Hi everybody and welcome back to another episode of the Elon Musk
Podcast where we discuss technology, entrepreneurship,
space travel and everything in between.
Today we're covering a sensitive and very personal topic.
The lawsuit that musician Claire Boucher, better known and by her
stage name Grimes, has filed against Elon Musk concerning the
parental rights of their three children.
A petition to establish parental relationship was filed by
Grimes, which essentially seeks a court order to legally
identify the parents of a child. This is often a prerequisite
when the parents are not married.
And while the specifics of this filing are not public, this kind
of petition usually accompanies requests for child support or
custody rights. Now, let's first talk about what
this petition to establish parental relationship means in
the legal sense. According to family attorney
Deborah Dubrov, this kind of petition is usually filed
alongside demands for child support or custody rights.
However, at the moment, there are no accompanying filings for
child support or custody rights in this specific case.
So why was it filed? It's not exactly clear at the
moment. Dubroff noted that the primary
motivation for such petitions is typically to get custody orders
or child support, which helps to legally establish the parentage
of the child or children involved.
It's important to note that Musk and Grimes never married, but
have had three children during the relationship X Exit Dark and
Tao Techno Mechanicus. Since they were never legal
bound as a married couple, this petition becomes crucial for
Grimes to establish her legal standing as a mother,
particularly if there are disputes over custody or
visitation in the future. Now, Musk and Grimes embarked on
the relationship in 2018 and subsequently had three children.
Their relationship has always been subject to intense scrutiny
thanks in part to Musk's high profile ventures in Grimes own
standing in the music industry. Though they parted ways around
September of 2021, they initially appeared to maintain a
semblance of coparenting. However, recent public message
by Grimes on the social media platform X, which Musk owns,
indicates a shift into legal proceedings over the parental
rights to their children. Now, Grimes used the platform to
publicly demand access to her children, which is remarkable
given that must controls the very platform she utilize for
her message. That raises the question of
whether she sought to leverage the public nature of the
platform to apply pressure for a resolution, or whether it was an
act of desperation. And in any case, her use of ex
serve the catapult this private family matter into the public
domain, signaling that a resolution could not be reached
privately. The first child from the couple,
XA EA12, made headlines not just for being the progeny of two
high profile individuals, but also for his uniquely styled
name. A sense of public intrigue and
media spotlight has followed A couple's family ever since, and
over the years the family expanded with two more children.
But it appears that keeping family matters private has
proven challenging, and the relationship has now entered A
crucial stage that involves legal action.
While they've kept their family matters largely away from the
public eye, the recent plea from Grimes changes the dynamic
substantially. Now the Grimes has filed a legal
petition, their family issues can no longer be considered
private affairs. The move to formalize the
parental relationship through the court system could be a sign
that the two parties have reached an impasse in their
private negotiations over how to coparent their children, and it
marks a new chapter in their complicated relationship.
Now, switching gears for a moment, let's consider another
significant factor at play, Musk's ownership of social media
platform X. Formerly known as Twitter.
Musk acquired it for $44 billion and has since made several
controversial changes to the platform.
He renamed it as promised to transform it into an Everything
app that encompasses multiple functionalities.
Grimes used the platform to publicly demand access to her
children. Now this adds another layer of
complexity to the case. With this have played out
differently. If Musk hadn't been in control
of the platform she used to make her public plea now, it's hard
to say, But it certainly raises questions about the intertwining
of personal and professional domains in the digital age.
And Elon Musk has a complicated, familiar history.
He has been divorced three times and is the father to a whopping
11 children, including five from a previous marriage.
The kids from his previous marriage are twins Griffin and
Vivian, and triplets Damien Saxon and Kai.
Musk has always been a polarizing figure, but family
matters like these at a layer of complexity to the public persona
that many people don't often consider.
The relationships that led to these eleven children have each
been unique, from his relationship with Canadian
author Justine Wilson to his current involvement with
Neurolink director Siobhan Zillis, Musk's personal life has
been an intricate as his professional one.
And the legal case with Grimes is the latest chapter in Musk's
complicated relationship history, and one that can have
significant ramifications for both parties involved,
especially the children. Now, the pressing question now
is what happens next. Legal proceedings like these can
take time and can be emotionally taxing for all parties involved.
Musk has not yet responded to Grimes petition, according to
reports, and it's a sensitive topic that combines legal
complexity with the emotional intricacies of family dynamics.
Grimes attorney Samantha Blade Jean has not yet provided a
comment, and it remains to be seen how Musk will respond.
And regardless of the outcome, the legal action is an example
of the complexities that it can arise in relationships that are
in the public eye, further complicated by the blurred lines
between personal and professional platforms like
social media. Now we're focusing on Elon
Musk's recent venture into live streaming via X, the social
media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Recently, Elon Musk spent an evening playing Diablo 4, giving
the public a glimpse into how he unwinds after his work hours.
Now, more importantly, the experience doubled as a trial
for X's new live streaming feature, which could potentially
extend the platform's reach into the lucrative world of online
gaming. And Elon Musk has never been
secretive about his love for video games.
In a recent event, he took this affinity to a new level by
showcasing his gaming setup while testing X's new live
streaming feature. In a setup snapshot shared a day
before the live stream, Musk presented a Logitech mouse and a
massive Curbed monitor as part of his gaming arsenal.
The atmosphere was set by a large candle that lit the room
and Elon perched in a razor gaming chair, setting the mood
for a deep dive into Diablo 4. Now what this reveals is more
than just Musk's passion for gaming.
This is a man who also spends non working hours with his
friends or children. And according to Walter
Isaacson's biography, he has even played Eldon Ring until
5:30 AM. It's a holistic view of Musk,
the entrepreneur who also knows how to unwind.
Now, as with any new technology, there are kinks to work out.
This 1st 10 minutes of the live stream were not entirely smooth.
Musk kept checking with Shivan Sillis, a Nerve Link executive
and the mother of two of his children, to confirm if the feed
was live. It's currently way too hard to
do this. It took like hours to set this
up, so we need to make it just effortless, Musk commented.
What's notable here is Elon Musk's emphasis on user
experience. He's clearly aware that for live
streaming to be viable on X, it has to be as simple as possible
for the users. So while this may have been a
test, it was also an exploratory mission into how to simplify and
perfect the experience for a broader audience.
Now during the stream must clarify the unique feature of
X's live streaming capabilities. Only a user subscribers can
comment during the live stream. Compared to platforms like
Twitch, where streamers have the option to allow comments from
everyone or just subscribers, X is going to be more focused on
interaction. Now Elon Musk seemed to endorse
this feature, stating it allows for a more direct conversation
among subscribers. It offers a controlled
environment where discussions can happen without the often
overwhelming and distracting noise found in more open
commenting system. This could be appealing for
influencers or business leaders who prefer a more curated
interaction with their audience. And the business implications
for X are becoming increasingly interesting, especially with
notable investors like Bill Ackman throwing their hats into
the ring. Ackman recently revealed that
he's already a supporter of X through a $10 million investment
via his firm's foundation. He further expressed interest in
possibly taking X Corp public. Though there hasn't been direct
communication with Musk on this matter as of yet, Ackman's
interest underscores the transformation that X is
undergoing. His investment firm, Pershing
Square, received regulatory approval for a new class of
special purpose acquisition companies known as Sparc or
Spark, and with this investment, Ackman could commit as much as
$2 billion to a transaction involving X.
This shows not only his faith in the platform's potential, but
also indicates that big financial moves could be on the
horizon for Elon Musk's social media platform.
Now it's not worthy that Ackman perceives acts as a very
difficult to disrupt asset. He has seen first hand.
The approve as Musk has made to the platform and believes that
it could diversify into various lines of business.
With live streaming now added to access feature set, the platform
seems to be expanding beyond its original scope, becoming a more
versatile player in the digital space.
