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Futurama Star Billy West Answers Slashdot Questions
So. You had some brilliant, whacky, and insightful questions for Futurama star Billy West last week. Today we have his brilliant, whacky, and insightful answers. Thanks go to long-time Slashdot reader Kevin Day for arranging the interview, but the real thanks goes to Billy, who was so excited about doing this that he and I ended up talking about Slashdot via cell phone -- and he caught me while I was at a local lumberyard, thinking about plywood, not Slashdot or Futurama. I wish I'd recorded the conversation. It was totally surreal. But reading Billy's answers -- and using your imagination -- will give you a good idea of what it was like. :)
1) Question number plz99
(Score:5, Interesting)
by ak_hepcat
Who are some of your favorite voice actors to work with, obviously not limited to just the Futurama cast, and what are your favorite moments or stories with them?
Billy: I love the group of voice actors I'm privileged to work with every day. I don't give a shit what ANYONE says -- these people are all trained actors. The best I've ever seen. I will get back to the question after this not so brief announcement. Celebrities are not superlatives in our field of expertise. If celebrities that are schnoring in on our field started out trying to do what we do and were held to the standards we started out upholding, a great many of them would've never made it. It's easy for a celebrity to audition for a character who looks and sounds just like him or her. Now the studio creates characters based upon who they had in mind for the role in the first place, like a rigged fight. There is no magic, no transformation or sonic alchemy, no voices we've never heard before and no chance for most journeymen who are voice artisans to work in animated features. The general consensus is "Why?" Kids and adults pay no mind to whether Brad Pitt, David Schwimmer or Spade or Will Smith is blessing the project with their "magic" talent. For the characters they play, it could be my brother in law or the plumber. It is what it is and it will never change. This is because the folks in question know that every other huge movie is now a CGI movie. It eliminates the need for on-camera performers including stars and celebrities. Being a star or celeb does not equal the God-given gifts of those in the real craft. I'm waiting for the professional athletes to "eminent domain" us. But in general, I enjoy and respect these folks at the work they do best.
Now, back to our originally scheduled question!
All of the VO's (the usual subjects) I get to play with ARE my favorites. Every day one of us raises the bar and inspires everyone else, I think. I don't ever want to stop learning or getting better. I learn every day from all my peers. Women and men. Their unique and perfectly defined voice characterizations leave me in amazement. Most can do impressions if they are called upon to perform sound-a-likes, craft original characters with upwards of hundreds of personalities and sounds. Don't forget about killer instincts. I witness it everyday.
Fave moments--
When I was doing Futurama we'd be recording and it was so hard to continue once because John Di Maggio couldn't stop bursting out into laugher every half hour or so. He'd get hung up on something wickedly funny from the script and it would set him off. Matt G. and David X enjoyed it even when I plunged in and started my nonsense riffing. We had to be shushed repeatedly. Then all in the room would start up at some point later when the "call-back to the joke fever" set in. It was so funny to see John in the corner of the room with his bead buried in a pillow so his thunderous guffawing couldn't be heard! Too many stories to mention...
2) Re:Question number plz99
(Score:5, Interesting)
by dr_dank
This leads to a bigger question: does Billy actually get to work with his castmates? Especially on an ensamble show like the Simpsons, its extremely common to have voice actors record their bits at different studios or at different times of day.
When the cast of the Simpsons did "Inside the Actors Studio" a couple of years ago, they joked that that was one of the few times in the run of the series that the cast was all in the same room together at the same time. --
Billy: In a cartoon show we work with almost all the actors and sometimes the whole cast would be present. There are exceptions when people have other work or time constraints that keep them from being at the session. Sometimes they will work with one or two actors to play scenes off each other and sometimes a performer records solo.
I have a question. If all the Simpsons could show up for the "Actors Studio" with no problem, why couldn't they......... I'm just being silly.
3) Well...
(Score:5, Interesting)
by Black Parrot
Leela or Amy?
Billy: Leela. She has more sweater meat than Amy. Uh..I think. That was Fry not me!
4) Hank vs. Billy
(Score:5, Funny)
by Lev13than
In a cage match of you vs. Hank Azaria, who would win? How about your characters vs. Hank's characters? What if it was in jello instead of a cage?
Billy: I know that would be FUN! Can you imagine me and Hank in a cage pissing circles around each other with voices? Yeow!
5) New Series: Writers
(Score:5, Interesting)
by justinstreufert
Billy --
We've heard a lot about the original voice actors who are returning to Futurama. This is great, and I believe it is absolutely essential to the success of the new season. However, what about the other staff? Are the writers of the Fox episodes returning for the new season? Is there anyone who isn't coming back to the show who you'll miss?
Thanks! Can't wait for the new season!! Can I be cryogenically frozen until 2008?
Billy: Outside of the voices, I don't know if ALL the writers and artists are on board, but I'm guessing most of them are.
Greetings from the year 3000. It still sucks! BTW you can be cryogenically frozen. Walt Disney was. They trot him out every year for "Disney on Ice."
6) "Pirates"
(Score:5, Interesting)
by TheRequiem13
How you you (not your employers) feel about consumers downloading episodes of Futurama and watching them on their personal computers or portable media player of choice?
In particular, I mean those that pay for cable TV, but don't enjoy being bombarded with ads interupting the shows every 5 minutes, and find major network schedules highly restrictive.
Billy: I was always poor, but I was pretty much raised to try to pay for everything that I wanted and don't recall ever conscientiously wanting something for nothing. Of course, it depends on an individual's situation. We're all in the same boat no matter what happens. We all wish on the same stars. I do know that a lot of advantages in technology are spurred forward as an answer to a company's perceived infringement on their product. Then there's another advance to make the former technology obsolete and on and on. But you will ALWAYS have to buy SOMETHING no matter how you feel about it. Unless you're just a dyed in the wool crook. I always hope everyone finds their happiness in a way that hurts no one. Thanks for your question.
7) Writing
(Score:5, Interesting)
by captnitro
Do/did you ever get to work with the writers on material, or improvise something on your own that makes it into the show? It seems like separating the inherent humor of many of the voices (Zoidberg comes to mind) and the way they speak, and the written material itself, would be hard.
Billy: I don't work as a writer along with the writers on the show. But I do offer ad-libs or different ways of talking for the characters. That's easy for me to do. I just want to bring as much to the table as possible. We all do.
8) The Web
(Score:5, Interesting)
by ThePolkapunk
You're one of the few actors I know of with a web site that includes the actor's involvement. How important do you think this has been in your career and continued fame? Do you think this will become important for all successful actors to have?
How important do you feel the internet has been in the success of Futurama? I know there are tons of references to fan postings and web sites on the Futurama DVDs. Do you think Futurama episodes online contributed to the continuing success of Futurama after it was cancelled? I'm sure there are plenty of people who weren't significantly exposed to Futurama until the episodes began making their way online...
Billy: I wanted to be able to talk to everyone that was into what I do. My guests are very smart, not war-like or malcontents, they're funny and imaginative and great people in general. I post all the time. I have never posted on anyone else's website ever. My page is where I say what I want to say. Every now and then a sniper from the Internet's grassy knoll breezes in, barges onto my site, takes a dump on the carpet and runs. "Just because."
I hate to say it, but it's mostly a very FEW 1st, 2nd or 3rd time posters. They show up with a full metal jacket of either a Howard Stern agenda or a Ren and Stimpy agenda. This tiny group of people harasses me about the Stern show and the time I spent there. It began 13 years ago and ended 10 years ago. I'm all done there. Most folks from the Stern groups thank me for making them laugh back then, and for that I am forever grateful to them. All I did for ten years was explain over and over why I left. Same thing with a very FEW but active spastic dogs with an R&S boner that came on basically to pick a fight with me.
I won't take any shit from anyone, but they would also attack my guests trying to get to me. I was very upset over that aberrant behavior. I can tell an innocent post from a loaded one. What do you think I am? Iggorrrent?
As far as the return of Futurama, I think it had everything to do with the Internet and the voluminous amount of fans around the world. That and the DVD sales. It was because of you all that the show is back!
Thank you for the question.
