🤏 “Ozempic iPhone” — Apple’s iPhone “Air”. Ben & Jerry’s revolt. Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz. +Anti-Shoe-Startups.

Summary

The Best One Yet

Episode: 🤏 “Ozempic iPhone” — Apple’s iPhone “Air”. Ben & Jerry’s revolt. Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz. +Anti-Shoe-Startups.
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell
Date: September 10, 2025

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Overview

In this engaging episode, Nick and Jack break down the top three business news stories of the day. The main themes: radical iPhone redesign and Apple’s “survival by a thousand features,” Ben and Jerry’s public rebellion against its corporate parent, and Las Vegas’ Sphere turning the Wizard of Oz into a four-dimensional, blockbuster, billion-dollar experience. Along the way, they riff on quirky workplace trends (no shoes allowed!), industry data, and the increasingly blurred lines between brand activism and business.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Apple’s iPhone Air: The Ozempic iPhone

(05:23 – 09:50)

• Apple Event Recap: Apple launches the iPhone 17 and the all-new iPhone Air, which the hosts jokingly dub “the first Ozempic iPhone—it’s so thin you can barely see it.”
• Physical Revolution:
  • iPhone Air is just 5mm thick—“equal to just three nickels.”
  • 30% thinner, 22% longer battery life, 3% lighter than the regular iPhone.
  • The camera “bump” is still there, but now more of a plateau.
• Wall Street’s Lukewarm Response:
  • Investors wanted a big price hike or advanced AI features; neither appeared.
  • Only the iPhone 17 Pro’s base price rose (by $100).
  • Apple stock dropped 2% during the event.
• The Real Star:
  • AirPods Pro 3 with live language translation, allowing two people speaking different languages to communicate instantly if both are wearing them.
  • “Now, live language translation was one of just hundreds of other features announced yesterday. Minivations if you will, each one of which could be mocked as marginal. But together…they’ve added up.” — Nick (09:15)
• Apple’s Ecosystem:
  • 41% of profit from services, 19% from non-iPhone hardware.
  • The accumulation of “minivations” ensures loyalty—users park in Apple’s world.
• Key Takeaway:
  • “For Apple, it’s not death by a thousand cuts, it’s survival by a thousand features.” — Jack (08:39)

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2. Ben & Jerry’s “Ice Cream Revolt” Against Big Ice Cream

(09:50 – 14:11)

• Corporate Drama:
  • Unilever, the world’s largest ice cream company, is spinning off its ice cream arm as “Magnum Ice Cream Company” (which oddly leaves Ben & Jerry’s not in the headline brand).
  • Ben & Jerry (the founders) crashed Unilever’s celebration by publishing an open letter, demanding independence so their brand can freely advocate for progressive causes.
• Activist Roots & the Muzzle:
  • Ben & Jerry’s, known for activism, worried they’re being “grounded” by Unilever, stifling the brand’s voice.
  • When acquired in 2000, part of the deal was an independent board to protect brand activism.
  • Now, the founders launched FreeBenAndJerrys.com to build support for breaking away.
• Catch-22 for Unilever:
  • Let Ben & Jerry’s speak, risk polarized backlash; keep them quiet, risk eroding the brand’s activist appeal.
  • “Some brands are just built on the opinionated positions and causes that they stand for, like Ben & Jerry’s. We think the third option is the only one that doesn’t result in brand destruction.” — Jack (14:05)
• Memorable Moment:
  • Mocked up potential protest flavors: “liberation licorice,” “fine print praline,” “hands off my halva.” (12:53)
• Key Takeaway:
  • “I scream, you scream, we all scream to let brand scream.” — Nick (13:12)

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3. The Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz Blockbuster

(16:27 – 20:57)

