INFLUENCE

Latest Episodes:

35 This AI-hosted podcast is here to kill us all Jun 04, 2018

Show notes

Procedural generation is no stranger to media like video games, but it's especially compelling (and creepy) in podcast form. Alli and Jen talk to PhD programmer James Ryan, the creator of Sheldon County, a generative podcast hosted by a synthetic voice that's different for every listener.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

34 Who snopes Snopes? May 28, 2018

Show notes

Snopes.com has been debunking urban legends and internet rumors since the mid '90s. But in an age of unprecedented disinformation coming from the highest authorities and most ubiquitous online platforms, how does a professional fact checker stay relevant and sane? Alli and Jen talk to Brooke Binkowski, managing editor of Snopes.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

33 Reviewing airport carpets is the highest form of artistic criticism May 21, 2018

Show notes

Carpets for Airports is a website and community devoted to critiquing the largest art form ever devised -- the sprawling fabric underfoot when you're rushing to catch a flight. Do airport carpets have artistic and political meaning? Or are they merely functional? Alli and Jen talk to the "benevolent dictator" of the site, George Pendle, about which airport carpets stand the test of time.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

32 The hidden cost of the exploding "Gig Economy" May 14, 2018

Show notes

Freelancing is on the rise, thanks in large part to technology. The modern internet allows people to work from anywhere, and access short-term gigs on the regular. Silicon Valley is saving us all from boring desk jobs, and traditional full-time employment is fading. Turns out, making a living as a contractor depends a lot on your socioeconomic background. Alli and Jen speak to Sarah Kessler, the author of "Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work."

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

31 We got your emails VOLUME 2 May 07, 2018

Show notes

A terrifying number of people have told us they listen to 2G1P to learn English. Please. THIS IS NOT AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Know Your Meme: Cataloging 10 years of internet culture Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

Memes can be as trivial as a waffle falling over or as powerful as a social movement. But defining them, tracking their origins, mutations, and meanings is a tough job. Fortunately, the brave souls at Know Your Meme have been at it for more than a decade so we can rest easy knowing Slender Man and Ugandan Knuckles will be preserved for future generations. Alli and Jen interview Brad Kim, editor-in-chief of Know Your Meme, who started his online odyssey as an immigrant and humble intern.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 The story of Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" Apr 23, 2018

Show notes

From its humble beginnings on "Ask Reddit" to the day Obama dropped by, r/IAmA has been the place where anyone on the internet can talk directly to public figures, celebrities, and people with interesting jobs or experiences. Alli and Jen speak with the subreddit's top moderator Brian Lynch about the evolution of "Ask Me Anything," and some its craziest moments.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 The most terrifying questions people ask on 'Is It Normal?' Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

Is It Normal? is a website where people anonymously share their uncertain proclivities about behavior, feelings, sex, and more, so strangers can vote on them. But what started as an experimental message board in 2004 has become an existential question about the definition of normalcy on the internet. Alli and Jen interview Udi Falkson, the creator of isitnormal.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Grandma Party Hotline Apr 09, 2018

Show notes

Telephone party hotlines are a relic of pre-internet teenage shenanigans. But if you post a phone number on the web and ask a lovable grandma to record the outgoing voicemail ... lots of people will call it. And they'll leave strange messages. Alli and Jen interview the mysterious creator of Grandma Party Hotline, where prank calls meet coping with mortality.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 A dating network for conspiracy theorists Apr 02, 2018

Show notes

If you believe 9/11 was an inside job, or that the cure for cancer is hidden by drug companies, it might be hard to broach these topics with a new date -- let alone reconcile these deep ideological differences with a long term partner. That's where Awake Dating comes in. It's a network for "truthers" and conspiracy theorists to find like-minded love. Alli and Jen interview its founder, Jarod Fiddon. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected