🪦 “RIP META” — Zuck’s metaverse kill. K-Pop’s Demon concert. Asia’s 4-day oil week. +Guinness inspector

Summary

The Best One Yet – March 20, 2026: “RIP META” — Zuck’s metaverse kill. K-Pop’s Demon concert. Asia’s 4-day oil week. + Guinness inspector

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Episode Theme Overview

Hosts Nick and Jack tackle the top three standout business stories shaping the pop culture and financial landscape: Mark Zuckerberg's official end to the Metaverse, the ripple effect of oil shocks leading Asia into a four-day work week, and Netflix’s innovative approach to content with a global K-Pop Demon Hunters concert tour. As always, Nick and Jack mix news, wit, and business-sense into easy-to-digest, energetic segments.

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Key Segments & Insights

1. Guinness Inspector: Pouring Perfection (00:29–03:16)

• Opening banter reveals the quirky story that Guinness employs official “inspectors” to regulate how its pints are poured in US bars.
• The process: Inspectors use a tape measure and stopwatch to ensure the perfect Guinness pour:
  • 20 oz. glass filled three-quarters to the ‘N’
  • Wait 90 seconds for nitrogen to settle
  • Top off allowing foam to rise 18mm above brim
  • Kegs must be at 38°F; pints stored at 40–43°F
• Nick: "Add it all up...a Guinness should take exactly 119.5 seconds to pour." (02:25)
• Purpose: Enforce consistent brand quality and enhance the “Irish experience” in American bars.
• Jack: "The Irish, they're really serious about some things, and Guinness is one of them." (02:56)

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2. RIP Meta: Zuckerberg Shuts Down The Metaverse (05:47–10:13)

Context & History

• 5 years, $80 billion, and a corporate name change later, Mark Zuckerberg officially ends his Metaverse vision.
• The Metaverse—originally inspired by 1992’s Snow Crash and hyped as the future of virtual living—never found product-market fit.
• Jack: “Too much hype, not enough habit.” (07:49)

What Happened

• Horizon Worlds, the flagship Metaverse app, is closing to the general public (remains only for Meta Quest headset users, with no updates).
• Usage was paltry—just 200,000 monthly active users vs. Roblox’s 80 million (07:57).
• Real-world tie-ins (e.g., digital real estate, avatar hangouts) never caught on.

Cause of Death

• Host consensus: Sunk cost fallacy destroyed.
  • Zuck avoids further investment just because of immense prior spending.
  • “Just because you spent $80 billion on the wrong move doesn’t mean you should spend any billion dollars more on it." (09:57 – Nick)
• Pivot to AI: Meta survives and refocuses, learning from the “bad burrito blunder.”

Takeaway

• Practical business wisdom: Don’t let sunk costs force continued investment—focus on where the next dollar is best spent.
• Jack: "Zuckerberg ending the metaverse is probably his wisest move yet." (10:07)

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3. Asia’s Four-Day Work Week: Fuel Crisis Edition (10:13–14:01)

What’s Happening

• Oil prices, driven by Iran-Israel conflict and attacks on energy infrastructure, spike to $119/barrel (10:54).
• US pays less ($99/barrel), but overseas—especially across Asia—crisis mode inspires immediate government action.

Unprecedented Response

• Governments (Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Pakistan) are instituting four-day work weeks or canceling school days—not for worker wellness, but to reduce national fuel use (11:35–11:45).
• Thailand returns to pandemic-style work-from-home to conserve energy.

Geopolitical Roots

• Extreme dependence: Japan, South Korea, and India import 70–90% of oil via Strait of Hormuz—the world’s new “most important geographic point.”
• US self-sufficiency blocks the worst of the impact: post-shale revolution, America is a net energy exporter and benefits from relatively lower prices.

Takeaway

• Nick: “For 50 years, American presidents lamented our dependence on Middle East oil.” (13:04)
• Now, domestic production forms a “firewall” against global price shocks.
• In business and economics: Control over fuel means outsized protection against global crises.

