The Moynihan Report

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney joins Michael Moynihan to discuss his new film, Musk, a critical examination of Elon Musk's rise to extraordinary wealth and political power. They debate Musk's genuine achievements at Tesla and SpaceX, his transformation into a Trump ally, and whether his greatest talent is innovation or self-promotion. Gibney also defends the film's more controversial claims involving Ashley St. Clair, the 2024 election, DOGE, and access to sensitive government data, while Moynihan presses him on the line between legitimate investigation and conspiracy theory. Plus, Tesla's self-driving promises, the dangers of AI, and why Gibney believes Musk is ultimately a confidence man.

(0:00) Cold Open
(0:03) Monologue
(1:09) Musk’s Accomplishments at Tesla and SpaceX
(3:14) The Myth of Elon Musk
(5:45) Musk’s Political Transformation
(9:07) The Politics of Rage
(11:53) Interviewing Elon’s Father
(13:41) Musk’s Break With Trump
(17:22) Musk’s Attacks on Gibney
(18:22) Ashley St. Clair and Her Credibility
(22:31) Musk and the 2024 Election
(26:58) DOGE and Government Data
(30:46) Evidence vs. Speculation
(33:33) Starlink, Government Contracts, and Crony Capitalism
(36:07) Musk and the Dangers of AI
(40:03) Tesla’s Self-Driving Claims
(44:39) Musk’s Greatest Talent: Selling the Future
(46:44) Is Elon Musk a Con Man?
(50:58) Walter Isaacson’s Musk Biography
(54:00) Is Musk a Genius or a Villain?
(56:15) Money and Political Influence
(58:30) Musk’s Drug Use and Behavior
(1:00:00) Self-Delusion and Noble Cause Corruption

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Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joby Warrick joins Michael Moynihan to tell the story of Carlos the Jackal, the Venezuelan Marxist who became the world’s most notorious terrorist. They discuss his rise through the Palestinian militant movement, his ties to the Soviet bloc, and the governments that allowed him to operate across Europe and the Middle East for decades. Warrick also recounts meeting an unrepentant Carlos in a French prison and explains how his brand of international terrorism anticipated Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the decentralized political violence of today.
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CHAPTERS
(0:00) Cold Open
(0:20) Intro
(1:44) Becoming Carlos the Jackal
(5:10) Terrorism, Marxism and Antisemitism
(8:34) The Paris Grenade Attack
(11:35) Why Europe Paid Off Terrorists
(15:42) The Soviet Terror Network
(22:49) Terrorism and the Palestinian Cause
(28:20) Meeting Carlos in Prison
(35:55) Carlos and the Nazis
(39:02) From Marxism to Radical Islam
(41:58) The CIA Informant Who Betrayed Carlos
(44:45) How Dictators Protected the Jackal
(47:02) The Legacy of 1970s Terrorism
(49:21) What Happened to Al-Qaeda and ISIS?
(52:45) Israel and the Axis of Resistance
(56:08) Political Violence Today

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Michael Musto Is Mr. Adjacent
Village Voice and NYC icon Michael Musto joins Michael Moynihan for a tour through the New York he chronicled from the inside, from growing up gay in Bensonhurst to the glory days of downtown nightlife, celebrity gossip, the Club Kids, Michael Alig, ACT UP, RuPaul, and the AIDS crisis.
They also talk about outing celebrities, Rosie O’Donnell calling Musto a “gay Nazi,” the changing city, and what it meant to spend decades watching New York culture from just off center.

Chapters
-Growing Up Gay in Bensonhurst
-Escaping Brooklyn for Manhattan
-Outing Celebrities
-Blind Items and Village Voice Lawyers
-Michael Alig and the Angel Melendez Murder
-Old New York and Gentrification
-Mamdani
-Making Money in Journalism
-Was Musto Too Mean?
-When Straight People Call Themselves Queer
-AIDS
-What Happened to the Old Club Scene?
-Mr. Adjacent



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Jon Lovett joins the show to talk about what Pod Save America is actually trying to be, why Democrats have struggled to find a coherent political identity, and how Lovett went from writing jokes for Hillary Clinton to becoming one of the biggest voices in liberal media.
They get into Hassan Piker and the socialist left, the disappearance of old-fashioned liberalism, Kamala Harris, Katie Porter, Zohran Mamdani, the politics of Woke 1.0, antisemitism on the left, Israel and Zionism, and whether a life spent arguing about politics ever gets exhausting. Plus, the childhood humiliation Lovett says made him a Democrat.

Why Are Democrats So Bad at This?
Why Jon Lovett Chose Politics
Writing Jokes for Hillary Clinton
Al Franken, Air America, and Liberal Media
Hassan Piker and the Left’s Media Problem
Who Gets to Be in the Democratic Tent?
The Maoist Wing of the DSA
What Happened to Liberalism?
Kamala Harris, Katie Porter, and Political Talent
How Democrats Lost Working-Class Voters
Mamdani and The Fifth Column Batting Average
“Desire Paths” and Woke Politics
Is It Hard to Be Jewish Right Now?
Brad Lander and Antisemitism on the Left
“Genocide” as a Political Litmus Test
Is Jon Lovett a Zionist?
Does Politics Ever Get Exhausting?
Ambition, Fame, and Why He Keeps Doing It

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Penelope Spheeris has spent her life around chaos, from Richard Pryor and the early days of punk to Wayne’s World and the machinery of Hollywood. She joins Michael to talk about The Decline of Western Civilization, turning down Spinal Tap, fighting over Wayne’s World, and collecting decades of grudges along the way. There are stories about Lemmy, Tina Fey, Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston, Chris Farley, and a rhinestone dildo. Penelope has seen some shit, and she’s still happy to talk about it.

(0:00) Cold Open
(0:18) Monologue
(1:03) Richard Pryor and the Lost Movie
(6:02) Decline, Chaos, and Making Sense of Her Demons
(10:45) Guns N’ Roses Bails, Megadeth Steps In
(12:33) Lemmy’s Bad Review
(16:16) Punk Rock, Childhood Trauma, and Seven Stepfathers
(19:46) Fame, Money, and Unfulfilled Expectations
(22:57) Passing on Spinal Tap
(24:03) Chris Holmes and the Pool Scene
(27:34) The Decline vs. Wayne’s World
(29:30) Losing Wayne’s World 2
(32:07) Dana Carvey, Tina Fey, and Britney Spears
(35:08) Life With Her Schizophrenic Partner
(37:53) Chaos, Boredom, and Happiness
(39:05) Getting Rich Without Trying
(41:30) The Memoir and Being Written Out of Hollywood
(44:48) Jennifer Aniston and the Dildo
(47:27) Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Black Sheep

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