Pivot · Dec 6, 2019

CEO’s are out (literally), France's "digital service tax” is in, and 'innovator privilege’

Automatic transcript of the end of the episode, from 26:13. Speakers are labeled by software and may contain errors. Highlighted passages are Scott’s predictions.

Kara Swisher · 26:13 Us, and then we need to be big to fight the Chinese. And so it's really it's really interesting, the talking points that Ted is is using. Scott Galloway · 26:20 This is taking regulation away. This is cutting regulation. It says, let's do away with that onerous regulation called section two thirty. Kara Swisher · 26:26 No. They're not gonna do away with it, Scott. You can't do it completely. It's a very different medium. I don't... And I... That that I would not go so far as adjust it in ways that... Think about it for the times we have now, and I would like some intelligent people to discuss it. And in fact, did an entire podcast Scott Galloway · 26:40 What about Kara Swisher · 26:40 us? Altros. No. No. Not us. No. No. I had, like, experts, like legal people, like, talk about what needs. Scott Galloway · 26:46 Yeah. Tim Lowe. Kara Swisher · 26:47 But I do think that, you know, this combination of regulation, antitrust, state of attorney generals, Europe, taxes is gonna be, you know, it's it's time to to, like... And then, eventually get rid of the dual stock structures after a certain amount of years. They might actually start to grow up and do their duty or whatever. They just have to behave like everybody else gets to behave. Anyway, wins and fails, Scott. What do you have for this week? Scott Galloway · 27:11 So my win is, and this is this is my win is Senator Kamala Harris. I thought she ran I I think most people are saying it was a disappointing campaign. But the reality is she probably if you if you thought about at the beginning of the race, you know, everyone running for president, who will be president? She probably has as good a chance of being president right now as anyone on that stage. It's just in 2024 or '28 based on her performance in 2019. And that is she came across as strong, she came across as thoughtful. I think she learned a lot. It sounds like her campaign, quite frankly, was a bit of a shit show. She wasn't able to carve out distinct positions that distinct from anybody else. Yeah. But she seems like a very smart person. She comes across as a real leader. She has an outstanding background. I think she kind of exudes strength. So if you were to say, alright, what one Democrat is gonna be president? I think a decent bet is Senator Harris, just not in 2020. She's gonna be everybody's VP pick, which immediately makes means there's like a 60% chance that you'll be Yeah. President at some That's true. So, look, I think she's run a good campaign. I think actually getting out early, everyone was second guessing that it was because of all It the dysfunctional might have been leaving the stage early might have been the gangster move here. Kara Swisher · 28:29 It was, actually. I thought that too. I thought the same thing. I'm like, she didn't hang around and become really pathetic. You know what I mean? She's like, I'm going in. I'll see myself out. I'll see my... You know, it was classy. I thought it was a classy departure. Thought her video was good. I think she does have issues. There was a great piece in the Times about her issues, people knowing who she is. I think that was one of the things. And and I think some of the crime stuff really did chase her around, especially on the... In the primary part of the Democratic election, her tough on crime. Scott Galloway · 28:56 Helps her in the general, Kara Swisher · 28:57 True. Scott Galloway · 28:58 True. Enforcing laws. Kara Swisher · 28:59 As you know, as you as you say. Anyway, anyway, so what is your fail? What is your fail this week? Scott Galloway · 29:04 Well, my my fail is what I'll call this. You know, everyone talks about why privilege. I think this innovator privilege is out of control as evidenced by Privilege. Elon Musk Elon Musk's testimony in court where he's being sued for defamation Kara Swisher · 29:19 About the pedophile by Scott Galloway · 29:20 the cave diver. I think his name is Jesse Unrover. Basically this cave diver took part in rescuing the students and their coach. And Musk had this idea for a submarine, and the cave divers said that this is a publicity stunt, and to be fair he said he should stick his submarine where it hurts. And then Musk started saying to his whatever 20 odd million followers, calling him pedo guy, and then doubled down on it and said, okay, well, it's interesting that he hasn't denied this. And so when a guy with 20 plus million followers starts accusing someone of being a pedophile, Accusing someone of being a pedophile, regardless of how errant, regardless of how negligent the accusation of it Yeah. Is, it's a kind