Ep 22: The Evolutionary Klosterman & Simmons — Grantland, Breaking Bad, Best/Worst Ages to Experience a Pandemic, Changes in How We Consume Media, Role of Tech in Society; Plus Harry & Meghan Check-In
Welcome to Episode 22! We bring on Michael from Twitter for a wide ranging conversation that (we hope) channels the vibe from our favorite Bill & Chuck pods.
We start on Bill Simmons current events, and give our takes on Bill having a worldwide moment with his Prince Harry & Meghan comments. We also examine how Simmons timed his Spotify sale perfectly, and wonder what he actually does there as an executive (if anything at all).
We then dive into Michael’s background with Bill, and examine two Grantland articles (Bill on T-Mac and Chuck Klosterman on Breaking Bad) that were formative in him becoming a fan. We discuss how this was a very interesting phase of Bill’s life, in 2013, moving from fan to NBA insider (in the T-Mac articles he references texting Kobe). Regarding Chuck and his Breaking Bad piece, we take on some revisionist history about the show.
Next, we discuss why it seems like the NBA’s popularity online only increases, yet many people, including Michael, watch much less NBA now. Why is that, and did it have to do with covid? On covid, we debate what the best and worst relative age range in someone’s life was to go through the pandemic; and, do we think our time missed (late-20s) was one of the worst because it indeed was, or only because we lived through it?
We talk some Chris Ryan before having a broader discussion on media consumption in 2023 - for instance, where did Ted talks go? Are our attention spans even big enough to sit through a Ted talk these days, let alone a movie? Also, are we having the right conversations about the role of technology in society?
If you like deep, stimulating intellectual conversations, this episode is for you. Follow us on Spotify and find us on Twitter @rBillSimmonsPod!
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