Pokémon Theme Song Artist Responds to Scamming Allegations with AI Diss Track Featuring ‘Gengar Dance’

Jason Paige, the iconic voice behind the original Pokémon anime theme song, has addressed a recent controversy after being accused of taking advantage of young fans during a Pokémon card trade, asserting that the deal was “absolutely fair.”

The drama kicked off when Pokémon card seller and content creator Bryan Kuznitz, known as Boosters and Bangers Collectibles, claimed Paige scammed kids at the Collect-a-Con event in Orlando. Although some videos related to the incident have been removed, Kuznitz alleged that Paige made an unfair trade with a child, swapping an old Gengar card for a “fake” card that was autographed and inscribed. The crux of the complaint is that the Gengar card should have been valued higher than the autographed one.

In a response video, Paige refuted the allegations, clarifying that the so-called “fake” card is actually a promo card from the AGS trading card grading company, featuring Charizard and Pikachu with the company’s logo on the back. While the card itself may not hold significant value, Paige shared his autograph pricing and estimated that, after considering the signature, inscription, grading, and shipping, the card could be worth “around $150.” He then presented the Gengar card, arguing that its condition and lack of grading would place its value below the $150 Kuznitz suggested, estimating it to be around $75 due to its wear and tear over the years.

Paige stated, “The instinct to protect the kid is the right instinct. I’d have the same reaction if I heard that kids were getting scammed, but here is what the vendor’s video didn’t show you: The truth is that the trade we made was absolutely fair and in their favor. I’m not saying this to dodge responsibility for how it looks and how it was presented. The full story is just different from what it appears to be.”

He mentioned that the kids traded the original promo card for another autographed one and left the exchange feeling happy, although he offered to trade back the Gengar if they wanted to contact him privately.

The situation became more complicated when Kuznitz released a follow-up video revealing that the $150 value he assigned to the Gengar card was based on graded pricing, even in its damaged state, rather than its raw value as an ungraded card. Kuznitz suggested it could have been graded a PSA 1, a classification for damaged cards that can still be valuable due to rarity. This reliance on graded pricing for an ungraded card has drawn criticism towards Kuznitz for questionable practices. He later issued a video apologizing for misleading the community, though he did not extend an apology to Paige.

In light of the controversy, Paige has launched a new song titled “The Bigger the Fire, The Bigger the Fame,” seemingly a nod to Kuznitz’s rock band, Fame on Fire. The release includes an AI-generated music video that has received mixed reactions. Additionally, Paige is hosting contests on Instagram, encouraging fans to perform the “Gengar dance” featured in the video for a chance to win $5,000.