🐥 “Unplugged on Sunday” — Chick-fil-A’s vending machine. College Football’s $50M firings. CreedTok’s viral hit. +Exclamation Inflation!!!!

Summary

The Best One Yet – Episode Summary

🐥 “Unplugged on Sunday” — Chick-fil-A’s vending machine. College Football’s $50M firings. CreedTok’s viral hit. +Exclamation Inflation!!!!

Date: October 28, 2025
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell
Runtime: ~26 minutes
Theme: Cutting-edge pop business news—three big business stories, explained with energy, wit, and originality.

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Episode Overview

This episode highlights three major business stories shaping current culture:

1. Historic coach firings in college football and their lavish "golden parachutes"
2. Chick-fil-A’s bold entry into vending machines and the rise of a kiosk economy
3. The viral impact of fan-created movie edits (“fan edits”) on TikTok, reshaping film marketing

Bonus: The hosts kick off with deep thoughts (and data) on “exclamation inflation” in workplace emails.

Tone: Playful, energetic, and info-packed, with plenty of jokes and memorable quotes peppered throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Exclamation Inflation in Work Emails (00:40–03:31)

• What's Happening: The use of exclamation points in professional emails is at an all-time high.
• Data Point: Women use exclamation points three times as often as men in office emails, largely to avoid sounding unfriendly (02:20).
• Worry vs. Reality: There's anxiety about seeming less professional or competent, but research shows that's unfounded.
  • Quote: "Employees who use exclamation points are not perceived by their colleagues as unprofessional or less competent. In fact... it makes you appear warmer and more likable." — Jack (02:48)
• Conclusion: Use exclamation points if you want—“there’s a point to the exclamation point!” (03:19)
  • The only caveat: Don't overdo it—"diminishing punctuation return." (03:12)

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2. College Football Coaches’ Mega Buyouts (05:45–10:39)

• Headline: LSU is paying its fired head coach $53 million to leave—joining other universities making huge payouts (Penn State: $49M, Florida: $21M). (05:45–07:21)
• Why So Much?: These “golden jockstraps” come from affiliated nonprofit arms, keeping payouts technically separate from university finances.
  • Quote: “They set up new affiliated nonprofit corporations... [to] keep the whole salary of the coach at arm’s length from the rest of the university.” — Jack (08:09)
• Not Taxpayer Money: Athletic departments are self-funded (TV deals, boosters, tickets, etc.)—so regular students/faculty aren’t footing the bill. (08:54)
• Industry Shift: The college football landscape has changed—huge money flows (name/image/likeness rules, transfer portal, expanded playoffs) mean programs have less patience than ever.
  • “The more money is at stake, the less patience there is.” — Jack (09:24)
  • Quick hires/fires for coaches; players increasingly transfer or leave quickly.
• Upside: More parity—smaller schools can now compete at a higher level.
  • “Vanderbilt... is ranked number nine in the country right now.” — Nick (10:22)

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3. Chick-fil-A’s 24/6 Vending Machine & The Kiosk Economy (10:39–14:51)

• The Move: Chick-fil-A has launched its first-ever vending machine at a Georgia hospital, serving only cold wraps—no customization, no hot food, not even waffle fries. It’s also closed Sundays. (11:26–12:08)
  • Joke: “The Lord doesn’t maketh nuggets on the Sabbath.” — Jack (12:12)
• Broader Trend: Chick-fil-A isn’t alone—Amazon’s One Medical, AG1 supplements, Moet champagne, Kylie Cosmetics, and even Carvana are rolling out vending machines for everything from meds to cars (12:30–13:18).
  • “We're living in a vending machine moment. It's gone from the snack industry to the everything industry.” — Nick (13:49)
• “Reverse vending machines” now pay you to recycle.
• Side Hustle Boom: Vending machine owners are profiting as independent operators.
• Why Now?—The Kiosk Economy:
  • Convenience: "E-commerce... got us used to having everything on demand and vending machines fill the gaps in real life." — Jack (14:14)
  • Contactless culture: Customers prefer quick, frictionless sales vs. human encounters.
  • Robotics/A.I.: Fewer employees lowers costs; vending machines lead automation.
• Prediction: Chick-fil-A is testing cold food to pave the way for robot-enabled hot food. Not quite there yet, but inevitable.

