Andrew Marantz

But what it wouldn't do is have the authentic feeling of an organic, trusted, authentic, weird voice, right? So you were saying before people who've known parasocially someone like Theo Vaughn or Joe Rogan for years, they have a kind of trust in them. And a lot of what that trust comes from is not just –

But what it wouldn't do is have the authentic feeling of an organic, trusted, authentic, weird voice, right? So you were saying before people who've known parasocially someone like Theo Vaughn or Joe Rogan for years, they have a kind of trust in them. And a lot of what that trust comes from is not just –

putting in the parasocial hours, although that's important, but also, frankly, how weird and idiosyncratic these people's interests are. You can't grow Joe Rogan of the right in a lab because Joe Rogan wasn't the Joe Rogan of the right until a few months ago. In 2020, Joe Rogan was the Joe Rogan of the left. He supported Bernie Sanders for president. And then between 2020 and 2024, he was lost.

putting in the parasocial hours, although that's important, but also, frankly, how weird and idiosyncratic these people's interests are. You can't grow Joe Rogan of the right in a lab because Joe Rogan wasn't the Joe Rogan of the right until a few months ago. In 2020, Joe Rogan was the Joe Rogan of the left. He supported Bernie Sanders for president. And then between 2020 and 2024, he was lost.

putting in the parasocial hours, although that's important, but also, frankly, how weird and idiosyncratic these people's interests are. You can't grow Joe Rogan of the right in a lab because Joe Rogan wasn't the Joe Rogan of the right until a few months ago. In 2020, Joe Rogan was the Joe Rogan of the left. He supported Bernie Sanders for president. And then between 2020 and 2024, he was lost.

But the point I'm making with that is if you had decided to astroturf your way to Joe Rogan, you wouldn't have been looking in the right place because you wouldn't have been funding Joe Rogan. So a lot of where the trust and authenticity comes from is... You know, this is someone whose interests I actually just vibe with at a totally apolitical level.

But the point I'm making with that is if you had decided to astroturf your way to Joe Rogan, you wouldn't have been looking in the right place because you wouldn't have been funding Joe Rogan. So a lot of where the trust and authenticity comes from is... You know, this is someone whose interests I actually just vibe with at a totally apolitical level.

But the point I'm making with that is if you had decided to astroturf your way to Joe Rogan, you wouldn't have been looking in the right place because you wouldn't have been funding Joe Rogan. So a lot of where the trust and authenticity comes from is... You know, this is someone whose interests I actually just vibe with at a totally apolitical level.

And then when they start talking about politics, maybe I'll take some advice from them. That's a very hard thing to kind of recreate from the top down.

And then when they start talking about politics, maybe I'll take some advice from them. That's a very hard thing to kind of recreate from the top down.

And then when they start talking about politics, maybe I'll take some advice from them. That's a very hard thing to kind of recreate from the top down.

The way Hassan Piker put it to me is, yeah, Trump lies constantly, but at least people get the sense that he's saying what he really thinks. So it's kind of a tricky double-edged sword because I think a lot of his supporters don't even necessarily believe that he's being truthful, but they believe that he's authentically speaking his mind.

The way Hassan Piker put it to me is, yeah, Trump lies constantly, but at least people get the sense that he's saying what he really thinks. So it's kind of a tricky double-edged sword because I think a lot of his supporters don't even necessarily believe that he's being truthful, but they believe that he's authentically speaking his mind.

The way Hassan Piker put it to me is, yeah, Trump lies constantly, but at least people get the sense that he's saying what he really thinks. So it's kind of a tricky double-edged sword because I think a lot of his supporters don't even necessarily believe that he's being truthful, but they believe that he's authentically speaking his mind.

And actually in his flagrant interview with Andrew Schultz, who I also spoke to for this piece, When Trump was interviewed on that podcast, he at one point said, you know, I'm basically a truthful person. And the host, Andrew Schultz, laughed in his face and was like, what does that mean, a basically truthful person? But I think there is ironically some truth to it.

And actually in his flagrant interview with Andrew Schultz, who I also spoke to for this piece, When Trump was interviewed on that podcast, he at one point said, you know, I'm basically a truthful person. And the host, Andrew Schultz, laughed in his face and was like, what does that mean, a basically truthful person? But I think there is ironically some truth to it.

And actually in his flagrant interview with Andrew Schultz, who I also spoke to for this piece, When Trump was interviewed on that podcast, he at one point said, you know, I'm basically a truthful person. And the host, Andrew Schultz, laughed in his face and was like, what does that mean, a basically truthful person? But I think there is ironically some truth to it.

I think Trump does constantly say things that are demonstrably false, but he gives the sense that what's happening on the inside of his brain is coming out of his mouth. And I think if the rubric you're using is are you calculated or are you just free, you it's very hard to beat Donald Trump at that game.

I think Trump does constantly say things that are demonstrably false, but he gives the sense that what's happening on the inside of his brain is coming out of his mouth. And I think if the rubric you're using is are you calculated or are you just free, you it's very hard to beat Donald Trump at that game.

I think Trump does constantly say things that are demonstrably false, but he gives the sense that what's happening on the inside of his brain is coming out of his mouth. And I think if the rubric you're using is are you calculated or are you just free, you it's very hard to beat Donald Trump at that game.