9) Futurama Flavored Humor
(Score:5, Interesting)
by eldavojohn
What exercises (if any) do you use to warm up your voice when you perform? Is it just something you're naturally good at or do you go through daily techniques and practicing like a musician or singer?
Billy: I never had any vocal training. I guess I was just a freak. I did things then the same way as I do now. With cosmic abandon. Think I share this with a lot of other VO's. I just found myself in the church chorus and in public school it was the glee club and school plays. I don't think a lot about it. It's in the head mostly and you try like the devil to replicate the sound that originates there. The voice somehow always finds new places to go to accommodate your ideas. There was a time when it was a little difficult to do the blood-curdling screams and those high pitched "genderless" voices. So I went to the best guy in the biz. Gary Catonah is a "voice-builder" who showed me the very precise vocal exercises to build up the little-used muscles around the throat. It was like a miracle! I wound up even better vocally than I'd ever seen before!
Little known fact: I did an entire season of Futurama with one vocal chord because the other one had constricted up into itself. I think it was collateral damage from a nasty, nasty flu I had caught. I saw a doctor and squared it away but it took a long time.
10) Your projects
(Score:5, Interesting)
by AiY
I saw something a few months back about a project you were trying to get off the ground called "Billy Bastard - Amateur Human Being." It sounded like a great premise and promised me something better than most television. Any updates? Air dates? General info?
Billy: Billy Bastard was what I was 21 years ago when I was cross-addicted to alcohol and cocaine. A very volatile mix.
I would wind up in the most bizarre situations and have NO recollection for the most part of what had gone down. I was a fierce rock n' roller and had just gotten into radio in Boston. I've been clean for 21 years now, but I had written down stuff that happened. It was tragic until I read it to a friend here and there. They would break up with laughter. To me it wasn't funny, but they reminded me that if it all happened to someone else -- I would be in hysterics as well.
I guess "Seinfeld" was pitched 100 times before someone saw a diamond on the floor and had the sense to pick it up.
A few people have seen the 11 minute pilot, but we couldn't work anything out so far. We'll keep pitching it until we meet the right folks for this.
Myself, Jim Gomez, Bill Wray and Dave Guppel believe in it strongly and I think it's really funny. My VO friends, the incomparable Jim Cumings, the mighty voice of Moe La Marche, and the facile and talented lightning in a bottle Rob Paulsen were so gracious to add their magic to this show.
I will always post relevant bulletins as to where we are with the project. I won't hold a press conference if I get a great meeting with someone.
11) Leave it at the beep
(Score:5, Funny)
by El_Smack
What's the message on your answering machine?
Billy: Ocean's 11...uh, I mean chapter 11--no!
I left witty little voices on my machine, but I would come home to 16 hang ups. Callers checking in and out just to hear the message and end the call. Nowadays it's just "Hi. Please leave a message" in a deep friendly disarming voice.
-----
Thanks for making this fun for me, guys,
B-dub
1) Question number plz99
(Score:5, Interesting)
by ak_hepcat
Who are some of your favorite voice actors to work with, obviously not limited to just the Futurama cast, and what are your favorite moments or stories with them?
Billy: I love the group of voice actors I'm privileged to work with every day. I don't give a shit what ANYONE says -- these people are all trained actors. The best I've ever seen. I will get back to the question after this not so brief announcement. Celebrities are not superlatives in our field of expertise. If celebrities that are schnoring in on our field started out trying to do what we do and were held to the standards we started out upholding, a great many of them would've never made it. It's easy for a celebrity to audition for a character who looks and sounds just like him or her. Now the studio creates characters based upon who they had in mind for the role in the first place, like a rigged fight. There is no magic, no transformation or sonic alchemy, no voices we've never heard before and no chance for most journeymen who are voice artisans to work in animated features. The general consensus is "Why?" Kids and adults pay no mind to whether Brad Pitt, David Schwimmer or Spade or Will Smith is blessing the project with their "magic" talent. For the characters they play, it could be my brother in law or the plumber. It is what it is and it will never change. This is because the folks in question know that every other huge movie is now a CGI movie. It eliminates the need for on-camera performers including stars and celebrities. Being a star or celeb does not equal the God-given gifts of those in the real craft. I'm waiting for the professional athletes to "eminent domain" us. But in general, I enjoy and respect these folks at the work they do best.
Now, back to our originally scheduled question!
All of the VO's (the usual subjects) I get to play with ARE my favorites. Every day one of us raises the bar and inspires everyone else, I think. I don't ever want to stop learning or getting better. I learn every day from all my peers. Women and men. Their unique and perfectly defined voice characterizations leave me in amazement. Most can do impressions if they are called upon to perform sound-a-likes, craft original characters with upwards of hundreds of personalities and sounds. Don't forget about killer instincts. I witness it everyday.
Fave moments--
When I was doing Futurama we'd be recording and it was so hard to continue once because John Di Maggio couldn't stop bursting out into laugher every half hour or so. He'd get hung up on something wickedly funny from the script and it would set him off. Matt G. and David X enjoyed it even when I plunged in and started my nonsense riffing. We had to be shushed repeatedly. Then all in the room would start up at some point later when the "call-back to the joke fever" set in. It was so funny to see John in the corner of the room with his bead buried in a pillow so his thunderous guffawing couldn't be heard! Too many stories to mention...
2) Re:Question number plz99
(Score:5, Interesting)
by dr_dank
This leads to a bigger question: does Billy actually get to work with his castmates? Especially on an ensamble show like the Simpsons, its extremely common to have voice actors record their bits at different studios or at different times of day.
When the cast of the Simpsons did "Inside the Actors Studio" a couple of years ago, they joked that that was one of the few times in the run of the series that the cast was all in the same room together at the same time. --
Billy: In a cartoon show we work with almost all the actors and sometimes the whole cast would be present. There are exceptions when people have other work or time constraints that keep them from being at the session. Sometimes they will work with one or two actors to play scenes off each other and sometimes a performer records solo.
I have a question. If all the Simpsons could show up for the "Actors Studio" with no problem, why couldn't they......... I'm just being silly.
3) Well...
(Score:5, Interesting)
by Black Parrot
Leela or Amy?
Billy: Leela. She has more sweater meat than Amy. Uh..I think. That was Fry not me!
4) Hank vs. Billy
(Score:5, Funny)
by Lev13than
In a cage match of you vs. Hank Azaria, who would win? How about your characters vs. Hank's characters? What if it was in jello instead of a cage?
Billy: I know that would be FUN! Can you imagine me and Hank in a cage pissing circles around each other with voices? Yeow!
5) New Series: Writers
(Score:5, Interesting)
by justinstreufert
Billy --
We've heard a lot about the original voice actors who are returning to Futurama. This is great, and I believe it is absolutely essential to the success of the new season. However, what about the other staff? Are the writers of the Fox episodes returning for the new season? Is there anyone who isn't coming back to the show who you'll miss?
Thanks! Can't wait for the new season!! Can I be cryogenically frozen until 2008?
Billy: Outside of the voices, I don't know if ALL the writers and artists are on board, but I'm guessing most of them are.
Greetings from the year 3000. It still sucks! BTW you can be cryogenically frozen. Walt Disney was. They trot him out every year for "Disney on Ice."
6) "Pirates"
(Score:5, Interesting)
by TheRequiem13
How you you (not your employers) feel about consumers downloading episodes of Futurama and watching them on their personal computers or portable media player of choice?
In particular, I mean those that pay for cable TV, but don't enjoy being bombarded with ads interupting the shows every 5 minutes, and find major network schedules highly restrictive.
Billy: I was always poor, but I was pretty much raised to try to pay for everything that I wanted and don't recall ever conscientiously wanting something for nothing. Of course, it depends on an individual's situation. We're all in the same boat no matter what happens. We all wish on the same stars. I do know that a lot of advantages in technology are spurred forward as an answer to a company's perceived infringement on their product. Then there's another advance to make the former technology obsolete and on and on. But you will ALWAYS have to buy SOMETHING no matter how you feel about it. Unless you're just a dyed in the wool crook. I always hope everyone finds their happiness in a way that hurts no one. Thanks for your question.