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4. Fan Edits are Rewriting Movie Marketing (Creed, Twilight, Star Wars) (17:22–22:08)

• What’s New: Studios are now hiring viral TikTok video editors (“fan editors”) to create emotionally driven movie mashups that outperform slick trailers.
  • "Movie studios are hiring amateur TikTok creators to market their films better than the movie trailers do." — Jack (17:22)
• Case Study—CreedTok:
  • A 1-minute Creed trilogy edit with Kendrick Lamar music, made by a fan, went viral with 202 million views and sparked a 29% jump in Creed viewership on Amazon Prime (18:36–19:17).
  • “It didn’t hurt viewership... it enhanced viewership.” — Nick (18:59)
• Studios’ Response: Lionsgate, Disney, and others are hiring 15+ TikTokers to make similar edits for properties like The Hunger Games and Twilight (19:28–19:45).
  • Example: Disney’s Star Wars account commented "Okay, fine, I’ll rewatch" on a fan edit—embracing, not policing, their IP (20:22–20:28).
• Why It Works: Fan edits are "love letters" to their communities—succeeding because they're authentic, not salesy.
  • “Edits are better than trailers because they're made by fans, not focus groups.” — Jack (21:06)
  • Studios need to “let go” and allow creativity that may go outside the box or make lawyers squirm (21:33–21:53).
• Takeaway: Let fans "cook"—the energy and viral power comes from genuine love rather than corporate polish.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “There are only two types of people in this world... Those who never use exclamation points and those who love to use exclamation points.” — Jack (02:03)
• "They're not getting golden parachutes. They're getting golden jockstraps." — Nick (09:14)
• Chick-fil-A fun fact: “The average Chick Fil a location makes $9 million in sales per year... that’s twice as much as Shake Shack and McDonald's.” — Jack (11:04)
• “America’s economy used to be a service counter. Now it’s a vending machine.” — Jack (14:05)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Exclamation Inflation in Emails: 00:40–03:31
• Coach Buyout Madness: 05:45–10:39
• Chick-fil-A Vending Machine/Kiosk Economy: 10:39–14:51
• Fan Edits Redefine Movie Marketing: 17:22–22:08

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Additional Brief Business Updates (22:57–24:15)

• Tech giants' earnings upcoming: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple.
• Amazon reportedly to lay off 30,000 corporate workers—10% of workforce.
• Lululemon partners with NFL (moves from yoga to football); stock down 65% from previous highs.

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Fun Fact

• Tallest NBA player ever: 7 ft 7 in. (Manute Bol & George Muresan) — (24:25)

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Conclusion & Takeaways

1. College football's cash-fueled impatience triggers historic firing payouts.
2. The U.S. is officially a vending machine (kiosk) economy—in every sector.
3. Movie studios: To go viral and build genuine hype, trust fan creators, not polished trailers.

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For more pop-biz news and contagious optimism, stay tuned for “The Best One Yet” every morning—exclamation points optional, but encouraged!

Transcript

[A]

This is Nick, this is Jack. It's Tuesday, T Boy, Tuesday, October 28th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T boy, the top.

[B]

Three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[A]

Yeah, it is, Jack. And I just want to give a shout out to our listeners in Uzbekistan. Oh, that's right, yeah, all seven listeners in Uzbekistan, Jack.

[B]

Yeah, we had that best fact yet about cars Newsbekistan. I. I looked it up in the data after. We have seven MAUs monthly active. Uzbeks, we love you for listening to the best one yet to all the.

[A]

Uzbekistani and listeners right now, just trying to be the best on top of business news in the entire country. You are, Jack. And I got your backs. So thank you for listening from across the pond, Jack.

[B]

It's across three ponds.

[A]

Yeah, actually, it's a landlocked country, Jack. Three fantastic stories for today's team. Boy, what do we got on the pod?

