Pivot Podcast Summary

Episode: ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel, Pam Bondi’s Free Speech Mess, and Trump Sues The New York Times
Air Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway
Podcast: Pivot (New York Magazine & Vox Media)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on escalating political and corporate interventions in media, free speech controversies, and mounting cronyism in business deals under the Trump administration. Kara and Scott discuss the ripple effects of ABC pulling Jimmy Kimmel off air after controversial comments about the Charlie Kirk shooting, reactions from government officials, the chilling impact on journalism, the paradoxes of "cancel culture," and broader implications for American democracy and the media landscape. They also cover Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, Pam Bondi’s free speech comments, the attempted TikTok deal, and major tech/industry moves (Nvidia–Intel collaboration).

Tone: Outspoken, irreverent, sometimes profane, and deeply concerned for American norms and free speech.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. ABC Cancels Jimmy Kimmel After Charlie Kirk Joke

[05:00–13:00]

• What Happened: Jimmy Kimmel’s show was yanked indefinitely after a segment on the Charlie Kirk shooting. Affiliate groups and ABC parent Disney caved to public and political pressure.
• Brendan Carr (FCC Chair) threatened the network’s broadcast license, calling Kimmel’s comments "the sickest conduct possible" ([06:04], Kara).
• Kara’s Reaction: “They are quashing free speech…this is a problem with Brendan Carr, who's always been a problem…” ([07:29]).
• Scott’s Analysis: Bob Iger will be remembered as "Neville Chamberlain in a cashmere sweater, minus the dignity" ([08:24]).
• Viewer Impact: Kimmel’s key demographic is small and aging, but the principle goes beyond ratings.

Notable Quote

“Bob Eicher is gonna go down in history as Neville Chamberlain in a cashmere sweater, minus the dignity.” – Scott ([08:24])

2. Political Interference & Free Speech Crisis

[11:01–16:38]

• Kara reads Brendan Carr’s past pro-free-speech statements, highlighting hypocrisy:
  • 2019: “Should the government censor speech it doesn't like? Of course not...”
  • 2023: “Censorship is an authoritarian’s dream.”
  • 2022: “Political satire is one of the oldest and most important forms of free speech…"
• New Irony: Carr is now using his government office for overt political censorship.
• Scott: Administration is “full oligarchy now…This is full autocracy. They're not even hiding it.”

Notable Quotes

“You’ve always said, no, [democracy] is dying in the full light of day.” — Scott ([08:51])

“This was a shit rolls downhill kind of thing.” — Kara ([08:09])

3. Pam Bondi and the Expansion of Speech Policing

[15:04–16:29]

• Pam Bondi (Attorney General): Advocated targeting "hate speech," saying law enforcement would cuff people using it ([15:04]). She later tried to walk back the comment after blowback.
• Tucker Carlson (rare agreement from both hosts): Warned this is the “most justified moment for civil disobedience" if hate speech laws are enacted.
• Scott’s Take: Bondi’s and Carr’s moves signal authoritarian overreach: “The attorney general is now threatening to target people…that's an authoritarian government.” ([16:38])

4. Trump’s Defamation Lawsuit and Broader Media Crackdown

[21:09–24:38]

• Trump: Sues The New York Times and Penguin Random House for $15 billion.
• VP J.D. Vance: Urges public to report “Charlie Kirk critics,” echoing cancel tactics they once decried.
• Kara: “They are relentless… anticipate their next move. I think it’ll be NBC, then CNN. They’ll continue to go at The New York Times.”
• Media Landscape: Oligarchs and Trump loyalists buying up distressed outlets, creating risk for remaining independent journalism.

5. Should Economic Boycotts Be the Next Step?

[16:38–21:09, 24:25–26:32]

• Scott proposes a "national economic strike": Suggests the top 3% of US earners could protest by cutting spending—"Take the economy’s growth down for one month by 1% in protest."
• Skepticism: Kara doubts wealthy Americans will act, noting the comfort and disengagement of elites from political risk.

6. The Future of Media: Streaming’s Resilience and New Frontiers

[26:32–31:45]

• Broadcast TV’s Decline: Both agree network TV is dying—“Nobody's watching the TV. They're watching it on YouTube, Reddit…” — Kara ([26:57])
• Scott: Predicts ousted hosts (Kimmel, Colbert) will thrive on streaming, possibly with larger, younger audiences.
• Rise of Independent Media: Podcasts and new media will siphon influence; regulatory efforts unlikely to suppress all speech online.
• Admiration for Don Lemon, The Bulwark: Cited for their fearless, hard-working journalism.