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4. Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters Concert Tour: The Power of Originality (15:46–20:29)

Backstory & Breakup

• Netflix, fresh off a partnership breakup with Warner Bros (who paid a $3M breakup fee), pivots by launching a global concert tour for “K-Pop Demon Hunters”—the most streamed Netflix film ever (500 million views).
  • "Twice as many views as Squid Games and twice as many as Zootopia 2." (16:50 – Jack)

Groundbreaking Strategy

• First instance of a movie becoming a worldwide arena concert tour.
• Full integration: hit Billboard songs, a Grammy-and-Oscar-winning musical number, explosive merch demand (which Netflix failed to capitalize on, prompting this tour as a fresh revenue source).

Creative Pivot

• Netflix expands beyond TV/film: “Started with shows and movies...gaming, live sports, podcasts, and now concerts.” (17:38 – Jack)
• Comparison to Taylor Swift’s $2 billion ERAs tour as a model for experiential growth and cross-media branding.

Disney Contrast

• Disney faces franchise fatigue—stock down 50% in five years, relying on “Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, Marvel Infinity.”
• Netflix’s original gamble reaps rewards: “Sequels are for suckers—soul suckers.” (19:21 – Jack)

Takeaway

• New creative bets are vital for growth; relentless sequels breed audience exhaustion.
• Nick: "Netflix earned it by taking a huge risk on something totally original...So original they weren't even ready for Christmas with toys." (20:07)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The Metaverse—a bet so big Zuck renamed the company after it.” (06:07 – Jack)
• “Too much hype, not enough habit.” (07:49 – Jack)
• “Just because you spent $80 billion on the wrong move doesn’t mean you should spend any billion dollars more on it.” (09:57 – Nick)
• “Fuel is our firewall.” (13:00 – Jack)
• “Sequels are for suckers. Soul suckers.” (19:21 – Jack)
• “[On Netflix]... started with shows and movies... now concerts.” (17:38 – Jack)
• “Disney, we’re not telling you not to make Toy Story 5...but what’s the next Toy Story?” (20:19 – Jack)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:29 – Guinness inspector story begins
• 03:16 – Podcast theme intro
• 05:47 – RIP Meta (Metaverse story begins)
• 10:13 – Asia’s four-day week and global oil crisis
• 15:46 – Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters global concert tour

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Bonus Lightning Round

Quick Hits (21:12–23:29)

• Uber’s $300M stock buy-in with Rivian for robo-taxis, aiming for 50,000 vehicles by 2030.
• Fed Chairman Jay Powell: No net new jobs created in the US due to negative immigration and low birth rates.
• Athleisure twist: Lululemon puts the ex-CEO of Levi’s on its board.
• Best Fact Yet (Eid Al Fitr): Despite fasting, Egypt’s grocery spending spikes 150% during Ramadan, as nighttime feasts fuel demand.

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Overall Tone

• Bright, conversational, playful (“We just did a whole takeaway on [the burrito]. Sunk cost fallacy, man.” – 23:19)
• Balances genuine business wisdom and economic news with wit and pop culture ("Soul suckers"; "Burrito blunder"; “Fluid dynamics with your March Madness this weekend.”)
• Wraps with fan birthdays and community spirit.

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Summary In a Nutshell

• Meta buries the Metaverse, learning to cut losses and pivot toward the future (AI).
• Oil crisis drives Asia to a harsher, economically motivated four-day week while America’s energy independence pays off.
• Netflix out-innovates movie franchise fatigue with a K-Pop concert tour, proving originality trumps endless sequels—and giving Disney a lesson in bold creative bets.
• Plus: Guinness is dead-serious about its pour, and Ramadan’s nightly feasts drive grocery sales sky-high.

For pop-biz news that’s as tasty as your morning oatmeal, this was the Best One Yet.

Transcript

[Nick]

This is Nick, this is Jack. It's Friday, the real Friday, March 20th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T, boy.

[Jack]

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

[Nick]

Okay, yes. Remember we told you that the Oscars throw away the red carpet every year? Every year.

[Jack]

The day after, it's in a dumpster.

[Nick]

Well, guess what? This year someone found it and she put it in her home.

[Jack]

She cut it up and it's now on her living room floor.

[Nick]

It's her rugging. It's the red carpet from the Oscars. There you go.

[Jack]

I think that's Timothee Chamolet's tears right there.

[Nick]

All the best. Who sent in that wild headline to us? Thanks so much. That really completes the story. Full circle.

[Jack]

But today's POD is so freaking good.

[Nick]

What a mix. For the real Friday, Jack, what are the three stories on today's pod?