And while Ackman's plans are still in the hypothetical stage,
his words carry significant weight in the investment
community. Should a deal between Musk and
Ackman materialize, it would signify a strong vote of
confidence in the evolving vision for X.
It can provide the much needed financial backing to tackle the
platform's existing challenges, including a considerable debt
load, thereby setting the stage for X's new growth chapter.
Now, even as X explores these new streaming frontiers, it
faces substantial challenges. Among these are crushing debt
load and fierce competition from platforms like Meta, who already
have live streaming on most of their platforms.
Advertising dollars have not yet returned to pre acquisition
levels and despite new CEO Linda Yonkarino's reputation, the
financial metrics are struggling.
However, let's not forget that Elon Musk specializes in solving
hard problems. SpaceX.
Tesla. He's always up for a challenge,
and with Akman possibly providing a financial boost in
Musk's ingenuity, Musk might just find a way to redefine
social media and earn a profit. Now that wraps up another
episode of the Elon Musk Podcast.
We've covered a lot today, Elon Musk's foray into live streaming
and gaming and the future of business prospects for X.
And we bring you these episodes every single day.
So if you want to know what's going on in any of Elon Musk's
companies, we do it in under 10 minutes.
So if you enjoy the show, don't forget to hit the subscribe or
follow button on your preferred podcast platform.
It's free, only takes a second. Next we'll be talking about Elon
Musk's recent visit to the US Mexico border, where he met with
local politicians and law enforcement to get an unfiltered
view of the ongoing immigration crisis.
Now, Elon's visit comes at a time where there has been a
sharp increase in the number of migrants crossing into the
United States, particularly through Texas and California.
And in today's episodes, we'll discuss Elon stance on US
immigration reform, the political implications of his
visit and his confrontation with German authorities on their
handling of Mediterranean migration.
And finally, the technical hiccups that interrupted his
live streaming attempt on X, the social media platform he owns.
Now Elon Musk, known for his ventures like SpaceX, Tesla and
social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, took
a trip to the Texas, Mexico border recently to gain first
hand experience of the situation down there.
It shows Eagle Pass as his destination location, where many
migrants have been crossing the Rio Grande River.
Now dressed in his casual ensemble of a black tshirt
cowboy hat and aviator glasses, Musk was clearly there to make a
statement. His commentary on the situation
was disseminated through a video selfie posted on X.
He suggested a twopronged approach for overhauling the US
immigration system, advocating for expedited legal approval any
larger legal immigration system. Musk also emphasized that while
the system should welcome hardworking and honest migrants,
it should simultaneously prevent illegal entry, he said.
I'm an immigrant to the United States.
I am extremely pro immigrant. But we need a system that works,
not one that is on the verge of collapse.
Now, Elon is no stranger to American politics, having
previously hosted the presidential campaign launch for
Florida Governor Rob DeSantis on X, his social media platform
Formerly known as Twitter. Musk has been actively involved
in various political dialogues, and during his border visit he
was accompanied by US Representative Tony Gonzalez, a
Republican whose district stretches across a very
significant portion of the Texas, Mexico border.
Gonzalez welcome Musk's presence, stating that people
along the border really feel abandoned, and the collaboration
raises questions about whether Musk is intending to influence
policy or simply highlight an issue that he believes is not
receiving enough attention. Now, the visit has both domestic
and international implications, especially given Musk's
interaction with global leaders like Ukrainian officials and
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Elon Musk's interactions concerning immigration issues
aren't confined to US soil, they extend to international waters
as well. And recently, he criticized
German humanitarian efforts in the Mediterranean, specifically
their operation of migrant rescue ships.
And Musk brought this matter to public attention by sharing a
video that showed migrants and aid workers on a boat, posing
the question as to whether the German public was aware of these
activities. And the video had originally
been posted by a right wing account praising the far right
alternative for German party, which has been quite stringent
on migration issues and in response to German Federal
Foreign Office asserted that what the humanitarian groups
were doing was simply saving lives just led to a direct
exchange between Musk and the Foreign Office, sparking an
international conversation on the subject.
