake passports, an undercover sting operation, Israeli really bank accounts, and huge sales on some of the best TVs and VCRs around (sales tax not included). Best of all, you can listen to this story for the low, low price of FREE! Now that price is insane!  Ray teaches Rob about how a mom-and-pop consumer electronics store went from being a tri-state curiosity to a national sensation; who the real man is behind all those infamous ads; why having a CPA in the family comes in handy when you're committing tax fraud; and why building an empire on a foundation of shady financials and skimming off the top probably isn't the best business model. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia WEBSITE White Collar Fraud   ARTICLES Mental Floss New York Times - 1985 New York Times - 2016 (1) New York Times - 2016 (2) New Yorker NJ.com Washington Post EPISODE CLIPS 1987 Crazy Eddie Commercial Crazy Eddie 'Insane!' Commercial (NY, 1978) Classic Crazy Eddie Commercial 'Bathroom DooWop' (1977-1979) Crazy Eddie Commercials and Bloopers 1980's 1972 Crazy Eddie Radio Commercial for Brooklyn store The Biggest Retail Fraud In American History - Masterminds - Crazy Eddie - Eddie Antar Documentary Crazy Eddie Fever commercial 1978 Crazy Eddie Antar and His CFO/CPA Cousin Sam Antar Meet for first time in 30 Years ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late-night TV celebrity interviews are fun diversions, but when Hollywood needs real, gritty, hard-hitting journalism, there's only one man for the job. And if it takes mispronouncing every single name in the business, then honey, he's way ahead of you. Rob teaches Ray about Sammy LaBella, a.k.a. Skip E. Lowe, whose dreams of stardom led him to befriend, interview, and/or bed more Hollywood personalities than most people probably know exist; how public access TV is the gift that keeps on giving; call-in show mishaps; early hot takes on the Donald; and why no star has shone brighter (mostly because he sweeps it himself) than Skip. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS Gloria Loring 1993 Interview and Song i Juvenile Skip E. Lowe interviews Eric Douglas, son of Kirk Douglas Ruth Webb, psychic Kenny Kingston--Rare 1987 TV Interview Skip E. Lowe Looks At Hollywood with Guests: Volz & Laurence Tierney Skip E. Lowe, Robert Morse 2 Charles Pierce--1992 TV Interview, Joan Crawford, Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Collins Skip E. High McCain Gets It From Skip E. Lowe Skip E. Lowe Laugh Factory Comics and Paul Moooney Pt.2 of 2 Skip E. Lowe Birthday Party 1998 Skip E. Lowe, Grace Robbins, Mark Harris, Terry Moore, Dr. Divine, Jacqueline Stallone, Helen Martin--Rare TV Interview, Good Times, 227 Tyrone Power Memorial--Linda Christian, Coleen Gray, Terry Moore, 1995 Skip SweepingHWOF Skip PSA Limo Ride with Holly Woodlawn, Brian Hamilton, Skip E. Lowe & Margee McGlory Skip E. Lowe Singing, Vivian Blaine and Don Monte Aldo Ray--Rare 1986 TV Interview Skip E. Lowe Looks at Hollywood Rudy Valley, Alado Ray, Sharon Lee Beverly Garland on Skip E. Lowe ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hankering to travel somewhere warm? Somewhere with exciting sightseeing? Somewhere you can be cursed by the spirit of a vengeful Egyptian monarch? Then have we got a place for you! Ray teaches Rob about the archeologists responsible for the discovery of the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen, the Egyptian ruler who is now best known as King Tut; the misfortunes and maladies that befell many of those who uncovered the tomb; how Tut got so funky; and how all this mummy curse business got started in the first place, along with the many efforts to debunk those mystically morbid theories. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES Google Arts & Culture Live Science Mental Floss National Geographic - 1 National Geographic - 2 The New York Times - 1923 Snopes The Telegraph EPISODE CLIPS Billy Jones & Ernest Hare - "Old King Tut" King Tut - SNL - YouTube ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parents of the United States! Listen to this podcast warning before it's too late! Have you noticed your children spending lots of time around funeral homes and coffins? Are they, per chance, drawing pentacles in their school notebooks? Do the toys they play with have any subliminally devilish aspects to them, such as (heaven forbid) flapping wings? If so, they may be under a Satanic spell that only extreme legislation and questionable tell-all books can help fix...or could all of this possibly be a bit of an overreaction? Ray teaches Rob about the origins of the actual church of Satan, and its charismatic founder; how movies like Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist ginned up an even greater fear of Satan in the hearts of Americans; why you must avoid Smurfs at all cost; why actual Satanists take issue with the mischaracterizations of their legitimate religious movement; and how modern conspiracies have a striking similarity to unfounded claims of ritual abuse that gripped the nation only a few decades ago. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES Gizmodo - 1  Gizmodo - 2  The Guardian  Los Angeles Times - 1987  NPR New York Post New York Times - 1988 New York Times - 1990 New York Times - 1994 New York Times - 2021 The New Yorker Pacific Standard Magazine Rolling Stone San Francisco Gate  Vox - 1 Vox - 2 EPISODE CLIPS DEVIL WORSHIP: Exposing Satan's Underground Pt. 1 LeVay's Inspirations for Satanic Chuch Anton LeVay Background Anton LeVay Interview "The Satanic Mass" by Anton LaVey The Number of the Beast (2015 - Remaster) "20/20" the Devil Worshippers Record Smashing Parties & Satanic Toys DEVIL WORSHIP: Exposing Satan's Underground Pt. 3 Police Training Video Excerpt ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Daytime TV Theme," "Supernatural Radio A," and "Tenebrous Brothers Carnival - Act One" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On top of giving us the truly epic Dustin, Steve, and Eddie bromance and boosting Kate Bush's album sales, Stranger Things also deserves the bulk of the credit for bringing Dungeons and Dragons back into the zeitgeist. So, given that newfound popularity, it's hard to imagine how the very same game was once decried by a large - and largely conservative - contingent of the U.S., who condemned it for being not only a distraction from life's realities, but an actual breeding ground for Satanic beliefs and practices. On what grounds, you might ask? Well, as you're about to hear, a lot of it can be traced back to a single case involving a missing boy, a strange push pin map, and the fateful words of one private investigator… Rob teachers Ray about the case of James Dallas Egbert III, more commonly known today as the Dungeon Master; why having a secret network of tunnels under a college dorm might not be a great idea; why decorated P.I. Bill Dear could've used a little help picking his D&D character name; and how one man's journey to unravel the twists and turns of this ultimately tragic mystery may have been the genesis for an entire movement denouncing an altogether harmless and highly imaginative game.  If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS '80s D&D Satanic Panic Supercut 60 Minutes D&D Special Dungeons & Dragons: Satanic Panic | Retro Report | The New York Times ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "8bit Dungeon Boss" and "Video Dungeon Crawl" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wigs, plugs, toupés - so many solutions to hair loss, but all with their own issues and drawbacks. Was there any hope for real change? Was baldness an unavoidable condition? Would someone ever come along and provide a solution that truly brought satisfaction to those wanting to return to their days of luscious locks? Enter Sy Sperling: a man with a flat yet dulcet voice, a bald patch, and a dream. Rob teaches Ray a brief history of baldness in several cultures across the globe; how one man's backup ad eventually became one of the most successful and memeable commercials of the 1970s; how Rogaine disrupted the hair replacement industry through medical means; Rob's experience as both a patron and a promoter of hair-replacement solutions; and how Sy Sperling's business and hair-weave savvy led him to found an enterprise that continues serving loyal clients (of which he himself was one) to this day. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS 1984 Hair Club for men "Sy Sperling I'm not just the president" TV Commercial Dick Van Dyke - Mary Tyler Moore's Apology Telly Savalas | Kojak | Is he really bald? | Jermyn Street | London | TN-82-073-002 I liked the shaver so much I bought the company - Remington Ad 1979 Perdue Chicken TV commercial (1982) Hair Club for Men, Ltd. ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've covered our fair share of musicians and music-adjacent topics on This Was a Thing, and we'll probably cover plenty more in the future. But when it comes to the Venn Diagram of musical theatre, rock-and-roll, and cover art that includes apocalyptic motorcycles, there's only one album that should come to mind. That's because there was only one Meatloaf, only one Jim Steinman, and only one Bat Out of Hell. (Well, three, technically, but who's counting.) Ray teaches Rob about the genesis of this epic, 7-track, 46-minute rock-and-roll experience; how Jim's and Meatloaf's musical theatre roots brought them together; what Rob and Ray wouldn't do for love; why this album owes its initial popularity to our neighbors up North and our friends across the pond; when a motorcycle is not a motorcycle; and why, despite how experimental and out-there it was, Bat Out of Hell remains one of the the best-selling and most beloved creations of its time. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES American Songwriter Billboard Classic Rock Magazine Louder Rolling Stone - Album Review Rolling Stone - Interview Ultimate Classic Rock Variety - 1 Variety - 2 Washington Post   EPISODE CLIPS Meatloaf - Bat Out Of Hell (Classic Album) Todd Rundgren - Bang The Drum All Day Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run Jim Steinman talks about 'Bat Out of Hell' Bat Out of Hell Bat Out of Hell Motorcycle Guitar Track RIP Jim Steinman and Meatloaf! Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell Jim Steinman talks about 'You Took the Words...' Meat Loaf - You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) Jim Steinman talks about 'All Revved Up...' Meat Loaf - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad Todd Rundgren / Meatloaf making of bat out of hell Paradise By the Dashboard Light For Crying Out Loud Jim Steinman talks about 'For Crying Out Loud' You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (Official Lyric Video) Bonnie Tyler - I Need a Hero (Lyrics) I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) Fight Club (1999) Big Bob scene HD OFFICIAL TRAILER | Bat Out of Hell The Musical Meatloaf Interview Meeting Jim Steinman Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul Bat Out of Hell - Meat Loaf | Karaoke Version | KaraFun ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having a tough day? Life got you down? Does your body feel like it's suffering from a severe lack of goat's blood, steroids, and placenta? Oh, and also meth? Then we know just what the doctor should order, and which doctor should order it! Rob teaches Ray about the infamous Max "Dr. Feelgood" Jacobson, and his wide ranging celebrity clientele; his unsavory and unsanitary business practices; how his miracle vitamin shots played a key role in Cold War diplomacy; and the contemporary figures whose similarly flexible medical morals have earned them Mr. Jacobson's unofficial title. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia ARTICLES EPISODE CLIPS "Dr. Feelgood" by Motley Crue (2021- Remaster) ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" and “Double Polka” • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Extra, Extra, read all about it! Extra-terrestrial stock brokers discovered on Wall Street running a pump-and-dump scheme to boost stock prices for personal space tech investments. If you want to learn more, drop that Times or Journal - this exclusive story can only be found in a very special publication. Ray teaches Rob about the wacky and wild history of Weekly World News; its origins as a last-ditch effort to revive a moribund black-and-white printing press; Hilary Clinton's absolutely real relationship with an alien; and whether this type of "fake news" can survive in this moment when those kind of phrases, and so many questionable "facts," are spreading like wildfire. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia   WEBSITE https://weeklyworldnews.com/   ARTICLES Mental Floss Grunge New York Times Pacific Sun Tampa Bay Times EPISODE CLIPS Weekly World News Commercials "Hold Me, Bat Boy" Weekly World News 1996: 'Bat Boy' Discovered! ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever been on a New York subway? How about the Munich U-Bahn? Let's make it easier: have you walked down any sidewalk and/or generic walkway in any major and/or minor city in any of the six major global continents? Great! Then you've almost definitely seen a colorful poster featuring one to several dancers, all inviting you to put "China Before Communism" and see a show that could very well change your life...or at least, give you a night you'll never forget. Ray teaches Rob about Shen Yun and its foundation in the Falun Gong religious movement; its connection, via the Epoch Times, to Donald Trump; the grassroots support that powers this non-profit's massive advertising reach; and why a show with such extreme political and religious underpinnings has continued to flourish throughout the world. If you like what we are doing, please support us on Patreon. TEAM Ray Hebel Robert W. Schneider Mark Schroeder Billy Recce Daniel Schwartzberg Gabe Crawford Natalie DeSavia WEBSITES Shen Yun Website Exposing The Falun Gong ARTICLES The New Yorker  Buzz Feed Daily Kos The Guardian Insider Los Angeles Magazine The Los Angeles Times The New York Times People's World The Pitt News Puget Sound Business Journal Shen Yun - Challenges We Face Time EPISODE CLIPS Audience Reactions from Nashville Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra "The Show the CCP Doesn't Want You to See" Shen Yun 2022 Trailer ADDITIONAL MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS "Happy Bee" • Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) • Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Additional Sound Effects from Final Cut Pro, iLife, and Logic Pro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Stoyan Yankov, co-founder and co-host of The Leaders Who Care, welcomes to the podcast Max Frazer, Engineering & Quality Engineering specialist (formerly at Apple, Vivint). Tune in and discover: ✔️ Leadership insights from 20 years at Apple, ✔️ Advice on building high-performing culture and teams, ✔️ The long-lasting benefits of showing care in your people, ✔️ Best tactics to encourage innovation and quality, and more Max Frazer spent almost 20 years at Apple, working in multiple organizations in a variety of roles spanning engineering and quality. Frazer worked on the first several releases of Mac OS X, and then later iOS. Frazer did briefly leave Apple after the tragic events of 9/11, working on security software for the U.S. Navy. On returning to Apple, Frazer joined the Apps Division, where he spent over a decade, working on notable products such as Keynote, Pages, Numbers, Notes, News. In this role, Frazer led multiple quality engineering and tools teams. Upon leaving the Apps Division, Frazer went to work on the Apple Online Store and the software powering the physical retail stores. During his tenure at Apple, Frazer has been passionate about the consumer experience and improving how products are created and delivered. In support of this, Frazer has created multiple tools used to ship products across a wide swathe of Apple, including iPhone, iPod, iLife, iWork, the Apple Online Store and others. Most recently, Frazer has served as the Sr. VP of Engineering and Quality Engineering for a Smart Home company. Enjoy the episode!

