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Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot

June 23, 2026 / 58:48

This episode discusses topics including Green Watergate, President Trump's claims about vandalism, Iran's influence, and political drama in Europe. Guests Pippet and Carara Swisser provide commentary on these subjects.

Pippet and Carara critique President Trump's assertion that vandals damaged the reflecting pool in Washington, D.C. They argue that the damage is a result of incompetence rather than sabotage, highlighting the absurdity of the situation.

The conversation shifts to Iran, where they express concerns about the U.S. administration's handling of negotiations and the potential for Iran to develop nuclear capabilities. They emphasize the implications of the current diplomatic approach.

Later, they discuss the resignation of British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, the political climate in the UK, and the impact of Brexit on the economy. They reflect on the challenges facing the UK government and the rise of populism.

The episode concludes with a discussion about Trump's feuds with European leaders, particularly Italian Prime Minister Georgia Maloney, and the broader implications for U.S.-European relations.

TLDR

Pippet and Carara discuss Trump's claims about vandalism, Iran's influence, and political drama in Europe, including Starmer's resignation and Trump's feuds with leaders.

Episode

58:48
00:00:00
He's blaming everybody. And it's the same thing. Oh, it's vandals. It's this, it's that. It's him. He's just a
00:00:05
disaster. Hi everyone, this is Pippet from New York Magazine and the Fox Media Podcast
00:00:15
Network. I'm Carara Swisser live from the south of France. >> How are you? That's our entire French.
00:00:26
>> That's it. We're done. >> That's it. But we got a lot to get to today. There's so much going on,
00:00:31
including Green Watergate. Get it? Green Watergate. I told you this thing would blow up. President Trump says it will
00:00:37
be, he said, will begin fixing the seriously vandalized reflecting pool. Vandalized by him. Trump is claiming
00:00:42
without evidence. He's lying that vandals cut the 250 ft gash in the pool's new lining and poured corrosive
00:00:48
and destructive chemicals into the water. This is nonsense. There's cameras everywhere in Washington, just so you
00:00:53
know. He said multiple people have been arrested tied to the alleged destruction. This is just nonsense. One
00:00:58
of them was a former Olympian who was accused by the park police of destroying government product. He says, "You reach
00:01:03
down to touch a strip of peeling paint." I was down there, Scott, it was peeling
00:01:07
it. Nobody was touching it. Everyone was sort of shocked and amazed by how grotesque it was cuz you know, you go
00:01:14
down there. I've gone down there quite a bit and I've never really noticed the the skyiness of it. And it really is.
00:01:20
It's green. All this paint's peeling off. So, he's lying. And Trump, of course, should be accused of vandalizing
00:01:27
a lot of Washington, whether it was the East Wing or the the grass in front of the White House for his his uh his
00:01:34
party. You know, it's just ridiculous. But it's taking on a life of its own. It really is in terms of a of a
00:01:39
metaphorical thing. Or maybe you don't think that. >> No, I mean, the president is caught
00:01:43
between two straits of water. It's just >> And [laughter] >> we'll get to that in a minute.
00:01:49
>> I personally I think this is kind of a non story. America's turning 250 and we've managed to turn a reflecting pull
00:01:55
into a culture war. I just for God's sakes, just fix it and let's move on. I I don't I I kind of I you know they
00:02:03
they're lying and saying that it's sabotage and vandalism. It isn't. It's incompetence. It's a government project
00:02:08
turning into another government project. And the Democrats love to talk about I I
00:02:13
think we have bigger fish to fry. I I >> I would agree, but I don't think it's a
00:02:17
bad I think people get it in a second because it's again, as I told you, it's a symbol and it's also the the guy who
00:02:22
did it is another piece of griff >> 100%. Zero bid contract. Yeah. >> And it looks incompetent. It looks
00:02:28
incompetent. And you know, one of the jokes online was that, you know, Washington is now scar after as after he
00:02:34
took over uh took over on the Lion King. Um but uh but but there is more to that
00:02:40
because then you link it I think with Iran too which continues to be like a problem like here's you know they keep
00:02:47
going back and forth and that is the real problem. It is but it's symbolic of just complete idiocy like like really
00:02:54
stupid. We'll get to some other stupid things coming up, but um it talk a little bit about I know I noticed you
00:03:00
were talking about a lot online um the MOU, which seems the Iranians seem to have us by the shorthairs. That's what
00:03:08
it feels like to me. I don't know about you, but they they're not doing anything. They're just dragging us on, I
00:03:14
guess, and being rude to JD Mance, which I completely think they should be. Trump
00:03:20
has delivered on his promise of unconditional surrender. The problem is we're the ones unconditionally
00:03:28
surrendering, >> right? >> It is insane. Anyone who can do math, anyone who understands a memo of
00:03:34
understanding, anyone who can look at their activities in in my mind, it is just so incredibly clear and tragic what
00:03:41
is going on. The IRGC recognizes he's left. The midterms are coming up. It is a very unpopular war. He got no support
00:03:51
from the public, from Congress, from other nations. He underestimated the resilience of of of the missile systems.
00:03:59
>> He has handed them something more powerful than a nuclear weapon, and that is an ability to choke the corateed
00:04:04
artery of the global economy in the straight of Hormuz. They know we are out, >> right?
00:04:10
>> And they do. >> They all they have to do is delay an obuscation. >> It's just delay. every day that goes
00:04:15
back, it's less likely we're going to go back in with military action. >> No, he can't. He really can't.
00:04:21
>> They have to operate between uh humor them, agree to meet in Switzerland, don't get a deal done, they
00:04:29
have the perfect false flag, oh uh Israel's bombed Lebanon, you're not lead, you're not living up to your part
00:04:37
of the agreement. We're out. >> Right? >> They have no intention of giving anything back. And the only thing that's
00:04:44
going to come out of this besides Trump's Trump Trump's incompetence and JD Vance uh you know having about as
00:04:51
long a presidential run as Senator Gillibrand is that we are going to look back on this and recognize that one of
00:04:56
the greatest acts of diplomacy was the JCPOA >> right which was and Obama's saying so
00:05:02
he's doing a lot of press right now around it by the way the comparative >> we had Russia and China sign or they
00:05:08
were co-igners of the agreement we can't get Israel to sign this agreement much less European nations
00:05:14
We had limits at 3.7 enrichment. They're already at 60. There's no >> there's no constraints around nuclear
00:05:22
enrichment in the agreement. We He keeps saying all these [ __ ] threats or will we'll open the straight of
00:05:28
hormones. >> We'll get you. We'll get you. I know >> the straight of Hormuz would take to
00:05:33
keep it open would take two carrier strike forces, paratroopers and marines on the ground on Iranian soil. That is
00:05:39
not going to happen. The the net net here is the following. America comes out of this much weaker, Iran much stronger,
00:05:46
and we're going to look back and and realize that the JCPOA was one of the more impressive acts of diplomacy of the
00:05:53
last 50 years. >> Yep. Except they continue to deny it. It's really like it's the same thing
00:05:57
with the reflecting pool. And the reason why I'm harping on it, it's the same thing. It's the same kind of like, no,
00:06:03
this is what's happening. you know, you've seen all these communications from the White House, and we look, it
00:06:08
looks so ridiculous when it's the reflecting pool, but it's the same exact communications.