Must question the legality and ethicality of the operations,
casting doubt on whether they had the support of the German
populace. He also made a contentious
statement regarding these operations having invasion
vibes, especially as they might infringe upon Italy's
sovereignty. Now this interaction reveals a
few key facets of Musk's stance on immigration.
First, it showcases that his concerns are global in nature
and not merely focused on the United States.
Second, he's willing to confront governmental entities directly,
a tactic that can make discussions about these issues
more public and potentially contentious.
In the exchange with the German authorities, therefore serve not
only to highlight a particular issue, but also to shed light on
Musk's broader approach to engaging in international policy
dialogue. So the confrontation with the
German Federal Foreign Office reflects Musk's willingness to
tackle these complex and controversial issues head on,
and using his platform and public persona to generate
discussion and possibly influence public opinion.
It also adds another layer to understanding his involvement in
migration issues, showing that he's attuned to the complexities
and intricacies that accompany this global dilemma.
Now, Musk aimed to engage in civil journalism by live
streaming his border visit on X, formerly known as Twitter.
However, the endeavor ran into some technical issues, with the
stream freezing after about four minutes.
The hiccup exposed the limitations of X live streaming
caabilities, especially given that the stream had garnered
about 5 million viewers over those 4 minutes.
Musk's frustration with the situation was evident as he sent
an e-mail to everyone at X demanding a fix.
Although a second 13 minute live stream later ran more smoothly,
the initial glitches left many wondering about X's readiness
for such high profile live streaming events.
And with the upcoming SpaceX Starship I FT-2 event that will
only be streamed on X, and all SpaceX launches are only
streamed on X now, no longer on YouTube, we may be seeing some
glitchy streams in the future. Now in the broader scheme though
Inland, Musk's foray into the US immigration debate is not just a
Oneoff event, but part of a larger pattern where the
entrepreneur is increasingly leveraging his platforms and his
influence to participate in social and political
discussions. Whether this will lead to
tangible changes in policy or public opinion remains to be
seen, but it certainly cements Musk's role as a highprofile
commenter on issues beyond technology and entrepreneurship.
Musk's interest in immigration issues, both domestic and
international, could have various repercussions given his
global reach and his influence. Now, how this will impact his
businesses like Tesla and SpaceX, both of which have
significant operations in Texas or a social media platform X, is
still an open question. Now, thank you so much for
tuning into this episode of the Elon Musk podcast today.
We hope you found this episode insightful and delightful.
Now don't forget to hit the subscribe or follow button on
the podcast platform you're listening on right now.
It's free and just takes a moment.
So please take care of yourselves and each other, and
I'll see you in the next one. In this section, we'll be
examining the social media platform X, formerly known as
Twitter. It's embattled CEO Linda
Yocarino, and how this all ties back to Elon Musk.
The story's making headlines, and not always for the best
reasons. The media has often portrayed X
as a sinking ship, especially after some intense public
interviews and Elon Musk's own contentious posts.
But is this narrative fair or even accurate?
Might have seen Linda Yakirino's interviews at Code Conference in
the first conference where she defended her performance of the
platform immense A slew of critical questions and
skepticisms. These public appearances have
triggered debates about her credibility, her relationship
with the Elon Musk, and the future of the platform she's in
charge of. So let's unpack the situation.
We'll look into what Yakarino revealed about X's user
engagement and revenue metrics, as well as the aftermath of her
public interviews. Along the way, we'll tackle some
key questions. Is X really a fading platform?
How are corporate communications and public relations playing a
role in shaping the perception of X?
And finally, can X, under Yakorino's leadership and Elon
Musk's ownership, navigate through these turbulent waters?
Linda Yakorino recently dropped some numbers during her
interviews. This seemed to contradict the
dying platform narrative. She mentioned that people are
spending 14% more time on X. Video consumption has risen by
20%. Quite interestingly, Gen.
