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Flipping the Bird: Elon vs. Twitter

Wondery

When Elon Musk posted a video of himself arriving at Twitter HQ carrying a white sink along with the message “let that sink in!” it marked the end of a dramatic takeover. Musk had gone from Twitter critic to “Chief Twit” in the space of just a few months but his arrival didn’t put an end to questions about his motives. Musk had earned a reputation as a business maverick. From PayPal to Tesla to SpaceX, his name was synonymous with big, earth-shattering ideas. So, what did he want with a social media platform? And was this all really in the name of free speech...or was this all in the name of Elon Musk? From Wondery, the makers of WeCrashed and In God We Lust, comes the wild story of how the richest man alive took charge of the world’s “digital public square.”


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Our Editor's Take

The podcast Flipping the Bird: Elon vs. Twitter tries to go inside the mind of one of the most controversial figures of modern times. When Elon Musk purchased Twitter, it surprised many people. But most of all, it stunned the employees. For most of it, they found out about the sale through the social media platform itself. They had no idea if Musk was going to save Twitter or destroy it. Moreover, no one could have predicted how the takeover would play out. Not the people at HQ, the board members, nor even Musk himself knew the turns and detours that this tale would take.

David Brown is the voice behind Flipping the Bird: Elon vs. Twitter. The journalist has an extensive career reporting on business-related news stories. Brown won a Peabody Award for his NPR show Marketplace. He also produced the successful podcast Business Wars. Brown is also the managing editor for the news radio show Texas Standard.

Brown unravels a compelling narrative in this six-part podcast (with an epilogue). He paints a picture of a person that might seem like a complete madman to some and a genius to others. The story starts from the moment Musk made the historic purchase. It reveals the tale of secret meetings in a shady Airbnb. It continues to uncover threats, power plays, and the infamous "Blue Check" decision. There are also layoffs, courtroom preceding, and boardroom meltdowns aplenty.

The podcast investigates the impact of ego, greed, and power on the lives of people working at Twitter. Brown also analyzes the effect it may have on any platform user. He tells the narrative based on evidence from people who were there when it happened. The host relies on tweets, Slack messages, and never-heard-before interviews with ex-employees. This podcast shares the sense of chaos that Twitter descended into when Musk came in. By the end of Flipping the Bird: Elon vs. Twitter, the listeners might also get a glimpse into the man's reasoning and logic.

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