[B]

For our first story, college football coaches are getting fired in record numbers this year, but they're getting paid eight digits to not coach anymore.

[A]

So Jack and I will explain why it can be more lucrative to just get fired.

[B]

For our second story, Chick Fil a just launched the chain's first ever vending machine and it's open 24 6.

[A]

But it's not just Chick Fil A. We've noticed that we're in the middle of a vending machine moment.

[B]

And our third and final story. Why are Creed, Star wars and the vampires from Twilight all going viral 10 years later?

[A]

Well, it's because of the fan edits, and pretty soon that will replace movie trailers altogether.

[B]

But yetis, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories.

[A]

Wow, what a mix of stories for T boy Tuesday. Love the mix, Jack.

[B]

Trigger warning. Yeah, Nick and I have found a new type of inflation.

[A]

Okay, but this is one you're gonna.

[B]

Love because it's exclamation inflation.

[A]

I'm sorry, Jack, I think you mean it's exclamation inflation.

[B]

That's right. Yetis, the use of exclamation points, especially in work emails, is way up to an all time.

[A]

Because, Bessie, there are only two types of people in this world, and you know who they are.

[B]

Those who never use exclamation points and.

[A]

Those who love to use exclamation points.

[B]

Get this. A professor of business management at USC just analyzed exclamation points in work emails across America.

[A]

And it turns out the data is so wild, it deserves honestly, an exclamation.

[B]

Point because women use exclamation points in the office three times as much as men do.

[A]

And women are most likely to use an exclamation point because they're afraid to sound unfriendly.

[B]

That's why you hear, can you do that thing you said you'd do? Thanks.

[A]

Thanks.

[B]

But then you tend to worry if using all those exclamation points looks unprofessional.

[A]

Which leads to a vicious cycle that repeats and repeats and repeats.

[B]

The more you use, the more you stress.

[A]

But here's the news for everyone using exclamation points.

[B]

Don't worry. It turns out employees who use exclamation points are not perceived by their colleagues as unprofessional or less competent.

[A]

In fact, across the board, exclamation points make you appear warmer and more likable.

[B]

For everybody, whether you're male or female, at a bank or a startup. It's a yes for the exclamation point.

[A]

Now, Jack and I are not telling you to include, like, a six pack of exclamation points and each and every email, are we?

[B]

Jack, there's diminishing punctuation return.

[A]

Yes, there are. But if you want to say thanks in advance to end your email, you be you.

[B]

Because there's a point to the exclamation point.

[A]

No, no, no, Jack, I think you mean there's a point to the exclamation point.

[B]

I think you passed the line.

[A]

Let's just do a hyphen right here. And then, Jack, let's hit our three scores.

[C]

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the D.O. 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.

[B]

50%.

[C]

That's a fat tip. T Boy city on your AT list. If you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no more.

[A]

So just start the show.

[C]

Start the show.

[B]

Start the show.

[A]

First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[D]

Foreign.

[A]

B. Yeti's full disclosure. We're already thinking about holiday vacation. You got to book these things early these days.

[B]

Are you kidding? I booked my holiday vacation, like, six months ago. I do it like the Germans right after my Christmas vacation. I book next year's Christmas vacation for 2028.

[A]

Okay, but also full disclosure yet. He's. I'm jealous here because I'm paying for my whole trip. But, Jack, you have money from your Airbnb helping pay for yours.

[B]

It's my side. Hustle, profit, puppy, besties.

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You can host your entire place or just your extra space.

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Really satisfying feeling. By the way, when my guest messages me that their first night went wonderfully, it just puts me at ease and it's like, wow, I am making money right now and somebody's having a great time.

[A]

So you're going to give a day away for free?

[B]

No, I wouldn't say that yet.

[A]

Is your home might be worth more than you think?

[B]

Find out how [e-mail] host now a quick break, switching topics to one of our favorite sponsors, Vital Proteins.

[A]

Now, Jack, my mom does not use most of the products we promote. She's not building a website. She's not downloading a stock trading app.

[B]

No, she's not.

