When Elon Musk posted a video of himself arriving at Twitter HQ carrying a white sink along with the message “let that sink in!” It marked the end of a dramatic takeover. Musk had gone from Twitter critic to “Chief Twit” in the space of just a few months but his arrival didn’t put an end to questions about his motives. Musk had earned a reputation as a business maverick. From PayPal to Tesla to SpaceX, his name was synonymous with big, earth-shattering ideas. So, what did he want with a social media platform? And was this all really in the name of free speech...or was this all in the name of Elon Musk? From Wondery, the makers of WeCrashed and In God We Lust, comes the wild story of how the richest man alive took charge of the world’s “digital public square.”Listen to Flipping The Bird: Wondery.fm/FTB_ISSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special BONUS episode, INSIDE STAR WARS creator and host Mark Ramsey interviews Brian Jay Jones, the author of the recent best-selling biography “George Lucas: A Life.” We talk about our shared love of the original film and how the franchise shaped our youths. We discuss what it’s like to chase down the details of a living legend who has contributed so much to modern pop culture. And Brian reveals the one question he would most like to ask Lucas today: “Are you happy?”It’s a fascinating conversation about the man at the center of Star Wars.Brian Jay Jones also wrote a wonderful biography of Muppet creator Jim Henson, and his current best-seller is this great book: “Becoming Dr. Seuss - Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination.”Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alec Guinness tells a child to stop watching Star Wars and drives him to tears. Kenny Baker - the man inside R2D2 - dies, but not before meeting the son he never knew. After great emotional struggle, George Lucas sells Star Wars to Disney. After a lifetime of total control, now he has to say “goodbye.” Carrie Fisher boards a plane at Heathrow Airport in London in 2016 and stops breathing before reaching Los Angeles. The world says goodbye to Princess Leia. Lucas acknowledges the fact that Star Wars used to be his, and now it’s ours. He used to live only for movies - and then he had children. Finally, a wide-eyed return to a movie theater in 1977 and the first time anyone ever saw Star Wars.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shooting on Star Wars wraps, but the troubles are far from over. Lucas has to “crack the whip” at ILM, which is way behind on FX shots. Lucas discovers the perfect voice for Darth Vader. The John Williams score is finished and Lucas is moved to tears. He screens the film for his movie friends and the reception is ugly. The FOX sales team loves the movie, but the studio board is convinced they’re wrong - Star Wars will be an enormous bomb, they believe. So they move the release date early and dump it into a small number of theaters before it’s forgotten forever. And then, Star Wars premieres and is a phenomenon. Lines around the block everywhere. Lucas vacations with Spielberg and tosses out an idea for another movie, one led by a character named “Indiana Smith.” Lucas negotiates the sequels, then takes a long vacation from Star Wars until a new series of prequels. And that’s when the backlash begins. Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carrie Fisher auditions hairstyles and the “Buns of Navarone” are born. Star Wars begins shooting. Carrie is smitten by her handsome co-star, Harrison Ford. Greedo nearly suffocates during the Cantina sequence. George Lucas breaks the news to Alec Guinness that his character will be killed off - without a satisfying death scene, and Guinness is furious. Luke and Leia swing across a dangerous chasm, but first someone has to tape down Carrie Fisher’s breasts. Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin is a horror legend - where does he go on his bicycle every day during the shooting of Star Wars? Shooting nears its end and George Lucas falls into depression and despair. Strife with the studio continues, and now Lucas is suffering chest pains. Star Wars is literally going to kill him.Support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.