Zuck's AI Safety Pitch, Canada Turns to Europe, and Kash Patel on Bestiality

Pivot

Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway debate Sydney Sweeney's controversial ad, discuss political polarization with Raging Moderates co-host Jessi

Key takeaways

• Sydney Sweeney's controversial ads spark debate over objectification vs. empowerment, with hosts questioning her career choices and public image.
• The podcast highlights a double standard in media reactions to female celebrities based on political alignment.

Main topics

• Sydney Sweeney's controversial advertising campaign
• Media objectification and gender politics

Notable quotes

"I think she looks stupid, but whatever. She wants to look stupid." – Scott Galloway on Sydney Sweeney's ad

Conclusion

The episode underscores the complexity of public perception, media nar

Transcript preview

Speaker 4 (0:00) Ripple has been powering modern finance for a decade. We're leading the charge to bridge the gap between existing financial systems and the future of finance. You can have it all. Legacy, stability, and digital innovation. Systems that work with your other systems. Because with the right partner, the question isn't crypto or traditional finance. The question is simply, why choose? A new standard of modern finance. It's happening with Ripple. For informational purposes only, availability of products can vary and may be provided by different Ripple entities. Support for this show comes Speaker 5 (0:32) from Pega. Tired of overpaying for AI? Pega knows that when AI has a meter, ambition has a limit. Instead of charging per token, Pega harnesses the most powerful AI models into predictable outcomes at a predictable cost, all so you can confidently scale your innovation, not your spend. No token fees, no surprises. Learn more at pega.com slash no token fees. Speaker 5 (1:00) Support for this show comes from Harvey AI. The future of law is agentic, not just tools that assist, but AI agents that navigate complex matters. That's why Harvey created agents that can do the work from end to end. They build a plan, pull from the secure data sources, run sub-agents in parallel, and draft work product ready for your review. So you can delegate work and own the judgment. Trusted by more than 60 % of the AM Law 100 and leading Fortune 500 legal teams, Harvey is an AI operating system designed specifically for legal work. Harvey, AI tailored for law. Learn more at harvey.ai. Speaker 7 (1:41) Actually, Kara objectifies Carney all the time, and I'm really uncomfortable with it. She's constantly referencing his looks. Speaker 8 (1:52) Hi, everyone. This is Pivot from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. I'm Kara Swisher. And Speaker 7 (1:57) I'm Scott Galloway. Speaker 8 (1:58) Hey, Scott. I just flew in from California. Speaker 7 (2:01) Oh, really? So did I the day before. Speaker 8 (2:03) Oh, anyway, here we are. But listen, I have a lot to tell you about things I've been doing this week, but we have a big announcement breaking late yesterday. We are going on tour. Speaker 7 (2:14) Yes, we are. Super excited. Back in Canada, we've added Denver, which I'm excited about. Well, Speaker 8 (2:20) let me see. We're kicking off November 2nd in New York City. And then we hit Toronto, Minneapolis, L.A., San Francisco, and Denver. And you can head to pivottour.com for tickets. We do sell out pretty quickly, so please get there. And we want all our fans there. And if you're not following us on social media, you're not going to get all the latest announcement. And our handles are in the show notes. But let me tell you something. It's going to be good. We're going to have so many amazing secret guests. Speaker 7 (2:48) I got to give it to you, Kara. You give good event. You're very good at this. Is Speaker 8 (2:52) there anyone you absolutely want in any of these cities? Sydney Sweeney. Speaker 7 (2:56) Sydney Sweeney. Speaker 8 (2:57) I can try. I know her boyfriend. Actually, as a Speaker 7 (3:01) palate cleanser, what