Mark Zuckerberg details Biden admin censorship on Joe Rogan podcast
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has criticized the Biden administration’s approach to social media content moderation. He described the pressure his company faced from the White House during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Zuckerberg detailed instances where government officials demanded the removal of certain posts. They include content he described as humorous or truthful.
“These people from the Biden administration would call up our team and, like, scream at them and curse,” Zuckerberg said on the show. “And they’re like, ‘No, you have to take that down.’”
Zuckerberg cited one example involving a meme featuring actor Leonardo DiCaprio. It implied that COVID-19 vaccine recipients might later qualify for a class-action lawsuit.
According to Zuckerberg, despite requests from the Biden administration to remove the meme, Meta declined to do so, with their CEO stating, “We’re not going to take down humor.”
He also noted instances where the administration requested the removal of posts discussing vaccine side effects, even when the information was accurate.
“We were like, no, we’re not gonna take down things that are true, that’s ridiculous,” Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg described the situation as “brutal,” claiming that multiple government agencies investigated and scrutinized Meta during this period.
The podcast appearance comes as Meta undergoes significant policy shifts, including the disbandment of its fact-checking team and the termination of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.
Spotify moderation features in question as users see porn in search results
Spotify is facing backlash for sexually explicit content allegedly showing up in search results. The Verge first reported on Sunday, Dec. 29, that a Reddit user shared a screenshot of a pornographic video they said appeared after looking up the artist M.I.A.
Several other Spotify users on the Reddit thread said they also saw it or something similar and mentioned erotic audio tracks ending up on playlists.
The spokesperson for the streaming service said the content mentioned has been removed due to a violation of its policies.
These incidents raise the question of how explicit content gets past the platform’s content-blocking settings.
While Spotify hasn’t commented on the specifics of content moderation, Mashable noted the company doesn’t police podcasts before they’re uploaded, which may explain how the explicit content slipped through.
This situation comes as Spotify looks to invest in more video features with the demand for visuals growing, especially with podcasts.
Edison Research found about 84% of monthly podcast listeners consume podcasts with video and about 71% actively watch the podcast while listening.
Spotify reported a 140% increase in the number of video podcasts in its top 50 U.S. podcasts list in 2024 compared to 2023.
Spotify’s top two podcasts, “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Call Her Daddy,” both include video.
The platform currently hosts more than 300,000 video podcast shows.
Spotify is also looking to capitalize on the popularity of audiobooks by adding video features.
Authors now have an option to submit a short video for their audiobooks, including interviews or behind-the-scenes footage from the audio recording.
The platform also released a “follow along” feature found in the “extras” section. It intends to makes users feel like they’re flipping through a book with illustrations, photos and graphics.
Lisa Kudrow raises concerns over use of AI in Tom Hanks’ film ‘Here’
“Friends” alum Lisa Kudrow is speaking out about artificial intelligence in Hollywood, and she’s not holding back. Her criticism centers on Tom Hanks’ new film, “Here,” and the technology driving it.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, “Here” premiered in October and showcases AI-driven de-aging technology. The film spans decades, using generative AI to make stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright appear younger.
The tool behind these visuals, Metaphysic Live, seamlessly de-ages actors. Members of Metaphysic’s team have done previous AI work on projects such as “ABBA: Voyage,” the “Star Wars” saga and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Lisa Kudrow raises concerns about AI
Kudrow recently shared her thoughts on the “Armchair Expert” podcast. She described “Here” as “an endorsement of AI,” adding, “It’s not like, ‘Oh, it’s going to ruin everything.’ But what will be left for, forget actors, but what about up-and-coming actors?”
Her concern highlights a growing debate about AI’s impact on Hollywood. Many fear the technology could sideline younger actors trying to break into the industry.
A partnership driving AI innovation
Metaphysic Live has partnered with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to develop generative AI tools for talent. Joanna Popper, CAA’s chief metaverse officer, praised the tools, saying they could “unlock an incredible opportunity for the entertainment industry and beyond.”
Zemeckis stands firmly behind the technology’s role in “Here,” saying, “The film simply wouldn’t work without our actors seamlessly transforming into younger versions of themselves. Metaphysic’s AI tools do exactly that.”
During production, actors could even use a “youth mirror.” This allowed them to see their younger selves in real time, helping them make specific performance choices.
