The Chuck ToddCast

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, historian Heather Ann Thompson discusses her new book “Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings and the Rebirth” that revisits the 1984 Bernie Goetz subway shooting and explains why it remains a chilling precursor to the racialized fear and political rage shaping America today. Thompson walks through who Goetz was, how he shot four unarmed Black teenagers, and how—without video evidence—the media constructed a vigilante narrative that erased the victims and fueled public support for Goetz despite his own recorded confession. She situates the case in a New York City gripped by crime, austerity, and racial anxiety, arguing that fear was real but deliberately misdirected by sensationalist media, tabloid culture, and political leaders who framed young Black men as the threat while stripping away public resources.
The conversation traces how Reagan-era policies, talk radio, and the tabloidification of news helped turn crime into profitable outrage, laying the groundwork for stop-and-frisk, the Central Park Five, and ultimately the politics Donald Trump would later master. Thompson connects the Goetz case to today’s wealth inequality, media groupthink, and deep political divides over racialized violence, showing how these stories are not aberrations but part of a long continuum. The episode is a sobering examination of how fear, race, and media narratives can warp justice—and how understanding that history is essential to understanding where America is now.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Heather Ann Thompson joins the Chuck ToddCast
01:30 Bernie Goetz was an early analog for the white rage we see today
02:30 Who was Bernie Goetz & what is the history of the story?
03:00 NYC felt like a city in crisis during the 80’s
04:00 Goetz shoots four unarmed black teenagers
05:00 There was no footage of the shooting & media shaped the event
06:00 Goetz was celebrated by white New Yorkers as a vigilante
06:45 Goetz gave lengthy video confession & still acquitted on most chargers
08:00 The victims have been completely written out of the story
09:00 Victims were denied compensation by the city’s crime victim fund
10:00 The shooting destroyed the victim’s lives even though they survived
11:45 New York felt like a city on the brink in the 1980’s
12:30 New Yorkers were living in fear of many parts of the city due to crime
13:45 Media clearly made the “threat” young black men
14:30 By 1984, trash was piling up and areas of NYC were underpoliced
15:30 The fear was warranted, but was misdirected by Rupert Murdoch, others
17:30 The Reagan administration doubled down on austerity
18:45 Eventually NYC experienced a renaissance, the “Guiliani miracle”
19:45 Austerity was sold on the idea of the “underserving” & criminal underbelly
20:45 Stop & frisk and other policies pushed underclass further away from Manhattan
21:30 Trump was a beneficiary of these politics & rode them to the White House
22:15 Trump is a creature of the 80’s since that era was best for him
23:30 Trump understood the power of television, fear & race baiting
24:15 Trump sells what the Reagan revolution sold, targeted working class whites
25:00 Impact of the Goetz story on the Central Park 5 story
26:30 The tabloidification of the national media was born out of 80’s NYC
27:30 Talk radio was central in turning crime into high rating media content
28:15 Subway shootings were rare, but everyone feared them
29:30 Reagan’s policies stripped away resources that led to working class crises
30:15 Reagan gutted multiple public programs
31:15 Under Reagan, the tax burden was shifted away from the wealthy
32:00 Similarities between the early 1900’s and early 2000’s
33:15 America is in a wealth inequality crisis & target of misinformation campaign
34:30 Media groupthink was a contributing factor to Bernie Goetz’s acquittal
35:15 Goetz case peeled back the veneer hiding overt racism
36:15 Media sands the edges of stories to avoid controversy over coverage
37:00 Sensationalist, conservative media has become very successful
38:30 Alternative press covered the Goetz story much differently
39:15 Bronx jury awarded one of the victims $43 million
40:00 Goetz shooting was an unhinged story, but shows how we got here
42:00 There are political dividing lines over racialized shootings
43:15 Society meant to aspire to wealth, but live with suspicion & fear on streets
44:00 What’s the thread between the urban stories that you’ve told?
45:00 There was a massive cover up at Attica
45:45 If it wasn’t Goetz, it would have been another similar incident
47:00 How long after an event do you think is the sweet spot for telling story?