[A]

But she did call me this weekend and here's what she said. She said, I need to know the promo code for your collagen peptide sponsor because I just bought more of it.

[B]

It was Vital Proteins and their no sugar added collagen peptide products are delicious, especially the new 30 gram protein shake.

[A]

Now, I don't know if my mom's into the taste or the health benef or she's trying to get jacked, but she's got healthy hair, skin, nails and joints right now. Dude, I'd say it's all of them. So yetis.

[B]

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]

For our first story, Louisiana State University is paying their head football coach $53 million to leave.

[B]

It's the third big coach this year to be offered $20 million or more just to leave the university.

[A]

So Jack and I will explain this sudden surge in golden parachutes hitting the gridiron.

[B]

Yet he's Less than one month ago, LSU was ranked number four in the nation in college football.

[A]

Update now. Their head coach is Gonzo Dunzo. Fired?

[B]

Why? Because LSU has lost three of the last four games and committed the cardinal sin of SEC football. They lost to Vanderbilt.

[A]

Oh, that one's gonna hurt the Commodores out there.

[B]

So here's the news. LSU has fired their head coach. But here's the wild news.

[A]

What is that?

[B]

They're reportedly gonna pay that fired coach 90% of his remaining salary per his contract.

[A]

Sit down, stand up and cash that paycheck again. We're talking $53 million to no longer do your job.

[B]

Brian Kelly is out of a job. He can go home and watch LSU on TV and enjoy the highest salary in the state of Louisiana.

[A]

But Jack, I'm sorry, pause the pot. It's not just the LSU Mud Tigers, is it?

[B]

My friend, they're not the Mud Tigers. But I see where you're going there, Bobby Boucher. Penn State is paying their fired football coach $49 million. And the University of Florida Gators is paying theirs $21 million.

[A]

How about Bill Belichick? He's coaching at UNC right now because his girlfriend told him to. And they're barely winning any football games these days.

[B]

If the UNC Tar Heels want to fire him, they'll have to pay him $30 million to do that.

[A]

So besties. Add all these examples up and the optics in the context of the education industry are laughable.

[B]

Universities have been telling us for decades they have no choice but to jack up tuition by twice as much as inflation.

[A]

But now they're paying CEO like salaries to people who don't even work for the university anymore.

[B]

Not just unsportsmanlike conduct on everything conduct.

[A]

But yetis. Here's what Jack and I find fascinating about this story. I'm sorry, how is this legal, Jack?

[B]

The three universities we just mentioned, they're public universities like they're state ish run universities. There must be rules, checks and balances involved.

[A]

I mean, universities know it looks bad if taxpayer supported universities are paying the football coach 10 times more than the governor gets.

[B]

That's why they found a loophole. These big D1 football programs, they set up new affiliated nonprofit corporations to manage their athletic department and pay their football coaches basically.

[A]

Jack, you're saying the financial equivalent of an offensive of guard to protect their quarterback business more.

[B]

And the financial equivalent of a stiff arm because they keep the whole salary of the coach at arm's length from the rest of the university.

[A]

Now we should point out besties that these college football entities do finance themselves.

[B]

They get plenty of money from TV deals, game day tickets and game day concessions.

[A]

Okay. Plus there are the big booster donations, right, Jack?

[B]

Oh yeah. Like a Texas Tech billionaire superfan, he earmarks his annual donation to go just to the athletic department.

[A]

So this is key. Taxpayers are not paying the coaches to not coach football right now.

[B]

Because when Bill Belichick eventually gets fired at usc, it won't be UNC sending him COBRA information for his unemployment.

[A]

No, no, no. Who will it be, Jack?

[B]

It'll be one of these loophole organizations. The stiff arm entity that's arm's length from the rest of the university.

[A]

That's why these coaches are not getting golden parachutes. They're getting golden jockstraps so Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies who are curious about what the heck is going on in the big business of college football?

[B]

The more money is at stake, the less patience there is.

[A]

Yetis like so many elements of American society, college football looks completely different today than it did 20 years ago.

[B]

For college football, there are three 380 pound forces that have tackled away the history and tradition you may have remembered.