Tom Hanks reflects on AI’s evolution
Hanks has been open about AI’s potential in Hollywood. Speaking on “The Adam Buxton Podcast,” he recalled working on Zemeckis’ 2004 film “The Polar Express.” At that time, motion capture technology laid the groundwork for today’s innovations.
With AI and deepfakes advancing rapidly, Hanks acknowledged the possibility of pitching movies with his younger likeness—even after his death. It’s a controversial prospect that raises questions about the future of filmmaking.
The ongoing AI debate in Hollywood
For Kudrow, this new era of AI raises alarms. While seasoned actors like Hanks can license their likeness, younger performers may face limited opportunities.
The debate continues to grow. Recently, the Writers Guild of America urged major studios to address AI plagiarism concerns –– a story SAN reported on last week.
As AI reshapes filmmaking, Kudrow’s critique reflects an industry wrestling with progress, ethics and the future of creativity.
With six days until the election, former President Donald Trump stumped in Allentown, Pennsylvania as Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her “closing argument.” We have what each said about what’s at stake next Tuesday. Also, details on what happened after a gunman opened fire from a hotel in Atlanta. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.
Harris gives closing argument as Trump addresses Biden’s comments
Some twists on the campaign trail with under a week to go now to Election Day and already more than 50 million ballots cast. Both presidential candidates gave dueling speeches Tuesday night, Oct. 29.
The Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris delivered what she described as her “closing argument” to the American people near the White House as the Republican nominee former President Donald Trump looked to court Latino voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
During her address at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., the vice president emphasized its significance as the same site where former President Trump spoke to his supporters right before the riots on the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“So tonight, I will speak to everyone about the choice and stakes in this election,” she said. “Look, we know who Donald Trump is. He is the person who stood at this very spot nearly four years ago and sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election.”
The vice president also told voters she will seek common ground, saying she will give those who disagree with her a “seat at the table.”
“As Americans, we rise and fall together,” she said. “America, for too long, we have been consumed with too much division, chaos and mutual distrust. And it can be easy then to forget a simple truth: it doesn’t have to be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way. We have to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms.”
In Pennsylvania, former President Trump reached out to voters during a rally in the majority Hispanic town of Allentown.
“I’m here today with a message of hope for all Americans,” he said. “With your vote this election — oh, do I look forward to this election. We — I’m going to say ‘we’ because we are going to do it as a group. We will end inflation. Wwe will stop the invasion of criminals into our country. And we will bring back the American dream. We’re doing it together, Pennsylvania.”
During his rally, the former president asked his supporters to vote and send in their mail-in ballots early, saying “they’ve already cheated” in the state — a reference to law enforcement in Lancaster County announcing they were investigating around 2,500 voter registration forms for alleged fraud.
Trump turned his attention to President Joe Biden after Florida Sen. Marco Rubio joined him on stage.
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I have breaking news for you Mr. President,” Rubio told Trump. “You may not have heard this: just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage, are garbage. He’s talking about the border patrol, he’s talking about nurses, he’s talking about teachers, he’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country and want to dream big again and support you Mr. President.”
“Remember Hillary [Clinton], she said ‘deplorable’ and then she said ‘irredeemable,’ right?” Trump responded. “But she said ‘deplorable.’ That didn’t work out. Garbage, I think, is worse right?”
What they were referring to were comments made by President Biden during a Voto Latino campaign call Tuesday night. Biden spoke about the comedian who made controversial jokes about Puerto Rico during Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally over the weekend.
“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage,’” the president said. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
The White House issued a statement saying, “The president referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’” President Biden himself followed up on his comments with a post on X saying, “Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage…the comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”
During an appearance on Fox News Tuesday night, Trump told host Sean Hannity nobody from his campaign vetted the comedian before the MSG rally.
As it pertains to the alleged voter fraud in Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro told CNN there will be safe elections in the state and when asked about Biden’s “garbage” comment, Shapiro said, “It’s certainly not the words I would choose.”
Supreme Court rules RFK Jr. will remain on ballot in 2 swing states
It was unlikely the Supreme Court would have ruled in his favor, because voting is already underway in both states. Kennedy’s name also remains on the ballot in some other states, but he did not ask the Supreme Court to take it off anywhere but Wisconsin and Michigan in an apparent move to secure more voters for his ally Trump.