[Jack]

For our first story, after five years, $80 billion and a name change, Zuckerberg just officially ended the metaverse.

[Nick]

Rip to the metaverse and tbd. If they'll change the name again.

[Jack]

For our second story, some Asian countries are moving to a four day work week, but not for the reason you expect.

[Nick]

Yeah, it's oil. Oil hit 119 bucks. Asia is in crisis. America has a secret advantage.

[Jack]

And our third and final story is Netflix, because Netflix is producing a worldwide concert tour for K pop demon hunters.

[Nick]

Pay attention, new CEO of Disney. This is what you get to do when you take creative risks.

[Jack]

But Yetis, before we hit that wonderful

[Nick]

mix of stories, I mean, what a mix of stories at the coolest place in capitalism. Love it. Check.

[Jack]

Happy March Madness Friday to all those who celebrate.

[Nick]

That's right, Yetis. We know you're hitting the local saloon at 3pm today to watch your bracket get broken.

[Jack]

And if you did, and if you order a Guinness, watch out for the Guinness police.

[Nick]

Get this. A Guinness inspector is roaming American bars right now and regulating the pours.

[Jack]

True story. One of them is named Ryan Wagner, and he carries a stopwatch and a tape measure into each bar.

[Nick]

He's actually paid by Guinness, who is ordering him to regulate American bars. Hey, what did you pour over there?

[Jack]

Here's what he does. First, he ensures that each bartender uses a Guinness approved 20 ounce glass for each Guinness.

[Nick]

Then he instructs them to fill exactly three quarters of the glass up to the letter N. And then he says

[Jack]

it says, wait 90 seconds. This is the hardest part because the bar is busy, but you need to let the nitrogen settle and Then only

[Nick]

then do you finally get to top off the Guinness. Letting the foam rise at least 18 millimeters above the brim.

[Jack]

If your Guinness is not overflowing.

[Nick]

Yeah, Jeff.

[Jack]

Then that's not an officially regulated perfect Guinness.

[Nick]

Best. He's add it all up in an appropriate pour. A Guinness should take exactly 119.5 seconds.

[Jack]

No joke. Almost two minutes. The Guinness inspector measures the time down to a millisecond. What?

[Nick]

19.5. He's counting, man.

[Jack]

And the inspection actually begins before the pour.

[Nick]

That's right, because kegs have to be stored at 38 degrees, and the Guinness pines are stored between 40 and 43 degrees.

[Jack]

And those fluid dynamics.

[Nick]

Ho, ho, ho.

[Jack]

Are they a profit puppy.

[Nick]

Nick. Because you only order a second Guinness if your first Guinness didn't taste like a dying coffee.

[Jack]

The Irish, they're really serious about some things, and Guinness is one of them.

[Nick]

So, besties, enjoy some fluid dynamics with your March Madness this weekend.

[Jack]

Fluid Dynamics.

[Nick]

I like that.

[Jack]

Nick.

[Nick]

Yeah. If you order a beer, remember to bring a ruler, a compass, and definitely a speedometer. I got 121.3. I'm sorry, we gotta do this one over. Jack. Let's hit our three stories.

[Producer or Show Intro Voice]

Fifteen years before this song. Two boys from the northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea that caused 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 atlas. If you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no mo.

[Nick]

So just start the show.

[Producer or Show Intro Voice]

Start the show.

[Jack]

Start the show.

[Nick]

First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

This episode is brought to you by Bill, the intelligent finance platform that helps businesses scale with proven results.

[Nick]

Look. Yet he's paying and getting paid. That is a pain for small and medium businesses out there.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

If you drop the ball on any of those, you don't get paid and you're missing out on cash flow. And unless your customers are mind readers, which they aren't, they're probably just busy and forgot. You shouldn't have to chase them down.

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[Nick]

They've securely processed over a trillion dollars in real transactions. That is proven infrastructure you can actually trust.

[Jack]

Talk with an [e-mail] proven and get a $250 gift card as a thank you. That's bill.com proven.

[Nick]

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[Nick]

For our first story, Mark Zuckerberg is killing off the last of his failed metaverse. Thy Metaverse is dead, and it's actually

[Jack]

the smartest move Zuck has done yet because of the bad Burrito rule.