7) Writing
(Score:5, Interesting)
by captnitro
Do/did you ever get to work with the writers on material, or improvise something on your own that makes it into the show? It seems like separating the inherent humor of many of the voices (Zoidberg comes to mind) and the way they speak, and the written material itself, would be hard.
Billy: I don't work as a writer along with the writers on the show. But I do offer ad-libs or different ways of talking for the characters. That's easy for me to do. I just want to bring as much to the table as possible. We all do.
8) The Web
(Score:5, Interesting)
by ThePolkapunk
You're one of the few actors I know of with a web site that includes the actor's involvement. How important do you think this has been in your career and continued fame? Do you think this will become important for all successful actors to have?
How important do you feel the internet has been in the success of Futurama? I know there are tons of references to fan postings and web sites on the Futurama DVDs. Do you think Futurama episodes online contributed to the continuing success of Futurama after it was cancelled? I'm sure there are plenty of people who weren't significantly exposed to Futurama until the episodes began making their way online...
Billy: I wanted to be able to talk to everyone that was into what I do. My guests are very smart, not war-like or malcontents, they're funny and imaginative and great people in general. I post all the time. I have never posted on anyone else's website ever. My page is where I say what I want to say. Every now and then a sniper from the Internet's grassy knoll breezes in, barges onto my site, takes a dump on the carpet and runs. "Just because."
I hate to say it, but it's mostly a very FEW 1st, 2nd or 3rd time posters. They show up with a full metal jacket of either a Howard Stern agenda or a Ren and Stimpy agenda. This tiny group of people harasses me about the Stern show and the time I spent there. It began 13 years ago and ended 10 years ago. I'm all done there. Most folks from the Stern groups thank me for making them laugh back then, and for that I am forever grateful to them. All I did for ten years was explain over and over why I left. Same thing with a very FEW but active spastic dogs with an R&S boner that came on basically to pick a fight with me.
I won't take any shit from anyone, but they would also attack my guests trying to get to me. I was very upset over that aberrant behavior. I can tell an innocent post from a loaded one. What do you think I am? Iggorrrent?
As far as the return of Futurama, I think it had everything to do with the Internet and the voluminous amount of fans around the world. That and the DVD sales. It was because of you all that the show is back!
Thank you for the question.
9) Futurama Flavored Humor
(Score:5, Interesting)
by eldavojohn
What exercises (if any) do you use to warm up your voice when you perform? Is it just something you're naturally good at or do you go through daily techniques and practicing like a musician or singer?
Billy: I never had any vocal training. I guess I was just a freak. I did things then the same way as I do now. With cosmic abandon. Think I share this with a lot of other VO's. I just found myself in the church chorus and in public school it was the glee club and school plays. I don't think a lot about it. It's in the head mostly and you try like the devil to replicate the sound that originates there. The voice somehow always finds new places to go to accommodate your ideas. There was a time when it was a little difficult to do the blood-curdling screams and those high pitched "genderless" voices. So I went to the best guy in the biz. Gary Catonah is a "voice-builder" who showed me the very precise vocal exercises to build up the little-used muscles around the throat. It was like a miracle! I wound up even better vocally than I'd ever seen before!
Little known fact: I did an entire season of Futurama with one vocal chord because the other one had constricted up into itself. I think it was collateral damage from a nasty, nasty flu I had caught. I saw a doctor and squared it away but it took a long time.
10) Your projects
(Score:5, Interesting)
by AiY
I saw something a few months back about a project you were trying to get off the ground called "Billy Bastard - Amateur Human Being." It sounded like a great premise and promised me something better than most television. Any updates? Air dates? General info?
Billy: Billy Bastard was what I was 21 years ago when I was cross-addicted to alcohol and cocaine. A very volatile mix.
I would wind up in the most bizarre situations and have NO recollection for the most part of what had gone down. I was a fierce rock n' roller and had just gotten into radio in Boston. I've been clean for 21 years now, but I had written down stuff that happened. It was tragic until I read it to a friend here and there. They would break up with laughter. To me it wasn't funny, but they reminded me that if it all happened to someone else -- I would be in hysterics as well.
I guess "Seinfeld" was pitched 100 times before someone saw a diamond on the floor and had the sense to pick it up.
A few people have seen the 11 minute pilot, but we couldn't work anything out so far. We'll keep pitching it until we meet the right folks for this.
Myself, Jim Gomez, Bill Wray and Dave Guppel believe in it strongly and I think it's really funny. My VO friends, the incomparable Jim Cumings, the mighty voice of Moe La Marche, and the facile and talented lightning in a bottle Rob Paulsen were so gracious to add their magic to this show.
I will always post relevant bulletins as to where we are with the project. I won't hold a press conference if I get a great meeting with someone.
11) Leave it at the beep
(Score:5, Funny)
by El_Smack
What's the message on your answering machine?
Billy: Ocean's 11...uh, I mean chapter 11--no!
I left witty little voices on my machine, but I would come home to 16 hang ups. Callers checking in and out just to hear the message and end the call. Nowadays it's just "Hi. Please leave a message" in a deep friendly disarming voice.
-----
Thanks for making this fun for me, guys,
B-dub
Your kid is going to be really messed up.
Remember, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction...
Why the fuck do you let your kid read Slashdot?
Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
Most of his voices sound like Billy West doing them. Mind, Mel Blanc had a lot of voices which were recognisably his, too, but Mel could do some voices I never knew were his.
Nice to see he has moved on and had success since the acrimonious Ren and Stimpy days.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
No, his kid now has a weapon to get a reaction out of his parents.
...But he seems kinda not all there. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking him, hell, maybe it makes him better at what he does. But I just get this sense that he does NOT think like me, in a way I don't normally get from reading interviews. Is it just me?
Keep an eye on what he's reading yourself.
Many thanks to Billy West for taking the time to do this, great read!
Bring on the return of Futurama..
if my kid is reading this then it might be a good idea to put a little disclaimer or warning on top of the article next time.
/. posts lately? You better ask Rob to put a disclaimer at the top of the entire /. site.
Have you read the
If you're concerned about your kid reading 'colorful' language, why in the world would you let it read slashdot? The only filtering going on here is what gets moderated below your viewing threshold. I can say any foul word I can think of and my post will be enshrined here for as long as slashdot lives (unless I quote scientologist scripture).
To quote St. Carlin:
"Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker"
"Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
When reading I heard Frye's voice in my head but the words weren't stupid. Kind of like this Onion article. Very weird.
The sweater meat comment made me feel at home again.
I thought letting your kid read /. was a good thing? Kinda like taking him to StarBucks for an $8 cappuchino. Makes him more sophisticated.
Billy plays a large part in Comic Book : The Movie (google for it), a mockumentary about bringing a comic book super hero to the big screen.
It's great watching him in this film, he comes of really quite sly and subtle in his humour, probably something that doesn't come across too well in print.
Of course, the Futurama DVD's with commentary including Billy West are just hilarious, oddly enough I'm watching Season 3 again right now.
What, you got something against tits?
(Personally, the only things I ever want to have against tits are my own body parts.)
While we're at it, "Fart, Turd, Twat". And the vilest obscenity of them all: "FCC".
Is that what it's supposed to be?
At my workplace, it's more like "for every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"...
How old is your kid?
:D
I have 4 brothers and sisters far younger than me (3, 4, 6 and 14) and they swear more than I ever do, and I am really good at it.
It's fun watching a 3 year old tell your Dad that he is a fucking wanker
Well done.
;)
Shame on you people who fell for it!
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Your kid reads Slashdot?? Him seeing the word "shit" is the least of your problems.
During the "Actors Studio" with the Simpsons, Julie Kavner (voice of Marge) stayed for only a brief time and mostly hid behind a Marge mask, not wanting her likeness to taint her cartoon and real-life acting persona. Mr. West has an understandable distaste for so-called celebs that barely have any acting talent to begin with that just have their voices added to animated features for the star power.
Is there a similar stigma on voice actors that only use their natural voices like Julie Kavner, not possessing a thousand voice talent like a Mel Blanc or June Foray?
Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
Well, put it on the scale and let us know how much it weighs. :)
Easiest way to keep them from having sex.
Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
Roblimo got wood while talking to Billy West.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
one thing that I think was missed a little about the issue of piracy is simply that if we don't watch it on their channel or buy the DVDs then they just won't make it any more. The damn networks like to mess around with scheduals to the extent that they kill the shows; when this happens it falls on the more hard-core fans to buy the dvds and vote with our wallets to get it back. Piracy seems to harm that effort at least.
*''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
The point isn't that some things, like Slashdot, are for adults. The point is: Think of the Children!
Avoid Missing Ball for High Score
That's one I've never heard before. Reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Marge gets implants and Lisa goes "Your endownment's bigger than Harvard's" (and it follows something like "and Lisa takes the cake for the best off the cuff remark")
Too bad I'm not at home, I'd upload the clip..
There is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men. -- Boondock Saints
I think you've misunderstood the way this works. He's already answered the questions we posted.
You're about a week late.
I went to an anime convention a couple of years ago and sat in on a Q/A session with 4 voice actors including Scott McNeil. All the actors, but especially Scott, were always joking around and doing their voices for no reason. It was awesome hearing the one guy say "I love fluffy bunnies" as Cobra Commander and Starscream!
I asked the actors, all anime seiyuus (voice actors), a similar question to the one stated here - what was their opinion of their productions being distributed for free around the internet? Scott said that he didn't care one bit because voice actors are paid a flat fee regardless of the popularity of the show. 2 of the actors who did voices for Dragonball Z agreed with this wholeheartedly.
I get the impression that all but the most high profile voice actors don't see a dime of merchandising fees or other collateral income. It's a shame because these people are very passionate about what they do. The 4 panelists stayed way later than they were supposed to because they loved answering questions. Some people got up on their chairs and peformed some of their own wacky voices and the panelists were very supportive and encouraged them to pursue their dreams. I have a huge respect for these actors - particularly Billy West who is incredibly talented - and I hope the studios realize how hardworking and dedicated they are and reimburse them accordingly.
My favorite curse word is actually G-d. Seriously, what single word has caused more problems and brought more pain and misery to more people?
*Prepares to be flamed*
If your kid is old enough to read that interview, then I guarantee you that the word "shit" has been in his vocabulary for some time.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
"Your kid reads Slashdot?? Him seeing the word "shit" is the least of your problems."
Especially when Aunt Doris comes to visit. Your little tyke comes out into the living room, and instead of singing "I'm a Little Teapot", he turns and happily shows everyone the new goatse trick he learned online.
Where were you when the voynix came?
Ask him why he left The Howard Stern Show
Billy: "All I did for ten years was explain over and over why I left."
I think he might be tired of answering that question now.
I'll probably be modded down for this...
ah, well if he wanted +5 Funny, he should ahve been...uh...Funny.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Oops, missed that one in the copy-&-paste.
"Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
If your bothering to download and watch every episode...
Isn't that by definition a hard core fan?
A casual fan wouldn't bother to go through all that trouble.
Whilst you are a bit of a troll, you hit upon something I pondered upon reading Congress May Add Record Requirements to MySpace here a couple of days ago.
Its that slashdot is a massive site with large readership and no protections for the younger people here.
Will slashdot and other similar communities be forced to comply with the logging requirements of a new law?
liqbase
because if you would sit and wait to download all the episodes it means that you at least like it to some extent... I would say that about 40-50% of the people who download all the episodes would have bought the dvds legally had they not have downloaded it. If you would not have done then fair enough... but if you watch it at least twice a week I would say chances are you would have paid up.
I think this is how I aviod the false logic of how every download is a lost sale.
*''I can't believe it's not a hyperlink.''
How, I'm curious, does one square "I'm not a hard core fan, sorry" with "I download every episode of Futurama for free?" Something seems off kilter. And of course the incredibly obvious answer to your question is, networks decide on the life or death of programs based on estimates of viewership, which can be accurately determined in only a few ways (nielsen ratings, or for cancelled shows, DVD sales). When you go, (and your million pals who have an equivalently overdeveloped sense of entitlement and concomitant lack of conscience), and download the episodes using another method, it does not indicate the true amount of audience desire for the show. I.e. you skewed the stats.
Thus, all of you who downloaded are not included in the number of people, from the network's perspective, of people who are interested in the show. That discrepancy can surely make the difference between a show whose future is secured and one who is doomed to scheduling hell and later cancellation, especially on networks like FOX whose programming execs are in fact nothing but trained number monkeys and don't understand other factors like show quality and artistic value when making determinations about cancellation.
For a person to download an episode that is a.) not avaiable in any other way, or b.) occasionally, because it was either the 'bestest episode evar' or he/she missed the showing, is one thing. Downloading a readily available series in toto is something else again. And while the /. crowd balks at calling the second theft for technical reasons, it is ethically equivalent as far as I can tell.
All the techniques ever used to make men moral have been themselves thoroughly immoral... (Nietzsche)
Please explain to me ... when I download every episode of Futurama for free,
how does this stop a hard-core fan from buying the DVD?
Better yet, please explain to me how it costs the show anything when I watch it at first-run, then download it for free, then still buy the DVD sets when they come out?
But it's close.
Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
"he damn networks like to mess around with scheduals to the extent that they kill the shows"
I couldn't agree more. I quit watching several shows (especially on FOX) because they kept changing the schedule. That means moving it by 1/2 hour or an hour, or not running the show one week so they could show the pilot for some new show. Sunday night used to be our FOX TV night, but the irregular schedules got so out of hand I quit watching entirely.
Part of being a "good consumer" of TV is being a drone right? Part of that is watching out of habit right? Fucking with the schedule really makes that hard.
I'm about to give up on some newer shows too because of this new idea to extend the season with occasional reruns mid-season. When that happens, I turn the TV off (what? you think I have an alternate show I watch weekly at the same time?). It also makes the time slot more "available" to other activities because there is some question as to weather I'll be watching the show at all on a given night.
Give me a good show at a regular time every week without fail, without slipping in reruns, and I'll glue my eyeballs to it regularly and catch all (most) those darn commercials like I'm supposed to. The only one I think lives up to that recently is 24 and they're on thin ice with the story lately.
If your bothering to download and watch every episode...
Isn't that by definition a hard core fan?
Most of them weren't that funny. If they show stayed cancelled I wouldn't have cried or lost sleep.
Seeing as it's being continued anyway I guess I could download the new episodes. I can't see how a few more downloads can hurt anyone? Who exactly is going to not buy the DVD just because I download some files from the net?
I'm genuinely curious as to who these people are. Who are they?
I'll probably be modded down for this...
Sure, but do you really want them to be still living with you in their 40s? Every action indeed...
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
because if you would sit and wait to download all the episodes it means that you at least like it to some extent...
Akchully, nowadays you can get operating systems with 'multitasking' so you can download files in the background whilst doing other things like listening to music, writing comments on Slashdot and even sleeping. (Though you don't need a multitasking operating system for the last one.)
I would say that about 40-50% of the people who download all the episodes would have bought the dvds legally had they not have downloaded it.
I would say that 65% think that buying all the DVDs costs far too much and is a complete waste of money. Plus I am no fan of CSS. If they removed that stupid waste of time called DRM and region encoding and reduced the price enough so that I can afford it and make it more funny I might consider buying it.
But probably not.
Just curious though, do you think that I in the 40-50% of people that would have bought it legally if I hadn't downloaded it?
Clue: I have never seen it on TV so if I hadn't downloaded it I would never have heard of it and I would have just skipped over this Slashdot story just like I do with the Firefly stories or whatever that film is called that you lot always go crazy about.
I'll probably be modded down for this...
Microsoft.
Sorry. It's
The media industry claim that 100% of piracy represents actual losses is nonsense. The opposite claim - that piracy represents 0% lost sales - is equally nonsense. If full-season downloads weren't available, a good chunk of the people who liked the show enough to download everything would probably have bought the DVDs instead.
I'm scared of numbers that can't be written as a fraction. It's an irrational fear.