Brandon Sanders is the executive pastor at Powerhouse Church in Houston, Texas as well as the founder and CEO of iLife, a humanitarian organization advocating for and mentoring at risk youth and families. He is a passionate lover of God and servant of humanity. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reallivetalk/exclusive-content

On this episode we go into Candace Owens's allegations about the feminization of men, how the iLife slowly sucks you in, The Lucifer Principle. Credits: Intro & Outro Music: "Pirate Mutiny" by The Sovereigns Font: "Luckiest Guy" Astigmatic One Eye Typographic Institute Cover Art: Alston Novak --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chinoandhomeboy/support

We often think of singleness as a curse, but God tells us it is a gift. In this episode we discuss how to better understand and apply the season of singleness.Support the show (http://libertylive.church)

On this episode of our Apple based podcast we discuss Microsoft, Pebble and Android, with the odd smattering of Apple. Nick Riley from the Let's Talk Apple Podcast joins us this week and we ponder self driving cars and best of all some real life giant fighting mechs! On this week's show: Pebble watches won't have to die when the servers shut down ... The Mac Observer and Pebble App (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pebble/id957997620?mt=8) iPhone 6S screen repair. Beware cheap ones as when you use the Apple Pay thingy to pay for stuff the screen will lock up and you can't use the phone until you've rebooted. iPhone 7 and 7 Plus home buttons cannot be repaired - IbTimes Officials say the timeline given by Richard Dabate, accused of killing his wife in their Connecticut home, is at odds with data collected by her wearable device – The Guardian Apple Makes iWork and iLife apps free and easier to download by anyone – The Mac Observer Mega Mecha Battle...for real – Digital Trends BrickerBots attacking routers and IoT devices – Ars Technica In the past month alone we have seen over 57,000 unique home routers being used to attack WordPress sites – Wordfence Self Driving Cars. Possible Side Effects – Slate Magazine Life with an electric car and the resale value. Nemo's Hardware Store https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wow-sound-the-ultimate-outdoor-portable-speaker-bluetooth-audio#/ https://www.renogy.com/renogy-e-lumen-multi-functional-flashlight/ Social Media and Slack You can follow us on: EssentialApple.com / Twitter / Facebook / Google Plus / Slack – ask us for an invite any way you can get hold of us If you really like the show that much and would like to make a regular donation then please consider joining our Patreon And a HUGE thank you to the patrons who already do. YouTube: Yup. Just in case you didnt have enough stuff to watch, we are on the YouTube This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Follow Up: #classroomclips for edu examples of Apple Clips app The Mevo camera now broadcasts to YouTube Live & Periscope, as well as Facebook Live 15 Ways to Use Flipgrid in your Classroom by Karly Moura I'm going back to paper AND staying digital By Matt Miller Use Parrot drones with Swift Playgrounds - bit.ly/swift_drone New menu items: Apple makes iWork and iLife apps free for all devices Find and insert free pictures with the Pixabay Google Docs Add-on May 2, Microsoft is having an EDU event centered around Windows Cloud devices Wunderlist is being retired and will be replaced by Microsoft To-Do - boo! :( Main Course: #FormativeTech with Monica Burns ClassTechTips.com #FormativeTech Meaningful, Sustainable, and Scalable Formative Assessment With Technology Tech Nuggets! Tackk via Richard Byrne20 Ways to Use Tackk in the Classroom The Tackk EDU Blog iCivics free lesson plans and games for learning civics https://www.peanutgalleryfilms.com/ Auto Draw from Google Jonathan's Catch of the Day Listen Learn Lead Podcast from Andrew Fenstermaker & Scott Stimmel The Grift from Maria Konnikova You can follow Jonathan (@jonathanwylie) and Mindy (@TeamCairney) on Twitter, and see all the tweets from the Grant Wood AEA Digital Learning Team at @DLGWAEA. You can also email us, podcast@gwaea.org. If you enjoy the show please share it with your friends and colleagues and/or leave us a review on iTunes or Google Play Music. Until next time...

My guest this week is professional audio engineer Ryan Monette. Ryan graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Music Production & Engineering. For the last 4.5 years he's been the Post-Production Audio Engineer on staff at Elevation Church, in Charlotte, NC, where he mixes their global TV show, and has many other responsibilities (boom operator, field recorder, sound designer, audio editor, etc.). You may have heard some of his work, as he sound-designed and mixed the opener video for the Circles conference for the past two years. He even had his own podcast for a short while (TheQueuecast.com). I asked Ryan to come on the show to share his journey towards becoming a professional audio engineer (a job that I've always wanted), and to get him to share some tips for anyone interested in working in audio/video professionally. Highlights, Takeaways & Quick Wins: Think long term and dream big. If you want to do anything with audio, start by getting a cheap USB microphone. Take advantage of free online courses to learn more about audio engineering. Get started with whatever you have. Your mix may sound completely different in a different environment, so listen with different headphones/speakers in different locations. Master the basics and keep going back to them. If you're mixing a podcast, make sure your levels are consistent. When mixing, always use a reference track. Show Notes Aaron: You graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in music production and engineering. For the last five years, you've been the post production audio engineer for Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. You have a lot of jobs there: boom operator, field recorder, sound designer, audio editor, and you mix their global TV show. Do you mix that live? Ryan: Not necessarily. We can get into that later. There's a process for that. Aaron: Some of the creative people here might have heard of some of your work. You sound designed and mixed the opening videos for the past two years of Circles Conference, which I was at. Have you been there for the past two years? Ryan: I haven't been personally, no. I have wanted to go. I love it from afar, and I want to go in person. Aaron: I wanted you to come on this show because when I first got started, I had dreams of being a professional audio engineer. I thought, “How cool would it be to work in audio and get paid for it? That'd be awesome!” I fell backwards into it by doing podcast editing as a hobby first, then for money, then I met Sean McCabe and ended up working for him full time. I edit podcasts and help out with a ton of other stuff. I asked you to come on the show to share your advice for anyone who's interested in working in audio/video professionally, and to talk about how you got there yourself. So tell me a little bit about how you got into audio. When did you first realize that this was something you wanted to do? Ryan's Journey to Becoming a Professional Audio Engineer Ryan: I love listening to your podcast, Aaron, and what I love about it is I feel like you and I have a lot of similarities in our backgrounds. You're a musician, a drummer, and I'm also a musician. I play several things. My primary instrument is bass, but along with that, I started on piano. I picked up bass, and with the bass I picked up guitar. I took some drum lessons here and there as well. I sing as well. I dabbled in a little bit of everything. I'm kind of a jack of all trades, master of none. I'm okay at a lot of things, but I'm not superb at one thing. Anyway, right around junior high or high school, I started playing the bass. I started playing in little bands here and there. When it came time for college, I had no clue what I wanted to do. All I knew was that I loved music. Aaron: Same here! Ryan: I was living in Las Vegas at the time, so I decided, well, everyone has to have that college experience, and I didn't want to go to college in the same city, so I decided that I needed that “being away from home” experience. I went to the University of Nevada, Reno. I took your basic, general classes, not knowing what I wanted to do. At this time, for my high school graduation, I had received a graduation present of a Macbook Pro. With that, of course, you get the wonderful iLife suite, including Garageband. As a musician, a whole new world was opened up to me. When I was in a band in high school, I was the gear head—I loved the PA and putting cables together. I was drawn to that. Once I had this Macbook Pro with Garageband and I had my bass and my guitar in my dorm, I was like, “I can create music!” I figured out how to work it and record myself. I bought a USB microphone, and that world was opened up. When I was there, I had a friend, and her brother went to this school where all they learned about was music. I was like, “Wait, you can do that? You can go to school for just music?” That's how I found out about Berklee School of Music. I applied, and you have to audition as well. I applied and auditioned, and the first time I tried, I actually didn't get into the music school I wanted to go to. Aaron: This sparks something in my mind. I feel like I might have read an article about Berklee or looked into it and thought, “No, they're