[Nick]

But first, Yetis. We gather here today to remember a visionary ahead of its time but behind its product market.

[Jack]

Fit the Metaverse a bet so big Zuck renamed the company after it.

[Nick]

Yetis. Five years ago, in the middle of the pandemic, Zuck said that the future would be lived in a virtual world.

[Jack]

You would work and hang out with an awkward angular avatar version of yourself and avatar versions of your friends.

[Nick]

You could stay in your pajamas all day because the digital version of you would wear a tuxedo. Over in Pixel Land.

[Jack]

Classic Zuck wasn't his idea. The concept of the Metaverse was from a 1992 science fiction book called Snow Crash.

[Nick]

But this is the world Zuck envisioned. As he put it in an epic speech back in 2021, we will teleport

[Jack]

around the metaverse with one click, saving commutes and saving the environment too.

[Nick]

Peak Metaverse hype someone dropped 2.4 million bucks for a plot of digital land in a virtual world.

[Jack]

A ranch that you can't touch.

[Nick]

One sec, Jack. I gotta go over to the digital Ralph Lauren store to buy some pleated Pixel khakis and pay for them with my dogecoin.

[Jack]

Ironically, they're still expensive, even in the digital world.

[Nick]

I know. I never really got that part.

[Jack]

Now fast forward five years and here's the news. Horizon Worlds, which is the app manifestation of Zuckerberg's Metaverse, is being shut down for good.

[Nick]

That's right. Get out while you can. They are shutting it down. Lights are off, people.

[Jack]

But classic Zuck, he kind of flip flopped yesterday. Turns out there was so much last

[Nick]

minute anger from the few people still playing in this Metaverse that Zuck kind of walked it back a little bit.

[Jack]

Yeah, apparently middle aged women love working out in the Metaverse.

[Nick]

That's right. Moms are huge Metaverse fans. You know why, Jack?

[Jack]

There's always space in the virtual Pilates class.

[Nick]

You're not gonna get locked out of Pilates working out if it's virt.

[Jack]

So Horizon Worlds will remain available to owners of Meta Quest headsets, but there will never be an update again.

[Nick]

So, Jack, let's look at the death certificate here. What is the cause of death for the Metaverse?

[Jack]

Too much hype, not enough habit. Nick, there were just 200,000 monthly active users of Horizon Worlds.

[Nick]

Yeah, could you sprinkle on a little real world context for us, please?

[Jack]

Roblox, which is the closest competitor to the metaverse, has 80 million monthly active users.

[Nick]

And how's that 2.4 million dollar metaverse ranch looking, man?

[Jack]

No ponies, no people, just digital tumbleweed.

[Nick]

Now, we should also sprinkle on some clarification here, right?

[Jack]

Jack, the end of Zuck's metaverse is not the end of virtual reality. Those are two different things.

[Nick]

True. You see, Meta acquired Oculus virtual reality headsets back in 2014, and they sold 2 million of them last year. Not too shabby.

[Jack]

People use them to play video games and work out primarily for virtual reality.

[Nick]

But they're not using them as virtual offices, digital real estate, or hanging out as a legless avatar, as Zuck had promised us.

[Jack]

The way headsets are used in Ready Player One, that's not how people use headsets in the real world.

[Nick]

So, besties, add it all up and the Metaverse is dead. Although it's survived by Zuck's next Pivot AI.

[Jack]

So a moment of silence, please. The Metaverse is in a better place.

[Nick]

I'm sorry, Jack, one last question before we go six feet under here. If Zuck's metaverse is dead, what is he gonna rename the company to?

[Jack]

Now, drop your ideas in the comments. Changing your name, though, is an onerous process. Trust me, from experience.

[Nick]

So, Jack, what's the takeaway for all our buddies over at Meta. I mean Facebook, beware of the bad burrito blunder. Yeti's Zuck's ending an experiment that he'd already spent $80 billion on. 80.

[Jack]

That is 13 lifts.

[Nick]

For 80 billion bucks, Jack Zuck could have acquired Procter and Gamble, Sony, or every 711 on the planet.

[Jack]

Now most would say, hey, we've put in too much money into this project to just walk away from. We gotta keep going.

[Nick]

But that would be the sunk cost fallacy. When you let the past cost influence a decision about the future, a smarter

[Jack]

move is to ignore what you've spent already and think, what is the best way for me to invest my next dollar?

