Insights Into Entertainment: Episode 136 “The Return of Disney Wars and Franchise Favorites”

[INTRO THEME]

[INTRODUCTIONS] (2-3 minutes)
Insights Into Entertainment: Episode 136 “The Return of Disney Wars and Franchise Favorites”
My warm and caring co-host Michelle Whalen

[SHOW SUMMARY] (2-3 minutes)
Today in our Disney Detective, Abigail Disney fires a shot across Chapek’s bow while Disney Reveals their Avenging Expansion in Paris
In our Tales from the Edge of the Galaxy, The golden one returns to the franchise and the Galactic Starcruiser Itinerary is finally revealed
And for our Entertainment News, Iger on Movies plus Walking out on the Masked Singer
And as always we’ll finish up with our Insightful Picks of the week

[Show Plugs] (2-3 minutes)
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[TRANSITION]

[SEGMENT 1: Disney Detective] (8-12 minutes)

Abigail Disney Urges Exploited Guests to Help Cast Members By Boycotting Theme Parks
https://insidethemagic.net/2022/01/abigail-disney-disneyland-disney-world-boycott-th1/?fbclid=IwAR1yRrO167IL5Zsltlh_yfdpjSPfmEkwc4HJPZO_NSia_DkDkOS8qiOmbug
https://bit.ly/3HtJGRD
Disney heiress, daughter of Roy E. Disney, and granddaughter to Roy O. Disney, Abigail Disney has been a fervent supporter and advocate of workers’ rights.
Last night, January 24, 2022, Abigail Disney expanded on her thoughts about the legacy of Disney and the current Bob Chapek era, following a screening of her documentary The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales (2022) at Sundance Film Festival.
Synonymous with joy, love, and happiness, The Walt Disney Company have aimed to deliver their magic for the past century.
From Star Wars to Splash Mountain, Avengers Campus to Animal Kingdom, Disney is one of the biggest entertainment enterprises worldwide.
As Disney hurtles towards its centennial, the past few years have been tarred by multiple callouts of the Mouse House, stemming from Cast Member working conditions, profits over Guest experience, and the running and development of Disney brands, notably the theme parks provision of the corporation.
Disney has never been exempt from criticism but ever since the arrival of Bob Chapek as Disney CEO following the departure of Bob Iger, Guests, and reportedly Cast Members too, have been critical of the corporation.
From a Disney Parks perspective, fans have seen the arrival of the controversial Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Selections following the end of the free FastPass+ system, while callouts have been made for the overall caretaking of the Parks — such as Central Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort –, and anger at Cast Member pay.
Abigail Disney’s documentary, The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales, examines workers at the US domestic Parks, Disneyland Resort, and Walt Disney World.
The documentary director and philanthropist recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter prior to her movies debut at Sundance. She said, in part:
“Bob Chapek was the guy who presided over all of the changes at Disneyland and Disney World that we’re talking about in this film — dynamic scheduling, a euphemism for jerking them around so they can’t get a second job and they never make 40 hours a week and they don’t qualify for health care.
She continued:
Taking a department of 250, shaving it to 200 and expecting them all to do the same work in the same amount of time.
There are a thousand ways they’ve been cutting costs, and much of it came from Bob Chapek and under his command.
So I don’t really have very optimistic expectations.
If anything, it’ll probably get worse.”
Now, following the premiere of her Disney documentary, the heiress expanded on her remarks in a live Q&A. Abigail Disney offered her sentiments, focusing on a consumer-based push to take charge of corporations that do not treat their workers well.
She said (via Bloomberg):
“This is an Amazon problem, and a Walmart problem and a McDonald’s problem […] You do have the ultimate power, more power than any CEO, as a consumer, to withhold your money from companies that are doing it wrong and spend it at companies that are doing it right.”
Roy O. Disney co-produced the documentary which follows the lives of theme park workers and her own journey into activism.
Abigail Disney also said that the company was “just as abusive and exploitative of their customers” as they have been of Cast Members.
Adding that Disney has been “driving prices up to ridiculous levels and charging unbelievable amounts for hamburgers and so forth and stripping services away.”
Recently, during the Disney Earnings call, CFO Christine McCarthy stated that portion sizes would be reduced.
The news was later supplemented by multiple sources confirming that along with the portion reduction, the price of food and drink items has increased.
Just last week, it was reported that Bob Chapek took away an incredible salary during, what can only be described as, one of the most troubling times in Disney Parks history, pandemic and all.
It was not too long ago that The Walt Disney Company laid off hundreds of workers to cope with the results of a COVID world.
The report goes on to add:
“Withhold your money from the companies that are exploiting people,” she said. “You don’t really need to take a trip if you feel like it’s not a reflection of your values.”
“I think there’s a natural affinity between customers and workers and they need to make common cause together to change companies,” she said.
Abigail Disney is not the only one to comment on Disney’s recent practices.
Currently, a petition has gone viral online which calls for Bob Chapek to be fired as Disney CEO.
The petition is reportedly co-signed by many Disney Park Cast Members as well as fans.

Disney Reveals ‘Iron Man’ Ride Vehicle And More For ‘Avengers’ Expansion
https://insidethemagic.net/2022/01/disneyland-paris-avengers-campus-reveal-iron-man-ld1/?fbclid=IwAR0WT8SLu4VlTBEtWaGtPwkUPazX740Vu8VEDyjfndHFmeNdS_h4u4T46qs
https://bit.ly/3J2nvCm
Disney just gave us some seriously-exciting information about one of its upcoming expansions within the Disney Parks!
In 2022, so much is happening and changing within the Disney Parks and Resorts.
From new rides like the thrilling TRON coaster in the Magic Kingdom as well as the exciting Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT to the upcoming Mickey & Minnie Runaway Railway in Disneyland in Southern California, Disney Guests have a lot to look forward to this year.
Internationally, many Guests are starting to get excited for the upcoming Avengers Campus expansion at Disneyland Paris.
The first version of this Marvel-centric land opened in Disneyland’s California Adventure last year and features a whole host of Marvel-themed attractions and entertainment.
Recently, Disney revealed some very exciting visuals for this new land, officially announcing an opening timeline of Summer 2022. As shown in a tweet from DLP Report @DLPReport)
Guests can see a whole cast of characters and movie franchises represented in the photo like Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Thor and Doctor Strange and I’m sure there will be lots more when Avengers Camus officially opens.
Also shown in the photo is the brand new Iron Man coaster ride vehicle.
The ride will replace Disneyland Paris’ version of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
While there is not an exact opening date for Avengers Campus at Disneyland Paris, Guests should be excited after seeing this new art as well as what all is available at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus in Anaheim, California.
Avengers Campus in Disneyland Paris will be themed completely around the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will feature countless Marvel characters like Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Loki, Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye, and countless others.
We recently covered more progress being made on Disneyland Paris’ Avengers Campus and can’t wait for it to open.

[AD 1: SSE]

[SEGMENT 2: Tales from the Edge of the Galaxy] (8-12 minutes)

A ‘Star Wars’ Original Trilogy Actor is Officially Filming his Franchise Return
https://insidethemagic.net/2022/01/star-wars-anthony-daniels-c-3po-return-rwb1/?fbclid=IwAR104u-OOSjroPwjuW7k9l1Q_G8WsfGafteezoZN6r_6YQJzE3xBX5ACzro
https://bit.ly/3omBhI8
Anthony Daniels’s beloved protocol droid, C-3PO, has been a fan-favorite Star Wars character for four decades, ever since he first appeared in George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope alongside Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo
Built by Anakin Skywalker, best friends with R2-D2, bane of Han Solo’s existence, and, ultimately, savior of the Resistance in the sequel trilogy’s Episode 9 – The Rise of Skywalker, Threepio is as iconic as they come.
Now, Daniels is seemingly officially reprising his role for a new Star Wars project according to a Star Wars News Net Twitter post
While the article accompanying the post indicates that Daniels is working on A Droid Story — which is reportedly set to be an animated series featuring a new Star Wars “hero guided by R2-D2 and C-3PO” — it is also possible that he could be working on scenes for Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Online reports have indicated that C-3PO and fellow droid R2-D2 will appear in the show, set approximately a decade after the prequel trilogy’s conclusion, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith .
Both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are reprising their roles in the Deborah Chow-directed Disney+ Original series.
Whether Daniels is assisting animators for A Droid Story or secretly working on Obi-Wan Kenobi, the fact remains that the actor seems to be making his official return to the Star Wars franchise — and that is something all Star Wars fans can get excited about.

Galactic Starcruiser Itinerary Revealed
https://wdwnt.com/2022/01/first-look-full-star-wars-galactic-starcruiser-intinerary-available-now-for-guests-with-upcoming-voyages/?fbclid=IwAR2ezqVnDEURxBq8h8Agy3CWNN0Mc2nfm75BTpTFU_BEQ6xkZtLCLzSIJL8
https://bit.ly/35NbAKx
Guests aboard the Galactic Starcruiser Halcyon will use the Datapad (part of the Play Disney Parks app) for many things, including managing their itinerary.
Guests scheduled to depart on select March dates can now view the itinerary, a map of the ship, and more.
The new “Events” tab on the left features Starcruiser information.
As we have not yet boarded the Halcyon, not all features are available.
Unscheduled activities show up in blue and may be automatically scheduled 30 days prior to your arrival.
Check-in is from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., during which time a lunch buffet is served.
Overlapping with the buffet is time to explore the Starcruiser, a Datapad orientation, and the Galactic Social.
Much like actual cruises, a Ship Muster takes place that afternoon, followed by a Captain’s Reception.
Dinner is served that evening in the Crown of Corellia Dining Room, featuring a performance from Gaya.
An evening of games is on the schedule for the first day, from Sabacc Lessons to a Starcruiser-exclusive game called Sector Set.
A special Chandrila Star Lines “Starshow” will take place as the Halcyon nears Bespin.
The next morning, guests can choose from a breakfast buffet or a grab-and-go breakfast before transport for a planetary excursion to Batuu begins.
Droid Racing, a Sabacc Tournament, Model Ship building, a Porg Detection Drill, and “Know Your Co-Pilot” are also options for afternoon activities.
Dinner service at the Crown of Corellia Dining Room features a “Taste Around the Galaxy,” followed by A Halcyon Starcruiser Celebration and Sweets & Treats in the late evening.
On day three, guests will be offered a choice of the breakfast buffet or grab-and-go breakfast, followed by disembarkation.
This two night adventure could be yours for the low low price of only about $6,000 for a family of four

[AD 2: TEENS]

[SEGMENT 3: Entertainment News] (8-12 minutes)

Bob Iger: COVID Dealt Movie Theaters a “Severe Injury That Maybe Doesn’t Heal”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/bob-iger-2022-interview-movie-theaters-streaming-1235082447/?fbclid=IwAR3nQanITHSoKtOW3YAJnsqpcFLTZGenO4WuNDMTHhWVHBeEkJHz7Ys1IyU
https://bit.ly/3HrMWgq
In his first interview since leaving the Disney chairmanship, Iger also discussed the rise of streaming, his thoughts on the “metaverse” and why data should never be the deciding factor in creative decision-making.
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger, in his first interview since stepping away as executive chairman of the company, discussed the fate of movie theaters, competing with Netflix and yes, the metaverse, in a conversation with The New York Times’ Kara Swisher.
“Because I am not working for Disney I am liberated, I can say anything about anybody,” Iger joked during the conversation, adding that he was reluctant to “single anyone out.”
However, he did have frank thoughts on the fate of movie theaters, which he believes will be permanently altered by the pandemic and the rise of streaming services.
“I don’t think it’s the death [of theatrical movies], I think it is a severe injury that maybe doesn’t heal. Not fatal to some,” Iger said, adding that consumers “will be much more discerning about what movies they want to see out of the home.
“I think what you are going to see is far fewer films released for the big screen,” Iger told Swisher on the Times’ Sway podcast.
Iger also addressed the rise of streaming and the push to get Disney into the space with Disney+.
But he also discussed an epiphany he had regarding Netflix, which at one point had the streaming rights to Disney’s films.
“They were helping to build their platform on the back of our movies. … They deserve a lot of credit,” Iger said.
“I woke up one day and thought, ‘We are basically selling nuclear weapons technology to a third-world country, and now they are using it against us.’”
And so, Iger and Disney took back those rights and sought to create a new war chest of IP.
And when Rupert Murdoch called Iger and discussed selling Fox’s entertainment assets, Iger knew that the deal would be necessary to be competitive in the streaming space.
“I was thinking at the time, knowing that we were going to launch Disney+ and enter the streaming business, that if we had National Geographic and The Simpsons and Avatar and the whole library, that we would have the scale to [compete],” he said.
But he also expressed pessimism about big technology companies successfully competing with firms like Disney, despite their significant investment in content.
“There is no question that deep-pocketed technology companies, Apple being a great example, Amazon being another, have figured out that if they have great intellectual property, if they tell great stories, it will help their businesses,” Iger said.
“I don’t want to suggest [Apple and Amazon’s entertainment divisions] are loss-leader businesses, but they are in those businesses for other reasons.”
But as the tech world shifts toward the next phase of the internet, what some call the “metaverse” and what Iger calls “Internet 3.0,” he believes that Disney has a critical piece of the puzzle.
“To survive in an Internet 3.0 world, you need to have some really compelling intellectual property,” he said.
“I think that Internet 3.0, which will definitely be a more compelling experience, certainly more immersive and dimensional, there will be a lot to that in terms of a future, call it a metaverse.
I don’t think there will be one metaverse; it will be dispersed.
You may have an avatar, but you can go all over the place, and I think that it is likely to develop into something real as an experience.”
However, he acknowledged that the “toxic culture” on platforms like Twitter and Facebook could only become worse in that hypothetical future.
“I am thinking about telling my kids that they should think about creating technology tools for moderating behavior in Internet 3.0,” Iger said.
“Something Disney should think about as it talks about creating a metaverse themselves is moderating and monitoring behavior.”
And he discussed his final board retreat, where The Hollywood Reporter’s Kim Masters reported that he implored those in attendance to not become too reliant on data.
His successor, Bob Chapek, has leaned on data for his decision-making, though in a memo earlier this month the CEO said that “storytelling excellence” remains a pillar of the company.
“In a world and business that is awash with data, it is tempting to use data to answer all of our questions, including creative questions,” he said at the retreat.
“I urge all of you not to do that.”
Acknowledging the accuracy of the comments to Swisher, Iger expanded on those thoughts, saying that while it is useful to find out what people like about something after the fact, creative decisions still need to be made based on some level of instinct.
“If we had tried to mine all the data that we had at the time, to determine whether we should make a superhero movie that was about, essentially, an Afro-futuristic world with a Black cast, the data would have said don’t do that, and Black Panther never would have been made,” he said.

Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke Reportedly Walk Off Masked Singer After Rudy Giuliani Is Unmasked
https://www.eonline.com/news/1318496/ken-jeong-and-robin-thicke-reportedly-walk-off-masked-singer-after-rudy-giuliani-is-unmasked
https://eonli.ne/3AXC7Ar
Masked Singer judges Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong reportedly protested Rudy Giuliani’s participation in the Fox competition series.
According to Deadline, the Masked Singer judges walked off the Fox set in protest last week after President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer was unmasked.
The outlet reported that their co-stars, Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy, remained onstage to speak with the politician, whose costume hasn’t been revealed yet.
Following a brief break, Thicke and Jeong allegedly returned to set and spoke with Giuliani.
The upcoming season of The Masked Singer is themed “The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly,” with contestants’ costumes centered around one of the three descriptors.
After news broke of Giuliani’s reported participation on the competition series, celebs took to social media to express their disdain.
“This is an incredibly disturbing stunt,” Two and a Half Men’s Jon Cryer tweeted.
“Rudy Giuliani helped to engineer a coup attempt.
The producers of this show should be ashamed.” Added Seth MacFarlane, “Anything for ratings, right?”
In January, Giuliani was subpoenaed by the House Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
According to NBC News, the committee says Giuliani is one of the individuals who “publicly promoted unsupported claims about the 2020 election and participated in attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of election results.”
This isn’t the first time The Masked Singer has drawn backlash with their casting.
In March 2020, the show was criticized when former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was unmasked as The Bear.

[TRANSITION]

[SEGMENT 4: Insightful Picks of the Week] (8-12 minutes)

Michelle
Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness (Netflix)
https://www.netflix.com/title/81206559
https://bit.ly/3ATVpq4
Jonathan Van Ness lets curiosity lead the way while roving from snacks to wigs in this podcast spinoff chock-full of experts and special guests.
This series is a spin-off from the Queer Eye star’s podcast of the same name, in which Van Ness quite literally gets curious about a topic, then speaks to various guests about it.
Van Ness is clearly a star. The former hairdresser made their name with the extremely funny Gay of Thrones online recaps, and went on to become part of the new Fab Five on the updated, much improved Queer Eye makeover series, which is always good for a cathartic cry and a renewed sense of faith in humanity. Van Ness is the one participants often open up to, usually while having their hair spritzed. Amiable, warm and an impressive interviewer, they give the impression of someone who genuinely wants to listen and learn. They are also excitable. All of this sets them up well to host an all-sorts, magazine show.

Joe
The Walking Dead Origins
https://www2.amc.com/twdu/the-walking-dead-origins
https://bit.ly/3unGgfy
The Walking Dead: Origins is a limited series of specials in The Walking Dead’s TV universe, exploring the journeys of the series’ most celebrated characters.
Spotlighting Daryl, Carol, Maggie and Negan, each episode of The Walking Dead: Origins charts the story of the zombie apocalypse from the point of view of a single character and features new interviews and narrations from the actors that portray these iconic characters, interwoven with clips from the most pivotal moments of their journeys so far.
Each episode will also feature an exclusive sneak peek of Season 11.
Accompanying each special will be a “Best Of” collection, featuring fan-favorite episodes for each character.

[TRANSITION]

After Thoughts

Jersey Shore Comic Book Show – Nerd Fest
https://jerseyshorecomicbookshow.com/nerd-fest
https://bit.ly/3J0wlRk
This event will take place at the Holiday Inn Swedesboro 1 Pureland Drive, Swedesboro, NJ 08085 – February 27,2022
Nerd Fest will be in full swing from 10am to 4pm. Admission $5 Kids 12 and under Free with paying adult. Plenty of Free parking!
We’ll be featuring Artists, Vendors, Comics, Anime, Toys, Funko’s, Non-Sport Cards, Crafts, Pokemon, Cosplay, Face Painting, Interactive Activities, Collectibles, and much MORE!!!!!!!

ZOLOCON
https://zolocon.com/
https://bit.ly/2UfiDpk
Saturday MARCH 5, 2022 (10:00AM – 6:00PM)
SATURDAY GENERAL ADMISSION = $15.00 (Children $5.00)
Sunday MARCH 6, 2022 (9:00 AM – 4:30PM)
SUNDAY GENERAL ADMISSION = $10.00 (CHILDREN FREE!)
780 Falcon Circle . Warminster Pa. 18974

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http://www.toyshows.org/aboutme.html
https://bit.ly/33veum0
Delaware Train Show Aprilfools Toy Show
Saturday, April. 2nd Sunday, April. 3rd
Nur Shrine Center
198 S. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE.

FanExpo (Formerly Wizard World
https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpophiladelphia/
https://bit.ly/32VSRen
Philadelphia Convention Center
Apri 8-10 2022

MID-STATE COMIC CON
https://jerseyshorecomicbookshow.com/mid-state-comic-con
Mid-State Comic Con is our newest adventure in the Comic Con Industry. This Comic Con will be held at the Delaware State Fairgrounds Dover Building a large INDOOR venue with plenty of room for our event.
Mid-State Comic Con will take place on Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 10am to 4pm at the
Delaware State Fairgrounds Dover Building 18500 S. Dupont Highway, Harrington, DE 19952
We will be featuring Special Guests, Artists, Vendors, Cosplay, in a family friendly atmosphere at an affordable price.
Our Vendors will have Comics, Manga, Anime, Non-Sport Cards, Pokemon, Funko Pops, Toys,
Steam Punk, Pop Culture, Crafts, Collectibles, and so much MORE!!!
Admission is $10 Kids 10 yrs and younger FREE with paying Adult. $1 off Admission if you are in Costume.
COVID PRECAUTIONS Being that the situation with Covid changes, we will update any precautions or restrictions closer to the show date as recommended by the CDC.

00:00:01:15 – 00:00:07:19
Michelle
Insightful podcasts. By informative host.

00:00:10:19 – 00:00:16:17
Michelle
For Insights Into Things.

00:00:17:25 – 00:00:19:03
Michelle
A podcast network.

00:00:27:19 – 00:00:47:22
Michelle
Welcome to Insights into Entertainment, a podcast series taking a deeper look into entertainment and media. Your hosts, Joseph and Michelle Whalen, a husband and wife team of pop culture fanatics are exploring all things from music and movies to television and fandom.

00:00:50:20 – 00:01:05:20
Joseph
Welcome to insights into entertainment. This is episode 136, the return of Disney Wars and franchise favorites. I’m your host, Joseph Whalen, and my warm and caring co-host Michele Rowland.

00:01:05:27 – 00:01:06:28
Michelle
Hi, everyone.

00:01:07:04 – 00:01:08:21
Joseph
How are you doing today, dear?

00:01:08:22 – 00:01:10:18
Michelle
I’m doing well. How are you?

00:01:10:19 – 00:01:14:24
Joseph
I’m freakin awesome. How was your week this week?

00:01:16:22 – 00:01:20:18
Michelle
It’s, you know, almost over. I think half.

00:01:20:18 – 00:01:21:14
Joseph
The important part.

00:01:21:15 – 00:01:22:10
Michelle
Yeah, yeah.

00:01:23:12 – 00:01:29:04
Joseph
So anything exciting happen this week. Nothing to recap. Nothing like that.

00:01:30:06 – 00:01:32:28
Michelle
End of the month, beginning of the month, Groundhog.

