The Re-engineered You

Celebrities online are doing less and less entertaining, and more and more product peddling and brand management. How much is this hurting public trust?

Celebrities today are hyper-endorsed: like NASCAR cars plastered in brands and labels that they don’t represent, and they don’t understand. In this episode we uncover the tangled world of celebrity endorsements, with a spotlight on Shaquille O'Neal's controversial involvement with FTX and cryptocurrency just before the big crypto bust. As we delve into Shaq's story we're forced to question the ethical boundaries of celebrity influence. What does it say about our society when our idols endorse products they barely understand? And why is Shaq hiding in his mansion from the authorities, like the world’s biggest hide-and-seek player?

We also navigate the treacherous waters of celebrity marketing, shedding light on how such endorsements shape consumer perceptions and market dynamics. We’ll take a look at the Federal Trade Commission's role in regulating sponsored content, and ask if the FTC is doing enough to regulate celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and her snake oil line of products. And we’ll examine the science-backed correlation between the square footage of a celebrity’s mansion, and how disconnected and pompous that celebrity behaves.

Finally, we’ll take a look at the broader implications of celebrity branding in our digital age. Are celebrities inadvertently turning themselves into walking advertisements, blurring the lines between opinion and commercial gain? How much influence do they actually hold in shaping our personalities, or our children? And if celebrities are effectively becoming brand managers with stunningly good looks…can we trust them to tell us who to vote for, or which political policies to endorse?

History Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSu76VUIkEg&ab_channel=TheMoneyChannel2

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahemerson/2023/03/10/shaq-may-be-hiding-in-his-house-to-avoid-ftx-lawsuit/?sh=3497318e7209

https://fortune.com/2023/05/17/crypto-lawsuits-shaq-celebrity-endorsers-ftx/

https://www.cracked.com/article_35322_a-complete-history-of-goop-being-awful.html

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/04/fx-feud-finale

https://www.campaignlive.com/article/history-advertising-no-170-joan-crawfords-pepsi-sign/1392770

Science Links:

https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-pspi0000187.pdf

https://hbr.org/2019/05/when-scandal-engulfs-a-celebrity-endorser

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1948550616641472

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-you-and-me/202203/the-role-familiarity-in-attraction

https://hbr.org/2019/05/when-scandal-engulfs-a-celebrity-endorser

https://www.forbes.com/sites/genedelvecchio/2020/06/25/dear-celebrities-research-shows-that-your-political-opinions-hurt-your-cause-more-than-help-it/

What are people attracted to? What is ‘chemistry’ in attraction? Is it pheremonse? Is it fate? Is it magic? We’ll also cover studies that explore whether attractive people are naturally meaner than the rest of us. Or if sitting next to an attractive person on the bus, without any provocation, can make you stressed. Lastly, we’ll share the one behavior for both men and women that can increase your attractiveness...if you practice it regularly.

History Links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/fashion/27linda.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Pugach

Science Links:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/science-of-attraction-_n_6661522

https://www.insider.com/why-are-we-attracted-to-certain-people-2018-11#its-possible-that-opposites-dont-attract-6

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-games/201210/why-are-mean-people-so-good-looking

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/04/how-attractive-people-affect-your-brain/586870/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/humor-sapiens/201106/are-women-more-attracted-men-who-court-them-humor

Career-wise, it pays to play it safe. Which could explain why we’re socially primed to hold each other back, especially when we think someone “isn’t ready”...

Today we delve into the remarkable journey of Lady Gaga, born Stephanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta, who went from high school outcast to global icon. Gaga claims she faced relentless bullying for her unconventional style and love for older music, and she carried these scars well into her mega-millions career. Which begs a critical question: as a society if we love underdog stories so much, why are we naturally primed to hold each other back? Was Lady Gaga's path a blend of inherent genius and strategic defiance, or did she really have to fight her way every step?

We’ll also dissect the elements of her resilience, and talk about her exceptional IQ, creativity, and unwavering dedication to her art. We’ll look at studies that reveal our natural preference for eccentric artists, even when their eccentricity is a marketing stunt. Moreover, we’ll look at a robust Gallup poll that compares talent vs tenure, and try reason out why companies are more likely to promote boring, wallpaper-safe drones who have put in their years, rather than climbers who are genuinely trying to up-skill themselves.

