"A Life Well Wasted" (Robert Ashley's Podcast)

heavyfeul wrote:

He knows plenty of older gamers, including the overlords of this site. I think it would be a good topic for podcasts and one that most people here would identify with.

Ashley did ask for suggestions of people to interview at the end of this episode as he wants to get them out more frequently, so it might be an idea to put this suggestion straight to him. I'm pretty sure the GWJ crew could make a very good starting point for an episode on the older gamer.

Switchbreak wrote:

Though the horse story was also my favorite bit.

That was brilliant.

If anyone knows the secret to the poster for episode 5 please tell me. I can't figure it out. Although I think somehow it starts with the backwards 7:03.

Podunk wrote:
AmazingZoidberg wrote:

I liked the theme, and I think those who felt that the last podcast was "overproduced" will find this episode to be more to your liking.

As a matter of fact, I did! :)

I did too. Hopefully he'll get plenty of good ideas for future episodes and we won't have to wait so long between them.

Gaald wrote:

If anyone knows the secret to the poster for episode 5 please tell me. I can't figure it out. Although I think somehow it starts with the backwards 7:03.

Solution to the "super secret bonus",

Spoiler:

At 7:03 of episode 5 there is a really quick scratching sound right after he says "Level 1." If you slow this clip down a good deal and play it in reverse (which can be done with the free program Audacity). You can hear Robert saying the url, "ALifeWellWasted.com/ASecretToEverybody"

Thanks Panda. I just found that solution posted on the intertubes myself.

For anyone who wants to try and solve it before reading that solution. It definitely has to do with the time on the poster and the show itself. It will take some work.

-nm. I'm an idiot.

Gaald wrote:

Thanks Panda. I just found that solution posted on the intertubes myself.

For anyone who wants to try and solve it before reading that solution. It definitely has to do with the time on the poster and the show itself. It will take some work.

Right before I posted it here, I posted the answer on the GAF thread that Robert mentioned on Out of the Game. He posts in that thread and was giving hints.

More thoughts on it,

Spoiler:

I think with the context of the title "Help" and the poster which points out "weak spots" I find it kind of funny that no one was giving much help for this weak spot, the weak spot being Roberts tendency to over edit in silly audio effects into his podcast. With that in mind, it was sort of clear that the solution would involve some silly audio effects at that time stamp.

A new episode just showed up in iTunes. It's not up on the official website yet, though.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

A new episode just showed up in iTunes. It's not up on the official website yet, though.

That is exactly what I wanted to read upon clicking on this thread.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

A new episode just showed up in iTunes. It's not up on the official website yet, though.

It is now!

It has been waaaaay too long.

I really hope he keeps doing it. This is by far one of my favorite podcasts (next to GWJ, of course )

Wow. That was unexpected.

garion333 wrote:

Wow. That was unexpected.

Now you got me all interested and I'll have to wait until my Monday commute to get to it! Damn. Wait! I'm not done with the latest conf call yet, so make that Tuesday. (I can't listen to podcasts elsewhere, really.)

jlaakso wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Wow. That was unexpected.

Now you got me all interested and I'll have to wait until my Monday commute to get to it! Damn. Wait! I'm not done with the latest conf call yet, so make that Tuesday. (I can't listen to podcasts elsewhere, really.)

Same for me:)

garion333 wrote:

Wow. That was unexpected.

Oh my.

The big c*ck dude really strikes me as the most contemptable type of fame seeker.

I have to say, while I enjoyed the episode, I'm not sure if it was worth a 6 month wait.

Nevin73 wrote:

I have to say, while I enjoyed the episode, I'm not sure if it was worth a 6 month wait.

I know! I can't believe I paid for this sh*t!

pignoli wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Wow. That was unexpected.

Oh my.

Haha, every episode seems to save the best interview for last.

Switchbreak wrote:
pignoli wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Wow. That was unexpected.

Oh my.

Haha, every episode seems to save the best interview for last.

I think we've had this discussion before regarding "seanbaby," but I turned the thing off once the guy with the huge dick came on. While I am in no way a prude, I seriously have no desire whatsoever to hear that kind of thing, and I am baffled by why Ashley, who seems so desperately trying to make a gaming THIS AMERICAN LIFE, wants to pander to this sort of junior high mentality.

SommerMatt wrote:
Switchbreak wrote:
pignoli wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Wow. That was unexpected.

Oh my.

Haha, every episode seems to save the best interview for last.