00:01:32:28 – 00:01:33:29
Michelle
Day, he saw.

00:01:33:29 – 00:01:39:00
Michelle
His shadow six more weeks of winter. But it’s 50 degrees out and the snow is.

00:01:39:00 – 00:01:42:28
Michelle
Melting, right? There’s your there’s your weekly recap done and.

00:01:43:00 – 00:01:46:12
Joseph
Until tomorrow when it drops to like 30 degrees.

00:01:46:12 – 00:01:51:07
Michelle
Again. Yeah. And freezes. Yeah. So yay, jersey snow.

00:01:51:27 – 00:02:21:24
Joseph
This week in our Disney detective, we’ll be talking about Abigail Disney firing a shot across Bob Chapek Bo Pupu, while Disney reveals they’re avenging expansion in Paris than in our tales from the edge of the galaxy. The Golden one returns to the franchise, and the Galactic Star Cruiser itinerary is finally revealed to be incredibly lackluster and in

00:02:21:24 – 00:02:35:02
Joseph
our entertainment news, iger on movies. Plus, walking out on The Masked Singer. And then we’ll finish up with a few insightful picks of the week and a few after thoughts this week. A new one you just found.

00:02:35:26 – 00:02:36:05
Michelle
Yeah.

00:02:36:20 – 00:02:40:06
Joseph
Which is kind of interesting. We’ve never been to this one. No first year for that one.

00:02:41:06 – 00:02:43:19
Michelle
I don’t think so. I think it said, like six years or something.

00:02:43:19 – 00:02:43:28
Michelle
I don’t know.

00:02:43:28 – 00:02:47:24
Joseph
If you might be a jewel that we are weren’t aware of.

00:02:47:24 – 00:02:48:02
Michelle
Before.

00:02:48:02 – 00:03:12:29
Joseph
Right before we get into all that, I would invite our listening and viewing audience to subscribe to the podcast. You can get audio versions of this podcast, listeners insights into entertainment. VIDEO Versions of all the network’s podcasts can be found listed as insights into things or are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, iHeartRadio pretty much anywhere

00:03:12:29 – 00:03:29:03
Joseph
you can get a podcast. I would also invite you to write in and give us your feedback, tell us how we’re doing. Give us your picks for some conventions that we can plug for you. You can email us at comments and insights into things dot com.

00:03:29:23 – 00:03:52:11
Joseph
You can hit us on Twitter at insights underscore things. We are on Facebook at Facebook Dot Com Slash Insights Into Things podcast. We’re also on Instagram and Instagram dot com slash insights into things where you can find links to all these and more on our official website and insights into things dot com ready to get going?

00:03:52:12 – 00:04:02:10
Joseph
Sure, here we go. Go for Disney Detective.

00:04:02:17 – 00:04:30:14
Michelle
So Disney heiress, daughter of Roy Disney and granddaughter of Roy O Disney, Abigail Disney, has been a fervent supporter and advocate for workers rights. So let the other night, January 24th. Abigail Disney expanded on her thoughts about the legacy of Disney and the current Bob Chapek era following a screening of her documentary The American Dream and other

00:04:30:14 – 00:04:51:14
Michelle
fairy tales at Sundance Film Festival. Synonymous with joy, love and happiness. The Walt Disney Company have aim to deliver their magic for the past century, from Star Wars to Splash Mountain. Avengers Campus to Animal Kingdom, Disney is one of the biggest entertainment enterprises worldwide.

00:04:51:29 – 00:05:16:27
Michelle
As Disney hurtles towards the its centennial, the few past years have been tarred by multiple call outs of the Mouse House, stemmed from cast member working conditions, profits over a guest experience and the running and development of Disney brand, notably the theme parks provision of its corporation.

00:05:17:13 – 00:05:47:22
Michelle
Disney has never been exempt from criticism, but ever since the arrival of Bob Chapek as Disney CEO following the departure of Bob Iger, guests and reportedly cast members too have been critical of the corporation. So from a Disney parks perspective, fans have seen the arrival of the controversial Disney Genie Plus system and the individual Lightning Lane selection

00:05:47:22 – 00:06:14:08
Michelle
following the end of the free FastPass Plus system. While call outs have been made for the overall caretaking of the parks such as Central Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort and Anger at cast member Pay, Abigail Disney’s documentary The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales examines workers at the U.S. domestic parks, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World.

00:06:14:20 – 00:06:32:09
Michelle
The documentary director and philanthropist recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter prior to her movie’s debut at Sundance, and she said in part, Bob Chapek was the guy who presided over all of the changes at Disneyland and Disney World that we’re talking about in this film.

00:06:33:02 – 00:06:55:22
Michelle
Excuse me, dynamic scheduling a euphemism for jerking them around so that they can’t get a second job and they can never make 40 hours a week and they don’t qualify for health care. She continued taking a department from 250, shaving it to 200 and expecting them to all do the same work in the same amount of time

00:06:56:01 – 00:07:18:16
Michelle
. There are thousand ways. There are 1000 ways that they’ve been cost cutting, and much of it came from Bob Chapek and under his command. So I don’t really have very optimistic expectations. If anything, it’ll probably get worse. Now, following the premiere of her documentary, the heiress expanded on her more on her remarks during a live Q&A.

00:07:18:28 – 00:07:38:19
Michelle
She offered her sentiments focusing on a consumer based push to take charge of corporations that do not treat their workers well. She had said This is an Amazon problem and a Walmart problem and a McDonald’s problem. You do have the ultimate power, more power than any CEO.

00:07:38:27 – 00:07:54:26
Michelle
As a consumer, to withhold your money from companies that are doing it wrong and spend it at companies that are doing it right. Royo Disney co-produced the documentary, which follows the lives of theme park workers and their journey into activism.

00:07:55:06 – 00:08:15:02
Michelle
Abigail Disney also said that the company was just as abusive and exploitive of their customers as they have been of their cast members, adding that Disney has been driving prices up to ridiculous levels and charging unbelievable amounts for hamburgers and so forth and stripping service away.

00:08:15:16 – 00:08:33:01
Michelle
Recently, during the Disney earnings call, CFO Christine McCarthy stated that portion sizes would be reduced. The news was later supplemented by multiple sources, confirming that along with the portion reduction, the price of food and drinks had been increased.

00:08:33:15 – 00:08:52:24
Michelle
So just last week, it was reported that Bob Chapek took away an incredible salary during what can only be described as one of the most troubling times in Disney Park history. Pandemic and all It is not too long ago that the Walt Disney Company had laid off hundreds of workers to cope with the results of the of

00:08:52:24 – 00:09:06:02
Michelle
a COVID world. The report also adds that will hold your money from the company. Is that are exploiting people, she said. You don’t really need to take a trip if you feel like it’s not a reflection of your values.

00:09:06:09 – 00:09:23:29
Michelle
I think it’s natural. It yeah, I think there’s a natural affinity between customers and workers, and they need to make common cause together to change companies, she said. Abigail Disney is not the only one to comment on Disney’s recent practices.

00:09:24:00 – 00:09:37:15
Michelle
Currently, a petition has gone viral, which obviously calls Bob Chapek to be fired as Disney’s CEO. The petition was reportedly cosigned by many Disney Park cast members and fans as well.

00:09:39:13 – 00:09:42:22
Joseph
And this doesn’t surprise me one little bit at all.

00:09:42:23 – 00:09:44:20
Michelle
Nope. We’ve been.

00:09:44:27 – 00:09:48:04
Joseph
We’ve been discussing this for months and months.

00:09:48:04 – 00:09:51:18
Michelle
Now, almost a year, really. When you think about it, you know?

00:09:51:23 – 00:09:57:28
Joseph
And, you know, to find out that they’re going to go even further with reducing portion sizes and increasing costs.

00:09:57:29 – 00:10:10:26
Michelle
Well, I had known about the price increase because that we even talked about a couple of weeks ago, there was a couple of different reports of gas that had said, you know, Oh, this was like $0.25 more. This is $0.50 more.

00:10:10:27 – 00:10:18:16
Michelle
This is a dollar more. But I had never heard anything about the portion sizes going down with it as well. So now.

00:10:18:16 – 00:10:21:29
Michelle
It’s like. Why even, you.

00:10:21:29 – 00:10:34:11
Michelle
Know, obviously, OK, if you really want to go go but don’t spend money on food because you’re not good, you’re going to be paying, you know, 20% more and getting 30% less.

00:10:34:11 – 00:10:35:13
Michelle
For your your money.

00:10:35:22 – 00:10:39:22
Joseph
It’s difficult to go down there and go to a Disney park and not spend money.

00:10:39:23 – 00:10:40:24
Michelle
Oh yeah, they.

00:10:40:24 – 00:10:42:14
Joseph
Make it exceedingly difficult.

00:10:42:26 – 00:10:43:08
Michelle
Right?

00:10:44:05 – 00:10:48:17
Joseph
But you know, it’s good to see that that Abigail Disney is still fighting that.

00:10:48:17 – 00:10:49:28
Michelle
Group, still fighting the fight.

00:10:50:01 – 00:10:51:17
Michelle
You know, don’t give them your.

00:10:51:17 – 00:10:52:14
Michelle
Money and.

00:10:52:15 – 00:10:54:18
Joseph
Really doesn’t like Disney at this point.

00:10:54:27 – 00:11:02:02
Michelle
And you know, and you and you got a feel for somebody where. You know, this is your family, this is your legacy.

00:11:02:07 – 00:11:05:18
Joseph
Family name, and they’re they’re selling your family name.

00:11:05:19 – 00:11:12:00
Michelle
And and we’re, you know, and I’m sure, you know, I’m sure she’s still get something.

00:11:12:12 – 00:11:13:05
Michelle
You know?

00:11:13:13 – 00:11:18:05
Joseph
Well, I’m sure she still owns a significant amount of Disney stock, and she’s getting dividends from it, right?

00:11:18:12 – 00:11:21:11
Michelle
So to say, don’t go and spend your money here.

00:11:21:13 – 00:11:24:14
Michelle
That’s affecting her as as well.

00:11:24:15 – 00:11:33:11
Joseph
It’s funny how she it seems as though her her biggest beef is with the theme parks, though she hasn’t seemed to have chimed in much as far as the other.

00:11:33:17 – 00:11:37:07
Michelle
Well, because probably, I guess with the movies and things like.

00:11:37:13 – 00:11:39:24
Joseph
You look at all the stores, they just shut down and all the people they.

00:11:39:25 – 00:11:40:14
Michelle
Follow, yeah.

00:11:40:14 – 00:11:42:05
Joseph
She never chime in on that.

00:11:42:06 – 00:11:46:29
Michelle
Yeah, she didn’t. And maybe that’s an I don’t know how the the divisions.

00:11:47:00 – 00:11:48:23
Michelle
Are right, but if they’re.

00:11:48:23 – 00:11:51:10
Joseph
Really a champion of the workers, you have to say something.

00:11:51:11 – 00:11:52:13
Michelle
Have to do everything.

00:11:52:13 – 00:11:53:07
Joseph
Off that many.

00:11:53:07 – 00:11:53:29
Michelle
People. Yeah.

00:11:54:10 – 00:11:57:10
Joseph
By shutting down those stores, just, you know, out of the blue.

00:11:57:12 – 00:11:58:08
Michelle
Right, right.

00:11:58:15 – 00:12:03:10
Joseph
Which again, is another thing where that was. A lot of people can’t get to Disney, right?

00:12:03:17 – 00:12:05:15
Michelle
So it is in the store, right?

00:12:05:16 – 00:12:13:07
Joseph
Disney was that was their ability to go and like, I don’t maybe they’re relying so much on their e-commerce side of things with that.

00:12:13:07 – 00:12:14:26
Michelle
But well, a Disney.

00:12:14:27 – 00:12:16:08
Joseph
Store was an experience.

00:12:16:16 – 00:12:25:07
Michelle
Right? It wasn’t like just going to Wal-Mart or Target or something. Yes, it was an experience. And especially when they had those little.

00:12:25:20 – 00:12:28:20
Michelle
Added monthly bi monthly.

00:12:28:20 – 00:12:31:09
Michelle
Events, it was kind of like, OK, well, I can’t.

00:12:31:09 – 00:12:33:14
Michelle
Do Halloween in the park.

00:12:33:15 – 00:12:35:08
Joseph
You’re Disney goodwill ambassadors.

00:12:35:14 – 00:12:36:23
Michelle
Around the world. Yeah, yeah.

00:12:37:04 – 00:12:41:10
Joseph
You got a little bit of magic and you just decided that’s not doing that for no good reason.

00:12:41:14 – 00:12:48:13
Michelle
Well, and I think again, a lot of it’s the the e-commerce side of things. You know, you have a lot of right.

00:12:48:14 – 00:12:53:04
Joseph
And you can sell through that, but you can’t bring that experience through that.

00:12:53:07 – 00:12:54:06
Michelle
Right, exactly.

00:12:54:10 – 00:13:00:24
Joseph
No, no. Anyway, so what’s Disney doing? This is doing something in Paris, right? What are they doing up there?

00:13:01:05 – 00:13:15:25
Michelle
So here are some positive Disney news. So Disney just gave us some serious, exciting information about one of its upcoming expansions within the Disney parks. So obviously, we know a lot of things are coming to the Disney resorts.

00:13:16:12 – 00:13:38:24
Michelle
So we have the Tron coaster at the Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy, Cosmic Rewind in Epcot, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad in Disneyland in Southern California and now internationally. Some guests in Disneyland Paris are going to see the Avengers Campus expansion.

00:13:39:02 – 00:14:01:10
Michelle
So the first version of the Marvel centric land opened in Disneyland’s California Adventure last year and features a whole host of Disney, I’m Sorry, Marvel themed attractions and entertainment. And recently, Disney revealed that some very exciting visuals for this new land, which are now going to be coming to Disneyland Paris.

00:14:01:21 – 00:14:25:23
Michelle
So in this photo, they have a brand new Iron Man coaster vehicle that they show, and the ride will replace Disneyland Paris’s version of the rock and roller coaster. While there is not an exact opening date for Avengers Campus at Disneyland Paris, guests should be excited after seeing this new art, as well as all of the available

00:14:25:23 – 00:14:47:26
Michelle
things that will be coming to Disney’s Adventure Avengers Campus in Anaheim. So the Disneyland Paris will be themed completely around the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will feature countless Marvel characters like Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Loki, Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye and countless others.

00:14:48:15 – 00:14:58:14
Michelle
They had recently covered that more progress was being made on the Paris and now more stuff to look forward to. If you’re in that area.

00:14:58:24 – 00:15:01:17
Joseph
Which I think is, I should turn my mike back.

00:15:01:21 – 00:15:03:06
Michelle
Probably really good idea.

00:15:03:14 – 00:15:10:03
Joseph
I think it’s cool that they’re bringing it to different locations. It’s a shame that they’re not bringing it to Florida.

00:15:10:03 – 00:15:11:05
Michelle
Though I know.

00:15:11:05 – 00:15:14:24
Joseph
Art is the one area that you’ve got a surplus of real estate.

00:15:14:25 – 00:15:15:21
Michelle
Right? Right.

00:15:16:12 – 00:15:25:12
Joseph
And you get you. You get your biggest crowds into it, too, right? So I don’t know why they’re holding off on doing it in Florida.

00:15:25:14 – 00:15:29:22
Michelle
I’m I’m guessing probably within a couple of years, you’ll probably see.

00:15:30:02 – 00:15:40:08
Joseph
See, I think what they need to do is they need to come out with like their Adventure Land Park and break off Star Wars and Marvel.

00:15:40:24 – 00:15:41:28
Michelle
I can see that all.

00:15:41:28 – 00:15:45:22
Joseph
The all the action movies break that off into the road.

00:15:46:01 – 00:15:49:06
Michelle
And really, that could be what Hollywood studios becomes.

00:15:49:09 – 00:15:50:11
Michelle
Yeah, that’s really.

00:15:50:12 – 00:15:51:29
Joseph
That’s really what it’s going toward.

00:15:52:00 – 00:15:52:07
Michelle
Right?

00:15:52:07 – 00:16:10:05
Michelle
Because you have Star Wars, because that’s, you know, because you have Star Wars, you know, you have. Galaxy’s Edge in California, and it kind of it doesn’t really go, but it goes. But then, you know, in in Florida, it makes sense where.

00:16:10:05 – 00:16:13:15
Joseph
Well, the problem is that they’re spreading it out over multiple parks. So because.

00:16:13:16 – 00:16:14:07
Michelle
Remove.

00:16:14:26 – 00:16:16:26
Joseph
The Guardians of the Galaxy.

00:16:17:08 – 00:16:22:04
Michelle
Right. That’s weird that that’s an Epcot like that shouldn’t that should have also been.

00:16:22:09 – 00:16:29:13
Joseph
But I don’t know. Then nobody would have prompted all the studio, which is nice because studios has been neglected for a long time.

00:16:29:14 – 00:16:29:22
Michelle
Right.

00:16:29:22 – 00:16:34:04
Michelle
It’s nice that Studios is finally getting, you know, it’s it’s.

00:16:34:04 – 00:16:37:17
Michelle
Well-deserved, you know, exact thing. So, yeah.

00:16:38:00 – 00:16:44:12
Joseph
So anyway, but we’re not getting any of that stuff in Florida right now. We’re going to have to book the European trip and go to Paris.

00:16:44:19 – 00:16:45:07
Michelle
OK.

00:16:45:15 – 00:16:49:24
Michelle
Well, maybe if it’s done by next year, then we can go for my birthday.

00:16:49:25 – 00:16:50:23
Joseph
Maybe we could.

00:16:51:16 – 00:16:52:18
Michelle
Hmm.

00:16:52:28 – 00:16:54:14
Joseph
Happy birthday. You’re old.

00:16:57:29 – 00:16:59:23
Michelle
That was mean.

00:16:59:24 – 00:17:06:29
Joseph
No, it’s a major accomplishment. So we’re going to go to Europe for it. Everything’s holding your breath. The old country.

00:17:07:15 – 00:17:09:22
Michelle
That I’m really young compared to go.

00:17:09:22 – 00:17:11:05
Joseph
See, that’s the make you feel better.

00:17:11:05 – 00:17:11:23
Michelle
When.

00:17:12:00 – 00:17:14:05
Michelle
I’m young compared to how old things are.

00:17:14:05 – 00:17:15:13
Michelle
Over there. Great.

00:17:15:14 – 00:17:17:09
Joseph
And that’s what I was going for.

00:17:17:09 – 00:17:19:23
Michelle
A nice day there. Nice one.

00:17:21:21 – 00:17:44:13
Joseph
Well, that’s all we had for our Disney detective. We’ll be back in a minute with our tales from the edge of the galaxy. For over seven years, the second Sith empire has been the Premiere Community Guild in the online game.

00:17:44:14 – 00:18:06:21
Joseph
Star Wars The Old Republic with hundreds of friendly and helpful active members, a weekly schedule of nightly events and annual guild meet and greets and an active community both on the web and on Discord. The second season of Empire is more than your typical gaming group.

00:18:07:15 – 00:18:29:08
Joseph
We’re family. Joining us on the star forward server for nightly events such as operations, flashpoints, world boss funds, Star Wars trivia, the Old Lottery and much more. Visit us on the Web today and W W W start the second sip.

00:18:29:08 – 00:18:32:22
Michelle
And fire icon. Well.

00:18:41:17 – 00:19:05:27
Joseph
This week in our Tales from the Edge of the Galaxy, a Star Wars original trilogy actor is officially filming his franchise return. Inside the Magic tells us that Anthony Daniels blunt protocol droid C-3PO has been a fan favorite Star Wars character for four decades, ever since he first appeared in George Lucas’s Star Wars Episode four, A New

00:19:05:27 – 00:19:29:17
Joseph
Hope, alongside Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo. Built by a mannequin, Skywalker, his he best friends with R2-D2 and the bane of Han Solo’s existence and ultimately savior of the resistance in the sequel trilogies, episode nine Rise of Skywalker three Pyo is an iconic is as iconic as they come.

00:19:30:15 – 00:19:53:18
Joseph
Now, Daniels is seemingly officially reprising his role for a new Star Wars project, according to Star Wars News Net Twitter post. While the article accompanying the post indicates that Daniels is working on a droid story, which is reportedly set to be an animated series featuring a new Star Wars hero guided by R2-D2 and C-3PO.

00:19:54:12 – 00:20:14:21
Joseph
It’s also possible that he could be working on scenes for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Online reports have indicated that C-3PO and fellow droid R2-D2 will appear in the show set approximately a decade after the prequel trilogy’s conclusion. Star Wars Episode three Revenge of the Sith.

00:20:15:24 – 00:20:37:29
Joseph
Both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are reprising their roles in the Deborah Chow directed Disney Plus original series. Were there, Dingle’s is assisting animators for a droid story or secretly working on Obi-Wan Kenobi. The fact remains that the actor seems to be making his official return to the Star Wars franchise.

00:20:38:27 – 00:20:45:14
Joseph
And that’s something all Star Wars fans can get excited about. If you’re a three year old fan, are you a three year old fan?

00:20:45:26 – 00:20:47:09
Michelle
Yeah, I think so.

00:20:47:17 – 00:20:49:08
Joseph
Yeah, I was more of a docu fan.

00:20:49:26 – 00:20:51:03
Michelle
I don’t think, you know.

00:20:52:24 – 00:20:54:24
Joseph
I didn’t dislike three people, right?

00:20:54:24 – 00:20:55:02
Michelle
It was.

00:20:55:02 – 00:20:56:19
Joseph
Just a little too uppity for me.

00:20:56:20 – 00:20:59:25
Michelle
Right? You know, but it’s nice that.

00:21:00:09 – 00:21:08:18
Michelle
You know, the two of them have been in all of the movies they’ve, you know, kind of made their way there that like constant.

00:21:08:20 – 00:21:12:05
Michelle
Rain or stream, you know, the kind of goodness.

