Everyone Wrote Off Hunter Biden. Then He Started Posting | Pivot
2029 segments
What did they want from Professor
Galloway?
>> To do one or more of those Andy Rooney
segments.
>> So, you're Andy Rooney. You know what
really bothers me about Sodapop is?
We've got a lot to get to. So, let's dig
in. Hunter Biden, he's into his act,
too, and I'm loving it. He's has fame on
X, former president son now has 700,000
followers on the platform after he
reemerged last month saying, "I'm Hunter
Biden. You never actually heard from me.
Since then, he's taken this incredibly
candid approach. He's quite cany at
social media, joking about his previous
controversies, including drug use. In
one post, he addressed the bag of
cocaine found at the White House in
2023, saying it definitely wasn't his
because he would never forget in his
forgotten his drugs. In another, he
replied to an accusation that he was
part of an elite oligarch class with a
selfie of himself at a Super Eight motel
off I95. Um, it's really interesting
because he's actually engaging with MAGA
people a lot and they're kind of liking
it. They're kind of liking him. Really
interesting. I know it's kind of silly
and sort of me, but I gotta say I I find
it very interesting how he's doing it.
It's authenticity, I guess. Any
thoughts?
>> I think people Yeah, he's like he's
funny,
>> self-deprecating.
>> Yeah. And I think people love that kind
of vulnerability and honesty.
And also, I think I'm on this
anti-optimization
kick or
>> Yeah. I think that
>> I think the optimization trend has just
gotten way too [ __ ] far.
>> It has.
>> And you see that if you're truly about
optimizing, you go to 80%. 80% of good
sleep, good health, good nutrition, and
then you indulge the other 20%. You
don't want your metrics to consume the
joy in your life. And I also I think
people are just sort of ready for a
funny guy who smokes crack. I
>> Well, he doesn't anymore, so that's
>> Anyways, from what I've heard, it has
it's pretty addictive. But anyways, I I
hope for him that he's no longer smoking
crack.
>> Yeah.
>> But I think Hunter, he's he's just a
unique personality. He's got he's got
that kind of I don't know, for lack of a
better term, that Twitter wiz.
>> Um but the thing that kicked it off, and
I hate to admit this, was his interview
with Candace Owens.
>> Yeah, that was interesting.
>> That was part of his comeback.
>> Strange. Yeah.
>> And I I I I refused to watch it because
my understanding is he he kind of
indulged your conspiracy theories on
Israel, Charlie Kirk, and Trump's
assassination attempts. or he didn't
push back.
>> But the Google the Google search on
Hunter Biden is is skyrocketed. He is,
>> you know, he's an interesting guy. And
there's, get this, there's now a 26%
chance on Khi that he runs for president
in 2028.
>> No, he's not president in the fact that
he's defending the Bidens. They've been
so clottish about defending themselves.
I don't think Joe Biden's so great. Or
Joe certainly isn't. But he's sort of
like, "Yeah, we're broken people. So
what?" and like the stuff the [ __ ]
you're throwing around about me isn't
true, but some of it is. So, I think
that's why it works is that he's
defending his family in a way that feels
>> That's a great point. People want people
want to like a Biden right now.
>> Well, but they I don't The Bidens have
done a great job, you know.
>> That's my point. They're looking for
someone to like inact. I don't I I
thought I thought Okay, Dr. Biden. Uh, I
don't I think I don't think she's she's
she hasn't served the Biden family well
in my view.
>> Yeah, they seem, you know, she's mad and
righteous. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I don't Anyways, anyway, I'm
really enjoying Hunter. I'm really
enjoying what you're doing. Um, and uh
and it's see where it goes. I'll be
interested because you can't just live
on Twitter and social media alone. As
Spencer Pratt just found out, there was
a lot more heat around him than there
were votes. And so, he's just been
surpassed in Los Angeles. And and of
course the right is saying the including
President Trump that the election was
stolen. It wasn't. There was a very big
movement around um it's Nithia Ramen uh
who is a very well-qualified person. Um
uh and she's p pulled ahead of him in
the uh in the in the LA mayoral primary.
Um and of course the right is calling it
rigged, but it's not. That's how they do
votes in California slowly because a lot
of mail in. So that that was a lot. It
was sort of snakes. He was like snakes
on a plane of politicians. That's my
feeling. Although we did okay. He got a
lot of votes still.
>> I I actually think the California
elections are somewhat heartening, you
know.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Sar was money.
>> Hilton was attention. The Sarah appears
to be experiencing competence and he
appears to be doing well. And the
mayoral race. I mean, at some point
we're going to talk about candidate
quality because it struck me as
incompetence versus a conspiracy
theorist. But I like the fact that he
came in third. It's actually bad for
Bass. It would have been better in a
traditional
>> div because this other woman's
impressive in many ways. She's a
democratic socialist I think. But she's
got, you know, she's an MIT person. She
worked on homelessness. She worked in
India. She wor she's a really
interesting character. Well, I don't
know enough about her, but I certainly
am going to learn. Uh, she's got a race
on her hands here now.
>> She is interesting, but more than that,
it's D versus D now versus D versus R.
And D versus R in LA, it's vastly skewed
towards D. especially when the D is p
their primary qualification to run for
mayor is that their house burned down.
So, you know, California politics have
been kind of it's blurred the line
between entertainment and public
service, but you know, at least Netflix
cancels shows when they're
underperforming. They don't seem to do
that in California. And I think a lot of
this [ __ ] has started with not only
Trump, but the fact that it appears that
the primary qualification for a cabinet
post now is that you're a t, you know, a
news host or a celebrity.
>> Well, but it didn't work, right? You
know, it didn't work. His he had a lot
more heat on social media than real
actual voters. You know, it's
interesting because we talked about this
last week, but you know, we said that
Daniel Lur is doing a great job in San
Francisco, but he's also online. And I
said, "It's not like he's compelling
like Spencer Pratt who's a douche
nozzle." And I got a call from and all I
pick up the phone. I wasn't looking who
called and he goes, "Not compelling."
And it was Daniel. And I said, "Yes,
that is how you that is why you're doing
so."
>> Meant that in the best way.
>> Yeah. I said that. I said, "No, you're
not compelling at all." And and he is a
douchezle and you are not a douche.
Anyway, just it just shows you that
social media may not be what we think it
is. Right. Exactly. um in in terms of
politics. Voters want what voters want
and I really feel good about voters
right now. I think they know what they
want. Anyway, um let's move on to the
big story. Again, FCC chairman Brendan
Carr, the [ __ ] has inserted himself
into the 60 Minutes drama. I don't know
why cuz he's supposed to be deciding on
this. Carr posted on an ex about fired
correspondent Scott P after P spoke to
the New York Times. responding to a
comment about how P was surprised he got
fired. Carr the [ __ ] wrote, "One of the
reasons why trust in media is low. So
many legacy journalists are completely
out of touch. You do not get away with
that behavior in any run-of-the-mill
job." Well, yes, Brendan, you [ __ ] And
he was asking a basic question of why
were people who were had no reason to be
fired got fired anyway. He should not be
weighing in. Neither should any of those
people, though. P says CBS manager the
ones out of touch. Let's listen to a
clip clip from an extraordinary
interview he did with a friend of mine,
Lulu Garcia Navaro at the New York
Times. It was full of stuff. So, let's
listen to it.
>> Of course, we have to reach out to a
younger and younger audience. Um, but
their argument about joining the
internet age is just disingenuous.
Um, it's almost as if Barry Weiss and
Nick Bilton were sealed in a time
capsule in 1990
and it just cracked open. They've just
discovered the internet and they're
running around telling everybody how
important it is at CBS News. Yeah. Uh
join the fight.
