“Ideas are worthless. Everyone on Earth has at least half a dozen, and if you’ve ever been to a bar, you’ve probably heard most of them already.”
Robert Ashley, editor and host of the internet radio show A Life Well Wasted, is back. Nearly seven months after ‘Help’ graced our iPod earphones, Ashley has released Big Ideas, an episode featuring interviews with Hank Rogers (the man who owns the rights to Tetris), Frank Lantz (Professor of Game Design at NYU), and Jonah Falcon (a blogger with an extraordinary natural gift). As always, it’s full of laughs, tears and genuine ‘What on Earth…?" moments.
I’ve always felt that the best thing about podcasts such as A Life Well Wasted is the sense of the unknown, and Big Ideas is no different. If you want to research the episode before you listen, you can, but I’d personally recommend that you sit back, relax, and have a little faith. It’s a great audio experience, and while the last guest may be a little risque, it soon becomes clear why Ashley chose to interview him. As ridiculous as the context may have been, I felt truly inspired, uplifted and depressed all at once by the final speech.
In case you haven’t heard of A Life Well Wasted before now, you should check out the official website and start listening when you have a chance. For me, it’s always been reminiscent of the NPR show Radiolab, in the way it’s edited and put together, as well as the WBEZ show This American Life, in the way it focuses on the people who love videogames, and not just the games themselves.
To sample Ashley’s particular brand of genius, check out the video below. It’s an excerpt from Big Ideas, and it really encapsulates A Life Well Wasted – Great editing and funny to boot.
In case you enjoyed that little taste, be sure to download Big Ideas and let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below.
Have you listened to Big Ideas? What did you think? Do you enjoy any other gaming podcasts? Let us know in the comments below.
