IP Goes Pop!
Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are often referenced in popular movies, television and songs. IP Goes Pop explores the interface between intellectual property and popular culture. Who owns the rights to creative expression? How long does a patent last? Do the media get it right when reporting on intellectual property issues? What makes a trade secret truly secret? Hosted by Volpe Koenig intellectual property attorneys Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue, with guest colleagues, inventors, writers, and creators, this lively podcast discusses intellectual property with a pop culture twist.
Now in Season 7!
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- 02.24.2026
“If you’re not first, you’re last!” This week on IP Goes Pop!®, co-hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue chase down “IP firsts” and explain why these origin stories still matter to creators, brands, and inventors today.
The episode opens with our hosts’ personal firsts (early movie-theater memories, ticket-counter hijinks). The discussion then shifts to media milestones. Michael and Joe start by highlighting the first televised commercial during a live sports broadcast, decades before the modern era of Super Bowl commercials and “skip ad” buttons. From there, the hosts trace more “TV firsts”. These include the first laugh track, heard in The Hank McCune Show, and the first prime-time animated series, The Flintstones.
- 12.23.2025
- 11.03.2025
What happens when one of the most legendary hip-hop collectives of all time turns its art into a first-of-its-kind legal case? In this episode of IP Goes Pop!, hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue enter into the legal and ongoing cultural journey behind Wu-Tang Clan’s infamous one-of-a-kind album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. What began as a creative experiment in artistic exclusivity could become a landmark case in modern intellectual property (IP) law that could alter how musical recordings can be protected.
- 09.23.2025
Swing into the world of intellectual property and untangle the legal threads behind legendary wall-crawling comic book character, Spider-Man. From comic book origins to blockbuster films, hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue trace Spidey’s journey through pop culture, the U.S. Patent Office, and the courtroom.
- 08.19.2025
Filing for a copyright application doesn’t have to be an overly complex chore. You just need the right tools for the job.
In this fun and informative episode, hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue welcome Jessica Chinnadurai, Attorney Advisor from the U.S. Copyright Office, to introduce the Copyright Office’s Copyright Registration Toolkit.
- 03.25.2025
In this second installment of “IP State of the Union: Billion-Dollar Character Acquisitions,” IP Goes Pop!® co-hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue continue their deep dive into the high-stakes world of intellectual property in entertainment. In this episode, they explain the strategic importance of goodwill—the invisible yet invaluable asset that fuels the staying power of iconic franchises like Star Wars.
