Latest news with #SmartLess
West Australian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Taylor Swift's New Heights podcast with Travis Kelce breaks records as she finds new way to control narrative
The transformation of podcasts from a niche audio format to a linchpin of celebrity press tours is complete. Taylor Swift has finally appeared on one. Her guest spot on 'New Heights,' a video podcast about football and pop culture co-hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, amassed nearly 9 million views in about 12 hours on YouTube, setting a record for the show and cementing its place among modern media properties. About 1.3 million people tuned in simultaneously to a livestream of the episode before it was felled by a technical glitch. By comparison, an October episode of 'The Joe Rogan Experience' with US President Donald Trump reached about 11 million views in its first 12 hours on YouTube. Released Wednesday night, the 'New Heights' episode served as a long-form album announcement for Swift, who has never taken a particularly traditional approach to delivering such news. When not dropping surprise albums, she has opted for announcing albums on tour stops, on Yahoo livestreams or in the middle of awards shows. Rarely does Swift sit for an interview. (Exceptions include in-depth conversations about songwriting for Apple in 2020 and about directing for Variety in 2022). That her first proper podcast interview was conducted beside her romantic partner speaks to both her personal reluctance to engage with mainstream media and a larger truth about podcasting: For prominent figures, it has become a friendly space, where unchecked conversation can flow freely. Silicon Valley founders and White House officials have embraced two- or three-hour conversations with Rogan. Athletes and musicians talk about their mental health on 'Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard.' Actor Jason Momoa just made his podcast debut on 'SmartLess,' disclosing a near-drowning, while Dakota Johnson chose to make her debut on 'Good Hang With Amy Poehler,' holding her new puppy in her lap. 'Not only do these podcasts have massive reach, but they're also places where you can have a very nuanced, long-form conversation,' said Josh Lindgren, head of podcasts at Creative Artists Agency, in an interview Wednesday. 'The editing tends to have a fairly light touch, and so it's a place where you can go and have a conversation and expect that that's more or less what's going to get transmitted to your audience.' (CAA represents some of Kelce's business.) While these interviews may seem journalistic in nature, most stars of new media do not consider themselves journalists. In their celebrity interviews, they reject the blunt questions of 1990s network broadcasters and the literary sensibility of 1970s magazine scribes. They foster a sense of safety. Their goal is intimacy, not necessarily accountability. 'We're not a 'gotcha' show,' Michael Bosstick, Chief Executive of podcasting network Dear Media, told The New York Times this year. He and his wife interviewed Ivanka Trump, the elder daughter of Donald Trump, in her second podcast appearance; her first was with Lex Fridman, a podcaster focused primarily on science and technology, whom Ivanka Trump described as a 'friend.' Neither show was a place where Mr Trump would have expected to be grilled on her father's policies or her role in shaping them. 'It's about making the guests feel comfortable that we're going to actually let them tell their story,' said Bosstick, who spoke to Mr Trump about skiing, workout supplements, her morning routine and her interest in artificial intelligence. Alex Cooper, the host of 'Call Her Daddy,' told the Times last year that when interview subjects arrived at her studio 'terrified' that the internet would pick apart their words, she reassured them that 'we're good' and 'it's chill.' Sean Evans, the host of 'Hot Ones,' told Vulture in May that he believed his show should be an 'extension of the guest,' assuring one actor that he was in 'safe hands' while eating spicy wings. 'I would assume talent gets bored doing the traditional press junket, so this feels fresh and exciting,' said Kareem Rahma, host of 'Subway Takes,' who has interviewed guests including actress Cate Blanchett and Zohran Mamdani, New York's Democratic candidate for mayor, while riding the city's transit system. 'From a more practical perspective, the average American spends seven hours a day looking at their phone, so it makes sense to meet the audience there.' Much energy has been devoted to positioning internet-native shows like 'Hot Ones' or 'Subway Takes' as the new version of late-night talk shows — a long-declining format — particularly in terms of the clamouring by celebrity publicists to book their clients. (Evans has also been public about his desire for a prime-time Emmy statue.) But late-night television appearances have always been short and sweet, marked by canned anecdotes or contrived games. Even glossy magazine covers, once pursued like a golden ticket by publicists, have lost some of their appeal. Agents are still eager to see their clients swathed in high-fashion brands and shot by big-name photographers, but podcasts are simply 'much quicker to execute, and they offer the talent the chance to speak in an unmediated way,' said Charlotte Owen, editor of Bustle, which publishes both podcasts and more traditional cover stories. But to Owen, who hosts 'One Nightstand,' a podcast on which guests talk about their favourite books, it is not only celebrities who benefit from these lengthy video interviews. 'I'm often having more robust, intimate and revelatory conversations than I do when sat in a restaurant with a voice recorder between us,' she said. 'And for guests, it's like being in a batting cage for an hour. You're going to hit something in that time.' 'New Heights' will certainly benefit from Swift's appearance at a crucial moment for the podcast. Last year, Wondery acquired the rights to distribute and sell the show's advertisements, negotiating a reported $100 million deal with Kelce and his co-host, his brother Jason. But this month, Wondery was broken up by its parent company, Amazon. The Kelces have since been funnelled into a new department, Creator Services, as the company focuses less on traditional audio podcasts and more on deploying its splashy video-friendly talent across its platforms. Before the episode's release, after days of teasing the interview with Swift, 'New Heights' reached No. 1 on Apple Podcasts' chart. It had held that spot before, but not consistently. Previously, the brothers' most-watched YouTube video had about 8.6 million views. That was an interview with Jason Kelce's wife, Kylie. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2025 The New York Times Company