of accusation that a little of it sticks. Never really recover So for he sued him. And what's come out in court is that Mr. Musk, despite the fact that he's incredibly impressive, despite the fact that he's incredibly wealthy, despite the fact that he has an incredibly big brain, he's an incredibly small person. And that is after this broke out and this individual decided to defend himself, you know what he did? He spent $52,000 to hire a private investigator to try and go find out if this guy, in fact, had any dirt in his past. Kara Swisher · 30:34 Well, just not That's the move. Rich... That's the rich people move. That's not necessarily Scott Galloway · 30:38 a lot move. Small move, though. Kara Swisher · 30:40 Come on. Every rich person. Scott Galloway · 30:42 A diver living a diver living in Thailand, he defends himself, and you hire private investigators to course, Kara Swisher · 30:47 go you to do. They do that all the time. Scott, wake up. Scott Galloway · 30:50 Well, then they're all well, then they're all small people, Kara. That's not... That's total bullshit. Kara Swisher · 30:54 Yes. Indeed. Scott Galloway · 30:55 That's an Kara Swisher · 30:55 awful But I agree. I agree. It was... It was... It it... It's not a great... It's not... It's a really bad. Scott Galloway · 31:00 You said... Okay. You said billionaires? Who? Kara Swisher · 31:03 A lot of billionaires would be ringing in some way. I... You know what I mean? I thought, why not apologize, like profusely Where's money to Scott Galloway · 31:10 the board? Who the hell can call this guy and go, boss, stop being such an idiot and a small person. Go on Twitter, and we will approve the tweet and say, I want to apologize. I was wrong. Let's move on. I hope you accept my apology. Kara Swisher · 31:25 Boom. It's a little overwhelming amount protection of whatever that person wants to do, that that kind of thing. Like, do some... Like, say, this was my bad. Yeah. It's really hard for them to say, you know, so sorry. I mean, I have... I... Like, speaking of the Larry Page thing, I'm like, I would like an I'm sorry for the... What went on at Google. Like, you know what I mean? A lot of the sexual harassment stuff. Like, where was that? Like, where was that possibly? And it's not like that everyone has to say I'm sorry and put on the hair shirt and do a Circe But walking naked across the it's really... It is kind of amazing, like Scott Galloway · 31:54 I like that image. Kara Swisher · 31:56 I don't know. Shame. I don't want see any Internet mogul naked. Shame. Anyway, listen. I'm gonna... I wanna ask you because I don't know whether it's a win or fail that Jay Z joined Spotify, you know, that trying to do this title thing. I would like to know whether it's a win or a fail. Can you please explain it to me? Scott Galloway · 32:12 I don't know 50, but the strange thing is, it it is sort of a fail is 50 sounds young to me now. But wait, I want to go back. You're good at keeping things going, but have you ever had a billionaire hire investigators to dig up dirt on you? Because I have. Kara Swisher · 32:26 Maybe. I don't know. I don't know. Scott Galloway · 32:28 When I was running activist campaigns, and I tried to kick I tried to kick the entire board off of a company I started called Red Envelope. Mhmm. What happened? Basically, the billionaire who ran the board hired... They hired investigators to come after me, and this is what the the firm crawl, which I hope the earth opens up and swallows all of those motherfuckers. But anyways, they basically started calling old colleagues and old girlfriends of mine and saying, I recalling about Scott Galloway, are there any comments you'd like to make? And none of them responded. So this clearly wasn't a genuine effort to dig up dirt. It was just a genuine effort to Yes. Intimidate Yeah. And we're talking about control of a corporation, the fact that people immediately resort to that. It's like you wake up every morning and you know how you feel? You feel like you know if you've ever been pulled over on the side of the road, the first moment when you look in the rearview mirror and you see those sirens going? Yeah. That feeling of that feeling of real fear. Kara Swisher · 33:24 Really? Scott Galloway · 33:24 When you find out, at least with me, when you find out really well resourced people have hired private investigators to pour over every aspect of your life for forty years, you wake up like there's sirens going off everywhere. I'm Kara Swisher · 33:38 now. I'm actually doing an investigation. Scott Galloway · 33:40 I'm clean. I survived it. It ends up my credit. Good. Everyone feels pretty good about me. Kara Swisher · 33:44 You've not had Kara Swisher's Scott Galloway · 33:45 All my girlfriend said the same thing. He's boring. I broke up with him, but, know, that's it. Kara Swisher · 33:50 Alright. Whatever. In any case, I'm