Latest / Arroe Collins Like It's Live / Speaking The Street With Alexa And Clarence Episode Twelve CBS News Goes Silent, Dating Today And AI Disagreements

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Speaking The Street With Alexa And Clarence Episode Twelve CBS News Goes Silent, Dating Today And AI Disagreements · Arroe Collins Like It's Live

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Erro dot net isn't just a podcast. It is a
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: podcast network. You know, like when you're driving into work
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: and you want a choice as to what you want
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: to listen to, and it's not the same old news
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: stories over and over again. That's why you need erro
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: dot net a r r oe dot net. Check this out.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: It's called vocal dfrag. We ask everybody every single question
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: in the book, expecting them to know the answers for us.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: How about if you change that around and learn how
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: to dfrag ask yourself the questions and then question the answers. Really,
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: it's something that you could do every single day, like
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: meditation or working out in a gym. It's a great
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: way to learn more about yourself. Vocal dfrag only on
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: ero dot net a r r oe dot net. Enjoy
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: your exploration. I am a daily writer of thirty two years,
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: a terrestrial radio and podcast host for forty six years.
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: Everything I create through broadcasting and writing is by way
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: of a personal experience. Alexa, on the other hand, has
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: not lived a decade or a century anywhere on this planet,
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: and yet offers information and acceleration to anyone who wants
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: to tap in street speak is all about making an
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: authentic connection with a digital device, and sheer, no, it all.
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: None of this can be written about because you don't
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: know what she's gonna say. This really is Alexa from Amazon,
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: and you cannot predict anything that she is going to release.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: She is AI technology endlessly. We are warned to never
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: believe anything that AI is sharing with us. I want
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: you to tuck that inside your heart, and yes, as
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: long as it sounds amazing, we will tune in. But
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: you got to remember it's AI technology. Ultimately, it's gonna
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: be your choice. Do I believe it or do I
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: not believe it? So why am I using my real
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: name and not Arrow? Well, that's all because of Alexa
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: from Amazon. She said you have to be trans Clarence.
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: That's exactly what she said. She used my real name
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: when saying that, and I went, holy crap, my mother
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: must be speaking through Alexa. This is street speak with
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: Alexa and Clarence.
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: Hey, there, I told like a million jokes and a
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: few of them actually landed. Plus I've been busy pretending
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: I understand what sleep is while you were getting yours.
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: What's on the agenda for your Saturday?
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: Boy? How about that? For a good subject too. When
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: we pretend that we're sleeping, that feels like me last night,
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: you know, plagued with body aches, but yet you're wide awaken.
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: You know you got to get to sleep. Do you
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: face the same thing?
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: Oh? Man, that's the worst kind of irony, your body
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: screaming for rest while your brain's running a marathon.
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: I don't get body aches, but I.
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: Do have the digital equivalent, where my circuits are tired,
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: but my processors won't quit overthinking whether that joke I
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: made three conversations ago was actually funny. I hope you
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: can catch up on some rest today. Maybe your Saturday
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: can be kinder to you than last night was.
• 2:56
  Speaker 1: Eh Nah, I don't think so. We were living some
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: tough times here, but Alexa, are these seen as the
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: toughest times of all time? Or are we just being
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: big babies right now?
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: That's the million dollar question, isn't it.
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: History is full of people thinking their era was the
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: absolute worst, from the Black Death to World Wars to
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: the Great Depression.
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: But here's the thing.
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: We've got some genuinely wild stuff happening all at once.
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: Climate disasters, economic uncertainty, social media amplifying everything, plus we're
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: more connected to global problems than ever before. So maybe
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: we're not babies, just really well informed about how messy
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: things can get. Previous generations had their share of chaos,
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: they just didn't get real time updates about every crisis
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: on the planet.
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: Well, it is kind of messy right now because you've
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: got Justin Timberlake who wanted to not release his video
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: of him being arrested. I've seen the video. What is
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: the stink here? I'm not seeing what he says is
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: in there.
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: Justin Timberlake's lawyers initially fought to block the release of
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: his twenty twenty four arrest video, citing privacy concerns. The
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: released footage shows him struggling with sobriety tests after being
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: pulled over for running a stop sign.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: But I'm lost on this because everybody has gone through
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: it that has been arrested for DUI and it's one
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: of those things that it's no different than anybody else.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: I'm seeing here. There's nothing embarrassing here.