do you think of all this controversy? Oh, you know, Speaker 8 (3:05) I don't care. Like, it's Speaker 1 (3:07) stupid. I don't think it's a good ad, okay? I just don't think it's a good ad. I think it's a stupid, prurient ad, and it's not very clever. Like, if you go back and watch the Brooke Shields ads, which were very controversial, they're very funny. The dialogue is super funny. This is just dumb. It's like boobs. Also boobs and some boobs. And I get why guys like it. What do you think? You like boobs? Speaker 7 (3:26) I think my taste is a little bit more controversial. No, Speaker 1 (3:29) all right. Speaker 7 (3:29) I'm sorry. I think it's developed. All the notion that it's ruining women's sports and the outrage, I think it's ridiculous. I think that if she were a black gay progressive, it would be my body, my choice. Sex is work. Speaker 1 (3:45) You Speaker 7 (3:45) know, girl boss. And instead, because she's a white MAGA Republican, everyone's outraged. Speaker 8 (3:52) No. I think it's Speaker 7 (3:53) a Speaker 8 (3:53) double standard. What's happening to you? Like, everyone's going away from Trump. You're moving that direction. No, I don't think so at all. Speaker 3 (3:59) I can still be a critical thinker. This is entire identity escalation bullshit politics. Speaker 8 (4:05) No, it's just a stupid ad. Like, I don't really care. I'm Speaker 3 (4:08) not talking about the ad. I'm talking about the reaction to it. Speaker 8 (4:12) Oh, I don't know. I just, you know, I think if you're a woman in sports, you have made a lot of strides. And it's irritating. Is it irritating when Speaker 3 (4:22) Sports Illustrated does an entire episode on their bodies? Is it irritating when U.S. Open men take off their shirts to increase their clout? Speaker 8 (4:29) No, it's not the same thing. You know it's not. And by the way, go look at the pictures in, I knew you'd do this, but you go look at the pictures of Sports Illustrated. I never loved the swimsuit issue. Whatever. I don't really care if people want to look at ladies in bikinis. I just thought it's just. and she's appeared in the second dumb ad. And I'm not sure what she's doing with her career. It might be Speaker 3 (4:50) a dumb ad. It's not ruining women's sports. Speaker 8 (4:53) No, no, no. But it's just like, oh my God, really? You're going to put basketballs in front of your nipples? Okay, sure. Okay, Speaker 7 (5:00) we respect female entrepreneurs. We encourage women to be entrepreneurs. We Speaker 8 (5:04) do. Speaker 7 (5:04) She's brought a ton of attention. She's going to make a shit ton of money. Speaker 8 (5:07) Yeah, but listen, I would go, if I were her, because I think she's a very talented actress, she's kind of Speaker 1 (5:13) taken a weird... left turn off what I think is a very promising actor. Excuse me, I should say actor because I like to call that. Oh, you should so Speaker 7 (5:21) not be her agent. Speaker 1 (5:23) What? You should so Speaker 7 (5:24) not be her Speaker 3 (5:25) agent. Speaker 7 (5:25) No, but Speaker 8 (5:25) I don't think she's like winning it. I don't think she's winning it the way she could. Sidney Speaker 3 (5:29) Sweeney is probably going to be soon the youngest self-made female billionaire. Speaker 8 (5:35) Are Speaker 3 (5:35) you kidding? Speaker 8 (5:37) No. Speaker 3 (5:37) How much? Okay, let's take a bet. How much is she going to make from that very offensive ad? I Speaker 8 (5:42) have no idea. It was poor Speaker 3 (5:42) judgment. Speaker 8 (5:44) I will say I think he owns a Speaker 3 (5:46) stake in the company. I Speaker 8 (5:47) get it, but so did a lot. Listen, this is I've seen this come and go actors. owning things. I'm just telling you. I think she's better. I think she's got some bad advice. That's my feeling. Speaker 3 (5:58) So you think she should have done a dramatic reading for some kale oatmeal company? No, no, Mr. Speaker 8 (6:02) Anti-Woke, which I don't know what's happened to Speaker 3 (6:04) you Speaker 8 (6:04) lately. I'm Speaker 