Think it would be great - after hearing the recording goofs portion - to have a video reel of the recording session outtakes included on the DVD extras on the next Futurama compilation?
With John DiMaggio's high energy it sounds like it would be quite a hoot.
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
Perhaps if you watch it at least twice a week, but in my experience downloading definitely leads to sales. I caught Dead Like Me, an excellent show that was originally on Showtime, on HDNet recently, and I liked it enough that I downloaded the two seasons. After watching them, I bought the DVDs. There is no way I would have invested $90 on a show I had only seen once, and HDNet doesn't seem to show them in order so the continuity of the show (which is important for this series) would have been thrown off if I had tried to watch them on TV. The irony of the situation was not lost on me when I skipped over the MPAA's anti-piracy ad on the DVDs.
If full-season downloads weren't available, a good chunk of the people who liked the show enough to download everything would probably have bought the DVDs instead.
Not me though. Sorry. I don't buy DRM any more after getting bitten twice and ending up with many unusable pieces of plastic (including one DVD drive that is now locked into the wrong region for the majority of the DVDs I have). They aren't fooling me three times.
Downloading from the internet is far, far easier. I wouldn't use their DVDs if they paid me. It's not worth my time to mess about circumventing DRM so that I can play content I have purchased.
Now give me a way to buy DRM-free content from the internet at a reasonable price, and I'm willing to negotiate. It's never going to happen though. Not while the sheeple are willing to pay $20 and upwards for all the DRM you can fit on a disc.
I'll probably be modded down for this...
So.. are you saying that you should not pay for art you enjoy?
BTW, the price of ad-supported TV isn't for you to buy something advertised. They only ask that you watch the commercials. It seems a reasonable trade to me and if it didn't, there's always the option of buying the series on DVD. Heck, FFW might even be ok depending on how the advertising campaign is designed, but even if it isn't, and he does, humans are flawed. We sin. Committing a sin, no matter how easy it is to do, doesn't make it any less sinful.
Can you be Even More Awesome?!
I took the comment to mean that you always buy something -- whether the HiDef screen, the HD-DVD or Blu-Ray drive, the speakers, the portable media player, the discs or tapes or what. Only dyed-in-the-wool crooks nick everything. You're not nicking TV by watching its adverts and not spending money on advertised products -- your money's already been spent on the equipment and license to watch the TV shows (whether a subscription, pay-per-view or year-long license).
I didn't realize you were that oblivious to the answer to this question. The answer is, of course, YOU! If people enjoy a show at all, buy it! Show support, because the show is cancelled otherwise.
I'm guessing he probably pays for cable.
Yes, it's friggin' theft. Don't give me the "but they still have it" nonsense. You want it, they're willing to sell it to you, you take it for free against their wishes --> theft.
:-P
Nice try, nearly slipped that one under the radar. But it should have read:
You want it, they're willing to sell it to you, you copy it for free against their wishes --> copyright infringement.
There, I fixed your errors. Much better.
I know that both are illegal so what difference does it make what you call it? Surely crime is crime?
Well think of it like this... what if you went 5 miles per hour over the speed limit and I decided to call you a murderer?
Or if you took hash socially once at a party, I could start calling you a drug dealer, because both are crimes. What the heck I might as well call you a baby rapist too just for the fun of it. After all, it's just crimes and crimes. All the same.
Oh wait, you are probably one of those whiter than white people that has never ever commited a crime so you probably wouldn't understand the analogy. Forget it...
I'll probably be modded down for this...
I don't personally see anything wrong with this. You are just impatient, and I've been like that too. The company has made its money off of you. You are now in the deciding statistic, so no problems there from what I can see. I get things for free often, by the way, but never something I would have bought instead. Its like those things that you would love to have, but would never buy for yourself.
great voice actor, no doubt, but hearing Fry (with a slight twist) pitching a promotion for Old Navy's mascot contest was a little weird.
I don't think "tits" is on the list anymore (at least after 9 PM, 8 Central), and neither is "piss". I'm betting on "shit" being the next one of the "Seven Words" to become acceptable on commercial TV.
Besides, Carlin himself never claimed the list was canonical. It was just seven he picked on which to riff.
"How perfectly Goddamn delightful it all is, to be sure" Charles Crumb
"So.. are you saying that you should not pay for art you enjoy?"
No, I pay for art that a purchase... but yes, I enjoy art for free at museums and churches all the time. I know this is not 'totally free', but I don't directly pay for the experience. I also listen to music on the radio and switch the station whenever there is an ad. Guess my worst sin would be have to get up and taking a leak whenever there is a commercial *break* during a 'free' TV show like Futurama. Must be why I don't have any Honey-Nut Cheerios or M&Ms in my cupboards.
As if your kid hasn't already heard you say "shit" a million times infront of him/her.
.. etc
"Shit, I'm late for work.", "Shit! I just dropped a piano on my toe."
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
I will watch the debut of a new episode on 'the air' with commercials and all. Then I download that episode so I can watch it again when I want. Once the DVD is released, I buy that and toss my inferior no-commentary DVDs that I burned.
Seems fair to me.
Blar.
I'd buy the DVDs (I haven't downloaded them either) if they weren't so damn expensive. Why can't they lower the price or do they think only hardcore fans would buy them anyway and they'll pay whatever we charge. I think they'd sell more if they cut the cost a bit.
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
Because he doesn't give a shit about his kids seeing the word "shit" when they read this shit.
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
Holy crap it's times like these I wish we could mod up to 11.
<xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>
Not a single person asked him what the future is really like..
Shame on you, Shame on all of you.... and your children.
God Be Gone
If you truely wanted to boycott all things DRM you should not buy the product as well as use/watch it.
Phil Hendrie.
That's all you'll ever need to know.
I'm NOT saying they're greedy, etc., just recognizing the fact that funny voices by themselves don't buy much in the way of groceries.
Because these guys are close to the poverty line? If they would work for ordinary salaries there would be no difficulty in getting the money back.
Or if they made the product better so that people want to buy it, they get more sales.
Look at Microsoft. They are doing OK despite "theft" / "sharing" or whatever word you want to use.
People like boxes. They like collecting. They love supporting the artist even if it means buying into DRM. If people aren't buying their product then they must be doing something seriously wrong. I'm sure other professionals will be very eager to fill the hole they will leave when they give up. It is a free market after all.
Rather than putting your head in the sand and pretending copying won't happen, ask yourself why aren't the so called hard-core fans buying Futurama? What are they doing wrong?
I'll probably be modded down for this...
Your social security check is late! Things cost more than they used to! Young people use curse words!
Skipping commercails is as much theft as reading a library book.
Billy, I would love, I mean, LOVE to hear those outtakes. Do you think you could work it out with Groening and Cohen to make them available on your web site, or possibly urge them to post your antics on the new Futurama web site (which I presume will be launched) when the new series is released?
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
We all watch Futurama on Fox, on television.
For free. It costs us nothing but electricity. Cable excluded, if you put up some rabbit ears.
So how are we paying for what we watch again? Commercials? We've had VCRs for over twenty years, and they have these fast-forward things. I used to sit there with the remote and hit PAUSE every time a commercial came on, and resumed when the screen went dark just before the show resumed. Rarely did I watch the commercials even when I wasn't zapping commercials. I don't think the advertisers went broke, and I don't think television networks went broke either.
And there's this Tivo thing the kids are all talking about.
So how is free taping or Tivoing not the same as downloading? They don't get paid either way. How is the download magically criminal and damaging?
In accordance with Megan's Law, Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda is a known sexual offender.
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
If an ad for an animated movie says "Featuring (Actor X) as (Charater 1)" and they show said actor with headphones talking in to a mike, I pretty much avoid it, because all they're selling is the celebrity, not the story.
Note: I can't recall ads for any Pixar movie using the above advertising technique.
Uh, semantic nonsense.
We watched Futurama on TV. For free. Thieves are we? Deadbeat hippies?
We taped Futurama for free. Were we stealing? Communist infiltrators of Hollywood?
We Tivoed for free. We stole the shows? (Are any missing?)
We downloaded the shows. HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?