00:21:12:05 – 00:21:12:26
Michelle
Everything.

00:21:12:26 – 00:21:23:26
Joseph
Lucas had even described the fact that their purpose in the movies really was to kind of be the narrator. The pulse of the audience, right? That audience perspective on things.

00:21:23:28 – 00:21:31:22
Michelle
Right. And you know what? It’s amazing that after 40 plus years, he can still get into, yeah.

00:21:31:23 – 00:21:34:00
Joseph
Well, he doesn’t always get into it now, though.

00:21:34:05 – 00:21:34:19
Michelle
Right?

00:21:34:20 – 00:21:37:18
Joseph
You know, sometimes it’s animated and sometimes it’s right.

00:21:37:18 – 00:21:38:23
Michelle
But the fact that.

00:21:39:09 – 00:21:57:08
Michelle
You know, it’s such a vivid costume, it’s not like, All right, well, I’m just going to lend my voice or, you know, have it to somebody else. The fact that it’s, you know, for the most part, him still getting into it and that he’s still so connected to it and so beloved, you know, really?

00:21:57:14 – 00:21:58:21
Michelle
And that’s the thing of it.

00:21:58:24 – 00:22:04:27
Joseph
You know, a lot of actors struggle with being typecast specific role, and this.

00:22:04:27 – 00:22:05:09
Michelle
Is why.

00:22:05:10 – 00:22:06:20
Joseph
He’s embraced.

00:22:06:20 – 00:22:07:06
Michelle
Yes.

00:22:07:15 – 00:22:14:10
Joseph
To the and the degree. Even when we saw he had narrated or hosted.

00:22:14:20 – 00:22:16:16
Michelle
Star Wars icon was in concert.

00:22:17:03 – 00:22:21:14
Joseph
He embraced it for that. He had the golden jacket suit jacket.

00:22:21:15 – 00:22:22:06
Michelle
Right? Right.

00:22:22:09 – 00:22:25:23
Joseph
You know, and he really he he is the character.

00:22:25:25 – 00:22:26:02
Michelle
Mm hmm.

00:22:26:07 – 00:22:30:05
Joseph
Yeah, it’s difficult to separate the man from the machine in this case.

00:22:30:05 – 00:22:30:29
Michelle
Yeah. Yeah.

00:22:31:15 – 00:22:37:14
Joseph
So for have him come back because we, you know, we got our two back in in Mando, the season finale of Mando.

00:22:37:15 – 00:22:37:25
Michelle
Yep.

00:22:38:08 – 00:22:39:23
Joseph
So we definitely.

00:22:40:04 – 00:22:41:22
Michelle
The droids are, you know.

00:22:41:22 – 00:22:43:08
Michelle
Alive and well in that.

00:22:43:27 – 00:22:44:26
Michelle
Universe. Exactly.

00:22:44:29 – 00:22:49:18
Joseph
So. Exactly. So it is nice to see. Nice to see a return.

00:22:49:23 – 00:22:50:03
Michelle
Mm hmm.

00:22:51:04 – 00:22:59:14
Joseph
Also this week we have an article about the galactic star boondoggle. I mean, star cruiser.

00:23:03:01 – 00:23:04:19
Michelle
How do you really feel about it?

00:23:05:18 – 00:23:09:18
Joseph
So what can I say? I’m honest, if nothing else.

00:23:09:19 – 00:23:10:14
Michelle
Yeah, yeah.

00:23:10:24 – 00:23:25:03
Joseph
So guests aboard the Galactic Star Cruise are halcyon will use their data pad part of the Disney part Disney Play, part of the Disney Play Disney parks, and.

00:23:25:08 – 00:23:26:10
Michelle
Say that five times.

00:23:26:10 – 00:23:28:22
Michelle
Fans can’t even say it once.

00:23:28:29 – 00:23:47:14
Joseph
They’ll be doing it for many things, but they’ll also be managing the itinerary, which is now available for guests scheduled to depart on select March. Dates can now view the itinerary. A map of the ship and more. The new Events tab on the left features star cruiser information.

00:23:48:29 – 00:24:12:29
Joseph
As we have not yet boarded the House, John, not all features are available, though, on unscheduled activity, show up in blue and may be automatically scheduled 30 days prior to your arrival. Checking is scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., during which time a lunch buffet is served overlapping with a buffet, it’s time to explore the star cruiser.

00:24:13:07 – 00:24:33:16
Joseph
A data pad orientation and the galactic social. Much like actual cruises, a ship muster takes place that afternoon, followed by a captain’s reception. Dinner is served that evening in the crown of Carelli, a dining room featuring a performance from Gaia.

00:24:35:02 – 00:24:57:08
Joseph
An evening of gains is on the schedule for the first day from SAVAK Lessons to a Star Cruiser exclusive game called Sector Set. A special Chandler Line Star Line star show will take place as the Halcyon Nears best friend and almost makes me think of the the water pageant.

00:24:57:11 – 00:25:03:20
Michelle
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. The thing is, there’s going to be a special little show that flies by. Yeah, yeah.

00:25:03:29 – 00:25:12:05
Joseph
The next morning, guests can choose from a breakfast buffet or a grab and go breakfast before transport for a planetary excursion to Britain.

00:25:12:07 – 00:25:22:12
Michelle
I’m skipping. I’m having the breakfast buffet. I am not doing grab and go unless I’m grabbing and going like 20 of them for what I paid. Yeah, sorry.

00:25:22:29 – 00:25:48:28
Joseph
Drag racing, a sabat tournament model ship building a poor detection drill and a you know your copilot game are all options for afternoon activities. Dinner service and the crown of Kolya dining room because they only have one restaurant features a taste around the galaxy, followed by a halcyon Star Cruise or celebration and sweets and treats in the

00:25:48:28 – 00:26:05:24
Joseph
late evening. On day three, guests will be offered a choice of a breakfast buffet or a grab and go breakfasts, followed by getting kicked off the ship. This two night adventure could be yours for the low, low price of only $6,000 for a family of four.

00:26:08:27 – 00:26:30:11
Joseph
If I was unimpressed with what I saw so far as far as the room service and room sizes and all that. This itinerary leaves me even less impressed. They’re going to teach me how to place a bar. That’s the interactive part of what they have here.

00:26:32:02 – 00:26:39:03
Joseph
This is pretty lame. It’s the worst part is the more information they release, the lame or it gets.

00:26:39:10 – 00:26:48:09
Michelle
And maybe it’s also one of those things where, hey, here’s this itinerary, but there’s all this other stuff that’s going on that’s not.

00:26:48:09 – 00:26:50:05
Michelle
Part of your show.

00:26:50:14 – 00:26:51:17
Joseph
The mess you really are.

00:26:51:24 – 00:26:54:09
Michelle
I’m just I’m trying here.

00:26:55:18 – 00:27:06:23
Joseph
There’s not $6,000 worth. There’s not there’s not $2,000 worth. I’d spend about 15 hundred dollars on what they’re offering. And that’s a lot for tonight.

00:27:06:24 – 00:27:08:10
Michelle
Oh, absolutely. Well, and.

00:27:08:10 – 00:27:13:20
Michelle
That’s the thing is, especially when you think about what an actual cruise.

00:27:13:29 – 00:27:15:21
Michelle
That goes, something.

00:27:15:22 – 00:27:16:10
Joseph
Exactly.

00:27:17:01 – 00:27:22:29
Michelle
What you can get for $6,000 and what you’re getting here.

00:27:23:00 – 00:27:24:24
Michelle
It’s it’s laughable.

00:27:25:20 – 00:27:28:12
Joseph
Thousand dollar laugh event is what this is.

00:27:29:08 – 00:27:32:01
Michelle
And I can go laughing for a heck of a lot less than.

00:27:32:24 – 00:27:36:00
Joseph
I know we saw on Hawkeye that we can go to laugh in the park.

00:27:37:05 – 00:27:39:24
Michelle
A guy, I’ll come now. If Hawkeye.

00:27:40:04 – 00:27:40:29
Joseph
Is right, that’s.

00:27:40:29 – 00:27:43:24
Michelle
Exactly like we would fly the whole time.

00:27:43:25 – 00:27:45:13
Michelle
Like for $6,000.

00:27:45:14 – 00:27:48:21
Michelle
I want like three Star Wars.

00:27:48:21 – 00:27:49:13
Michelle
Celebrities.

00:27:49:13 – 00:27:49:28
Michelle
There.

00:27:49:29 – 00:27:52:14
Joseph
Yeah, it should be Star Wars weekends, right?

00:27:53:00 – 00:27:54:09
Michelle
That’s really one.

00:27:54:09 – 00:28:01:02
Joseph
Walking out of there for $6,000 with a like a full stormtrooper set of armor when I walk out of there.

00:28:01:02 – 00:28:02:23
Michelle
Yeah. Yeah, it should.

00:28:02:23 – 00:28:06:25
Joseph
Include building my lightsaber. It should include building my droid.

00:28:06:25 – 00:28:10:09
Michelle
Right now, I shouldn’t have to pay for anything else.

00:28:10:09 – 00:28:12:29
Michelle
Because it’s $6,000.

00:28:12:29 – 00:28:13:23
Joseph
For two nights.

00:28:14:19 – 00:28:16:24
Michelle
Yeah, I’d heard how I it’s.

00:28:17:00 – 00:28:20:05
Joseph
It’s it’s asinine that they’re even asking.

00:28:20:05 – 00:28:20:26
Michelle
That I’d.

00:28:20:26 – 00:28:30:23
Michelle
Feel bad for the people. I get feel bad, but I don’t feel bad for people if it’s something where after six months.

00:28:31:03 – 00:28:35:19
Michelle
The price gets dropped dramatically. Right, right.

00:28:35:20 – 00:28:37:19
Michelle
And then I’d feel bad for those people that.

00:28:37:27 – 00:28:42:05
Michelle
I want to be the first to, you know, like I feel because I feel bad for those.

00:28:42:15 – 00:28:43:11
Joseph
Are the stupid rich.

00:28:43:11 – 00:28:46:22
Michelle
People, right? And that’s the thing. That’s why I’m saying I’m like, I feel bad, but I.

00:28:46:27 – 00:28:47:20
Michelle
But then again, like.

00:28:48:13 – 00:28:54:25
Michelle
I don’t like, Did you mortgage your kids to go or do you just have that much money where.

00:28:55:02 – 00:28:56:19
Michelle
Right dollars is nothing.

00:28:56:19 – 00:28:58:00
Joseph
Right? It’s like it’s a drop in the.

00:28:58:00 – 00:28:58:22
Michelle
Bucket, right?

00:28:58:22 – 00:29:12:22
Michelle
Like I there’s a friend of mine on Facebook who she happens to be going because a cast member got a free trip, so. And that’s the other thing, too, is how many of the first group of people that are going.

00:29:12:29 – 00:29:13:12
Michelle
Right.

00:29:14:00 – 00:29:15:11
Michelle
Aren’t paying for it.

00:29:15:11 – 00:29:17:01
Michelle
Because they’re going.