so sorry detectives are all over your life. I will not negate to Jay Z now. I want your thoughts on this. I'm sorry, Jay title didn't work, and this is a major star here, a Scott Galloway · 34:01 major I music Spotify. Love Do you have Spotify? What music service Kara Swisher · 34:05 do Spotify. I love Spotify, but my kids, I told you, moved to Apple Music. They like Apple Music. They just moved. Scott Galloway · 34:10 Monopoly power. Monopoly abuse. That's what that is. Kara Swisher · 34:13 Well, no. It wasn't. No. They just like it. My son likes it. Like, one of them uses Spotify. One of them uses Apple Music. I use Spotify because I like, and I like Spotify. I'm used to it. Scott Galloway · 34:21 I love Spotify. I listen to us on Spotify. Kara Swisher · 34:23 But but they're doing really well. But what what... Jay Z couldn't do a music streaming platform title. Scott Galloway · 34:28 Well, there's no way. How do you how do you... Okay. Platform is Latin for you need billions of dollars to create a mass technology, networking effects, and Jay Z is God a billion, but he doesn't have billions. I can't... Who's gonna... Who could do this? I mean, the Beatles couldn't do this, or Madonna couldn't do it. I mean, the no one could do this. I don't you know, these companies spend billions of dollars on R and D and distribution, and they have amazing brands, they have amazing technologists. So, every once in a while, an artist gets angry and says, I don't want pay all these people getting in between me and the consumer, and there's been a few times they've tried to do this, and it never works. The music industry and the problem with, or one of the many problems with this monopoly era we're living in is, it it these mega monopolies cast shadow over all the duopolies in industry right now. There's been incredible concentration across almost every industry, including the music industry, which is essentially controlled by a few labels. And so, yeah, I don't think, you know, this is... This surprises nobody in my view. Kara Swisher · 35:25 Yeah. I would agree. My fayal, of course, is Bill Barr, once again, every week. You know, they... There... Even the inspector general doesn't agree with him about the Russia... His his cockamamie scheme to to somehow push back this Russia, these conspiracy theories around Ukraine and stuff like that. And, and then his own handpicked prosecutor is not gonna support him on on finding that the the that the FBI, acted badly in a certain way. And it's really interesting. Like, he continues to be probably the most dangerous member of this administration, I think, in terms of what he's done to the Justice Department. Have a lot of friends who work there, and they're just... They're they're really good lawyers, and they wanna do the right thing. And I think he's my fail. He's my fail of the year, I think, in many ways. Thank you. Scott Galloway · 36:10 That's a good one. — Predictions segment begins — Kara Swisher · 36:11 Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, prediction. Predictions, Scott Galloway. Scott Galloway · 36:15 Oh, I already made my prediction, Kara. I think, I think the odds on favor right now for the Democratic, ticket and the vice president role is, senator Kamala Harris. Kara Swisher · 36:24 Alright. Okay. That's a good one. Scott Galloway · 36:25 She ticks a Kara Swisher · 36:25 lot of just Innovators. What was it? Innovators? Scott Galloway · 36:28 Innovator privilege. Kara Swisher · 36:29 Privilege. Really good idea. I think that's, like, that's that's gonna be more and more in the scenes scenes. Alright. So Kamala Harris is your prediction. She's gonna be vice president. I say... I'm gonna go against you. I'm gonna say Stacey Abrams. How about that? Scott Galloway · 36:40 Really? Kara Swisher · 36:40 Yes. Scott Galloway · 36:41 Yeah. She's super impressive. Yep. Super impressive. Kara Swisher · 36:44 Yep. Stacey. Alright. Scott Galloway · 36:45 And by the way, did you see did you see who's come up? And I think this might have been one of the reasons she got out. Was the new morning consult poll has Bloomberg at 5%. — Predictions segment ends — Kara Swisher · 36:54 Oh, you're a guy. I'm so excited when you serve in this administration. What will you be? What will be your job in the Bloomberg administration? And then we're gonna close. What's your job? Scott Galloway · 37:02 Of Chipotle. That's right. A burrito bowl in everyone's everyone's cabinet. Kara Swisher · 37:07 God. What is with you and Chipotle? Are they, like, your sponsor? Like, do do you eat any other burrito? Scott Galloway · 37:13 I... Well, look. I've toned down to four or five times a week. Chipotle is so wonderful, Kara. Just surrender to the burrito bowl. Kara Swisher · 37:20 Okay. It's just Oh, it's wonderful. I don't understand your obsession with Chipotle. Scott Galloway · 37:24 It's fantastic. Kara