Pivot

As Rupert Murdoch announces his retirement, Kara and Scott discuss the future of the media mogul's empire and his legacy. They also react to the Russell Brand controversy, and Elon's plan for a Twitter paywall. Then, there's chaos in Congress as a shutdown approaches, so why is everyone talking about the Senate dress code? Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss the Jann Wenner controversy, and the new management term "feedforward." And as the "summer of strikes" marches into the fall, they talk about the State of the Unions. Then, is Disney selling off ABC? And would that be the end of linear television? Our Friend of Pivot is Benyamin Cohen, the author of, "The Einstein Effect: How the World's Favorite Genius Got into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds," who also happens to be the man behind the official Albert Einstein accounts on social media. You can follow Benyamin at @benyamincohen and Albert Einstein at @alberteinstein. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss the new openings for the greatest jobs in journalism – Taylor Swift and Beyoncé reporters. They also unpack Apple's underwhelming product launch and the backlash Drew Barrymore is facing after bringing her show back during the strikes. Then, was the big tech AI summit a big success? And who will be the winners and losers as Google's landmark antitrust trial gets underway? Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott dish on their big date night at the U.S. Open. They also preview A.I.'s big week on Capitol Hill before Kara gives her no-holds-barred review of Walter Isaacson’s Elon Musk biography. Our Friend of Pivot is former Amazon employee Kristi Coulter, who's pulling back the curtain on tech company culture in her new book, "Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career." You can follow Kristi at @kristicccoulter. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott is back! He and Kara waste no time digging into Charter vs. Disney and the FTC’s possible Amazon suit. Our Friend of Pivot is CEO and National Chair of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt. He shares his thoughts on being on the receiving end of Elon Musk's latest tweetstorm. You can follow Jonathan at @JGreenblattADL. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not many people can name the original founders of Tesla. So how did two guys who wanted to build an electric car create a company synonymous with Elon Musk? Listen to more from Land of the Giants here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Free August is over, welcome to Scottember! As we head into the holiday weekend, Kara and Scott open the listener mail bag to answer questions about whether we’ve hit peak Apple, how to stay present with kids, and what to do when you’re working for a company whose policies don't match your morals. Plus, do Apple Vision Pros make you look rich?! And when was Scott's last good hair day? Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern is Kara's co-host as Scott-free August comes to an end. They explore how Trump's mugshot is spawning merch from the right and the left, and what to expect from the upcoming iPhone 15. Then, Joanna's investigation into the best EVs on the market and why a group of Silicon Valley elite is buying up land in northern California. Our Friend of Pivot is Professor Peter Turchin, author of "End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration." He explains why the U.S. is in a state of social upheaval and sees a few paths that could get us out of it. You can follow Joanna at @JoannaStern and read her column at WSJ.com. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All in the family! Kara's son Louie Swisher and her brother Dr. Jeffrey Swisher join her to co-host. The trio discuss Ronan Farrow's new reporting on Elon Musk and Oliver Anthony's hit song "Rich Men North of Richmond." Then, they survey the current GOP primary field and discuss the pros and cons of AI in medicine. You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @jeffreyswisher. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A minor break in Scott-Free August (because Scott misses you all): Kara and Scott open the listener mail bag to answer your questions about Instagram Threads, biotech, and education. Stick around to hear a listener call in from a cornfield, and about the origins of the Kara and Scott relationship. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journalist and anchor Don Lemon joins Kara for his first major conversation about leaving CNN, what he's been doing since, and what he's planning to do next. He also chats with Kara about the Trump indictments, The Blind Side family's controversy, and more. You can follow Don at @donlemonofficial. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Hahn is back to join Kara as co-host! They discuss the latest in the Zuckerberg v. Musk cage match, Sam Bankman-Fried reporting to jail, and Donald Trump’s looming fourth indictment. Then, the Maui wildfire is now the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, and the Writers’ Guild went back to the table with producers. Then, we’re joined by co-creator of the RuPublicans, Craig DeForest. You can follow the RuPublicans at @rupublicans on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Republican presidential candidate joins Will Hurd joins Kara as co-host to discuss aging politicians, an FEC efforts to regulate AI in campaign ads, and of course, Barbie. Then, they talk about what the Ohio special election means for the GOP's anti-abortion stance, and whether Trump's legal woes can clear a path for other Republican candidates. You can find Will Hurd on Twitter at @WillHurd. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Puck's Teddy Schleifer is Kara's co-host, chatting about Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal woes, Barbie hitting $1 billion, and the Musk v. Zuckerberg cage fight. Then, Donald Trump’s response to his latest indictment, and the money behind the presidential candidates. Then we’re joined by Friend of Pivot and political pollster, Frank Luntz to make sense of the latest poll numbers on the 2024 election. You can follow Teddy at @teddyschleifer, and read his work at Puck.News. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re starting off Scott Free August strong with TODAY co-host Savannah Guthrie. Kara and Savannah give us a look behind the scenes at how they've prepared for and pulled off some of their most notable interviews, including sitdowns with President Trump, Kamala Harris, Mark Zuckerberg, and more. Also: X will now let users hide their verified checkmarks, Hollywood writers and sudio representatives are expected to meet, and President Trump’s third criminal case of the year. You can find Savannah co-anchoring TODAY on NBC. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss the comeback of the Chevy Bolt, and Scott’s thoughts on Barbie. Also, what should the government do about the dominance of the Starlink? We preview the guest hosts and topics coming up in Scott-Free August. Plus, we talk crypto with Friend of Pivot and Ledger’s Chief Experience Officer, Ian Rogers. You can find Ian on Twitter at @iancr. Leave us questions and comments at 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the latest interest rate hike, Mitch McConnell’s health scare, and whether the aliens are finally here or not. Plus, it’s earnings season, and the AI effect is making money moves for Big Tech. Then, should colleges do away with legacy admissions? And a listener question about the future of EV charging. We’ve got some more listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss a huge weekend at the box office, and Jeff Bezos' renewed interest in The Washington Post. Plus, WTF is Elon doing with his Twitter re-brand? Also, Big Tech agrees to some AI safety commitments, will they be enough? Friend of Pivot Alondra Nelson led the development of the Biden Administration's Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, she joins us to discuss. You can find Alondra on Twitter…or X…at @alondra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara's got the latest from the Barbie premiere, where YES she saw Mr and Mrs. Gaetz. Scott has some more thoughts on who the real enemy is in the Hollywood strikes (and it's not him!) The government has Big Tech in its crosshairs with the latest proposed M&A guidelines, Google pitches an AI news writing product, and Scott really does think Trump will drop out. But above all, stick around for the listener mail from 10-year-old Henry, who's ready to make some money on the stock market. We’ve got some more listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss Tesla’s Cybertruck, Tucker Carlson’s new media company, and a drop in Threads engagement. Also, Bob One’s contract has been extended after a rough first year, and SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has him in her crosshairs. Plus, Earth is experiencing its hottest days on record. What does that mean for politics and infrastructure? Then we’re joined by Friend of Pivot Ashlee Vance to talk all things space and Elon Musk. You can find Ashlee on Twitter at @ashleevance and can buy his book here. We’ve got some more listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices