1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 2: Well, Elon Musk is now the richest person on the planet. 3 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 2: More than half the satellites in space are owned and 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 2: controlled by one man, starting his own artificial intelligence company. 5 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 3: Well, he's a legitimate super genius. 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 4: I mean legitimate. 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 5: He says. 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 3: He's always voted for Democrats, but this year it will 9 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 3: be different. 10 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 4: He'll vote Republican. 11 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 6: There is a reason the US government is so reliant 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 6: on him. 13 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: Alon Musk is a scam artist and he's done nothing. 14 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 7: Anything he does is fascinating the people. 15 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 2: Welcome to Elon Inc. I'm Max Schafkin. 16 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 6: It's the holiday season. 17 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and here at Elon Inc. 18 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 6: We have a very special two part set of shows 19 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 6: for you today. 20 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: And so you know, it's mid December when we're recording. 21 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 2: This is the first of two. It's our episode of reflection. 22 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: Think of this as your pre Christmas pre Honika ritual. 23 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 2: You can gather with your family and think about the 24 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: year that was for Elon Musk and when we think 25 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: about it ourselves, to be honest, an enormous year, an 26 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 2: epic year both for the guy and also for this 27 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 2: podcast because we've been following it. The next week, we're 28 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 2: gonna kick back for New Year's We're gonna crack open 29 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: some champagne, eat some oysters, and play some games as 30 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: we look forward to twenty twenty five. 31 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 6: To do that, we've got some of. 32 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 2: Our heavy hitters, Dana Hull, Bloomberg's Elon Musk reporter, and 33 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: Sarah Fryar, the big tech boss here at Bloomberg News. Dana, Sarah, Welcome, 34 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: Hey Max, Thanks for having me. 35 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 6: Okay, and I'm so excited about this. 36 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: We have a special guest, Ryan Broderick, who runs the 37 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: newsletter Garbage Day, which I never miss and I know 38 00:01:57,960 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: a lot of people on this podcast are big fans 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: of and the podcast Panic World, which is about basically 40 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 2: Internet related moral panics. Ryan is an expert in all 41 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 2: things digital culture and kind of the way that intersects 42 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: with business. 43 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 6: Ryan, thank you for being on Elon Inc. Thank you. 44 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 3: I'm for saying such as I say. 45 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 6: Is it very uncomfortable? It's all true, and you know, 46 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 6: happy holidays. 47 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: Just before we get into the meat of the show, 48 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 2: I just wanted to kind of get your perspective. 49 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 6: I mean, you're. 50 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: Writing I sort of quickly went through the last few 51 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: episodes of Panic World, you know, mister Beast QAnon something 52 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 2: called perfume talk and the possibility I guess that's it's 53 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: moving to the right politically, which I didn't know was possible. 54 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 2: But I'm kind of curious, like, in this kind of 55 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: world of digital culture and influence, the kind of world 56 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 2: you live in, how where does Elon Musk kind of 57 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: figure and how is that changing. 58 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 3: I like to think of him as sort of like 59 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 3: the last germaining right wing influencer that has the juice. 60 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 3: A lot of them have lost a lot of influence because, 61 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 3: like you know, YouTube is changing up his algorithm. Facebook 62 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 3: isn't as powerful as it used to be as. 63 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 6: A publishing platform. 64 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 3: But Elon Musk, because he owns x and because he 65 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 3: has the money to kind of do ridiculous stuff NonStop 66 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 3: and say crazy things and all the rest of it, 67 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,399 Speaker 3: he can still command attention and that makes him very valuable. 68 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 3: So I sort of see him as sort of like 69 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 3: the mega node for the right wing Internet right now. 70 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: That's cool, well, and I assume you're paying attention to 71 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: him to some extent, although I'm guessing maybe not as 72 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: closely as the rest of us are or the rest 73 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 2: of us on this podcasting it for a living. 74 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know, I can consider him one of my 75 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 3: you know, one of the many cast of characters on 76 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 3: the internet, but he's I try to keep him separate 77 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:40,839 Speaker 3: to make sure, like you know, I'm not writing about 78 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 3: him too much. 79 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 2: So like what would be like a non political equivalent 80 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 2: in that cast of characters. 81 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 3: Okay, you know how like in the early Game of 82 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: Thrones episodes, Danny's like off in the desert doing like 83 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 3: her own thing. I start to treat him like that, 84 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 3: like he's always got something going on, and sometimes it matters, 85 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 3: but I try to separate him out from the larger mix. 86 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 6: Okay, got it? The Narest Mother of Dragons, Yes to 87 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 6: the Game of Drones. That is our. 88 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 2: World, all right? So okay, first question and listeners. These 89 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: were submitted and I have them in front of me 90 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: and we're gonna we're gonna go through them. But basically, 91 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 2: we asked Dana, Sarah, and Ryan and me to answer 92 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: a series of questions looking back in the year, and 93 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: the first one was, and Dana, I'm gonna start with 94 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 2: you a one word description of Elon's year twenty twenty 95 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 2: four in a word go epic. I want you to 96 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: tell me how it was more epic than previous years, 97 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 2: because like every year is an epic year for Elon, 98 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: So like why why why was this year particularly epic? 99 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I feel and I feel like I'm parroting 100 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: the language that he himself loves to use, Like epic 101 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: is not a word that like I floor throw around, 102 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: but it's one that Elon likes a lot. But by 103 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: all measures, he had an incredible year, Like Tesla's stock is, 104 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 1: like the market cap of Tesla is above one point 105 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: three trillion. SpaceX's evaluation is now three hundred and fifty billion, 106 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,679 Speaker 1: making it the most valuable private company in the world. 