Swisher · 37:25 It is fantastic. Well, listen. I I actually was in, was in Boston, and there's a chain there, and I'm blanking on the chick chick... Here it is. Here we go. It's called Chili Cates. Best best chain I've ever had. Ech o Scott Galloway · 37:38 Amano is right up there. Kara Swisher · 37:40 Ech Amano con Amor. Scott Galloway · 37:43 You could not have sounded more white saying that. Say that again. That was really hilarious. Kara Swisher · 37:47 So bad at language. Scott Galloway · 37:48 You sound like a Democratic candidate mangling the Spanish language. What are you doing this weekend, Kara? What are you doing? Kara Swisher · 37:53 I am doing nothing because I am by myself this weekend with my older kids, and so I'm gonna sleep. Nice. That's what I'm gonna do, Scott. And then... By the Oh, next week, I have to interview Megan Rapinoe again. Scott Galloway · 38:05 Oh, good for you. Kara Swisher · 38:06 Yeah. I have a whole bunch of stuff. Scott Galloway · 38:07 You know who you should interview? What would be a great interview for you is you should interview Barry Diller and get his plans. Kara Swisher · 38:12 I have interviewed him. I will. That's why why why why now? I've Scott Galloway · 38:16 interviewed him 100 times. Isn't he taking over, ISC or Expedia again? He's stepping in and kinda doing it. Kara Swisher · 38:21 Good idea. I should talk to Barry. I will call him. I will call Barry Diller. I will do. And and, and I... I'm gonna interview, hopefully, the cast of The L Word. It's back. Eric Anderson saw it last night and said it was really good. So Really? Jennifer Beals and Eileen Chacon and Scott Galloway · 38:36 Erica. Really. And an endorsement for The L Word. Is it on Showtime again? Kara Swisher · 38:40 It's it's about to start on Showtime. They're... They are Scott Galloway · 38:42 Is Jennifer Beals back in it? Kara Swisher · 38:44 Yes. She is. She's great. She was she's great. I was texting her last night, and she's very excited. But she was on this morning on the on the on Good Morning America. She's the best. She really is one of the most lovely people. Did I ever tell you my Jennifer Beals story? I brought her to CES once. She she came to CES, but long story wise, was there. But I I... She wanted... She's a real techie. So she... We went out onto the floor of the... Of this... Of CES, which is a consumer electronics show. And and she wasn't recognized there. It was incredible. Like, was... She's quite, you know, she's an icon with lots Scott Galloway · 39:15 of because there are just so many hot women rolling around Yeah. Kara Swisher · 39:18 But it was amazing. And this... So I I told I I told the people we we we were going around with that she was an executive for eBay, and she did a great job being executive for eBay. Scott Galloway · 39:29 Kara Swisher and Jennifer Beals rolling at CES. Yeah. Kara Swisher · 39:32 It was great. Scott Galloway · 39:33 That inspires so many mixed emotions. Kara Swisher · 39:35 I I... Hopefully, that will be... Scott Galloway · 39:36 That's gonna be a good podcast.... Literally have their head in their hands hoping I don't say anything totally... Kara Swisher · 39:40 No. I'm waiting for you to say something bad. Because it's gonna be a good podcast. I'm excited to talk Scott Galloway · 39:43 to them. Kara Swisher · 39:43 That's an iconic show. Scott Galloway · 39:44 She seems nice. I'm being looksist, but she just looks like a nice person. Is she a nice person? Kara Swisher · 39:49 Amazing person. She's an amazing person. Anyway, so I'm gonna do that. I have a lot of stuff. I got a lot of stuff going on, Scott. I got lot of stuff going on. I got... I'm gonna do a lot of things. Well, Scott, we have to go, but we're gonna be back. How could I miss you if you won't go away? We have a new show on Tuesday. There's a lot of stuff going on in tech, this week. They're gonna... There's all kinds of stories dropping, I think, all over the place. So we'll have plenty to talk about in tech and in media, but it's time for us to go. Scott Galloway · 40:13 It is. Enjoy the weekend with your sons, Kara. Kara Swisher · 40:15 Thank you. I will have a great time. Tell us what you think by tweeting us at, pivotpodcast. We've gotten a lot of feedback. Everybody thinks we should do a totally different show. Some people like twice the what we're doing already. But, we'd love your feedback and what you think we should add and subtract and things like that. Or email us questions at pivot@voxmedia.com. Today's show is produced by Rebecca Sinanis. Eric Anderson is Pivot's executive producer. Thanks also to Rebecca Castro and Drew Burrows. Make sure you subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. If you liked our show, please recommend it to a friend. Thanks for listening to Pivot from Vox Media. We'll be back next week for another breakdown of all things tech and business.