[A]

One is nil. Name, image and likeness. You see, the top D1 universities now have 20 million bucks a year to pay high school kids to come and play in their program.

[B]

Second is the transfer portal. It's not just high school kids the universities pay to come play. Universities recruit kids from other colleges and it's a constant free agency situation.

[A]

And number three, college football playoffs. They've grown from four to 12 teams and probably only keep growing bigger thanks to money.

[B]

The result? Very little patience from athletic programs that don't make the playoffs and very high willingness to pay coaches who will bring them back to glory.

[A]

Now the upside here is parity. It's easier for smaller university teams to now compete with the bigger ones like.

[B]

Vanderbilt, which is ranked number nine in the country right now.

[A]

But the downside is that coaches get hired and fired and players are one and done at a school as quickly as a TikTok video.

[B]

Because the more money at stake, the lower the patience there is.

[A]

For our second story. Chick Fil A, they just launched their first vending machine. And yeah, it is unplugged on Sundays.

[B]

But it's not just Chick Fil A. Amazon, the car industry, champagne companies, they're all launching vending machines across America.

[A]

Now. Yetis, a little insight. Jack and I have noticed while covering this industry there are no fast food wars because Chick Fil A. Yeah, they already won them.

[B]

The average Chick Fil a location makes $9 million in sales per year.

[A]

Jack, can you sprinkle on some context for us? Like it's salt, baby.

[B]

That's twice as much as Shake Shack and McDonald's and nearly five times as much revenue per location as Taco Bell.

[A]

Apparently the chickens would prefer to be eaten at a Chick Fil? A.

[B]

This next bit of news is going to bring the average sales per location way down, but for good reason.

[A]

And here's the news. Chick Fil A just launched their first ever vending machine just last week.

[B]

Press G7 chicken wrap comes right down for you.

[A]

Boom. It's happening at a hospital down in Georgia. We're talking temperature controlled restock daily. The first vending machine From Chick Fil A.

[B]

There are a lot of caveats, though. For example, you can't customize your order.

[A]

Yeah, you can't say, hold the pickles.

[B]

You can't order waffle fries either, only waffle chips. And worst of all, they don't have fried chicken in these vending machines.

[A]

Nope.

[B]

They're only serving two cold wraps. Like a dingy airport kiosk.

[A]

Don't even ask about the Polynesian sauce besties. The lack of hot food is probably why Chick Fil A didn't really do any press about this. Jack and I had to discover this story.

[B]

But like the real Chick Fil A, their vending machine is only open six.

[A]

Days a week because the Lord doesn't maketh nuggets on the Sabbath.

[B]

But this is part of a bigger trend. Yetis the vending machine has expanded beyond snacks, sweets, and sodas to everything.

[A]

This is what we found fascinating about this story. We are living in a vending machine moment.

[B]

Last month, Amazon's One Medical launched a vending machine for prescription drugs.

[A]

That's right. You tell your doctor to send your drugs to the vending machine, and then, boom, you press B3 and there's your dose of thytastrosal drops at San Francisco's.

[B]

Airport AG1, the supplement company. You have a vending machine opportunity.

[A]

Yeah, it went viral because techies were lengthening their life on that flight from SFO to jfk.

[B]

And then last year, Moet and Chandon opened the first ever champagne vending machine with an ID scanner to make sure you're 21.

[A]

Not possible. Oh, apparently very possible to get champagne in a vending machine.

[B]

Kylie Cosmetics has a vending machine at the Las Vegas airport.

[A]

Oh, and then, craziest of all, Jack, can you tell us about the car vending machines?

[B]

Carvana has 38 car vending machines. Tap T17 for your Toyota.

[A]

Now, we should point out Carvana's had these car vending machines for years. But their founder just did an interview and said this.

[B]

The Carvana vending machine gimmick actually saved the company.

[A]

Oh, and Jack, of course, there are also now the reverse vending machines.

[B]

You put in a plastic bottle, it gives you money.

[A]

And don't forget about the vending machine side hustlers out there who we covered in a story on this pod last year.

