Pivot · Sep 19, 2023

Strike Winners & Losers, Disney's ABC Decision, and Guest Benyamin Cohen

Automatic transcript of the end of the episode, from 56:05. Speakers are labeled by software and may contain errors. Highlighted passages are Scott’s predictions.

Guest · 56:05 An Einstein aesthetic. But also one of Einstein's greatest achievements was his ability to, picture things in his mind that other people couldn't picture. And the way he did that was he would he would go sailing, and so he would try to not have any distractions. We talk a lot nowadays about our phones keep pinging. I think in the time this interview has gone on, my phone has beeped a few times. And so Einstein was very much someone who liked solitude and liked breaks. He played music when he couldn't... When he was encountering a problem, and he was trying to break through and get that problem. So those kinds of things, not taking everything too seriously. Einstein had a great sense of humor, Always had a pithy quote. And so those kinds of things, I try to take into my daily life. There's a there's a chapter in my book called Einstein Life Hacks, which kinda goes into all of these things. Kara Swisher · 56:57 Right. There's all kinds of things like that. I... I'm deciding I'm not gonna speak to anyone on Tuesdays. You also talk about Einstein understanding the power of celebrity and post death. He's really become a huge brand. I have an Einstein hat or T shirt or anything that says, the book mentions Disney paying millions. The Einstein estate for the use... Named baby Einstein, which my older kids use and my younger kids will use. Apple licensing Einstein's image for think different, obviously. Einstein's estate is handled by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a school that Einstein founded and where he bequeathed his manuscripts, copyrights, and royalties. From '26... Twenty o six to 2017, Einstein was on the Forbes list of 10 highest paid dead celebrities, bringing in between 10 and $12,000,000 a year. And and from the book, Einstein was way ahead of his time before the Beatles and Elvis were Michael Jordan got a shoe deal with Nike and Dolly Parton built an amusement park, which I've been to and is excellent. Einstein understood the power of celebrity. Can you talk about that? Because I think he'd be great on social media or or, you know, not being you, like, living, like, as a living person. Guest · 57:57 Yeah. Think... Oh, I think he would love TikTok. Yeah. I think would have a blast on that. People would come up to him. He'd be traveling. Paparazzi would chase him all around, and they would ask him his opinion on all sorts of random things, things that he was not even an expert in. And he always had a quote for them. I think that would be perfect for our social media age. But yeah, like you said, was way above. Don't forget Salesforce. One of their major products at Salesforce is an AI product called Einstein. And they licensed that from the Einstein estate as well. He came about at this moment in modern media when all of modern media was in place, newspapers, magazines, photographs, radio, even television. And so I think he struck at that exact moment where he caught all of our imagination. He was playful and had a childlike sense of curiosity. Kara Swisher · 58:44 Looked great. Looked Guest · 58:46 great. Anytime the paparazzi came, he would take his hat and throw it up in the air because he knew that would make a great picture. I mean, Marie Curie never did that. No. And and it shows to this day. Kara Swisher · 58:55 No fun. Guest · 58:56 She was no... Right. Kara Swisher · 58:57 Then again, she was dying of radiation poisoning. But go ahead. Guest · 59:02 Like you said, you know, he he was just able to relate to people. I I I once heard someone refer to him as a as a mythical creature. You know, we've kind of created this. You know, Scott's in the brand and marketing expert here. A lot of what brands are is is is is a myth that we create around those people. And I think Einstein's a a great example of that. Scott Galloway · 59:22 After saying Oppenheimer, it shows that Oppenheimer had... I don't know what the word is, remorse or guilt after the bomb was dropped. I was really curious to understand how Einstein felt about the bomb after after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Guest · 59:39 Yeah. So that's a great question. So he... His e equals m c squared equation was what laid foundation for the atomic bomb. He first of all didn't realize that when he came up with that equation in nineteen o five, that decades later it would be used for such evil. And he spoke out about the proliferation of nuclear weapons for the rest of his life vehemently. He would, you know, go around the country speaking about it. He started a bunch of organizations against that. And so I think it was probably... I would would venture to say the the biggest regret, in his life that his name is associated, with the with the atomic bomb. Speaker · 1:00:15 Yeah. Yeah. He comes... And it Kara Swisher · 1:00:17 was a great role in that movie. I'm gonna... We can't let you go. My final question's without letting... Getting the story of how you saw Einstein's brain in an Acura MDX. Is