Summary of "Wicked vs Aliens w Greg Stone - CHIT CHAT WEDNESDAY - The JTrain Podcast"

Release Date: December 4, 2024
Host: Jared Freid
Guest: Greg Stone
Podcast: The JTrain Podcast

1. Introduction [00:00 - 03:00]

Jared Freed welcomes listeners to the latest episode of The JTrain Podcast, introducing it as a "Chit Chat Wednesday" edition. He brings on his friend Greg Stone, a fellow comedian and co-host of the podcast Talk Town. Jared highlights Greg's passion for fandoms, particularly Star Wars, and sets the stage for their diverse conversation topics, including Wicked fandom and the hypothetical scenario of alien invasion.

2. AI in Art and Music [03:00 - 21:17]

The discussion begins with Greg's engagement with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in creative processes.

• AI Music Creation:

  • Greg Stone [04:30]: "With the AI music stuff, it allows me to dump those into this AI and it makes background music for it... it allows me to create all this really cool stuff that there was like, no world that that would ever."

  Greg explains how AI assists him in generating background music from his poetry, enabling him to produce content without traditional band setups. He appreciates AI as a tool that enhances his creative output rather than replaces it.

• Moral Implications of AI:

  • Jared Freed [05:09]: "There's this whole moral quandary with this AI stuff... But I guess they would pay the family of the person who made the song in the 50s is the difference, right?"

  The conversation shifts to the ethical concerns surrounding AI, especially regarding the use of existing intellectual property (IP) in generating new content. Greg expresses his unease with companies leveraging AI to produce content without fair compensation to original creators.

• AI as a Creative Tool vs. Replacement:

  • Greg Stone [21:17]: "AI is now the piece of paper. So you still need an artist to draw on it... but if it's doing all of the creation, then what the fuck am I doing as an artist?"

  Greg emphasizes the importance of human creativity in the use of AI, advocating for AI as a supportive tool rather than a complete creator. He fears a future where AI-driven creation diminishes the role of artists.

3. Discussion on Star Wars [03:00 - 35:55]

A substantial portion of the podcast delves into the Star Wars universe, examining recent developments and classic narratives.

• Star Wars Fandom and New Content:

  • Jared Freed [08:06]: "Skeleton Crew is a Star Wars universe show... Have you watched the first two episodes yet?"
  • Greg Stone [09:25]: "Skeleton Crew is gonna have to be really good for me to like it."

  Jared introduces the new Star Wars show Skeleton Crew, sparking Greg's interest and critical perspective on its potential quality.

• Impact of New Movies and Characters:

  • Greg Stone [16:42]: "The sequels were like, we're getting rid of all the old characters and we're giving you all new characters to sell toys and to keep this going forever."

  Greg criticizes the Star Wars sequels for prioritizing commercial interests over storytelling, lamenting the sidelining of beloved characters in favor of new ones designed to drive merchandise sales.

• Character Development and Storytelling:

  • Jared Freed [17:27]: "How could they mess this up so badly?"
  • Greg Stone [32:10]: "Ryan Johnson had an idea... all of the big studio people were like, hey, man, as long as you kill these fucking characters, I don't care."

  The hosts discuss the lack of coherent storytelling in recent Star Wars installments, particularly focusing on character arcs like Kylo Ren's and Luke Skywalker's inconsistent portrayal.

• Prequels and Expanded Universe:

  • Greg Stone [35:20]: "Dave Filoni came along... created the cartoon the Clone Wars... showed people what the vision there was."

  Greg acknowledges the contributions of Dave Filoni and the animated series The Clone Wars in enriching the Star Wars lore, contrasting it with the less favorable reception of the prequel movies.

4. Wicked Fandom [26:30 - 36:06]

Shifting gears, Jared introduces the topic of Wicked and its passionate fanbase.

• Understanding Wicked:

  • Greg Stone [27:01]: "I heard like Wicked's about like her side of the story of the witch maybe, which seems interesting. I have no idea."