• What’s Happening:
  • Las Vegas’ Sphere turns the 1939 Wizard of Oz into a “4D” experience—part film, part concert, part theme park ride.
  • AI-enhanced visuals fill the Sphere’s unique screen; Google and Warner Bros. are collaborators.
  • Each show: 4,500 tickets at $200 each, selling out multiple times per day.
• Immersive Experience:
  • During tornado scenes, 750 horsepower fans replicate the sensation; drone “flying monkeys” swoop overhead.
  • “It is as much a theme park ride as it is a movie, according to the critics. And it could make a billion bucks before the run ends.” — Jack (19:34)
• Financials & Future:
  • Movies at Sphere can generate twice as much as concerts (U2, Phish, Eagles).
  • Sphere stock is up 34% in a month; in talks with Disney and Warner for Star Wars and Harry Potter experiences.
• Big Picture Comparison:
  • The Sphere is pitched as “the closest we'll get to the Metaverse”—a premium, shared, all-senses experience, compared to the solitary, headset-wearing, server-heavy approach of Meta’s vision.
  • “Mark Zuckerberg spent billions on servers. The Sphere spent billions on giant screens…Zuck created for a solitary experience. But the Sphere built a shared experience.” — Nick (20:48)
• Key Takeaway:
  • “The Sphere is the closest we’ll get to the Metaverse.” — Jack (20:09)

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Bonus Segments & Factoids

Startup Trend: No Shoes in the Office

(01:26 – 03:11; 23:30)

• Emerging startup norm: banning shoes for cleanliness, “respect,” and a home-like atmosphere.
• Cursor, a $10B AI startup, is cited as an example.
• Every employee gets slippers on arrival.
• Fun fact: Many iconic founders—Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Marc Andreessen—have a history of ditching shoes at work.
• “When you add it up, there is a high correlation between bare feet and billionaires.” — Jack (24:01)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s so thin you can barely see it.” — Nick on the iPhone Air (00:38)
• “It’s the biggest physical change to the iPhone in a decade. And it’s such a big deal, they didn’t even put a number on this iPhone—just iPhone Air.” — Jack (07:29)
• “For Apple, it’s not death by a thousand cuts, it’s survival by a thousand features.” — Jack (08:39)
• “We all scream to let brand scream.” — Nick (13:12)
• “It is as much a theme park ride as it is a movie, according to the critics. And it could make a billion bucks before the run ends.” — Jack (19:34)
• “The Sphere is the closest we’ll get to the Metaverse.” — Jack (20:09)
• “There is a high correlation between bare feet and billionaires.” — Jack (24:01)

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Important Timestamps

• Apple iPhone Air story: 05:23 – 09:50
• Ben & Jerry’s revolt: 09:50 – 14:11
• Sphere’s 4D Wizard of Oz: 16:27 – 20:57
• The no-shoes workplace trend/fact: 01:26 – 03:11; 23:30

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Flow & Tone

Sticking to their signature lighthearted, riffing tone, Nick and Jack blend smart, sharp business analysis with humor, playful jabs, and pop-culture references (Ozempic, Spaceballs, “survival by a thousand features”). Real business trends and dramas are covered with both depth and on-the-go relatability.

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For Those Who Missed It: The Essentials

• Apple’s “Ozempic iPhone” is thinner but features are piling up everywhere else; Wall Street is left hungry for more AI.
• Ben & Jerry’s are fighting to un-muzzle their brand’s activism after Unilever’s ice cream split.
• Las Vegas’ Sphere is redefining what a movie can be—with “4D,” shared experiences generating blockbuster profits.
• And if you want to be a billionaire? Maybe ditch your shoes at work.

---

Great for coffee (or oatmeal) accompaniment—and, if you’re barefoot, maybe inspiration strikes.

Transcript

[A]

This is Nick, this is Jack. It's Wednesday ceviche Wednesday, September 10th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T boy.

[B]

The top three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[A]

Oh, what happened to the memo? I thought on Wednesdays we wear pink slammin salmon over here. What are we doing? I don't know, but I love that.

[B]

Lock going down your forehead.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you.

[B]

You got like a reverse alfalfa going on.

[A]

The product ain't producting right now in my hair. Jack, three stories for today's T boy. Jack, what do we got on the show?

[B]

Our first story, Apple just introduced the iPhone 17 and the very first iPhone air.

[A]

Or as we call it, the first ozempic iPhone. It's so thin you can barely see it.