Finally, we touch upon the broader implications of ladder climbers within our social fabric. Does being a victim of bullying inevitably lead to greatness, or is it a hurdle too high for most? How does one's social class and support system play a role in shaping our destiny? And what lessons can we learn from Gaga’s journey about nurturing talent, resilience, and the courage to be different?

Links:

https://www.goalcast.com/lady-gaga-school-bullies-facebook/

https://time.com/44365/becoming-popular-can-turn-you-into-a-target-for-bullying/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.1999

https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/187871/leadership-mistake-promoting-based-tenure.aspx

Did you know that the quickest indicator of your socioeconomic class is in the way you speak? And that hiring managers will base your salary on your class? Yay classism!

Stay classy, ya’ll! Because today we’re talking about socioeconomic class. Starting with how much class will affect your earning potential throughout your lifetime (a lot) if socioeconomic class will determine where you live (it will) and if you have any control over how people perceive your class (you do!)

As an added bonus, we’ll play a game of “classy or just rich?” to see if we, as Americans, can tell the difference between class and money. And we’ll get into the subtle facial and speech clues that broadcast to others whether you’re Gucci or Wal-Mart.

Lastly, we’ll talk about Anna Delvey. AKA Anna Sorokin. The daughter of a Russian trucker who almost fooled a network of high-class socialites into loaning her $25 million dollars for an art club. The list of people Anna conned is pretty impressive, and includes several well-known celebrities. And she did it all with a few well-placed hundred-dollar bills, and a hard-to-nail-down foreign accent.

History Links:

https://www.thecut.com/2018/05/how-anna-delvey-tricked-new-york.html

Science Links:

https://news.yale.edu/2019/10/21/yale-study-shows-class-bias-hiring-based-few-seconds-speech

https://slatestarcodex.com/2016/01/30/staying-classy/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/emigre

https://www.businessinsider.com/income-inequality-upward-mobility-map-us-2018-2

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170705133020.htm

Dolly Parton forgave Porter Wagoner for controlling her creatively, for suing her for millions, and for slandering her. But how she forgave him is perhaps the most important part.

In the first half of our episode we delve into the heart of the great country music saga. Was it Dolly's sheer kindness that allowed her to forgive Porter Wagoner? Was Dolly a ‘natural forgiver’ or ‘people-pleaser’? Or was her forgiveness more about strategic acumen - a calculated move to make herself look like a saint while Porter was dragged down by the devils of addiction and jealousy? We’ll examine the twists and turns of their relationship, and ask ourselves: how do you forgive someone you want to keep loving? Especially if forgiveness means they’re more likely to hurt you again.

Moving beyond the narrative, we’ll dissect the psychology of forgiveness in intimate relationships. Starting with how we can forgive without feeling like a doormat. How do we maintain the delicate balance between emotional healing and setting new boundaries? How the hell do we ask a spouse, or a parent, to sit down and admit the wrong they’ve done without sounding like a Dr Phil wannabe? We’ll walk through the steps of establishing real mutual recognition of the hurt that’s been done, and outline the process of apology and reconciliation. Unpacking the practical components for giving and receiving a true and honest “I’m sorry.”

We’ll also explore the tricky pitfalls of forgiveness. Does being a people pleaser make you a natural forgiver? What if you’re higher on the anxiety spectrum, are you more likely to hold vicious grudges? Is there a point where forgiveness becomes detrimental to one's self-respect? And most importantly, did Dolly ever truly forgive Porter, or was it a hollow Hollywood pardon?

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpMjtNVEEtQ&t=53s&ab_channel=FactsVerse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmDAcYhNJlo&t=580s&ab_channel=emerysmemories

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-wv2ZUqVT0&ab_channel=VintageVHSVideos

https://stmuscholars.org/i-will-always-love-you-the-dolly-parton-and-porter-wagoner-love-story/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2vpcDm368g&ab_channel=DaleCriswell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK40qogSdFI&ab_channel=ComedyCentral

Ronald Reagan nearly died from a bullet to the chest, and the shooter showed zero remorse. So why would Reagan forgive his would-be assassin immediately?

