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The Lesson From Thud, Elon Musk’s Satire Project? Always Be Skeptical of Him.

Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Imagine, if you will, a tech billionaire trying to build an “intergalactic media empire” — a space in which satire reigns supreme. Years before Elon Musk bought Twitter, he funded a would-be comedy project called Thud that was founded by two former staffers of the Onion. But he backed out before Thud’s launch, and the company quickly folded. Into It host Sam Sanders wanted to know if this odd little chapter of Musk’s business history reveals anything about what’s in store for Twitter. He asked Jacob Kastrenakes, who wrote in 2019 about Musk’s foray with Thud, about whether the story can be read as a cautionary tale. Listen to the full episode here and subscribe below.

Into It

The Lesson From Musk’s Thud? Be Skeptical of Him.