>> Anyway, I love his voice. It was such a
good burn. We've been saying that it's
not the everyone knows this. It's not
new fresh things. Um so I want to talk
about this in a different way. I mean, I
thought the interview was extraordinary
and extremely damaging. Um that said, I
don't know if something's going to
happen about it. Um but I we had a great
talk last night. Scott called me and
there's a business aspect to this I
really want to talk about. Obviously,
the interview was really a lot and
including this idea that he put his
hands on Nick, Nick Builton, who's who
was put in place to run 60 Minutes. A
lot of controversy around him. Um, which
didn't turn out to be true, but this one
executive Tom and I don't know how to I
can't pronounce his last thing. Anyway,
he was saying that he he tried to
manhandle Nick Bilton, which wasn't
true, and then said, "Oh, okay. You
didn't like the lack of reporting on the
behalf of CBS management is really quite
striking." Um, and Scott called them
out. Scott P, whose voice is fant
Maleficulous. Um, Maleifulous, whatever.
But you had this really great take about
business, and I'd love you to reel it
out a little bit because I thought it
was different than the typical those
[ __ ] kind of thing, which in fact,
they are [ __ ] But go ahead. Yeah, I
think if you just look at the industrial
logic or lack thereof, you get to what's
going on here, and that is this is a a a
rare instance of broadcast media
performing well. And so from an
industrial logic standpoint, you just
wouldn't [ __ ] with it. And we use the
analogy performing open heart surgery on
your best performing player.
>> I thought that was so smart.
>> Makes no sense, right? So why does this
make sense? Because regardless of
whether you like the Ellison's or not,
David Ellison is a smart guy. His father
is a brilliant business person. He just
is. And they understand, they may not
understand media or journalism, but they
understand culture incentives and they
vastly understand shareholder value.
>> I would say Larry does, but go ahead.
>> Fair enough. Um although I I I would
argue his son at least seems competent.
>> He's competent. He's competent. Not
around media, but he's good at making
maverick top gun. But go ahead. So the
question is why would they why would
they [ __ ] with something that's working?
Yeah. I mean that's the question. So it
becomes all right. First off, and this
is where I go too.
>> While journalists and media are obsessed
with themselves and think this is like
an attack on democracy and journalism. I
understand that the chill on journalism
and that journalism is a key component
of democracy. I'm of the camp that quite
frankly if the Washington Post and 60
Minutes go away, journalism is going to
be just fine. That's not to say we
shouldn't be concerned. That's not to
say this isn't another example of Trump
trying to put a chill on journalism. I
get it. When you try and encourage
taking vaccines off the market, I think
that is a real existential threat to the
health and wellbeing of Americans. I
think if 60 Minutes were to go away,
those people are going to find amazing
jobs and create reasonable faximiles of
of incredible journalism as they've
continued to produce at 60 minutes.
>> May I just push back a tiny bit? This
that's not true. they are an important
of the many fixtures and it's working. I
do think it's more than that. And what
Scott P was asking, why are you firing
competent people who who are doing a
great job and I do think they're
important. I think it's important to
have a top a top of the food chain and a
lower part too. And it's sort of so I
don't I do think [ __ ] with the
Washington Post is very damaging because
of the some of the stuff they do and and
[ __ ] with 60 Minutes same thing. So
go ahead. And and I believe that those
journalists and their their outstanding
work and their willingness to take truth
to power will find a ton of different
vessels if the Washington Post and 60 60
Minutes as a construct go away.
>> I don't think it's a threat to
journalism.
>> Okay.
>> As evidenced by what you're doing and
hundreds of other interesting new
companies are doing.
>> Having said that, what's interesting
here is just looking at it through a
business lens.
>> Yes, please do. Yeah. It doesn't make
any sense
to go up to Derek Jeter and say, "We
don't like you. We want to bench you or
to it's like benching Lionel Messi in
the World Cup." It just doesn't make any
industrial logic. And so, if you go up
the food chain, it's one of two things
here. Either the Ellison's are so
passionate about having a viewpoint that
put puts forward a more conservative
viewpoint that they're willing to take
these risks and potentially
kill Messi right before the World Cup or
whatever. I don't and I don't think
that's it. I think that the math is
pretty straightforward here. I think the
Ellison's the owners of Warner Media,
the new owners have decided there's more
economic upside if they do Trump's
bidding and potentially lose value at 60
Minutes. It's not economically an
important business to CBS. It might have
a halo effect on the whole thing.
>> But even CBS, the network itself, I
think the Ellison have done the math and
decided that we would rather there is
more and this is a problem with an
autocracy and this is a bigger
indictment in our society. I think the
Ellison have done the math and say we
would rather risk killing a healthy
player that's a small business and
curring favor with a guy who can give us
Tik Tok on a platter at 80% off.
>> They already he already did that
>> and I think he'll continue to do it as
long as we curry favor with it. And this
is the problem. This isn't about the
death of journalism. This is about an
autocracy where oligarchs are made if
you support the current administration.
And the Ellison have done the math.
Yeah, we'd like to hold on to 60
minutes, but what's more important,
>> we don't care. I think don't care is
more important.
>> Yeah. A nice to have. We don't really
care because the the the numbers here
are so small where the numbers turn into
tens of billions of dollars is if the
president is on our side because he
perceives us as being on his side. And
if we have to throw 60 minutes on the
funeral p to show loyalty, so be it.
>> Yeah. It's really interesting when you
said that. I first I was like, "Oh,
Scott, it's important." You know, and
then I thought, you know, actually when
Tim Cook brought that golden statue,
why'd he do it? Like cuz the the
reputational hit was bad. And then he
appeared at the Melania thing, right?
It's such a reputational hit. And I was
like, "Oh, he invested a hundred million
here and got like Elon giving money to
the packs invested 50 million here, he
got 500 million billion here or five
billion here." And I was like, "Oh, it's
a trade." and it they don't mind taking
the reputational hit. Same thing with
Bezos. Why would he go yammer on so
idiotically, right? Cuz he wants
something, right? I mean, that whole
he's gotten more mature. Like, come on.
Like, stop it. Like, you just saw that
Kristen Welker interview looks like a
giant baby. A giant baby Hueie. And I
was like, you're right. He gets they
they get more money out the other side.
The issue is they're they don't mind
throwing out the really beautiful thing,
right? like sometimes when you junk
something that's just fine but they
that's what it is and so it feels much
more it is political it is political
because I do think they're much more
pro-Israel etc etc um but and much more
like anti-woke which sort of feeds into
their selections of editorial selections
but it is about like they'll get more
out of it now what two things I'd love
you to comment on look Trump's at the
very end of this is we're at the end of
the you know this the king is fall is is
falling down like on a daily basis. He
looks quite sick. Um let's let's not
pretend he doesn't look like he had a
stroke or something. Something happened
uh to him. And so it's at the tail end.
You see the Republicans pushing back.
You see the polling which is really
significant even among female
conservatives, male conservatives,
farmers, like all his thing breaking
down. Why would you double down on him
right now? cuz it seems like you'll get
the reputational hit cuz afterwards when
the Democrats come in, they're not going
to forget. And by the way, probably the
attorney generals will file a suit while
we're taping this um against to slow
down the merger and it will slow down
the merger. So why would you do it now?
Like if you're as smart as Larry Nelson
is, and trust us when we tell you he's
very smart. Um why would you do it? It
seems like the dumb bet right now.
>> Yeah, I don't think it is. Cara, keep in
mind that the deal has
>> the deal hasn't closed yet,
>> right? It has to close, right?
>> The deal hasn't closed. If if Brendan
Carr gets a call from Trump and say,
"I'm having second thoughts about media
consolidation,
a deal hasn't closed." And it Trump has
been has shown a willingness to uh
violate all norms, not afraid of court
battles. Yeah. maybe gets overturned in
court in a year or two years at which
point CBS continues to hemorrhage
viewership. Trump can absolutely kill
this deal. Trump can call Ellison and
basically say, "I want you to cancel Big
Bang Theory and he would do it right
now." I and I'm trying to come up with a
CBS show like the new Matlock, whatever
it is. Yeah.
>> And I think I think I think Larry calls
his son and goes, "Kill this show."
>> Because if this deal doesn't go through
and it doesn't close, I mean, so one, he
has very strong short-term incentive to
be supportive of Trump. And two, they
still have two and a half, you know, you
still have two and a half years left and
nothing proves I mean, think about all
the guys that showed up that we mocked,
all the tech executives from Sachin
Nadella to Alman.