really strict on who they accept, based on your performance.” That was intimidating to me at the time, because I never felt like I was that good of a drummer. Ryan: It was intimidating for me, too. Clearly, I wasn't up to par. Aaron: Yet you went for it. That's more than a lot of people would do. Ryan: Yeah. After I finished my first year at UNR, I moved back to Vegas and went to UNLV, the University of Nevada Las Vegas. I took all music classes, forgetting the general ed stuff you need to get a degree. I took all music classes—music theory, because I had never had actual music theory classes, so I thought I needed that. With that, there were some audio classes that I took as well. I was like, “Hey, I like this audio thing.” At the University of Nevada Las Vegas, I had my first exposure to a formal audio class, where I learned all the proper techniques. Later on that year, I applied and auditioned again for Berklee. I got accepted, and the next year, I moved to Boston and went to Berklee for about three and a half years. Then I graduated. When I went to Berklee, the only thing that drew me as a major was Music Production and Engineering. I naturally loved the gear side of things. I fell in love with recording. I was like, “This is what I want to do.” Aaron: You got to spend three and a half years there, studying and learning? Ryan: It is non-stop, 24/7, music, audio, and to be honest, I miss being in that environment so much. Aaron: That sounds fantastic. I always love setting aside time to take online classes, read books, and listen to interviews about audio. Think Long-Term Aaron: You were drawn to the audio engineering stuff, and then you graduated. Ryan: I can remember a specific time in my life, and I'm pretty sure it was my last semester at Berklee. They went by semesters instead of years. It was in one of my capstone classes. Our instructor asked us the typical, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” question. Aaron: I love that question now. I hated it when I was 22. ** Think long term and dream big** Aaron: Plan out where you want to be, because if you can envision it, then you can figure out how to get there. But you have to start by saying, “I want to do this thing someday.” For me, it was, “I want to do work from a laptop. How do I get there?” Now I'm there. So you were 22 and someone asked you, “Ryan, where do you want to be? Where do you see yourself in five years?” Ryan: At that moment, I was trying to figure that out, naturally, as you do when you're approaching the end of college. While I was at Berklee, I loved music. I loved recording music, but my absolute favorite class—they only had one of them, but it was the class I yearned for, that I wanted to take and put in all these extra hours for—was audio for visual media, audio for video. By far, that was my favorite class. The whole class, we were working toward our final project. You choose a five to seven minute clip from a well known movie, and all the audio is completely stripped. You have to recreate everything. That's all the dialogue, all the foley, all the ambient background, all the hard effects, and so on. You have to connect with a film scoring student there at Berklee, and they have to provide the score. I absolutely loved every aspect of that project and the process. When it came time to decide what I wanted to do with my life, it was between audio engineering at a recording studio, working at Disney as an Imagineer, or doing audio at a church. I have always been involved with church, playing on worship teams and whatnot, so I also saw myself doing audio for a church. Long story short, I was really privileged to dip my feet in all of those things after college. After I graduated, I moved back to Las Vegas. Eventually, I found an incredible recording studio, probably one of the top two recording studios in Las Vegas, and I landed an internship. First Audio Engineering Jobs Ryan: I say “internship” loosely, because your typical studio internship is all the stereotypical grunt work—taking out the trash, doing the coffee, and whatnot. I showed up, and they were like, “You went to Berklee? Berklee guys are cool. Here, hop in this session and help us out.” It was open to me, thrown at me, and next thing I knew, I was assisting on sessions with huge clients, I won't name drop. Aaron: You can drop a couple of names if you want. Ryan: I had a pretty fun time helping out with a session with the famous engineer Eddie Kramer, who is engineering for Carlos Santana. Aaron: Dang, man! That's awesome. Ryan: That was pretty incredible. But while I was there, I had this gut feeling inside of me saying, “This isn't it.” Aaron: It's fine, but it's not quite right? Ryan: I could see myself staying there and working my way up, but it didn't feel right. A few months after I realized that I didn't want to stay at the studio, I applied and was offered a job at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. I packed my bags, moved to Orlando, and I was working as a stage technician at the Epcot park. There, they found out that I was an audio guy, so they pushed me toward the live audio side of things. I was mixing shows and bands at Epcot and what was at the time Downtown Disney, now Disney Springs, area. Same thing. Almost as soon as I got there, the same gut feeling came in. I was like, “This isn't it. I'm more of a studio engineer. I definitely don't want to do live stuff.” Although I love Disney, it just wasn't sitting right. I was only there three months before the next great opportunity came up, which is where I am right now. One of my friends told me about a job opening for this church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Elevation Church. I had actually been following them because of their podcast. At the time, I was kind of like, “I've got a job, whatever.” For some reason, I ended up on their website, looking at the job. I was reading, and I was like, “Wait a minute, they're looking for someone to do audio for video. That's what I really want to do!” On a whim, I threw out my resume. Next thing you know, I've been here going on five years. Aaron: Did you mention that you were a podcast listener when you sent in your resume? Ryan: Yeah. Aaron: The connections you can make through podcasting is really incredible. Ryan: It is. And I've been working there for 5 years now. How to Get Into Audio Engineering Aaron: I want to jump into what you do at your job at Elevation, but let's pause and do a section on what advice you would tell someone who's wanting to get started. I wrote a couple of things down here. I think it's hilarious that you got a Macbook and your first microphone was a USB microphone. Ryan: Which was the Blue Snowball, by the way. Aaron: That's the worst microphone! Ryan: I had no idea how to use it, either. If I find some of the earliest recordings I did, there are times I'm clipping to the max, square waves. Aaron: Probably bad mic technique, too. But hey; it got you started! If you want to do anything with audio, start by getting a cheap USB microphone. Any USB mics will work for getting started. I like the Blue Yeti, but it's like $100. The ATR-2100 is fine, too. You just have to get something that can record some audio and start playing with it. Start playing with Garageband. Start playing with the free programs. Learn how to enable recording on a track, how to set your input device to the microphone, how to set your output device to wherever your headphones are plugged into, whether that's your mic or your computer. It took me so long to figure that stuff out. I was like, “Why can't I hear the audio in my headphones? What is going on?” Ryan: Same here. Aaron: You have to set input and output, then you have to record enable or do the input monitoring, all that stuff. But start with the USB microphone. Take some basic classes. There are so many great online classes. If you don't have any money at all, if you're super broke like I was when I started, watch some free YouTube videos. Read a book. Ryan: If you go to Coursera.org, they're a website where you can pay to take online courses and get certifications and whatnot, but they also offer free online courses. They even offer free online courses from Berklee. I've seen a music production class there. I've taken a free online song writing class. Check out free online courses, because they can be a pool of incredible knowledge. I took a photography class on there. Coursera is a great place. They're great if you want to take free online courses. Aaron: There are places where you can learn all this stuff. You just have to invest some time. You really just have to start: Don't wait until you have $500 for an interface and $200 for some professional headphones and microphone. Whether you want to start a podcast, start recording audio for a video, or record and mix a demo for a band, start doing something. Stop spending all your time thinking about how you can't do anything because you don't have certain gear or you're not in the right place. You'll learn as you do, especially in audio. You're going to make a ton of mistakes. Ryan: That's how you learn, though! That's one of the most valuable things I've learned in life. You learn from your mistakes. Aaron: You don't really learn when everything goes well. Just Start Aaron: Any other advice you would give somebody, thinking back on how you got to where you are right now? Ryan: Honestly, you hit the nail on the head with “just start.” It's as simple and cliche as Nike, “Just do it.” There is always going to be the next latest