[Nick]

Yeah, the way we think about this is like, just like you take a few bites of a bad burrito, don't finish that burrito. That's what we think was the smart move by Zuck here. Like the way Zuck sees it, every new dollar now invested in the Metaverse is a dollar he's not investing for. Good ROI in AI.

[Jack]

So just because you spent $80 billion on the wrong move doesn't mean you should spend any billion dollars more on it.

[Nick]

That is the sunk cost fallacy. Or as we call it, the bad burrito blunder.

[Jack]

Zuckerberg ending the metaverse is probably his wisest move yet.

[Nick]

For our second story over in Asia, entire countries are suddenly shifting to a four day work week. But not for fun, for fuel.

[Jack]

In the US high oil prices are a risk, but for the rest of the world, it's a full on crisis.

[Nick]

Yetis. Two weeks ago, the main economic character of the war in Iran was the shahed drone. We told you all about it last week.

[Jack]

We covered the main character on our side which was the F35 fighter jet.

[Nick]

But besties. The biggest single economic player in the war right now is oil, which continues to rise.

[Jack]

On Wednesday, Israel and Iran traded attacks on oil and gas facilities for the first time in this war.

[Nick]

The result? Price of Bren Oil, the global oil benchmark, hit 119 bucks a barre. How are prices looking in the U.S.

[Jack]

jack, by the way, 99 bucks a barrel. And the stock market right now? Whatever oil does stocks do the opposite?

[Nick]

Yeah, it's pretty simple actually. So the NASDAQ and the Dow both are approaching correction territory, down 9% off their all time highs.

[Jack]

The S&P 500, it's doing a little bit better. It's down only 6 or 7% right now.

[Nick]

But the biggest impact of the roar in Iran that you're Seeing on a daily basis in America. Where is it Jack?

[Jack]

At the gas pump. It costs 10 bucks more to fill up your tank.

[Nick]

On the other hand, yetis in the rest of the world, it is a full on economic crisis that you should be aware of.

[Jack]

So much so that they're resorting to a four day work week.

[Nick]

This is wild. True story. It began in the Philippines. Government offices moved to a four day work week.

[Jack]

Happened in Vietnam too.

[Nick]

Sri Lanka, they canceled all school across the country on Wednesdays. Not happening right now.

[Jack]

And Pakistan told the country stay at home on Fridays indefinitely.

[Nick]

Now across Asia, they're not doing four day work weeks for some kind of work life balance experiment with Simon Sinek, are they Jack?

[Jack]

No. It's because of oil. They're trying to save the scarce fuel that they have in their country.

[Nick]

Get this. Japan produces zero oil domestically. Zero oil in the entire country.

[Jack]

Japan has to import all their oil and 90% of it comes directly through the Strait of Hormuz.

[Nick]

South Korea and India, same situation. They get 70 and 60% of their oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

[Jack]

Which is why earlier in the month, South Korea's stock market had their worst day ever. Fell 12% as the war broke out.

[Nick]

That's worse than 9, 11. The Strait of Hormuz has become the most important geographic point in the world.

[Jack]

Right now in Thailand, it feels like the pandemic. The government is telling people right now to work from home in order to save oil.

[Nick]

Now over in Europe, it's not quite as bad a situation, right Jack, For Emily and Paris, No.

[Jack]

They get their natural gas through land pipelines and natural gas is up 16%. Not great, but not as bad as Nasia.

[Nick]

But over here in America, we are swimming in a petroleum paradise, relatively speaking. And that makes a big difference. So Jack, what's the takeaway for all our buddies looking at businesses? Iran, war.

[Jack]

In the game of economic risk, fuel is our firewall.

[Nick]

You see Yetis. For 50 years, American presidents lamented our dependence on Middle east oil. Oil was our oily Achilles heel.

[Jack]

But in 2002, we discovered that we could extract gas by fracking into rock underground known as shale.

[Nick]

That's right. And by 2019, the shale revolution made America a net energy exporter. We became self sufficient, the world's biggest oil producer.

[Jack]

Pretty sure Exxon isn't unicef. So if Exxon can sell American oil abroad at higher price, they're gonna do that. And they are doing that still.

[Nick]

We're getting a domestic discount. The price Americans pay for oil remains 15 bucks less per barrel than what the rest of the world is paying right now.

