Ridiculous History Podcast
Episode: "IP, Part Three: A Copyright for Everyone!"
Release Date: December 2, 2025
Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Overview
In this third installment in their series on Intellectual Property (IP), Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown dive deeply into the world of copyright—what it is, who owns it, how it works, and why it matters. With their signature humor and quirky tangents, the hosts demystify the copyright system’s origins, current laws, and cultural impacts, while revealing some surprising stories and entertaining legal oddities from history and pop culture.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What Is a Copyright, Really? (06:03 – 07:56)
- Copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects original creative works as soon as they are fixed in a tangible medium (writing, recording, film, etc.), at least in the United States.
- Original Work Examples: Photographs, musical compositions and recordings, software, video games, literature, poems, blog posts, architectural plans, comic books, choreography.
- Tangible Medium: The definition can be tricky—Ben notes complications like whether choreographed dance can be copyrighted.
Quote:
"As soon as you fix a creative work or original work in a tangible form of expression... then your work is protected under copyright law." – Ben (06:14)
2. Copyright’s Complexity and Real-World Cases (08:45 – 09:13)
- The line between inspiration and theft is fuzzy, especially in choreography or digital works.
- Viral examples discussed: an independent animator’s fight scene being used, frame-for-frame, by a major studio.
Quote:
"It did look clearly like a lift. This was the person who had made the original thing saying, 'Hey, look at this.'" – Ben (09:08)
3. Who Owns a Copyright and How Do You Prove It? (12:00 – 17:02)
- Automatic Ownership: As soon as you make something original and fix it in a tangible way, you own the copyright.
- Trademarks vs. Copyright: Both involve being first to use/create and can require evidence (timestamps, postmarks, metadata).
- Poor Man’s Copyright: Mailing your work to yourself for a date-stamped record—discussed as a traditional but imperfect protection.
Quote:
"Everyone is a copyright owner. Ridiculous historians, you're listening now. If you ever made anything original, you kind of have a copyright." – Ben (12:10)
Quote:
"If you register correctly on time, then you have the right to sue people, to get some compensation, to ask for damages from the court, to get the offending party to pay your attorney fees in case of a lawsuit." – Ben (15:39)
4. Rights and Limitations – What Can and Can’t Be Copyrighted? (24:04 – 29:10)
- Derivative Works: Owners can make new versions (remixes, adaptations).
- Performance & Display: It’s illegal to publicly display/perform a copyrighted work without permission—even backyard movie nights can draw legal attention.
- Choreography & Movements: Individual dance steps and yoga poses aren’t protected, but unique combinations/choreographies can be.
Quote:
"Individual movements, dance steps themselves are not copyrightable…but when you chain them together and you make it into a unique combination of them, then it becomes copyrightable." – Noel (26:34)
5. The History and Evolution of Copyright Law (30:16 – 35:38)
- First Copyright Law: The Statute of Anne in England, 1710—first time authors were legal owners with specific terms of protection.
- U.S. Copyright: Emerged in 1790 and was mentioned in the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 8).
- International Cooperation: The Berne Convention (1886, adopted by U.S. in 1988) made copyright recognition automatic across countries for unpublished works, removing the need for registration in every country.
- Global Variations: Some countries (e.g., China) have much looser interpretations, leading to unlicensed works like unofficial Harry Potter books.
Quote:
"Copyright as a concept is way more recent [than trademarks]." – Ben (30:16)
Quote:
"The world's first copyright law was the Statute of Anne enacted in England in 1710." – Noel (30:49)
6. How Long Does Copyright Last? Public Domain and Modern Battles (40:01 – 43:47)
- U.S. Terms: For works created after 1978, copyright lasts the creator's lifetime plus 70 years, after which works pass into the public domain.
- Corporate IP Stretching: Disney, for example, lobbied for extensions to keep early versions of Mickey Mouse out of public domain for decades.
- Recent Enterers: Winnie the Pooh, Steamboat Willie (Mickey), and soon The Maltese Falcon, Metropolis, and more.
Quote:
"For things created after 1978, copyright protection applies for the life of the creator and then 70 years after that, at which point it enters into the public domain..." – Ben (40:01)
7. Fair Use and User Rights (44:11 – 47:03)
- Being a Copyright User: Every consumer of books, music, software, or performance participates in copyright.
- Fair Use: Allows limited use for education, commentary, parody, etc., but still depends on legal defense if challenged.
- Limitations: Facts, discoveries, scientific truths, and things like yoga poses or end zone dances can't be copyrighted.
Quote:
"We are all users of copyrights. Every time we consume a piece of media, we are participating in that copyright." – Noel (44:31)
8. Oddities and Fun Examples (17:02, 27:47, 29:23)
- Personal Stories: Ben once got in trouble calling a toy a 'Frisbee' instead of 'flying disc.'
- Trademarked Sounds: The "Let's get ready to rumble" phrase is vociferously guarded.
- Historical Examples: Highly specific copyright and warning signs reflect strange real-world legal precedents.
Quote:
"I got in trouble with the creators of the Frisbee. They were surprisingly not whimsical about it...you gotta call it a flying disc unless you have Frisbee's permission, turns out." – Ben (17:02)
9. Upcoming Public Domain Releases (2026 & Beyond) (48:58 – 50:18)
- Notable Works Entering Public Domain:
- As I Lay Dying (William Faulkner)
- The Maltese Falcon (Dashiell Hammett, book)
- Pluto the Dog and Betty Boop cartoons
- To the Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf)
- The film Metropolis
- “Black and Tan Fantasy” (Duke Ellington & Bubber Miley)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the universality of copyright:
"We're all copyright owners, all copyright owners and users." – Ben (48:58)
- On Disney's legal muscle:
"Disney...is the kind of company that is so powerful that it can almost affect the law." – Noel (43:47)
- On odd legal stories:
"I got in trouble with the creators of the Frisbee. They were surprisingly not whimsical about it." – Ben (17:02)
- On the limitations of copyrighting movement:
"Individual movements, dance steps themselves are not copyrightable..." – Noel (26:34)
Useful Timestamps
- What qualifies for copyright? (06:03–07:56)
- Choreography debate & lifted digital art example: (08:45–09:13)
- Poor man's copyright & enforcement: (13:58–15:39)
- Legal personal anecdotes (Frisbee, Law & Order sound bite): (17:02–18:07)
- Derivative works, performances, and odd copyright implications: (24:04–26:34)
- Choreography, end zone dances, and the fine print: (27:47–29:23)
- Statute of Anne & the birth of copyright law: (30:16–31:40)
- Berne Convention & international copyright: (33:10–34:37)
- Expiration & public domain (Disney & Pooh): (40:01–43:47)
- Fair use and what’s not copyrightable: (44:11–47:03)
- Public domain releases in 2026 & reflections: (48:58–50:18)
Tone & Style Notes
- Playful & Tangential: The episode features multiple humorous asides (Camel jokes, Comic Sans font wars, Max's "underwear guy" bit), while remaining informative.
- Conversational: Ben & Noel riff back and forth, using real-world examples, self-deprecating stories, and witty analogies.
Conclusion
Ben and Noel ultimately underscore that copyright, once a privilege for a few, is now something almost everyone holds—often without even realizing it. They encourage listeners to see creative protection as both empowering and complex, always evolving in response to new challenges (like AI) and cultural trends. The episode wraps with the promise of more curious, historical, and ridiculous explorations to come.