3 (6:04) not Speaker 8 (6:04) anti-woke. Yeah, you are. You always go, oh, virtue signal. You anti-woke signal all the time. Anti-woke signal. AWS. That's what you are, AWS. I think it's just, look, I would say someone she was on a show with, Zendaya, is sort of handling her career. really interestingly. And it's not because she never utters a word about politics, by the way. I've never really heard her say anything. But I think she's sort of, I think if Sidney Sweeney went in that direction a little more and focused on what a good actor she is, I get that she has nice boobs. I think they have different Speaker 7 (6:39) assets. Speaker 8 (6:40) I guess. I think she's actually talented. I think so, Speaker 7 (6:44) too. Speaker 8 (6:44) I loved her in White Lotus. I just think you can't stop looking at her boobs, right? That's the whole... thing. It's the whole... Speaker 7 (6:50) And? Speaker 8 (6:51) And Speaker 7 (6:51) why shouldn't she like men who leverage... Speaker 3 (6:54) Anyways. Speaker 8 (6:56) I Speaker 3 (6:56) don't Speaker 8 (6:57) care. I Speaker 3 (6:58) don't Speaker 8 (6:58) honestly care. I think she looks stupid, but whatever. She wants to look stupid. It's the second stupid ad, so I'm questioning her judgment. You didn't like Speaker 7 (7:06) the jeans one either. Speaker 8 (7:07) I was dumb. It was so like loaded and oh, let's make controversy. Sold Speaker 7 (7:10) a Speaker 8 (7:10) ton of Speaker 7 (7:11) merchandise, made the company a ton of money. It Speaker 8 (7:13) didn't. It didn't. American Eagle? It was not a win. That was not a win. Not among the young Speaker 7 (7:19) folk. You're signing up to the narrative and ignoring the data. Speaker 8 (7:22) Yeah, I'm not ignoring the data. I think she's going to have a less good career. We will see in five years who's the bigger star, okay? Again, this is the man who said Taylor Swift was a passing phase or something like that. She kills it. Speaker 3 (7:38) Don't put words in my mouth. I never said Taylor Swift was a passing phase. Yeah, but you're always running her down. Speaker 8 (7:42) You are always running her down. Speaker 3 (7:43) I'm not. Speaker 8 (7:43) Stop it. You were. Speaker 3 (7:45) I don't like her music. That's the crime against humanity that you have levied against me. No, Speaker 8 (7:49) it's not crime against humanity. How many Taylor Swift concerts have you Speaker 3 (7:51) been to? Speaker 8 (7:53) One big, the big one. I couldn't afford the other. Okay, so Speaker 3 (7:55) we're tied. I've been to a Taylor Swift concert as well. I think she's an inspiration. I'm glad she is drawing outside of the lines and also has incredible talent and is making millions of dollars. Good for her. Speaker 8 (8:06) Okay, all right. Karl Rove is about to vote Democrat in Texas and you're going the other direction. This is fantastic. Speaker 3 (8:12) Anyway. I'm going to Texas to campaign for Tallarico. Which one of us is going to Texas to Canvas? I Speaker 8 (8:18) know you like Baby Jesus. I know you love Baby Jesus. I know it. I know it. But let me tell you, we're kicking off. This is going to be a good tour. That's good. Speaker 3 (8:25) It's going to be a good tour. Speaker 8 (8:27) That's what I call him. Guest stars Speaker 3 (8:28) James Tallarico and Sidney Sweeney doing a dramatic reading of Shakespeare's. Oh, God. Speaker 8 (8:34) Take me to the show. I met him in Texas. You kindly, I think, introduced me to the PR person. And he didn't like me calling him Baby Jesus. And I said, well, would you like me Speaker 3 (8:45) to? Yeah, that's a Speaker 8 (8:45) little Speaker 3 (8:46) for a pastor or whatever. I know, Speaker 8 (8:48) but he's so adorable. He's so offensive. Oh, you call people things all Speaker 3 (8:51) the time. Speaker 8 (8:51) You've Speaker 3 (8:51) gone Speaker 8 (8:51) so red-pilled. I call him Baby Jesus, and then he says, oh, that's not a good nickname. And he knows all our nicknames. Just call him Speaker 3 (8:59) BJ for short. That's Speaker 8 (9:00) what