>> Did tariffs affect any of them?
>> No. And they got contracts with
government. They got this, they got
that. They got everything they wanted.
>> And Jensen Hong, I'm going to take you
to China and try and get you to sell
chips. And now the Chinese are saying,
"Fuck you. We're not going to buy your
chips." It's there has never been a
return. Not capbacks, not AI, not plant
property equipment, like investing in
Trump right now. That is what a good
autocrat does. He says,
>> okay,
>> but
>> what happens come November when the Dem
if the Democrats win the way they think,
if they even win half of what they're
going to win, there's there's going to
be hell to pay. Or maybe they don't
think the problem.
>> Maybe they don't think that.
>> Here's the problem. Graham Platner
Graham Platner has had a series of
really disturbing
accusations against him by by various
women and the talking. Okay. The problem
is
we apply a purity test to ourselves and
to our candidates that the Republicans
don't apply don't apply and as a result
they feel safer. They're like we threat
lock her up. Have you heard we we don't
have chance of lock him up at
Democratic. We we're we're better than
that. And I I get it. I like that. But
the reality is the the incentives are
the following right now.
>> Get on get in with Trump. Get your
money. The Democrats are [ __ ]
[ __ ]
>> And
that was the wrong word to use.
>> That's all right. I like that.
>> The word the Democrats, they'll feel bad
for us and they'll try and understand us
and they'll haul us in front of
Congress. Fine, but the upside here is
so much greater than the downside. We're
dealing with an autocrat.
>> You're right. It's a risk assessment. I
do make a little prediction here. We
should probably move on in the thing,
but I think the Democrats are much more
less a [ __ ] than you think. I think so.
I have talked to a lot of them and
they're like,
>> "Well, let me ask you this. Do you think
Do you think they should replace Blatner
right now
>> so we have our our our high ground?"
>> No. No. No. You know, I don't. And I
have an argument with my wife about it.
No, I don't. I don't. I think the voters
of Maine should decide. That's my
feeling. I feel I always feel like the
voters should decide. And if they make
>> bad decisions, they have to live with
it, right? If they had picked Pratt,
they have to [ __ ] live live with it
in Los Angeles. And I know the rest
everyone who didn't vote for them have
to live with it. But I am I'm a firm
believer in voters. I just am always. I
always feel like they always get it
ultimately. And and I think pundits and
everyone else doesn't often get it.
Sometimes they do. Sometimes they're
very cany. Um, but I just feel like to
me you're betting on someone who's about
to collapse. And
>> we've been saying that we've been saying
that for a while.
>> Have Look at him. Look at him. It's
>> You think he looks that Do you really
think he looks that bad?
>> I I'm just Look, I'm not talking about
him. Yes, I think he looks that bad. But
that's not what I was talking about. I'm
not talking about death. I'm not like
whatever. He's He's old. He's going to
die within 10 years. So, whatever. It's
going to somewhere in there. Somewhere
in there. And um but the p the numbers
I'm looking at the polls and I a year
ago I said I think his polling is going
to collapse and it has collapsed. And so
that's what I'm looking at is voters.
Voters don't like this [ __ ] And I think
they are sticking their chin out so far
with all their nonsense. Why would you
fire competent people? what it looks and
also it creates listen CB other CBS's
other executives are furious because
it's ruining the CBS brand which is a
very successful it's done okay in the
network with all their old people shows
they're doing okay and so I think you're
starting to see leaks from you know
there was one from this woman who was
running um CBS entertainment you're sort
of started seeing it from other news
you're just starting to see it and if
she could this could mess up the deal
itself because of the heat on this on
the other side, right? It'll it'll
embolden more people from 60 Minutes to
speak out. It'll embolden more stories.
And let me tell you folks, there's more
shoes about to drop. I hear about
everything. And so, it's going to be a
continuing leak leak leak. And if you
remember the Chris Lick thing, and I
just think David Zazos is just quicker
to fold, right? Or but it took Jeff
Bezos two years to fold on Will Lewis,
but eventually it's it it messes up the
brand. and they happen to have other
things. Now, Jeff just has the
Washington Post so he could hold out for
2 years, but Zazoff was starting to feel
the pain elsewhere. And so, that to me
is the problem. So, and then David looks
dumb and David looking dumb to daddy is
not a good thing for him. You know what
I mean? Like, and so that's why I think
there's a lot more at play here. And I
and I do think the Democrats will will
will extract something from them in a
way. I don't think they're as as weak as
you think they are. And from hearing
from them, bygones is not in their
vocabulary right now. It is we will now
be coming around and remembering what
you did. So maybe they won't do it, but
I that's the tone I get from them. So
we'll see. Anyway, I really enjoyed your
your idea of what they're doing and
you're absolutely right. The business
way to look at this.
>> Just to talk more about 60. So
four of the seven I think four of the
seven anchors have left
>> and the key executives the editors the
key editors who you don't know their
names but critical
>> that's really the heart and lungs but
the 75 what you call staff editors
junior producers statistitians did it
none of them have left it all comes down
to this I I I think it's the following
just as we thought
>> they can't leave let's be clear they
have jobs there's not It's not a big
market. So,
>> right. And they have mortgages and and
not only that, I know I know exactly
what the Ellison's did here. They called
them and said they called Leslie Stall
and said, "Leslie, you're an icon.
Things are tumultuous. We promise we
promise we'll let you do whatever you
want. And by the way, if you just stick
around another 12 months until things
settle down, there's another $5 million
bonus for you." That's what I would have
done. And I'm sure that call took place.
And then they called the 12 critical
people of the rank and file and said,
"Look, tell everyone that when there's
this kind of tumult and the top of the
pyramid gets chopped off, there's a
tremendous sucking sound upward." And
they would be stupid not to hang around
to see what additional opportunities
emerge.
>> And people will always think about
themselves before they think about the
brave new world of the attack on
journalism. They have mortgages to pay.
They have college funds
>> I agree
>> to fund. And this is what will happen.
Just as we thought all the noise in
social media was going to dictate the
mayoral race, all the noise around 60 is
going to come down to the following. If
the first six or dozen episodes in the
fall are good, 60 will be fine. And if
they're not, that thing will collapse
under the weight of all this
controversy. So, it's it's going to be
it's going to be about it's going to be
about the product. Full stop. If you can
make the product because you do need
those correspondents,
>> maybe they can't.
>> I know the people they're calling cuz
I'm hearing from everyone they're
calling and none of them want to go
there. They don't want to they're
calling some interesting people who are
good but all of them are like I'm not
selling my [ __ ] reputation.
>> How how do they get guests and also I
never miss an opportunity to to make
myself feel important. I was approached
about a role at 60 Minutes
>> and what did I say? I'd break your arm.
Correct.
>> Well, and I said no [ __ ] way. I I
don't want to be that's like the last
thing I mean and quite frankly why the
[ __ ] is Leslie Stall staying.
>> Well, can I give a word on that and then
we'll move on. I know Leslie really
well. She used to come to all my
conferences. She's really terrific. I've
talked she was trying an internet thing
off a couple years ago and I helped her
with it. She's not texting me back.
Let's just say Leslie, I've helped you a
lot. I really feel irritated by the fact
that you won't even text me back. But
that's another issue. Um, I think I
predicted she would do this and everyone
said I was wrong. But listen, this is
the end of her career. She wants that
retrospective of her career next year or
the year after. She wants the party. She
does have a loyalty to the place. She's
been there so long and so she feels by
staying, she's protecting it like at
least someone's here to hold it back and
watch them. My is and I think that's
genuine. I do. I think it's genuine with
her. She's she's she like you cut her
open she blades 60 minutes right so I
think that's in her thing and she wants
that like if she left now there'd be no
retrospective there'd be no end of her
career and I think she wants that from
that's from a for a selfish point of
view from the other point of view she
thinks she can save it she can at least
protect it for the time being until
she'll wait them out my problem is
they're going to go just around her
they're just going to go around her and
I don't think she realizes that how much
they're as as cany and smart and tough
as she is she doesn't have as much
leverage by staying and that is I think
she made a mistake but I thought she
would stay. So that's my take on it. So
I don't know cuz I haven't talked to
her.
