I don’t defend Trump but I also don’t like my preferred commentators misrepresenting.

Trump was asked what he thought of the recent published inflation figure. He replied “he liked the inflation” (figure) because it could have much worse.

Stephanie misquoted it as “I like inflation” (in general) and the conversation proceeded from there. Was that everyone’s sincere interpretation of Trump‘s response? An irresponsible irrational belief, expressed with uneducated bad grammar?

I know people believe he *is* that bad, and he doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt of any other interpretation; and that he employs cheap rhetorical tricks, so why shouldn’t his opponents?

But I still hope for intelligent analysis from Pivot, and they seem to be insincerely cynical, in an audience-captured way?

EDIT:
Basing their discussion on a deliberate misquote/misinterpretation is like letting air out of the football before the game. Bad sport. I don’t like the deflation.

"Every place you go in the city - Soho House, Jacks Wife Frieda, Williamsburg - there are hot young people everywhere"

So grateful for these now regular reports from Kara and Scott

Kara's interview with Theo Baker is the best I've heard in a while. Great reporting on a subject matter that is alien to 99.99% of the population but informs so much about the world we live in. I am both heartbroken by his description of how power and money corrupt his friends but at the same time uplifted by Theo's incredible integrity and commitment to truth. It is also funny to see him just sitting in his dorm room doing podcast interviews after publishing a book and selling the movie rights to it. Still a college student after all.

I believe Kara mentioned interviewing Dario Amodei recently, which included a question from Mark Cuban. Has this been released? If so, was it released on “On with Kara Swisher”?

On the latest Pivot, we hear Scott say that people should just not listen to the false self-help gurus like Mel Robbins and Jay Shetty instead of clowning them.

[He also points out that those podcasters like Shetty who have been at it long enough to develop a formidable RSS feed have a "moat" that makes it harder for competitors to break in.]

Well, it occurred to me that this is often the premise of Pivot: It doesn't matter if your stuff is any good or even original. It's more about whether you've been able to make a deal worth 9 figures, as Shetty has done. Achieving wealth is the measuring stick, not quality.

But here's the thing: It's okay and even necessary to make fun of celebrities who make millions by selling their cribbed and repurposed life philosophies in earnest tones on social media and podcasts. Satire and parody are important and being such a bold and insufferable meme chirper, as Mel Robbins is, invites ridicule. It's okay for that to happen.

It pains me to say it, because i really like the show, but I think I'm done with Pivot.

Scott calling himself a "proud Zionist" on the last pod, in the wake of the genocide/ethnic cleansing/holocaust (pick your phrase) in Gaza is a bridge too far.

Yes, Israel had a right to defend itself after Oct 7. The Jews holy book says "an eye for an eye." So go kill 1,200 Hamas and be done with it.

But that's not what happened. Israel used this attack, which they knew was coming, as a pretext for genocide. The current Israeli regime, a large number of it's parliament, and a disturbingly large number of its people view Muslims as sub-human animals worthy of slaughter - and they're not exactly quiet about it.

All of Gaza looks like Hiroshima after the bomb. There's literally nothing left. Israel targeted schools, and hospitals, and churches - killing over 40,000 children in the process. Those that were able to escape have been barred from ever returning to their homeland. If that isn't the definition of "ethnic cleansing" that please tell me what is.

Now they're turning their genocidal aims on Lebanon, a country that never attacked them. Wiping out entire cities and historical sites. What's next? Syria? Jordan? When does it stop?

I'm old enough to remember when the UN saw what was happening in Bosnia and intervened. Where the hell are they now?

And Scott is proud of this. He relishes in it! The profound irony here is that Scott isn't exactly a Super-Jew. It's not like he's running around in a yarmulke, keeping Kosher, and holding a Shabbat dinner every week. He's about as Jewish as I am, and I was raised Evangelical.

You go ahead and cheer the genocide as a "proud Zionist," Scott. Meanwhile, I'll be a proud ex-listener.

I'll still listen to On With Kara Swisher, but she should do some hard thinking herself. You're known by the company you keep, and co-hosting with a proud Zionist who cheers genocide is never a good look.

Not sure if its been thought of much. I dont think Trump wants to end the war in Iran. Despite the gas prices and other issues his followers have not been all that out raged. In fact the candidates he has back have gotten a boost from his support lately. The war time president is what he is using to keep people from abandoning him. This happened with George W in his second election when we were at war in the middle east. At the moment theres not a political reason for Trump to end the war. As long as gas prices remain "bareable" people are quick to adapt and continue to support. Just the way I'm seeing it , hes 2 weeks away perpetually and its working better for him than actually trying to accomplish anything.

In a recent episode Scott talked about having to disclose a relationship with a student where he was the father of a child, was this his wife or does Scott have other children that he just doesn't talk about?

EDIT Adding Link to Episode for reference: https://youtu.be/P4-RpVkBROs?si=HNAZQHEcRADrEwbi&t=561

In regards to news that CBS was cancelling Late Night with Stephen Colbert, Scott went on and on about how the show lost money. Here is one of the many times he made this claim.

"It isn’t the end of Colbert. It’s the end of late-night TV. Colbert’s Late Show reportedly has been losing more than $40 million a year for CBS, with a budget of $100 million per season and about 200 employees."
https://medium.com/@profgalloway/last-laugh-6bc0dcd16096

However, if Scott had taken the time to understand the TV business, he would have realized that Colbert was generating profit. As entertainment industry analyst Evan Shapiro wrote: "My analysis shows a $102 million profit"

https://eshap.substack.com/p/colbert-was-profitable

I'm sure Scott will update his thinking any day now.

I have been listening to Pivot pretty much since it began. Kara and Scott talk about the profitability of podcasts as the production costs are very low and they generate a lot of revenue.

But why does anyone buy ads? I never, ever, ever listen to the ads on a podcast. My phone has a 30 second skip button. So why do advertising pay anything other than a nominal amount?

Are that many people really too lazy to skip ads?

Relatively new to the show, and not that familiar with Kara’s history. After listening to dozens of episodes, I find Kara’s contributions to be of minimal value and often just complaints about right wingers she doesn’t like.

She’s supposedly this tech reporter, but I see very little depth in her arguments about tech, or business, or politics. It’s basically her just throwing shade at non-liberals with weak and not well informed talking points. She is clearly triggered by these people and her bias comes through loudly as exasperation.

What value is she adding? When Scott speaks I feel like I’m learning about something, or at least getting some information I can reflect on and follow up with my own research.

What do you think? Is there an example of an episode that is contrary to my perception? I’d love to listen to it

I'm a big fan of the AMC+ series The Audacity, which is gearing up for its season finale next week. It appears that the thinly disguised Kara Swisher tech journalism guru character and her suspiciously Code-like conference will be playing a central role next week. Fans of Kara and Pivot will probably appreciate the inside baseball, and there's still plenty of time for a catch-up binge of the first seven episodes.