Today we delve into John Hinckley's attempt on President Ronald Reagan, unraveling a tale of pedophelic obsession, copycat violence, and unexpected forgiveness. What drove a man like Hinkley to commit such an act? More importantly, why the hell would Reagan forgive him right away, even while Hinkley seemed so pleased with himself? Todd and Joe will navigate the murky waters of Hinckley's mind, tracing his path from obsession with a young Jodie Foster to the fateful day that shocked America. Through this lens we’ll dissect the societal narratives around forgiveness. Does forgiving the unforgivable make us weak or enlightened? Does religion encourage us to forgive too soon? And why is TV and media obsessed with revenge, while forgiveness is treated like a boring afterthought?

We’ll also delve deep into the benefits and steps of real forgiveness. Exactly how healing is forgiveness for our soul? Is there a medical benefit to forgiving your enemies? Or does forgiveness make us appear weak to our peers, while grudges secretly keep us safe? We’ll discuss the implications of forgiveness through the justice system and mental health. If prison isn’t an institution for rehabilitation and forgiveness, then what is it good for?

Links:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/john-hinckley-jr-seeks-forgiveness-shooting-reagan-presidential/story?id=85925642

https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/news/20190327/why-holding-a-grudge-is-bad-for-your-health

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1981/04/02/hinckley-pursued-actress-for-months-letter-shows/b0142c0b-48f0-4bcc-ae85-a243838f4de8/

https://metrovoicenews.com/ronald-reagan-forgave-wanted-to-meet-john-hinkley/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k46rWLMXoHc&ab_channel=CBSMornings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRFBgEC_8_U&ab_channel=CNN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEK2pIiZ2I0&ab_channel=TEDxTalks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lyCTx8ydhI&ab_channel=NYCouncilonProblemGambling

https://www.amazon.com/Chatter-Voice-Head-Matters-Harness-ebook/dp/B087PL8YVQ

Love makes us do crazy things. But exactly how far should we let our crush get out of hand? Sending chocolates and flowers? Unsolicited genital pictures? Trenchcoat, wig, and duct-tape...?

The press called her the Astro-Nut, and late night talkshows made fun of her for taking diapers along on her 900-mile car trip to harass a romantic rival. But today we’re explaining why love and obsession could turn any one of us into Lisa Nowak, the NASA engineer who stalked and pepper-sprayed a rival lover...and rival astronaut. We’ll also discover what kind of man, exactly, would be a big enough catch for two of the most accomplished women in the world to go all Jerry Springer over.

To keep us from drifting toward the dark side of romance, we’ll also explore types of dangerous attractions, and what mechanisms in the human mind can kick our puppy love into high gear; right into stalker mode. We’ll also talk about an interesting study that reveals if it’s better to know how much a partner likes you, or if you should let them wonder. And we’ll look at online dating statistics to find out how often we, as humans, aim for partners out of our league. (Spoiler: It’s a lot!)

History Links:

https://www.biography.com/news/lisa-nowak-lucy-in-the-sky

https://www.bustle.com/p/wheres-lisa-nowak-in-2019-the-disgraced-former-astronaut-keeps-to-herself-18800036

https://time.com/5685017/lucy-in-the-sky-true-story-lisa-nowak

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Astronaut-won-t-face-attempted-murder-charge-1843415.php

Science Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocal_liking

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21169522/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sense-and-sensitivity/201302/the-familiarity-principle-attraction

https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/26/attracted-authority-figures-9322172/

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/8/eaap9815

Major publishers have been caught trying to pass off artificially generated art and articles as man-made. How long until they fire their creative teams entirely?

In today’s episode, Todd and Joe delve into the role of artificial intelligence in the publishing industry. Starting with the alarming case of Jane Friedman, a writer who discovered a series of fake books being sold under her name and brand. Except when she dug deeper she found the writer was an Artificial Intelligence. And the publishing platform profiting from these fakes, Amazon, had zero intent on helping her save her reputation or career.

Amazon's market is being flooded with books written by AI. Major news outlets are quietly employing artificial intelligence to write their articles. And fantasy publishers are using AI to create their cover art. Yet nobody seems willing to admit to replacing their human creative staff with robots. We question the authenticity of content produced by AI and debate whether this AI labor trend will lead to an ocean of mediocre TV shows and books, and a Marvel-ization of the entire creative industry, or if it’s just a birthing pain toward a new era of innovative creativity. How will Netflix, Hulu, and HBO look in an AI-dominated world? Can any major publisher resist the siren song of free content? Will every product review sound like it was written by someone just learning the language? And is there a possible future where writers use AI as a tool to enhance their craft, rather than being replaced by it?