[B]

They're making money owning and stocking their very own vending machine.

[A]

Oh, and then there's Poppy's viral vending machine. We remember. We did that story this year, too.

[B]

Like we said, we're living in A vending machine moment. It's gone from the snack industry to the everything industry.

[A]

So I'm just gonna press H4 to get our takeaway here. Jack and Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in vending machines?

[B]

America's economy used to be a service counter. Now it's a vending machine.

[A]

Yeah, honestly, Eddies, our economy is just starting to look like a vending machine.

[B]

First, for the convenience. I mean, e commerce got us used to having everything on demand and vending machines fill the gaps in real life.

[A]

Second, contactless culture. People often prefer the fast frictionless payment option instead of the face to face with the cashier.

[B]

And third robotics. Humans are the most expensive part of running a business. And automation has always been vending machines big advantage.

[A]

And now besties. We assume Chick Fil A is testing a cold vending machine so they can eventually unveil hot.

[B]

Although I don't think robots can deep fry chicken thigh quite yet.

[A]

Not yet.

[B]

Not yet.

[A]

Not yet.

[B]

Still. Every American business used to have a service counter. Now we have a kiosk economy.

[A]

Now, a quick word from our sponsor, Framer Jack. I remember it like it was yesterday because our buddy Timmy spilled all over me.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

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[A]

It's free to start bold animations. Jack, can I say it's the sexiest website builder that we've ever seen?

[B]

I think you can. I think Framer would be cool with that. Framer is so sleek. When we go on the website, you'll see it asks if AI should build it for you.

[A]

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[B]

By the way, I don't know if we're allowed to share this either, but Zillow, DoorDash and SpaceX, they all used Framer to make their website websites. We found that ourselves in our own research. Yeah.

[A]

So, ready to build a site that looks hand coded without hiring a developer? Launch your site for [e-mail] and use code T Boy to get your first month of pro on the house.

[B]

And pro. That's all the bells and whistles.

[A]

That's framer.com promo code T Boy framer.com.

[B]

Promo code T Boy rules and restrictions may apply. Audible Yetis.

[A]

I just listened to a wild audiobook on my flight back to New York. Here's what it's called. Gods of New York.

[B]

It's about four men. The four men who ruled New York City the year that you were born.

[A]

Nick, I gotta give my parents credit.

[B]

Check.

[A]

New York in 1988 was insane. It was like mob bosses, gang fights, and all these subway cars covered in graffiti. It's like seeing how the city was run when my mom was, like, pregnant with me. I'm blown away by this whole new imagination.

[B]

Now I listen to Audible all the time. Whenever I need a break from news podcasts, I escape to an audiobook and simply push play wherever I left off.

[A]

Because Audible has an incredible selection of over a million audiobooks, podcasts, and audio originals all in one easy app.

[B]

Explore bestsellers, new releases, or find a wild story that takes you back to the year that your mom gave birth to you.

[A]

Yeah, last night while I was doing the dishes, Jack, I listened to a story about the abysmal late 1980s New York Yankees.

[B]

Yeah, I feel bad for your dad. At least the Giants were winning back then. Besties.

[A]

There is more to imagine when you listen.

[B]

Sign up for a free 30 day audible trial. And your first audiobook is free, so visit audible.comt boy.

[A]

For our third and final story, movie studios are hiring amateur TikTok creators to market their films better than the movie trailers do.

[B]

Because to win in today's Internet culture, you need to let go of your marketing.

[A]

But Jack, if we're gonna tell this story, I mean, honestly, I should. Full disclosure, this thing, I just never watch boxing. I feel like you watch boxing and I just don't watch boxing.

[B]

Okay. One of my most fond movie watching memories is watching Rocky IV on the team bus on the way to our furthest away away game. In high school, when Rocky caused Drago to start bleeding, I like, jumped out of my seat.

[A]

Okay, first of all, you should have had a seatbelt on. Second of all, I'm a lover, not a fighter. You can't blame me, Jack. But the movie Creed, that is another, arguably the best of the boxing movies.