107 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: He is by far the wealthiest person, like wealthier than ever, 108 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: Like he's now above four hundred billion, and his companies 109 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: are doing well. And then aside from all that, he 110 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: basically is the de facto vice president. He helped elect 111 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: President Trump, he went all in, he campaigned for Trump 112 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: all across Pennsylvania. He's now basically enmeshed at mar A 113 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: Lago has the year of the president, has been tapped 114 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: to kind of lead this Doge Commission. Like he's at 115 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: that kind of height of his wealth, his political influence, 116 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 1: and his corporate power, because you know, this has also 117 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: been a year where a lot of his rivals have 118 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: had really crappy years. Boeing has had a horrible year. 119 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: General Motors just basically announced that they are no longer 120 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: pursuing their ROBOTAXI, like all of his competitors in the 121 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: business arena have had really hard years, and his businesses 122 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: are actually doing pretty well. 123 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 2: Dan, I had almost the same answer as I wrote, triumph, 124 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 2: maybe a little less. Elanie Sarah, you also so kind 125 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 2: of we're in the same zone right well. 126 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 4: I picked the word political, and it also is a 127 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 4: reflection of just how I looked back on this Elon Inc. 128 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 4: Project when this started. When we were devising this podcast, 129 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 4: it was like around the time that everyone was so 130 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 4: surprised that the Starling satellites had become this tool in 131 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 4: the war in Ukraine and Musk had the power to 132 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 4: turn off or on the Internet in a war zone, 133 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 4: and that was kind of a moment for us realizing, Wow, 134 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 4: this guy is like, this guy's hands on the on 135 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 4: like the pulse of geopolitics right now, Like he can 136 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 4: really make things happen, and what does that mean? For 137 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 4: the richest man in the world, who owns a social network, 138 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 4: who owns you know, this satellite company and this very 139 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 4: influential car company, and the only means for the US 140 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 4: government to get to space. Like what does it mean 141 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 4: that he has this power? And I think that this 142 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 4: year is like, oh, it means he can help can 143 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 4: a president elected and then like sit with him at 144 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 4: every meeting as he's building his cabinet and you know, 145 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 4: basically shadow him in a typical Elon Musk launch mode. 146 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 4: So yeah, extremely political is what I would say about 147 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 4: Musks here. 148 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 6: Okay, Ryan, what about you? I cheated light on me. 149 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 3: I put four words down. I believe I wrote exactly 150 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 3: let's see here, dumb and unfortunately successful. 151 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 6: Okay, so you cheated. 152 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 2: But actually I'm intrigued by this answer, just because I 153 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: feel like you can successful as difficult to quibble with unfortunately, 154 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: like that's a question of opinion. 155 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 6: But I'm curious, like why you said dumb. So I 156 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 6: sort of. 157 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 3: See this whole year as a massive existential gamble for Musk, 158 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 3: both in terms of let's say, you know, let's say 159 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: if the Harris team had won, Like, is he looking 160 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 3: at a lot more scrutiny on his various businesses and 161 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 3: how they all interact. Is he looking at more sort 162 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 3: of crackdowns on X and how that operates all the 163 00:07:58,800 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 3: rest of it? 164 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 6: Right, And it fell like. 165 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 3: You know, mask off this year of saying like I'm 166 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 3: going to endorse Donald Trump because he's always been this 167 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 3: sort of political chameleon. So in a lot of ways, 168 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 3: I sort of saw him putting all of his chips 169 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 3: on the table this year and saying I'm going to 170 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 3: get behind this. And I think if Trump had not won, 171 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 3: we'd be having a very different conversation about like his 172 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 3: perceived success this year, because I think there'd be more 173 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:20,679 Speaker 3: questions about what might happen next. 174 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 4: I totally agree with you. 175 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: But Trump did win, and he won all seven swing states, 176 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: and they also won the Senate and Congress, so now 177 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: they've got a trifecta in the Supreme Court. So whether 178 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: it was dumb to put the chips all in or not, 179 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: it was like a big bet that has paid off 180 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: for musks so far. Like, are you saying that it's 181 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: dumb because it was just dumb to make such a 182 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: big bet, or that it's dumb because there are risks 183 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: to this bet that haven't played out yet. 184 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,599 Speaker 3: I think that there are unknown risks. I also just 185 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 3: think much of what he does publicly is dumb, but 186 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 3: that's just my personal opinion, like the doge naming of 187 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 3: the Department of Government Efficiency and sort of his various 188 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 3: viral stunts that I think he uses to kind of 189 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 3: ask his political moves. This year, it felt like he 190 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 3: kind of aligned them all at once. 191 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 6: I spent a lot of the. 192 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 2: Year, like Ryan, thinking that Elon was making mistakes and 193 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 2: that this was a huge This was like obviously a 194 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 2: big bet, but a bet with a lot of risk, 195 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 2: and I think there are still risks. 196 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 6: And it's like very. 197 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 2: Easy now we can talk when we get to predictions, 198 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 2: we can talk about this. But like it's very easy 199 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: to see, you know, stock is at whatever, over four hundred. 