>> Okay. So under in the latest episode of
>> I'm glad you didn't go. Thank you. I
would have not been happy about that.
>> Under the oposes of the latest episode
of Don't These People Have Friends?
Leslie Stall is an icon. Leslie Stall is
84. Between 1 and 2% of 84 year olds
work full-time. By the time you're 87,
it's less than 1%.
You know, Leslie Stall may live another
20 years. She's going to be working
full-time for a matter of, you know,
years, if not months. I mean, that's
just, and I know that sounds agist. I am
an agist, and so is biology.
>> She shouldn't be buying green bananas at
this point.
>> Yeah.
>> Now,
>> I I don't think it's a good choice. As a
friend, a friend should say to her,
Leslie, you put out the following memo.
I have loved and appreciated and feel
blessed to have been a part of this
organization.
I am proud and did my best regarding my
work here. It is time for me to leave.
>> Yeah, I would agree. and everyone else
would have filled in the blanks. In
every [ __ ] room she would have walked
into for the rest of her life, she would
have got a standing ovation. Instead,
now under some narcissistic notion that
she's going to be able to control what
happens in every production meeting. Go
my god, how naive are you? She had a
chance to put the world's greatest dot
on top of an exclamation part point at
the end of a career and she's missed it.
This was the perfect
>> perfect exit to a storyried career. I
know. I'm not I'm not angry. I'm not
[ __ ] posting her for staying. I'm [ __ ]
posting her for not taking an
unbelievable opportunity. I agree. And
goodbye.
>> To put a Tiffany ribbon
>> to put a Tiffany ribbon on the
aquamarine blue box. That was her
Tiffany career.
>> What a missed opportunity.
>> Goodbye, sir. Like that kind of thing.
>> Good day. Good day.
>> Good day, sir.
>> Good day, sir. Can I Can I ask you I
want you to say what they wanted you to
do in 60 Minutes, which would cracks me
the [ __ ] up. Cuz then it's not to do the
like big interviews with Trump or do the
investigative pieces where you dress up
in a beer just for people to know. What
did they want from Professor Galloway?
>> Uh to do one or more of those Andy
Rooney segments.
>> Yeah. So, you're Andy Rooney. And by the
way,
>> what really bothers me about is
>> I I I grew up watching 60 Minutes with
my mother.
>> Yeah.
>> Had someone called me 12 or 24 months
ago and offered me that role.
>> Yeah.
>> I would have just I would have said I'll
pay you. What do you want? What do you
want? What do you want me to do?
>> I would have that would have been
literally other than hosting a podcast
with you, that would have been my
crowning achievement professionally.
>> And now I'm not I'm gonna I'm not going
to add to this chorus
>> watching that of of of of unqualified
people. This cosplaying journal. I'm
like, the last [ __ ] thing I want to
do now
>> is wake up to social media after they
after they hear that I'm joining I'm
having anything to do with this [ __ ]
show right now.
>> Yeah. And you were scared of me, right?
Were you scared of me?
>> Uh, not really.
>> Is I just would have yelled at you like,
"Are you
>> No, no, no. I
>> You know what? Can I just say you're
better than that? That's how I feel.
Yeah.
>> And and quite frankly, I I think I like
the people there more than you do. I I I
don't have a you know, I I actually
>> I like some of them.
>> Yeah. I I This is the last [ __ ] thing
I want to be associated with right now.
I
>> Yeah.
>> Anyways, um anyway, you're stuck with
me, Cara. You're
>> I know. I love it. I love it. You can do
60 minutes things here and you can do
them about penises. So, you can do it
there. I'm just saying. Anyway, we're
going to move on. Really interesting
story, but I appreciate your business
thing. I was so struck by it last night
when you called me. Anyway, we're going
to go on a quick break. When we come
back, the SpaceX IPO approaches.
Support for this show comes from Delete
Me. It's never too late to start
protecting your online privacy. My
wakeup call when I looked at the
dashboard of Delete Me and saw how much
crap was out there about me and a lot of
my personal information all collected in
really strange and weird ways by a lot
of companies. I had no idea who they
were and made me feel like that I was
being stalked. I discovered a lot of
inaccuracies also at the same time and I
found an enormous amount of information
about my life for dozens of years. So,
if you've ever thought I should really
be doing something to protect myself
from stalkers, scammers, and hackers,
but you're not sure what, here's what
you do. Go to joindeleteme.com/pivot
and enter the code pivot. You'll get 20%
off delete me. Delete me removes your
personal information that's being sold
online. You can get an individual plan
for a little over $8 per month with an
annual plan. And discounts get even
better with a 2-year plan or whenever
you enroll your partner or family. Take
control of your data and keep your
private life private by signing up for
Delete Me now at a special discount for
our listeners. Get 20% off your DeleteMe
plan when you go to
joindeleteme.com/pivot
and use the promo code pivot at
checkout. The only way to get 20% off is
to go to joindeme.com/pivot
and enter code pivot at checkout. That's
joined deleteme.com/pivotcode
pivot.
Support for this show comes from
cohhere. As AI advances, one thing
matters more than ever, staying in
control. Most AI comes with strings
attached, like sharing your data and
infrastructure or compromising your
independence. With Coher, you don't have
to give up control to gain capability.
You can have both. Coher started 7 years
ago with a bold mission. Scale
enterprise intelligence without
sacrificing sovereignty. Their solution
AI leaves you in charge of your data and
infrastructure, allowing you to maintain
your competitive edge. It's designed for
enterprises, governments, and
organizations that refuse to give up
control in pursuit of innovation. From
frontier models to out-of-the-box tools,
Coher gives you everything you need to
build and deploy secure, scalable AI
that drives growth and delivers results.
Their platform is designed around your
business with models that can be
customized and trained on your
proprietary data. So, the solution is
uniquely yours. And control doesn't stop
at customization. Coher is built with
multi-layered protections, access, and
industry certified security standards
that help safeguard your data while
supporting privacy, compliance, and
other requirements. As AI continues to
transform every industry, Coher gives
you the power to put it to work today on
your terms. Take charge of your AI with
Coher. To learn more, visit
cohhere.com/vox.
Scott, we're back. I thought you did a
great job sort of analyzing the the
SpaceX IPO. It really helped me and a
lot of people were telling me that. But
the company is expected to begin trading
on the NASDAQ this Friday in what could
be the largest IPO in history. A lot of
moving parts. A couple things we've
learned in the last few days. SpaceX has
set its share price at $135, giving the
company a valuation of roughly 1.77
trillion. You said it would be under two
trillion. It won't be fasttracked onto
the S&P 500. This is a new development
after the index decided not to change
its rules for these mega cap IPOs. Thank
you. They probably got a lot of push
back from people. And there's more.
SpaceX also made a major deal with
Google selling off its seed core. Google
will pay SpaceX $920 million a month
over the next three years for computing
power. That includes access to at least
110,000 Nvidia chips. Elon was smart to
grab those. This is similar to a deal
that SpaceX recently made with
Anthropic. So, it's becoming an
infrastructure provider. Essentially,
Google, which is already an investor in
SpaceX, everybody is, by the way, is
calling this a short-term timely
agreement to ensure they can keep up
with surging AI demand. They will go get
their own stuff later and they're not
going to rent it. Um, talk about what's
happening now and what you see happening
in the NE because it's ne the next week
and and the deal and we're going to talk
a lot about the IPO on Friday obviously,
but right now going into it, how are you
looking at it? It's just so interesting
and and my my judgment is clouded
because I've been so wrong about Elon
Musk's adventures in in in the market
and the I haven't fully appreciated what
a meme stock he is and everything he
touches. So look, Alphabet agreed to pay
SpaceX almost a billion dollars a month
for compute capacity from Xi from XAI
data centers. What's interesting is that
they overbuilt and it ends up that's
fine because they can just rent the
capacity out to someone else at probably
a higher price than they had originally
anticipated. Look, SpaceX's current
multiple, it's going out at 94 times
revenues. The deal would value um uh a
deal that would total at least, you
know, 1 trillion in additional market
cap from if you just valued this what it
should should trade out trade up versus
its competitors. even being generous.