[Jack]

And the oil we pay for in America is 50 bucks less per barrel than what they're paying in Asia, which is in such a crisis right now.

[Nick]

Because unlike with rare earth metals and fertilizer and labubu dolls, we do not need to import oil.

[Jack]

For better or for worse, US Presidents can now mingle in the Middle east with less worry about the economic consequences than in the past.

[Nick]

Because besties in the game of economic risk, fuel is now our firewall. Now, a quick word from our sponsor. Top hats. Baseball hats. Von Dutch hats. We wear so many hats on this podcast. Honestly, we're not great at all of them.

[Jack]

No, we've been avoiding hiring someone to

[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

That's indeed.com podcast podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need a hiring hero? This is a job for indeed sponsored jobs. Oh, could this vintage store be any cuter?

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[Nick]

Except Discover in a little place like this? I don't think so, Jennifer.

[Jennifer]

Oh, yeah. Huh? Discover is accepted where I like to shop.

[Jack]

Come on, baby.

[Jennifer]

Get with the times. Right. So we shouldn't get the parachute pants. These are making a comeback, I think.

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[Nick]

For our third and final story, Netflix is taking K Pop Demon Hunters on a worldwide concert tour. That's right, Netflix. They're doing concerts.

[Jack]

And they're teaching Disney something about storytelling, that sequels are for soul suckers.

[Nick]

Soul suckers. But Jack, you know, I gotta ask you, what do you do after a breakup? What's the first move? What are you thinking, man?

[Jack]

An Abercrombie in Fitch Hall?

[Nick]

A little retail therapy, and then you book a Solo trip to Tulum. That's what you do.

[Jack]

But one month ago, Netflix thought they were spending the rest of their life with Warner Brothers.

[Nick]

Yeah, they did. They were in love. In fact, the CEOs of Netflix and Warner Bros. They even did a CEO photo shoot. It was adorable.

[Jack]

Just like you did when you got engaged. But Since Paramount became Mr. Steal your Girl and swept in, Netflix finds itself all alone.

[Nick]

Although Netflix did get a $3 million breakup fee. So, you know, eat, pray, love. That's what you do.

[Jack]

They're spending all that money and distracting themselves with a shiny new thing. A concert tour.

[Nick]

And it's with K Pop Demon Hunters, the most watched Netflix film ever with 500 million views. Jack, can you sprinkle on some context, please?

[Jack]

That is twice as many views as Squid Games and twice as many views as Zootopia 2. Wow. The best box office movie of last year.

[Nick]

Oh, and rem K Pop has got eight songs from the movie that are a hit. Billboard top 100.

[Jack]

That's the craziest part. Not just a great movie like the top music album of last year.

[Nick]

And I'm sorry, the envelope, please. Golden is the first K Pop song to win a Grammy and an Oscar. The featured song of K Pop Demon Hunters.

[Jack]

And again, it's a song from a movie, not just like a song song. Besties.

[Nick]

Jack and I have seen books turn into movies, and we've seen movies turn into musicals, right?

[Jack]

But this is the first time we've seen a movie turn into a concert tour.

[Nick]

Saja Boy not allowed.

[Jack]

Besties.

[Nick]

This is what Jack and I find fascinating about this. Netflix has now experimented with every type of media out there, right?

[Jack]

Man, they started with shows and movies, obviously, but they've experimented with gaming, live sports, podcasts, and now concerts.

[Nick]

And the wildest part, this all goes back to a Christmas present. Actually, a lack of Christmas presents because

[Jack]

K Pop Demon Hunters was such a surprise success that Netflix's merch team wasn't prepared to make toys to sell over the holidays.

[Nick]

Back in December, parents were punching each other for just another Sasha doll. That didn't exist out there.

[Jack]

No, it was like Etsy creators were the only ones selling K Pop Demon Hunters.

[Nick]

So here's Netflix's strategy. They're looking at how they can make up for not making a bunch of money on the toys that they should have had in place.

[Jack]

So they're thinking Taylor Swift made $2 billion on the ERAs tour. Ticketmaster stock is at an all time high. Why don't we try a concert, Nick?

[Nick]

And they're doing it. K Pop Demon Hunters will tour globally, targeting arenas with 20,000 seats.