[B]

For our second story, Wall street just experienced the biggest ice cream split in history. And no, it wasn't banana.

[A]

Ben and Jerry, the Vermont ice cream founders are demanding their freedom from big ice cream.

[B]

Ben and Jerry's are starting a rum raisin revolution.

[A]

It's a Revolt.

[B]

And our third and final story is the surpr blockbuster movie of 2025. It's the wizard of Oz at the sphere.

[A]

But besties, this ain't a movie. It's a four dimensional experience. Just watch out for the flying drone monkeys.

[B]

Flying drone monkeys in the arena with you.

[A]

It's right behind you, Jack.

[B]

But yetis, before we hit that wonderful.

[A]

Mix of stories, fantastic mix of stories for the T boy.

[B]

Jack, Labor Day is over, so you can't wear white anymore.

[A]

But Jack, the big fashion question this year is this. Can you wear shoes after Labor Day?

[B]

Because the hot new trend at startups is no shoes allowed in the office.

[A]

Anti Adidas, literally. Some startups are banning you from wearing shoes inside the office.

[B]

I hope you don't have athlete's foot because this is going to be awkward.

[A]

No kicks in the conference room, people.

[B]

Leave the Birkenstocks.

[A]

Back at home, Fila's at your one on one. Forget about it.

[B]

For example, Cursor is a $10 billion AI startup in San Francisco where no shoes are allowed in the office.

[A]

Apparently the founder grew up in a no shoes household. Why should it be any different at work?

[B]

Yeah, the sidewalks are gross. You don't want. You don't want to bring in the sidewalks into the office.

[A]

Speaking of gross, Jack, kick your feet up for your next one on one meeting and just let your toes do the talking.

[B]

I really hope human resources doesn't have an issue with my hairy hobbit feet.

[A]

Man, Instead, each employee gets a set of slippers when you walk into work.

[B]

Dude, we have a no shoes policy at my house and it's a life goal to have like a full set of all the sizes of slippers to let our guests wear in the house.

[A]

But Jack, it's always awkward when like a plumber comes and you're like, would you mind just taking, taking off your. Your shoes?

[B]

Yeah, sometimes they have those like hair nets that they put over the shoes.

[A]

I actually just bought some of those hair nets the other day for just such a purpose. Besties. The anti shoe policy. It ain't about fashion. It's about respect.

[B]

You're turning the office into a clean, sacred temple of innovation.

[A]

However, Yetis, Jack and I dove in T boy style to the no shoes rule, and we made a wild discovery.

[B]

We actually found a correlation between footwear and financial results, between bare feet and billionaires. And we'll reveal that correlation at the end of this pod.

[A]

At the foot end of this pod. Okay, Jack, let's hit our three stories. Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but the best is the norm. Jack, Nick, that's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%. That's a fat tip. T boy city on your at Liz. If you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no more. So just start the show. Start the show. First a quick word from our sponsor. Now a quick break.

[B]

Switching topics to one of our favorite sponsors, Vital proteins.

[A]

Yeah, it is. We've told you about vital proteins. They help support our hair, skin, nail, bone and joint health with those collagen peptides.

[B]

But after doing their ads for a few months, we told Vital Proteins, hey, we like to shake things up, okay?

[A]

But then they took us too literally. And guess what product Vital proteins just launched.

[B]

A ready to drink collagen protein shake with a smooth chocolate taste.

[A]

They shook it up too much. We're talking 30 grams of protein. Enough to grow a third bicep, I think.

[B]

Nick, I've been using using vital proteins for my coffee. Now I use it for my bicep curls too.

[A]

It's all the benefits of vital proteins collagen. But in an 11 ounce shake, you can grab, go and shake.

[B]

So go to www.vitalproteins.com to learn more and where to buy. Get 20% off your next order by entering promo code T boy at checkout.

[A]

Airbnb Yetis, our show actually started as a side hustle over 10 years ago. It began in secret outside of our bank jobs.

[B]

We were worried we'd get food, so we didn't tell our bosses, and we even left our names off the website.

[A]

Now, that was our side hustle, a media startup. But there are other side hustles that are a lot less risky than that.