00:29:17:01 – 00:29:24:19
Joseph
And you’re paying for it. You’re stupid enough to get ripped off, right? I don’t feel any any ounce of sympathy for you, but.

00:29:24:19 – 00:29:30:17
Michelle
I’m sure you know there are so many people that have gotten press passes for it, and the cast members.

00:29:30:17 – 00:29:31:26
Michelle
Are one a trend.

00:29:31:27 – 00:29:37:04
Joseph
Hey, you know what you can get if you can get it for free, get one over on Disney anytime you can.

00:29:37:05 – 00:29:41:08
Michelle
Yeah, absolutely. That itinerary is a joke. Yeah, so it’ll.

00:29:41:09 – 00:29:43:20
Michelle
Be interesting once because again, now.

00:29:43:20 – 00:29:44:07
Michelle
We’re.

00:29:44:17 – 00:29:55:19
Michelle
A month away. What? It’s actual. And then I think one of the articles that I saw showed some like behind the scenes photos and they.

00:29:55:19 – 00:30:00:03
Michelle
Basically just had this box truck.

00:30:00:21 – 00:30:13:19
Michelle
And that’s the transporter. So that, you know, when you get on it, I’m sure inside it’s decked out where it looks like it’s a, you know, a transport ship, but.

00:30:13:19 – 00:30:16:23
Michelle
On the outside, it’s just this white.

00:30:17:05 – 00:30:18:04
Joseph
I’m not.

00:30:18:05 – 00:30:21:10
Michelle
Surprised. I was like, What’s that?

00:30:21:10 – 00:30:25:07
Michelle
And they kind of figured, All right, that has to be and that.

00:30:25:13 – 00:30:26:27
Michelle
You know where the the.

00:30:26:27 – 00:30:33:09
Michelle
Driver sits. You can’t see the driver. So they’re just in a regular bus driver uniform.

00:30:33:20 – 00:30:39:04
Michelle
So it’s kind of like, I’m just on a box truck. Like, I don’t know, it doesn’t.

00:30:39:10 – 00:30:40:10
Michelle
There’s nothing.

00:30:40:11 – 00:30:42:29
Michelle
That’s enticing us to do.

00:30:42:29 – 00:30:55:15
Joseph
It. That sounds about right. Expected. That’s really all it is. It’s a big, giant facade. Everything is a facade. There isn’t anything legitimate behind any of this, right? It’s it’s smoke and mirrors just to steal your wallet. Mm hmm.

00:30:55:20 – 00:31:11:17
Joseph
Hey, look at this really cool light saber over here while they’re picking your pocket over here. That’s all this is. So anyway, I’m sure will be we’ll be reporting on actual guest stays and stuff like that as it as it opens up.

00:31:11:18 – 00:31:11:28
Michelle
Yeah.

00:31:12:08 – 00:31:19:28
Joseph
We will see that’s all we have for our tales from the edge of the galaxy. We’ll be back in a minute with our entertainment news of the week.

00:31:27:27 – 00:31:52:06
Michelle
Insights into teens. A podcast series exploring the issues and challenges of today’s youth. Talking to real teens about real teen problems. Explore issues from braces to puberty, social anxiety to financial responsibility. Each week we talk about the topics concerning today’s youth.

00:31:52:25 – 00:32:17:09
Michelle
We look at how the issues affect teens, how to cope with these issues and how parents, friends and loved ones can help teens handle these challenges. Check out our video episodes on YouTube.com Backslash Insights Into Things. Catch our audio versions on podcast insights into teen XCOM.

00:32:19:13 – 00:32:26:24
Michelle
Or on the Web at insights into things dot com. Oh.

00:32:33:23 – 00:32:35:10
Joseph
Go for entertainment news.

00:32:35:20 – 00:32:50:29
Michelle
So this story comes from The Hollywood Reporter and former Disney CEO Bob Iger in his first interview since stepping away from the executive chairman of the company, discuss the fate of movie theaters competing with Netflix and, yes, the Metaverse.

00:32:51:07 – 00:33:06:08
Michelle
In a conversation with The New York Times Kara Swisher, he says, Because I’m not working for Disney, I’m liberated. I can say anything about anybody, he joked during the conversation, adding that he was reluctant to single anyone out.

00:33:06:18 – 00:33:22:25
Michelle
However, he did have frank thoughts on the fate of movie theaters, which he believes will be permanently altered by the pandemic and the rise of streaming services. He said I don’t think it’s the death of theatrical movies. I think it is in a severe.

00:33:22:25 – 00:33:44:22
Michelle
It is severe injury that maybe doesn’t heal, not a not fatal to some. He said that, adding that the consumers will be much more discerning about what movies they want to see out of the home. He said I think what you are going to see is far fewer films released for the big screen.

00:33:45:22 – 00:34:01:05
Michelle
Iger also addressed the rise of streaming and the push to get Disney into the space with Disney Plus. But he also discussed an epiphany that he had regarding Netflix, which at one point had the streaming rights to Disney films.

00:34:01:13 – 00:34:15:23
Michelle
He said they were helping to build the flat platform on the back of our movies. They deserve a lot of credit, he said. I woke up one day and thought, we’re basically selling nuclear weapons technology to a third World country, and now they’re using it against us.

00:34:16:06 – 00:34:35:01
Michelle
So Iger and Disney took back those rights and sought to create a new war chest of IP. And when Rupert? Rupert Murdoch called Iger and discussed selling Fox’s entertainment assets, Iger knew that the deal would be necessary to be competitive in a streaming space.

00:34:35:12 – 00:34:51:21
Michelle
He said, I was thinking at the time knowing that we’re going to launch Disney Plus and enter the streaming business and this if we had National Geographic and the simple Simpsons and Avatar and the whole library that we would have a scale to compete.

00:34:52:08 – 00:35:16:29
Michelle
But he also expressed pessimism about big technology companies successfully competing with firms like Disney, despite their significant income investment in content. He said there’s no question that deep pocketed technology companies Apple being a great example and Amazon being another have figured out that if they have great intellectual property, if they can get great stories, it’ll help their

00:35:16:29 – 00:35:38:29
Michelle
business. He goes, I don’t want to suggest that Apple or Amazon’s entertainment divisions are loss leader businesses, but they are in those businesses for other reasons. But as the tech world shifts towards the next phase of the internet, which some are calling the metaverse and what Iger calls internet 3.0, he believes that Disney has a critical piece

00:35:38:29 – 00:36:00:04
Michelle
of the puzzle. He said to survive an internet 3.0 world, you need to have some really compelling intellectual properties. I think that Internet 3.0 will definitely be a more compelling experience, certainly more immersive and dimensional. There will be a lot to think in terms of a future.

00:36:00:06 – 00:36:14:29
Michelle
Call it a metaverse. I don’t think there will be one metaverse. It’ll be dispersive. You may have an avatar that you can go all over the place, and I think that it will likely to develop into something real as an experience.

00:36:15:10 – 00:36:31:18
Michelle
However, he acknowledges that the toxic culture on platforms like Twitter and Facebook could only become worse in the hypothetical future. He said I’m thinking about telling my kids that they should think about creating technology tools for modernizing behavior and internet.

00:36:31:18 – 00:36:55:01
Michelle
3.0. Something Disney should think about as it talks about creating a metaverse themselves is moderating and monitoring behavior. As he discussed his final board retreat where The Hollywood Reporter’s Kim Masters reported that he implored those in attendance to not become too reliant.

00:36:55:04 – 00:37:11:10
Michelle
Thank you, sorry, relying on data. His successor, Bob Iger has learned, leaned on data for his decision making through a memo earlier this month that talked about the storytelling experience. That was one of the stories we talked about the other.

00:37:12:17 – 00:37:12:23
Michelle
A.

00:37:12:23 – 00:37:27:08
Michelle
Couple of weeks ago and is that in a world of business that there’s awash with data and it is tempting to use data to answer all of your questions, including creative questions. But he urges everybody not to use it.

00:37:28:02 – 00:37:46:12
Michelle
Acknowledging the accuracy of the comments to Swisher, Iger, Iger. Leaned on expanded I’m sorry on those thoughts, saying that while it is useful to find out what people like about something after the fact, creative decisions still need to be made based on some level of instinct.

00:37:47:01 – 00:38:05:05
Michelle
If we had tried to mine all the data that we had at the time to determine whether we should make a superhero movie that was about an authentically afro futuristic world with a black cast, the data would have said not to do it, and Black Panther would have never been made.

00:38:05:26 – 00:38:17:23
Joseph
And you know, he he hits on a number of interesting insights here. Hmm. But the one where he talks about Netflix taking their intellectual property as being selling to a third World country?

00:38:17:24 – 00:38:18:05
Michelle
Right?

00:38:18:16 – 00:38:23:04
Joseph
That was a conscious decision that Disney made because he saw dollar figure, right?

00:38:23:04 – 00:38:23:27
Michelle
Because they didn’t.

00:38:23:27 – 00:38:32:12
Joseph
They didn’t have a platform to release and they were still releasing all their stuff selectively through their Disney Vault program. Right on DVD.

00:38:32:15 – 00:38:32:27
Michelle
Right.

00:38:33:08 – 00:38:36:18
Joseph
And Netflix came in, offered them a boatload of money.

00:38:36:23 – 00:38:39:17
Michelle
And it was like, OK, OK. Right? Yeah.

00:38:39:26 – 00:38:50:15
Joseph
So yeah, you were selling nukes to a third World country because you were a bunch of money grubbing people that wanted the cash for it.

00:38:50:15 – 00:38:51:10
Michelle
Right, right.

00:38:51:13 – 00:38:54:05
Joseph
You know, had you taken a step back and been innovative.

00:38:54:22 – 00:38:56:14
Michelle
And decided to start something.

00:38:56:15 – 00:38:57:26
Michelle
And then.

00:38:57:26 – 00:39:06:05
Joseph
Waited two years, build out your own thing and then put it out there, then you could have capitalized on all of it. But instead, they wanted their cake and they wanted to eat it too well.

00:39:06:05 – 00:39:11:27
Michelle
And also at the time, Netflix was, you know, back in the day you were actually getting DVDs in the mail.

00:39:11:29 – 00:39:13:01
Michelle
That’s right. That’s true.

00:39:13:02 – 00:39:27:05
Michelle
So that was probably it was just, you know, at that point, probably Disney didn’t want to deal with that part of it. But as Netflix, you know, went to the streaming, yeah, that’s when they realized.

00:39:27:05 – 00:39:27:25
Michelle
Oh.

00:39:28:00 – 00:39:42:02
Joseph
His take on the Metaverse, though, is funny because Metta just took a huge drop in stocks. So much so that on paper, at least Mark Zuckerberg lost about $20 billion.

00:39:42:04 – 00:39:43:02
Michelle
Oh, poor thing.

00:39:43:17 – 00:39:59:06
Joseph
Stock drop based on their earnings because the first for the first time in the company’s history, they had fewer people that are decreasing number of people using it on a daily basis. I don’t know if this vision of the metaverse is really going to fly.

00:39:59:07 – 00:40:02:02
Joseph
It sounds a little too much Ready Player one style.

00:40:02:03 – 00:40:03:01
Michelle
Yeah, yeah.

00:40:03:01 – 00:40:10:12
Joseph
You know, futuristic to me that I don’t see that really being the direction that things like Disney are going to go.

00:40:10:14 – 00:40:21:09
Michelle
But look at Wally, like, that’s really where you know, where Wally kind of goes, you know, like they put so much into a metaverse.

00:40:21:09 – 00:40:21:28
Michelle
Really.

00:40:21:29 – 00:40:26:02
Michelle
You know, so they can see where it’s going, where they don’t want to.

00:40:26:09 – 00:40:27:05
Joseph
And I understand.

00:40:27:05 – 00:40:27:15
Michelle
Then.

00:40:27:15 – 00:40:38:26
Joseph
Yeah, the fact that we’ve made movies about the direction that we’re going, we’ve made movies about, you know, robots that turn on us and kill everyone, too, and we’re putting hellfire missiles on drones.

00:40:38:28 – 00:40:39:11
Michelle
Yeah. Well.

00:40:39:23 – 00:40:41:09
Joseph
So we don’t always learned our.

00:40:41:09 – 00:40:43:01
Michelle
Lesson on that. So, yeah.

00:40:44:08 – 00:40:45:13
Joseph
But his take on movie.

00:40:45:16 – 00:40:45:25
Michelle
I was.

00:40:45:25 – 00:41:06:14
Michelle
Just going to say the movie’s because we have been talking about that for years and especially with the pandemic. And you know, now you’re making it easier for people that don’t live near a movie theater because there are people that have to travel an hour or two hours to get to a movie theater, and now you’re giving

00:41:06:14 – 00:41:10:18
Michelle
them that experience. So now you’re opening up.

00:41:10:25 – 00:41:27:14
Joseph
Well, and the the going to a movie theater has its own drawbacks. There’s cost, there’s convenience, right? You know, it got to the point where movie theaters started putting in the reclining chairs because that’s what everyone had in their home theater, right to try to compete with home theaters, which I thought was hilarious.

00:41:27:14 – 00:41:28:18
Michelle
Right. But the thing is.

00:41:28:24 – 00:41:38:11
Joseph
People have home theaters at home, right? You can watch a movie on a, you know, a 70 and 75 inch 4K TV with.

00:41:38:24 – 00:41:40:11
Michelle
Surround surround sound.

00:41:40:11 – 00:41:42:03
Joseph
And it’s just like you’re at the theater.

00:41:42:03 – 00:41:42:19
Michelle
And.

00:41:42:19 – 00:41:44:17
Michelle
You can start the movie whenever.

00:41:44:17 – 00:41:45:11
Michelle
You want.

00:41:45:11 – 00:41:48:26
Joseph
To. And most importantly, you can watch an Avengers movie and Paul to.

00:41:48:27 – 00:41:50:26
Michelle
Go to go to the bathroom.

00:41:51:03 – 00:41:53:11
Michelle
And not have to miss credits or any.

00:41:53:12 – 00:42:05:22
Joseph
Right. And I can go get my own snacks are not paying $10 for a soda, and I’m not getting marked down. So there’s a lot of appeal outside of the pandemic for me to watch movies at home.

00:42:05:23 – 00:42:06:16
Michelle
Absolutely.

00:42:06:29 – 00:42:25:16
Joseph
And it’s going to take a lot for me to go watch a movie. There’s only a few movies that I really you really need to watch in theaters, right? And those movies look really good at home right now with my TV and my surround sound and my comfortable chair, and so it’s going to take a lot to

00:42:25:16 – 00:42:27:17
Joseph
incentivize me to go back in a movie theater.

00:42:27:18 – 00:42:28:09
Michelle
Right, right.

00:42:28:21 – 00:42:30:00
Joseph
So I think he’s, you know, you.

00:42:30:00 – 00:42:31:01
Michelle
Got to say what it was.

00:42:31:19 – 00:42:43:14
Michelle
And that was kind of why I put this in because it was touching on so many different aspects that we’ve all been talking about over, you know, the past couple of years or so.

00:42:43:14 – 00:43:03:13
Joseph
And he’s not a stupid man. He’s got enough experience under his belt. He’s a very intelligent individual and. He he can recognize the mistakes that he’s made and and where he could have gone differently. Mm hmm. And and I have a respect for people that can recognize their mistakes and learn from them.

00:43:03:14 – 00:43:06:09
Joseph
Mm-Hmm. I’m sadly, a lot of people can’t.

00:43:06:12 – 00:43:06:23
Michelle
Yeah.

00:43:07:23 – 00:43:10:09
Joseph
Speaking of mistakes. Let’s talk.

00:43:10:09 – 00:43:11:24
Michelle
About some.

00:43:11:24 – 00:43:14:09
Joseph
Drama that happened on The Masked Singer.

00:43:14:09 – 00:43:36:13
Michelle
So The Masked Singer judges Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong reportedly protested Rudy Giuliani’s participation in the Fox competition series. So, according to Deadline, The Masked Singer judges walked off the Fox set in protest last week after Donald Trump’s personal lawyer was unmasked.

00:43:36:24 – 00:43:56:02
Michelle
The outlet reported that their costars, Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy, remained on stage to speak with the politician, whose costume hasn’t been revealed yet. Following a brief break, Thicke and Jeong allegedly returned to the set and spoke with Giuliani.

00:43:56:13 – 00:44:17:26
Michelle
The upcoming upcoming season of The Masked Singer is themed The Good, The Bad and the Cuddly, with contestants costumes centered around one of the three descriptors. After news broke of Giuliani’s reported participation on the competition series, celebs took to social media to express their disdain.

00:44:18:09 – 00:44:44:22
Michelle
This is an incredibly disturbing stunt, two and a half, Men’s Men’s Jon Cryer tweeted. Rudy Giuliani helped to engineer a coup attempt. The producers of the show should be ashamed, added Seth Macfarlane. Anything for ratings, right? In January, Giuliani was subpoenaed by the House Committee investigating the January six, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to NBC News

00:44:44:29 – 00:45:05:08
Michelle
. The committee says Giuliani is one of the individuals who publicly promoted unsupported claims about the 2020 election and participated in attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of election results. This isn’t the first time that The Masked Singer has drawn backlash from their casting.

00:45:05:15 – 00:45:13:17
Michelle
In March of 2020, the show was criticized when former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was unmasked as the bear.

00:45:14:15 – 00:45:29:14
Joseph
Well, and she’s not do I really need the making a difference? I think they hit him on the head. Anything for the ratings, right? I’m not a fan of the show myself. I don’t I don’t watch the show.

00:45:29:15 – 00:45:33:02
Joseph
But, you know, kudos to these two judges for.

00:45:33:09 – 00:45:33:28
Michelle
For standing.

00:45:34:06 – 00:45:35:05
Joseph
Up, you know?

00:45:35:26 – 00:45:36:06
Michelle
Yeah.

00:45:36:23 – 00:45:43:26
Joseph
I don’t know what else to say about it other than it was a really bad taste and a stunt.

00:45:44:01 – 00:45:45:03
Michelle
Mm hmm. Yeah.

00:45:45:20 – 00:45:49:15
Joseph
So that was what we had for our entertainment news this week.

00:45:49:16 – 00:45:49:29
Michelle
Yup.

00:45:50:11 – 00:46:00:20
Joseph
We’ll be right back with our insightful picks of the week. Go for your insightful pick.

00:46:00:29 – 00:46:17:26
Michelle
So my insightful pick is from Netflix, and it is getting curious with Jonathan Van Ness. So Jonathan Van Ness, let’s curiosity lead the way while roving from snacks to wigs in his podcast spin off chock full of experts and special guests.

00:46:18:09 – 00:46:31:18
Michelle
The series is a spin off from the Queer Eye star’s podcast of the same name, in which Van Ness quite literally gets curious about a topic and then speaks to various guests about it. So Van Ness is clearly a star.

00:46:31:18 – 00:46:52:01
Michelle
The former hairdresser made his name, made their name when the extremely fun Game of Thrones online recaps and went on to become part of the Fab five on the updated and much improved Queer Eye Makeover series, which is always good for a cathartic cry and a renewed sense of faith in humanity.

00:46:52:09 – 00:47:11:00
Michelle
Vanessa is one of the participants often who opens up to usually while having their hair spreads. He’s very amicable, warm and an impressive interviewer, and gives you the impression of someone who genuinely wants to listen and learn. They are also excitable.

00:47:11:16 – 00:47:31:11
Michelle
All of this sets up for a host of all sorts magazine show. The show kind of reminds me also of the Jeff Goldblum the world, according to Jeff Goldblum on Disney Plus, which is part of Nat Geo, where there’s one topic and they kind of he kind of explores it.

00:47:31:20 – 00:47:47:15
Michelle
So, Jonathan, he’s he’s just a joy to watch in general, but the shows, they kind of go all over the place because the one episode was about bugs and, you know, and kind of giving you a little history on bugs.

00:47:47:15 – 00:48:02:28
Michelle
And then one was on snack foods and sugar and why we like sugary foods. And then one was on gender identity. So it went from, you know, bugs to gender identity, which was a really.

00:48:02:28 – 00:48:03:17
Michelle
Deep.

00:48:04:26 – 00:48:22:19
Michelle
Conversation to to have with with different individuals and different guests and stuff. So again, reminded me very much of the Jeff Goldblum show. There’s only, I think, eight episodes in there. I’ve only watched like four of them, about half our little shows.

00:48:22:26 – 00:48:30:13
Michelle
But if you’re a fan of Queer Eye, you probably love Jonathan. So this would be something you know for for you to watch, though.

00:48:30:17 – 00:48:31:11
Joseph
All right. Good. Big.

00:48:31:12 – 00:48:31:26
Michelle
Thank you.

00:48:37:29 – 00:48:57:20
Joseph
So my pick this week is The Walking Dead Origins on AMC. The Walking Dead Origins is a limited series of specials in The Walking Dead TV universe, exploring the journeys of the series, most celebrated characters spotlighting Daryl, Carol, Maggie and Negan.

00:48:57:21 – 00:49:16:29
Joseph
Each episode of The Walking Dead Origins charts the story of the zombie apocalypse from the point of view of a single character and features new interviews and narration from the actors to portray these iconic characters interwoven with clips from the most pivotal moments of their journey so far.

00:49:17:28 – 00:49:42:23
Joseph
Each episode will feature an exclusive sneak peek of season eleven as well. Accompanying each special will be a best of collection, featuring fan favorite episodes for each character. So the first one that we watched was the Darel Special, and it wasn’t any groundbreaking new footage or anything like that of the character, but it was very interesting seeing

00:49:43:26 – 00:49:49:01
Joseph
. The the actor who portrays the character actually walking you through the life cycle.

00:49:49:01 – 00:49:51:25
Michelle
Right, the evolution of him, yeah. And.

00:49:52:04 – 00:50:12:19
Joseph
You know, giving you insight to the emotions and the motivations and how they were feeling at a certain time and how the characters changed. Now a lot of that stuff is stuff you pick up watching the show, but hearing it from the actual person who is the the character was, I don’t know, it was.

