Pivot – Newsom’s Senate Pick, SCOTUS Takes on Social Media, and Guest New York Times Pitchbot

Intro

In this episode of the “Pivot” podcast, hosts Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway discuss Elon Musk’s controversial comments, Governor Gavin Newsom’s Senate pick, the future of late-night TV, and the Supreme Court’s involvement in social media regulation. They also interview the creator of the New York Times Pitchbot. The episode covers a range of topics from politics to media satire.

Main Takeaways

Elon Musk’s Controversial Comments

• Elon Musk’s comments caused controversy and backlash, including death threats and selling his house.
• Linda, who was asked about Musk’s comments, responded with inconsistent and cringey statements.
• Julia Borscht did a good job with the interview and may come on the podcast to explain herself.

Newsom’s Senate Pick

• California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to fill the late Senator Diane Feinstein’s seat.
• Padilla is the first openly black lesbian to serve in the US Senate and may run for the seat in 2024.
• Newsom’s announcement that he would pick a black woman was criticized as limiting and insulting.

Late-Night TV Challenges

• Late-night TV returns this week with star-studded guest rosters, but the industry is predicted to face hurdles such as show cancellations and fewer new productions due to budget cuts.
• Late-night TV industry overspent trying to follow Netflix’s growth strategy, leading to budget cuts and potential show cancellations.
• Late-night TV ratings may suffer due to the strike, as people may have found substitutes for their bedtime routines.

Supreme Court and Social Media

• New episodes of “The Pitch” podcast discuss laws in Florida and Texas that limit big tech companies’ ability to moderate content.
• The Supreme Court cases resulting from these laws are considered the most important internet-related cases ever.
• The cases raise questions about free speech and government regulation of private companies.

New York Times Pitchbot

• The Federalist pitch bot and reason pitch bot inspired the creation of the pitchpot.
• The pitchpot is a parody of journalistic zeitgeist in elite media publications.
• The speaker’s process for creating headlines involves scanning DMs and mentions for breaking stories and thinking of a “dumb take” on it before it appears in print.

Summary

Elon Musk’s Controversial Comments

Elon Musk’s recent comments caused a significant backlash, including death threats and the decision to sell his house. Linda, who was asked about Musk’s comments, responded in a manner that was inconsistent and cringey. However, Julia Borscht, who conducted the interview, did a good job and may come on the podcast to explain herself further.

Newsom’s Senate Pick

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s appointment of Alex Padilla to fill the late Senator Diane Feinstein’s seat garnered attention. Padilla, as the first openly black lesbian to serve in the US Senate, may run for the seat in 2024. However, Newsom’s announcement that he would pick a black woman was criticized as limiting and insulting.

Late-Night TV Challenges

The late-night TV industry is facing challenges, including budget cuts and potential show cancellations. Overspending in an attempt to follow Netflix’s growth strategy has led to these budget cuts. Additionally, the industry may experience lower ratings due to the strike and viewers finding substitutes for their bedtime routines.

Supreme Court and Social Media

The “The Pitch” podcast delves into the laws in Florida and Texas that limit big tech companies’ ability to moderate content. The resulting Supreme Court cases are considered some of the most important internet-related cases ever. These cases raise questions about free speech and the extent of government regulation of private companies.

New York Times Pitchbot

The New York Times Pitchbot, created in response to the Federalist pitch bot and reason pitch bot, parodies the journalistic zeitgeist in elite media publications. The creator of the Pitchbot explains their process for creating headlines, which involves scanning DMs and mentions for breaking stories and coming up with a “dumb take” before it appears in print. The Pitchbot aims to prod the media to be less million media and make fun of terrible things.

Conclusion

This episode of the “Pivot” podcast covers a range of topics, from Elon Musk’s controversial comments to the Supreme Court’s involvement in social media regulation. It also explores the challenges faced by the late-night TV industry and features an interview with the creator of the New York Times Pitchbot. Listeners are encouraged to engage with the hosts by sending questions to NYmag.com/pivot or calling 85551 Pivot.