[B]

And that have 0% chance of getting you fired. Like being a host on Airbnb.

[A]

In this economy, it's a fun and rewarding way to make money off the thing you're already paying for your house or your apartment.

[B]

I've hosted two previous apartments and my current chalet on Airbnb.

[A]

And when no one's using it, why not welcome a family, a couple that just got engaged?

[B]

You already have an Airbnb. You just didn't realize it yet.

[A]

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how [e-mail] host for our first story. Apple just unveiled the first ever iPhone Air. Or as Jack and I call it, the first ever Ozempic iPhone.

[B]

Apple's suite of products have a thousand cool features at this point, and that is Apple's new recipe for survival.

[A]

Jack, I'm checking the calendar here. Back to school NFL kickoff. And it looks like yesterday, Apple's annual event.

[B]

They all happen in September. Remember, we saw the iPhone 4, the 4s, the 5, the 5s, the 5c.

[A]

Oh, Jack, who could forget the iPhone X? I remember where we were that.

[B]

Yeah, the X1 Roman numeral.

[A]

Remember the iPhone 14? That's a story for another pod besties. It used to be epic every time. But more recently, as innovations have slowed the iPhone, updates have been marginal.

[B]

Every September, we learn that the iPhone is a little thinner, a little faster, a little longer battery and a slightly newer chip.

[A]

As Shakespeare the analyst once asked, how will Apple squeeze 1 to 2% more incremental revenue out of the iPhone?

[B]

That's been the question in recent years.

[A]

But this year, we got something new, didn't we, Jack?

[B]

On Tuesday, we got the iPhone Air.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So impossibly thin and light, as Apple calls it, it will disappear in your.

[A]

Hand 5 millimeters thick. That is equal to just three nickels.

[B]

And yet this phone is more powerful, has a longer battery life and a bigger screen than the regular iPhone.

[A]

It's a paradox you have to hold to believe, as Apple put it, or as Jack and I think it looks. What do you think, Jack?

[B]

An iPhone that took Ozempic.

[A]

Yeah, it looks like an iPhone that's on ozempic, it does.

[B]

We double checked the numbers. It's only 3% lighter, but it's 30% thinner and. And has a 22% longer battery life than a regular iPhone.

[A]

Except for that camera bump. Jack, we gotta mention the camera bump. True.

[B]

The camera's gotta be good on an iPhone. But with such a slender frame, the camera bump. It's more like a plateau than a bump.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, it's like the new iPhone. Looks like the old iPhone took ozempic and then got a pimple where the camera is still.

[B]

It's the biggest physical change to the iPhone in a decade. And it's such a big deal. They didn't even put a number on.

[A]

This iPhone, just iPhone Air. It's cleaner.

[B]

That all sounds pretty impressive.

[A]

Well, Jack, Wall street was not impressed, because Wall street wanted one of two things.

[B]

Wall street wanted to hear a big price increase for all the new iPhones or new AI features in all the iPhones.

[A]

Mo Money or Mo AI. But Wall street didn't get either.

[B]

So as the event was happening yesterday, Apple stock trickled down by 2%.

[A]

The iPhone 17 Pro is the only device whose base price rose by 100 bucks. That was it.

[B]

There was no upd who still doesn't speak artificial intelligence.

[A]

And there were no updates on the AI features, which Apple is still way behind on.

[B]

IPhone did get a new color, though. Cosmic orange.

[A]

Oh, looks like a Syracuse alum might have replaced Jony. I've over on the design team over there.

[B]

So Apple's new smartphone is marginally better. Not super smart, but definitely smart enough for iPhone users.

[A]

And it's been injected with a little bit of ozempic. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Apple?

[B]

For Apple, it's. It's not death by a thousand cuts, it's survival by a thousand features.

[A]

Yetis the shocking star of the show yesterday, in our opinion was actually the AirPods AirPods Pro 3 because it now has live language translation.

[B]

If both you and the person you're talking to are wearing AirPod Pro 3s, then you can speak different languages to each other, but instantly hear the translation with no delay.