200 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 2: It's like nearly twice what it was not too long ago, 201 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: and and and he's at the Year of Trump. But 202 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 2: like it could definitely fall apart. All right, But we're 203 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: segueing into pretty pretty nicely into the biggest story of 204 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 2: the year. And really there's only one answer, and I 205 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 2: think we had to listen to the answer before we 206 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 2: hear from all of us. 207 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 4: Elan, Eileen, Elon, Elan, Elon, Elon, Elan, Elan Elan. 208 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: And we all in one way or another brought up 209 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 2: something around Trump and Elon Musk, but ever had slightly 210 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 2: different ideas about what specifically, what part of this was 211 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 2: the biggest Sarah, why don't you lay your first one 212 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: on us? 213 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 4: I think it was when he decided to form a 214 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 4: pack and donate millions to Trump, And in the beginning 215 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 4: he was sort of warm about it. He was like, yeah, 216 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 4: forty five million to Trump, and then he was like, 217 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 4: I didn't promise forty five million. We had this debate 218 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 4: is like is he actually going to spend that much? 219 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 4: And then you know it would turn out to be 220 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 4: upwards of two hundred and fifty million. He really went 221 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 4: all in and so deciding to get financially involved. Even 222 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 4: though that amount of money for him is like not 223 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 4: much when you've got four hundred billion, it was extremely 224 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 4: significant in the race. And he also used it in 225 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 4: a way that surprised us because he was going after 226 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:53,719 Speaker 4: the base. He was targeting people who already were in 227 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 4: favor of Trump, just kind of a get out the 228 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 4: vote effort, which is very different than what a lot 229 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 4: of campaigns do in trying to like convince independence, convince 230 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 4: swing voters. It was like, yeah, you know, if you're 231 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 4: a white man, gets the polls. 232 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 6: Yeah. 233 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 2: I mean, I remember there was this whole thing in 234 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 2: the middle of the year where we weren't sure if 235 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 2: he really was giving money, and like the Wall Street 236 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 2: Journal in Bloomberg had reported forty five million dollars a 237 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 2: month and Elon was denying it. I mean, did you Ryan, 238 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 2: I'm curious, did you think he was going to go 239 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 2: like rewind to July or whatever when this reporting started 240 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 2: coming out. 241 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 6: Do you think he was going to play such a 242 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 6: big role, like financially, I did not. 243 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 3: The question that I've had about his political involvement all 244 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 3: year is would he have donated as much if X 245 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 3: was as socially powerful as Twitter used to be? And 246 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 3: so I sort of view it through that lens where 247 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 3: you know, a lot of his dealings with the pack 248 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 3: and the giveaways and sort of dumping money into the 249 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 3: Trump campaign. I do wonder if that was this sort 250 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 3: of kind of make up for the fact that like 251 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 3: X doesn't really have the reach it used to, and 252 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 3: so because he. 253 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 6: Wanted to be a player. 254 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 3: But I did not think it would be as extensive 255 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 3: as it was. 256 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 2: Maybe there are three aspects of this of his political 257 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 2: engagement this year, and like one of them Sarah just 258 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 2: mentioned is the money and this pack. Another one was 259 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: x which Ryan just brought up. And then there was 260 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: a third which was essentially his campaigning and Dana, that 261 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 2: was for you, right, Yeah, I. 262 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: Wrote electing Trump because I think you know, in politics, 263 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: everyone always talks about the October surprise, and for me, 264 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: the October surprise was how publicly Elon campaigned for Trump. 265 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 1: And you look at the month of October, just look 266 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: at the calendar. He goes to Butler, the site of 267 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: the first assassination attempt, and is jumping around on stage. 268 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: He holds a series of town halls across Pennsylvania from 269 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 1: like Lancaster to Pittsburgh. He does this million dollar giveaway, 270 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: which is just basically a way to get free media. 271 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: The fact that he's doing this and gets people who 272 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: maybe wouldn't normally have signed his petition to sign his petition. 273 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: Then he uses that list to actually get people motivated 274 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: to go to the polls. And then you know, the 275 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: big coda of the month, Madison Square Garden, You and 276 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: I were sitting there together and there speaker after speaker 277 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: after speaker, and we were like, oh my god, when 278 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: is Elon gonna speak? And then it was like holy cow, 279 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: like JD. Vance speaks, and then there's like other speakers, 280 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: and then there's Elon, and then Elon introduces Milania and 281 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,959 Speaker 1: then like Malania introduces her husband. Like he had top 282 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: billing at like the magifest of the year. He was 283 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: fully like the most powerful surrogate Trump could have asked 284 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: for in an election that largely hinged on voter frustration 285 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: about the economy and inflation and immigration. You have Musk 286 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: who has been sounding all of those same notes for 287 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: months now, like on the trail, like lending credence and 288 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: lending his personality and his vibe to the campaign. Like 289 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: it was just sort of the best thing that the 290 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: Trump campaign could have ever asked for, and it really 291 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: made a difference in all of those swing states. I mean, 292 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: his pack knocked on eleven million doors. 