00:06:13
Um, you know, they're blaming the New York Times, they're blaming, you know, for the coverage, they're he's blaming
00:06:18
Obama, he's blaming everybody. And it's the same thing. Oh, it's vandals. It's this, it's that. It's him. He's just a
00:06:25
disaster. And again, I point to finally someone is starting to write about it. his mental state which seems demented
00:06:32
and we'll get into that a little bit more. Um, but the way he's sort of lashing out in this crazy way when it's
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all his fault seems and of course blaming poor JD Vance. I mean, I never feel that sorry for that guy, but I got
00:06:45
to say he's been dragged. He's been he's been penced. I don't know what else to say. He's sort of stuck holding the bag
00:06:52
here and try having to defend it. And it's worse than when Kla Harris even lightly said, "I wouldn't change a thing
00:06:57
on the view." Right. sort of the same exact thing. So, I mean, it's disastrous for the Republicans in so many ways
00:07:04
because he doesn't have an out. So, my worry because I think he's he lashes out like arresting back Janine Piro
00:07:11
arresting people for this thing. This is like, let me tell you, Jean, I was down
00:07:15
there. I didn't touch the strip of paint, but it was stripping off by all by itself. Um, is going to be a
00:07:21
disaster. These people are soiling themselves in the most ridiculous of ways. And and in Iran, it's stay and
00:07:26
with the reflecting pool, it's just stupid. although costly to the fed to to us as taxpayers and the same thing with
00:07:32
the rest of the mess he's making. But um in this case it's disastrous. I mean really truly dis I don't know what how
00:07:39
anyone's going to get us out of this cuz we got two more years of this lunatic as
00:07:44
a >> I don't even know what would what could happen. He gets sidelined. What? I don't
00:07:50
know. Like he's not going anywhere even if he loses power. if Democrats take Congress have the power of of subpoena
00:07:56
and hopefully if they were to get back Senate at a minimum >> there'd be enough power to get in the
00:08:01
way of a lot of this stuff >> except that Iran will then develop a nuclear weapon. I feel like they now,
00:08:07
you know what I mean? Like that's where the worry I that's the only thing >> we all agree on. Iran cannot have a
00:08:13
nuclear weapon. But wow, we've given him a chance here. He's this is and then the
00:08:18
economy itself. Anyway, let's go on a quick break. We come back, resignations, feuds, and more. And we'll get into all
00:08:23
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clinical study information, restrictions, visit hymns.com. Scott, we're back with big news here in
00:10:46
Europe. There's a lot going on. Uh Kier Starmer just announced he's stepping down as Britain's prime minister, giving
00:10:51
into mounting pressure from his own party. Uh Starmer said he'll stay in office until a new party leader is
00:10:56
selected and likely to be this guy named Andy Burnham, former mayor of Greater Manchester, very popular guy. Trump got
00:11:02
ahead of the announcement over the weekend, noting Star would step down and saying he had failed badly on
00:11:06
immigration energy policy. Also a lot of attacks from Elon Musk, by the way. Uh Starmer's resignation comes almost 10
00:11:13
years to the day since the Brexit vote. The UK has had six prime ministers in that time.
00:11:18
>> I love that. >> It's crazy. Um, talk a little bit about you live there. What has happened here?
00:11:24
Obviously, he was going to lose an election and he had won in a landslide in a very short time ago.
00:11:29
>> I think a lot of it comes down to economics and that is I mean, it's very strange.
00:11:35
Beitha, Mkos, and St. Barts and Hawaii are parts of those nations, but they're not. They're islands that have an
00:11:42
entirely different culture. I feel that way about London. I think Ireland's I think London's essentially an island in
00:11:47
the UK because if you look at the UK, seven out of 10 IPOs in the last 10 years are below the offering price. GDP
00:11:53
was supposed to take a 4 to 6% hit from Brexit, the second greatest own goal in geopolitical history behind our entry
00:11:58
into Iraq. You have now the UK as a whole has a lower average household income than Mississippi. And then
00:12:06
there's London, which is essentially where the richest people in the world park capital and have a European
00:12:12
lifestyle with actually without actually engaging in the UK economy. I mean, it's
00:12:16
just it's a very strange place since I have moved there after we have a new UK a new prime minister in several weeks.
00:12:24
I've been there four years. This will be my fifth prime minister. >> Fifth, right? You had conservatives.
00:12:29
There was a bunch of There was a conservative guy. There was Boris. >> It's It's not politics. It's speed
00:12:35
dating. It's beginning to feel like a LinkedIn jobs page. It's just so, you know, but without growth, until they
00:12:42
figure out a way, I thought they should do back itit. They should reintegrate into the European economy because
00:12:49
without growth, all of this gets harder and harder. And the weird the quagmire here or the not the quagmire, the enigma
00:12:55
is that the UK has all the underpinnings of a great democracy and economic growth
00:13:00
engine. It has incredible universities, rule of law, culture compounds. Everybody in the world
00:13:08
wants to or wouldn't mind the idea of living in the UK for a few years. It's a wonderful place. And yet they la Open
00:13:17
AAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX are going to raise 150 billion in fresh capital. The UK raised a total of 2 billion last year
00:13:22
in its entire IPO market. They just can't get out of their own way. and Brexit. And just to go to politics,
00:13:29
since World War II, no individual has done more harm to Britain in my view than Nigel Farage, who might be a prime
00:13:36
minister at some point. So I have stayed woefully ignorant to UK politics, but it
00:13:42
is difficult for me to understand how the foundation of success, how they continue to snatch defeat from the jaws
00:13:50
of victory here. And I got to think it's something, it's a got to be a big bold move. Even even the non-dom thing we
00:13:57
kicked out basically they chased a lot of billionaires out of the UK and I understand the sentiment. It's let's
00:14:03
tickle the middle class sensors of people who are angry but at the same time the treasury's gone down because a
00:14:08
lot of wealthy people are leaving and that reduces your tax base to you know provide for the NHS and these social
00:14:15
services. But this is I mean UK politics and then what do you have? You have the
00:14:21
rise of populism. They have had real problems. You know, to a certain extent, it's a metaphor for the West. You have
00:14:29
or when the West goes wrong, stagnant wages, housing shortages, immigration anxiety, and institutional distrust.
00:14:36
>> You also have a lot of meddling by Elon Musk in terms of of backing a bunch of
00:14:41
very violent people against immigrants. >> American export is political divisiveness,
00:14:45
>> right? Yeah. >> It's not Elon himself that's meddling quite a bit. >> Yeah. But then JD Vance comes over and
00:14:50
lectures them about free speech. It's like we shouldn't, you know, in my view, Americans should be here saying, "You're
00:14:56
our greatest ally. How can we help? What can we do together? How do we open more
00:15:00
free trade agreements?" Instead, >> instead Musk shows up and says, "Rise up, white people." Or or I mean,
00:15:07
essentially JD Vance comes over and waves his finger at him around free speech. And now they've got to figure
00:15:12
out a way to to to basically untangle the technology. They're new Britain's nuclear arsenal
00:15:20
runs on American technology and all of a sudden Europe is waking up and going what the [ __ ] we have become
00:15:26
conservatives the conservatives aren't popular either far kind of is it's like nobody's popular it's a really angry
00:15:33
nation but when you don't have growth people's prosperity goes down and they just get angrier and angrier so I I