49:15 As a society, we don’t have patience for context
49:45 Checking personal bias when reporting a historical event
52:30 What Heather is working on next
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down the mounting political fallout from a string of fatal and controversial shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, including the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti—an incident that has sparked protests, outrage, and deep questions about federal law-enforcement use of force. Bystander video and independent analysis have sharply contradicted official claims that Pretti posed a threat, amplifying criticism from local officials and national figures alike while the Trump administration has scrambled to contain the damage by removing the Border Patrol commander and sending veteran immigration official Tom Homan to Minneapolis to calm tensions.
As Republicans in Congress publicly wrestle with how to respond—and some distance themselves from the administration’s actions—Chuck explores how Trump’s repeated emphasis on which voters supported him personally, rather than addressing the substance of the crisis, is complicating the situation politically. With Minneapolis emerging as a political disaster for Trump, the episode also looks at how Trump’s handling of Kristi Noem and broader GOP infighting could create openings for Democrats, especially as concern grows over civil liberties, federal overreach, and the credibility of government narratives in the face of widespread skepticism and media scrutiny.
Then, historian Heather Ann Thompson discusses her new book “Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings and the Rebirth” that revisits the 1984 Bernie Goetz subway shooting and explains why it remains a chilling precursor to the racialized fear and political rage shaping America today. Thompson walks through who Goetz was, how he shot four unarmed Black teenagers, and how—without video evidence—the media constructed a vigilante narrative that erased the victims and fueled public support for Goetz despite his own recorded confession. She situates the case in a New York City gripped by crime, austerity, and racial anxiety, arguing that fear was real but deliberately misdirected by sensationalist media, tabloid culture, and political leaders who framed young Black men as the threat while stripping away public resources.
The conversation traces how Reagan-era policies, talk radio, and the tabloidification of news helped turn crime into profitable outrage, laying the groundwork for stop-and-frisk, the Central Park Five, and ultimately the politics Donald Trump would later master. Thompson connects the Goetz case to today’s wealth inequality, media groupthink, and deep political divides over racialized violence, showing how these stories are not aberrations but part of a long continuum. The episode is a sobering examination of how fear, race, and media narratives can warp justice—and how understanding that history is essential to understanding where America is now.
Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip in 2026, weighs in on the massive looming cuts to the staff at the Washington Post and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:00 Trump attends Iowa event with “affordability message”
01:45 Trump begins to try to walk back from chaos in Minneapolis
02:30 Greg Bovino removed from border patrol role in Minneapolis
03:15 Trump keeps highlighting that Renee Good’s parents voted for him
04:15 Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to try & calm things down
05:30 Republicans in congress speak out after killing of Alex Pretti
06:30 Trump signals support for Kristi Noem, but could change his mind
07:30 Resentment from Senate R’s over some cabinet secretaries
09:15 Political infighting could become contagious but Trump will back Miller
11:00 Trump is playing political cleanup, but not firing Noem is a mistake
13:00 Not firing Noem would be a political gift for Democrats
14:00 Trump’s trade policy is creating trade deals for other countries, not us
14:45 Minneapolis creates permission slip for Republicans to distance themselves
15:15 Trump’s stop in Iowa was supposed to be a pivot
16:15 Consumer confidence shows the public behaving like it’s a recession
17:00 Consumer confidence lowest since 2014, worse than during pandemic
18:00 Public doubts the job market & job security
20:00 Trump claims inflation is over, that’s not what the public is feeling
21:15 Iowa ranks 50th in nation for economic growth, worst since the 80’s
22:00 Tariffs have devastated Iowa farmers
23:30 If Iowa goes blue, Democrats will win the house and senate
24:15 Trump’s policies have hurt Iowa more than other states
25:00 Trump’s economic message isn’t resonating
26:00 Trump really messed up his gun politics
27:30 Trump will throw anybody under the bus to protect himself
37:00 Heather Ann Thompson joins the Chuck ToddCast
38:30 Bernie Goetz was an early analog for the white rage we see today
39:30 Who was Bernie Goetz & what is the history of the story?