Steve Bannon spends first day out of prison stumping for Trump
Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon wasted no time showing his support for the former president after being released from prison early Tuesday morning. Bannon just finished serving a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena from Congress during its investigation into the U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
Bannon’s first order of business was to resume his podcast “WarRoom.” He then held a news conference urging Republicans to turn out in droves to vote for Trump on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
“I’ve been empowered by my four months at Danbury Federal Prison,” Bannon said during the news conference.
He added, “Obviously with seven days or six days left, you have to have a convergence of the get out the vote effort. I am not a huge believer in our ability to actually participate in rallies or do rallies because right now I think President Trump does great and he has people long there are going to do rallies in the different states. Our focus is one thing to make sure that we get as many American citizens, either early voting when they can or to the polls next Tuesday.”
He has pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud and other charges. His trial in that case is scheduled to begin in December.
Paul Pelosi attacker sentenced to life term on state charges
A judge sentenced the man who broke into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s northern California home and attacked her husband, Paul, with a hammer to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
David DePape, 44, was already serving 30 years in federal prison for the attack when a San Francisco jury found him guilty of multiple state charges in June.
Both the prosecution and defense said the life without parole sentence will be served concurrently with DePape’s federal sentence. It has not yet been determined where he will serve his punishment.
Suspect in custody after shots fired at Atlanta Four Seasons
A police officer and a suspected shooter are recovering after gunfire broke out at a building that houses a Four Seasons Hotel and residences in Atlanta Tuesday. The Atlanta police chief said the officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
UPDATE: Barricaded Gunman turned Active Shooter Situation Zone 5 at 75 14th Street Sound from Mayor Andre Dickens & Chief Darin Schierbaumhttps://t.co/TjSDcj3YTj
Authorities say the man fired at least once from the balcony of a residence on the 33rd floor of the 53-story high-rise building. They say he also shot through walls and doors, but no other injuries were reported.
Police said the suspect lives in the residential portion of the building and was not a guest at the Four Seasons hotel portion.
Yankees deny Dodgers a World Series sweep with Game 4 win
Despite another Freddie Freeman home run — becoming the first player to homer in games 1, 2, 3, and 4 — the Yankees crushed the Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4 Tuesday night in the Bronx, highlighted by three home runs including a grand slam by shortstop Anthony Volpe.
The game also featured an odd moment when Yankees fans tried to pry a foul ball out of the glove of Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. The fans were escorted from their seats by stadium security after that play.
The 11 runs were the most by the Yankees in a World Series game since Game 5 of the 1978 series when they scored 12 against the Dodgers.
Now the Yankees are hoping to do what no other team has done in Major League Baseball history: come back from being down 3-0 in the Fall Classic to win it all.
The Dodgers still just need one more win to claim the championship.
Trump to appear on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast
Podcasts are all the buzz this election cycle, and former President Donald Trump just locked in an appearance on the most popular podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Trump is set to record at Rogan’s studio in Austin, Texas, this Friday, Oct. 25. This will be the first time he appears on the show, which boasts an audience that is over 80% male.
The podcast appearance was first confirmed by Politico and comes as both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are engaging with online influencers to broaden their reach this election season.
Rogan is known for his controversial and wide-ranging discussions and has a complicated political history. While he supported Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during the 2020 Democratic primary, he also praised Trump after the former president’s first assassination attempt earlier this summer.
Rogan has previously stated he’s “a fan” of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but also emphasized that he’s “not the guy to get political information from.”
In addition, Harris’ team is reportedly in talks with Rogan’s team for their own sit-down before Election Day.
Recently, there’s been a podcast blitz. Trump has appeared on shows hosted by Ben Shapiro, Andrew Schulz, Adin Ross, and Theo Von. Meanwhile, Harris has made her rounds on popular podcasts like “Call Her Daddy,” “The Breakfast Club,” “All the Smoke” and “The Howard Stern Show.”
With “The Joe Rogan Experience” dominating the podcast landscape at No. 1, both campaigns are making strategic moves to connect with voters two weeks away from the election.
Donald Trump talks politics, pro wrestling with WWE’s Undertaker
Former President Donald Trump continued his podcast blitz on Monday, Oct. 21, to reach young male voters, appearing on “Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway.” Calaway is better known to pro wrestling fans as The Undertaker from the WWE.