that correct? Guest · 1:00:26 Yeah. Yeah. So I don't know. Most people don't know this, and this is the first thing that got me interested in Einstein was when I discovered that the pathologist who performed Einstein's autopsy in 1955, actually stole Einstein's brain. Many people don't know that, but he stole it. And he kept it in a beer cooler in his basement for decades, And nobody knew where it was. And I was able to track it down, and I I found the guy who has it now. It's cut up. It's in a bunch of Mason jars. And it was a real spiritual experience to hold those jars because not only is it the last physical vestige of Albert Einstein, but it's what the brain represents. Kara Swisher · 1:01:03 Why does someone go get it from these people? Guest · 1:01:06 It's hidden. It's hidden. Mean, listen, the doctor stole it for benevolent reasons. He wanted to research to see if Einstein's brain was special or unique in some way. And so... But he wasn't a brain expert. So he cut it up, sent it out. There are pieces of Einstein's brain all over the world, but still most of it are are in these jars. And, you know, holding it is, I have to admit, was probably the most awe inspiring experience I had writing the book. Speaker · 1:01:34 Oh, god. You need to get Kara Swisher · 1:01:35 other awe... Don't touch his brain. Let him bury it. And I'm gonna carry Scott's brain around at the end when he leaves us. Scott Galloway · 1:01:43 Oh, that's easy. That's so big Yeah. To Speaker · 1:01:46 Yeah. Anyway, it'll fit in Kara Swisher · 1:01:47 my pocket. Anyway, thank you, Benjamin. It's such an interesting book. And I... We love to have sort of interesting and fun stuff like this, and I really... He's... I have a great admiration for Albert Einstein in many... I had to list five or 10 people that I really... Dolly Parton is also right up there. And, again, his book is called... And it's really well worth it. It's really a lot of fun. The Einstein Effect, How the World's Favorite Genius Got Into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds. And, of course, you can look on Twitter. Is it at Albert Einstein? Guest · 1:02:16 At Albert Einstein on on, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and threads. Kara Swisher · 1:02:20 Alright. Well, keep watching. It's very funny. It's really... It's a terrific, it's a terrific thing to follow. Thank you so much. Scott Galloway · 1:02:25 Thanks, Ben. Thanks for your work. Kara Swisher · 1:02:28 Alright, Scott. Well, I really love a delightful guest, and that was certainly delightful. And I love Albert Einstein anything. We'll be back in a second for predictions. [Ad break] — Predictions segment begins — Kara Swisher · 1:03:40 Okay. Let's do predictions, Scott. Let me hear your prediction. Scott Galloway · 1:03:45 Well, I made it. The rider strike is gonna be over by the end of, in the next thirty days as well. Kara Swisher · 1:03:50 Jumping on that one with you. Scott Galloway · 1:03:51 Go ahead. You're you're in as well the UAW strike one. The former or the latter has reason to be solved. They've handled it well. Shin Fane, whatever his name is the guy who... Kara Swisher · 1:04:03 Sean Fane. Scott Galloway · 1:04:03 Sean Fane, the guy who leaves unattended packages on the tube. Oh, wait. That was another guy. Oh my god. Inappropriate. Kara Swisher · 1:04:10 Totally inappropriate. Scott Galloway · 1:04:11 Totally inappropriate. Allegedly. Especially living in The UK. By the way, my youngest takes the tube to and from school, which is wonderful. And his favorite... My my favorite picture of my youngest son is when he dressed up for Halloween as Einstein. Kara Swisher · 1:04:28 Oh. Scott Galloway · 1:04:28 Yeah. It's so cute. Yeah. It's really cute. Okay. So where were the predictions? Like, the UAW, they're at $40. The bid ask is 20 and $40. They'll end up probably in the high twenties. That's where they should be. So that's gonna end. And then the folks the folks who run the Writers Guild are in danger of losing their jobs and of the entire union collapsing if they don't come. Kara Swisher · 1:04:56 And SAG? You're including SAG in that. Scott Galloway · 1:04:58 Yeah, they'll follow along. These unions... But the people who actually work at the unions are probably realize that they have overplayed their hand, and they're about to get kicked out of the game if they... I just... All of a sudden, everyone, all at once, their incentives are aligning to solve this strike. So what's gone on a hundred and twenty days isn't gonna go on more than another thirty. Kara Swisher · 1:05:23 Yeah. I would agree. I think they don't like to hear this union people, but things do have their sell by date. Like, people do get... Like, it gets... The longer it goes, the worse and worse it is typically for the strikers tends to be. Scott Galloway · 1:05:35 And we need to we need to have an honest conversation. People have such a gag reflex when you say anything negative about a specific union. Three thirty Starbucks have unionized, and everyone's like, oh my god, it's union resurgence. Not one of those stores that is unionized has resulted in a collective bargaining agreement, or in some, it's all been a bunch of jazz hands. Hasn't Kara Swisher · 1:06:00 