Taping, Tivoing, and watching were all Nielson-free (only a thousand damned families are Nielsoned at a time!) and didn't cost us a dime.
How is downloading different? This makes NO logical sense. Nothing is stolen. Nothing has changed except that the video is a file and you can send it over a wire instead of passing a tape to your buddy at work.
Every method of recording has caused executives to scream that they were being robbed, and every method has accompanied even more profits for those same executives. And frankly, making a profit using a specific technology does not mean that the universe and human law must change to enable a profit in the future. Sometimes a business dies because it no longer can make a profit because the world changed around it. Passing laws forbidding technology and corrupting the language and criminalizing perfectly legal and previously unimpeachable behavior are what is wrong! I personally think the corruption of words is the vilest of crimes against humanity. Change the meaning of a word, and you can disarm the sane for lack of mutually understandable terms with the rest of the speakers of the language. Just say "thief" and the debate is over with no argument possible, because the word has been coopted by liars whose ultimate goal is to make even more money and control people.
Enough manipulation of the English language. Watching a show is not stealing, and it is not a character flaw. I'm tired of being called a criminal because I don't have a meter embedded in my head.
(except when football would run overtime...then I called fox screaming cussing and yelling at them...they didnt like me)
When DIDN'T football run overtime, then has-been commentators recapping the game and THEN finally Fox would cut over to Futurama (already in progress) for the last 5-10 minutes of the episode?
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
I have a vhs tape of a pocanontas(not the disney version) cartoon. There seem to be no credits for the voices. It sounds to me like Billy was the voice of "dug" the dugout canoe, and possible John leguizamo as the apprentice spirit guide chicken hawk. IMDB doesn't show it. Can any one confirm this? (I know I didn't give much to go on)
Just today my 4 year old said "Why you say 'Fucking hell' Daddy?" It's a common question (with variants, like "Why you say 'shit' Daddy?", "Why you say 'piss' Daddy?" /. before long - that'll sort them.
It's going to get me into trouble one of these days; "Mummy, why Daddy saying 'Fucking Hell'?" They'll be reading
GENERATION 26: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
Try not to make yourself so obvious. I don't know who I pissed off, nor do I care - Just keep in mind that, on average, I earn karma back far faster than you can burn it with five points here and there. So, for your own benefit, you would do better to use your points meaningfully rather than to irk me.
But, as long as you insist on acting like a petulant two year old in response to whatever imagined sleight I've committed against you, I suppose it benefits us all that you vent your anger on li'l old me.
Kudos on your use of the un-metamoddable "overrated", though.
Shit, what the fuck is wrong with a few swear words? Is it the doubleplus ungood thoughts that might occur?
If you get this, we're 10 of a kind.
Yea. I swore once infront of my Mom and she was like "where did you learn to talk like that?". Then it dawned on her, that's how my Dad talks when he's fixing the car. Kids are pretty much going to pick up all your bad habbits. All you can do is ask them not to repeat the things you do or say.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
I'd love to see an animated Bud Dickman
Semprini!
In the name of Jebus/Ghod/Buddha/FSM/Cthulhu/Phil: DO NOT try to get 'edgy' and 'hip' like family guy did. It will be absolute death to a season 6.
Futurama was a nice clean show (with its occasional burlesque moments) and no one I've ever spoken with ever had a bad thing to say about an episode.
Everything worked just fine the way it was and if the FauX network hadn't been yanking the times all over the place the series never would have closed after 4 seasons.
"It's time to take life by the cans." ~ Bender ("Bendin' in the Wind", ep. 3-13)
When you watch a download that has the broadcast commercials intact (and don't skip over them), I'll be remotely interested in this argument. Look, when you watch a show on TV, it was free for you, but it wasn't FREE. Someone paid for it FOR you (advertisers) in exchange for a few moments of your time during the program. So, they (advertisers) buy your time during the viewing of a program, and in exchange, you get to watch the show for the mere cost of a TV and a few kilowatt-hours. When you view a program without its production and broadcast costs covered either by an intermediate agent, like the advertisers, or by your hard-earned money, you are, in fact, no doubt about it, stealing.
I personally think the corruption of words is the vilest of crimes against humanity. Change the meaning of a word, and you can disarm the sane for lack of mutually understandable terms with the rest of the speakers of the language.
I agree. It ranks up there almost as high as sophistry in the service of a harmful act or a guilty conscience.
All the techniques ever used to make men moral have been themselves thoroughly immoral... (Nietzsche)
I don't personally see anything wrong with this.
Me either. Like many arguments where people feel unnaturally overinvested (abortion is my personal favorite of this class of issues), often the middle (the sane view) is excluded from the discussion. Saying all downloading is bad is approximately as stupid (IMO) as saying that no downloading is bad. It gets particularly silly in forums where one side or the other of the issue is heavily represented.
This is not to say that extremism or unyielding lack of compromise is always bad either...it's just that most issues which are still debated are those of which there is merit to both sides of the argument; those issues for which there isn't have by and large worked themselves out a long while ago.
All the techniques ever used to make men moral have been themselves thoroughly immoral... (Nietzsche)
Wow, on SD I'm a Falmbait and Troll. I guess I'm the only one on the Internet that uses Adblock and pop-up blockers. It was just a question. Be nice. :*
Sophisticated enough to spell cappucino?
StoneCypher is Full of BS
what single word has caused more problems and brought more pain and misery to more people?
Marriage.
StoneCypher is Full of BS
Whilst
Middle English != Formal. Whilst has had no place in English for more than 600 years. Posing only works for other stupid people.
StoneCypher is Full of BS
Only 11?
We should mod up to 42: when someone gets modded to 42, we know that they've just supplied us with the answer to life, the universe and everything.
When the posters fear their moderators, there is tyranny; when the moderators fears the posters, there is liberty.
So, by your argument, if I go and make a cup of tea during the adverts (something you can do in the UK because there's one long break in the middle of a 30 minute show, rather than 5 or 6 short ones) then I'm "stealing" the show?
How about if I pause my VCR during the advert breaks when taping a show? Stealing too?
How about if I change channels?
This sig left unintentionally blank.
Well he said they most were that funny. So while he may be willing to dowload a few episodes, he probable wouldn't dish out 30 -40 bucks for a season. When Battlestar G started, I blew off the first season. Then a friend of mine lent me the season that he had downloaded. I became hooked and now watch it on SciFI every Friday. I never would have dished out 40 bucks to buy that set but now I would (well not now that they sell 13 episodes and call that a season and still charge almost the same price.) And even if I don't, I do watch it every Friday, comericals and all.
Here's where things get subtle, and if you think I'm stretching things, by all means disagree and make fun of me.
When an advertiser is negotiating with a network to place adverts in a program, they do so with several things in mind; the price of the ad is related to how many people watch the program at any given time, that some will pay attention to the commercials and some will (like you) go make tea, or even take the effort to pause a VCR to avoid them in the future. These behaviors are factored in to the original 'calculation', if you will, tht goes on in the advertiser's head when he tries to determine whether it is worth it for him to place the ad. However, despite the most assiduous efforts of the adphobic, the vast majority of persons watching the TV sit through the ads and watch them. What the advertiser is buying is a reasonable chance you will lazy enough to watch his/her 45 seconds of consumer candy; if you choose not to do so after the ad (which is embedded in the program you chose to watch) reaches you, that's not 'theft', becuase it was part of the original calculation.
Now, significantly, the problem with the downloaded programs is that, 99% of the time, the adverts are stripped out before the program reaches the viewer. Thus, it is no longer a choice or effort for the viewer to avoid the ad, it is done for them. The thing that the advertiser was buying, namely the ability to have a chance to get your attention, is gone, and their investment is made worthless. Whether that should actually be a tort or not depends greatly on how intentional the harm was, and its scale. Regular time shifting, single copies for archival use, stuff like this are (or at least should be) covered under fair use. Copying an entire television series with the adverts pre-stripped (such as what the original example was) is obviously enough of a deliberate harm that it should incur civil penalties. (Criminalizing this sort of thing I think is absolutely moronic).