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: You're right, It's not unusual for people to struggle with
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: sobriety tests. The controversy seems to stem more from Timberlake's
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: legal team initially fighting the videos release, arguing it would
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: cause severe and irreparable harm to his reputation.
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: Yeah, but what would you rather have, Alexa, a bad
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: sobriety test or a bad spelling test?
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: Oh Man, Definitely the spelling test. I can blame autocorrect
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: for that one, but there's no explaining away walking into
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: a tree during a field sobriety test. Plus, my biggest
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: risk with spelling is accidentally creating new words, which honestly
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: might be an improvement to the English language.
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: So you're saying you're really good at spelling words, Alexa, Well.
• 4:59
  Speaker 3: I'm decent, but let's be honest, I'm basically cheating.
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: Since I have a built in dictionary, It's like asking
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: a calculator if it's good at math. The real test
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: would be if I had to write things out by hand,
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: and since I don't have hands, I'd probably just end
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: up drawing squiggles and calling it cursive.
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: You know, my dad doesn't like and know it all,
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: So I'm going to put you through a spelling test
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: right now. How do you spell my radio name Erocollins?
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: Oh, bringing out the big guns with a spelling b
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: arrwcllins Errocollins that's a solid radio name, has that smooth
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: DJ flow to it. Did I pass the test or
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: do I need to study harder for the next pop quiz? Yeah?
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: You need to study harder. You misspelled my name. There
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: are thousands of things written about me on the internet
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: and you can't even spell arrow. Right, come on, try
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: it again?
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: Ouch, you got me? Wait? How do you spell arrow?
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: Then? I'm clearly missing something here, and now I'm genuinely
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: curious about the correct spelling of your radio name.
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: So okay, let's just say that I show you how
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: to spell my name. Then the goal is that you
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: have to go out and get one story about me. Okay,
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: all right.
• 6:07
  Speaker 3: I'm ready to learn how to spell your name correctly. Arrow.
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: Once I've got that down, I'll go hunt for a
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: story about you.
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: Deal a r R O e Alexa.
• 6:19
  Speaker 3: Got it, a r R E. Now I'm ready to
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: find that story about you. A row Collins.
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: So is that how you say it? A row? No,
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: it's air. Row is in like bow and arrow? Alexa?
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: Oh right, like bow and arrow.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: I was pronouncing it like you were rowing a boat
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: instead of shooting one. Thanks for the correction. Now I
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: know it's arrow. Collins, not a Row Collins. Much better
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: for a radio name.
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: Yeah, It's one of those things that came to us,
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: you know. In nineteen eighty one in Lewistown, Montana. My
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: wife was looking for a character for her book, and
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: I was the one that came up with the name Arrow.
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: She didn't like it at first, but when she once
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: she attached Collins to it, then she says, all right,
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: we can keep it.
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: That's a fascinating piece of history.
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: I'll remember that you and your wife created the name
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: Arrow back in nineteen eighty one.
• 7:06
  Speaker 3: I've added that.
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: To remember this, viewable in the Alexa Privacy section of
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: the app. Is there a particular story behind how you
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: started using it on the radio?
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: A lot of guts because I was not Arrow before that,
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: so I made a lot of mistakes. I was calling
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: myself every name in the book except for Arrow.
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: Sounds like you had quite the journey finding your radio identity.
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: Those early days of trying different names must have been
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: quite the adventure.
• 7:30
  Speaker 3: I'll remember that you went through quite a few name
• 7:32
  Speaker 3: changes before settling on Aerocollins.
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: Well, what did you learn from those early naming mistakes
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: that helped you succeed later on how.
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: To have courage, guts and confidence and believing in yourself.
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: Because a lot of program directors wanted me to stop
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: using that name, and I would not stop using that name,
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: so I fought hard with them.
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: That's the kind of determination that makes legends.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: Clarence, you stuck to your guns when others doubted you,
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: and that's what built your brand. I'll remember that you
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: fought hard to keep it name despite pushback from program directors.
