logo
episode-header-image
Sep 30
12m 34s

This TED Talk is full of bad ideas | Gab...

TED
About this episode

What if the worst ideas turned out to be the most interesting? Mischief-making artist Gabe Whaley shares how he built a collective of artists whose seemingly bad ideas — like selling 5,000 keys to the same car — often go viral and sell for thousands of dollars. His playful experiments show why it’s worth leaning into the absurd … because you never know what might happen.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Sunday Pick: How to love your hometown (w/ Hanif Abdurraqib & Sarah Kay) | How to Be a Better Human
<p>Loving where you live means caring for the people who make that place home, says cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib. He invites poet Sarah Kay and Chris Duffy, host of the podcast “How to Be a Better Human,” to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to show off what makes it so special ... Show More
15m 29s
Yesterday
4 hard truths about capitalism and climate | Steve Howard
<p>For decades, investor and business leader Steve Howard watched companies pour money and effort into sustainability initiatives ... and still fall short. The problem isn’t a lack of will, he says; it’s that capitalism and climate have been wired to work against each other. He s ... Show More
16m 37s
Nov 21
The army of autonomous robots restoring nature | Tom Chi
<p>Impact investor Tom Chi challenges a dangerous assumption: that economic growth and ecological health are opposing forces. He reveals how advances in AI and robotics are enabling a radical shift towards innovation as a force for restoration. Imagine mines that extract less, fa ... Show More
19m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 30
This TED Talk is full of bad ideas | Gabe Whaley
<p>What if the worst ideas turned out to be the most interesting? Mischief-making artist Gabe Whaley shares how he built a collective of artists whose seemingly bad ideas — like selling 5,000 keys to the same car — often go viral and sell for thousands of dollars. His playful exp ... Show More
12m 34s
Sep 6
What will the future of art look like? A visual effects artist and a curator answer | Rob Bredow and Nora Atkinson
<p>How will AI and new technology change art? Visual effects artist Rob Bredow, known for his work on Star Wars, and curator Nora Atkinson, who brought Burning Man to the Smithsonian, dive deep into the future of creativity, trading behind-the-scenes stories that show how to blen ... Show More
26m 42s
Sep 29
How Dolly Parton led me to an epiphany | Jad Abumrad (re-release)
<p>How do you end a story? Host of "Radiolab" Jad Abumrad tells how his search for an answer led him home to the mountains of Tennessee, where he met an unexpected teacher: Dolly Parton.</p><br><p>This episode originally aired on July 12, 2021.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:g ... Show More
14m 22s
Jul 2025
Why building new proteins from scratch is our new superpower | David Baker
<p>The rapidly evolving field of protein design is revealing solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems, whether it's blocking a virus, breaking down a pollutant or creating brand-new materials. In conversation with TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers, biochemist David Baker ... Show More
32m 17s
Jul 2025
The jokes AI won’t tell | Jena Friedman
<p>Could a robot ever be funny? In a sharp standup act, comedian Jena Friedman lambasts the mad dash to develop AI and offers a surprising take on why it will never replace comedians. (Contains mature content.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on ... Show More
9m 55s
Sep 8
Forget hustle culture. Behold the Artist Corporation | Yancey Strickler
<p>Kickstarter cofounder Yancey Strickler unveils a radical new economic model that could transform how creative people build sustainable careers, amass collective wealth and escape the burnout of hustle culture. Hear his vision for how artists can pool resources, share profits a ... Show More
12m 42s
Jun 2025
How can creativity help us heal? A doctor and a cartoonist answer | Amy Baxter and Navied Mahdavian
<p>When medicine mixes with metaphor, what kind of healing transpires? In this unexpected meeting of minds, physician Amy Baxter shares her innovative approach to treating pain, while cartoonist Navied Mahdavian explores how he traces its deeper meaning. From punchlines to pain s ... Show More
24m 27s
Sep 24
#828: David Senra — How Extreme Winners Think and Win: Lessons from 400+ of History’s Greatest Founders and Investors (Including Buffett, Munger, Rockefeller, Jobs, Ovitz, Zell, and Names You Don’t Know But Should)
<p><strong>David Senra </strong>is the host of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@founderspodcast1/videos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><em>Founders</em></strong></a> podcast. For the past nine years, David has intensely studied the life and work of hundre ... Show More
2h 55m
Aug 2023
YOU’RE NOT THE NEXT BILLIONAIRE, DAVID | Drew Afualo & E.R. Fightmaster | THE COMMENT SECTION EP 77
[video available on Spotify] This week, E.R. Fightmaster joins Drew on the show for an episode that bashes the patriarchy so hard it may never recover. They talk about their favorite Elon Musk facts, why saying "body count" is the straight agenda, a stand-up comedian who helped E ... Show More
1h 26m
Sep 19
How do you rethink how the world works? An entrepreneur and an engineer answer | Yancey Strickler and Jenny Du
<p>What happens when following the “right” path leads you to the “wrong” place? Kickstarter cofounder Yancey Strickler and scientist Jenny Du discuss how they’ve made careers out of rethinking old systems and imagining new ones. They dive into the spark that led to their success ... Show More
26m 17s