40:00 NYC felt like a city in crisis during the 80’s
41:00 Goetz shoots four unarmed black teenagers
42:00 There was no footage of the shooting & media shaped the event
43:00 Goetz was celebrated by white New Yorkers as a vigilante
43:45 Goetz gave lengthy video confession & still acquitted on most chargers
45:00 The victims have been completely written out of the story
46:00 Victims were denied compensation by the city’s crime victim fund
47:00 The shooting destroyed the victim’s lives even though they survived
48:45 New York felt like a city on the brink in the 1980’s
49:30 New Yorkers were living in fear of many parts of the city due to crime
50:45 Media clearly made the “threat” young black men
51:30 By 1984, trash was piling up and areas of NYC were underpoliced
52:30 The fear was warranted, but was misdirected by Rupert Murdoch, others
54:30 The Reagan administration doubled down on austerity
55:45 Eventually NYC experienced a renaissance, the “Guiliani miracle”
56:45 Austerity was sold on the idea of the “underserving” & criminal underbelly
57:45 Stop & frisk and other policies pushed underclass further away from Manhattan
58:30 Trump was a beneficiary of these politics & rode them to the White House
59:15 Trump is a creature of the 80’s since that era was best for him
1:00:30 Trump understood the power of television, fear & race baiting
1:01:15 Trump sells what the Reagan revolution sold, targeted working class whites
1:02:00 Impact of the Goetz story on the Central Park 5 story
1:03:30 The tabloidification of the national media was born out of 80’s NYC
1:04:30 Talk radio was central in turning crime into high rating media content
1:05:15 Subway shootings were rare, but everyone feared them
1:06:30 Reagan’s policies stripped away resources that led to working class crises
1:07:15 Reagan gutted multiple public programs
1:08:15 Under Reagan, the tax burden was shifted away from the wealthy
1:09:00 Similarities between the early 1900’s and early 2000’s
1:10:15 America is in a wealth inequality crisis & target of misinformation campaign
1:11:30 Media groupthink was a contributing factor to Bernie Goetz’s acquittal
1:12:15 Goetz case peeled back the veneer hiding overt racism
1:13:15 Media sands the edges of stories to avoid controversy over coverage
1:14:00 Sensationalist, conservative media has become very successful
1:15:30 Alternative press covered the Goetz story much differently
1:16:15 Bronx jury awarded one of the victims $43 million
1:17:00 Goetz shooting was an unhinged story, but shows how we got here
1:19:00 There are political dividing lines over racialized shootings
1:20:15 Society meant to aspire to wealth, but live with suspicion & fear on streets
1:21:00 What’s the thread between the urban stories that you’ve told?
1:22:00 There was a massive cover up at Attica
1:22:45 If it wasn’t Goetz, it would have been another similar incident
1:24:00 How long after an event do you think is the sweet spot for telling story?
1:26:15 As a society, we don’t have patience for context
1:26:45 Checking personal bias when reporting a historical event
1:29:30 What Heather is working on next
1:34:30 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Heather Ann Thompson
1:35:15 ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip
1:36:30 #1 Kansas
1:38:15 #2 Iowa
1:40:30 #3 Michigan
1:42:45 #4 Arizona #5 Nevada
1:45:00 The Washington Post announces major cuts to staff
1:45:45 Hard to understand what Bezos’s vision is for the Post
1:47:30 How can you be a local paper & not cover the community?
1:48:45 Post is losing $100m/year but Bezos’s burns tons of cash
1:49:15 Amazon set $75 million on fire for the Melania documentary
1:51:00 If Bezos wanted the Post to succeed he could have invested in it
1:53:15 Bezos should sell the Post rather than gutting it
1:55:15 The Post editorial page has been diminished under Bezos
1:57:00 Hopefully Bezos changes course
1:58:00 Ask Chuck
1:58:15 How long will this dark period of American history last?
2:04:30 At what point does a blatant lie from a politician qualify as fraud?