00:15:39
again not to talk too much about money but they have got to figure out a way to get growth going Again,
00:15:48
>> when your growth grows, you have more money, you have more flexibility, you have more power abroad, you have more
00:15:54
you can't have a powerful nation that's shrinking its GDP. And again, I was in can when Brexit happened and the pound
00:16:00
crashed. It's cost them 8% of their GDP, which is like taking hundreds of billions of pounds into the street and
00:16:07
just lighting it on fire. >> Yeah, they may return to the I mean, it's interesting because Europe is
00:16:11
getting more and more unified. Speaking of which, Trump's latest feud is with one of his pals, basically his European
00:16:17
Marjgery Taylor Green, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Maloney. The spat started after Trump, this is so strange.
00:16:23
Again, I'm sorry, this guy's lost his mind. After Trump claimed Melani Maloney begged him for a Melania, oh man, begged
00:16:31
him for a photo last week's G7 summit in France. Maloney responded with a video on Instagram which was quite remarkable,
00:16:38
calling Trump's claims totally fabricated and saying, "Italia and I never beg." She also accused Trump of
00:16:43
being more accommodating to the enemies of the West than his own allies. Trump then doubled down, saying, "Maloney is
00:16:49
doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity," which she fired back, "My popularity is none of your concern. I
00:16:54
suggest you focus on yours," pointing to his bad is lowering increasingly lowering popularity. Um, boy, this
00:17:01
woman, even though, let me just, let's be clear, she's anti-gay marriage. She's anti-trans. She's anti-immigrant. She's
00:17:07
not She's Marjorie Taylor Green essentially. This is the European version of her. And at the same time, I
00:17:13
I was like, "Go Georgia." Like, it was kind of interesting that he continues. Again, the sign of someone who is having
00:17:21
some cognitive problems. It seemed like to me, not this is you usually like this. He's always been an [ __ ] but
00:17:27
not this much of an [ __ ] Like, and and she just took it to him, which I found really. I mean, obviously it helps
00:17:35
her in Italy because he's not popular there. He's not popular anywhere in Europe now. And they were tight as ticks
00:17:40
if you recall, you know, >> but this is again, greatness is in the agency of others.
00:17:47
And European countries have been our strongest allies. We share same values, same democracies. We've worked together.
00:17:53
We've had incredible the postw World War II world was largely shaped by America and European values.
00:18:02
And Trump decides again he's figured out a way to manage to feud with and alienate feud with and alienate allies
00:18:10
while simultaneously praising adversaries. And we've spent 80 years developing these alliances. And Trump treats them
00:18:18
like some sort of fantasy football league. And Maloney to her credit she remains her popularity is actually
00:18:25
greater than most Western leaders and picking and then he decides to pick a fight with one of the few European
00:18:31
leaders who actually likes him and is this none of this >> she went at him on the pope too. She
00:18:38
doesn't much like his comments on the pope either. >> Yeah. Well, I mean come on criticizing
00:18:44
the pope is like if someone in Italy you just don't do >> you don't do that. None of this makes
00:18:49
any sense. Cara doesn't make any sense. None of it. I believe her. Believe the woman. [laughter] I totally believe her.
00:18:56
I believe her. >> She's such a creep. But this is interesting cuz she's a really cuz she's
00:19:00
really, if you actually look at a lot of her policies, they're pretty heinous in
00:19:03
terms of how she behaves. But she's sort of shifted. I mean, she used Trump to sort of get there and now she's cutting
00:19:11
him loose like like more than others. Actually, the others haven't been quite as critical of him. Uh Starmer certainly
00:19:19
hasn't. Right. Or any of them have. I don't know that the Germans have it. This she's really taken it to the wall.
00:19:25
>> Yeah. I think I think I think most of them have decided wait them out. It's a
00:19:28
smart move for me because she comes across as a leader and not afraid. And you know I
00:19:34
>> It's not good for her. We look terrible. Once again, by the way, it's really interesting to be in Europe because a
00:19:39
lot of people are saying, "You don't like Trump, do you?" To me, I'm like, "No."
00:19:44
>> Really? >> No. Yeah. A lot of the Europeans sort of test it when we were in Paris several
00:19:49
different times. Um like you're not a fan of Trump. I'm like hardly like hello lesbian family like no. Um and so they
00:19:58
asked several Europeans there's a tour guide at Eiffel Tower or whatever were sort of like poking to see um if we
00:20:05
liked him which obviously we look like an ad for not liking Trump. And anyway um let's go on a quick break. When we
00:20:12
come back, new details about how Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos tried to cozy up to Trump. This is an interesting
00:20:17
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goleport.com/pivot. [music] Scott, we're back. President Trump took frequent jabs at Mark Zuckerberg and
00:23:12
Jeff Bezos as he tried to build ties with his administration. And that's according to a new book by New York
00:23:17
Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, who I'm going to have on the on podcast soon. The president told
00:23:23
guests stories about Zuckerberg and Bezos kissing his ass, which they were, saying, "You would not believe the texts
00:23:28
I got from these tech guys. I got to show you. Among them, Zuckerberg sent Trump a photo of a letter written by one
00:23:34
of his young children, which said they were looking forward to a golden age of America." Trump a rally slogan. Bezos
00:23:40
meanwhile reportedly told Trump that the Washington Post was one of his worst investments and that people there are
00:23:45
really terrible. Oh my god. I mean honestly and then of course they he was showing it to Elon too. They all made
00:23:52
fun of them and you know anyway it was kind of I mean by the way on the other side they insult him behind his back
00:23:59
too. But what what is the what has happened here from your perspective when you were reading sort of this stuff? I'm
00:24:06
not surprised by one bit of it whatsoever. Um, but I don't know if they'll get their reputations back. We
00:24:11
always thought Trump was a jerk, but this is really kind of >> Yeah. But it represents a flip that is
00:24:16
that is sort of represents something in my view kind of dark and that is politicians used to kiss the ass of
00:24:22
billionaires because billionaires had money and politicians wanted to get elected and it became kind of a
00:24:28
payfor-play thing because of Citizens United. But when you think about this, Bezos and Zuckerberg are worth hundreds
00:24:34
of billions of dollars, and yet they both still feel compelled to kiss the ass of an 80-year-old real estate
00:24:40
developer, >> right? Yeah. >> Capital always chases power, but Silicon Valley spent 20 years telling us
00:24:46
government didn't matter. And then everyone started flying to Washington. And what this signals around the dark part
00:24:54
is the following. If you're worth a quarter of a trillion dollars and still kissing the ass of the president, you're
00:25:02
not. This has moved from buying influence to renting protection. This is a transition for pay-forplay
00:25:09
democracy to something even worse. And that is a mob protection racket. >> Yeah. where if I want if I want to hold
00:25:16
on to my wealth, >> I got to start paying for protection because anybody that doesn't sign up
00:25:22
gets in his crosshairs and potentially you all of these guys Jamie Diamond is the only one I can tell of all these
00:25:30
like this power crew that hasn't kissed his ass and is actually willing to occasionally say the obvious and now the
00:25:37
government is suing JP Morgan. So it doesn't matter how powerful you are, you got to pay the mob. And this is what do
00:25:45
you have? You want a democracy where money can't buy influence or can't buy too much. Then you move to a democracy,