[A]

Jack, you could walk into a cafe in Cuba and understand the cassava from the croquette is mid conversation with one of the Castro brothers. Doesn't matter.

[B]

You're not a communist. You still understand what they're saying.

[A]

Now, live language translation was one of just hundreds of other features announced yesterday. Minivations if you will, each one of which could be mocked as marginal. But together They've added up.

[B]

And the result? Every Apple user is now a power user who uses a bunch of different Apple accessories and Apple services.

[A]

Okay, get this, besties. In the last nine months, 41% of Apple profits came from services and another 19% of profits came from non iPhone hardware accessories.

[B]

So, yes, the iPhone has plateaued, but it's good enough to keep you parked in the Apple ecosystem.

[A]

And as long as that's the case for Apple, it's not death by a thousand cuts, it's survival by a thousand features. For our second story, Ben and Jerry just published an open letter saying they are business prisoners who need to be freed from capitalist prison because the biggest.

[B]

Drama in finance right now is an ice cream drama.

[A]

The hottest drama is in the frozen food section. Oh, Yetis. For decades, Unilever has been the biggest ice cream company on earth. Hasn't it, Jack?

[B]

Get this. Unilever owns four of the five biggest ice cream brands in the world.

[A]

Ben and Jerry's, Klondike, Breyers, Magnum.

[B]

The only brand in the top five Unilever doesn't own is Haagen Dazs.

[A]

That's right. Oh, they also own Talenti, which. You know why Talenti has a screw top, Jack? No, why? Because that way it feels like a snack when you dig into it at like, 2pm oh, interesting. Unilever, they took 21% of all ICE cream sales on earth. Jack, that is one out of five scoops. Or. I know you don't want to hear this, but one out of five licks.

[B]

No, we don't say lick on this podcast. But last year, Unilever announced a split.

[A]

Banana split.

[B]

They're going to spin off the ice cream business into a separate, new publicly traded company. It's actually called Magnum Ice Cream Company. And that new stock begins trading this November.

[A]

And now, Basties, we know what you're thinking. Why is an ice cream company the biggest on earth that owns Ben and Jerry's, which everyone knows being named Magnum Ice Cream?

[B]

It was a surprise to us, but the Magnum brand actually has twice the sales that Ben and Jerry's does. I guess that's why.

[A]

Here's the news. It looks like Ben and Jerry may have taken that name snubbing a little.

[B]

Bit personally, because yesterday, Unilever was having a party to celebrate the ice cream company's independence from the rest of Unilever. And then Ben and Jerry's crashed the party.

[A]

Get this. Ben and Jerry published an open letter demanding that the brand be released from Unilever. Magnum's ice cream corporate ownership.

[B]

They launched Free BenAndJerry's.com to plead their case and collect signatures demanding the split.

[A]

We're talking about the OG Ben and Jerry here asking and filing for a chocolate chip cookie dough divorce.

[B]

Because as they said in the open letter, activism is at the heart of everything Ben and Jerry's does.

[A]

And Unilever knew that 25 years ago when they acquired the company Ben and Jerry.

[B]

When Unilever acquired Ben Jerry in 2000 for $326 million, Ben Jerry's demanded an independent board govern Ben and Jerry, one that protected the brand's free speech on all the issues.

[A]

However, lately, Ben and Jerry feel like they've been getting well grounded by their corporate parent company.

[B]

Ben and Jerry say that Ben and Jerry's voice has been stifled on all the progressive ca that the brand cares about.

[A]

And that is why Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are asking to split off Ben and Jerry from this newly split off giant ice cream company.

[B]

There's been no response from Unilever yet, but we bet Ben and Jerry's are gonna start trolling in defense of their position with, like, some mean fake flavors.

[A]

Ben and Jerry's gonna come out with, like, liberation licorice, Jack. Fine print, praline legal clarity, cookie dough. I got one more for you. Hands off my halva. How about that for a flavor? What's halva? It's a delicious story for another pod. Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Ben and Jerry?

[B]

I scream, you scream, we all scream. To let brand scream.

[A]

Yeti's Unilever. They're in a tricky position here. Honestly, it tastes like a catch 22.

