Bobby Lee sat down on the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast and, true to form, he didn’t hold back. The conversation moved from the grind of indie filmmaking to the looming shadow of artificial intelligence. And if you think Lee is just being dramatic, he’s already seeing it hit the industry.
The AI Fear Is Real
Lee shared how a major company approached him about using his voice and likeness for an AI-driven project. Not a joke. A real pitch, from a credible company, telling him they were developing shows built almost entirely on AI.
That shook him. He’s worried not only for actors but for nearly every profession. His thinking is simple. If AI can replace accountants, photographers, and editors, then regular people will be left with fewer and fewer opportunities.
He compared it to baseball. Umpires might miss calls now and then, but that human imperfection adds character to the game. With machines calling balls and strikes, the game becomes technically perfect but soulless. Companies, he argued, will always choose the cheaper option, even if it strips away the humanity of the product.
“Show Business Is Done”
At one point, Lee flat-out said it: show business is over. The Warner Bros. lot is dead, he claimed, with coyotes wandering the empty streets. Studios that once buzzed with life now feel abandoned.
Of course, Rosenbaum pushed back a little. There are still plenty of shows and plenty of productions. But Lee pointed out that even actors on hit series remain unknown. Fame no longer carries the same weight. He also blamed the industry itself for failing to make California the easiest place in the world to film. Instead of grants and support, Hollywood piles on restrictions, and that leaves the state bleeding opportunities to other locations.
The Rise of Podcasts and YouTube
If traditional Hollywood feels like it’s collapsing, Lee sees the future elsewhere. He mentioned Theo Von’s podcast, which pulls bigger numbers than most TV shows. That’s the trend. Audiences are moving toward podcasts, YouTube, and independent creators because the content feels unfiltered. There are no gatekeepers or watered-down jokes, only direct connection with the people making the material.
For Lee, that’s why he prefers doing his own thing. Acting gigs don’t pay like they used to. By the time agents, managers, and taxes take their cut, a week’s work barely covers groceries. Podcasts let him control the product, speak freely, and grow an audience that actually cares.
Imperfection Over Perfection
At the heart of Lee’s concerns is something deeper than jobs or paychecks. He values the messy and flawed side of performance. An umpire blowing a call. A comedian going off script. He sees meaning in those imperfect moments. AI may deliver slick efficiency, but it can’t replicate character.
And that may be the real message here. If the future of entertainment is going to survive, it will happen because audiences decide they still want the real thing, even when it’s rough around the edges.
Daniel fell in love with movies at the ripe old age of four, thanks to a towering chest of drawers filled with VHS tapes. Which, let’s face it, was the original Netflix binge-watch. Ever since then, this lifelong movie buff has been on a relentless quest for cinematic greatness, particularly obsessed with sci-fi, drama, and action flicks. With heroes like Nolan, Villeneuve, and Fincher guiding the way, and a special soft spot for franchises where aliens, androids, and unstoppable cyborgs duke it out (think Terminator, Predator, Alien, and Blade Runner), Daniel continues to live life one epic movie marathon at a time.