Trump’s connection with wrestling goes back decades. Trump Plaza in Atlantic City hosted WWE’s marquee event WrestleMania in 1988 and 1989. The former president is also an inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame, and Trump himself got in on the action at WrestleMania 23 in Detroit in 2007.
“Well, the big thing we had the ‘Battle of the Billionaires’ and that was with Vince (McMahon) and me and you know, we each had our wrestler. He had Umaga. We had two good guys and they wrestled,” Trump said. “Fortunately, my guy won and the loser had the hair shaved. I said, ‘I don’t want to have my hair shaved.’ We actually wrestled a little bit.”
“It was a pretty famous thing. But I think it has your all-time record,” Trump said.
At the time, WrestleMania 23 did break WWE’s pay-per-view record with 1.2 million buys. Trump also brought former WWE CEO Linda McMahon into his cabinet during his presidency.
“Linda McMahon, I picked who really helped Vince a lot over the years, a lot of people don’t know that and she’s a fantastic woman. She’s been a big supporter from the very beginning and she was the head of small businesses which is big business basically, Small Business Administration, and she did a fantastic job. Everybody loves her,” Trump said.
At times the interview weaved between politics and talking sports entertainment with Trump taking on the role of interviewer to learn more about the craft of the wrestling industry.
“Who was the greatest, the couple of greatest that you’ve seen?” Trump asked Calaway.
“My goodness,” Calaway responded. “There’s Stone Cold Steve Austin, he was up there, you’d have to put to put Hulk Hogan in there and, you know, Ric Flair.”
In July, Hogan brought the wrestling world to the presidential race when the former WWE champion appeared at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Trump recalled the two assassination attempts on his life. Trump told Calaway that one of his WWE colleagues, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, wanted to reach out to the former president.
“He was great. I never thought he liked me and I felt badly because I think he’s a terrific guy. Then (UFC President) Dana White said when I was shot, took a shot to the ear, you may have heard about it, Rock called Dana, ‘I want to have his number, I want to have his number, what he did is sort of incredible.’ He considered it bravery. I don’t know to me, I considered it like what’s going on here, but it was very nice, actually, the Rock,” Trump said.
As the interview neared the end, Calaway brought on his daughter to talk about an issue important to him – women’s sports. Trump told Calaway as president he would not allow transgender women to play in female sports.
Pro wrestlers are backing candidates on both sides. Former WWE champion and “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Dave Bautista has been vocal about his support for Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
Joe Rogan podcast could be next campaign stop for Trump, Harris
The next media stop for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump could be “The Joe Rogan Experience.” The show is the No. 1 podcast in the country, attracting tens of millions of people.
While appearing on the “Full Send Podcast” hosted by the Nelk Boys, a group of YouTube pranksters turned podcasters, Trump suggested a future stop on Rogan’s program is in the works.
Sources told Reuters that Vice President Kamala Harris could also soon sit down with Rogan. Reuters reports that members of Harris’ campaign met with Rogan’s team but no official appearance has been scheduled.
According to data from Spotify, which inked a reported $250 million deal earlier this year to distribute “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the podcast has 14.5 million followers, almost triple the second most popular program on the platform.
Rogan himself has been outspoken in the past when it comes to both candidates. In 2022, he told another podcast that he was not a Trump supporter and declined opportunities to have him on his show.
In August, Trump called out Rogan on his Truth Social platform, saying the UFC commentator would get booed next time he entered the octagon.
As for Harris, Rogan said she was better prepared for last month’s presidential debate, but later admitted having concerns a Harris presidency would lead to more online censorship.
An appearance on Rogan’s podcast would fall in line with both candidates’ plans to reach young voters.
Former President Trump has recently been a guest on a series of podcasts that cater to a young audience, especially males. Trump has made stops on podcasts hosted by YouTuber Logan Paul, comedian Theo Von and video game streamer Adin Ross.
Harris meanwhile was recently a guest on the podcast “Call Her Daddy” which has a majority female audience. She’ll reach out to Black voters during a town hall appearance Tuesday, Oct. 15, with radio personality and podcaster Charlamagne tha God.
A recent Harvard Youth Poll showed 70% of women under the age of 30 support Harris, while 23% back Trump. For men under 30, 53% said they are likely to vote for Harris while 36% said Trump.