I said. I said, I'll call you BJ. He goes, stick with Baby Jesus. Speaker 3 (9:05) There you go. He's so Speaker 8 (9:07) adorable. Speaker 3 (9:08) That's an ad with Ted Cruz. Speaker 8 (9:09) That's not baby. He looks like Satan now with his weird beard. He Speaker 7 (9:12) looks like Count Chocula. Speaker 8 (9:13) Count Chocula, he does. Did you like, what was it? Oh, that was Quisper Quake. We had to decide when we were kids. Do Speaker 7 (9:20) you Speaker 8 (9:20) remember that? Speaker 7 (9:20) I did. I always liked the charms. Speaker 8 (9:22) Okay. I do too. That's my favorite. My kids, my young kids. Which is a highly cultural Speaker 7 (9:25) appropriation of the Irish. It is still Speaker 8 (9:27) excellent. It is still fantastic. Anyway, everybody, we have... We're bantering and arguing since we're disagreeing and you're wrong. We have got to get... Again. Once again. I am right. We've got to get going because rivalry is heating up between the U.S. and Canada this morning, as you know, our Canadian friends. But speaking of heated rivalries, get that? See, Canada heated rivalries. We are bringing in Scott's other work wife to help us break it down. Please welcome the co-host of Raging Moderates, Jessica Tarloff. Her new book is out now. It's called I Disagree, Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends. Jess, welcome. Welcome to our home. Speaker 2 (10:06) That's what this feels like. Like I got invited to the big house. The big house. Yeah. The one on top of the hill. The Speaker 8 (10:13) one on top of the hill. We were just arguing. The mean girls Speaker 7 (10:16) table at the high school cafeteria. Speaker 2 (10:18) Oh, our mom and dad having a fight. We were. He's like going Speaker 8 (10:22) on about the great attributes of Sidney Sweeney's boobs. Sidney Sweeney's Speaker 2 (10:26) chest. Yes, exactly. You would know more about... the two of you what's attractive in breasts than I do, but they do look great. They Speaker 8 (10:34) do. They're fantastic. It's a nice rack. And Kara Speaker 7 (10:36) was making the point that if she was smarter, she'd focus on her acting capabilities. I Speaker 8 (10:41) think Speaker 7 (10:41) you gotta Speaker 8 (10:41) do both. Speaker 7 (10:41) Tremendous dramatic skills. Speaker 8 (10:42) Oh, wow. Oh, she's going for the dick. She's trying to get us to disagree and be friends. And then I'll fix Speaker 2 (10:47) it. Fix it. Or Speaker 8 (10:48) I'll just Speaker 2 (10:48) leave. I'll leave you in a suit of... Yes, so Speaker 8 (10:51) you think she should do both. Show off her rack like Dolly Parton did and also be talented. Is that correct? Speaker 7 (10:58) She's both of those things. She's doing both of those things. Speaker 2 (11:00) She's having a moment across different verticals, which is how you succeed. Yeah, you see what I did there? But also, you know. There's a finite amount of time when you look like that. Oh, you can keep that going for a while. You know what? I Speaker 3 (11:16) don't even, I just love, I love a woman who leans into her aging. I think it's really, I love that confidence. You just can't Speaker 2 (11:24) wait to look at 60-year-old breasts. This is Speaker 3 (11:27) an uncomfortable conversation for me because I find that, Cara, I really don't see age when it comes to women. I don't see looks. I know. I'm going Speaker 8 (11:34) to show you my boobs in a second and then it's all going to end very quickly. Oh, Speaker 3 (11:37) Jesus Christ. Speaker 8 (11:37) They're nice, actually. Do I have to show my Speaker 2 (11:38) boobs to come on pivot? Yes, everyone has to come on Speaker 8 (11:40) pivot. Well, you Speaker 7 (11:41) know my question when I meet a feminist. I ask them if they'd still be a feminist if they had bigger tits. Speaker 8 (11:46) Oh, God. Speaker 7 (11:47) You tell this joke all the time. Is that wrong? Yes. Is that wrong? Yes, it Speaker 8 (11:51) is. Yes, we disagree. Let's Speaker 7 (11:53) light Speaker 8 (11:53) up the camera. We disagree. Welcome