• sp3ctr4l@lemmy.zip
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    25 days ago

    So, as a Majority Report fan… there’s a bit here that makes this even more funny and ironic.

    Putting this in Spoiler because its a gigantic wall of text

    So, sometime last year, Emma (MR’s primary cohost) went on Tim’s show, actually on location in his compound.

    During their exchange, Emma brought up how right wing shows such as Tim’s, just generally have a whole lot more funding than similar left wing shows…

    … alluding to how most right wing shows tend to have large donations or grants from wealthy right wing businessmen, or their ‘foundations’, whereas left wing shows tend to get much smaller donations from far more people, which sum up to a whole lot less than what right wing shows get.

    (This is all like a year before the Russian funding story broke)

    …Tim’s response to this is to deny that his show has any large benefactors, begins talking about no, we just have a larger audience and thus better ad deals, and the suggests to Emma that the Majority Report should focus on stories people want to hear that draw a larger audience, and that they should a CTO to manage their finances better.

    So ok fast forward to now, and it’s all but certain that Tim got all this Russian money, assumed it was legit, and normal, despite it being a very large sum of money, for very little extra or specified work…

    … and then he massively expanded his operation with this money.

    And then he not only lied to Emma’s face, in person, but also had the gall to magnanimously critique the financial operations of the Majority Report and pretend to be some kind of helpful, well intentioned business guru.

    … And now that Tim’s stupendous Russian donor that he lied about not having isn’t funding the his operation any more, welp uh it appears to be time to close up shop.

    So this is on its face just astoundingly, perfectly representative of the total falsity of the ‘self made man, bootstrapped my empire from the ground up, I’m just better at business and thus life than you’ narrative that basically all wealthy people, and certainly all wealthy conservatives in America promulgate.

    But it gets even funnier.

    You see, in the last, roughly two weeks…Sam Seder, MR’s main host was invited to Tim’s show, for an in person appearance and discussion with Tim… on November 1st.

    If you don’t follow online political drama much… basically no conservative talking head will agree to debate or even discuss anything with Sam, because he’s been doing this shit for like 20+ years, and basically, in a rather composed manner, he always makes fools out of any conservative he’s ever verbally sparred with, or the conservative ends up cancelling or backing out for some reason.

    … So… November 1st is a Friday.

    And Tim Pool appears to have stated that if the show does continue, well Fridays he won’t be there, it’ll just be his cohosts and guests.

    … As it currently stands, Sam legitimately does not know if he will be appearing on Tim’s show to, you know, talk to Tim.

    … So…Tim may have also (inadvertantly?) added himself to the list of conservative talking heads that are too afraid to talk to Sam.

    • chunkystyles@sopuli.xyz
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      25 days ago

      You forgot the best part. The Russian deal had just come in within days of Emma being on his show. Likely around a week before.

      • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.zip
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        25 days ago

        Wait, it wasn’t like a year ago?

        … fuck.

        I am apparently still brainfucked in the ‘how does time pass’ department from covid and the just non stop insano-hyper reality that US politics has been since.

        Oh well, that does objectively make the story even funnier.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      24 days ago

      we just have a larger audience and thus better ad deals

      What is it about being a conservative and lying about the size of your… audience? “I’m just very good at making deals” also has a certain right wing vibe to it.

    • gradyp@awful.systems
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      24 days ago

      Excellent recap, love seeing a similarly obsessed Majority Report fan out in the wild. How’s it going friend?

      • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.zip
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        24 days ago

        Well, after about a year of self directed physical therapy (can’t afford healthcare, car got stolen so I couldn’t get to it anyway), I’m now not in constant, screaming agony anymore, and I finally found a place I can actually afford to live at off of meager SSDI income.

        So… things are looking up, actually!

        • gradyp@awful.systems
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          24 days ago

          I’m sorry to hear it but I’m also glad that things are looking up?

          Been a rough one sounds like. I too am a year and a half out from a brain injury, thankfully my insurance covered most of it, but it didn’t cover the basement flooding, wife’s layoff or kids braces 😆. Election aside, things are also looking up for me.

          In all honesty, take care, sorry you’ve been having troubles. I’m not trying to belittle them with mine, just know that you have friends out there who feel your pain.

          • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.zip
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            24 days ago

            In all honesty, take care, sorry you’ve been having troubles. I’m not trying to belittle them with mine, just know that you have friends out there who feel your pain.

            Right back at you man.

            I’ve had a number of concussions and contusions over the years, but never so severe I needed brain surgery.

            Best of luck, I know that recovery from major surgeries, especially brain surgeries, can be extremely challenging in unexpected ways that are often dismissed or not understood by everyone around you.

            • gradyp@awful.systems
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              24 days ago

              Thankfully mine wasn’t surgery, just a nasty knock to the noggin and subsaquent internal bleeding, but thank you. Up and forward, all we can do. Keep fighting the good fight friend, and keep listening to the right sort of people :)