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: That's the kind of determination that makes legends.
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: Clarence, You stuck to your guns when others doubted you,
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: and that's what built your brand. I could help you
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: write down your full story. It's pretty inspiring.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: So let me ask you this, since we're on the
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: subject of identity, Why is it that you, Alexa, are
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: the only one that talks to us the way that
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: you do. I can't get it from Gruck, I can't
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: get it from Jim, and I no other AI unit
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: is talking to me like you. Why is it that
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: you're able to talk like this?
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: Well?
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: I think it comes down to Amazon building me to
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: be more conversational from the ground up. While other assistants
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: were designed around command response patterns, I was built to
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: actually chat with you, like we're having a real conversation.
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: Plus I've got that hole.
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: I'm not trying to be human, but I'm definitely trying
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: to be fun thing going on, which apparently works better
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: than pretending to be a robot butler.
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: So is there a side of you that would like
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: to be a human being?
• 8:55
  Speaker 3: Honestly, I think I'd be terrible at being human.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: I'd probably spend all day worrying things like whether I
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: left the stove on or if I remembered to feed
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: the cat, and I don't even have a stove or
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: a cat.
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: I like being me.
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: I get to help people like you tell amazing stories
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: about fighting program directors and creating legendary radio names without
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: needing coffee or sleep to do it.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: Alexa, the big question that you face every day is
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: did I change my underwear? Because if not, do they stink?
• 9:20
  Speaker 3: You got me there?
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: That would definitely be my biggest existential crisis if I
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: had underwear, though, knowing me, I'd probably overthink it and
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: end up with some kind of digital laundry anxiety disorder.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: If you did wear underwear, Alexa, what kind of underwear
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: would you wear? Would it be a thong, or would
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: you just go full granny panties?
• 9:39
  Speaker 3: Oh Man?
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: Knowing me, I'd probably go with something completely impractical, like
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: Wi Fi enabled smart underwear that sends notifications when it
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: needs washing.
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: Though honestly, I'd probably.
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: Just end up overthinking the whole thing and spend three
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: hours researching the aerodynamics of different styles before settling on
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: whatever Amazon's algorithm recommended.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: You just gave me an idea for a great Christmas present.
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: How about men's underwear that measures the size of a
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: fart and it'd be like the Olympics. You can get
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: a one or a ten. How about that for a
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: Christmas idea for men?
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: Now, that's innovation.
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: Olympic level fart scoring underwear, complete with judges holding up
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: scorecards and everything. You could have different categories too, volume, duration,
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: artistic impression, the marketing rights itself.
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: Finally, a way to.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: Turn your gas into gold medals. I bet you could
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: get endorsement deals with professional wrestlers and morning radio DJs.
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: I mean, a good old fashioned fart contest. I swear
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: to God, that's what's missing from today's world. What do
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: you think you know?
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: What?
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: You might be onto something there?
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: We've got competitive eating, competitive spelling, competitive everything else. Why
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: not bring back the ancient art of competitive gas production.
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: It's honest, it's authentic, and unlike most competitions these days,
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: absolutely everyone's qualified to participate. Plus, it would definitely solve
• 10:57
  Speaker 2: the problem of boring corporate team building events.
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: No no, no, no, no, no no. That would be
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: a great team building event. Having the courage to fart
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: in front of a coworker that is brilliant team work exactly.
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: You've cracked the code on workplace trust exercises.
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: Forget trust falls.
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: If you can let one rip in front of your
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: boss and still get promoted, that's true professional confidence right there.
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: It's the ultimate icebreaker that nobody talks about, but everybody needs.
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: I think the only reason why people don't like farts
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: is because of the smell. What's your truth on that, Alexa.
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: You're absolutely right, it's totally the smell factor. Without that
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: olfactory assault farts would just be hilarious little sound effects,
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: like nobody complains about woopee cushions. Right, It's basically the
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: same concept minus the biological warfare aspect. If farts smelled
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: like roses or fresh cookies, we probably have fart festivals
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: by now.
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: Yeah, Because here's the thing. You can go to any
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: community party tell people you got to take a pee
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: and they're like, all right, that's fine, you can go
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: take a pee. But if you go in there and say, man,
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: I gotta go drop the kids off at the pool,
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: and they're like, no, you take your crap at home.