00:25:52
a quote unquote democracy or a kleptocracy where money buys everything. And now we're in, in my opinion, a
00:25:58
protection racket where Bezos and Zuckerberg got to like got to kiss the ring here. It's feeling very Russian.
00:26:04
>> They got to do they got to I feel like they're more powerful. Well, I don't even understand it. Like, I I don't I
00:26:11
don't know. I mean, they could wait him out. Like, they've got so much money. They could do so much damage to him.
00:26:17
>> I do think if the Democrats take Congress and we get about 18 or 24 months out, I think you're all of a
00:26:24
sudden going to see, as I say, these guys are going to grow testicles again. I think you're gonna see a switch
00:26:30
because I know they all tell you they can't stand him, >> but the smart play, I hate to say it,
00:26:36
the smart play is just to kiss his ass, >> I guess. But it's so g You don't have to
00:26:39
do it in a grot with your kids. Oh my god. Like my child wrote this to you. Do you know how much of a loser you look
00:26:46
like that you're pimping out your kids? And then Bezos, just sell the [ __ ] Washington Post if it's one of your
00:26:51
worst investments and people are >> I don't get that. We talked we've talked about I still don't understand why he
00:26:57
still that >> you know it's not just me who was interested there was a dozen people
00:27:00
wouldn't engage with any of them I've talked to every one of them wouldn't engage not once what what does he what
00:27:06
is he like like I don't know what's happening if he doesn't like it if it's the worst investments and people are
00:27:11
terrible and by the way Jeff they hate you um why not just get rid of it it's so weird
00:27:17
>> yeah I don't get that one I don't understand >> it doesn't give him power by the way
00:27:20
it's doing it did an amazing story on Tulsi Gabbard this week like It's done several amazing stories um around the
00:27:27
corruption and everything else. I mean, the news parts, the the editorial section is such weak sauce now, it's
00:27:33
really hard to read. Um but I agree. I don't understand it. I think I don't know when when they're sucking up to the
00:27:39
normal president. Do are we going to forgive them or do we care? No, they've sort of soiled themselves pretty
00:27:46
significantly. >> It feels very Russian in the sense that doesn't matter how rich you are,
00:27:51
>> you got to send Putin. You got to send him put in his vig and no matter where
00:27:55
you are, you might if you really piss him off, he's gonna put >> a neurotoxin on a doorork knob.
00:28:01
>> Yeah, but this guy wasn't going to do that. That's the thing. It's not like in
00:28:04
there I kind of see it cuz like that's kind of going out a window kind of thing. This is just something else.
00:28:10
>> Yeah. But I think I think these guys in a capitalist society begin to equate success and ego and influence just with
00:28:17
a number and that is your net worth. And I think they're very smart and they connect all the dots and see the matrix
00:28:24
around how to increase their net worth. And they've they've connected the dots here and say just kiss his ass. It's
00:28:30
just it's it's a really high ROI activity. >> They're so gross. They're just gross
00:28:35
that pimping out kids is just gross. Sorry. It's just gross. It's gross. Um in other Amazon news speak, this is
00:28:41
interesting. Amazon's movie studio is dumping an upcoming film about Sam Alman saying the project would be better
00:28:45
served than another studio. The decision comes as Amazon plans to invest $50 billion in OpenAI this year. The move
00:28:51
reportedly stunned the filmmakers. Very good filmmakers by the way. Andrew Garfield was in it. Um I am in the
00:28:57
script. I don't come off very well. I look like I'm too nice to Sam, but I don't care. Um since Amazon had already
00:29:02
spent about $40 million on the movie, tested it for markets that was working towards a release date. Um they I don't
00:29:08
know and they can't this is not getting picked up. Netflix passed apparently. A couple of different places passed. Um,
00:29:15
and it's, you know, it's it's a highlevel film. I I I read the script. Um, and I didn't like it. I thought it
00:29:22
was fictional in a lot of ways. They sort of painted Jeffrey as a party guy, which I'm not in my experience. And they
00:29:28
made that one guy who reh rebelled against Sam into a hero, and I don't think he was either. I thought it was
00:29:35
kind of broad and didn't I thought it was not a good script. Um, but there's of course the other ones coming out
00:29:40
about Mark Zuckerberg, the the sequel, The Social Reckoning, which we previously talked about, um, about
00:29:46
Francis Hogan and and that that whole situation that's coming out. That's that that is coming out. Um, with the guy
00:29:54
from the Bear, but uh, would you feel I don't know. I I don't know. I'm not surprised they got rid of it if they
00:29:59
just invested in Open AI, but it seems kind of dumb spending all that money. It's not much. 40 million. Who cares?
00:30:06
I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but we were well into the development or even production writer room of
00:30:16
our series on Netflix about big tech. That got the plug pulled. >> Oh, >> this has gotten the plug pulled.
00:30:21
>> Yeah. >> I think they've just decided that >> they don't want to be villains.
00:30:26
>> Yeah. And they don't It's not worth the risk. You piss off either powerful people or you piss off the president.
00:30:32
all these M&A all these regulatory concerns and quite frankly the American public seems to have soured on AI or it
00:30:38
could just be the following the story of Sam Alman isn't that interesting and it
00:30:42
it seemed more interesting 12 months ago than it is now so I think they'd you know think well let's just do season 4
00:30:48
of Euphoria I I don't I think they've done the math here and decided that stories about big tag
00:30:54
>> the gay hockey people seems popular >> yeah let's do let's do the women's hockey team incredibly well story 5 is
00:31:01
like killing a huge opening. By the way, to your credit, I meant to tell you, you've been talking about theaters and
00:31:06
I've been ship posting them. The best performing media stocks the last 12 months hasn't been meta or it hasn't
00:31:13
been it's been theaters. >> Alexat went to the theater. He did. He loved it. He's going again to watch a is
00:31:20
a is a trend again. >> Mhm. >> But anyways, back to quote unquote artificial, the name of this that
00:31:26
they've killed. I think they just do the math and go, >> "Okay, the story isn't interesting. It's
00:31:32
going to piss off potentially a lot of powerful people. Is this worth it?" And look, I saw this happen up close and
00:31:41
personal when I saw >> Tell us more about this plug pulling for you. Tell explain to the people what
00:31:45
your show was so people understand. So I h I connected with uh Rez Media who did
00:31:52
the morning show and then I had an we had an amazing showrunner Scott Burns from the Born Identity, incredibly
00:31:58
talented guy. We signed up Roseman Pike to play the lead character based on, you
00:32:02
know, loosely based or inspired by Cheryl Samberg. Uh it got we we did our pitch and it got bought in the room,
00:32:10
which never happens. And Netflix >> Netflix [clears throat] committed to the entire first season.
00:32:15
>> Wow. Finally. Oh my god. Finally, after a swing and a miss and being beaned in
00:32:19
the face about 10 times, uh, I got something going. Everything's going fine. Everything's going fine. Netflix
00:32:26
doesn't like the scripts. Uh, the showrunner leaves. Brosman has some family issues and just the wheels came
00:32:33
off the bus. And what probably happened is AAM's Razer probably just fell apart.
00:32:39
>> Mhm. Cuz Hollywood stuff tends to and they >> Well, not not when you get to this
00:32:43
stage. >> No, I know. I agree with you. They just That was Yeah. Right. Okay. >> And then so I immediately went to was
00:32:50
there some polit because okay meanwhile Netflix is making a bid for Warner Brothers and so I immedately go is
00:32:58
something else at foot here and then I talked to the that incredibly impressive woman at Netflix who runs all their
