I Have Completed Guest Hosting For Glenn Greenwald
Despite being well accustomed to absorbing overwhelming negativity on the internet, I do have to report that the response to my guest-hosting tenure at “System Update” in Rio de Janeiro was shockingly positive. My theory is that people are largely reacting to my physical appearance, which underwent one of the most intensive public works projects in Brazilian history, with a team of stylists swarming me and strategizing amongst themselves in Portuguese so I had no idea what was going on. Enthralled and overjoyed at the sight of my improved appearance, viewers couldn’t help but burst into rapturous applause.
However, I do like to think that at least a small segment of the audience appreciated the substance of the shows I hosted. If you missed any episodes, you can find them on Rumble and YouTube, and probably elsewhere (Spotify rings a bell). Here’s the grand reunion segment I did with Glenn upon his triumphant return, as I continued lurking around the studio. I explained aspects of my hosting philosophy, such as I had one. I guess if I had to reflect, I wanted to combine levity and amusement with policy-oriented substance. That’s not really what I planned out ahead of time; it’s just my natural inclination. I also wanted to bring on a diverse range of guests from across the ideological spectrum, and press them on potential inconsistencies or contradictions within their own worldviews. Not so much to have a “debate,” which can be a played out cliche on the internet, but to have a conversational interview that is also probing and interrogative.
A lot of people have been clamoring for me to host my own show now. I guess I’ll look into it. It takes a lot of infrastructure though, if the studio in Brazil is any indication. But I’m a man of the people, and I give the people what they want. I don’t think I’d ever want to convert entirely “to video,” as I think it’s important to stay grounded in the written word, at least for my purposes, because it’s vital for organizing one’s thoughts in a coherent manner, and not just spouting off lazily like any run-of-the-mill pundit. Maybe I’m an elitist, but I do get suspicious of full-time political commentators who don’t seem to have the attention span or even basic ability to sit down and ever write anything at length. It makes me question the worth of their insights. If I ever did delve more fully into a broadcast-type position, I’d want to take steps to inoculate myself from pundit disease, an admittedly ill-defined syndrome — but “you know it when you see it.”
I do think I have a pretty unique approach to interviewing/reporting/pontificating, however. If I thought I could only do a dime-a-dozen thing that ten million other people are already doing, I wouldn’t bother. But perhaps there could be an opening. It requires resources though, so if you’re feeling generous, subscriptions are always appreciated. You could also contribute through any of the mechanisms listed here if you’re so inclined. One of my problems is I hate going around begging for money, which might be necessary in order to garner the resources necessary to start a bonafide show. But, we’ll see.
I’ll try to have a regular Substack-style article published in the next couple days. Cheers!
I suspect Glenn's "trip" was a strategically planned effort to get you into a stylist's chair wearing a sport coat on a daily basis for consecutive days numbering greater than two.
I have subscribed since you first moved to substack, and even briefly on patreon before. I subscribe to your writing--you have a rare skill there, and your thoughts are always original--and not so much for your mug on TV (or whatever it is we call screens these days.) Specifically: I'll pay to read you, but I'll politely decline to help you buy a TV studio.