Emily Chang

Hi, Hux.

Hi, Hux.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Thank you for being our guest. You guys, this is pretty awesome.

Thank you for being our guest. You guys, this is pretty awesome.

I'm glad to be here.

I'm glad to be here.

As you could probably tell from the episode, I'm not a wake surfer, but I tried. And Mark is pretty good. And what I did not realize is that you can do a dry start where you, if you're so good, you can just ride the board right off the boat and voila, tuxedo surfing video. And I can personally attest that I did see him do a dry start and he can, I mean, I think it's real. I think.

As you could probably tell from the episode, I'm not a wake surfer, but I tried. And Mark is pretty good. And what I did not realize is that you can do a dry start where you, if you're so good, you can just ride the board right off the boat and voila, tuxedo surfing video. And I can personally attest that I did see him do a dry start and he can, I mean, I think it's real. I think.

By the way, Priscilla's pretty awesome, too. They can both shred. Just have to say that. Because she's here tonight, too.

By the way, Priscilla's pretty awesome, too. They can both shred. Just have to say that. Because she's here tonight, too.

So right now, and A-plus, you guys, for self-reflection, we're going to revisit some of your past episodes. And we decided on some episodes that maybe were a little controversial. In the early days, you would grade every company that you covered, and you made some good calls, but also some questionable calls sometimes.

So right now, and A-plus, you guys, for self-reflection, we're going to revisit some of your past episodes. And we decided on some episodes that maybe were a little controversial. In the early days, you would grade every company that you covered, and you made some good calls, but also some questionable calls sometimes.

So I thought we would go down, do a little memory lane, and start with YouTube, which David, you gave YouTube a C in 2016.

So I thought we would go down, do a little memory lane, and start with YouTube, which David, you gave YouTube a C in 2016.

Right. And you, Ben, said it could be as bad as a C-minus. And I just, I just, I have to, I just question that a little bit.

Right. And you, Ben, said it could be as bad as a C-minus. And I just, I just, I have to, I just question that a little bit.

We were misguided. But let's just twist the knife a little because we have some quotes here. Ben, you said, I'm a little bit bearish on YouTube primarily because it's not a destination. And David said, like, who goes to YouTube and discovers something?

We were misguided. But let's just twist the knife a little because we have some quotes here. Ben, you said, I'm a little bit bearish on YouTube primarily because it's not a destination. And David said, like, who goes to YouTube and discovers something?

Well, today, you have analysts saying if you pulled YouTube out of Google, it would be worth half a trillion dollars, which is almost double where Netflix is. It's on track YouTube TV to be the largest cable provider in the United States.

Well, today, you have analysts saying if you pulled YouTube out of Google, it would be worth half a trillion dollars, which is almost double where Netflix is. It's on track YouTube TV to be the largest cable provider in the United States.

You know, I have a house full of kids in my house. It's the first and the second screen because we have YouTube TV. So the question is, can they really be everything to everyone, right?

You know, I have a house full of kids in my house. It's the first and the second screen because we have YouTube TV. So the question is, can they really be everything to everyone, right?

And it's a direct variable cost. $70 billion to creators over the last three years, which, again, is more than Netflix spends on content.

And it's a direct variable cost. $70 billion to creators over the last three years, which, again, is more than Netflix spends on content.

Well, and I mean, my source is also, if they're making money, it's little to no money. But they could obviously change how much they're paying out to creators. They can turn the spigot on and off.

Well, and I mean, my source is also, if they're making money, it's little to no money. But they could obviously change how much they're paying out to creators. They can turn the spigot on and off.

Well, my show's on YouTube, your show's on YouTube. How do you feel about YouTube as creators?

Well, my show's on YouTube, your show's on YouTube. How do you feel about YouTube as creators?

Yeah. Grade today?

Yeah. Grade today?

Huge. All right, moving on. The next company we're gonna talk about is LinkedIn. You covered it three days after they got bought by Microsoft. You both basically gave it an A. Ben quote, how are we both positive on this? I woke up Monday morning being like, what?

Huge. All right, moving on. The next company we're gonna talk about is LinkedIn. You covered it three days after they got bought by Microsoft. You both basically gave it an A. Ben quote, how are we both positive on this? I woke up Monday morning being like, what?

What about LinkedIn today?

What about LinkedIn today?

Revisiting this was a little traumatic for me because this was, if you'll remember, this was an acquisition that like no one saw coming. There were no leaks, no reporting on this before it happened. And my producer was apparently like calling my phone nonstop in the morning. It was like the crack of dawn and I was not picking up. So she called my husband.