[B]

Unilever could let Ben and Jerry's be Ben and Jerry, unmuzzle the brand, allow their vocal advocacy for progressive and sometimes.

[A]

Divisive causes, but then risk hurting overall Unilever sales because the other side would get upset.

[B]

Or Unilever could continue the status quo, which is muzzling Ben and Jerry's when it comes to their activist positions.

[A]

But then that risks hurting Ben and Jerry's brand as their fans fell in love with them because of the activism.

[B]

Well, now Ben and Jerry, the founders, are proposing a third option. Yes, they are just split off the Ben and Jerry's brand from the rest of the ice cream so that nobody deals with each other's drama.

[A]

You see besties more broadly. Some brands are just built on the opinionated positions and causes that they stand.

[B]

For, like Ben and Jerry's. We think the third option is the only one that doesn't result in brand destruction.

[A]

Because when it comes to corporate censorship, I scream, you scream, we all scream to let brand scream. Now a quick word from our sponsor.

[B]

AT&T Business Yetis.

[A]

Starting your own business, it ain't easy. When we first got our daily newsletter off the ground that led to this podcast a decade ago, we definitely did not get everything right.

[B]

Remember, we initially bummed wifi off of hotel lobbies.

[A]

Classic move.

[B]

And then the concierge kicked us out. So coffee shop free WI fi became our godsend.

[A]

Another latte shout out to all the.

[B]

Small business cafe owners. Your WI fi is the real hero.

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

Which is the main thing you want in a provider. Less time stressing, more time for you to work on your business.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

To be right and besties. Since I'm co hosting here with the starting backup D3 quarterback, Jack, can you tell me what it's like being right on the football field?

[B]

To clarify, I am undefeated in senior year. Games in which I threw touchdown passes.

[A]

All right, never mind, Jack. I'll take it from here. On the Prizepix app, you can pick your sport. Let's say pro football, and then you.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

Yeti's Prize Picks is the simple way to get action on sports in over 40 states, including California, Texas and Georgia.

[A]

And wildly, they offer injury reboots. So, like, if one of your players pulls a hammy, Prize picks won't count it as a loss. Nice.

[B]

I wish my fantasy league had the same rules.

[A]

So download the app today and use Code T boy to get 50 bucks off in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That's code T boy to get $50 in lineups after you play your 1st.

[B]

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[A]

For our third and final story. The blockbuster movie of the fall is the wizard of Oz at the Sphere.

[B]

But it's actually a movie, a concert and a theme park ride all in one.

[A]

Nick.

[B]

Everything the Metaverse isn't, the Sphere is.

[A]

But yetis. Let's kick off this story with a little bit of a T boy trivia. Jack, you're the trivia guy. You got the honors here.

[B]

What's the most watched movie of all time?

[A]

I kind of wanted to say Spaceballs just cause I'm rude for Spaceballs, but I'm not gonna say Spaceballs.

[B]

The answer is the wizard of Oz, according to the Library of Congress.

[A]

Sorry, DiCaprio. Dorothy's gonna win this one.

[B]

Yeah, Martin Scorsese. Actually, the Munchkins are number one.

[A]

The Schwartz is not with us. Yetis wizard of Oz, published as a book in 1900, a movie in 1939, plus a bunch of other spinoffs like Wicked and the WIZ.

[B]

But on August 28, just two weeks ago, the wizard of Oz was resurrected once again at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

[A]

All thanks to Jim Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers and the Las Vegas Sphere.

[B]

Jim Dolan invested $100 million to turn the classic 1939 movie into a wild four dimensional modern viewing experience.

[A]

More on 4D in a second. But in the meantime, Jack, can you please sprinkle on the co conspirators to this huge production?

[B]

It's Warner Bros. Which owns the OG movie and Google, which transform the OG movie into a modern digital marvel. Thanks to their AI.

[A]

The result? This new 4D wizard of Oz is generating 2 million bucks a day for the sphere.

[B]

You're definitely not in Kansas anymore.

[A]

Yeah, those ruby slippers are profit puppies.