Harris, Trump turn to PA with 3 weeks to go until Election Day
With exactly three weeks until Election Day, both candidates have their sights set on Pennsylvania. And NASA has launched its ambitious plan to visit the largest planet in our solar system in hopes of making a new discovery. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
Harris, Trump turn to PA with 3 weeks to go until Election Day
With just three weeks until Election Day, the 2024 presidential candidates are focusing on the key battleground states — and none may be as important as Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took their message once again to the Keystone State on Monday, Oct. 14, each believing that if they win Pennsylvania, they will win the election.
Harris held a rally in the northwestern city of Erie, where Trump visited a few weeks ago. The vice president painted her opponent as a threat to American democracy, warning her supporters of what she calls the dangers of another Trump presidency.
“I believe so strongly that a second Trump term would be a huge risk for America and dangerous,” she said. “Donald Trump is increasingly unstable and unhinged, and he is out for unchecked power. That’s what he’s looking for.”
Harris also urged Pennsylvanians to get out to vote early as mail-in voting is now underway in the state.
Also Monday, former President Trump spoke during a town hall in Oaks, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. He touched on claims he’s a threat to democracy.
“When they talk about a threat to democracy, how about where they take a candidate who won fair and square, they throw them out and they put up a woman who failed, was the first one to drop out of a field of 22 and got no votes?” he said. “And this is the person we’re running against. And she is not a smart woman. That’s true. And we cannot — we’ve had that for four years. We’re not going to have it for another four years.”
Trump cut his town hall short after two attendees required medical attention, with both the former president and moderator South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem commenting on the heat in the venue. Trump then requested music be played for the remainder of the event.
Trump will be back in Georgia on Tuesday as the focus on the battleground states intensifies.
Along with rallies, the candidates are continuing their media tour to reach voters. The vice president will take part in a town hall Tuesday, Oct. 15, hosted by the radio program “The Breakfast Club” and then she will appear on Fox News on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
The group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a sit-in demanding an end to U.S. support for Israel’s war against Hamas. While none of the protesters got into the stock exchange, dozens did cross the security fence put in place by police.
A New York Police Department spokesperson said officers arrested 206 people.
Since the war in Gaza started just over a year ago, more than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed and almost the entire population has been displaced, according to Gaza health officials.
North Carolina man arrested for allegedly threatening FEMA workers
Investigators in North Carolina arrested and charged a man with threatening to harm FEMA workers who were helping parts of the state devastated by Hurricane Helene.
According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, William Parsons, 44, is charged with “going armed to the terror of the public” — a misdemeanor.
In a statement, the sheriff said while initial reports indicated there was a group of armed militia members threatening FEMA workers, they found Parsons acted alone. Officials said he did have a handgun and a rifle in his possession when arrested.
The arrest followed misinformation and disinformation being spread about FEMA in the wake of the natural disaster and caused FEMA to change the way it was working to help people impacted by Helene because of concerns over workers’ safety.
NASA launches mission to find signs of life on Jupiter moon
The mission, dubbed Europa Clipper, started its long journey to Jupiter’s fourth largest moon on Monday. It’s expected to enter the planet’s orbit in 2030 after a flight of 1.8 billion miles.
Pair of giant pandas set to arrive at the National Zoo
Eleven months after the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Said goodbye to its giant pandas, two new ones are on their way. The pair of giant pandas have officially left a research facility in China and are set to be flown to D.C., according to Chinese officials.
It’s not yet clear when they’ll arrive. The zoo’s website still says new pandas will be coming by the end of the year, however, on Monday, the Zoo did announce it will be closed Tuesday for the safety of the pandas and staff.
The return of panda diplomacy between China and the U.S. has already seen a pair delivered to the San Diego Zoo with another promised to San Francisco.
2,471-pound pumpkin wins world championship
A 2,471-pound pumpkin won the 51st World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off Monday in Half Moon Bay, California, south of San Francisco, defeating its closest competitor by six pounds.
Conservative podcasters react to Russian influence campaign allegations
Several high-profile conservative influencers, including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, say they are victims of a purported Russian disinformation campaign. The Department of Justice has indicted two employees from RT, a Russian state media outlet.
It accuses the employees of covertly funneling nearly $10 million to a Tennessee-based media company to promote pro-Russian narratives. The indictment describes the company as a network of conservative commentators, which closely matches Tenet Media, a platform hosting Pool, Johnson and others.