Revisiting this was a little traumatic for me because this was, if you'll remember, this was an acquisition that like no one saw coming. There were no leaks, no reporting on this before it happened. And my producer was apparently like calling my phone nonstop in the morning. It was like the crack of dawn and I was not picking up. So she called my husband.

who came in and was like, Microsoft just bought LinkedIn, and you have to interview Satya and Jeff Weiner in an hour. And I was like, what? So yeah, so that's what I remember.

who came in and was like, Microsoft just bought LinkedIn, and you have to interview Satya and Jeff Weiner in an hour. And I was like, what? So yeah, so that's what I remember.

I mean, I think so. I actually went back.

I mean, I think so. I actually went back.

It was great. My hair wasn't quite fully done, but we made it. We made it through. Okay.

It was great. My hair wasn't quite fully done, but we made it. We made it through. Okay.

I do, actually, because I talked to Reid Hoffman, who, of course, is the co-founder of LinkedIn. And, you know, it's interesting because Reid joined the board of Microsoft. He's still on the board of Microsoft. He was an early investor in OpenAI, on the board of OpenAI. Shocker, Satya Nadella is on the AI train early. Microsoft is the biggest backer of OpenAI now.

I do, actually, because I talked to Reid Hoffman, who, of course, is the co-founder of LinkedIn. And, you know, it's interesting because Reid joined the board of Microsoft. He's still on the board of Microsoft. He was an early investor in OpenAI, on the board of OpenAI. Shocker, Satya Nadella is on the AI train early. Microsoft is the biggest backer of OpenAI now.

So Reid gave me a little quote. He said, Satya has run Microsoft as a type of founder. You could call it being a re-founder or even a late-stage co-founder. The re-founder doesn't need to have been in the garage from day one. He shifted the company's focus away from a cutthroat culture and competition-only practices towards embracing social networks, collaboration, cloud, and the next wave of AI.

So Reid gave me a little quote. He said, Satya has run Microsoft as a type of founder. You could call it being a re-founder or even a late-stage co-founder. The re-founder doesn't need to have been in the garage from day one. He shifted the company's focus away from a cutthroat culture and competition-only practices towards embracing social networks, collaboration, cloud, and the next wave of AI.

I don't know. You wonder if the AI wars would have played out differently. Okay, we're going to keep moving quickly because I really want to make sure we get to the last one. But SpaceX, one of your most popular episodes ever. Luckily, you're in the clear because you didn't grade them.

I don't know. You wonder if the AI wars would have played out differently. Okay, we're going to keep moving quickly because I really want to make sure we get to the last one. But SpaceX, one of your most popular episodes ever. Luckily, you're in the clear because you didn't grade them.

But obviously, Starlink is a juggernaut. Ben, you talked about it being potentially a $30 billion business at the time. Can you grade SpaceX today, knowing that Starlink is just even bigger?

But obviously, Starlink is a juggernaut. Ben, you talked about it being potentially a $30 billion business at the time. Can you grade SpaceX today, knowing that Starlink is just even bigger?

Yes. It's a beast, total beast. And by the way, nobody else could have saved those astronauts, right?

Yes. It's a beast, total beast. And by the way, nobody else could have saved those astronauts, right?

Well, Russia maybe, but that's complicated and we don't even know if China could dock at the ISS. I mean, I think that's okay to say, sorry. Hopefully I didn't just cross the line.

Well, Russia maybe, but that's complicated and we don't even know if China could dock at the ISS. I mean, I think that's okay to say, sorry. Hopefully I didn't just cross the line.

Yeah. Okay, so now, to your most requested revisit ever, the Arena Queen. You gave her an A+. But that was two years ago, before the Eras Tour. So I think you're going to have to invent a new category.

Yeah. Okay, so now, to your most requested revisit ever, the Arena Queen. You gave her an A+. But that was two years ago, before the Eras Tour. So I think you're going to have to invent a new category.

So is she more than a billionaire?

So is she more than a billionaire?

So I re-listened to the Taylor podcast with my kids driving to Tahoe and they loved it. You have a potential Gen Alpha audience.

So I re-listened to the Taylor podcast with my kids driving to Tahoe and they loved it. You have a potential Gen Alpha audience.

In case you're getting nervous. But here's a question. Is it possible that we're at peak Taylor?

In case you're getting nervous. But here's a question. Is it possible that we're at peak Taylor?

And now she's in her NFL era. Like, how do you value that?

And now she's in her NFL era. Like, how do you value that?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'm going to say no, just because that seems like a safe bet when you're talking about Taylor.

I'm going to say no, just because that seems like a safe bet when you're talking about Taylor.

You heard it here, for the record. I think you guys need another Taylor episode. That's the verdict for the fans. Thank you guys so much, and congratulations, and I can't wait to keep listening. Thanks, Emily.

You heard it here, for the record. I think you guys need another Taylor episode. That's the verdict for the fans. Thank you guys so much, and congratulations, and I can't wait to keep listening. Thanks, Emily.

Thank you so much. Bye, guys.

Thank you so much. Bye, guys.