[Jack]

That's the size of Madison Square Garden.

[Nick]

Not too shabby. Although there is still one huge question. TBD. According to PFWTMS, before this thing actually

[Jack]

happens in 2027, they're gonna have to figure out who sings the actual music on stage.

[Nick]

Yeah, Netflix still hasn't figured that out yet. Like, is it gonna be the real human singers who did the soundtrack? Ej, Audrey, and Ray.

[Jack]

Those are the ones who sang at the Oscars, like, last week.

[Nick]

Exactly. Or at the concert. Are you gonna see holograms of the animated characters projected on the stage like Star Wars?

[Jack]

Either way, it's been a wild rebound for Netflix after getting rejected by Warner Brothers.

[Nick]

Netflix's stock, it is up 20% since they got rejected by Warner Brothers, and they're loving every minute of it.

[Jack]

It's the summer of Netflix, Nick.

[Nick]

Last year, Netflix opened their first mini theme parks, and now Netflix is going on tour. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our concert buddies over at Netflix?

[Jack]

Sequels are for suckers. Soul suckers.

[Nick]

Yetis, earlier this week, Jack and I told you that the new CEO of Disney had his first day of work.

[Jack]

But Disney Stock is down 50% in five years, and a key reason is our franchise fatigue.

[Nick]

Franchise fatigue? In the last year and this year, we've had Zootopia 2. We're getting Toy Story 5, Marvel Infinity. I mean, you know, safe, reliable, but basic movies. But Netflix's surprise original hit with Demon Hunters, that shows a different path.

[Jack]

K Pop Demon Hunters was a bet on novelty. It was a bet on originality, not

[Nick]

on an existing franchise or a revived nostalgic one. It was completely new.

[Jack]

For Disney to return to their glory, they need to take more big, risky creative bets. Like Netflix did with K Pop Demon Hunters.

[Nick]

We should be clear, by the way, Netflix is gonna do a K Pop Demon Hunters sequel. But Netflix earned it with taking a huge risk on something totally original. So original they weren't even ready for Christmas with toys.

[Jack]

Disney, we're not telling you not to make Toy Story 5. I'm looking forward to that. But what's the next Toy Story?

[Nick]

Well, Toy Story 6, Jack. But with great risk comes great reward.

[Jack]

Besties.

[Nick]

And Netflix tells us how sequels are for suckers. Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us to head into the weekend?

[Jack]

After $80 billion in a company name change, Meta has ended their metaverse. And that actually takes guts.

[Nick]

But, besties, by quitting now, Zuck is avoiding the bad burrito blunder for our second story.

[Jack]

The war in Iran is wreaking economic havoc abroad, especially in oil dependent Asian

[Nick]

four day work weeks. But here in America, domestically produced fuel is our firewall.

[Jack]

And our third and final story. Netflix's K Pop Demon Hunters is going on tour next year showcasing the music

[Nick]

from the soundtrack Netflix's first concert tour. It's a note to Disney about the importance of original bets. Sequels are for soul suckers.

[Jack]

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

[Nick]

today, Hearst Uber is hooking up with another company on a self driving deal. This time it's Uber smooching with Rivian.

[Jack]

Uber is buying $300 million of Rivian stock. Eventually they may buy up to 1.25 billion of Rivian stock.

[Nick]

But Jack, some conditions here. It's only if Rivian can deliver Uber 50,000 R2 robo taxis by the year 2030.

[Jack]

Uber wants to be the Switzerland of self driving. They're not doing it themselves. They're partnering with everyone else except Tesla.

[Nick]

And second Fed Chairman Jay Powell pointed out something really interesting on Wednesday that we've never heard articulated before.

[Jack]

He pointed out that DE due to negative immigration and a low birth rate in this country, the US Economy is creating no new jobs right now.

[Nick]

And Wild Part here pointed out that this is the first time in American history that's ever happened.

[Jack]

Our population has always grown since the very beginning through babies and immigrants until now.

[Nick]

And finally, in the bizarre ongoing end of at leisure story that apparently only Jack and I are covering right now.

[Jack]

Last week we told you that Fable was launching jeans and then Viori launched jeans the next day.

[Nick]

Okay, but then get this, the newest addition to Lululemon's board of directors. Who is it?

[Jack]

Jack, the former CEO of Levi's Jeans.