According to the indictment, the media company, which has featured notable conservative figures such as Lara Trump and Kari Lake, received substantial payments from RT but did not disclose these connections.
This funding was allegedly used to create content that aligned with Russian interests, particularly regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The Justice Department’s indictment is one of its most extensive actions against foreign disinformation efforts. It includes the seizure of Kremlin-run websites and sanctions against RT’s top officials.
The indictment details how RT employees allegedly used shell companies to conceal the true origin of their funding and influence conservative media in the U.S.
The indictment alleges that Tenet Media produced nearly 2,000 videos, garnering over 16 million views on YouTube, with payments to its commentators totaling at least $8.7 million. RT, which had its operations curtailed in the U.S. following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has dismissed the accusations.
Some of the conservative commentators involved have reacted on X, asserting they are victims and emphasizing their lack of control over external financial dealings.
Benny Johnson, host of “The Benny Show,” said, “A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor. Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms-length deal, which was later terminated. We are disturbed by the allegations in today’s indictment, which make clearer that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise.”
Dave Rubin, host of “The Rubin Report,” stated, “I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period. The DOJ has never contacted me regarding this matter, and I have no intention to comment further.”
Tim Pool, host of “The Culture War Podcast,” said, “Never at any point did anyone other than I have full editorial control of the show, and the contents of the show are often apolitical. The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company. That being said, we still do not know what is true as these are only allegations.”
Kelces sign $100 million deal to bring ‘New Heights’ to Amazon’s Wondery
Famous NFL brothers Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce cashed in on the success of their podcast. The hosts of “New Heights” signed a 3-year, $100 million deal with Amazon’s Wondery.
Wondery will now have exclusive rights to sell ads and distribute the weekly show hosted globally by the Kelces. Starting this week, when the show returns from a brief hiatus, Wondery will also have access to all previous episodes of the podcast and rights to create international adaptations of the podcast. Subscribers to Wondery+, the company’s paid subscription service, will have access to a commercial-free version of the show.
“New Heights” will still be produced by Wave Sports + Entertainment and available on all platforms. The video version will remain on YouTube.
“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with Wondery for the next phase of ‘New Heights,’” the brothers said in a statement. “We love this show, and the fanbase that has grown with us over the last two seasons. Wondery understands the shared vision and will offer a wealth of experience and resources to take us to ‘New Heights!’ We are going to create some groundbreaking moments together through this partnership. We are thrilled to start Season 3 — see you soon, 92%ers!”
The 92%ers comment is a reference to fans of “New Heights,” named after the 92% success rate of the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback sneak, which is also known as the “tush push””or “brotherly shove.”
Both Kelces are Super Bowl champions. Travis won his third with the Kansas City Chiefs last season while Jason retired from the Eagles after 13 years in the NFL. While Travis is attempting to win a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy and hosting a game show on Amazon Prime Video, Jason will be joining ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” this season.
The success of the podcast has made them household names outside of football. The show took off because of their likable personalities and got a bump from the fanbase of Travis’ better half, Taylor Swift.
Very excited to be teaming up with my brother as part-owners of Garage Beer. We’ve had a lot of love for this 🍺 for a while and know that you guys will too. Cheers!
The fame spread the wealth to the family as well. Their mom, Donna Kelce, affectionately known as “Mama Kelce,” became something of a pitch-woman herself. Jason’s wife, Kylie, also has a massive social media following and partnered with major brands like Dove.
To learn more about podcast popularity, check out the full story here.
Podcasts have become a huge moneymaker in recent years. Alex Cooper, host of the sex-positive program “Call Her Daddy,” recently signed a multi-year deal worth $125 million with SiriusXM that starts next year. That deal doubles the $60 million deal she made with Spotify in 2021.
SiriusXM also took “Smartless” from Wondery earlier this year in a 9-figure deal, a huge win for the interview show hosted by actors and friends Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.
Conan O’Brien sold his entire podcast network “Team Coco” to SiriusXM for $150 million in 2022. O’Brien brought his show, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” along with a number of other podcasts produced by his company to the satellite radio company.
Meanwhile, one of the best-performing podcasts ever made the biggest deal to date. Joe Rogan re-upped with Spotify in February 2024 in a deal estimated to be worth $250 million. That deal also removed Spotify’s exclusive rights to carry “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which is now available on all podcast platforms.
