A Meeting at Stars End with Jon Blumenfeld

Seldon Crisis – The Podcast

Jon Blumenfeld - the voice of Homir Munn in our story episodes - is one of the three hosts of Stars End, a podcast obsessively focused on the works of Isaac Asimov, particularly Foundation. They have covered the core trilogy, the prequels, and the four books in the robot series, as well as extensive coverage of the Apple TV series. Join us as we talk about the exciting second season of the show, Asimov's robots, AI, and other topics.

Transcript: Web (Read/Listen) | PDF | MS Word

Guest: Jon Blumenfeld
Host: Joel McKinnon

Introduction and Background

• Discussion about the growth and reception of the Stars End Podcast.
• Mention of the Hari Awards hosted by Stars End Podcast.

Challenges of Podcast Editing

• Joel and Jon discuss the intricacies of editing, including noise reduction and the removal of filler words.
• Both agree that editing helps in maintaining the quality of the podcast.

Foundation Series: Book vs. TV Show

• Debate on the tension between book purists and TV show enthusiasts.
• Discussion on how the TV show has diverged from the books but still maintains entertainment value.

Character Deep Dive: Demerzel

• Analysis of Demerzel's character in the Foundation series.
• Discussion on the theme of personhood and how Demerzel navigates her programmed life.

Moments of Levity

• Joel and Jon share their favorite moments of humor in the Foundation series.

Environmental Themes and Social Relevance

• Joel expresses his initial hopes that the Foundation series could spark an environmental conscience.
• Both agree that while the show is entertaining, some of the deeper themes may have been sidelined for spectacle.

Podcasting Tips and Tricks

• Jon shares his editing process and how he uses Audacity.
• Joel talks about the different approaches he takes for story episodes versus conversational episodes.

Closing Remarks

• Mention of possible future collaborations and episodes.
• Final thoughts on the Foundation series and its impact.

Stars End Podcast (website)
The Second Annual Hari Awards Ballot (questionnaire)