craze, the gear, and we've all been susceptible to that. We say, “Oh, well, I could do this if I had X.” It starts with the drive and determination, wanting to do it. There's knowledge out there everywhere. You just have to dig for it. Chances are, you have at least something you can start with. Record something on your phone. Aaron: I have a friend who makes some awesome music on his iPhone. Ryan: Oh, totally. It's as simple as getting an adapter. You can plug your guitar or whatever into your phone. Aaron: Kids these days have it so easy! Ryan: You have Garageband on your phone. I remember when I was figuring this out in high school, and we actually had a four track tape recorder. That was my first start. Get started with whatever you have. Aaron: What kind of stuff do you do at the church? What's your day to day life like? Are you there every day, or is it just a couple of days a week? Ryan: Oh no, I'm definitely there every day. It has been a whirlwind for sure. In the past five years, I have probably played every audio role that there is to be played here. My main thing now is audio for broadcasts, pretty much anything that leaves the church. Our biggest output is the sermon, which goes to a lot of places. It also goes in the TV episode, which we talked about, which goes locally, nationally, and, I believe, globally as well. That's a lot of what I've done. We also create a lot of films, short films, for our worship experiences, anything you can imagine that's video and audio related. Audio post production, like we talk about. I'm constantly on video shoots using field recorders, the boom op, anything you can think of. Audio for video, I've done it. The Gear Ryan Uses Aaron: Let's talk about your gear a little bit. What kind of stuff are you using most in everyday life? I'll do a quick recap: I have the Shure Beta 87A Mic as my main podcasting microphone. It's attached to a Scarlett 18i20 USB Interface (update: I'm now using my Zoom H6 exclusively), which is plugged into a quadcore iMac that's a couple years old. Nothing super fancy, but I'm really happy with where I am. I remember wanting all this stuff back in 2011, thinking how awesome it would be to have it. I have a Zoom H6 portable recorder and a couple of SM58 microphones. I've been pairing down my gear collection because I'm planning on moving in the spring. What kind of stuff are you working with? I use Logic Pro X for editing, and then Izotope iZotope RX 5 for cleaning up background noise or fixing clipping. What about you? What's your day to day favorite gear? Ryan: We use a lot. There's a bunch of gear for field recording and then in my office, which is where I'm at right now. I'll start with my office. Right now, I'm talking into my personal mic, which is a Rode NT1A. It's very affordable. The Rode NT1A is a nice beginner mic which works and sounds great, and I use it for a lot of voiceover projects. Aaron: I like those mics. Ryan: I'm talking into that right now. We also use the Shure SM7B. We have a nice Neumann that we'll use for bigger projects. We like to use Universal Audio Interfaces, so I've got one of those. They're great. They're rock solid. You really can't beat them. At our main recording/editing audio work station, we use Pro Tools. That's very standard, and I've been using that for years and years. I use a lot of plugins. I use a lot of the Waves Plugins. I do use RX as well, and that's the bulk of it. I do a lot of processing, depending on the project. I have a really huge sound library for if I'm doing narrative pieces that involve sound design, sound effects. I have a great app called Audio Finder, which a lot of electronic musicians use to help them find sounds. I use it to help me find sounds. It's a nice way to catalogue sounds if you're a sound designer or anything like that. You can basically tag all these audio files with meta data, and you can search for sounds by their title. Or, if you type in a word in the search bar, it can pull up things based off the the metadata. If you have notes on something, it can find it. Audio Finder is a great way to find sounds. I have some other things in here. I have the Artist Mix Controller made by Avid. I use those if I'm automating stuff. I use those a lot, actually, when I'm mixing the sermons. I do a lot of automation for that. If I'm mixing a piece with a music bed or something, I like to automate the music by hand. It feels more natural, as opposed to clicking and making little dots. That's the bulk of it here in the office. All of our audio engineers have a nice pair of Focal monitors. I also have another set of monitors I built myself. When I mix TV episodes, I have an output routed to a TV here in my office so I can hear how it translates on TV speakers. Recording Audio for Video Ryan: On the front end of things, if we're doing shoots for videos, we use Sound Devices field recorders. We have three different models: the Sound Devices 788T 8 Channel Recorder, a 702 2 Channel Recorder, and then a 633 6 Channel Recorder. That last one is one of their newer models, which is great. Sound Devices are steep in price, but they are rock solid. One of the most trustworthy, well known field recorder brands on the market. That's what you'll see on pretty much every big budget shoot in some way. I do a lot of freelance on the side, which gives me the opportunity EPK shoots or BTS shoots for, recently, a show on HBO called Outcast. Aaron: Outcast? I've been seeing that (I watch Westworld). Ryan: I'm pretty sure it's the same writers or producers or something. I know it's the same writer as The Walking Dead. They shoot here in North Carolina, so with a local production company, we've done some interviews with some of the cast and crew. It's been really neat to be on set and see what they're using. It's cool to see how similar their world is to what we're doing day to day, just with more money and more resources. It's the same thing. Most of their audio guys have some sort of Sound Devices. A lot of them use the 788 as a backup recording rig, and they've got larger multitrack recorders as well, that are also made by Sound Devices. Sound Devices is a great brand. They're crazy expensive, but when you buy that, you know you've basically got it for life. Aaron: Yeah, I'm looking at the Sound Devices 788T SSD 8 Channel Portable Solid State Audio Recorder. It's almost $7,000. I love that! So fancy. Ryan: That SSD does have an internal hard drive. Ours has a hard drive as well, so it's great, because it has the internal hard drive, but you can also use CF cards. You can record on two different mediums. In case something runs out of space, you have it in two places. Aaron: This is super professional stuff. Ryan: Yeah. It is. It's top of the line. Aaron: Fantastic. For all the rest of you, just go with the Zoom H4N or the H6. Ryan: Hey, we do have a Zoom H4N, and we do use that every now and then. Before I came on staff, our first field recorder was the Zoom H4N. Aaron: If I could start over and go back to before I had any kind of interface at all, I think I would buy myself an H4N or an H6. Not only are they portable field recorders so you can walk around with them—they have little stereo condensor mics on them—but they work as audio interfaces, too. You can plug it into your computer with a USB cable and record straight to your computer if you do any kind of podcasting or stuff like that. It's good for the price. Otherwise, the little two channel interfaces are great. They're about $100 for a good one, but they aren't portable. You can't take them to a show or out to a video shoot the way you can an H4N or an H6 or something. Ryan: Speaking of Zoom, they've recently come into the more professional field recording market. About a year ago, they releases the F8, I believe, which is an 8 channel field recorder with 8 mic pres. It's $999 for something very comparable to a Sound Device. It's not quite as high-fidelity, but for anyone starting out, you're really not going to notice the difference. Mixing On Expensive Headphones or Monitors Aaron: I was going to ask you this earlier. You mentioned that you had Focal monitors. Did you listen to the episode I did a few episodes back where I talked about mixing on headphones (Episode 69: Do You Need Expensive Headphones to Mix a Podcast?)? Ryan: Yes, I did. Aaron: I mix on $10 Panasonics. What do you think about that? You can be totally honest with me. You can tell me that it's a stupid idea or that it's okay. Ryan: I agree to a certain extent. I agree that you should be listening to what you're making on whatever the majority of people are going to be listening to it on. For a lot of audio engineers mixing music, that's iPod earbuds, those standard earbuds you get. Something like that. When I mix TV, I have an output routed to a TV in my office, so I can hear it on TV speakers. I do also believe in mixing on something with some sort of higher fidelity type of monitoring environment, whether that's nicer speakers or nicer headphones. Naturally, you're going to hear things differently. The main thing to take away is how things translate. If you're listening to something on one source and you make it sound good there, that's great, but in a different environment, it may sound completely different. iPhone earbuds may not have the bass that a car stereo has. You want to hear how it translates from one thing to another. That's why it's good to at least listen to it on two different sources and not just narrow yourself down to one cruddy thing. That's good in theory, but again, the key takeaway is translation. Aaron: Maybe it's a little bit different for me and I can get away with it because of the consistency of the microphones and the recording environment set we use. Ryan: Yeah, totally. Aaron: I think if I was doing more stuff like you are, with videos and clients and all that kind of stuff, I would absolutely be using my higher fidelity headphones. Ryan: Very true. The bulk of your work is dialogue, podcasts. Aaron: Yeah, that's really it. Just dudes talking into a microphone. Ryan: Yeah. I have done a lot of work here where I'm working in a small studio, but a lot of my mixes have played in auditoriums and arenas. If you're working on projects like music or film that have different audio frequencies and spectrums, remember that sound will be perceived differently in different places. Aaron: How do you even test for that? Ryan: Here, I at least have a sense of how our auditorium sounds, so I've trained my ear to hear in advance and understand how it's going to translate. For something like when we did a live recording in the biggest arena here in Charlotte, we had a video opener piece. I was on point for mixing that, so basically, I had to work with tech and production to find a time after setup where I can bring my session, copy it onto a laptop, and play it through the PA. Then I can make any final mix tweaks there in the auditorium or the arena. I perfected it in my studio, and any small tweaks I was able to do in that actual environment. Granted, a lot of the times, we may not have that luxury. There are also great plugins you can buy that simulate different monitoring environments, like Sonarworks. If you have certain pairs of headphones, you can tell the program, “I have these headphones, now make my mix sound like it's coming through these headphones or these speakers,” so you can hear how it might translate. In that program, they have a final output like the Beats headphones. You can hear how it might sound on there, super bass heavy. Aaron: I hear they're getting better, but I still have never bought any Beats headphones. I probably should (just for testing purposes). Ryan: There are definitely programs out there to help you see how things translate to different monitors. On Location Gear Ryan: We were talking about the gear we use for on location recording. Sound Devices would be our main recorders. For our mics, we use Schoeps. It's a shotgun microphone, so it's a narrow polar pattern with good off axis rejection. Schoeps is a great brand. Again, you'll see this on professional movie sets. That's the mic we use. We have some Sennheiser shotguns as well, the ME66, we have a couple of those, which is more their entry shotgun mics. Recently, I rented some of the MKH416. Aaron: I would like one of those. The Sennheiser 416 is well known as the classic TV shotgun mic, right? Ryan: Exactly. I rented those out because I wanted to try it out for that reason. The Schoeps is very good and very well known on set as well, but so is the 416. I rented it to try it out. It's a trusted mic that a lot of people use for these professional things, and it doesn't really break the bank for what it is. Aaron: They're like $1,000, I think. Ryan: Yeah, and it sounded great. Aaron: The next mic I get is either going to be that or the Rode NTG 3. Ryan: I've heard a lot of great things about that. I haven't tried one myself. Aaron: That's the shotgun mics we shot my podcasting courses with. Ryan: Yeah, I know that Sean uses that for all of his videos. Aaron: I'm excited about getting to go work with those (I'm moving to San Antonio in March or April). Master the Basics Aaron: That's a pretty good run through of your gear. I'm sure you could keep going and discuss a lot more, but I don't think we need to go into that. It seems like you guys are at a super professional, high quality. You have made big investments in professional gear, which is fantastic. I encourage everyone to strive for that, to aim for that, but like we said earlier, use what you have right now. I don't have anything close to what you guys have, but I'm still doing my podcast. I'm doing the best I can with what I have. Ryan: It still sounds great. Aaron: Thanks! It's mostly just knowing how to set gain levels and not having a noisy room. It's crazy how far the basics will get you— everything else is just icing on the cake. I've been watching this video course called Zen and the Art of Work, which I really recommend to everybody. It's mindfulness training mixed with productivity training, which is such a great combination. In this course, he says, “So many of the masters continually revisit the basics.” Mastery is staying on a path. It's not reaching some final goal, it's more about being with the work and investing in getting better, but also revisiting the basics. He was talking about playing piano. He was like, “A lot of times, I just start by touching the keys, pressing the keys, and then doing basic scales over and over again.” It's true. When you get so good at the basics that you don't have to think about it, that's when you start to expand and get to that level where people say, “Wow, you're so good at that. How did you get so good?” You're like, “That was just doing the basics. It's not anything fancy.” It's so important to master the basics and keep going back to them. Learning More Aaron: What's next for you? How do you invest in yourself and improve? Or are you working so much that you always have more learning opportunities? Do you buy books or courses or follow any websites to learn more about this audio stuff? Ryan: Honestly? We had a shift at work to where my role has shifted to mainly just broadcasts. That has enabled me to have a little bit more flexibility and free time, so I've been doing a lot more freelance work. That's great, because it energizes me and keeps me engaged. It keeps me from routine. Routine is great. I love routine, that's very much my personality, but freelance work keeps things interesting. For me, it's all about where and how I can get inspired and constantly feeding that. It's about feeding my desire for creativity. We're all creatives. We like to create. We were designed to be creators, really. Everything I try to do is about how I can become a better creator and what I can create next. It's about finding things that inspire me, really. We touched lightly on a few of the resources that I like, things I've learned and places I've picked things up. If you're interested in audio for post production, there are a couple of great books by Ric Viers. I have two books by him that are really great. The first one is The Sound Effects Bible, and it's not just sound effects in there. He talks about everything from gear to microphones, basics, setting proper gains, compression, some mixing techniques, etc. He also has The Location Sound Bible. There are a lot of similarities, but there's also a lot of talk about gear, shotgun mics, lop mics, recorders, and then he also dives into some of the basics when it comes to mixing, proper gain staging, and so on. Those are a really great pool of knowledge in book form. There are a lot of other books out there, but I have found those two to be really helpful. Other than that, when it comes to audio for video, it's a very small, niche field. There isn't a crazy amount of stuff out there, like there might be for mixing music. For that, you've got tons. You've got Pensado's Place, all these people on YouTube putting out channels on mixing, mixing from home, mixing on a budget, etc. There's plenty of that. Aaron: Graham Cochrane and Joe Gilder are pretty awesome resources for anyone who wants to start a home studio. Ryan: YouTube can be a pool of knowledge for anything and everything, too. You have to dig a little bit and do some searching. On the inspiration side, for me, since I love audio for video, Sound Works Collection is a great place. They'll do mini videos interviewing the sound people that did sound for X movie. Whether it was the last Harry Potter or anything and everything, big budget films, they'll sit down with the recording people, the sound designers, the mixers… It's really cool, because they'll show footage of them doing stuff on location or the foley artists. It's cool to see their process. For me, that helps me stay inspired. It gives me ideas to do other things. They have a podcast as well, and that's great. The videos can be kind of short, maybe 10 minutes or so, but the podcast will go on at length, talking to the audio guys who have made sound for videos possible. It will also be music composers for movies as well. That's really great. I found that great not only as inspiration, but to know what and how audio professionals for big budget films get inside their minds, how they're thinking, and what their process looks like. It's neat to see stuff about sound engineers for big movies and realize that we're not so different. Dealing With a Broad Loudness Spectrum (Dynamics) Aaron: I have a nerdy question here. This is about normalizing and compression, I think. Aiya had asked, “I'm so torn about normalizing sound clips. If I'm working on a longer project in segments, would it be better to adjust my peaks manually for the sake of consistency? It's for a video project.” I'm hearing that there are differences in video volumes. How do you deal with that? Do you do compression? Do you do automation for the different parts? How do you deal with dynamics? Ryan: It depends on the project. I'll talk about how I would mix a sermon, because that's very dynamic. Our pastor will go from whispering, holding