[Nick]

Now time for the best fact yet. This one whipped up by Jack and I. Cause we got a wild fact on Eid Al Fitr.

[Jack]

Alright, we're at the end of Ramadan. The 30 days of fasting during the day of both water and food for

[Nick]

Muslim people closes with an epic feast tonight, the Eid Al Fitr. But here is the wild economic twist that we discovered.

[Jack]

Even though Ramadan is about fasting, food demand during this 30 day holiday actually rises.

[Nick]

Get this over in Egypt, grocery sales actually go up 150% even though the population isn't eating during the day.

[Jack]

The reason? The family gatherings at the end of the day. Breaking the fast. It's a ritual and you want to make sure you have the right food for that. So even though Muslims are not eating or drinking water during the day, which is incredibly brave, I did it one time, Nick. I almost passed out like at 4:00'. Clock.

[Nick]

Jack can't even get through this podcast without a burrito. Which by the way, stop eating the burrito. Check. We just did a whole takeaway on it. Sunk cost fallacy, man.

[Jack]

Grocery sales during Ramadan actually rise.

[Nick]

But to all our Muslim listeners, congrats on finishing the epic faz Yetis. You look fantastic all week long. Congrats. We got some wins to see celebrate this weekend, right Jack? We're close to the New York live show.

[Jack]

Yeah it is. Nick and I have a live show on April 8th in New York City at Irving Plaza. We still have some tickets left. Link in the episode description to buy yours.

[Nick]

Honestly, this weekend, if you do anything, grab a couple tickets for you and a buddy. You're going to have a fantastic time. You'll impress your boss or you'll impress your date.

[Jack]

Either way, D.C. was an unbelievably awesome show.

[Nick]

Jack was eating burritos for the whole thing of it. Yet celebrate the Wednesday's weekend and Jack and I will see you Monday. And before we go, a Happy Birthday to legendary yeti Tanner Odle in Akron, Ohio. His fiance forgot to give him a birthday shout out the last three years of listening. So happy 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st birthdays.

[Jack]

Happy birthday to Marvin Bernal, a Canadian living in New York City.

[Nick]

Gil and say enjoy that 18th birthday. You just got into UF and you're gonna be a gator baby.

[Jack]

Happy 13th birthday to Caden Niffin in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[Nick]

And Tegan Goodson in New York City is running the Boston Marathon next month with the birthday vibes this weekend.

[Jack]

Happy Birthday to Mindy Nguyen and Angelino celebrating the birthday in Japan.

[Nick]

And Eric Guo. Happy 24th birthday for your year of the horse.

[Jack]

Happy Birthday to Anastasia. This 15 year old is fiercely fabulous in Titusville, Florida.

[Nick]

And Lindsay Torres is celebrating the birthday with the new baby Camille and a military move to California. Congrats and thanks for the service guys.

[Jack]

Happy Birthday to Jack Jet Fry, amazing name for this eight year old boy in Orange County, California.

[Nick]

And cat lover Katie Hayden in Fishers, Indiana has got Meow the best birthday yet.

[Jack]

And happy Birthday to tim Hoang turning 27 in Pittsburgh.

[Nick]

Penns and legendary husband Chris Sparks is celebrating the birthday in Burlingame, California with a very nice peanut.

[Jack]

And happy 8th birthday to Will Dekeman in Boonville, Indiana listening with his dad and brothers on the way to school. First lacrosse season this year.

[Nick]

And to Gick and Kirsten, congrats on the beautiful new baby. And an anniversary to celebrate the wins in Iowa.

[Jack]

Congrats to Samuel Lopez, a long time yeti who just got into med school in Los Angeles. And to anyone else celebrating something today. Make it a T, boy.

[Nick]

Celebrate the wins.

[Jack]

This is Jack. I own stock of Netflix and Disney. Nick owns stock of Lululemon. And we both own ETFs of the S&P 500.

[Jennifer]

Thy ticket lady Jennifer of Coolidge. Well, many thanks, good sir. Here is my Discover card. They accept Discover at Renaissance fairs? Yeah, they do here. Discover is accepted at the places I love to shop. Get it with the times.

[Nick]

With the times.

[Jack]

You're playing the loot.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, and it sounds pretty good, right?

[Discover Sponsor Voice]

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