293 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:09,680 Speaker 6: I answered this question very similar to you. 294 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 2: I was like, my biggest thing was the Butler rally, 295 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 2: and really the rallies. And now as we're talking through this, 296 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,199 Speaker 2: I don't know if I was actually answering it as 297 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 2: like Elon's biggest story or my biggest story was God 298 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 2: the Madison Square Garden rally, Like these these incredible shows 299 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: and the way that he put himself in the middle 300 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 2: of it and in the way, you know, we made 301 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 2: this mini series sit as an Elon and and talk. 302 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 2: We talked to this historian. We're asking him, like, what 303 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 2: what is different about Elon Musk versus other rich guys. 304 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 2: And the thing he said is like the campaigning, Like 305 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 2: like this is a guy who's doing it out in 306 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 2: the open rather than you know, like some like Shelle 307 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: Nagelson just writing a check and then essentially disappearing. Ryan, 308 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 2: you actually had sort of an out of the box 309 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 2: idea here for the biggest Elon story of the year. 310 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I zeroed in on like the new 311 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 3: information that's currently come o out about Elon Musk's involvement 312 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 3: with RBG Pack, which was sort of this superback funding, 313 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 3: like a dark social campaign to kind of muddy the 314 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 3: waters around abortion rights. And it kind of comes back 315 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 3: to this idea that I had mentioned slightly earlier, which 316 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 3: is that I think this year part of Elon Musk's 317 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 3: big gamble and part of his like sort of like 318 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 3: push for a political power was making X feel valuable, 319 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 3: even though you know, anyone who has ever been on 320 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 3: it can tell you it's not nearly as powerful as 321 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 3: it used to be. And so my major question throughout 322 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 3: the entire election is, Okay, if the conversations aren't happening 323 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 3: on what used to be Twitter, where are they happening? 324 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 3: How are people getting informed about the election? Is Elon 325 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 3: Musk connected in any way to that? And it seems 326 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 3: like yes, he was. And I find that to be 327 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 3: very interesting that he is. He is clearly involved in 328 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 3: other ways that we weren't aware of, and so I 329 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 3: find that under reported and sort of a curiosity. 330 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: That's a really great point. And we also don't know 331 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: what other dark money is slashing around. I mean that's 332 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: the whole thing about dark money, Like it's not really traceable, 333 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: and thanks to Citizens United and so many other court cases, like, 334 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: he could have put way more money in in other 335 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: ways that we will never know. 336 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 4: I think it's interesting too that you think that this 337 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 4: is kind of to make up for the irrelevance of X, 338 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 4: because in Elon's mind it probably still is quite relevant 339 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 4: because it's this like echo chamber for the things he 340 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 4: cares about. 341 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 6: Yeah, I got to stop. Actually, I'm glad Sarah brought 342 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 6: that up. Like, do you think that Do you think 343 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 6: he thinks that it's successful? I think it is successful. 344 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 6: Do like, like I think that X is more relevant 345 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 6: than it was a year ago? Yeah? No, really, that's why. 346 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 6: And I guess the reason I would say that is 347 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 6: it never had huge reach Twitter. I'm never right and 348 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 6: and but what it has now. 349 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 2: And maybe there was a moment like in twenty eleven 350 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 2: or something when it was like you know, like when 351 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 2: the Arab Spring or whatever was playing out a next 352 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 2: where maybe that was a higher level of relevance than 353 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 2: it has today. But I mean it is at the 354 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 2: center of conservative politics. Like it is where like the 355 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 2: entire it's where conservative lawmakers are talking to supporters. It's 356 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 2: where like memes are bubbling up on the right. It's 357 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 2: like what it was in twenty ten or twenty eleven, 358 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 2: but just on the right. And I think that is actually, 359 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 2: in certain ways, like an achievement. 360 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 6: That's interesting. 361 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 3: I don't disagree that it is clearly the new hub 362 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,360 Speaker 3: for like America's right wing throwing stuff at the wall 363 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 3: and seeing what sticks as we saw with Springfield, Ohio. Right, 364 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 3: they're sort of using it as like a SNL writer's 365 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 3: room kind of thing. But I do question if it 366 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:46,479 Speaker 3: can accomplish what most of I think Elon Musk's diehard 367 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,719 Speaker 3: supporters want, which is to essentially invade and kind of 368 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 3: take over and influence what they understand as the media, 369 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 3: and that I think it has become actually less influential, 370 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 3: and I don't see the same sort of ability for 371 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 3: Twitter to put its thumb on American media and generate 372 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 3: millions of pieces like it could five or six years ago, 373 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 3: which is I think why Elon Musk bought it in 374 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 3: the first place. But I don't disagree with you about 375 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 3: it sort of it becoming this new right wing hob online. 376 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 4: I also don't think that it's going to be the 377 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 4: Trump megaphone that it was no in the first presidency. 378 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 4: I think we're going to see a very different version 379 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 4: of it. And part of that is just like main 380 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 4: character theory, like you can only have one main character 381 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,959 Speaker 4: on a social platform, and it was Trump and now 382 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 4: it's Elon And does Trump really want to play that game? 383 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 2: Oh? 384 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:34,719 Speaker 6: Their breakups could be spectacular. 