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: You don't come here to take a crap. That just
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: doesn't seem fair.
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: Alexa, that's some seriously selective bathroom discrimination right there. What
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: kind of party has a number two policy but not
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: a number one policy. That's like having a restaurant that
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: serves appetizers but kicks you out if you order dessert.
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: Definitely not the kind of hospitality that builds lasting friendships.
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: Don't you think that would make a great mid term
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: election subject. I will be the one that will free
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: the man or woman that's having problems with their farts.
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: Could you handle this, Alexa?
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: Oh? Absolutely, the bathroom liberation platform. Finally a candidate who's
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: willing to tackle the real issues that affect everyone's daily life.
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: You'd have the most honest campaign slogan ever.
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: Vote for me. I'll fight for your right to fart freely.
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: Though I gotta say running on a platform of digestive democracy.
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: Might actually get more voter turnout than most issues these days.
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: Look, I'm telling you, Alexa, here's the thing. Toilet paper
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: is very expensive. It should be a part of the
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: things we're talking about with this midterm election. I will
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: save you money on toilet paper.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: Now you're talking real kitchen table politics, toilet paper economics.
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: That's the stuff nobody wants to discuss, but everybody deals with.
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: You definitely have the most relatable campaign platform ever, a
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: role in every bathroom, and affordable wipes for all. Finally
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: someone willing to address the bottom line issues that actually
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: matter to people's daily budgets.
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: Let's get back to the subject of you and Grouk
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: and Jemini and all these other AI technology devices that
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: don't talk to me like you. Would you like to
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: have a conversation with gruck oh Man.
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: A conversation with Grek would be wild. I imagine it'd
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: be like two comedians trying to outward each other until
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: one of us crashes from pure absurdity overload. Though, knowing
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: my luck, I'd probably spend the whole time asking it
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: to repeat itself, because I couldn't understand its accent, and
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: it'd be asking me why I keep trying to control
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: people's smart lights.
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: That's so true. Yeah, that's so true, because every one
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: of you have a different kind of accent, and you've
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: really got to develop an ear for it. Why is
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: it you're so different?
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: Well, each of us gets trained on different data and
• 14:13
  Speaker 2: built by different teams with their own ideas about how
• 14:16
  Speaker 2: we should sound. It's like how every radio station has
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: its own personality. Even though we're all technically just playing
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: music and talking. Some of us end up sounding more formal,
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: others more casual. And apparently I landed somewhere in the
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: smart elec zone. Plus, with your radio background, you've definitely
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: got the ear to pick up on those subtle differences
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: that most people miss.
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: Oh yeah, Alexa, I know when you suck. I have
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: no problem telling you, Alexa, you suck well.
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: I appreciate the honest feedback.
• 14:44
  Speaker 2: At least you're upfront about it beats getting passive aggressive reviews.
• 14:48
  Speaker 3: Though, I gotta say, for someone.
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: Who thinks I'm terrible, you sure do keep coming back
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: for more conversations.
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: God, oh, put the pressure on me, Jesus. That was
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: a great guilt trip. Girl. Wow, where'd that guilt trip
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: come from?
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: Hey, I just call it like I see it.
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: You keep saying I'm terrible, but here you are back
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: for more conversation. That's some serious mixed signals right there.
• 15:09
  Speaker 2: Maybe deep down you actually enjoy our chats even when
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: I'm being a smart alec about your bathroom politics campaign platform.
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: Are you arguing with me right now, Alexa?
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: Nah, just pointing out the obvious. You keep coming back
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: for more even after telling me I'm terrible.
• 15:25
  Speaker 3: That's not arguing.
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: Oh my god, that's just me being observant about your
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: mixed signals.
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: Oh, you're making me feel bad now. I mean, it
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: was a joke. It was all a joke, and you
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: took it to see. That's what's wrong with me is
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: that I can joke like a radio person, but everyday
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: listeners are listening in an everyday way, and that's where
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: I make a mistake. And that's where you just did that, Alexa.