I think we've had this discussion before regarding "seanbaby," but I turned the thing off once the guy with the huge dick came on. While I am in no way a prude, I seriously have no desire whatsoever to hear that kind of thing, and I am baffled by why Ashley, who seems so desperately trying to make a gaming THIS AMERICAN LIFE, wants to pander to this sort of junior high mentality.

To be fair, he wants to make it a gaming RADIO LAB. And Radio Lab... well, it goes to uncomfortable places like that. Hell, so does This American Life at times.

bnpederson wrote:

To be fair, he wants to make it a gaming RADIO LAB. And Radio Lab... well, it goes to uncomfortable places like that. Hell, so does This American Life at times.

I listen to both of those podcasts religiously, and NO, they don't. Not like this.

It was a perfectly fine episode, and then he goes there. I listened for a few minutes (until the guy graphically starts describing the length and width of his dick) and then just wondered why I was wasting the precious time I've been given on this earth with such nonsense. And I have a pretty low threshold for wasting time.

Maybe he had a point to make with this, but I guess I'll never know.

Whoops, I made the mistake of reading too far before listening to it myself. My curiosity is now...piqued?

Polliwog wrote:

Whoops, I made the mistake of reading too far before listening to it myself. My curiosity is now...piqued?

Just to be clear-- it's not Ashley talking about HIS dick.

As far as stories about men with uncommonly large genitalia go, this was actually a fairly tragic tale.

Spoiler:

It's a story about someone with a spark of desire for fame and notoriety and a surprising means to achieve just that, but who is still crippled by an underlying lack of drive. He also seems incredibly self-aware and is trying to achieve goals but meeting limited success.

I would argue it's a fairly common sentiment amongst our gaming brethren and quite relatable. Certainly the hook is crass but there is more of a human story here than there was with Seanbaby, who is really just a professional jerk (albeit a jerk with whom I share a well founded hatred of Phil Collins).

I surely could have done without the graphic detail but I think the story was worth telling. In fact if you set out to make a podcast about people who love video games and you come across that story, how do you not tell it?

SommerMatt wrote:

I listen to both of those podcasts religiously, and NO, they don't. Not like this.

Hehe, I remember when This American Life did a long-form poem about a poop the guy found in a toilet. Not that was immature. This interview, on the other hand, was pretty interesting.

AmazingZoidberg wrote:

As far as stories about men with uncommonly large genitalia go, this was actually a fairly tragic tale.

Spoiler:

It's a story about someone with a spark of desire for fame and notoriety and a surprising means to achieve just that, but who is still crippled by an underlying lack of drive. He also seems incredibly self-aware and is trying to achieve goals but meeting limited success.

I would argue it's a fairly common sentiment amongst our gaming brethren and quite relatable. Certainly the hook is crass but there is more of a human story here than there was with Seanbaby, who is really just a professional jerk (albeit a jerk with whom I share a well founded hatred of Phil Collins).

I surely could have done without the graphic detail but I think the story was worth telling. In fact if you set out to make a podcast about people who love video games and you come across that story, how do you not tell it?

I also thought it was a really good segment.

Spoiler:

I disagree that Jonah Falcon is solely after fame, though that's obviously a big desire of his. But it sounds from the interview that what continues to leave him unsatisfied is the fact that he's not able to earn his living by doing what he would like best—to write about video games.

Ashley's summary towards the end of the interview adeptly drove the point home and made the segment worthwhile.

And it's got George Takei! In whose voice I read this:

pignoli wrote:

Oh my.

Like I said, I am far from being a prude, but the inclusion of the aforementioned "graphic details" just seemed pointless. Sounds like Ashley had a point and purpose in including this, but if he'd have handled it in a slightly less ridiculous way, I wouldn't have turned it off.

Gravey wrote:

And it's got George Takei! In whose voice I read this:

pignoli wrote:

Oh my.

As was my intention

I think the section could have been handled a bit better and I can see the jumping off points for someone like SommerMatt. But I do think it was worthwhile including and very entertaining - Ashley is great at hitting those those points that straddle the line between comedy and sad reality and he didn't fail to round out the segment into something that was overall satisfying to listen to.

SommerMatt wrote:
bnpederson wrote:

To be fair, he wants to make it a gaming RADIO LAB. And Radio Lab... well, it goes to uncomfortable places like that. Hell, so does This American Life at times.

I listen to both of those podcasts religiously, and NO, they don't. Not like this.

I dunno, when they started to go into a specific chimpanzee's masturbation habits on Radio lab that was pretty effing uncomfortable.