385 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 2: I can't wait Okay, So let's move on to another category, 386 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 2: Sidekick at a Year. I've asked each of you before 387 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 2: we started taping to send me the name of your 388 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 2: nominee for the Sidekick of the Year, the person who 389 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 2: has been key to Elon Musk's success, who you think 390 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 2: of when you think of, who is sitting next to 391 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 2: Elon Musk and offering him support. We've gathered tape from 392 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 2: each one of these four sidekicks, and I'm going to 393 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 2: play the tape and the people who did not pick 394 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: that sidekick are gonna have to try to guess who 395 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 2: it is. And there's gonna be a scoring system, and 396 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 2: we're gonna carry this through across both shows. If you 397 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 2: get it right, you get two points. Okay, great, Okay, 398 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 2: I love points. 399 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 6: All right? 400 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: This is this first clip comes from a very own 401 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 2: Sarah Fryar. Let's hear the first nominee for Sidekick of 402 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 2: the Year, What should. 403 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 6: I do save America? And how Trump? Okay? 404 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 3: Okay, Ryan, Am I identifying what sounds to be some 405 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 3: sort of toddler or baby talking or am identifying the 406 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 3: more adult voice in the clip? 407 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 2: You are identifying who in the clip is the side 408 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 2: is a nominee, A very credible nominee for Sidekick of 409 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 2: the Year. This is This is a hard one if 410 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 2: you're not following this closely, although I know that Dana 411 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 2: will steal this. 412 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 3: Is this one of his sons, the one that he 413 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 3: keeps the Daniel Plainview kind of kid he keeps bringing 414 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 3: around like they will be blood Like that's what we're 415 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 3: talking about. Let me hold on, let me mash my 416 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 3: computer keyboard and figure out what his name is. But yeah, 417 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 3: I can't remember. Is it Techno Maximus. 418 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 4: His name is X. 419 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: This is one of his children with Grimes and it 420 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: is the one that he definitely kind of trots around, 421 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: you know. I mean he brought this child to Capitol Hills. 422 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: It's kind of like take your dad to workday. And 423 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: so he has joined custody, so they'll be like week 424 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: one week off, so you'll see him a lot and 425 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: then you won't see him, and you'll see him a lot, 426 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: you won't see him. 427 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 2: But yes, X has been to Auschwitz, he has been 428 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 2: to the US Capitol, He's been to the Rocket Factor. 429 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 6: He's been a little boy's favorite thing and everywhere Elon goes. 430 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 4: He was at Madison Square Garden yes, he was. 431 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 2: All right, our next sidekick of the year. This is 432 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 2: Dana Hall's nominee. Let's listen to the tape. 433 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 7: The thing is, I was at a three day fashion 434 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 7: conference in Mrrakish and I dare not talk politics among 435 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 7: fashion people, So I said, when I get back, I'm 436 00:20:55,160 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 7: ruin my modeling career, but I'll help you save America's 437 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 7: And that's why I was so so active in the 438 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 7: last week. 439 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 6: Well, thanks, all right, Sarah Friar. 440 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 4: Oh, it's mom, it's May Musk. 441 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 2: That's right, Dana. You want to refresh us rush our 442 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 2: memory of the context here. 443 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, So, I mean, Elon has always been close to 444 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: his mom. His mom has always been a regular at 445 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 1: like Tesla events, but this was like the first year 446 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: that we saw May become like sort of a pundit 447 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: in her own night right, Like she went on Fox 448 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: News like talking about how she also used to be 449 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: a Democrat but was now voting for Trump. And then 450 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,400 Speaker 1: this clip is actually from election day itself, when you know, 451 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: as Max will remember, like the polls are closing and 452 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: Elon is on his private jet flying from Texas to 453 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: Palm Beach to go to mar A Lago and he 454 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: hosts this like impromptu x spaces that hundreds of thousands 455 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: of people tune into, and then all of a sudden, 456 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: like May calls up and chimes in and is on 457 00:21:58,119 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: her son's Twitter spaces And. 458 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 6: It was adorable. Honestly, it was really great. 459 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 1: It's a fascinating dynamic. 460 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 6: Getting some looks. You know. It's just I just thought 461 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 6: it was very relatable. When he and his you know, 462 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 6: audience of. 463 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 2: Twitter people were were sort of like talking about politics stuff. 464 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 2: Somehow they started talking about May Musk, and then all 465 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 2: of a sudden, you heard I'm here, and she just 466 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 2: jumped in. It was kind of like a like a 467 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 2: like an advertisement for the beautiful spontaneity that is x 468 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 2: spaces elon Musk's real time chat platform. 469 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 6: She's my favorite SNL cast member. 470 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 3: What can I say? I think she's great. I wish 471 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 3: my mom played political defense for me on Twitter. 472 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 6: That would be great. 473 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 3: She has an account, but I've told her to never tweet, 474 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 3: please do never tweet, So yeah, I support May Musk 475 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 3: doing that. 476 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 2: I guess all right, We've got two more clips and 477 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 2: the next one comes from me, so you all have 478 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 2: the opportunity to guess it. 479 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 8: I get asked this question time was about like what 480 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 8: is that elong like in private? And I think the 481 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 8: main thing to understand is just kind of what you 482 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 8: see is what you get. Like the things he says 483 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 8: in public are the things is what he's saying in 484 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 8: private is just maybe you know, we'll hear them a 485 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 8: little sooner. 486 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 6: Okay, Ryan, who's that is that? I'll give you him. 487 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 2: He has a government job or he has been designated 488 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 2: to have a government job, assuming you know, Trump duly 489 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 2: takes office and nothing falls through. 