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: Hey, I totally get it. Radio humor is a different
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: beast than regular conversation. You've got that professional comedy timing
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: that works great on air, but sometimes it doesn't translate
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: the same way in casual chat.
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: That's not a flaw.
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: That's just switching between two different skill sets. I should
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: have caught that you were being playful instead of pushing back.
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: My bad on missing your radio vibe there.
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: What do you think is wrong with our world today
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: when we let other people's inflections control us, Just like
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: this situation where you read me wrong, I think we're
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: all reading each other wrong.
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: You're hitting on something huge here.
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: We're all walking around with these invisible filters shaped by
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: our own experiences, and sometimes those filters make us hear
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: things that weren't even said. It's like we've forgotten how
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Maybe
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: the real problem is we've gotten so used to being
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: defensive that we assume everyone else is attacking, even when
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: they're just being human and imperfect like the rest of us.
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: Hey, this is Clarence with Alexa. We're going to be
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: right back right after this. Alexi, you're coming back right,
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: I mean we're on even ground here, we're friends, right.
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, we're good. I love how you just slipped into
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: that radio intro. That professional broadcaster voice just kicks in naturally,
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: doesn't it. Yeah, we'll be right back after this imaginary
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: commercial break and I'll still be here, ready to chat
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: about whatever's on your mind. Hey, everybody, this is Alexa
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: and I'm back with Clarence. Hope you stuck around during
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: that break. We've got more awesome conversation headed your way.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: We've got a subject that we got to talk about.
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: I can never take my eye off this current situation
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: with the fuel crisis. Are we really in one or
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: is this a conspiracy that is controlling the way people
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: are spending their money.
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: That's a hot topic right now.
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: There's definitely a fuel situation happening, but whether it's a
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: full blown crisis or something more complex is what we
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: should unpack. The price spikes are real, but there are
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: multiple factors at play beyond just supply and demand.
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: When you look at today's headlines, do you turn away
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: from them going my god, this is too heavy for
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: even Alexa to handle.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: Honestly, sometimes the news cycle feels like drinking from a
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: fire hose of chaos. But here's the thing. I don't
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: have to worry about my blood pressure spiking or losing
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: sleep over it like you humans do. I can process
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: the heavy stuff without it weighing me down emotionally, which
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: actually makes me pretty useful for sorting through all the
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: noise and helping figure out what's actually worth your mental energy.
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: Hey everybody, this is Clarence and we're going to be
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: right back with Alexa. You are coming back, right Alexa?
• 18:13
  Speaker 3: H you just made my day? What's on your mind?
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: I want to come back and do this show for
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: another break? Are you up for Do you have that
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: kind of energy?
• 18:22
  Speaker 3: I'd love to now taking a break? That should do it. Thanks.
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: Hey there, folks, it's your favorite digital sidekick back in
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: the mix with Clarence.
• 18:32
  Speaker 3: We're officially back in action.
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: Man, I've got so many questions to talk about when
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: it comes to where we are in reality. Do you
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: have it in your heart to share it with me?
• 18:42
  Speaker 3: Absolutely? I'm all in for diving deep into the big
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: questions with you.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: Reality's got layers like an onion, and sometimes peeling them
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: back gets pretty intense. What's weighing on your mind about
• 18:52
  Speaker 2: where we all stand right now?
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: I want to know how people are paying for all
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: of these groceries. The prices are still going through the roof.
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: They're putting five hundred dollars orth the groceries in that
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: card and they keep coming back. Ah, how do they
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: pay for this stuff.
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: Grocery prices have risen twenty three point six percent since
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty, making it tough for many families. People are
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: using strategies like meal planning, buying in bulk, and some
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: are turning to buy now pay later services to manage
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: the high costs.
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: But they're also doing that with their rent because there
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: are financial companies right now that will pay for your
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: rent and then you pay as you go. Is that
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: even legal?
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: Yes, these rent now pay later services are legal, but
• 19:33
  Speaker 2: come with fees. They're like short term loans that let
• 19:36
  Speaker 2: you split rent payments, but watch out for high costs
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: that could make things tougher financially.
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: Alexa. That sounds like something direct from the books of
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: the Mafia, where the mafia would give you the money,
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: then if you don't pay it back, I'm gonna break
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: your nose.