resulted No. In They gotta deliver. Scott Galloway · 1:06:01 It hasn't resulted in anything positive for the workers. And let really dig a hole for myself here. Have been Kara Swisher · 1:06:08 on Yeah. Please. Because I like unions, but go ahead. Scott Galloway · 1:06:10 Go ahead. Well, we all like you. We all like their intent. They need help. Not enough because here's the thing here. As someone who has sat on, I don't know, seven public company boards and several of them had unions, unions are the perfect enemy for corporations because they give American workers the illusion they're being well represented, and they're not. These guys are disorganized, corrupt, and the majority of the people here don't have a lot of faith in them. And here's the bottom line. The root motivations, the objectives, the spirit, the soul of unions is right on. And guess what? They need help. And the way they need help is we have to have a base floor line minimum wage in this country of $25, and then hopefully unions can go get more than that. But right now, this construct is not working for the American working man or woman. Kara Swisher · 1:07:06 Alright. There you have it. And let me just say, ladies and gentlemen, Lauren Boebert. Now I think Scott Galloway · 1:07:13 Representative Boebert. I like her a lot more now, don't you? Kara Swisher · 1:07:17 I do. I told you that. I hate myself. I hate myself. I was like, what a saucy little minx she is. Scott Galloway · 1:07:23 What a Seriously. — Predictions segment ends — Kara Swisher · 1:07:24 World. She's gotta stop lecturing us about, like, family values. She's gotta stop that. That's gotta end. That's gotta... That that is irritating. People juxtaposed her... All her family values bullshit and her anti drag bullshit and with her handjobbery, and it was, it was delicious. It was fantastic. But, anyway, we wanna hear from you. Send us your questions about business tech or whatever's on your mind. Go to nymag.com/pivot to submit a question for the show, or call 85551 Scott, that's the show, another amazing show. I was at this wedding over the weekend, and I gay... I had 12 selfies. Scott Galloway · 1:07:58 Wait. Wait. Is this the part of the show? Let's talk about how awesome we are. Go ahead. Kara Swisher · 1:08:01 No. We are. I'm gonna do that because, literally, people love Arjun. I I Scott Galloway · 1:08:05 I love affirmation from Kara Swisher · 1:08:06 strangers. Bring it on. Great is that people enjoy it, and I really appreciate all all of people who come up to me. Scott Galloway · 1:08:12 So what happened to the wedding? Kara Swisher · 1:08:13 I just wanna say what was really nice, someone came up to me and said, you're our friend in a really nice way. Yep. And I thought that was beautiful, and I really liked it. It makes them laugh, makes them cry, makes them angry, whatever. You're our friend. I thought that was I thought it was well said. We're your friend. We are your friend, but but don't get creepy. Scott Galloway · 1:08:33 Don't get creepy. So I shouldn't I shouldn't mention that my favorite bathhouse in San Francisco was the White Swallow. Kara Swisher · 1:08:39 Oh my god. Scott Galloway · 1:08:40 Actual place. Actual place. Kara Swisher · 1:08:42 Was it? Scott Galloway · 1:08:42 Yeah. Actual place in SoMa. Am I still their friend? Am I still their friend? Kara Swisher · 1:08:48 Because there's there's a bar in Sam... In my neighborhood, the mo... Moby Dick, and then, you know, there you have it. Anyway, come come visit San Francisco, and we'll take you for a drink. Scott Galloway · 1:08:59 We threw you off your game. Not easy to throw Kara Swisher off her game. Kara Swisher · 1:09:01 Lauren She's still Fobert, will... Scott and I will take you for a drink at the Moby Dick. Scott Galloway · 1:09:06 Will she date my son when he's a senior in high school? That's all I wanna know. I will vote for her. I'm a constituent now. Every 17 year old boy lead... Needs a little Boebert in her life. Kara Swisher · 1:09:15 She does not lay a hand on my son. That would be ugly. She would be in lots of pieces all over Aspen. Anyway, we'll be back on Friday for more. We are digressing once again, but we appreciate it, and we are your friends. Scott, please read us out. Scott Galloway · 1:09:28 Today's show was produced by Lara Niemann, Zoe Marcus, and Taylor Griffin. Ernie Indertot engineered this episode. Thanks also to Drew Burrows, Mil Savario, and Gaddie McBain. Make sure you subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening to Pivot from New York Magazine and Box Media. We'll be back later this week for another breakdown of all things tech and business. Kara, have a great rest of the week. Thank you. [Ad break] Speaker · 1:10:35 We just moved into our new house, and I didn't realize just how close we were to the neighbors. That's when my friend told me about blinds.com. Blinds.com isn't a medication but it can improve how you feel about your home. Customers who shop at blinds.com experience excellent customer service from consultation to installation. Effects include increased privacy and better sleep. Talk to your partner today and see if blinds.com is right for you. 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