Z is the largest and fastest growing segment on the platform,
with nearly 200 million people logging in per month now.
What's more, Yacorino highlighted that the platform
clocks around 100 billion impressions every day and sees
about 500,000,000 posts. User signups have seen a 4% year
over year increase. So while X may not be a TikTok
or an Instagram, it's not exactly gasping for air either.
And this leaves us, Padre. Other reports of X's demise
exaggerated? Are the media and critics
missing the forest for the trees now?
Kathleen Schmidt, a veteran PR expert, criticize Yakurino for
appearing uninformed and unprepared during her public
interviews, particularly about Elon Musk's plan for X.
And the lack of coordination with communications.
And the strategy became evident with Yakurino seemed unsure of
Elon's ideas about transitioning the platform to a subscription
based model. Jeffrey Knoff, a CEO of Spartan
Media, and Kelsey Kintner of Red Banyan Crisis PR, also weighed
in. They mentioned the importance of
being In Sync with the company's overreaching communication
strategy, especially when working under a disruptive
figure like Elon Musk now. According to them, Yakorino's
performance indicated that the messaging between Elon and
herself needs to be aligned. However, it's worth mentioning
that Yacorino is relatively new to the role, with just 12 weeks
under her belt. The post interview backlash
Lindy Yacorino underscores a critical issue.
There is clearly a gap of communication between both Ex
and Elon Musk, and when it comes to the public perception, she
may be on a different page and critics latched onto Yacorino
stumbles during the interview as evidence of her inability to run
the company. However, it's worth considering
the role of a clear and cohesive internal communication strategy,
or the lack thereof, in shaping her responses.
An unaligned communication plan may have been the reason she was
left floundering during the interview with no concrete
answers to provide. While Linda Yakorino seem less
than prepared, it's worth noting that being a CEO under Elon
Musk's ownership is no simple task.
He's known for thinking outside the box and pushing the envelope
and doing some crazy things. Sometimes this creates A dynamic
and sometimes volatile environment where aligning
corporate messages and strategic decisions can be like hitting a
moving target. And Yacorino may have had
limited insight into upcoming changes and strategies which
made her seem unresponsive and inadequate during the interview.
Another layer to this discussion is Yacorino's relatively short
tenure at the helm. She's been in the CEO position
for about 12 weeks now, and critics argue that sufficient
time to have a grip on the company's operations in future
direction. It's not that much now, however.
It's also fair to say that three months isn't a long time to
absorb the intricacies and multifaceted platform like X,
especially one that's seeing its metrics fluctuate and it's
public image in constant flux. And the key take away here is
that Linda Yakorino's performance raised eyebrows.
It might be symptomatic of larger issues with an X rather
than a personal failing on her part.
If the communication channels were unclear or misaligned, it
would have been difficult for her or anyone else in her
position to present a unified front.
And this suggests that as much as leadership qualities are
essential, the systems in place for clear and consistent
communication with the company are equally critical for its
success in its public perception.
Now, what is next for X? Despite these setbacks, it's
important to remember that turning around a platform like X
is not an overnight job. It's not going to happen within
a week or so. With a polarized public
perception in a turbulent media environment, the road ahead for
X in Yacorino is undeniably challenging.
But this journey also offers unique opportunities for
innovation and growth, especially considering the
numbers Yacorino presented. It's worth mentioning that Elon
Musk is not one to focus on shortterm bumps.
If Yacorino can get her communication strategy In Sync
with Elons, and if the platform continues to grow as her metrics
suggest, then perhaps the critics will have to reevaluate
their stances. Maybe, just maybe, X will prove
to be more resilient than some people think.
I thank you so much for tuning into the Elon Musk podcast
today. If you found this episode
insightful, don't forget to hit the subscribe or the follow
button on your preferred podcast platform.
It's free, takes just a moment, and it helps us out
tremendously. So thank you for doing that.
And until next time, please take care of yourselves in each other
and I'll see you in the next one.