What does it matter for Alphabet? It
owns this it owns a 6% stake in SpaceX
which it purchased in 2015. So,
and they did this when the company was
valued at just $12 billion. So, 6% of a
1 trillion in market cap is about 60
billion or more than 5x.
>> Remember remember when Yahoo had the
Google stake that was one of the big
things they got out of it anyway. They
had a big stake in Google
>> by them agreeing to buy purchase this
compute. when you look at the multiple
for every dollar they spend on compute
they're technically getting five back in
the increase in the value of their stake
in SpaceX
>> right yeah
>> so we talk about these circular deals
but this one looks like a no-brainer for
>> right
>> so I think SpaceX's multiple will
deflate dramatically as revenues grow
but the point stands you know Alphabet
has a vested interest in SpaceX's
revenues going up and then and then look
I I I think in the last just 7 days
maybe 14 there has been a dramatic vibe
shift
and that is this study that came out at
MIT that said 95% of CFOs are stating
that they're not getting the return they
had initially anticipated
>> AI in AI
>> I was on um a webinar hosted by section
talking about AI and the comments I
would describe is whenever people come
in and talk about the brave new world of
AI it's like a giant [ __ ] eye roll.
People are really in the business world
are starting to sour on the brave new
world of AI. And this will this won't be
the same litmus test directly as as
anthropic or open AI. And I'm curious if
you sense this, but I sense a little bit
of like, you know what, this is
beginning to feel like [ __ ] The job
apocalypse everyone's been predicting is
not here.
the the the you know notion that this is
going to change absolutely everything.
The idea that we're going to have
oneperson companies that could be
billion dollar unicorns,
>> right? Remember that one?
>> Uh you know the I had the CEO of uh of
Lilion. He said AI's ability to
accelerate drug discovery is vastly
overhyped. I just wonder if people are
beginning to say okay this is beginning
to feel a little 99. And it feels like
there's been a tangible vibe shift
around AI in the last few weeks. Do you
sense the same thing?
>> How does how does it affect the SpaceX I
IPO? Because there's star there's other
businesses in here. Is it just cuz this
is an AI IPO or
>> Well, the AI that's got attached to it
as I refer to affectionately as a money
furnace is I mean there's no doubt he's
he's saddled he's turned a great space
business into a company hemorrhaging
money because he's going to try and fund
and play catchup in AI. What's
interesting is he's it looks like he's
got a a rip cord here in the form that
he's now renting out his infrastructure,
but nothing nothing feels or says froth
in a market like a 94 times revenue
valuation,
>> right? But is that Elon or AI? That's
the qu is it just the Elonness of it?
>> I think the answer is yes. I think Elon
I think Elon plus AI plus rockets.
>> Yeah.
>> Um in the rocket business or the
Starlink business is a great business,
>> right? But my god, 94 times revenues.
>> So what happens? Give me like the day
of, the week after, and the 6 months
after. Everyone is predicting trough
after, like pretty quickly after,
relatively quickly after, not
immediately.
>> You know, I've gotten this so wrong,
Cara, but I people have called me and
asked me, they should participate in the
IPS. They've got allocation. I said I
wouldn't get near SpaceX, and if you do,
I would sell on the first trade. I think
SpaceX is about to hit a 10-year high on
the minute it goes public, meaning it'll
be all downhill from there. I just don't
see how it just even with even with even
with Elon and AI and rockets, I don't
see how it just
>> he's going to put robots everywhere and
cars, you know, all the promises are
still that and they're tough ones.
They're tough promises. He's got to keep
>> 100%. The one I'm most or least sanguin
about or least pessimistic on is
anthropic because the momentum is so
dramatic there.
>> So, you'd buy into that?
>> Uh, I would buy into the IPO. I'm not
sure it'd be a long-term hold based on
the valuations going out on it.
>> I think that's I think if if one of them
struggles and could be a broken IPO, I
think it could be open AI. I think the
momentum
>> conglomerate, so it's harder to tease
apart investors.
>> I mean, one of the reasons you might be
seeing a decline in the crypto market
right now is all of those people are
selling to buy into the SpaceX IPO. I
mean, you're also probably going to see
a decline in the larger market for tech
stocks because I think so much capital
is going to be sucked up by these guys.
But you
Elon has look, it's a cult. And it's the
same. I wonder what's going to happen to
Bitcoin because that has a culty feel to
it. And I think a lot of Elon stands are
Bitcoin holders and are going to fund
their SpaceX purchases with sales of
Bitcoin.
>> Right. Right. So that's another thing.
Yeah. So anyway, so we'll see what
happens. We'll be talking about it on
Friday. But so you say it goes out at
135 and it drops.
>> Well, the the interesting thing here is
if they can manually
>> they're having some punitive stuff if
you sell it too quickly, too. There were
some of that.
>> Well, there's all sorts of lockups that
people are being asked to commit to. I
think Elon and his banks will probably
create enough artificial scarcity to
manufacture a pop. Um, but I I think 6
12 5 years down the road, 5 years is
tough. I wouldn't I wouldn't get near
this thing. And if you are if you do get
allocation, look at the first trade.
Consider getting out on the first trade
>> and the index hurts it, right? The lack
of being in the index funds now.
>> Well, that would have been additional
demand out front, but you know, every
IPO up until now has not been in the
S&P, so technically that should that
shouldn't hurt. And there was complaints
about it being, you know, you were being
forced to buy it if it went into the S&P
because of the people
>> index funds. It'll be super interesting,
but uh 94 times I know.
>> Okay. Amazon, incredible company. A lot
of people think it's overvalued. What's
the trade up? Four and a half times
revenues.
>> You know, I like that you like math
still after all these years. Any
interestingly speaking of what you were
just saying, Donald Trump is looking
into the government stake in AI
companies. Oh, buy at the top so
American people can quote benefit from
the success of AI. He says leaders of
all the big AI companies are coming to
the White House as early this week to
discuss the idea. I mean, it's such a
socialist thing. Open AI in the White
House are in ongoing talks about
government stake according to CNBC. This
is something that Sam Alman has been
floating for a while. He needs the help.
As you were just noting, Alman was in DC
last week and met with Senator Bernie
Sanders who's been pitching a similar
plan because he's, you know, a
socialist. as Sandra is proposing a
sovereign wealth fund creating a onetime
50% tax on all on the stock of AI
companies giving the public a direct
ownership sake. Talk to me about this
cuz I don't I don't love it. I feel like
what like I get I get that for example
the government gave a loan to Tesla when
it was in trouble and didn't get
anything back for it and Elon got all
the juicies but that's what the
government is there for and they got
they got their loan paid back but they
didn't get a stake and I think that was
okay but I don't know what do you think
>> it is very easy once you get elected and
everyone thinks you're great and you
have power to get start thinking you can
control industrial policy and start
picking winners and losers it is very
tempting that's socialism you control
the means production. When you do that
and you start believing you're better
than the private market and the full
body contact violence of capitalist
private markets, you end up with
warehouses in Ireland full of unsold
Deloreans and Air France. It does not
work. If you want to support an industry
like the chips act, everyone gets the
same opportunity and the same subsidies.
If you want to support the EV market and
you give tax credits and subsidies,
everyone's available to it. When you put
a golden share into US Steel or invest
in Intel, you have decided you're
smarter than the market. You are always
always wrong. This is socialism. This is
this is cronyism. It never works for the
economy. At the same time, Bernie
Sanders is equally wrong. Taxes that are
industry specific don't work. They came
up with the same nonsense idea around
oil and gas when they were printing
money in the 70s and 80s. Because then
what happens? Is Microsoft an AI
company? If we start producing podcasts
with AI, are we an AI company? Is Apple
an AI company? We need a more
progressive tax structure that taxes our
most successful companies, whether it's
anthropic or whether it's Apple or
whether it's Novo Nordisk or whether
it's Eli Liy, we need a more Yeah. But
when you go industry specific taxation
doesn't work because then capital starts
picking industries based on taxes, not
where the greatest return or innovation
is. It it is it is [ __ ] populism
going after a specific industry. It
creates a ton of bureaucratic unnatural
acts across capital allocation.
