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Fontroversy: The Fonts That Just Aren't Quite Our Type
Comic Sans: From Their Hate Came Love (And Money)
When a typeface ripped from the funny pages starts to get contentious, surprise guest expert Whitney McPhie intervenes to school Lena and Sean on what Comic Sans can really do.
IMPORTANT EDITORIAL CORRECTION: Gentle Giants Dog Food does NOT, in fact, use Comic Sans on its packaging—it instead uses a DaFont-style Disney-inspired sans paired with, of all things, Bank Gothic Sean apologies for this truly shameful oversight, although in their defense, attempting to look at any one specific type block on the package without being immediately distracted is basically impossible.
Segment Producer: Whitney McPhie
Researchers: Ashley Heeke, Sophia Stoker
Story Editors: Anna Stanton, Hannah Joseph
Sound Editing & Mix: Orion Cortez
This episode was recorded Tuesday, May 30, 2023.
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PRODUCTION CREDITS
Fontroversy was created by the students of DES 399 Public Design Communication in the Spring of 2019 as part of Portland State University’s Graphic Design program in Portland, Oregon. You can learn more about PSUGD at psu.gd. You can learn more about the PSU School of Art+Design at pdx.edu/art-design.
Host: Lena Hall
Show Art: Robert Ditty
Social Media Coordinator: Ashley Heeke
Producer: Sean Schumacher
Editorial Assistance by: Orion Cortez
Music: “How Can Things Be” by Holizna
For more about Fontroversy, visit fontroversy.com or follow @fontroversy.psugd on Instagram.
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5. Now You See Me Too As Well (”Did I Do That?” Crossover)
01:27:39||Ep. 5Lena Hall of Fontroversy is on Did I Do That?! Or Sean Schumacher is on Fontroversy!? We’re all mixed up because it’s a Did I Do That?-Fontroversy acoustic universe crossover spectacular to kick off one of those shows’ fourth season!The two hosts sit down to talk about the process behind getting Fontroversy off the ground, as well as Lena’s Fallout Boy audition outfit, the meltiest car, and the Wizarding World of Woody Harrelson.You can find more about Lena ’s work on their Instagram, @ps.its.lena. They are indeed graduating soon and you should absolutely hire them! You can view Lena's font horoscopes for the both of us here!This episode was recorded Saturday, February 3, 2024 in the Rat’s Nest.Special thanks to the entire team that made Fontroversy possible: Lea Thompson, Lena Hall, Malia Masterson, Whitney McPhie, Ashley Heeke, Sophia Stoker, Anna Stanton, Hannah Joseph, Sophia Mick, Mette Voldengen, Milos Dugas, Freya Kargard, Robert Ditty, Izzy Gavaza, Dana Ives, Kaitlyn Casey, Aline Chercover, and Orion Cortez.Closing Music/The Fontroversy Theme: “How Can Things Be” by Holizna4. Helvetica: A U-Turn On a One-Way Street?
37:33||Season 1, Ep. 4When Lena and Sean start fuming about the most famous (and infamous) font there is, guest expert Freya Kargard steps in to modernize their thinking about Helvetica. This might well mark our limited series' finale, but stay tuned as we might have one or two surprises in store as well!Segment Producer: Freya KargardResearcher: Robert DittyStory Editor: Izzy GavazaSound Editing and Mix/Mastering: Orion CortezThis episode was recorded Tuesday, May 30, 2023.__PRODUCTION CREDITSFontroversy was created by the students of DES 399 Public Design Communication in the Spring of 2019 as part of Portland State University’s Graphic Design program in Portland, Oregon. You can learn more about PSUGD at psu.gd. You can learn more about the PSU School of Art+Design at pdx.edu/art-design.Host: Lena HallShow Art: Robert DittySocial Media Coordinator: Ashley HeekeProducer: Sean SchumacherEditorial Assistance by: Orion CortezMusic: “How Can Things Be” by HoliznaFor more about Fontroversy, visit fontroversy.com or follow @fontroversy.psugd on Instagram.3. Impact: Facebook Mom Vibes?
38:13||Season 1, Ep. 3When frustration around the meme-iest of meme fonts starts to go viral around the studio, guest expert Sophia Mick bursts in to help set Lena and Sean straight on Impact’s… impact.Segment Producer: Sophia MickResearcher: Mette VoldengenStory Editor: Milos Dugas"Candy Paper Wrap Crinkling" Sound Effect by Emile99, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.This episode was recorded Tuesday, June 6, 2023.--PRODUCTION CREDITSFontroversy was created by the students of DES 399 Public Design Communication in the Spring of 2019 as part of Portland State University’s Graphic Design program in Portland, Oregon. You can learn more about PSUGD at psu.gd. You can learn more about the PSU School of Art+Design at pdx.edu/art-design.Host: Lena Hall Show Art: Robert Ditty Social Media Coordinator: Ashley Heeke Producer: Sean Schumacher Editorial Assistance by: Orion Cortez Music: “How Can Things Be” by HoliznaFor more about Fontroversy, visit fontroversy.com or follow @fontroversy.psugd on Instagram.1. Wingdings: Cheugy Emoji?
46:16||Season 1, Ep. 1When Wingdings becomes a sore subject around the studio, Lena and Sean turn to guest expert Lea Thompson to help settle once and for all what good those dingbats are for.Researcher: Lena HallStory Editor: Malia MastersonSegment Producer: Lea ThompsonThis episode was recorded Tuesday, May 23, 2023.---PRODUCTION CREDITSFontroversy was created by the students of DES 399 Public Design Communication in the Spring of 2019 as part of Portland State University’s Graphic Design program in Portland, Oregon. You can learn more about PSUGD at psu.gd. You can learn more about the PSU School of Art+Design at pdx.edu/art-design.Host: Lena HallShow Art: Robert DittySocial Media: Ashley HeekeProducer: Sean SchumacherEditorial Assistance by: Orion CortezMusic: “How Can Things Be” by Holizna---For more about Fontroversy, visit fontroversy.com or follow @fontroversy.psugd on Instagram.Introducing Fontroversy, a new limited-run series coming July 20!
01:00|Wanna know the stories behind all the fonts we love to hate? Introducing Fontroversy, a limited-run series about typefaces that just aren't quite our type, hosted by Lena Hall. Listen every other Thursday starting July 20!Fontroversy is produced by Sean Schumacher (Did I Do That? podcast) and created by the students of the Spring 2023 Public Design Communication course from PSUGD, part of the Portland State University School of Art Design.