[B]

Nick, can I crunch some movie math for you?

[A]

Movie math? What do we have, Jack?

[B]

Since the debut two weeks ago, the Sphere has sold out two to three shows per day. 4,500 tickets per show at 200 bucks per ticket.

[A]

Okay, Jack, I'm doing the movie math with you. And when will we hit breakeven profitability?

[B]

Maybe by Christmas.

[A]

But wait one sec, Jack, pause the pod. Did you say 200 bucks a ticket for a movie?

[B]

Yes, because this is a four dimensional wild experience.

[A]

Yetis, the OG wizard of Oz movie was filmed to fit a rectangular screen.

[B]

But the sphere is not a rectangle, is it? So they used Google's AI to extrapolate the 1939 film to fill up the entire sphere. Massive screen that means Yetis.

[A]

When Dorothy, the lion, the Tin man, the Scarecrow, when they are skipping the yellow brick road, you see an AI generated magnificent background that is as grand as Yosemite.

[B]

And it's four dimensional. So the tornado scene when the house gets spun from Kansas to Oz, viewers get hit by 750 horsepower giant fans. So it feels like a real life tornado in the arena.

[A]

Wind and debris will absolutely ruin your date night hair.

[B]

Yes, they will. Hold on tight to Toto.

[A]

Oh, and then Jack, watch out for the drones during the flying monkey scene. Cause there are drone monkeys. It's terrifying.

[B]

There's actual flying drones flying around in the Sphere besties.

[A]

It is as much a theme park ride as it is a movie, according to the critics. And it could make a billion bucks before the run ends.

[B]

Now, when you think of the Sphere, you probably think of concerts like U2 Fish or the Eagles when they have concerts next. The Sphere will still show two viewings of the wizard of Oz before the concert and bring in $2 million in ticket sales.

[A]

It turns out this Sphere actually makes twice as much revenue from movies as.

[B]

It does concerts and stock. And Sphere, the publicly traded company is at an all time high, up 34% in the past month.

[A]

So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Sphere?

[B]

The Sphere is the closest we'll get to the Metaverse.

[A]

Yetis the wizard of Oz at the Sphere. It is a category busting product. It is a movie, a concert and a theme park ride all in one.

[B]

People will pay 200 bucks for the 70 minute show. It's the premium price of Broadway, but.

[A]

Scalable infinitely and 70% gross profit margins on this thing. Because unlike the movies, the Sphere doesn't have to share half the box office revenue with the theater.

[B]

And now they're in talks with Disney to spherify Star wars and with Warner Bros. To spherify Harry Potter besties.

[A]

Add it all up. And Mark Zuckerberg spent billions on servers. The Sphere spent billions on giant screens.

[B]

Mark Zuckerberg built headsets. The Sphere built an indoor tornado Zuck.

[A]

Created for a solitary experience. But the Sphere built a shared experience.

[B]

We think the Sphere is the closest we'll ever get to the Metaverse.

[A]

Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for ceviche Wednesday?

[B]

Apple unveiled the iPhone air yesterday. They also unveiled live language translating, airPods and like a hundred other new features too.

[A]

It's the first ever Ozempic iPhone for Apple. It's not death by a thousand cuts, it's survival by a thousand features.

[B]

For our second story, Ben and Jerry want their namesake brand to be set free from their corporate owner so they can be vocal on issues.

[A]

Again, the way Jack and I see it, I scream, you scream, we all scream to let brand scream.

[B]

And our third and final story, wizard of Oz at the Sphere is the blockbuster of the fall. It could bring in a billion dollars to just in one theater.

[A]

And it looks like the Sphere is the closest we'll ever get to the Metaverse.

[B]

But besties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[A]

First, shocker. US mail just had its biggest drop in history. An 80% plummet in USPS packages from abroad.

[B]

It's all because the United States closed the de minimis rule, aka the shein loophole.

[A]

Before packages entering the US under 800 bucks didn't have to pay a tariff. But now they gotta pay that duty.

[B]

So cute, tough. And other made in China tiny items. They're just not worth shipping to America anymore.