7. Reflections on Double Standards, Identity Politics, and the Media Backlash

[31:45–33:42]

• Kara observes: The attacks are finally hitting “straight white guys”—which is prompting greater outrage among previously indifferent groups.
• Scott disagrees: Didn’t perceive this angle but acknowledges Kimmel's cancellation is igniting outrage.

8. Broader Geopolitics & Tech: China, Putin, and the Chip Wars

[42:18–45:36]

• Putin Attacks NATO: While US is distracted by domestic scandals, Russia escalates aggression.
• Nvidia–Intel Collaboration: Discussion of the $5 billion stake—Kara questions if this is industrial policy or cronyism.
• Scott: Cautions against consolidation reducing competition, wants DOJ/FTC oversight.

9. Trump’s TikTok “Deal”: Cronyism and National Security Theater

[48:56–54:23]

• Trump postpones TikTok ban again. Negotiates a sale to political allies (Oracle, Silverlake, a16z); government takes a board seat.
• Kara: “All Trump supporting people...That gave me pause.”
• Scott: Calls it “a shit salad with shavings of shit on it.” ([50:08]); likens the process to “Putin carving up commodities in Russia” ([51:55]).
• Both skeptical: The deal ignores Congress, national security risks, and is pure cronyism.

10. Predictions: A Wave of Mergers Ahead

[60:34–64:30]

• Scott forecasts: An unprecedented period of mergers & acquisitions, as mega-cap companies flush with cash and unchecked by regulatory scrutiny begin buying undervalued competitors.
• Possible targets: Disney, Warner, legacy media.
• Apple buying Disney discussed as a plausible scenario.

11. Meta-Notes, Banter, and Lighter Moments

• Parking Lot Metaphors: Scott obsesses over the demolition outside his Nashville window, likening it to US society ([02:08], [16:38]).
• Personalities: Admiration for Don Lemon, Mayor Pete, and jokes about personal ambitions and the mayoral race.
• Parenting & Identity: Kara and Scott reflect on family, LGBTQ+ rights, and generational changes.
• Running Gags: Profane asides about previous Zoom scandals; playful jabs at each other’s fame.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “...shit salad with shavings of shit on it.” — Scott ([01:13], [50:08])
• “Democracy dies in darkness? No, it’s dying in the full light of day.” — Scott ([08:51])
• "Brendan Carr, to me, should be the focus of this...this is a problem with Brendan Carr, who's always been a problem." — Kara ([07:29])
• "The only thing that moves the needle...is some sort of national economic strike." — Scott ([16:38])
• "Jimmy Kimmel will start a YouTube channel and probably have a bigger audience." — Scott ([27:43])
• "You really want Ellison controlling CBS, CNN, Paramount, and TikTok?" — Scott ([55:04])
• “I think these people are going to be relentless until they are stopped at the voting booth.” — Kara ([24:10])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• ABC Kimmel Fallout: 05:00–13:59
• Carr’s Hypocrisy, Free Speech: 11:01–16:38
• Pam Bondi and Hate Speech: 15:04–16:29
• Trump Media Crackdown: 21:09–24:38
• Economic Strike Idea: 16:38–21:09
• Media’s Future (Streaming): 26:32–31:45
• Predictions (M&A): 60:34–64:30
• TikTok Mega-Deal: 48:56–54:23
• Banter/Personal Tones: Interspersed throughout ([02:08], [16:38], [31:45], [69:08])

Conclusion

This episode captures a moment of profound disillusionment with US media, democracy, and economic policy, yet also points to the resilience and adaptability beyond the legacy institutions—be it new digital platforms or the enduring drive for free expression. Scott and Kara, with their trademark intensity and irreverence, detail both grim consequences and potential strategies for resistance, while highlighting the farcical and dangerous currents of contemporary American political power.

Listen if you want:

• Unfiltered analysis of the latest blows to free speech and media independence
• Insights into the intersection of business cronyism, tech, and politics
• Nuanced predictions about where media (and protest) go from here
• Razor-sharp banter and world-weary optimism in the face of chaos