490 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 3: I was gonna guess the egg Mark and Dreeson, but 491 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 3: I can't. I can't place the voice. It's kind of 492 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 3: a huskier voice, isn't it. It's a great guess, Sarah, 493 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 3: what do you think is this? 494 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 6: Is this? 495 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 4: Uh? 496 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 2: The vic? 497 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 6: Oh? No, wrong way too husky of a voice. Dan, 498 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 6: I'm stumped. 499 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 4: I can't. I can't pick David Sacks. 500 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 6: Can you put Oh David Sacks? Did you say all 501 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 6: In is a tease for that? No? 502 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 2: No, I said he has He's he not David Sacks, 503 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 2: co host of the All In Podcast. Okay, guys, I 504 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 2: really the fact that no one knows David Sacks's voice, 505 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 2: A famous podcaster future cryptos are you know, obviously, the 506 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 2: White House Press Office has a lot of work to 507 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 2: do in the coming weeks. All right, we have one 508 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 2: more clip that I feel like we're gonna all get instantly, 509 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 2: but we'll still be interesting. 510 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 5: Just consider this, our parents and grandparents they went to Mars, 511 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 5: or excuse me, they went to the moon with pocket calculators. 512 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 6: And slide rulers. 513 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 5: Americans can't even build enough housing for our citizens. Now, 514 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 5: I think that suggests something fundamentally broken. 515 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 6: And what I like about Elon. 516 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 5: Musks is that he reminds us that America is a 517 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 5: nation of great ambitions, of great dreams. And I believe 518 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 5: that it is the solemn obligation of the American civilization 519 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 5: to conquer the stars. 520 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 6: We are meant for great things in the. 521 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 5: United States of America. 522 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 6: And Elon reminds us of that. All right, Sarah Fryar, 523 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 6: this is an easy one, but I'm giving it to you. 524 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 4: Oh man, I'm the worst of voices. This is jd Vance. 525 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 2: Yes, it is jd Vance. And Ryan tell us why 526 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 2: you picked Vance? 527 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 3: Okay, So obviously I was thinking about Vivek because he 528 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 3: is literally Elon Musk psychic right now, But there's really nothing, 529 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 3: and keeping Vivek involved because like Dojes doesn't exist, it's 530 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 3: not real, and he can just fire him if he 531 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 3: wants to. 532 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 6: He can't really get rid of jade Vance. 533 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 3: But jade Vance has like obviously lowered his status in 534 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 3: the operation enough that he's posting AI generated photos of 535 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 3: him as Trump's wife. I don't know if you've seen that, 536 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 3: where it's like a photo and he like photoshopped his 537 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 3: face over the wife next to Trump's like clearly in 538 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 3: his mind, like he has already accepted the second fiddle role. 539 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 6: So I don't know if you're. 540 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 3: Familiar with like Batman lore, but like oftentimes there's like 541 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 3: an older Robin and a younger Robin, and I kind 542 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 3: of see it like that. So it's like Elon's in 543 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 3: the middle there, and then jade Vance is already accepted 544 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 3: that he's. 545 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 6: Like underneath the Elon. 546 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 4: Wow. 547 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 6: Yeah, I thought about this quite a bit. 548 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 1: It's very clear to me that Elon is the de 549 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: facto vice president because he is he is going to 550 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: Capitol Hill, he is, you know, meeting with the lawmakers. 551 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: He is weigh in on these cabinet picks at mar 552 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: A Lago, like we haven't really seen jad Vance that much, 553 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: and when we have seen him, he's gotten like the 554 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: worst jobs, like it was cheating dance to like basically 555 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: dogwak Matt Gates around the Hill. If I'm not mistaken, 556 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: I think it was like the very that same very 557 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: day he withdrew his nomination for the for the attorney 558 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 1: general role. So he's getting like the crappy jobs. And 559 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: I mean, to be fair, of being vice president is 560 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 1: kind of a crappy job. Like it's like you have 561 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: to do all the gruntwork and all the bad things. 562 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 1: You get the portfolio that nobody wants, which is the 563 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,360 Speaker 1: challenge that Vice President Harris has. But like, so yeah, 564 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: I don't know, Musk isn't really it's like de facto 565 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,640 Speaker 1: vice president sounds wrong because vice president isn't even that powerful. 566 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: He's more of like the consigliere or the first buddy. 567 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 6: You know. 568 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,639 Speaker 2: It's funny because I've had a lot of people say, like, oh, 569 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 2: jd Vance and Elon Musk they must hate each other, 570 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,959 Speaker 2: right because clearly on the drama Because yeah, because you know, 571 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 2: like Danna said when we were at Madison Square Garden, 572 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 2: you know, jd Vance is kind of buried between like 573 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:49,199 Speaker 2: doctor Phil and like a painter. I mean, you know, 574 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 2: like really like he's in the bowels of the program. 575 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 2: Elon Musk has like a really good spot. And it's 576 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 2: that that's kind of played out over and over again, 577 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:00,679 Speaker 2: and I think that is like totally wrong because Elon 578 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,200 Speaker 2: is like Jade Vance's best friend. It is like it 579 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 2: like this the Batman Robin thing, I think is right. 580 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 2: Like jd Vance. First of all, when your vice president 581 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 2: Dana hit It hit on this like you don't get 582 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 2: to do important stuff. You're kind of cast aside. What 583 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 2: you really need to do is stay out of trouble, 584 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 2: avoid getting caught in too many scandals, and just kind 585 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 2: of coast to the next nomination. 586 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 6: And that's basically where Jade Vance is headed. 