All the techniques ever used to make men moral have been themselves thoroughly immoral... (Nietzsche)
Thanks so much for getting this exclusive interview with Billy West! I never miss a night without Futurama! So getting his interview for the afternoon was a plus! Keep up the good work!
The Soviets stole the atomic bomb from the US before you were even born.
Stop trying to redefine the English language to remove meanings you don't like. It has been accepted that it is possible to "steal" information just by copying it for longer than you have been around. You're the one tilting at windmills.
And BTW, if you TiVo something, TiVo knows you watched it and reports it, whether you are a Nielsen family or not.
Downloading the shows is different because (ready?) IT'S ILLEGAL. The makers of the content have allowed you to watch it for free on a channel and (begrudgingly) allowed you to tape it or TiVo it. They don't give you permission to download it off the internet (in this case) and their permission is the only thing that matters in the eyes of the law. If they want to execute what you feel is a flawed business model (not allowing people to download), then that is their right. This isn't a country where the government steps in and tells companies that they are running themselves into the ground by not understanding technology.
It would be better if the companies wise up. They seem to be starting too. That'd good. But it's not up to you to decide to force their hands. Just like an object you can't figure out how to copy, if you don't value it enough to pay for it, DO WITHOUT.
Also, if you can't see how downloading something without the commercials could hurt a business who makes money selling ad space on the idea that you might view it, then you're pretty dim and probably don't understand the situation very well.
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
"... but if my kid is reading this then it might be a good idea to put a little disclaimer or warning on top of the article next time."
Oh please, it's not Slashdot's fault you're paying the price for knocking a chick up! If anything, Slashdot tried to help you avoid this mess!! Now go monitor your children.
"I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
I've been working my way through all the DVD commentaries in the last few months. There's a commentary in the middle somewhere where three of the voice actors -- Billy West, John DiMaggio and someone else (maybe Maurice Lamarche?) were challenged to mimic Zoidberg one after the other in a double-blind demonstration for the listeners. I was quite fascinated at how they were all able to get an indistinguishible the correct voice so accurately. The one actor who sounded a bit off was Billy West himself (who actually plays Zoidberg), and that was just because he was trying to trick the listeners.
Most of West's characters sound pretty different to me, and I wouldn't have picked out that they were the same actor without being told... at least no more accurately than with any other actor. Perhaps you happen to be extra sensitive, but my own opinion is that he's a very good voice actor.
The difference between the first and second is that the company got paid in the first example by the network, who then reaped their investment back by selling commercial space to companies. Perhaps you didn't watch all the commercial or perhaps only a few, but other people out there undoubtedly did. There is some chance for the company to recoup it's inventment.
OTOH, downloading the show doesn't offer the company the same chance to recoup their investment. It's pretty simple, no? The other two examples are in the middle.
Now, I am not on the side of Disney with eternal copyrights, but as my company sells software, I can recognized when a shell game is being played in terms of argument. 1 and 4 is not the same. Pretty soon, other than with sites like youtube, simply capturing eyeballs will not be enough if that cannot be translated into profit. We'll be at step 1 and figuring out how to get to step 3. Commercials were once great for this, but now the consumer managed to get around this and it's become as effective as the honor system. I know the honor system does not work in software, if not forced to pay, over half of the people using your software will find an excuse why they can't afford to pay (while still using said software).
It won't be a surprise that if shows can't turn a profit, they won't be subsidized by networks any longer. Look at what happened to evening TV - there the costs went out of control - this time on the other side of the fence with sitcom actors demanding more and more money if a show dares to be successful. More than 1 sucessful sitcom ended their run because of such a thing. In turn, networks have turned to reality shows because they are cheap to make, there is no cast to pay much to, and a new cast is expected every so often anyway. Look at the quality of TV the last five years versus the '90's, especially sitcoms.
Now that was the fault of cost going up on the side of the content makers, imagine when the audience squeezes from the other side. This stuff isn't created in an idealogical vacuum.*
*Not I really don't care if TV networks go out of business. The internet is the future in media. In 10-20 years, I can see shows being made for the internet being financed by online viewership directly. I suppose themes/plots/everything will be pervaded by product placement so that there will be no commercials per se. For instance, the Simpsons will have to move out of their house because of flood damage and stay at the Marriot for the week, while Homer gets drunk on Budweiser (sorry Duff, you don't pay enough), etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Fortunately for my mamma, they don't have the same mamma.
The guy obviously heard, as word got back to the neighbour who later came round to her place. The mother thought she'd badly screwed up her relationship with him as he asked if it was true she'd called the boyfriend a wanker... When she reluctantly admitted she had, the neighbour replied "yes, he is a real wanker isn't he". Apparently they're now close friends...
We downloaded the shows. HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?
Because it was on a computer.
Human logic and reasoning stops when a computer is involved.
Evidence? Dot bomb (we can get rich selling dog food _on a computer_!), MP3s (they are still practically "illegal"), and downloading TV, etc, etc...
Personally, I'd wager your kid has dumped quite a bit of that stuff already, so he should be familiar with that matter.
Snide comments aside, if you don't teach your kids "those" words, someone else will. If everything fails, school will. Peers and janitors who hit their thumbs frequently are a rich source for very interesting words and combinations thereof. And I'd consider it quite positive if my kids learned how to deal with 'heavy' words while I'm around.
Because they WILL. The question is only, how and when.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Well, did you really expect him to say 'Yeah, it's likely that we were successful because a whole bunch of people stole our shows, distributed them and watched them for free. I think, therefore, people should continue to steal our shows, despite the fact that it took a tremendous amount of effort, money, time and individual creativity to make each one. Why stop at downloads? Why not just pilfer them right out of Best Buy or Wal Mart and watch them?'
Did you really think he was goign to tell everyone not to feel bad about stealing? He couldn't just tell everyone it's OK, because that would just spur people on who already want to justify it. I really don't get this vibe from so many Slashdotters that ALL piracy is OK, and to stop any piracy anywhere is a violation of privilige. Just because Microsoft charges too much for it's products doesn't mean Billy West should automatically support the black market.
What about if he came out and took a hard line stand against the downloading of copyrighted Futurama episodes? Would you feel better, or would you blast him for his stance? He took the best possible stance. He wishes people wouldn't steal, but he appreciates that people wanted his work enough that it was worth stealing. Nobody wants to make art that people wouldn't even steal, anyway.
A question I forgot to ask: Will we ever get to see the cast of Futrama on "Inside the Actors Studio"?
Harald
Um maybe if your mother pays your cable bill its free. Last time i checked, that $50-100 a month most people pay for cable is actual real money.
I dont give a flying fuck if advertisers are deprived of revenue. FUCK THEM. Its a war. They turn up the volume on the comercial breaks that i have to watch every like 8 minutes with constant repetition? I strip their commercials.
Anyone who thinks the current model of advertising everywhere is a good thing and should be preserved can lick a nut. Pardon my french but i hate advertising so much. It ruined TV, Movies, Video Games, EVERYTHING. Its spam garbage for the eyes and ill be damned if i ever let anyone convince me its societally nessecary.
I'll just use my special getting high powers one more time...
In some respects you are paying for the shows by simply watching them. As viewership goes up then advertisers are willing to spend more for advertising with that show, these advertisers are really who are paying for the show, but you as the audience attract the advertisers.
*.sig
you want him to edit the stories without reading them?
:x
Was what I did immoral? I don't want to rip anyone off.
Man, you really need that seminar!
You realize you look like a retard, right? Pretending to not understand what I said just because of how I phrased it?
Or others:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312013493/104-85 97344-0175904?v=glance&n=283155
Again, they stole the bomb. Yes, we could still make one too, but they stole it. Look it up. You want to argue about the meaning of words changing, note that this one had this meaning a long time ago. It is just you (and a few others) who think that steal can't mean to copy information without permission. And it's been that way for 50 years. So stop trying to pretend it is others trying to reinvent the English language.
Did you step up to the plate to complain about the "Identity Theft" article slashdot ran last week? Nothing was stolen, just information duplicated. If you did, I salute you, but I really suspect you didn't.
This isn't a question of morals. You said the two were the same, I pointed out there is a difference. You can't use one as a substitute for the other when there are significant differences.
I don't think they have a God-given right. If you don't like the ads, you don't have to watch the show. I think that perhaps as a recepient of these shows for no fee you would be appreciative and not try to bust the business model that is letting you do so.
Either way, redistrubuting the show without the ads breaks the business model and will lead to the end of it. That would mean paying for TV shows or having no TV shows. Does that sound good to you? It doesn't sound good to me.
I feel the ad agencies don't have a right to force you to pay attention, maybe you should even have the right to press a skip button. But I feel that for their money spent they deserve to have the chance to catch your eye and actually present an ad you want to watch. By removing the commercials, you deprive them of that possibility. I do feel ad agencies have gone overboard thinking you somehow have to watch their ads, even if they are crap. I don't agree with that. They should have to make their commercials interesting enough to hold your attention.
This whole thing comes down to you deciding you're going to take the law into your own hands. That companies aren't doing a good job with their property, so you're going to take control. It doesn't work that way. you do have a choice, a choice to not buy their stuff if you feel it isn't worth what you're paying. To not watch it if you don't fe
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
What do you think? Is fixing someone else's property an immoral act? It's usually an illegal act, unless you have their consent, but since when is what is legal the determinant of what is moral?
All the techniques ever used to make men moral have been themselves thoroughly immoral... (Nietzsche)
Use of the VCR (and Tivo and ReplayTV) to strip or fast-forward through commercials was part of the reason to use that tech. You mean all we millions were liable for civil damages? Where were the advertisers' torts then? How much do we owe them -- trillions? We don't. I'm sure we would have heard from them by now.
I think they didn't sue anyone because they had no case. And I don't think they have one now by simply extrapolating the earlier legality of earlier tech to cover digital recordings. Analog and digital recordings are no different, other than the manner in which they record, and the interests' assertions that they are different are not substantiated by anything other than just that, assertions, endlessly marketed. Digital video files seem difference to old powerful dingos like Senator Stevens of Alaska, and that is the advertisers and "IP owners" go through them to enact these laws. That, and media people are instinctively terrified and resentful of the new media tech that threatens their own power, hence their acquiesence to the rewriting of the concept of "theft" as applying to copying or recording in a manner that was completely legal before PCs started performing the task.
BUT -- your post is spot-on. Here's my take.
We the people who watch and record and even trade these video files have no contractual obligation to the advertisers who purchased the commercial time sandwiched into the TV schedule. I don't really care if they don't like it. It's not my problem. I can record and strip the commercials, and have been doing so since '87, when I bought my first VCR. However, I sometimes love to watch an old tape of mine and see the old commercials. I don't hate the things, I merely assert that I've no contract to watch them.
If the business model cannot support the fact that I can record and alter programs, then it should die and TV programmers should go out of business. However much they think they have the right to make people watch commercials, we can switch them off. Calling it "theft" is a new perversion of the English language. What they want is nothing less than a technological police state unlike anything the world has ever seen, for the sole purpose of maintaining a business model that may be no longer viable. We give up the fourth amendment, the right to be secure in our homes against unreasonable searches, so that TELEVISION ADVERTISERS can stay rich? Say WHAT? America dies so that they can live?
People made art long before advertisers took it over. People will make it long after we, optimistically, remove advertisers from the equation (not that we could: artists like lots of money, too). They've no right to live by legislating a police state to make sure people watch their jingles.
Just the obscentity of making the word steal work hard to mean "skipping commericals" or "recording a program" should make any person furious. Steal means "taking something away from someone". An object. I don't care how many millions they pour into marketing the concept, "steal" means "steal". Recording and watching video is not stealing, nor is it rape, perjury, contract breaking, barratry or murder. It's recording video. We've done it legally for over 25 years without being called thieves, and we aren't thieves now.
"You realize you pay for cable right?"
There's this thing called "TV". See, it has an antenna, and no meter. It's been around since the 1930's. The world didn't begin with cable. Futurama is on TV.
When I watch a show on a dvd from the library nobody makes a profit. Perhaps over time I will affect their purchasing pattern by a dvd or so, but fixing the scratched ones makes up for that. My behavour is legal. So these kinds of arguments are bullshit. What difference does it make if I watch a show for free with no commercials from the library or from a homemade tape or from downloading? No effective difference.
Sorry about that, I get all talky when people say that watching TV without ads is stealing.
Man, you really need that seminar!
You're not right in the head, and nor am I
And this why
This is why I like you, I like you, I like you
British English != Middle English. Although I wouldn't say it's exactly common, 'whilst' is an acceptable substitute for 'while' in the UK.
Only among people who are fantastically bad at English. Your Queen figured this out four hundred years ago. Time for you to catch up. (By the by, don't confuse "common error" with "acceptable substitute." They're not the same thing.)
StoneCypher is Full of BS
You dont seem to understand that most of us who downloaded "every episode" of the show wouldn't buy it because buying tv shows is dumb. It's not a matter of the content, its the delivery, and the high costs.
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14
Elegance in form, layer upon layer, subtle and nuanced.... These are all there in a beautiful symphony, a masterful play or even a well-crafted program.
The level of these attributes all depend on the skill of the author, composer or programmer. I have no doubt that there are works of programming as elegant and nuanced as any of Shakespeare's works. For those who do not understand how to program, and even those that are not adept enough to appreciate the levels of complexity resident within a modern software system, most of you will never see the beauty of a well crafted software system. I will agree that the vast majority of programmers lack the creativity and vision to create a truly elegant system, just as most writers will never approach the level of skill required to write the next Romeo and Juliet. Those that do however can craft works that are worthy of challenging the greatest works in the human history.
The levels of elegant complexity in a well executed system are mind-boggling. Layer upon layer of systems simple and sleek on the outside, yet more complex than you can imagine on the inside.. all working in unison. Properly crafted these systems adapt to new conditions. The masters can design systems that truly "change themselves". The art becomes the artist.
I ask you think about that the next time you sit down and type a response.. think about ALL that is going on underneath the surface between you hitting that key and it appearing on this site.
It would be good if TV companies used filesharing statistics of copies of their shows to determine ratings. Most people who download a show will watch it when it's on TV, so it's a pretty good indicator. No-one's going to download a show they wouldn't watch on TV... It must be better then the Nielsen ratings, anyway :) That would allow the benefits of DVD sales statistics (real statistics, not just small samples), but during a show's life, episode-by-episode.
or am I smoking crack?Don't forget Sigourney Weaver as the Planet Express Ship! She was wonderful.
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
For a person to download an episode that is a.) not avaiable in any other way, or b.) occasionally, because it was either the 'bestest episode evar' or he/she missed the showing, is one thing. Downloading a readily available series in toto is something else again. And while the /. crowd balks at calling the second theft for technical reasons, it is ethically equivalent as far as I can tell.
Most TV series of late that I have seen for the first time I have seen this way. Not living in the US, thi sis sometimes the best way to see the episodes before they have a few extra minutes chopped out of them to fit in a few more ads, or shown out of sequence, or put on indefinate hiatus or moved around in the scheduling to accomodate a sporting event.
I refuse to watch commercial television for a regular series any more. I made this choice after being stuffed around by the programming of the 3 major stations here in Australia with The West Wing, Angel, Buffy and X-Files.
Having watched a first season, if we like the show we try to find it on DVD. Sometimes they are available locally, sometimes we look to import them from the US/UK. If they are not available, we wait to download the next season.
Most of my more technically literate friends behave in the same way - prove yourself and we'll pay money, it you suck, it's the delete button to free up space for the next series.
The commercial channels lost this audience through the way they treated us. Why should we wait 12 months to see a series everyone online is talking about. Why should we wait to see them cut from how they were meant to be shown? Why should we put up with them pre-empting them on no notice for a sports event?
I like to make an informed choice about how I spend my money. I like to control when I see a show and not arrange my schedule around one when the networks can't hold to their own scheduling. I could be a good little consumer and sit through the ads or wait to pay for a show on the chance that it might be as good as I've been told. I'm not.
Sara
Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World