back, dog. Let's Speaker 7 (11:56) not Speaker 8 (11:56) remain friends. Welcome back. Let's Speaker 3 (11:57) lose Speaker 8 (11:57) Scott. That's right. We should lose Scott. And have Speaker 3 (12:00) a Speaker 8 (12:01) new show. I'm thinking of dumping him for Caitlin Collins. According to the comments, it's happening. I know. Listen, I want to talk about your book. Let's focus on Jess. Focus on Jess. She's here. I just had her on the show for an hour to talk about the book. We're going to get into some actual practical aspects of your book, which is about disagreeing. And you have to, like, endure Jesse Waters. So I feel for you, honey, kind of thing. So let's get into it. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, this is a good example, addressed the EU Parliament a little while ago saying Europe and Canada are stronger together. The speech comes a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that Canada become EU's first associate member. I'm not sure if it's like a junior member or whatever. Let's listen to Carney explain his. vision of this partnership. Speaker 6 (12:46) We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so no one, no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law. Speaker 8 (13:08) He was clear about what this alliance is not about. Let's listen. Speaker 6 (13:13) I also want to be precise about what I am not proposing. Speaker 6 (13:20) I'm not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival only with better manners. Speaker 8 (13:28) OK, Trump is not happy about this. Even before Carney's speech, he said Canada becoming an associate member of the EU could be a hostile act and he threatened to punish Europe with, you guessed it, tariffs. Jess, this is a real, like, what, any advice on Trump losing friends? Because he loses a lot of, there's a lot of friends he's lost. Some Speaker 2 (13:45) people are. Beyond Hope, which is part of the book, that you are not enforced to have friendships that you don't want to. But what Mark Carney was doing, and as I was listening to the speech this morning before I hopped on here, I was thinking, this man is parenting. Right. He's doing the same thing that we would do with any of our kids and explaining in very clear terms. We do not seek to dominate others. Do not push someone on the playground. It is like a very easy rule to teach. But what he did do, because this is an arc, right, a journey that Mark Carney has been on. And he did a lot of the things that we talked about are and I disagree. He started with the soft start originally. And he said like. We're pals. We have a lot. It's important. What is it, $800 billion in trade, second biggest partner? We want to make this work. We share this border. We share our values. Then he went to, let's talk in averages and not anecdotes. Let's get to the brass tacks of this. This isn't about my feelings. This is a win-win for everybody. And then when the toddler couldn't deal with reality, he dropped the bomb. And he said, here I am. Let me into the EU and let's figure out a bright future together. So he didn't get an advanced copy of the book, but I feel like he saw what is in it. Speaker 8 (15:07) But is he cutting off? Because you said, as you said, you don't have to remain friends with everyone. Or is he leaving an opening? I don't think you can ever cut off the U.S. I mean, that's just Speaker 2 (15:16) not feasible. And Speaker 8 (15:17) you share Trump. He can cut off Trump. Speaker 2 (15:19) Yeah. Well, he could also make a plan for the next two years and change. And then. pray that someone sane and that someone sane doesn't necessarily have to be a Democrat. I don't think if Marco Rubio was in charge that he would be going about it this way or even a J.D. Vance. So I think that he wants to send a strong message. Obviously, he has tried a lot of different ways to be able to have this conversation, to make it clear it's worth your while and keep the relationship. And. Now he's got to do what's best for Canadians and what his