his handheld mic close to his stomach, to screaming, holding the microphone, cupping the capsule. Power and respect to him, because it creates a certain atmosphere, which has a powerful effect. That's what I'm dealing with on a weekly basis. That dynamic range is tremendous. Keep in mind, this is going to TV eventually. TV has very strict restrictions. It's not so much on level, but on perceived level. There's a difference between what you see meter and what you're hearing. I can talk at length about that, too. Aaron: Could you give us a super short version? I'm kind of aware of that, but since I just mix in Logic, I'm not sure how to measure it. Is there a way to measure it in Logic? Do you know? Is there a plugin you use? Ryan: I use a plugin from Waves. It's a loudness meter, and its just that. It has a lot of presets, so I'll use the TV standard preset. I'll use it for ATSE85, and I'll use it for a dialogue bus. They've also got one for a master bus. The standard right there is your average level around -24 dB LUFS, so that's full scale. If you have a classic meters, your peak would be zero, so that would average metering right around -10. At least for TV, I've got a hard limiter at -10 dB, to where nothing can go above that. The difference between levels on a meter vs. perceived loudness is the differences between what we hear and the actual energy. In our TV program, we'll have the sermon, but we'll also have a talking heads segments, which is dialogue and a music bed. We'll also go into segments where they'll go into worship from our live album, which had been mixed and mastered as an album. That thing is slammed. If you look at the wave form, it's a sausage. If I'm setting all that by the meters alone and they're all hitting -10, it may look right, but if I look at my loudness meter, that worship segment is going to be off the charts. There's so much more content in there. There's so much going on with all the different frequency ranges as opposed to a dialogue track, which is a narrow field in the frequency spectrum. That's the gist of it. When it comes to my technique for controlling dynamics, for something like mixing a sermon, if I'm going down my plugin chain, the first thing I naturally have is a high pass filter. I'm rolling off those unnecessary lows that are hogging energy. The next thing I'll do is use a compressor, and I'll set the attack to right in the middle, so not fast or slow, and I'll have the release time at fast. We don't want to hear it pumping, letting go. That's catching my peaks. It's not doing a crazy amount, but it kind of is. That's helping do a lot of the bulk compression. Before anything really hits the compressor, I will go through, and as I work my way through the mix, I will clip gain the wave form, so that, say, if he's whispering somewhere, I might keep that, depending on how I have my compressor set. Then, if we go up to a part where he's screaming and my wave form is huge, I will take that down and create those nodes, those dots in the wave form, and drag the actual clip volume down, that gain down. That way, it's not going into the compressor at this high gain level. It's hitting the compressor evenly as the rest of it would. That way, it's not driving the compressor crazy. Then I'll go through and do some EQ and DSing and whatnot. I might add some more compressors in there, just to grab some of those little things coming through. After that, it's subtle, just smoothing it out. Aaron: It is a little bit of both. If she has access to an audio editing program—I don't know what she's using for editing. If you can put a compressor on the track, do that. It's not exactly the same, but I did a YouTube video about how I process podcast vocals, and it's very similar. For podcast vocals, I start with a Logic noise removal plugin. Ryan: I actually have my noise suppressor, and I'll use that later on down in my signal chain. My way of thinking is that if I've got all this compression going on, the compression is narrowing that dynamic range, so it's bringing up that noise floor. I tend to do my noise suppression after the bulk of that compression, because the noise floor is higher and it's easier to work on a supressor. If that makes sense. Aaron: I've thought a lot about whether you should do the noise removal before or after you add a bunch of gain with a compressor or something, and I can't think of a good reason that it matters. You can take out the noise before you add a bunch of gain, or you can add a bunch of gain and take out the noise afterwards. Which is better? I don't know. Anyways, after the noise removal plugin, I put an EQ with a high pass filter, a peak compressor, an RMS or an average level compressor, and then a limiter. Ryan: Like I mentioned earlier, before I had my long-winded answer, it also depends on what it is you're mixing—whether it's music, or a podcast, or something for film. When it comes to dialogue for film, you want it to sound as natural as possible, but you also want to be able to hear if someone is whispering. When it comes to that, I'll still use a compressor, but it will be very, very light. If there's anything I need to do to meet loudness, that I will automate the volume on my dialogue bus. I'll bring that up. That way, it sounds a little bit more natural, instead of solely relying on a compressor to do all the work for you. Aaron: That makes sense. For podcasts, if I notice that there's a section where someone was talking much quieter, like if a guest backed away and talked like that for four or five minutes and then went back to the normal distance from the microphone, in Logic, I'll turn that into its own clip. I make a cut on either side of the quiet part, and then, in Logic, you can double click on it and change gain by hitting Control G. Then you can add 3, 4, or 5 dB to it. That works out pretty well. If it's every five seconds or I have to do it more than five or six times in an episode, I won't do the clip gain changes, I'll just use a compressor. Look at the overall audio file and see if there are long stretches where you can use automation to change the gain, or change the clip gain. Common Audio Mistakes Podcasters Make Ryan: You asked a question that I think would be good to talk about in regards to podcasting. You had asked, “What do you like about podcasts? What common mistakes do you hear people make?” Initially, I read this and thought, “I don't know,” but I spent some time thinking about it. This is great, because it piggybacks off the loudness thing. A lot of the mistakes that I hear when it comes to podcasts in regards to audio is the levels and loudness aspect. I'll listen to some podcasts that sound great, and I'll put on another podcast where the whole thing is super quiet. Then they start laughing, and it's really loud. There are some, like mine, where they have a music bed underneath the entire thing, and then sometimes the music bed is so quiet that you hardly know it's there. You're like, “What the heck is that noise in the background?” Sometimes, it's the opposite. Sometimes, the music bed is way too loud. That's a few of the things I've noticed. A lot of the fixes relate to what we just talked about. It helps to have knowledge of levels and perceived loudness. If you're mixing a podcast, make sure your levels are consistent. One of the biggest things I can recommend for anyone mixing anything, whether it's music, movies, a podcast, is the importance of having a reference track. Aaron: Yeah, I don't talk about that enough. Ryan: That is huge. Professional audio engineers who mix platinum records still do this. They will pull in a track from a different song that is mixed well and is mixed how they want theirs to sound, and they'll have it muted in their session. When they want to have a reference to listen to or train their ear, they'll un-mute it, and they'll go, “Oh, okay.” I'm sure you've done the same thing as me, where you'll be so involved in a mix, you're in it, and you think it sounds great, and then maybe you go away. You go home, sleep, and maybe you come back, and you open it up and you go, “Woah! What was I thinking!” You can get so involved in it that the blinders go up. You get tunnel vision, and you're not aware to some things. It's good to have a reference track or get an outsider's opinion on a mix. The main takeaway here is the reference track. That would help with anything, whether it's the timbre, how you're EQing, or the loudness. You pull in their track and it's far louder than yours, and you automatically know that you need to do something about it. Aaron: That's a great idea. You can kind of do this before or after. You go through and you edit your whole podcast, get everything set up the way you want, create an extra track, and then find a podcast that sounds really good—This American Life or pretty much anything by NPR—download an episode, drop it into your editing program, and play it, mute it, and see what the difference is. Maybe you need to add some gain with an adaptive limiter or with a compressor, or maybe you can tell that your track sounds way sharper or harsher. Are there are too many high frequencies or too much bass compared to your reference track? You can adjust those things. I'm so glad you mentioned that. I've never thought of that before, and that's such a good idea. Ryan: It's one of those things you don't think of much, but once you do it, you're like, “Oh my gosh!” It's really eye opening and really helpful. You can find Ryan online at ryanmonette.com, and follow him on Twitter @RyanMonette.