[A]

And second, the jobs data was just revised again. Employers added nearly a million fewer jobs this year than previously believed.

[B]

Now it's common for the Bureau of Labor Statistics to revise job numbers. Last year, Biden had a similar huge revision downward at this moment.

[A]

But still, this one is concerning. The trade war and AI are both spooky forces messing with the labor market right now.

[B]

The number one concern of the economy has quickly pivoted from inflation to jobs.

[A]

And finally, the Girl Scouts are making their biggest product launch in years. It's a brand new cookie called Explore Mores.

[B]

It's not a cookie, it's an experience. Chocolate, almond, marshmallow, ganache. Do I need to say more?

[A]

The Girl Scouts, they do nearly a billion dollars in cookie sales each year. This could catapult them to full on unicorn status.

[B]

Correction. The Girl Scouts fathers peer pressure their employees to do a billion dollars of cookie. Scouts.

[A]

Hey, the Sphere. Can we please get a Girl Scout explore more's experience so we can eat the cookie now time for the best fact yet. This one whipped up by Jack and I to complete our no shoes policy intro.

[B]

As we mentioned earlier, employees can't wear shoes at the office in some businesses.

[A]

It's the new startup trend these days.

[B]

But we dove in and discovered a high proportion of some of the most successful entrepreneurs and leaders of all time were anti shoes.

[A]

Steve Jobs. Yeah, he took off his shoes when.

[B]

He got to work and they were barely shoes. They were Birkenstock sandals.

[A]

Mark Zuckerberg walks around his office without shoes on.

[B]

And he also famously wore Adidas slip on sandals.

[A]

Yeah, I think he zucked the idea from Steve Jobs. Jack. Oh, and Marc Andreessen, Richard Branson, both known to show their toes.

[B]

Even Socrates, a leader who came out before the sneaker.

[A]

So besties added up and there is a high correlation between bare feet and billionaires. Yetis, you look fantastic today and if you are not wearing shoes today, then that's all the more reason to drop down and give us five stars on today's podcast. Helps us grow the show.

[B]

Five toes, five stars.

[A]

There you go Jack. Oh, and drop a comment too. Cause Jack and I love reading every one of them after we take our shoes off.

[B]

And again, if you have athlete's foot, I had it too when I was a kid. I'm still kind of self conscious.

[A]

Not the place for that, Jack. Not the place for that.

[B]

Disclosure.

[A]

Jack and I will see you tomorrow. And before we go, a Happy birthday to Yeti Daniel Vernese from lovely St. Louis. And congrats on your first ever publication as an author.

[B]

Happy fifth birthday to Big Aspen Fry over in Orange, California.

[A]

The mighty Aspen. And Katu Gatobu over in Bowie, Maryland has got a new apartment and a new job. Just crushing it right now.

[B]

And congratulations to Darrell Williams of San Jose, California, who's got a new job as a controller.

[A]

And if you want a shout out on this show or you've got the best fact yet, just click on the links we got in this episode description. We'd love to get them on the pod.

[B]

And to anyone else who celebrated something today, make it a T boy.

[A]

Celebrate the wins.

[B]

This is Jack. I own stock of Disney and Nick and I both own stock and Apple. I'm like, thank you so much Xfinity service personnel, but can we talk about your feet?

[A]

I just blame Molly. I say, you know, my wife really cares about this. Like, she really doesn't want people coming in wearing shoes in the house. So you know, it's not me, but for Molly. Could you put your. And they're like, oh yeah, no problem, no problem.

[B]

If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery and the Wondery app.

[A]

Or on Apple Podcasts prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us a.

[B]

Little bit about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[A]

We want to get to know you. And now a next level moment from AT&T business. Say you've sent out a gigantic shipment of pillows and they need to be there in time for International Sleep Day. You've got at and T5G so you're fully confident, but the vendor isn't responding and International Sleep Day is tomorrow. Luckily, AT&T5G lets you deal with any issues with ease, so the pillows will get delivered and everyone can sleep soundly, especially you. AT&T5G requires a compatible plan and device coverage not available everywhere. Learn [e-mail] 5G Network.