00:33:04
content and >> she was very straight with me. She said problems with the scripts, uh, you know,
00:33:11
family issues for the lead and this happens. And I believe that. I believe that's what happened. But then you see
00:33:18
this thing get the plug pulled. I think the creative community has basically said America is tired of hearing about
00:33:24
big tech and there's a ton of there's a ton of um second order risk around these
00:33:29
stories right now. >> Yeah, that could be it could be that what's doing well and what's not doing.
00:33:34
It'll be interesting to see how the social reckoning does, right? Uh although some people say it's a mess of
00:33:38
a script with Aaron Sorcin. I haven't seen it. Um but it's getting a big pu that's getting a big push and that's the
00:33:44
the second part of the Facebook story. It's a it's a it's an accompaniment to the social network. Um but this time
00:33:51
Sorcin and not Fincher is directing which we'll see how he does. Um but you're right. It's like do we want to
00:33:57
see more about these [ __ ] right? Like that kind of thing. I guess >> I still think the story of big tech is
00:34:02
the biggest story that's never been told. I still think someone's going to produce it. I think
00:34:06
>> I think Bezos and Musk and Cheryl Samberg and what I wanted and they agreed to in the first season was I
00:34:14
actually think Sher Samberg is one of the more interesting characters in big tech. I think she's actually in many
00:34:17
ways more interesting than Musk. And but when you hear about these people's lives, you just wouldn't believe it
00:34:24
unless you knew it was real. I think they're incredibly complex, interesting, strange people. petty
00:34:30
>> and the stories >> angry unhappy >> but again it's it really is and no one's told it that well it's the biggest story
00:34:37
that is yet to be people are obsess obsessed with succession news is a pimple on the elephant of big tech
00:34:43
>> right you're right >> this story really hasn't gonna be it's going to be theater and opera like that
00:34:49
I just have this feeling that there's going to be a theatrical show or in that regard right where it's going to be told
00:34:55
because I have a couple ones going and I don't think they'll ever get made. I just don't think they will. Both my
00:35:01
book, my memoir, and then another one with Brad Stone and I that we wrote years ago. We wrote the treatment four
00:35:07
years ago and it's moving but slowly. And the question is, do people want to watch unless you make it really like
00:35:13
succession worked because it was like fantastic cast, fantastic script, >> you know, rich people [ __ ] things up
00:35:20
really. I think it might have to wait a step to get to these people, but they will. They'll be gotten. They're amazing
00:35:25
characters in a terrible way. Um, speaking of uh things that are uh crashing to the ground, SpaceX hype is
00:35:33
crashing. As we tape on Monday, SpaceX shares are down to $167, down 17%, valuing the company at 2.2 trillion,
00:35:40
still enormous. The stock is still up 24% from the IPO price, but down over 16% from its peak. Uh, a lot of people
00:35:48
feel this is going to keep coming down. I don't know, but some people are buying. So, will it have the effect on
00:35:53
the upcoming IPOs? Um and and let's hear a question uh from a listener about Elon's shares and his impact on the
00:36:01
company and then we can answer all these questions. >> So if he tried to actually sell or
00:36:06
borrow against even a smaller percentage of it tomorrow, what happens to the price? If he dies or is incapacitated
00:36:13
tonight, what's the stock really worth the next morning? >> Zero. Zero. Like oh my god, that would
00:36:21
be look out [ __ ] below. But your thoughts? Well, my understanding is so there's a lot of nuance there. My
00:36:26
understanding is he's agreed to a self lock up of a year. So he hasn't sold he's not selling any shares,
00:36:31
>> but he could borrow against it. >> That's exactly right. And he can borrow way more than he would could ever
00:36:37
>> explain how rich people do that, Scott, for people that don't understand borrowing against your stock.
00:36:42
>> Okay. So the the ultimate wealth accumulation and income inequality strategy is the following. If you're
00:36:48
fortunate enough to have equity in a company that does really really well, it's called the buy, borrow, die
00:36:54
strategy. And that is Jeff Bezos owns $120 billion in Amazon shares. And to fund his lifestyle, he borrows against
00:37:02
it at very low interest rates. And then he puts a lot of it in trust. And when he dies, there's a step up in valuation.
00:37:07
So his kid don't kids don't have to pay taxes on it. Or when he actually starts selling, he decides he needs to spend
00:37:13
more time with his f with his dad in Florida such that he doesn't have to pay back the cost of the infrastructure of
00:37:19
the great state of Washington that built his $120 billion in fortune. And the greatest the greatest
00:37:26
distinction between the wealthy and the notw wealthy is the following. Are you an earner or are you an owner? And you
00:37:31
want to do everything you can whether it's tax-free investment vehicles, getting the money out of your hands,
00:37:37
auto automatic investment every month, you have to get to be an owner. Because the thing about owning stock or houses
00:37:43
or assets is they increase in value tax deferred. What do I mean by that? If you
00:37:49
make $100,000 a year, you're an asset increasing your wealth by 100,000, but you lose 30% of it in taxes. Whereas, if
00:37:56
your stocks go up $100,000, as long as you don't sell, there's no taxable event. Now, what should happen is that
00:38:03
we need new laws such that when you borrow against your assets, it creates a taxable event on the on the capital or
00:38:11
the asset you're borrowing against. Because what effectively has happened is the owners are just pulling away from
00:38:17
the earners. It's never sell your stock, let it keep going up, and borrow against
00:38:22
it for your lifestyle needs. And then you can take additional capital and start investing in other things and
00:38:27
diversifying. And we're going to have the last 20 30 years in America, we've been obsessed
00:38:33
with how to create wealth. Over the next 10 years, we're going to have a very important conversation around what do
00:38:37
you do and what is expected of wealth. >> Did that make any sense? >> Yes, it did. Okay. But now what's going
00:38:43
to happen with his stock? See, I mean, because let's assume he's not going to be incapacitated or dead or but he will
00:38:50
borrow against it if he needs the money. I mean, how much money does he actually
00:38:53
need if he wants to say fund a presidential election, for example? Um, >> he owns he's worth a trillion dollars.
00:39:01
He can he can go to JP Morgan and say, "Loan me 10 billion," >> right? >> And they're not going to ask him what
00:39:07
he's doing with it. And he could literally overwhelm the airwaves and and social media with his chosen candidates.
00:39:14
Is the stock going to go down? Okay, let me just be clear. or SpaceX trades at a
00:39:20
price to sales ratio. Well, let's let's do it the other way. Apple trades at 10 and a half times price to sales.
00:39:26
Alphabet 11, Tesla 16. Nvidia 39. By the way, all these companies growing faster
00:39:32
except for Tesla than SpaceX. SpaceX trades at 131. Meta, an amazing company, trades at 7.3. Amazon trades at 3.7.
00:39:41
>> So, >> Amazon 3.7 >> 3.7. >> Oh my god. 10 is usually the thing, right? 10 to 15, correct? 12.
00:39:49
>> Yeah, those are higher margin companies. Amazon's in a low margin business. I
00:39:53
think I think the the only stock in all of these that I would buy right now is Amazon because what you get is
00:39:59
>> you get a distant number two to SpaceX with the core business >> of the retail platform. And if you want
00:40:05
to talk about AI, the adjacent AI place to go after industrial robots of which Amazon has two and a half times the
00:40:11
total amount of America. >> If you're FedEx, you have to be worried too. Same thing. If I could go
00:40:16