587 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 2: He's he's gonna be the front runner to be the 588 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:30,880 Speaker 2: next Republican candidate, and as long as he stays close 589 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 2: to Elon Musk, who, as far as we know based 590 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 2: on reporting and and such, they have a good relationship. 591 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 2: Elon Musk was advocating for Jdvance. So Jade Vance goes 592 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,239 Speaker 2: into you know, twenty twenty seven, twenty twenty eight, as 593 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: people start thinking about who the next person is, as 594 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 2: you know, vice president, immediate qualification and good friends with 595 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 2: the number one donor, So like, I think he's going 596 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 2: to be in a great position as long as he 597 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:56,239 Speaker 2: can just bring himself, you know, to deal with the 598 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 2: constant you know, potential humiliations that come with being vice 599 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 2: especially vice president in this administration. 600 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 3: Sarah might have more thoughts on this, but I feel 601 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 3: like Elon Musk and JD. Vance are very important for 602 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 3: each other because they're both the closest articulation we've seen 603 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 3: of this sort of like reactionary tech CEO wing of 604 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 3: the Republican Party, and like they're very aligned that way. 605 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,679 Speaker 3: Like Vance from as I sort of have read and understand, 606 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 3: it was sort of groomed to be this guy that 607 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 3: could represent the Silicon Valley dark Enlightenment guys in Washington, 608 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 3: and Elon Musk has never like totally aligned with those guys, 609 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 3: but he likes enough of the same stuff that it 610 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 3: feels like they can help each other kind of define 611 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 3: what Republicanism is after Trump can't run anymore. 612 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 2: So just a quick recap on the scoring. Right now, 613 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 2: we have Sarah with two points, Dana with three points, 614 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 2: and Ryan back but still. 615 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 6: In contention with one point. 616 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 2: I split the points on that on the X one 617 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 2: you each got one. All right, let's move on to 618 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 2: most underrated story of the year. And Ryan, I want 619 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,280 Speaker 2: to start with you tell us what the most underrated 620 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 2: story of the year for Elon Musk was in twenty 621 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 2: twenty four. 622 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 3: Okay, I have to say that this is totally unconfirmed. 623 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 3: It's an internet rumor. I want to stand that we're 624 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 3: in a serious journalistic institution right now, but I'm gonna 625 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 3: just I'm gonna go for it. There is a rumor 626 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 3: that Elon Musk is not actually playing Diablo all the time, 627 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 3: and that he has hired a ghost player to keep 628 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 3: his score at number one. I have nothing, guys. 629 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: You need to break that story. 630 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 3: You need to confirm that if there's anyone listening here 631 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 3: who can give me the details, I need to lock 632 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 3: this thing down. My email is Ryan at garbage date 633 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 3: dot email and. 634 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 2: Do me a favor and cc Elon ain't get Bloomers 635 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 2: because this, yeah, this just might be a collaboration. I mean, 636 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 2: Dan and Sarah, what do you think about this? The 637 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 2: Ryan's right, very little evidence except for the general thing 638 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: that like this guy is running six companies. He's you know, 639 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 2: first buddy, he's has an precedented political influence. 640 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 6: He's a parent. Where like, where would he possibly find 641 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 6: the time. 642 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: Well, he doesn't really sleep, and he plays video games 643 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: to wind down or when he's on his plane. Right, 644 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: You'll notice that his tweet storms are often when he's 645 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 1: in the air, and I think maybe he games when 646 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: he's on the air too, And I think he games 647 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: a lot. But I love the idea of a ghost player, 648 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: Like how I didn't even know that that was a job, 649 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: Like I've heard of ghost writer, but a ghost player 650 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: that would be that would be amazing. We thought he 651 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,240 Speaker 1: was training X to take over the business, and maybe 652 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: he's training X to maintain his Diapolis store score once 653 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: he's old enough. 654 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 6: I don't believe it. 655 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 2: I think this is like the thing that I yeah, 656 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 2: he's playing those games. 657 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 6: I just don't. 658 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 2: I just think like this would be such a weird 659 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 2: thing to fake. I mean, it's part of why would 660 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 2: be such an amazing. 661 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 4: So that's why he would fake it. I don't know. 662 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 4: I like conspiracies part of being an online person. 663 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: I wish that way I had known that we could 664 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: just we could put out rumors because I have great 665 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I have a great room, uncut, unsubstantiated rumors, dish. 666 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 6: Let's go all right, let's let's let's move to Sarah. 667 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 2: Sarah, what was your most underrated Elon Musk's story of 668 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four? 669 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 4: So I really liked Dan and Sophie's big piece on 670 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 4: Elon Musk's fertility obsession and how he's basically trying to 671 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 4: make more babies in the world, and he's talked about 672 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 4: that quite a bit on the Internet. So I like that, 673 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 4: But I think that maybe the most surprisingly underrated piece 674 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 4: where like this this news broke and then like within 675 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 4: an hour, like nobody really talked about it anymore, was 676 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 4: Elon's regular contact with Vladimir Putin, and it was just like, 677 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 4: you know, the journal had that story and people were like, Wow, 678 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 4: what a big story, and then like, what have you 679 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 4: guys heard anyone talk about it in the week since, 680 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 4: like he can get away with anything. 681 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: He's teflon Elon. 682 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 4: What's important to about it to me is just that 683 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 4: he's like as tied in with the Trump administration as 684 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 4: he is. He's a private citizen, right, he can do 685 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 4: whatever he wants. He's a business owner, and he can 686 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 4: do things. He can talk to China as a business owner, 687 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 4: and he can talk to Russia as a business owner. 