[B]

Well, Creed gave Hollywood executives two shots of what they love most. It was a trilogy and it was a sequel at the same time.

[A]

Because besties, what Rocky Balboa the fighter was to boomers and Gen X. Adonis Creed the fighter was for millennials and Gen Z.

[B]

Now, the first Creed movie was published in 2015. But this summer, Creed went viral again because of a TikTok video.

[A]

Get this. Ten years later, this one TikTok video got 202 million views and 2 million likes.

[B]

The video on TikTok crafts moments from all three of the Creed movies into a one minute editing masterpiece with Kendrick Lamar playing in the background.

[A]

And in the comments, Creed fans were going nuts.

[B]

And according to the data, then they went to their TVs to watch Creed.

[A]

Yeah, because watching this TikTok shortened mashup of the movie, it didn't actually hurt viewership of the movie.

[B]

No, it enhanced viewership of the movie. According to the data, Creed film's viewership on Amazon prime jumped 29% in the week following this fan edit publish.

[A]

Boom. Pause the pod. That was the light bulb moment for the movie studios, not just Amazon.

[B]

Actually, Nick, that was the dollar sign moment.

[A]

Oh, I was ready for you, Jack.

[B]

Because Lionsgate, the studio behind John Wick, the Hunger Games and the Twilight Saga, just hired 15 TikTokers. Plucked them right off the web.

[A]

Jack, why did an epic movie studio just hire a bunch of amateur TikTok.

[B]

Artists to focus on creating fan edits just like that Creed one.

[A]

Yeah, that's it.

[B]

Because these fan edits drive interest for movies way better than the studio's polished movie trailers can.

[A]

So now the studios are saying, hey, take all 12 hours and 37 minutes of the Twilight movies and transform these vampires into an awesome TikTok video for us.

[B]

I don't care if Edward Khaled bites your neck with his fangs, Just do it. And do what would make you love the video?

[A]

How about this other example? Star wars, owned by Disney, famous for having an incredibly active legal team on the hunt for IP violations.

[B]

Well, when they saw a similar fan edit video of Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

They reacted on the official Star Wars TikTok account with this comment. Okay, fine, I'll rewatch.

[A]

That's right. Shockingly, Star wars were as into it.

[B]

They didn't send a cease and desist. They said, keep doing what you're doing. We love these videos.

[A]

Double down on it. Now, initially, the Creed edit that we first mentioned, it got muted when it.

[B]

Was initially published, presumably because of an IP violation.

[A]

But days later, TikTok unmuted that video. And why do we think they did that, Jack?

[B]

The Studio probably called TikTok and said, it's okay. Let that post stay up. It's been amazing for our business. People are watching Creed again.

[A]

Let him cook.

[B]

By the way, we put A link to the Creed video in the show notes.

[A]

So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in Hollywood?

[B]

Edits are better than trailers because they're made by fans, not focus groups.

[A]

Now, yetis that Lionsgate movie exec who hired 15 TikTokers, he described their work as love letters from the fans.

[B]

Because even though that Creed video got 202 million views, the creator didn't make a buck from it. Right.

[A]

And, Jack, that's the key. The video was so good because it was a labor of love. Not for a paycheck, different incentives.

[B]

Studios hiring TikTok editors, they have to let go their corporate creative and review process for it to succeed. They just gotta let fans do their thing.

[A]

And that means getting out of their comfort zone, taking a risk the creator will do something outside the box, controversial, maybe even against the guidelines or their legal team. I don't know about the legal team.

[B]

I think they might step in for that.

[A]

Okay, but here's the deal. Focus groups, yeah, that helps Polish trailers for tv. The goal there, it's general awareness.

[B]

But to go viral on TikTok, where people are actually spending their time to drive real love. Let the fans do their work.

[A]

Let them cook. Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us For T Boy Tuesday, LSU.

[B]

Fired their head coach, but they're reportedly paying him $53 million. Now it's golden parachutes on the gridiron.

[A]

It's golden jock straps. Because with more money at stake, there's less patience but more willingness to pay.