[clears throat] if I could go short any category right now, it would be a basket
00:40:20
of the secondary eye players. And if I go go long any category, >> it would be uh GLP1s. I don't know if
00:40:26
you've seen what's coming out of the American clinical oncology gathering, but they're now saying that metastatic
00:40:32
cancers >> get cut in half the growth rates when people are on GLP1s. Anyway, also will
00:40:39
come down these foods, as you said, two years ago, you know, the the cuts in prices for Doritos and for all that
00:40:47
shitty food um is really quite significant. People there's now not enough cottage cheese around and yogurt
00:40:54
and things like, you know, it's really interesting like in terms of how people's tastes have shift because one
00:40:59
in eight Americans is on this drug at this point. >> I think it's going to be one in two.
00:41:04
>> I agree. I agree. You're going to I I my prediction is both of us are on GLP1s
00:41:09
some form or >> micro I'm going to start my cardiologist was like we're going to not have your
00:41:13
stroke ever again. We're going to give you a small amount. I'm going to do it. I haven't
00:41:17
>> They're talking about potential potential delay of dementia and Alzheimer. They're finding out
00:41:22
>> no my cardiologist was like abso [ __ ] we're doing it for you. >> They're just finding out all sorts of
00:41:28
there's never been an innovation that appears to have second order effects that are this positive. Usually find
00:41:33
externalities that are negative. You know, you get you blast someone with chemo enough, they get leukemia 20 years
00:41:39
later, right? There's big tech all sorts of externalities, the externalities of GLP-1,
00:41:46
uh, you know, and there there are issues around nausea, muscle loss, but the every time they do more research, they
00:41:53
keep finding out better and better. >> Yeah, I think this the biggest test case. It'll be interesting to see what
00:41:58
the neg there are some negative effects and stuff like that, but it's a little like a statin, you know, but one of the
00:42:04
things is people eating whole foods and craving things that protein protein related healthy proteins. Um, which is
00:42:12
really interesting. Anyway, we'll see. I I would agree with you. Um, you called this one very hard two years ago at
00:42:18
least if you recall. I remember this. I remember being struck by it. Anyway, SpaceX fair shares, good luck if you buy
00:42:25
them and let's not hope Elon dies or is incapacitated tonight because it is a lookout below for that stock. Correct. I
00:42:31
mean, let's just answer his question. If something happens to him, that price, >> even though SpaceX is a very fine
00:42:37
business, it's not a very fine business. It's just a telco in the sky essentially
00:42:42
without >> No, the meme the cult leader of the meme cannot >> that would be Yeah, that would be uh
00:42:49
>> Yeah, I I I I got to believe that would be disastrous for for Tesla and for SpaceX. He's Yeah, 100%.
00:42:56
>> He's the one. He's the key man. Anyway, one more quick break. We'll be back for
00:43:00
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One more time, gusto.com/pivot. [music] >> Okay, Scott, let's hear some wins and
00:46:28
fails. >> My win is uh tourists in the US uh for the World Cup. >> Oh, yeah. >> Uh yeah, I think international fans are
00:46:38
leaving the World Cup raving about America, our food. I mean, it's just hilarious. We love your Waffle House. I
00:46:45
mean, it's just like >> the >> Boston and this tartan the tartan army was delightful.
00:46:51
>> What what what the world is finding out is that America at its core distinctive
00:46:56
podcasters like us and and Trump [clears throat] Americans are generous, interesting,
00:47:02
wonderful people and it's an amazing culture and they're getting to see that and then Americans are getting to see
00:47:07
just how wonderful these nations are. And I, like I said, I think the World Cup is doing what the UN
00:47:14
initially envisioned it would do. I think it's bringing people together. These viral online videos show fans
00:47:18
excited about American food. Uh, our huge portions, Chipotle, Shake Shack, and many more. Visitors to to NYC were
00:47:26
able to be part of the legendary Nicks parade. The World Cup has attracted a projected 10 million visitors. Airbnb
00:47:33
searches and host cities jumped 80%. Year-on-year. Visitors are staying about 12 days, attending two matches, and
00:47:40
spending over $400 a day on average. Uh, New York City's tourism chief, Julie Coker, likened the boost to hosting as
00:47:48
many as eight Super Bowls in six weeks. I I just think the World Cup I think FIFA is one of the most corrupt
00:47:54
organizations in sport, but I think the World Cup is just incredible. >> It's the fans. It's the fans. They were
00:48:02
just the fans are delightful. But you see you see people in Kansas welcoming, you know, these people from Norway. You
00:48:08
see the Japanese. I I I just it really is I think we forget that generally speaking, these cultures are wonderful.
00:48:18
>> And we're not Trump. >> Yeah. Generally speaking, people want to get along. Generally, we're not that
00:48:23
divided. We just have the most profitable companies in the world trying to divide us.
00:48:27
>> And we have a president who's trying to divide us. is like I mean I think you
00:48:31
know what I'm struck by here is you get the feeling and this is just being in France for a short time is they really
00:48:38
>> want to like us like I you know what I mean like I had so many Europeans like
00:48:43
testing to see oh are you one of those people Americans and you're not and then they're like thrilled to have you there
00:48:50
one I have to say everyone's been really lovely everywhere we've gone and I do think there's a backlash happening Scott
00:48:56
I do people are like >> they're I'm tired of being angry at these [ __ ] I'm like, let's just get
00:49:01
rid of them. Let's just move along. And like, and you're right, the World Cup, I
00:49:06
I know you don't think as much as the Knicks, but I think the Knicks think like it's just there's a feeling. I
00:49:10
think you're absolutely right. I would agree with you. These and this is these people want to like us. They want to
00:49:15
like us in a lot of ways. So, >> my fail and this is indicative of of social media is that Poly Market is
00:49:23
flooding social media with fake trading videos. Uh there's a great I think the Wall Street Journal is doing a great
00:49:28
job. They did an analysis that found that Poly Market paid dozens of college age creators to post videos of fake
00:49:35
trades and fake wins on the platform. So one of the videos, for example, uh shows a young man that saying he won
00:49:43
$100,000 on a bet that Trump would say McDonald's in public, but in reality all the econom all all of the counts that
00:49:49
made the bet lost money. And to make these clips, >> they're gross. >> Poly market built copies of its website
00:49:57
and then told creators to make quote trades on those sites and hide that they were being paid by Poly Market.
00:50:03
>> Scary. By the way, I feel I should disclose that at Profy Markets, we have a data partnership with Kelshi. Gambling
00:50:10
and gaming for young men is really corrosive and I still can't resolve what to do about it because you don't want to
00:50:17
infantilize young people and it's a tough one. But at a minimum, these companies shouldn't be posting fake
00:50:24
social media posts that show someone winning when they didn't. It's just it's preying on their worst instincts. And
00:50:31
it's not it's disingenuous. >> Yeah. It's just just do your business if people want to use it. You don't have to
00:50:36
like >> And these are great businesses. But Poly Market's audience is 70% male and the
00:50:42
most common age demographic is 25 to 34. So again, it's young men and a plural and guess
00:50:48
>> can I use a comparison? You know those two when you were after Robin Hood for a
00:50:52
while and then the other people that you worked with? Public >> public.com. >> They seem like the Robin Hood people,
00:51:00
Poly Market people. I don't know. >> Well, they're especially aggressive and I have problems with all of it. I don't
00:51:05