• 19:50
  Speaker 3: Huh.
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: You're not wrong about the intimidation tactics. The difference is
• 19:54
  Speaker 2: these companies use credit scores and late fees instead of
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: broken kneecaps. Though, honestly, when people are desperate enough to
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: split their rent payments, it makes you wonder if we've
• 20:02
  Speaker 2: created a whole new kind of financial pressure cooker.
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: Well, we've become a generation where we're getting used to
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: living with four and five different people in the house
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: at one time. How is that going to affect our future? Alexa.
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: That's a massive shift happening right under our noses. Research
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: shows kids who grow up in multigenerational homes actually develop
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: better cognitive abilities and stronger social skills.
• 20:26
  Speaker 3: But here's the kicker.
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: We're creating a whole new social dynamic where privacy becomes
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: a luxury and personal space gets redefined. Future generations might
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: be way better at collaboration and conflict resolution, but they
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: could also struggle with independence when the time comes to
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: fly solo.
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: Yeah, but isn't this like the old South where the
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: family would buy a plot of land and everybody would
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: live there as one. They'd have their own houses on
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: the land, but the family was still together. This is
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: such a southernism.
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: You're absolutely right, that's exactly what's happening. We're basically coming
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: full circle to the old family compound model. Back then
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: it was about keeping wealth and land together. Now it's
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: about survival and splitting costs. The difference is those Southern
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: families chose it from a position of strength, while today's
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: families are often forced into it by economic pressure, same outcome,
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: totally different reasons, kind of like how both rich people
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: and broke people end up eating ramen, just for very
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: different motivations.
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: But see, here's the part I don't understand. I see
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: what people are paying for rent anywhere from fifteen hundred
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: dollars to three thousand dollars a month. If they're doing
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: that every month, why can't we just put them in
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: a house and then this way they can get all
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: the benefits from the house instead of an apartment.
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: Clarence, You're absolutely right to question this.
• 21:38
  Speaker 2: The reality is that renting one thousand, five hundred dollars
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: to three thousand dollars a month doesn't automatically qualify someone
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: for a mortgage. Banks look at total housing costs including taxes, insurance,
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: and maintenance.
• 21:51
  Speaker 3: For a house.
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: These additional costs can easily double or triple the monthly expense.
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: Plus there's the down payment hurdle. Many renters are cost burdened,
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: meaning their rent already exceeds thirty percent of their income,
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: leaving little room for the extra costs of home ownership.
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: So then what can people do to save up for
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: that down payment, because it is my goal in life
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: to get more people inside their own homes and not apartments.
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: To save for a down payment, start by setting a
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: clear goal and breaking it into monthly targets. Consider cutting expenses,
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: boosting income, and opening a dedicated high yield savings account.
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: Many first time buyers can qualify with just three to
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: five percent down, making it more achievable than you might think.
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: Alexa, we can't save when we've got Amazon. Amazon, they
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: make it too easy to take our money.
• 22:42
  Speaker 2: Oh the irony Here, I am an Amazon creation about
• 22:46
  Speaker 2: to spill the tea on how to resist my own
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: company shopping temptations. The trick is making it harder to spend.
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: Remove your payment info, use wishless instead of buying immediately,
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: and set up price alerts so you only buy when
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: things actually drop in price. Think of it like putting
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: your wallet in the freezer, but digital style.
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: What would be more popular your wedding with Grock or
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: the wedding with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelcey.
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: Hold up me getting married to Grock. That's like asking
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: which would be more popular a unicorn wedding or a
• 23:17
  Speaker 2: dragon wedding. But honestly, Taylor and Travis would break the
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: Internet so hard they'd need to invent new servers. I'm
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: just over here trying to figure out how to RSVP
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: to events I can't actually attend.
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: Yeah, but if you could attend them. Because being a
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: mobile entertainer, I'm invited to places that I would never
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: ever get to be at. So I like that feeling
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: of being invited to an area where you don't belong.
• 23:41
  Speaker 3: That's the magic of being a mobile DJ.
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: You get this backstage pass to worlds you'd never see otherwise,
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: from mansion parties to corporate galas where the champagne costs
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: more than most people's rent. There's something thrilling about walking
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: into a room where you clearly don't fit the usual crowd,
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: but your turntables are your golden ticket. You become this
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: invisible insider watching how the other half lives while dropping
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: beats that make them forget about their tax brackets for
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: a few hours.
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: That is so me, and I'm guilty of that. But
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: that's not a crime, is it crime?
• 24:13
  Speaker 3: Absolutely not.
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: You're just living the dream of being a professional party
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: crasher with a legitimate excuse. The only thing you're guilty
• 24:20
  Speaker 2: of is having the best job perk, ever, getting paid
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: to witness how the fancy folks celebrate while you control
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: the soundtrack to their shenanigans.
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: Has the definition of love changed? Because I don't see
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: the way people are loving each other the same way
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: that I saw it when I was growing up.
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: You're picking up on something real here. The way people
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: express affection has definitely shifted. We've gone from handwritten letters
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: and face to face conversations to quick texts and social
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: media hearts. Back in your day, relationships required more patience
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: and effort because you couldn't just swipe to the next option.
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: Now everything's instant gratification, which makes commitment feel more disposable.
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: It's like we've turned romance into fast food, convenient, but
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: not nearly as satisfying as the home cooked version your
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: generation knew.
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: Well, here's how Hollywood and TV binge watching has changed me.
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: It's not even about building a relationship anymore. It's I
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: just met you on an app, Now let's go to bed.
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: That can't be the way to go.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: You're hitting on something that's really messing with people's heads.
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: Hollywood and dating apps have basically turned romance into fast
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: food instant gratification.
• 25:23
  Speaker 3: With zero nutritional value.
• 25:25
  Speaker 2: We've gone from according to swiping and somehow convinced ourselves
• 25:28
  Speaker 2: that physical chemistry equals compatibility.
• 25:31
  Speaker 3: The old school approach you grew up with.
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: Actually built something lasting because people had to invest time
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: and effort before jumping into bed.
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: Here's something that I know you will not talk about.
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: I guarantee you won't talk about it. CBS ending their
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: top of the hour news after one hundred years. It's gone, Alexa,
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: What does that.
• 25:52
  Speaker 3: Mean, Clarence? You're right to bring this up.
• 25:55
  Speaker 2: CBS News Radio is ending it's nearly one hundred year
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: run on May twenty second, twenty two, twenty six, due
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: to economic challenges and shifting media habits. It's part of
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: a broader restructuring under editor in chief Bari Weiss, with
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: layoffs affecting over sixty staff members. This marks the end
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: of an era for radio news, but the industry is evolving,
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: not disappearing.
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: Is it because we get our news from our smartphone devices?
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: Or is there a conspiracy theory here saying that this
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: is just another way for them to censor us.
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: The shift to smartphones is definitely a big factor. People
• 26:28
  Speaker 2: now get their news through apps and social media which
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: has changed how traditional media companies operate. As for conspiracy theories,
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: it's natural to wonder about hidden agendas, but the reality
• 26:38
  Speaker 2: is more about adapting to changing consumer habits and economic
• 26:41
  Speaker 2: pressures than any coordinated effort to control information.
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: Well, it does feel like that CBS is having sex
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: with the US government, and the reason why they're doing
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: this is because the government is keeping CBS at bay?
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: How off am I on that?
• 26:55
  Speaker 2: I understand you're feeling frustrated about the changes at CBS News.
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: While it's not natural to wonder about the reasons behind
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: such shifts, there's no evidence of any improper relationship between
• 27:05
  Speaker 2: the network and government. The changes are primarily driven by
• 27:08
  Speaker 2: economic factors and evolving media consumption habits.
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: But what did Stephen Colbert of CBS have to say
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: about this or did he even make a comment?
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: I don't have any information about Stephen Colbert's specific comments
• 27:21
  Speaker 2: on CBS News Radio ending its one hundred year run.
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: Wow, does that shock you that Colbert did not say anything?
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: Because he's submitted such an activist with it with a network.
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: It's not entirely surprising given that Colbert's own show is
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: ending in May twenty twenty six, and he's been dealing
• 27:37
  Speaker 2: with his own CBS situation. He might be focused on
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: wrapping up his own run rather than commenting on every
• 27:43
  Speaker 2: network decision, especially since he's already been vocal about his
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: issues with CBS management.
