Squawk Pod

Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson speaks out, addressing numerous reports of mistruths that have led to his company’s demise. Confronted with misleading claims in his own company’s pitch deck and a review of texting exchanges between himself and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Watson defends the company’s history and discusses his own leadership. He addresses the allegations of inflated viewer metrics, his COO’s impersonation of a YouTube executive on an investor call with Goldman Sachs, and suggestions that his staff was misled about their work’s exposure and impact. In a lively interview, Watson assures Joe, Becky, and Andrew that Ozy Media will continue operations, and takes on the NYT media reporter who broke the story  first, Ben Smith.In this episode:Carlos Watson, @carloswatsonJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

4 Okt 202133min

Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have developed a therapeutic pill for Covid that reduces the risk of hospitalization or death by around 50% for patients with mild or moderate cases. CNBC’s Meg Tirrell reports that Merck hopes for emergency use authorization after “compelling results” in trials. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, also discusses Merck’s late-stage data and says it’s a ‘profound game changer’. Billionaire investor Marc Lasry has resigned as chairman of Ozy Media, just three weeks to the day after he took the job, and less than a week since the digital news startup’s deceptive marketing methods came to light. Ben Smith, the New York Times media columnist who broke the first story, discusses the Ozy drama. Facebook’s global head of safety spoke to Instagram’s impact on teenagers’ mental health at a Senate subcommittee hearing. Senators compared Facebook to the tobacco industry for going after teens and children with a product they know is harmful to their health.In this episode:Ben Smith, @benytScott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDMeg Tirrell, @megtirrellJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1 Okt 202130min

Congress will race to prevent a government shutdown before the debt deadline, today at midnight. CNBC’s Ylan Mui details the various other deadlines on the docket for lawmakers, including a short-term appropriations bill and the infrastructure bill. Former OMB Director in the Trump administration Mick Mulvaney joins former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) to discuss bipartisanship, baseball, and averting a shutdown. AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine showed 74% efficacy in a U.S. clinical trial, and 83.5% efficacy in people 65 years and older. The company expects to file for U.S. approval later this year. Meanwhile, the CDC has issued a health advisory to increase Covid-19 vaccinations among women who are pregnant, recently pregnant or trying to become pregnant, to prevent serious illness and death. Plus, inflation is hitting Bed Bath & Beyond and Dollar Tree, the Business Roundtable has a new Chair, and booze stocks have a new boon. In this episode:Mick Mulvaney, @MickMulvaneyHeidi Heitkamp, @HeidiHeitkampYlan Mui, @ylanmuiJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

30 Sep 202129min

Eyewear start-up Warby Parker (WRBY) begins trading today via a direct listing, testing investors’ appetite for a household direct-to-consumer retail name. Warby Parker co-founders and co-CEOs Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa discuss the company’s outlook and a tech driven future. The Latino Donor Collaborative has released its 2021 U.S. Latino GDP report, revealing that growth has averaged 5.6% over the last two years, double the rate of the U.S. economy. Sol Trujillo, co-founder of the Latino Donor Collaborative and of L’Attitude, discusses the findings from the report from the L’Attitude Conference in San Diego. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell addressed inflation, the Fed’s stock trading ethics on Capitol Hill, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) delivered impassioned remarks on the “danger” of Powell’s renomination. Plus, it’s National Coffee Day! In this episode: Neil Blumenthal, @NeilBlumenthalDave Gilboa, @WarbyParkerSol Trujillo, @LATTITUDEevent, @LDCLatinoJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 Sep 202131min

Ford has announced a $11.4 billion deal to build four new battery and EV factories through a joint venture with South Korean battery maker SK Innovation. Ford CEO, Jim Farley, spoke with CNBC’s Phil Lebeau about Ford’s ambitious electric vehicle plan and what it means for American jobs and the U.S. supply chain. Data analytics company Amplitude (AMPL) has listed on the Nasdaq via direct listing, rather than a SPAC or traditional IPO. Amplitude CEO Spenser Skates and renowned venture capitalist Bill Gurley of Benchmark discuss the debut, tech valuations, and the flaws in the IPO process. Senate Republicans blocked a House-passed bill that would prevent a government shutdown and a potential default on U.S. debt. As the deadline to avoid a government shutdown and a debt default approaches, lawmakers are on the clock to pass an appropriations bill and to suspend or increase the debt ceiling. Plus, Fed Presidents are stepping down and #KenGriffinLied is trending on Twitter as more GameStop drama unfolds.In this episode:Jim Farley, @jimfarley98Spenser Skates, @spenserskatesBill Gurley, @bgurleyPhil Lebeau, @LebeaucarnewsJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 Sep 202134min

Lawmakers are attempting to pass a funding plan in time to avert a government shutdown on Friday. The debt ceiling is expected to be part of that debate, but strategists do not expect it to be resolved at the same time. As for the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expects it to be passed this week. However, CNBC’s Ylan Mui says voting may be pushed back from today's promised deadline. There will be a return to “normal life” within a year according to Pfizer CEO and Chairman Albert Bourla, who added that it’s likely annual Covid vaccination shots will be necessary. Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses what normal life may look like after boosters, vaccines for kids, Covid therapeutic pills, and a drop in Covid-related deaths. A co-founder of media company Ozy allegedly impersonated a top YouTube executive in an investor call with Goldman Sachs, according to a report by The New York Times. NYT also wrote that Ozy has been padding its online traffic stats while raising millions of dollars in funding. Plus, Facebook announced today it’s pausing its work on Instagram for kids, after facing a slew of backlash from users and lawmakers.In this episode:Scott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDYlan Mui, @ylanmuiJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

27 Sep 202132min

Tennis champion Roger Federer, his agent Tony Godsick, and tennis legend John McEnroe kick off the Laver Cup tournament with the “Squawk Box” team. Federer and Godsick discuss co-founding the tournament, this weekend’s lineup, and the return of live sporting events. John McEnroe reunites with Joe Kernen and Joe Kernen’s hair, and weighs in on the wealth tax debate on Capitol Hill: “I pay more taxes than Jeff Bezos.” The head of the CDC overruled an advisory panel today, approving the distribution of Pfizer’s Covid boosters to a wide array of workers across the U.S. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses vaccine confusion and says the FDA and CDC should be more aligned in their approach. Costco is bringing back purchase limits on household essentials such as toilet paper, bottled water and cleaning supplies due to supply chain challenges. Plus, bitcoin and ethereum are falling after the People’s Bank of China outlawed all crypto-related activities. In this episode:Roger Federer, @rogerfedererTony Godsick, @LaverCupJohn McEnroe, @JohnMcEnroeScott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

24 Sep 202140min

Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled a rate hike and a stimulus taper, prompting a positive day on Wall Street. In Washington, Congress may be at a standstill to raise or suspend the debt limit, thus averting a government shutdown, and a debt default. Eric Cantor, former Republican House Majority Leader and CNBC’s Ylan Mui discuss the debt ceiling and the possible economic fallout. The Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 booster shots for people 65 and older and other vulnerable Americans six months after receiving the first two doses. Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes continues her trial, and CNBC’s Yasmin Khorram has obtained 600 pages of Holmes’s private texts with her ex-boyfriend Sunny Balwani. Khorram reveals details of their relationship, now in the courtroom spotlight. Plus, The Points Guy Brian Kelly offers his tips for making the most of a credit card, capitalizing on the best ways to leverage Amex and Chase points for travel. In this episode:Eric Cantor, @EricCantorBrian Kelly, @thepointsguyYlan Mui, @ylanmuiYasmin Khorram, @YasminKhorramJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

23 Sep 202133min