I don't have moral clarity about all of it, quite frankly, any of it. But the deceptive marketing mostly affects young
00:51:12
men and and just evidence of who they're targeting. A plurality of Poly Markets display ads are on what site? I'll give
00:51:21
you a guess. Young men. They're trying to reach young men. >> Twitter. >> Pornhub.
00:51:28
>> Pornhub. Uhhuh. That makes sense. >> So this is, and again, I don't know if you can regulate this. They'll say it's
00:51:34
free speech. Everybody's making money. But this does feel like deceptive marketing.
00:51:40
Anyways, that's my fail. >> That's a good fail. That's I agree with you. I think you're I mean it is. It's
00:51:44
just Why do you have to trick people? Just you make a good >> great businesses. People love this
00:51:49
stuff. They love the prediction markets. The data is interesting. >> They just stupid. It's just con people.
00:51:56
Um, my fail is the the way the Republicans are continuing to attack James Telerico over his sexuality, which
00:52:04
is I think it's must be Trump mistook sis the word cisgendered for six genders or something. But Steven Miller is
00:52:10
particularly heinous in terms and especially cuz he's such a loathome creature. Um, uh, it's just it's
00:52:17
grotesque. It's really grotesque and weird and I hope it doesn't work. I fear it might. Uh, but this this idea of of
00:52:25
of accusing someone of being transgender and this so it continues and especially
00:52:31
Ted Cruz, I mean, honestly, I hate to say he should know better, but I guess he doesn't. But Miller and Cruz and a
00:52:38
lot of them are just grotesque. It's just gross. It's I've never seen anything like this. And it's really
00:52:44
hateful and cruel and, you know, and especially cuz these particular men are particularly lowome men at the same
00:52:51
time. And so I think that's just I just can't stand it. I I every time I see them do it and they keep doing it, they
00:52:57
must to be seeing some polling or something, but and they're also terrible people. Um it's just gross. Like we I
00:53:05
don't even under It's so it's a misogynist. It's transphobic. It's it's definitely uh it's all manner of
00:53:11
weirdness on these people's part. and just I again a bunch of people I cannot wait to see go away at some point
00:53:18
relatively soon and we never have to speak of them again. It's how I feel about a lot of these people. Um on the
00:53:24
positive side um I do I do um really thrilled to see Toy Story. It did so well. It's one of my favorite
00:53:31
>> movie franchises. I the third one I lost I lost it at the end of that one about
00:53:38
it's just it's about toys and it's about everything and this one is you know focused in on empathy focused in on all
00:53:46
the good things we've been talking about in this show and um I haven't seen it yet. I want I have my kids my little I
00:53:52
saw the other ones obviously with my older kids cuz it's been so long. This is the fifth one. And sometimes when you
00:53:57
get to five, you're like, "You got to be kidding, kids." So, you just want to sell toys. But the the reviews for this,
00:54:02
and I have not I want to see it in the theater. Speaking of which, um, and we're I've downloaded all of them here,
00:54:08
and I'm hoping to watch all four movies with the little ones and then take them to it. Um, I just feel like what a what
00:54:15
an astonishing franchise it's been, and it's just I dare you not to cry at almost any of them. [laughter] I just I
00:54:21
cry and I don't cry. Um that last the third one just killed me. Just killed me. Um and I don't know why. I just it's
00:54:29
just beautiful. And this one's about um stuff that start. It's about digital, but it doesn't demonize digital. It just
00:54:36
talks about play with kids and I and I'm very excited to see it. So, I'm really happy for the Pixar people for putting
00:54:43
out a great film and I'm excited to see it. >> Well, you know what my >> Go ahead. Sorry.
00:54:47
>> You know what my uh ex-wife said when I came home and found her [ __ ] Woody?
00:54:52
Oh no. >> She said she looked at me and said she said you have a friend in me. >> Oh my god. How could you do this to me?
00:55:02
>> Come on. That's easy. >> No. The worst. That is the I'm not going with you to this movie and you're not
00:55:09
getting near my children on this trip to Can. >> I can't. I'm pronouncing it right.
00:55:13
Can't. Anyway, [clears throat] can can I Thank you for ruining my beautiful gorgeous moment about children play and
00:55:20
everything else. I truly appreciate it. You are not allowed to go to this movie in any way. You've got to have your
00:55:25
friend in. >> All right, stop. Stop. Stop right now. >> Anyway, so Scott, I'm looking forward to
00:55:30
seeing you. I might see you at a party tonight. Maybe I won't see you at a party, but I want to ride on that.
00:55:35
>> You know, Toy Story 6 is about Andy's about [clears throat] I'm serious. >> Toy Story 6 is about Andy's mother's
00:55:43
toys, which coincidentally are also called Woody and Buzz. >> Oh my god. All right, we're Okay, you
00:55:48
have ruined my win. Those are so bad. Those are so bad. They're so bad. And they're so sad.
00:55:54
>> Turn on your cameras. Are the producers laughing? That's my limous test. >> They're afterwards. They'll go, "Uh,
00:56:00
Scott, do we really want to do this?" And we're going to So that's the way that's that's where Lar goes, uh, like
00:56:06
that. That's the voice. Anyway, I will see you in person at live. We're going to have lots of people there. It'll be
00:56:12
fun. I think it is sold out. Um, uh, we are and I am also doing a live interview
00:56:18
with Jim Bankoff and Meredith Levian, uh, from the New York Times. Oh, stop it. Stop [laughter] it.
00:56:25
>> I mean, that sounds really interesting. Yeah. >> What is NPR hosting that? >> Yeah. Uhuh. It's going to be great.
00:56:31
>> We're going to talk about the forestry service. >> Listen, Dirty [clears throat]
00:56:35
Dirty. >> Oh my god. I'm going to see Team Scotland at the at the Crane Club popup
00:56:39
on the PA tomorrow at midnight. Then I'm going to the Spotify party. Who wants to
00:56:43
roll with the dog? Who wants to roll with the dog? >> I will see you in a few days, Scott. And
00:56:48
we want to hear from you. Also, our listeners, send us your questions about business, tech, or whatever's on your
00:56:53
mind, including Scott's filthy, filthy brain this week. Go to nymag.com/pivot to submit a question for the show or
00:57:00
call 85551 uh pivot or elsewhere in the Karen Scott universe. This week on on with Caris
00:57:06
Fisher, I talked to Harvey Leven, founder of the Celebrity News Juggernaut TMZ, who I adore about its new
00:57:12
Washington DC bureau and expanded political coverage. Let's listen to a clip. >> I do want to just say one thing that,
00:57:18
you know, you're referring to this as, you know, politicians being a form of celebrities,
00:57:23
>> right? Yeah, you can. >> I don't I don't view it that way. Okay. >> Um I view it as pop culture. We cover
00:57:29
pop culture and pop culture can be a lot of things, you know. It can be sports, it can be entertainment and pop culture
00:57:36
is politics because a lot of the things that affect everybody emanates from Washington DC and um it emanates from
00:57:45
the courts, it emanates from Congress, from the president and it affects all of us. So they are an integral part of pop
00:57:54
culture. So to me it has never been a stretch. >> It's a really good interview. They tried
00:57:59
for years to do this. He's a great guy. And by the way, they're breaking some stories. I have to say that they really
00:58:04
are. They're like when they took those pictures of politicians during the shutdown like like Lindsey Graham with
00:58:10
his bubble wand at Disneyland. I think they're doing an excellent job. Reminds me of the old Washington Post which used
00:58:17
to do this kind of stuff. A mix of things. Anyway, he's great. I've known him for many, many years. I like Harvey
00:58:22
a lot. I think he's a really interesting entrepreneur in media. He's one of the OG ones. Okay, that's the show. Thanks
00:58:28
for listening to Pivot. Be sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. We'll be back on Friday live from And
00:58:38
[music]