[B]

For our second story, Chick Fil? A opened a vending machine in a Georgia hospital. The only cold wrap so far.

[A]

And yetis, we're in a vending machine moment because we're becoming a kiosk economy.

[B]

And our third and story, movie studios are hiring editors off of TikTok to make fan edits, which drive huge interest in movies. Even old movies invite the fans into.

[A]

The process because edits are better than trailers. They're made by fans, not focus groups, but besties.

[B]

This pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[A]

First, we have got a protein packed Wall street week, baby. First huge week of earnings.

[B]

Microsoft and Google announced their earnings tomorrow, and Amazon and Apple announce on Thursday.

[A]

And then we've got the Fed meeting on where the Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates by a quarter point.

[B]

And then on Thursday, President Trump is meeting China's President Xi and he's been signaling that a big trade deal will be announced.

[A]

And second, Amazon is Reportedly about to announce their largest layoff in company history.

[B]

According to Reuters, 30,000 corporate workers will be laid off starting today.

[A]

Some numerical context, that would be almost 10% of Amazon's entire corporate workforce. We got a lot of buddies working there, so we're thinking of everyone who may be affected.

[B]

Now, this doesn't include Amazon's warehouse workers, which is another million workers. But given Amazon's huge investments in robotics and AI, they're not out of the woods either.

[A]

And finally, Lululemon has officially gone full spectrum. Lulu just partnered with the NFL for team apparel.

[B]

Now, we should point out Lulu Stock is down 65% from their December 2023 highs. But they're hoping that the New York Giants and some football spandex can save them.

[A]

Okay, but there is a reason why we said full spectrum, right, Jack.

[B]

Lulu started as a yoga brand, and now they're doing football. The opposite of yoga.

[A]

I'm doing acrobats in my head to make this work, Jack. Now time for the best fact yet. This one is an answer to yesterday's T boy trivia. Jack, what do we got?

[B]

What is the height of the tallest player in NBA history?

[A]

Bonus points if you can name the player as well.

[B]

It's actually a tie. The height is 7ft, 7 inches. The players are Manute Bol and George Murasad.

[A]

If you see a photo of George right now next to Shaq, he makes Shaq look like Mugsy Bogues right there.

[B]

Nick, I just confirmed it. Manute Ball, the late great, could in fact touch the rim without jumping.

[A]

No big deal. Yetis, you look fantastic for T boy Tuesday. And if you plan to use an exclamation point today in your work emails, then you may as well drop down and give us five stars with a double exclamation point.

[B]

Well, yeah, use the exclamation point in your review of the show.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. That actually really does help us grow the pod. And we love reading reviews, especially the ones with exclamation points.

[B]

Go exclaim yourself and Nick and I will see you tomorrow.

[A]

If you know, you know. And before we go, a congratulations to yeti's Courtney Sheehan and James Manning, who just got engaged over in New York City. Courtney and James, we can't wait to.

[B]

See the ring picks.

[A]

Congratulations, guys. Huge news.

[B]

And happy birthday to Kristal Mendoza over in Germany, who is eating Black Forest cake right as we speak.

[A]

And Luong Lac in Honolulu, Hawaii is celebrating their first birthday with their newborn son, Jaden. Congratulations on the family celebration and happy.

[B]

Birthday to the Volsangani in San Jose, California. He's always got a phone charger at the ready. That's a buddy I want in my circle.

[A]

Love that dongle drawer. And Anna Vilreal over in Napa, California is the best TIA yet and celebrating the best birthday yet.

[B]

And with the Category 5 hurricane expected to make landfall on Jamaica today, we're sending our thoughts to our Caribbean besties.

[A]

Right now and Tameka Lavender and Lavender Logistics Incorporated down in Peoria, Illinois. Congrats on the three year anniversary of doing logistics.

[B]

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

[A]

Celebrate the wins.

[B]

This is Jack, Nick own stock of Lululemon and Shake Shack and Nick and I both own stock of Apple. If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery plus and the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[A]

Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[B]

And before you go, tell us a little bit about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey we want to.

[A]

Get to know you.

[D]

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.