Links:

https://janefriedman.com/i-would-rather-see-my-books-pirated/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boVjMb8Fcgw&ab_channel=ClownfishTV

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/tech/people-arrested-for-using-ai.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/arts/music/streaming-music-payments.html

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/aug/09/amazon-removes-books-generated-by-ai-for-sale-under-authors-name

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sports-illustrated-latest-media-company-224402249.html

Quitting should be the easiest thing in the world. So why does it take us so long to throw in the towel? And is there an obvious sign when it’s time to bail?

Quitting a job, a skill, or an academic pursuit, always feels like failure. At best there’s the relief of leaving something awful and grueling in the rear-view mirror, with the knowledge that you’ve wasted at least a little bit of time. At worst, quitting can mean leaving a wreckage of friends, finances, and investments behind you. But quitting is becoming more and more necessary as a skill, since people in the modern economy can expect to hold more jobs, and a greater variety of jobs, throughout their lifetime.

On today's episode we discuss quitting as a skill. Quitting as its own virtue, really. And quitting as an art. We’ll talk about how to gird yourself against the feelings of failure that come with quitting. How to plan ahead to make quitting take less of a toll on you. And we’ll reach back in time and talk about a man who should have quit his job long before he was fired; Lee Iacocca, the man who was so successful Ford fired him out of jealousy. We’ll also discuss the horrifying study that proves that if there’s just a tiny bit of hope, mammals will struggle to the bitter end.

History Links:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/henry-ford-ii-fires-lee-iacocca

https://www.thethings.com/why-henry-ford-ii-fired-lee-iacocca-the-full-story/

Science Links:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/kidding-ourselves/201405/the-remarkable-power-hope

https://www.fastcompany.com/3027564/scientists-debunk-the-myth-that-10000-hours-of-practice-makes-you-an-expert

https://www.amazon.com/Obstacle-Way-Timeless-Turning-Triumph/dp/1591846358

https://www.visier.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Visier-Insights-Retaining-Millennials-June-2018.pdf

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2012/11/13/robert-greene-how-to-become-the-master-of-any-skill/#6c242b5c1a23

Is all the hatred toward baby boomers justified economically and politically? Or is this another case of Millenials and Gen Z being jealous and lazy?

Baby Boomers, once considered the most prosperous and influential generation, are now facing a surge in homelessness. A situation which is being exacerbated by rising housing and rental costs. So who’s to blame? Young people for not holding up the economy? Older people for not using their overwhelming political force to craft a better system? Or should the fault be laid at the feet of other boomers on capitol hill, quietly undercutting retirement funds…?

Throughout the episode Joe and Todd will hold court. We’ll call into session ‘The People v The Boomer Generation’. First by reading the prosecution’s arguments against Boomers, which include scathing jokes by George Carlin and SNL, the opinions of an economic policy maker Lord David Willett, and one of Clinton’s advisors, who argues that Boomers are the first generation to consume more than they’ve built. Then we’ll hear from the New York Post and Newsweek columnists battling the tide of Boomer hate…by complaining about the lazy Millennials serving their coffee.

Finally, we’ll cut through all the hatred and bluster, and examine the complexities of generational dynamics. Emphasizing the need for understanding and empathy across generations. Because at the end of the day we’re all equally being charged historic fees to breathe free air. It’s just that one of our age groups built the policies evicting us all…and the other age group has yet to fix it.

Links:

https://www.metatube.com/en/videos/426603/Millennial-Millions-SNL/

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/02/12/boomers-silents-still-have-most-seats-in-congress-though-number-of-millennials-gen-xers-is-up-slightly/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-08-15/cost-of-college-degree-in-u-s-soars-12-fold-chart-of-the-day#xj4y7vzkg

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/11/loan-servicers-preying-upon-students-lawmakers-look-to-change-that.html

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a1451/worst-generation-0400/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/08/us/baby-boomers-gen-z-cec/index.html

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0038026120916104

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unconscionable-baby-boomers-becoming-homeless-103000310.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/05/us/making-mark-on-politics-baby