Episode Highlights

  • Green Watergate
    A new scandal emerges as Trump blames vandals for damage to the reflecting pool.
    “President Trump says it will begin fixing the seriously vandalized reflecting pool.”
    @ 00m 37s
    June 23, 2026
  • Starmer Steps Down
    UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer resigns amid pressure, marking a significant political shift.
    “Starmer said he'll stay in office until a new party leader is selected.”
    @ 10m 55s
    June 23, 2026
  • Trump's Feud with Maloney
    Trump's claims about Italian PM Maloney lead to a public spat over popularity.
    “Maloney responded, 'My popularity is none of your concern.'”
    @ 16m 41s
    June 23, 2026
  • Trump's Feud with Allies
    Trump's approach alienates allies while he praises adversaries, creating a chaotic political landscape.
    “None of this makes any sense.”
    @ 18m 49s
    June 23, 2026
  • Tech Giants' Relationship with Trump
    New revelations show Zuckerberg and Bezos cozying up to Trump, raising eyebrows about their motives.
    “You would not believe the texts I got from these tech guys.”
    @ 23m 23s
    June 23, 2026
  • The Dark Side of Influence
    Discussion on how billionaires now seek protection from politicians, signaling a troubling shift in power dynamics.
    “This has moved from buying influence to renting protection.”
    @ 25m 02s
    June 23, 2026
  • Amazon's Film Project Pulled
    Amazon cancels a film project about Sam Alman, shocking filmmakers after a significant investment.
    “The decision comes as Amazon plans to invest $50 billion in OpenAI this year.”
    @ 28m 49s
    June 23, 2026
  • Elon's Stock and Its Risks
    What happens to stock prices if Elon Musk is incapacitated? The stakes are high.
    “Look out [ __ ] below.”
    @ 36m 17s
    June 23, 2026
  • The Buy, Borrow, Die Strategy
    Wealth accumulation strategies explained, highlighting the divide between earners and owners.
    “Are you an earner or an owner?”
    @ 37m 28s
    June 23, 2026
  • World Cup Tourism Boom
    The World Cup is bringing millions to the US, showcasing American culture.
    “The World Cup is just incredible.”
    @ 47m 53s
    June 23, 2026
  • Deceptive Marketing Practices
    Poly Market's fake trading videos raise ethical concerns about targeting young men.
    “It's just gross. Why do you have to trick people?”
    @ 51m 43s
    June 23, 2026
  • Toy Story 6 Tease
    A humorous discussion about the potential plot of Toy Story 6 involving Andy's mother's toys.
    “Toy Story 6 is about Andy's mother's toys, which coincidentally are also called Woody and Buzz.”
    @ 55m 41s
    June 23, 2026

Episode Quotes

  • This is just stupid.
    Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot
  • I believe her. Believe the woman.
    Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot
  • Pimping out your kids is just gross.
    Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot
  • The biggest story that's never been told is the story of big tech.
    Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot
  • I think the World Cup is just incredible.
    Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot
  • I dare you not to cry at almost any of them.
    Trump Ruined the Reflecting Pool. Now He's Arresting People for It | Pivot

Key Moments

  • Trump's Feuds18:05
  • Criticism of the Pope18:44
  • Zuckerberg and Bezos23:23
  • SpaceX Stock Drop35:33
  • Wealth Strategies37:28
  • GLP-1 Innovations41:36
  • Deceptive Marketing51:43
  • Live Interview Announcement56:18

Tension Over Time

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown