Elon Musk's Impact on CNN and Twitter
What's the greatest tweet ever posted?
I think there's really no competition to this.
This is the tweet that changed everything in American
society.
It was a lightning bolt that ignited a
free speech movement and an anti-censorship movement with
a
corny dad joke. Let that sink in as Elon Musk
buys Twitter for $44 billion.
You just can't help it. That's okay.
There's only way to go, so that's the
only way. And we'll sink it in.
You can't help it. That's okay.
You can't help but let that sink in.
Famous
words from Elon Musk
and 200,000 reposts, 1.2 million likes.
This is
a moment in time that changed everything.
And well, I'm not sure anybody will ever be able to
repay
Elon for what he did in this moment.
And will he be doing it again
at CNN?
Are we going to get a let that sink in,
but in the lobby of the CNN building in New York?
Will this logo be CNN?
Will it be Elon Musk walking in to the
newsroom that is already like a funeral
over the Paramount takeover? Reports from inside of CNN
say that everybody is sitting there waiting to be fired,
knowing that there were
mass
firings
at Paramount and at CBS and huge
changes inside of the already
dynamic environment for CNN, which is
bad. You can see the CNN camera crews getting
kicked
off their perch at the White House,
banned from the White House. CNN is already reeling.
Some CNN
talent, I guess you could call that, Kara Swisher has
ditched CNN saying that, well, F these guys.
I'm not going to be part of CNN any longer.
She was somebody who was regularly featured on CNN.
No idea
why she looks like a villain from The Matrix.
I don't know. I don't know. She's just like some old,
angry,
bitter
boomer. I'm not sure. Why would anybody care what
Kara Swisher has to say? I don't understand what a Kara Swisher
is. It is confusing to me.
But anyway, Kara Swisher is someone who is
not going to be on CNN anymore. She was a
tech reporter for Silicon Valley.
Does she know something
about
Elon Musk potentially taking over CNN? Is that why she's responding like that?
In any case, no, my contract, I was just literally reading my contract
today. As you might imagine, when this news struck,
because I threatened to leave
and I have asked my agent to get me out of my contract.
It ends December 31st. So
it's only a few months, right? I'm just, I just can't.
I just, I thought like I was trying to figure out ways I could work
with them in
some like licensing way. But then I thought, fuck these guys.
I don't want to work for them. I just don't.
I got
No, I don't want to work for them. Well, that's a pretty visceral reaction to
Paramount, right?
The Ellisons, I mean, they are Trump supporters, but
what's going on here?
Is there something else
at stake? Is this why all the CNN talent
are lashing out
in all of this? Paramount's official acquisition of CNN
is a major loss for
Democrats. They lost Twitter, CBS News, and CNN.
But why do they lose Twitter? Kaitlan Collins'
explosive behind the door reaction. She's freaking out.
Everybody's freaking out
because Elon Musk may well be the new owner of CNN.
Paramount weighs tapping Elon Musk for equity investment.
Oh, no.
Oh, no.
Paramount looking to firm up its financial picture as it digests
Warner Brothers Discovery is looking for fresh sources of cash.
Executives of the company have discussed asking Elon Musk to become part of the
syndicate of equity investors into Paramount.
According to people familiar with the matter, Musk's name is one of a number
of wealthy individuals that Paramount CEO David Ellison has
considered tapping for
the syndicate. And people said Musk and David
Ellison's father, Oracle founder Larry Ellison,
have long been close and it's
part of the elder Ellison's money, the connections that
made Paramount takeover Warner Brothers possible.
Larry Ellison has personally guaranteed more than $40 billion in equity
financing of Paramount's acquisition of Warner Brothers.
Larry Ellison invested $1 billion in Musk's 2022 deal
to take X,
formerly Twitter, private. He also invested in Tesla in
2018 and served on the company's board of directors for years.
The size of the potential Musk investment could
not be determined. A spokesperson for Paramount declined to
comment.
Elon Musk did not return a request for comment.
Elon Musk is the richest man on earth.
He is the world's first trillionaire, so he would have billions to throw at
this and could potentially
be the next guy in charge of CNN.
An investment from Musk would be a significant vote of confidence in the
combined
Paramount Warner Brothers from a business
man who is a devoted retail investor following.
A check from Musk or other big financial backers would give Paramount more
diversified investor base, reduce Larry Ellison's financial burden.
But having Musk in the deal would also be politically fraught.
Musk's dollars and political influence were concerning to Democrats during the
2024 election, giving control of X and possibility of him having even partial
ownership of CNN and CBS would raise alarm bells.
Yeah, it'd raise alarm bells. Remember how CNN covered Elon Musk's
takeover of Twitter?
Look, who knows? I, I think that's a, a, that's a, that's a s- an
example of a broader question for Twitter, which is if you,
uh, if you get invited to something where
there are no rules, where there
is total freedom, uh, for, for everybody, do you actually wanna go to that
party, or are you gonna decide to stay home?
And that's a question for Twitter users.
Some Twitter users mu- love the idea that there's gonna be absolutely no
moderation
and no rules at all. Others might not wanna be anywhere near
that.
Am I, am I crazy, Matt? No. No, you're right.
And what-
Spoken like a guy who has never been to a party and never been invited to
anything says Brian Stelter.
Oh, this is so funny.
Ah, right, Elon Musk pot- could potentially become partial
owner of CNN.
Oh, it's so great. Oh, it's so fantastic.
I just
love it.
Uh, CEO of Paramount is considering asking Elon Musk involved,
which means CNN and
CBS would fall under that umbrella.
The most entertaining outcome is always the most likely.
Elon would technically have ownership in CNN.
Paramount execs discuss bringing in Elon Musk.
Oh, man. Oh, it's great. Elon Musk has the opportunity to
do the funniest thing
ever.
Elon should make, uh, should make that site expose fake news from now on.
What I find most surprising is that CNN still exists. Mm.
There it is. It's a beauty.
Here's, uh, CNN attacking Elon Musk.
Insane. "Who's in charge at CNN?" He says.
I'd like to congratulate CNN on their new name,
Disinformation Network. "Something needs to be done about
CNN," says Elon Musk. Oh. CNN is deeply infected with the woke mind
virus. Well, well, well.
Should be called Disinformation News Network. DNN, not CNN.
CNN needs a thorough house cleaning. Uh-oh.
Uh-oh.
Is this what's about to happen?
Oh, liberals are gonna be so angry at this.
The meltdown is going to be biblical. It's your boy, Benny.
Like, share, and subscribe.
What do you think's gonna happen next?
Most entertaining outcome is always the most li-
End of transcript · 1,271 words