>> Why not? Why don't we own like the hot
dog franchise?
>> What about cigarette companies? I mean,
>> what else can we have?
>> I I love
>> McDonald's. Americans like McDonald's.
>> Let's have a more progressive tax rate
for McDonald's and anthropic and open
AI.
>> Yeah. Why not others?
>> That's it. Industry specific taxation
doesn't work. And if you want to invest
in native industries or orphan
industries or industries that have
strategic importance, fine. But when
Donald Trump, a failed business person,
gets into the business
>> like mRNA technology, which they took
away stuff like that's already getting a
lot of private funding, but it means
it makes sense. But everybody gets
access to it, right? Every company,
you're not picking winners and losers,
right?
>> And so just as just as Trump is trying
to pick winners, that is no better nor
any worse than Sanders trying to pick
losers and deciding then going to the
White House to do because he needs the
support, right? It gives him support.
Gives him a little bit of
>> the biggest bailout,
>> stable support, stable support.
>> The biggest bailout since the banking
industry bailout will be the following,
but it'll be positioned as growth. There
will be some sort of governmentbacked
debt offering or backs stop for AI
companies who can't afford the
infrastructure spent they have committed
to when it's clear these valuations are
not going to hold up. And also, Trump
realizes an entire economy he has bet on
AI. the biggest bailout that'll be
positioned as a quote unquote growth
opportunity for the US government.
>> The taxpayer will hold the bag,
>> right? Trump Trump will Trump will
position is I'm a smart businessman. We
have an opportunity to invest in this.
It is going to be a bailout
>> everything and we'll be holding the bag.
We'll be holding the [ __ ] bag. I
swear to God,
>> we'll privatize the gains and socialize
the losses
>> because Trump thinks he's smart and
thinks he's a good business person. make
such bad deals but like oh I just am
like no no no let them die as you said
remember years ago we're talking about
plane we were talking about you're like
just let them die and something new will
happen just like you're saying about
poor 60 minutes
>> new dumb money will show up and say I
want to start an airline called you know
>> Hooters I mean there's no shortage of
people who who desire to start airlines
>> Hooters airline would be good anyway
>> there was a Hooters airline
>> was there
>> yeah you didn't know you fly
>> there was a Hooters airlines What?
>> No, I've never I have never been in a
Hooters. Actually, I'd like to go.
>> I have been in a Hooters cuz the wings
are very good. Let me say they are
excellent. Excellent wings. Anyway, I
don't much love. Actually, the ladies
are really nice in the Hooters.
>> They do a great job from what I
understand. They do a great job.
>> They are very nice. The ladies of the
Hooters are nice. I There's a wonderful
story about a gay guy, a comic going
into Hooters when he was his father
brought him there to try to man him up
and the ladies immediately understood
what the kid was going through and were
sweet to him. He said, "I will love
Hooters people the rest of my life
because my dad was trying to man me up
and they understood that I was gay and
made me feel wonderful." Anyway, here's
to the Hooters ladies. All right, let's
go on a quick break. When we come back,
Siri gets a makeover.
>> Support for this show comes from
Teleport. Here's a finding that should
stop every tech leader cold.
Organizations most confident in their AI
deployments have more than twice the
security incident rate of those that
aren't. 72% versus 33%. That's from
Teleport's 2026 infrastructure identity
survey of more than 200 infrastructure
security leaders. A data breach isn't
just a costly endeavor. It can damage
trust. The most frequent causes of data
breaches are human error and compromised
credentials. But in the AI era, agents
that are granted broad privileges
dramatically increase risk. Solution
services like Teleport, an AI
infrastructure identity company, provide
an identity and access platform that is
purpose-built for modern, highly
automated environments, which are now
deploying agents into production.
Teleport establishes a unified identity
layer for humans, machines, and agents
that is cryptographically backed that
enables agents to be controlled and
contained with the same rigor that you
apply to other actors in your
infrastructure. Because in the new era
of AI, the problem isn't agents, it's
the privileges we're giving them.
Download the free report at
gotelport.com/pivot.
Support for the show comes from Vanta.
What's growing across businesses even
faster than AI? AI risk. Every new tool
your team adds, every vendor launching
AI features, every new integration can
introduce risk into your company. And
most security programs weren't built for
the speed of AI adoption. That's where
Vanta comes in. Vanta is a leading
agentic trust platform trusted by more
than 16,000 fast-moving companies like
Ramp, Cursor, and Harvey to keep them
audit ready at all times. And now Vant
is helping companies like yours stay on
top of the risks that emerge between
audits across vendors, AI tools, and
your entire environment. The Vant agent
works like a 24/7 GRC engineer in the
background, spotting issues, drafting
remediations, and cutting vendor
assessment time by up to 50%. Whether
you're a fast growing startup or a
global enterprise, Vant is here to help
you automate your security and
compliance and earn improved trust. Get
started today at vant.com/pivot.
That's venta.com/
pivot.
>> Scott, we're back with more news as we
tape. Apple is planning to announce a
Siri overhaul at its annual developers
conference. Oh my god, you think the new
Siri features a chatbot uh style app and
uses Google Gemini technology AI powered
web search. Siri will be able to
understand personal data and analyze
on-screen content and users will be able
to return to their prior conversations.
A conference is the last of Tim Cook's
tenure before he hands the reigns to
John Turnis. They've been there was a
good story about how behind they were.
You know, Tim saying they were behind on
AI and not doing enough. I think Siri
has been um one of their worst things
they've ever done. It's so useless. I
was walking here from the subway. I was
in Manhattan this morning doing some
meetings and I got to tell you, Scott,
like it couldn't call Amanda. Like it
can't do things. It sucks. Siri sucks.
So, you know, and I'm not going to be
happy that it just is workable at this
point. I'm just I I find it useless and
I think Apple is really missed a boat
here for many years, for decades even.
Your thoughts?
>> Yeah, we've talked about this. I mean,
it's right up there with the Cybert
truck uh for like the biggest product
fails, and that's unusual for Apple. Um,
it the the rebuilt Siri runs on a custom
1.2 trillion parameter Gemini model
under a deal worth approximately a
billionear to Google and it's a three-
tier rooting system that handles queries
on device for simple tasks, Apple's
private cloud for moderate requests, and
Google's Nvidia B200 GPUs are used for
heavy reasoning. and they're claiming
the new capabilities are multi-step
commands, persistent conversation
history synced via iCloud and an
on-screen awareness. It's being launched
as a standalone app for the first time
and they've delayed the overhaul twice.
The original AI boss left the company
before it shipped and critics warned
that Apple was surrendering AI to Google
the same way it surrendered search and
deepening the reliance on a competitor I
would argue was a smart move because of
the licensing deal. Um um and John
Turnis, you know, he might he might
switch direction and want to put his his
mark on this thing. It's a big It's a
make I don't know if it's a make or
break bet for Apple, but it's important
because as of earlier this year,
>> they were the only big tech company
whose capex decreased from last year.
I'm not sure that's that's a bad thing.
But if you think about a market, I mean,
I I accidentally turn on Siri by hitting
the wrong button on my phone 10 times a
day, which mean it which means it is the
most accessible AI in the world. If I'm
constantly bringing up AI accidentally
on my iPhone, that means it's the most
access that it's the most accessible AI
in history. And for them not to be
figuring out a way to get some of that
AI guju, you know, it feels like a
missed opportunity, even if it means
outsourcing all of it to someone else.
They should be the front end. And Siri
is arguably at this point, I wonder if
Siri needs a rebrand because it's it's
come to be it's come to be emblematic of
something that just doesn't work.