Season One In an effort to uncover where corruption in American politics starts, The Probe goes deep inside an average high school student body presidential election. Listen as hosts Lisa Burton and Mary Beth Smith meet the candidates and their families, speculate on their motives for running, and unmask all the nasty aspects of running for office at any level.   Episode 8 Next Fall. After some shocking news in July, The Probe team felt it was essential to get back into the thick of things at FDRHS. We check in with each of the candidates and their progress one last time, and an undeniably hopeful tone emits itself throughout. Except for maybe when we talk to Vice Principal Hannigan. Was Thomas prepared to take office? Will Staci remain active in the student government? Where is Cori? Who really is August Tooley-Anderson? No really, who? It was a long summer.   Credits: Lisa Burton: Lisa Burton Mary Beth Smith: Mary Beth Smith   Thomas Buffington, Jr.: Clayton Margeson Staci Kramer: Shira Wilson Cori Wilson: Lauren Walker August Tooley-Anderson: Brian Holden Vice Principal Curtis Hannigan: Ryan Ben Adam Anderson: Chris Rathjen Artie Anderson: John Thibodeaux Meryl Kramer: Allison Ringhand Charlotte Buffington: Jessye Mueller Thomas Buffington Sr.: Tim Dunn   Produced by Matt Young, Lisa Burton, Mary Beth Smith and Hannah Parsons Editor: Hannah Parsons Original Music: Hannah Parsons Other Music: Final Cut Pro, iLife, and iMovie Sound Effects  The Probe Logo: Maxwell Hudetz   Special Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for allowing us to record in their beautiful space.

THE PROBE   Season One In an effort to uncover where corruption in American politics starts, The Probe goes deep inside an average high school student body presidential election. Listen as hosts Lisa Burton and Mary Beth Smith meet the candidates and their families, speculate on their motives for running, and unmask all the nasty aspects of running for office at any level.   Episode 7 Election Day. The culmination of a long month of campaigning and a tireless amount of journalistic coverage ends with students all over the school casting their votes. The Probe team checks in with the candidates and themselves as we look back on the process and forward to the results. What does Thomas still have up his sleeve? Will Staci's election anxiety keep her from having any cogent thoughts? Was exploring a high school student body election actually a worthwhile endeavor? And, most importantly, who. will. WIN?   Credits:   Lisa Burton: Lisa Burton Mary Beth Smith: Mary Beth Smith   Thomas Buffington, Jr.: Clayton Margeson Staci Kramer: Shira Wilson Cori Wilson: Lauren Walker August Tooley-Anderson: Brian Holden Principal Jonathan Benjamin Franklin: Eddie Piña Vice Principal Curtis Hannigan: Ryan Ben Robbie Walken: Matt Young Students calling in: Lindsey Jean Smith, Bryan Duff, Eric Garneau, Eric Braband and Claudia Martinez   Produced by Matt Young, Lisa Burton, Mary Beth Smith and Hannah Parsons Editor: Hannah Parsons Original Music: Hannah Parsons Other Music: Final Cut Pro, iLife, and iMovie Sound Effects The Probe Logo: Maxwell Hudetz Special Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for allowing us to record in their beautiful space.

THE PROBE   Season One In an effort to uncover where corruption in American politics starts, The Probe goes deep inside an average high school student body presidential election. Listen as hosts Lisa Burton and Mary Beth Smith meet the candidates and their families, speculate on their motives for running, and unmask all the nasty aspects of running for office at any level. Episode 6 The Debate: A time-honored tradition that the 2016 US presidential election has taken a massive dump upon. This episode of The Probe explores whether the students [and faculty] at FDRHS fell prey to name calling and mudslinging as they took the debate stage. How will Staci answer to the accusation of skipping class? Why does Thomas keep taking pictures next to posters bashing Staci? Where would Cori get that many balloons? Why would a woman leave a man who was nothing but loyal to her? And the most burning question of all will finally be answered: Is August running?   Credits:   Lisa Burton: Lisa Burton Mary Beth Smith: Mary Beth Smith   Thomas Buffington, Jr.: Clayton Margeson Staci Kramer: Shira Wilson Cori Wilson: Lauren Walker August Tooley-Anderson: Brian Holden Vice Principal Curtis Hannigan: Ryan Ben Faculty Liaison Eliza Schroeder: Meredith Stepien Debate Audience: Allie Kahan and Max from the iO box   Produced by Matt Young, Lisa Burton, Mary Beth Smith and Hannah Parsons Editor: Hannah Parsons Original Music: Hannah Parsons Other Music: Final Cut Pro, iLife, and iMovie Sound Effects   The Probe Logo: Maxwell Hudetz Special Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for allowing us to record in their beautiful space.

THE PROBE   Season One In an effort to uncover where corruption in American politics starts, The Probe goes deep inside an average high school student body presidential election. Listen as hosts Lisa Burton and Mary Beth Smith meet the candidates and their families, speculate on their motives for running, and unmask all the nasty aspects of running for office at any level. Episode 5 With only one week left before the debate, The Probe takes on the biggest buffoon in the room, Thomas Buffington, Jr. The Buffington family has been influential in Indiana politics and business for decades, and like any family with such influence and history, there are skeletons in their closet. We'll delve deep into the bizarre and contradictory Buffington family. Do the Buffingtons live in a haunted mansion? What is the right age to show a child your face for the first time? How expensive is a sandwich really?   Credits:   Lisa Burton: Lisa Burton Mary Beth Smith: Mary Beth Smith   Thomas Buffington, Jr.: Clayton Margeson Charlotte Buffington: Jessye Mueller Thomas Buffington Sr.: Tim Dunn Glover Buffington: Matt Young August Tooley-Anderson: Brian Holden Vice Principal Curtis Hannigan: Ryan Ben Faculty Liaison Eliza Schroeder: Meredith Stepien   Produced by Matt Young, Lisa Burton, Mary Beth Smith and Hannah Parsons Editor: Hannah Parsons Original Music: Hannah Parsons Other Music: Final Cut Pro, iLife, and iMovie Sound Effects   The Probe Logo: Maxwell Hudetz Special Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for allowing us to record in their beautiful space.