2:07:00 Chance that an Ossoff win could catapult him to nomination?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down the mounting political fallout from a string of fatal and controversial shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, including the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti—an incident that has sparked protests, outrage, and deep questions about federal law-enforcement use of force. Bystander video and independent analysis have sharply contradicted official claims that Pretti posed a threat, amplifying criticism from local officials and national figures alike while the Trump administration has scrambled to contain the damage by removing the Border Patrol commander and sending veteran immigration official Tom Homan to Minneapolis to calm tensions.
As Republicans in Congress publicly wrestle with how to respond—and some distance themselves from the administration’s actions—Chuck explores how Trump’s repeated emphasis on which voters supported him personally, rather than addressing the substance of the crisis, is complicating the situation politically. With Minneapolis emerging as a political disaster for Trump, the episode also looks at how Trump’s handling of Kristi Noem and broader GOP infighting could create openings for Democrats, especially as concern grows over civil liberties, federal overreach, and the credibility of government narratives in the face of widespread skepticism and media scrutiny.
Finally, Chuck updates his ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip in 2026, weighs in on the massive looming cuts to the staff at the Washington Post and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:00 Trump attends Iowa event with “affordability message”
01:45 Trump begins to try to walk back from chaos in Minneapolis
02:30 Greg Bovino removed from border patrol role in Minneapolis
03:15 Trump keeps highlighting that Renee Good’s parents voted for him
04:15 Trump sent Tom Homan to Minneapolis to try & calm things down
05:30 Republicans in congress speak out after killing of Alex Pretti
06:30 Trump signals support for Kristi Noem, but could change his mind
07:30 Resentment from Senate R’s over some cabinet secretaries
09:15 Political infighting could become contagious but Trump will back Miller
11:00 Trump is playing political cleanup, but not firing Noem is a mistake
13:00 Not firing Noem would be a political gift for Democrats
14:00 Trump’s trade policy is creating trade deals for other countries, not us
14:45 Minneapolis creates permission slip for Republicans to distance themselves
15:15 Trump’s stop in Iowa was supposed to be a pivot
16:15 Consumer confidence shows the public behaving like it’s a recession
17:00 Consumer confidence lowest since 2014, worse than during pandemic
18:00 Public doubts the job market & job security
20:00 Trump claims inflation is over, that’s not what the public is feeling
21:15 Iowa ranks 50th in nation for economic growth, worst since the 80’s
22:00 Tariffs have devastated Iowa farmers
23:30 If Iowa goes blue, Democrats will win the house and senate
24:15 Trump’s policies have hurt Iowa more than other states
25:00 Trump’s economic message isn’t resonating
26:00 Trump really messed up his gun politics
27:30 Trump will throw anybody under the bus to protect himself
34:45 ToddCast Top 5 governor’s seats most likely to flip
36:00 #1 Kansas
37:45 #2 Iowa
40:00 #3 Michigan
42:15 #4 Arizona #5 Nevada
44:30 The Washington Post announces major cuts to staff
45:15 Hard to understand what Bezos’s vision is for the Post
47:00 How can you be a local paper & not cover the community?
48:15 Post is losing $100m/year but Bezos’s burns tons of cash
48:45 Amazon set $75 million on fire for the Melania documentary
50:30 If Bezos wanted the Post to succeed he could have invested in it
52:45 Bezos should sell the Post rather than gutting it
54:45 The Post editorial page has been diminished under Bezos
56:30 Hopefully Bezos changes course
57:30 Ask Chuck
57:45 How long will this dark period of American history last?
1:04:00 At what point does a blatant lie from a politician qualify as fraud?
1:06:30 Chance that an Ossoff win could catapult him to nomination?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this urgent and unsettling episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck argues that America is in the midst of a historic “Great Unraveling,” marked by the collapse of trust, consent, and the basic social contract that has held the country together for generations. He examines a chilling series of events in Minneapolis—two fatal shootings by federal agents in three weeks, including the killing of Alex Pretti, who was legally carrying a firearm—raising profound questions about accountability, constitutional rights, and whether the federal government can still be trusted to tell the truth when video evidence directly contradicts official accounts. As administration officials stumble through indefensible explanations, Chuck connects the domestic breakdown to a broader global rupture: allies like Canada openly describing relations with the U.S. as “ruptured,” the post–World War II rules-based order splintering, science and public health consensus eroding, and political power being wielded through favoritism and fear. The episode paints a stark picture of a country growing weaker, more isolated, and more vulnerable—not because of fate, but because unraveling is a process, and it’s happening in real time.
Finally, Chuck weighs in on the political disaster that is unfolding for Republicans, hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to draw parallels between modern America and Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland in the 70’s and answers listeners’ question in the “Ask Chuck” segment.
Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.
Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life!
Timeline:
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)
00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction
01:45 America is going through a “Great Unraveling”
03:30 January 2026 has been a horrendous month in American history
04:30 We’re watching the collapse of consent
05:00 Federal agents involved in 2 fatal shootings in 3 week in Minneapolis
05:45 Alex Pretti was shot 10 times, this was an assassination
06:15 No consequences for agent that shot Renee Good sent a message
07:00 The federal government won’t uphold the law or constitutional rights
08:15 Administration officials make fools of themselves defending this
09:00 Alex Pretti was legally carrying his firearm
09:30 January 6th protestors were also armed
10:30 The federal government is behaving like fascists
11:30 What remains of the social contract?
12:00 Trump’s leadership is destroying everything we knew about America
12:45 Canada’s PM Mark Carney describes relations with U.S. as “ruptured”
13:30 The rules based order in splintering
14:00 TikTok deal was purely favoritism & media alignment for Trump allies
15:00 CDC now discarding science, openly questioning the polio vaccine
15:45 Government shutdown is coming later this week
16:45 100 years of consensus is shattering
17:45 Alex Pretti was carrying, not brandishing his weapon
18:30 Alex Pretti was killed in cold blood
19:15 Thank god there was video, you can’t trust the federal government
19:45 Bystander video contradicts federal government account
20:30 Patel and Noem have no credibility outside of Trump’s base
21:30 Federal agents violated half the bill of rights in one incident
23:15 Middle powers can’t assume alignment with US gives stability
24:15 Canada’s response to Trump is seismic & entirely rational
25:15 The post WW2 order was held together by trust, & that’s been shattered
27:00 Trump’s appointees are making us vulnerable to eradicated diseases
28:15 TikTok will be used by Trump allies for political alignment
29:30 Unraveling isn’t destiny… it’s process
30:15 Trump is making us weaker, more vulnerable and poorer
31:30 We’re losing our country… literally
32:15 We can’t believe anything the federal government says
36:30 Elected Republicans trying to distance from Trump’s DHS
38:00 Marjorie Taylor-Greene argues the small c conservative position
39:00 MTG uses hypothetical shooting of a MAGA by Biden’s DOJ
41:00 Trump’s defenders try to blame Trump’s advisors rather than Trump
42:00 The administration is trampling the Bill of Rights
43:00 Minneapolis is a political disaster for Trump
44:00 Conservative pundits are pitching a Minneapolis off-ramp
45:45 Greg Bovino is trying invoke violence in the way he dresses
47:00 Trump’s coalition is breaking apart
48:45 ToddCast Time Machine
49:30 January 30th, 1972 — Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland
50:45 British army turned into an occupying force
51:30 Unarmed civilians were shot by soldiers
52:00 Bloody Sunday ended the belief that the government could be neutral
53:00 When the state lies about violence, radicalism ensues
54:30 U2’s anthem about Bloody Sunday is expression of moral fatigue
55:30 Trump is the only person that can de-escalate and he refuses to
57:00 States tell themselves they are restoring order, consequences are permanent
57:45 Trust collapsed in Northern Island & happening now in Minneapolis
58:45 Ask Chuck
59:15 Agents involved in shootings weren’t new recruits?
1:05:00 How naive were we to think “it can’t happen here” How do we navigate it?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Documentary filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough joins the Chuck ToddCast for a provocative, darkly funny, and unsettling conversation about AI, power, and the people building the future faster than anyone can regulate it. Lough unpacks the thinking behind his documentary Deepfaking Sam Altman, exploring why artificial intelligence inspires both awe and terror, how tech elites quietly prepare for social backlash, and why many of the skills we once told young people to master—like coding—may soon be obsolete. From Silicon Valley’s obsession with immortality and bunker-building to the fear that any job done on a computer could disappear within a few years, the discussion confronts what happens when innovation outruns accountability.
The episode also dives deep into Sam Altman’s mystique, Silicon Valley’s moral blind spots, and how fear—of China, regulation, or losing dominance—is used to shape public debate around AI. Lough explains how deepfakes are made, why AI-driven scams are about to explode, and what lawmakers fundamentally misunderstand about regulating rapidly evolving technology. Ultimately, this conversation argues that the antidote to AI anxiety isn’t panic or denial—but transparency, literacy, and a serious public reckoning with who controls the tools reshaping human society.
Timeline:
00:00 Adam Bhala Lough joins the Chuck ToddCast
02:30 Tech titans know the pitchforks are coming & are building bunkers
03:15 Did you create “Deepfaking Sam Altman” assuming the worst about AI?
05:00 The phrase Artificial Intelligence is great branding, but creates fear
06:15 How did you find funding for the documentary?
06:45 AI was one of the reasons the writer’s guild was protesting
07:30 Kids who grew up learning to code won’t have a job due to AI
08:15 Coding is now a useless skill when it was THE skill to have 10 years ago
10:15 Any job done on a computer could be gone within 3 years
10:45 Teaching critical thinking skills when a machine can do it for you?
13:00 Humans won’t be ok with robots replacing, but may not have a choice
13:30 If AI destroys humanity, it wouldn’t be deliberate
14:15 There’s a theory that AI would keep us around & find a use for us
15:00 Sam Altman has a giant collection of guns & weapons, like a prepper
15:45 Wealth creates a “prepper” mentality
17:00 There’s an obsession Silicon Valley with living forever
17:45 Was trying to interview Sam Altman always the premise of the doc?
18:45 Thought getting an interview with Sam Altman would be easy
19:15 Still haven’t heard from Altman in light of the documentary
20:45 What made you so threatening that Altman avoided you?
22:30 Other tech companies were more open to talking than OpenAI
23:15 Altman uses AI to read and summarize his emails, he doesn’t read them
24:00 Tech CEO’s tend to be antisocial, created platforms to compensate?
24:45 Many created products the world didn’t need just to get rich
26:00 Social media causes problems, but also have positives like Arab Spring
26:45 Totalitarian regimes found a way to weaponize social media
27:45 Chinese documentarian used AI to avoid government crackdown
29:15 Altman uses fear of China’s use of AI to avoid regulation & get investment
30:15 Sam Altman is a Marvel level super villain
30:45 Elon Musk is even more of a villain than Altman
31:15 Altman doesn’t have a personality, Elon has a crazy one
32:00 Google’s Gemini has caught up and surpassed ChatGPT
32:45 Altman could be a flash in the pan, or the next Steve Jobs
34:30 Steve Jobs and Sam Altman share a similar drive
35:45 Apple wouldn’t have been as successful under Wozniak, he’s too nice
37:00 You don’t have to be an asshole to be a successful tech CEO
38:30 Political leaders have given business leaders permission to be awful
39:00 What do you want people to take away from the documentary?
39:45 The best way to cure AI anxiety is to create a conversation about it
40:45 Concerned about legal exposure from the documentary?
41:15 The documentary shows how the deepfake was made
42:30 AI image & video generators should be forced to include a logo
43:15 What should politicians understand about AI regulation?
44:30 AI slop is getting harder than ever to identify as fake
46:15 AI will be an incredible tool for scamming people
47:00 People should have a safeword to avoid deepfake scams
49:15 AI will be very useful in creating archival footage
51:00 AI gets dystopian when you put it into weapons
52:30 What topics are you interested in covering next?
55:00 Terms & conditions that force arbitration is very coercive
57:15 Deepfaking Sam Altman took 18 months to create
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.