00:50:12:24 – 00:50:30:17
Joseph
It was a very unique experience for me. Yeah. Typically, when you see actors do interviews, they don’t refer to themselves as the character, but they kind of will talk about the character and a third person type of perspective.

00:50:31:04 – 00:50:33:08
Joseph
And this was almost like a psychoanalysis.

00:50:33:10 – 00:50:36:15
Michelle
Yeah, yeah, it was. It was very well done.

00:50:36:15 – 00:50:58:18
Joseph
Yeah, it was. It was very interesting. It was very insightful and it was interesting the the parts of the overall story that they picked to highlight the pivotal moments in the character’s history. Mm-Hmm. So we’ve watched one, we have two more to watch that are out and then the magic one is the last.

00:50:58:19 – 00:51:05:08
Joseph
Mm-Hmm. But definitely enough to whet your appetite before it comes back because it comes back this this month.

00:51:06:04 – 00:51:06:14
Michelle
Yeah.

00:51:06:14 – 00:51:10:29
Joseph
And February number this one. So it’s kind of a nice to get you back into that swing of things.

00:51:10:29 – 00:51:24:26
Michelle
Yeah. And it was interesting, especially with the Daryl one for anybody that’s been watching it for however many you know for so many years is to see how his arc has totally shifted because he was like, this complete.

00:51:24:29 – 00:51:26:22
Joseph
And to see how his hair is changed.

00:51:27:16 – 00:51:28:23
Michelle
And see how young he.

00:51:28:23 – 00:51:37:08
Michelle
Was and how you know how he’s aged, you know, even just looking at Negan in the flashbacks and stuff, and it was.

00:51:37:08 – 00:51:41:18
Michelle
Like, Wow, everybody is really changed.

00:51:41:18 – 00:51:45:09
Michelle
So much so yeah, some of it’s makeup and some of it’s, you know, but.

00:51:45:27 – 00:51:46:04
Michelle
What’s.

00:51:46:04 – 00:51:49:11
Joseph
Funny is, you know, I got in The Walking Dead, you got.

00:51:49:11 – 00:51:49:20
Michelle
Into it.

00:51:50:14 – 00:51:53:06
Joseph
And I started watching. I was in season seven or.

00:51:53:08 – 00:51:53:26
Michelle
Right or.

00:51:53:26 – 00:51:56:08
Joseph
Whatever. And then I went back and I binge watched.

00:51:56:11 – 00:51:57:11
Michelle
Everything from the beginning.

00:51:57:11 – 00:52:00:11
Joseph
Everything from the beginning. Over the course of two months.

00:52:00:12 – 00:52:00:21
Michelle
Yeah.

00:52:01:07 – 00:52:05:15
Joseph
Which was a lot of pressure. The wandering season.

00:52:05:27 – 00:52:07:26
Michelle
Yeah, yeah, that was a bad year.

00:52:08:13 – 00:52:15:11
Joseph
But it was interesting because I could see that character development.

00:52:15:13 – 00:52:15:22
Michelle
Right.

00:52:15:22 – 00:52:19:26
Joseph
Over that short span where I don’t think I would have seen nearly.

00:52:19:29 – 00:52:20:08
Michelle
That.

00:52:20:08 – 00:52:20:18
Joseph
Kind of.

00:52:20:18 – 00:52:21:23
Michelle
Conversion. And that was.

00:52:21:23 – 00:52:32:18
Michelle
The thing, because for us watching this, we were watching it as two different, you know, you were watching it as somebody that like, Oh yeah, I remember seeing that that all happened within.

00:52:32:18 – 00:52:36:01
Michelle
You know, the the two weeks that I watched.

00:52:36:01 – 00:52:38:18
Michelle
It, where for me, that was like three.

00:52:38:18 – 00:52:40:12
Michelle
Years worth where.

00:52:40:12 – 00:52:48:24
Michelle
I’m like, Oh, yeah, I remember that. Oh, OK, you know, like stuff that I, I know happened, but I don’t remember it as well as you do.

00:52:48:24 – 00:52:51:26
Michelle
Because you’re more recent. And that’s why watching it.

00:52:52:10 – 00:53:03:23
Joseph
Is God, they really dragged things out. Like, there’s a story arc that takes an entire season that you could have got done in two episodes. You can cut all the other wandering.

00:53:03:23 – 00:53:05:19
Michelle
Stuff, right? Right, where like.

00:53:06:15 – 00:53:08:11
Michelle
You don’t have the same sympathy.

00:53:08:18 – 00:53:12:27
Michelle
Because I had to go through all year and I went to that.

00:53:12:27 – 00:53:14:25
Joseph
Watching this show if I had to do that.

00:53:14:29 – 00:53:23:26
Michelle
And that’s the thing too, is there were a lot of people at certain points that gave up on the show that were die hards from the beginning and then certain things that happen.

00:53:23:27 – 00:53:24:11
Michelle
If I.

00:53:24:11 – 00:53:38:26
Joseph
Had to go. And I think it was season three where it was the 101. If I had to go through that week to week and not have the story move at all. Oh my God, I would have quit midway through that season, started watching.

00:53:39:03 – 00:53:39:25
Joseph
I was agonizing.

00:53:39:26 – 00:53:40:05
Michelle
Yeah.

00:53:40:20 – 00:53:47:06
Joseph
The only way it made it even close to being bearable is that I got to get that entire season done inside of one week.

00:53:47:08 – 00:53:49:16
Michelle
And then to know that you had a better.

00:53:49:16 – 00:53:51:04
Michelle
Seats. Yeah, yeah.

00:53:51:21 – 00:53:59:09
Joseph
So anyway, so that’s that’s what I was watching recently was Walking Dead Origins.

00:53:59:09 – 00:54:00:02
Michelle
Good pick.

00:54:00:03 – 00:54:09:14
Joseph
AMC. So we’ll be right back with ORIENTER thoughts. So what do we have for afterthoughts.

00:54:09:14 – 00:54:34:03
Michelle
So coming up the end of February, February 27th is a nerd fest, which is part of Jersey Shore comic book show. The event will take place at the Holiday Inn in Swede’s Borough, New Jersey, on February 27th. It’ll be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $5.

00:54:34:08 – 00:54:54:26
Michelle
Kids twelve and under are free with a paying adult. There is a free parking. They will be featuring artists, vendors, comics, anime toys, funcoes, non-sports cards, crafts, Pokemon cosplay, face painting, interactive activities, collectibles and more.

00:54:55:11 – 00:54:58:08
Joseph
Would more include a better website Cajal website.

00:54:58:14 – 00:55:00:24
Michelle
Yeah, their website is not.

00:55:01:00 – 00:55:01:24
Joseph
This is.

00:55:01:28 – 00:55:04:09
Michelle
Yeah, come on. But the good.

00:55:04:09 – 00:55:07:16
Michelle
Thing is their vendors.

00:55:07:16 – 00:55:08:11
Michelle
Are.

00:55:08:26 – 00:55:12:29
Michelle
Already sold out. There’s no so that leads me to believe.

00:55:12:29 – 00:55:16:06
Joseph
And maybe, maybe if it’s that successful, they can pay someone to do this.

00:55:16:06 – 00:55:17:00
Michelle
Website for.

00:55:17:01 – 00:55:27:26
Michelle
More. Maybe you can send them an email and say, Hey, yeah. They also have another one that we’ll talk about, probably in a couple of weeks. That’s in April. Okay, so what else?

00:55:27:26 – 00:55:28:05
Joseph
We got.

00:55:28:05 – 00:55:28:18
Michelle
one more.

00:55:28:19 – 00:55:29:24
Michelle
So then, of course, your.

00:55:29:24 – 00:55:30:18
Michelle
Favorite.

00:55:30:22 – 00:55:31:25
Joseph
Zone, OK?

00:55:33:17 – 00:55:51:06
Michelle
And that is March fifth and sixth. General admission on Saturday is $15 and $5 for children on Sunday. General admission is $10 and children are free. See, I went back and.

00:55:51:07 – 00:55:52:03
Michelle
Updated that.

00:55:52:06 – 00:55:52:22
Joseph
We met with.

00:55:52:23 – 00:55:53:06
Michelle
Our kids.

00:55:53:20 – 00:56:05:26
Michelle
This one is held in Warminster, Pennsylvania, at our one of probably our favorite locations for any event. Unfortunately, we’ve never gone to anything besides Zillow.com.

00:56:05:26 – 00:56:12:23
Joseph
And here it is The Fuge family Brewster Aviacion. If you want to look that one up, there you go.

00:56:12:23 – 00:56:17:08
Michelle
I knew you were going to be a good source of information for that historical nerd.

00:56:17:13 – 00:56:20:20
Joseph
Yes. Well, I have an entire episode of insights in the history on it.

00:56:20:20 – 00:56:23:07
Michelle
So right? Hey, insights into history.

00:56:23:07 – 00:56:27:08
Joseph
Yeah, I’ve had I have to. You have to produce them.

00:56:27:13 – 00:56:28:09
Michelle
Yeah, yeah.

00:56:29:01 – 00:56:47:07
Joseph
Anyway, that’s all we had for today. Before we do go, I do want to bug you once again to subscribe to the podcast. You can subscribe to audio versions of this podcast listed as insights into entertainment. VIDEO Versions of all of our podcasts can be found listed as insights into things.

00:56:47:26 – 00:56:56:05
Joseph
We’re on Pandora, Castro, Stitcher, Pod, Bien Bus, Brown, Amazon on iHeartRadio, et cetera, et cetera. I never get to the whole list.

00:56:56:07 – 00:56:56:20
Michelle
Yeah, know.

00:56:57:18 – 00:57:09:16
Joseph
I would also invite you to email us at or reach out to us. Give us your feedback. Give us your own conventions you want us to plug. You can email us at comments and insights into things dot com.

00:57:09:17 – 00:57:14:14
Michelle
You can find us on Twitter at twitter.com. Backslash Insights Underscore Things.

00:57:14:14 – 00:57:14:21
Michelle
We’re.

00:57:14:21 – 00:57:17:17
Joseph
On YouTube at youtube.com slash insight into.

00:57:17:17 – 00:57:18:04
Michelle
Things.

00:57:18:04 – 00:57:23:10
Michelle
You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com Backslash Insights Into Things podcast.

00:57:23:11 – 00:57:28:09
Joseph
We are on Twitch five days a week streaming at Twitch Dot TV’s Slash Insights into things.

00:57:28:10 – 00:57:33:11
Michelle
You can find us on Instagram at instagram.com. Backslash Insights Into Things.

00:57:33:11 – 00:57:39:24
Joseph
You can also find video versions of this podcast listeners podcast and insights into things dot com.

00:57:39:29 – 00:57:49:05
Michelle
And you can just go to our official website to find all of this information that we just went over at insights into things dot com.

00:57:49:05 – 00:57:50:22
Joseph
And that’s it. Another one in the books.

00:57:50:22 – 00:57:51:27
Michelle
Have a good week, everyone.

00:57:51:28 – 00:57:52:27
Michelle
Bye bye.