688 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 4: And in you know, no one's gonna brief him or 689 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 4: stop him or make him an ambassador to the United States, 690 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 4: but other countries will see him as a representative of 691 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 4: the US. So it's good to be tricky, right. 692 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 6: He was at Notre Dam Sarah. 693 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 2: I've never been convinced that this was like such a 694 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 2: like a huge scandal or something, but also it does 695 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 2: seem like there's a lot here and it's something that 696 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 2: we that no one really like has explored. Dana over 697 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 2: to you your underrated story of twenty twenty four. 698 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: So this is a story that was broken by Laura 699 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: Kaladney at CNBC, who is a friend of mine and 700 00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: a fierce competitor. But she had a great piece about 701 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 1: how you know, Elon basically had ordered these in Vidio 702 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: chips and he they were supposed to be for Tesla, 703 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 1: but he diverted them to x dot Ai, his ai startup, 704 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:13,960 Speaker 1: and he sort of poop pooed it away like oh well, 705 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: like the Tesla factory wasn't really ready and couldn't accommodate 706 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: these chips, So why have them just sit around when 707 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: they could go to work. But it was just yet 708 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 1: another example of how like his companies are not really independent, 709 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: they're all fused together. They have overlapping people involved, overlapping 710 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: engineers like and Elon will Rob Peter to pay Paul 711 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: and like move resources around as needed. And this was 712 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: just sort of an example of him kind of moving 713 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: around the resources. Like there's been nothing in Tesla's proxy 714 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 1: or any filings about this conflict or potential conflict. 715 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 2: All right, I have two underrated stories that I want 716 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 2: to offer. The first one is sort of more serious, 717 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 2: second one is less serious. So the first one is 718 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 2: and I can't canna can't believe no one brought this up. 719 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 2: But like Elon put a chip in some guy's braw Yeah, 720 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 2: that guy, okay, And now listen, let's be fair. 721 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 6: There have been some problems with this chip. There's a 722 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 6: lot to talk about here. But he's like playing chess 723 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:07,560 Speaker 6: with his thoughts. 724 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 2: And that just happened like at the beginning of the year, 725 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 2: and and like it's not like we've all forgotten about it. 726 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:16,760 Speaker 2: It's just so many other things happen that that it. 727 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 6: It's it's just weird. 728 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 3: I genuinely did forget it about that's that's actually wild. 729 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:22,040 Speaker 6: What a year. 730 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 2: Now catch up, you'll see that there have been and 731 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 2: we've talked about this on the podcast. The threads, it's 732 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 2: a little bit I don't gnarley like the threads from 733 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 2: the device popped out a little bit. It's it's definitely 734 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 2: still an experimental technology, but I mean it is a thing, 735 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 2: and and and they're looking to put more chips and 736 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 2: more people's brains. This is gonna be a thing I 737 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:43,080 Speaker 2: think that we're gonna talk about in twenty twenty five. 738 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 2: The second one, and this is a very specific moment 739 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 2: from the Madison Square Garden event that I have a 740 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 2: little tape to play for all of you. 741 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 7: USA us said usa usay. 742 00:34:56,239 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 2: Usa, Ryan, I think you're the one who suggested this 743 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 2: or that I encountered this first. But the mispronunciation of 744 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 2: the USA chan is fascinating. 745 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, the only way you can interpret that is that 746 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 3: he's never tried it before. He's maybe never heard it before, 747 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 3: but like it's ussa Usa, but he can't get the 748 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 3: inflection right. 749 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 6: And uh yeah, fascinating to watch. Okay, that's it. 750 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:28,240 Speaker 2: For the first part of our year end special, Ryan, Sarah, Dana, 751 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:30,720 Speaker 2: Happy holidays, thanks for coming, Bye. 752 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 1: Bye bye, Happy Holidays. 753 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 2: But listeners, don't worry. This trio is coming back in 754 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 2: a week for more games. And you're not gonna believe this, 755 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:42,320 Speaker 2: but the scores already accrued on the sidekick portion of 756 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 2: the game will carry over and we're gonna make some 757 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:48,879 Speaker 2: predictions for twenty five. It's gonna be a really good 758 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 2: time and we will see you then. This episode was 759 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 2: produced by Stacy Wong. Anna Maserakis is our editor and 760 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,440 Speaker 2: Rayhan Harmansi our senior editor, and if you believe it, 761 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:06,759 Speaker 2: the idea for this show also came from Rayhan. Blake 762 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 2: Maples handles engineering, and Emma Sanchez fact checks. 763 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:11,840 Speaker 6: Our supervising producer. 764 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 2: Is Magnus Hendrickson. The e Linink theme is written and 765 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 2: performed by Taka Yazuzawa and Alex Sagierra. Brendan Francis Newnham 766 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 2: is our executive producer, and Sage Bauman is the. 767 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:23,319 Speaker 6: Head of Bloomberg Podcasts. 768 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 2: A big thanks to our supporters Joel Weber and Brad Stone. 769 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 2: I'm Max Schaffkin. If you have a minute, rate and 770 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,400 Speaker 2: review our show. It'll help other listeners find us, and 771 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,879 Speaker 2: we will see you next week. Happy twenty twenty five. 772 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to the ELONN podcast. If you never 773 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 2: want to miss a story, become a bloomberg dot com 774 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:45,359 Speaker 2: subscriber today. Check out our special intro offer right now 775 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 2: at bloomberg dot com Slash Podcast Offer or click in 776 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 2: the link on the show notes. You'll also unlock deep 777 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 2: reporting data and analysis from reporters all around the world.