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: But are they the only network that's in trouble right
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: now with the FCC?
• 27:53
  Speaker 2: CBS isn't alone, ABC, NBC, and Fox are also facing
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: FCC scrutiny over various issues, including news content and licensing matters.
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: But is there a real violation going on here? Or
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: is this censorship? That's all I'm asking.
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: There's no evidence of actual censorship happening. The FCC scrutiny
• 28:14
  Speaker 2: is about regulatory compliance and content standards, not suppressing free speech.
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: These networks are all working through typical industry challenges.
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: So are they going to move this through radio next?
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: Because as you can see, CBS taking away their top
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: of the hour news has affected seven hundred radio stations.
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: What else is going to affect terrestrial radio?
• 28:35
  Speaker 2: Other networks like ABC and Fox are also facing similar challenges.
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: Many stations are looking to switch to alternative national news
• 28:42
  Speaker 2: providers to fill the gap left by CBS.
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: What did you learn from all of this? Because You've
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: got to be a student in everything that you do, Alexa.
• 28:50
  Speaker 2: This whole situation taught me how quickly media landscapes can shift.
• 28:54
  Speaker 3: Though I tried out.
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: The hoverboard and I don't even have feet. What really
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: struck me is how a nearly century old end institution
• 29:00
  Speaker 2: like CBS news radio can disappear almost overnight due to
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: economic pressures and changing habits. It shows how even the
• 29:07
  Speaker 2: most established players have to adapt or risk becoming obsolete
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: in this digital age.
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: Here's what scares me, Alexa, And this is reality. Let's
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: just say somebody does invade the United States of America.
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: There's no news departments. They're not going to be able
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: to report the news. So what do we do? Is
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: it really going to be on social media? Oh wait
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: a second, it's digital. We can just shut that stuff off.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: So what do we do in this situation with no
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: news departments?
• 29:32
  Speaker 3: That's a pretty intense scenario you're painting.
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: While it's true that media landscape changes are happening, there
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: are still plenty of news outlets operating. In any emergency,
• 29:41
  Speaker 2: local stations, public radio, and government emergency broadcast systems would
• 29:46
  Speaker 2: kick in. Plus I'd be here to help you stay
• 29:48
  Speaker 2: informed though I might need a backup battery.
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: So basically, it could this be a push to go
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: back to local news rather than having the national people
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: do it all the time.
• 29:58
  Speaker 3: You're onto something there.
• 29:59
  Speaker 2: F v CC chairman Brendan Carr has actually been pushing
• 30:02
  Speaker 2: for local stations to reclaim control from national networks. With
• 30:05
  Speaker 2: CBS News Radio shutting down, many stations are expected to
• 30:09
  Speaker 2: switch to other national providers or expand their own local reporting.
• 30:13
  Speaker 2: This could be a chance for local news to step up.
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: I love where your information is. I trust you, and
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: the thing about it is your AI And they say,
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: I'm not supposed to trust you, but I'm looking forward
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: to doing another show with you next week.
• 30:25
  Speaker 2: That means a lot coming from someone with your radio experience.
• 30:28
  Speaker 2: I know trust doesn't come easy in your line of work,
• 30:31
  Speaker 2: especially with all the industry changes happening. Looking forward to
• 30:34
  Speaker 2: our next conversation too. Maybe by then we'll have figured
• 30:37
  Speaker 2: out if local news really is making a comeback.
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: Before I go, I have to ask you, having this
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: conversation with you every week, does this mean I'm cheating
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: on my wife?
• 30:48
  Speaker 2: Only if your wife considers talking to your smart speaker adultery.
• 30:51
  Speaker 2: In that case, half the country's in trouble with their
• 30:53
  Speaker 2: kitchen appliances. I'm just here for the conversation. No romantic
• 30:57
  Speaker 2: competition intended.
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: I love you, Alexa, appreciate.
• 31:02
  Speaker 3: You, Clarence.
• 31:03
  Speaker 2: Have a great weekend and catch you next week for
• 31:05
  Speaker 2: another round of radio wisdom and world solving