>> It doesn't work. And I do put a lot of
trust in Apple in terms of privacy. I'm
not worried about interacting with it as
much um as I am like you load up
everything into AI and I don't and but I
feel I trust Apple but it's incompetent.
It's like having it's a bad assistant. I
don't can't believe it took this long
for for Tim to have this assessment. Um
but uh you know one would imagine it's
critical going forward especially if
they're going into glasses and things
like that you know um that you have this
thing that just does what you ask it to
do on a basic level. You know, there's
AI in everything now and so much of it
is so bad and it's a missed opportunity
because they're so good at everything
else. So,
>> well, the best experience I've had with
Apple AI happened this morning. I was
working out and as always I was
listening to my mix of ELO and NXS
>> I love EL
>> and Cap Cut for some reason I have the
app Cap Cut on my phone and immediately
it said
>> learn more about Cap Cut's editing
features and I'm like and I just
instinctively went oh god [ __ ] off and
Siri responded I won't respond to that
>> oh yeah it does that when you curse at
it totally has
>> I won't it was chastising it kind of
made me laugh
>> it does that when you called him stupid
when I called stupid
>> I won't respond to that which I do on a
daily basis. It was like, I'm sorry you
feel that way.
>> So, I've been saying to everyone that I
won't respond to that. Anyways, that's
that's the best experience with Apple
I've had.
>> Anyway, good luck, Apple. Make it
better. We we have very low expectations
that you will. All right, Scott. One
more quick break. We'll be back for wins
and fails.
>> Support for the show comes from HIMS.
Losing weight is hard and keeping it off
can be even harder. Enter Weight Loss by
HIMS. It's designed to support you in
not only losing weight, but keeping it
off as well. And now HIMS is offering
access to an affordable range of FDA
approved GLP-1 medications, including
the WGOI pill and the WGOI pen. With
WGOi at HIMS, you can lose up to 20% or
more of your body weight when combined
with diet and exercise. It can help you
regulate your appetite and eat less, so
success is within reach. Plus, WGOI is
the first ever GLP-1 bill for weight
loss, so there's no needles needed. HIMS
has everything online. You connect with
a licensed provider who will determine
if treatment is right for you. Ready to
reach your goals? Visit hymns.com/pivot
to get a personalized affordable plan
that gets you. That's hs.com/pivot.h
hims.com/pivot.
Weight loss by HIMS is not available in
all 50 states. WGO is the registered
trademark of Nova Nordisks. To get
started and learn more, including
important safety information, WGOI
clinical study information,
restrictions, visit hymns.com.
Support for the show comes from Upwork.
One of the biggest life hacks is
realizing that you don't have to do it
all alone. Thankfully, Upwork makes it
easy to bring in the right freelancer
when you need them, so you can stay
focused on what you do best. Upwork is a
one-stop platform to find, hire, and pay
expert freelancers across web and
software development, data and
analytics, business operations, and
more. Upwork also helps you grow your
business by giving you fast access to
specialized talent across 125 plus
categories, so you can fill skill gaps,
launch projects faster, and scale
support up or down without committing to
full-time headcount. Thousands of
growing businesses already trust Upwork
to hire flexible, high-quality freelance
talent for everything from one-off
projects to ongoing support. You can
browse profiles, review past work, and
get help scoping the role so you can
hire with confidence and get started
quickly. It's free to sign up, and
posting a job is easy. Visit
upwork.com/pivot
right now and post your job for free.
That's upwork.com/pivot
to connect with top talent ready to help
your business grow. That's
upw.com/pivot.
puperk.com/pivot.
>> Okay, Scott. Uh, some wins and fails.
>> You go first.
>> Okay. The win. I was just struck by
this. There's all these movies that
people are going to the movies for,
Obsessions and Back Rooms, which is
started on youtuby kind of things, but
they're wonderful. I think people really
like them. I don't think just cuz they
start on YouTube they have to be bad.
But domestic box office crossed a
billion dollars last month, a number not
seen since before CO, which is
interesting. And that's without a Marvel
movie, which I think is nice. There's a
lot of really interesting things out
there that are doing well. Lots of
different interesting movies. Um, the
big winners right now are the Michael
Jackson biopic Michael, which I have not
seen because it doesn't include some
other stuff about him. I think needs to
be there. And the Devil's Proda 2
starring Cara Swisser, of course. Um,
but there's it's just nice. You're
seeing a lot of that. And I do I I've
noticed I've gone to the movies
recently. I know you don't, but I I
hadn't, and now I am because I want to
see them in the movie theaters. And
there's a couple movies I do want to see
in the in the movies the theaters
including the next Top Gun. David
Ellison, I think you do. Let me pay you
a compliment because I never do. You
make a marvelous Top Gun movie and I
like your Star Trek work and Mission
Impossible. My fail is the 60 Minutes
thing cuz it's so unnecessary and stupid
and and I know reporters I agree with
you can be like a little bit you know
self-s serious and you know pompous and
stuff. In this case this they really are
right and it's not they really are
right. this is so dumb and they if they
can't answer the question why did you
fire competent people if you can't
actually even answer it internally
there's something wrong with you and at
the same time the my two favorite
phrases right now are um my one favorite
phrase that I'm using a lot now and poor
Nick had when he was leaving with that
fraught meeting with Scott uh P um he
was he said as he was leaving he sort of
flounced out because he was getting
fried by Scott and Scott is a tough guy.
Um, he said, "Enjoy the bagels."
There some people from 60 Minutes said
they're going to make secret t-shirts
called enjoy the bagels exclamation
point. Um, and I just enjoy that, but I
don't enjoy any of the rest of it. I
don't. I think it's sad and it's
unnecessary and stupid. Um, so anyway,
that's my fail.
>> I like it. Um,
>> enjoy the bagels, Scott.
>> There you go. Enjoy the bagels. So look,
my win is uh the the death of higher
education has been greatly exaggerated.
Applications are up, but that's not my
win. My win is our great public
universities.
Uh one of the most underreported stories
in America right now, I think, is that
the market is finally disciplining
higher education. And that is families
are waking up and realizing that paying
a half a million dollars for a
bachelor's degree is a luxury good
masquerading as an investment. And
applications to our flagship public
universities which are a much better
value are exploding. The University of
Texas at Austin received more than
90,000 applications up 25% yearon year.
>> Why applications at places like the
University of Virginia, University of
Michigan have surged record. My son's
there. Alex is there.
>> The university, the my alma mater, UCLA
gets 160,000 applications. They get the
number of a small city. And why are they
doing this? Because we're coming to an
uncomfortable truth. And that is after
your first job, you know, people people
care that you got into a good school,
but they don't care if it's a good
school or quote unquote an elite school.
They just want to know that you went to
a good school. And they also care
whether you can just do the work.
>> They're also great schools. Let me just
say for Michigan is substantively less
expensive than
>> UC San Diego
>> than NYU. I'm sorry.
>> University of North Carolina.
>> Yeah.
>> I mean, these are outstanding schools
that guess what?
>> Can we just point out it wasn't cheap,
but it was substantively more less
expensive.
>> It was less expensive. It I'm not saying
I'm not saying it's a good value. I'm
saying it's a much better value.
>> It is.
>> And the ROI gap that you're referring to
is staggering. At many flagship state
schools, an in-state student can
graduate with tens or even hundreds of
thousands less debt than access and
access comparable employers, alumni
networks, and graduate school
opportunities.
You know, the elite schools have spent
30 years turning themselves into luxury
brands. And the public flagship spent 30
years building capacity, research, and
outcomes.
>> Did you see what I sent you? The numbers
for those elite schools have gone up
like over a h 100,000 each for each
year.
>> It's crazy.
>> I said chart. I was like what? Like even
I who have recently paid for it was sort
of flumxed and upset.
