What started as a casual interview about his career turned into a mediation on Hollywood, artificial intelligence, and what makes good art. Oswalt explained how, even though each generation worries that they are experiencing the death of good art, the best comedies and great movies always endure. He also explained how, over the course of his career, he has experienced many booms and busts in film and stand-up, and it is easy to recognize familiar artist archetypes within each new generation.
When it comes to artificial intelligence in art, Oswalt doesn’t mince words. “AI isn’t going anywhere, we can’t make this thing go away. Because we invented it. So how do we find ways to work around it or find a way to make it human?” Oswalt and Stetson discussed how AI is currently optimized not for artists who enjoy the process of creation, but rather for those whose happiness comes from the rewards of its product.
“Look, I love awards too. But awards are only fun when you get them. It’s almost like getting away from it. I’ve had all this success by making things up out of thin air. There’s something beautiful about that… sitting down and coming up with a joke out of nothing, it’s never been that thrilling to me. It’ll never get old to me.”
Oswalt also reflected on his illustrious career spanning more than three decades, starting as a character actor on shows like seinfeld And news radio, And how it evolved to him being cast as himself on the show what do we do in the shadows And hacks, “I’ve always said I’m in showbiz for the money and the anecdotes. I want really amazing stories. I want to cover every part of the canvas. I want to be able to explore every corner of it. When you experience all these things it changes you.”
Black Coffee and Ice Water Now available on Audible.
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