  Jared explains that Wicked is a Broadway show offering an alternate perspective on the Wicked Witch of the West, resonating with themes of being misunderstood and fighting for one's rights.

• Fandom Dynamics:

  • Jared Freed [28:03]: "The Wicked fandom is hilarious to me that, like, theater kids are always just going to be theater kids no matter how old or where..."

  The conversation highlights the exuberant and often dramatic nature of Wicked fans, drawing parallels to other passionate fan communities.

• Cultural Impact:

  • Greg Stone [35:41]: "People who were raised on the prequels love them... we don't care about old people."

  Although partly overlapping with the Star Wars discussion, Jared and Greg touch upon how established fanbases like those of Wicked focus intensely on their beloved stories, sometimes overshadowing other narratives.

5. Aliens and Hypothetical Scenarios [36:06 - 42:17]

The final segment explores the concept of alien life and potential interactions with humanity.

• Existence and Probability of Aliens:

  • Greg Stone [37:23]: "The chances of them coming here to take our resources or to SeaWorld US is a lot slimmer than them coming here and being like, oh, like we're just going to look at them."

  Greg discusses the improbability of alien invasions, emphasizing the vastness of the cosmos and the slim chances of encountering intelligent life within a manageable timeframe.

• Humanity's Reaction to Aliens:

  • Jared Freed [38:15]: "You could say whatever you want... inadvertent parallels to historical interactions between different human cultures."
  • Greg Stone [40:23]: "Money, money... disrespect story didn't come first."

  They explore how humans might treat aliens similarly to how different human cultures have interacted, often with conflict or misunderstanding.

• Philosophical Musings:

  • Greg Stone [37:45]: "I don't want to be the hand anymore. I want the hand to come and clean our oil off."

  Greg philosophizes about humanity's shortcomings and humbly expresses a desire for a more benevolent external force (e.g., aliens) to address environmental and societal issues.

6. Closing Remarks [43:04 - 45:12]

As the episode winds down, Jared and Greg engage in light-hearted banter, touching on historical anecdotes related to witches and cats, and humorously speculate on creating a fictional history podcast. Greg shares an interesting fact about the association between witches and cats during plague times, attributing it to misunderstandings that led to the branding of witches with feline companions.

Final Highlights:

• Greg Stone [43:34]: "Why do we say they're not for adults? It's like, why is pink for girls?"
• Jared Freed [44:22]: "That's wild."

Jared concludes by promoting Greg's Talk Town podcast and encouraging listeners to follow Greg on social media, while Greg thanks Jared for the engaging conversation.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Greg Stone [04:30]: "With the AI music stuff, it allows me to dump those into this AI and it makes background music for it... it allows me to create all this really cool stuff that there was like, no world that that would ever."

• Jared Freed [05:09]: "There's this whole moral quandary with this AI stuff... But I guess they would pay the family of the person who made the song in the 50s is the difference, right?"

• Greg Stone [21:17]: "AI is now the piece of paper. So you still need an artist to draw on it... but if it's doing all of the creation, then what the fuck am I doing as an artist?"

• Greg Stone [32:10]: "Ryan Johnson had an idea... all of the big studio people were like, hey, man, as long as you kill these fucking characters, I don't care."

• Greg Stone [37:23]: "The chances of them coming here to take our resources or to SeaWorld US is a lot slimmer than them coming here and being like, oh, like we're just going to look at them."

• Greg Stone [43:34]: "Why do we say they're not for adults? It's like, why is pink for girls?"

Conclusion

In this episode of The JTrain Podcast, Jared Freed and Greg Stone traverse a spectrum of topics, from the ethical considerations of AI in creative industries to deep dives into Star Wars storytelling and fandom dynamics. They also explore the fervent Wicked fanbase and contemplate the philosophical implications of alien existence and potential human-alien interactions. Their candid and humorous exchange offers listeners both insightful commentary and entertaining banter, making it a compelling listen for fans of pop culture, technology, and speculative conversations.