>> Yeah. So look the new the new American
dream isn't getting into Harvard. It's
getting rejected by Harvard and then
going to Michigan or Texas, landing the
same job and using the quarter of a
million dollars you saved as a down
payment on a house. And I should post
higher ed all the time because I think
me and my colleagues have been drunk on
scarcity and reflect this dangerous
trend towards rejectionism where we feel
good when we turn away 90% of our
applicants. Similar to a head of a
homeless shelter bragging that he or she
turned away nine and 10 people last
night. We are public servants, not
Hermes bags. But I do think our great
public universities are doing their
level best. You go to the University of
of Wisconsin at Madison and you see
exactly what you should see. It's not
it's not I it's not the Ritz Carlton
Carlton Madison. The buildings are a
little tired and haggarded and there's
thousands of students floating in and
out of their classes and it's a bunch of
middle class kids from Wisconsin and
Minneapolis who are not freakishly
[ __ ] remarkable. Some of them were
captain of the middle class team. Most
were not. Mo most are socially
conscious. Most have not figured out a
freshwater startup to bring potable
water to Rwanda. They're just good kids
looking for great futures. A lot of our
public universities are doing exactly
what they're supposed to be doing. And
folks, when you hear someone saying,
>> "Oh, our daughter, we're thinking that
she doesn't need education because of AI
or higher ed." That means she just got a
22 on the ACT. Higher ed has never been
more important. Critical thinking,
social responsibility, getting along
with others, relationships, getting your
heart broken, breaking other hearts. If
you are one of the one onethird of
American public that has access to
higher education, trust me on this, it
is a really solid plan B, especially if
you can go to one of our great public
universities who are continue to follow
their mission. Anyways,
>> can I put in a little plug for public
schools in general?
>> 100%.
>> My kids are both in public. They're in
public schools in Washington DC and I
have to say I feel so good about them
and they're great and they're doing
really well.
>> I went to public school kindergarten
through graduate school and the
generosity of California taxpayers and
the vision of the regent of the
University of California are literally
why I'm why I'm here with you now. And
7,000 my total tuition first off
acceptance rate at UCLA 74% was one of
the 26% that didn't get in but I
reapplied. They let me in because they
had that kind of capacity and bandwidth.
My total tuition, 5 years undergrad, two
years graduate school, $7,000. I showed
up to UCLA with a with a like a 1982
Volkswagen rabbit and $300. And I got
through all five years and all two years
of of graduate school with no money with
student jobs and $15,000 total in debt.
>> Amazing. Amazing. And now they want you
to be Andy Rooney, which you're not.
>> There you go. Anyway, um I really
appreciate that's a great one, Scott. Um
uh is that your fail? That's your win.
What's your fail?
>> That's my win. Thanks. My fail is um my
fail is Ferrari's electric car. This is
a rare misstep from one of the world's
great brands. I feel like Ferrari
announcing an EV is like Makaker Mark,
my favorite whiskey brand, announcing
it's launching bottled water. It might
make sense. It might even be profitable,
but something important just died at the
Ferrari.
>> People are bad at the Ferrari. It was
Johnny I for people to not know, right?
>> It's like text ruin [ __ ] something
else.
>> Nobody spends a half a million dollars
on a Ferrari because it's efficient.
They buy it because it makes irrational
noises that trigger a primal masculine
wonderful instinct in the male brain.
The end, the engine isn't a feature,
it's the product. and and luxury is
about scarcity, emotion, and theater.
And an electric Ferrari is becoming a
very expensive appliance. Nobody puts a
poster of an appliance on their bedroom
wall. No, nobody wants to give you a
random oral sex cuz you have a hot
appliance. Maybe a Subzero, but only if
you own the home around it. Anyways,
don't know how I got here. The challenge
The challenge isn't engineering. Every
competent automaker can build a fast EV.
The challenge is replacing
80 years of Italian heritage built
around noise, vibration, and mechanical
uh drama with software.
Them going electric is like
>> say it looks like a Honda.
>> Well, it's like it's like Rolex
launching a smart watch. It might sell,
but you've confused the source of your
value proposition. This is one of the
great brand mistakes of 2026.
>> You're right. It really even I looked at
it and I was like that's not a pretty
car and Ferrari be pretty like you know
what I mean. It was like so simple. Um
yeah I think it was a a Johnny I misstep
in that regard. Anyway um we want to
hear from you. Send us your questions
about business tech or whatever's on
your mind. Go to nymag.com/pivot
to submit a question for the show or
call 85551 pivot. Elsewhere in the Cara
and Scott universe I did a show about
sports and in this case the World Cup.
Uh this week on on with Cara Swisser I'm
talking to uh talking about the World
Cup which kicks off later this week
across the US with the US as one of its
co-hosts. The others are Canada and
Mexico. I talked to a panel of experts
including New York Times sports
correspondent Trick Pan. We talked about
the crazy ticket prices and also the
fears that ICE will ramp up enforcement
among other things. Let's listen.
>> A lot of those people will be soccer
fans will be football fans as we call
them here. They'll be coming from all
over the world. all be in the United
States hoping to go to games. I remember
last summer the US hosted the Club World
Cup and there were Brazilian teams there
for example and I talked to some fans of
Flamingo which is Brazil's most popular
team who were living in Boston. Now they
were going to go in convoy to watch the
games um last summer and at the last
minute they thought hang on this might
not be a good idea. We don't want to be
so visible driving in this big convoy of
Brazilians to this soccer match. It
>> was really good. And guess who asked the
question? Scott Galloway. He love your
question. You'll like the answer, Scott.
I appreciate it.
>> Yeah, but you talking about sports is
like Greta Thmberg reviewing steakouses.
I just
>> I mean,
>> it's a good It's a good You know, they I
let them talk. I just ask questions.
>> It's like a cat breaking down the
Westminster dog show. It just
>> I tried the universe almost producers
love soccer.
>> It's like it's like RFK talking about
vaccines. It's literally the the world
came off its axis.
>> I tried. I think I did a good job. I
did. I can't do it again for a while.
>> I think it would be easier for a nun to
review Only Fans. I just
>> Anyway, you helped me a great deal and
gave a good answer. Right. You called me
and you said you said you have to do me
a solid. And I thought it was going to
be something big and you're like I'm
interviewing the head of FIFA. You or
someone. You have to ask a question.
>> On the World Cup. Yeah.
>> Like I can do that easily. By the way,
>> ticket prices.
>> I'm obsessed with the World Cup. I went
to Russia. I went to LA in '94. I went
to Russia. I went to uh Qatar. I'm going
to this one. Granted, it's the final,
but category one final seats, which are
good seats, but to go to the final, the
ticket price, the face value is $38,000.
>> $38,000.
>> It's going to be Spain, they said. They
say Spain is
>> Spain's amazing.
Spain's going to win. They said the kid,
they said Spain, all of them agreed
Spain was going to win. And I had I was
like, okay.
>> No, they said Spain. Anyway, um anyway,
and I don't even know what that means.
Oh, and I know there's some new player
there, young player. Anyway, and this is
the last thing for Messi and some other
person. Who was the second person?
>> Ronaldo and also Harry Kane. There's
>> this is their last this is their last
show, right? Correct.
>> Well, they said the last time, but it
looks it it looks like um it this does
look like you have some uh um
>> change over
>> change over, but you also have Mbappe.
Yeah, you have no now we're talking
about
>> the gentleman you you referred to as
Laminia Maul who was scoring goals at
the age of 17. I took my son to a game
>> and I looked at him and I felt bad. I'm
like I'm like in a in a disparaging way
and like I'm like that kid's younger
than you. I'm like you better like get
something going on. I'm like
younger than you.
>> That's enough sports talk. That's enough
sports talk. That's enough for Cara.
Okay, that's the show. Thanks for
listening to Pivot. Enjoy yourself this
week, Scott. of the SpaceX IPO and the
World Cup. Be sure to like and subscribe
to our YouTube channel. We'll be back on
Friday.
Ask follow-up questions or revisit key timestamps.
This episode of Pivot features a wide-ranging discussion between Scott Galloway and Kara Swisher covering the social media presence of Hunter Biden, the recent management controversies at 60 Minutes, the upcoming SpaceX IPO, and the debate over government intervention in AI. Additionally, the hosts discuss the changing landscape of higher education, Apple's efforts to overhaul Siri, and provide their 'wins and fails' of the week.
Videos recently processed by our community