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Jason Momoa reveals he almost died in a surfing accident: 'My arms and my legs gave up'
Jason Momoa is opening up about a scary near-death experience that inspired a major lifestyle change. The "Chief of War" star, 46, revealed on the Aug. 11 episode of the "SmartLess" podcast that he once nearly died in a surfing accident. The incident occurred when Momoa's surfboard leash "snapped" while he was almost a mile off shore on the island of Maui. "It's so windy on Maui, and so the board just went," he said. "I couldn't even see it anymore." He continued, "I took quite a few on the head. They were pretty big, like 10-foot Hawaiian waves. I'm literally probably a half-mile offshore. ... There's all this water that pulls out. It pulls you out, and you just get hit with these waves, so I was stuck in this crazy spot." Momoa said no one could see him while he was waving for help. "I was out there for a while," he recalled. "I couldn't see anyone coming to get me, and I couldn't move anymore. My arms and my legs gave up." The "Aquaman" actor "couldn't move my arms anymore" and "bubbled down," he said, adding, "I'm literally in the middle of the ocean, and I can barely put my lips above, just to breathe and get a break, but I had already given up. (I'd) already given up and died." After around 10 minutes of "hanging on the side of this reef," Momoa said he was rescued by surfer Laird Hamilton, who came from behind to get him. The two then had to paddle for miles while Momoa's feet were "covered in blood." The "Dune" star, who prayed to his ancestors for help while he was out there, shared that this is what inspired him to finally quit smoking. "I used to smoke like two or three packs a day," he said. "I couldn't stop for my kids, I couldn't stop for my ex. I couldn't stop smoking. The moment I came in, I never smoked again. I just died. I tried and tried, but I couldn't do it again, because I gave up my life." Momoa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and comes from "one of the biggest surf families in Hawaii," he noted on "SmartLess." The actor previously worked at his family's surf shop. Momoa is currently starring on the Hawaiian historical epic "Chief of War" on Apple TV+, and he recently teased his return as Duncan Idaho in the third "Dune" film," which is set for release in 2026.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
The hot, new celebrity side hustle
Everybody wants to be Ryan Reynolds. Donald Trump wants to be Ryan Reynolds. The " SmartLess" podcast guys want to be Ryan Reynolds. Even Klarna wants to be Ryan Reynolds. I don't mean they want to star in "Deadpool" or marry Blake Lively (though neither of those is a bad deal). I mean that they're all slapping their brands on mobile phone networks in an attempt to make a little extra bank. If you're familiar with Mint Mobile, a mobile phone network that offers inexpensive prepaid plans, it's probably because you've seen Reynolds in an ad for it. The actor-turned-entrepreneur bought an estimated 25% stake in the company back in 2019, positioned himself as its spokesperson, and then sold it to T-Mobile for $1.35 billion in 2023, with Reynolds reportedly making $300 million off the deal. The concept of Mint Mobile isn't new: Virtual mobile network operators, which are telecom companies that offer mobile services without owning their own network infrastructure, like towers and stations, have been around for a long time. Some examples, besides Mint, include Cricket Wireless and Boost, though the latter is becoming a full-on wireless carrier and investing in its own 5G network. Reynolds offered a new spin by successfully attaching a big-name brand or celebrity to one. His achievement seems to have inspired others to get in on the game, including the president, some podcast hosts, and a buy-now-pay-later company. "It's all Ryan Reynolds' fault. Sort of," says Avi Greengart, the founder and lead analyst at Techspontential, a research and advisory firm. In June, the Trump Organization announced the launch of Trump Mobile. Its website says the service will offer "All-American performance" on a $47.45 a month plan that includes unlimited talk, text, data, and calls to 100 international destinations. The Trumps are also selling a $499 gold-colored phone to accompany the plan. Everyone else on this list is thinking that if Ryan Reynolds can do it, why can't they? The same month, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, actors and the hosts of "Smartless," said they are starting SmartLess Mobile, which promises to be "direct-to-consumer, data-sane, and refreshingly BS-free." Their website boasts, "Friends don't let friends overpay." SmartLess' value proposition is that it offers inexpensive, limited data plans that start as low as $15 a month. The argument is that most people have plans that give them unlimited cellular data, but they don't actually need all that download capacity, given how widely available WiFi is, so they wind up overpaying. "The quick math is about half of the country use 10 gigs or fewer, but it's almost impossible not to buy unlimited," says Paul McAleese, the CEO of Smartless Mobile and a mobile industry veteran. "Why we did it is because we recognize that gap, that data gap, which is really unique compared to any other product category. You don't go into the grocery store and buy 40 gallons of milk and consume two and then do it again the next month." As The Wall Street Journal noted around that time, celebrity cellular brands seem to be everywhere. Consumer brands are joining in, too. Klarna, the Sweden-based buy now, pay later company, is launching a mobile network of its own, too. In June, it invited consumers to sign up for a waitlist to join its $40-a-month plan. It may seem strange for an installment lender to get in the wireless game, but the company says it's a step in continuing to build its "neobank offering." "Everyone else on this list is thinking that if Ryan Reynolds can do it, why can't they?" says Craig Moffett, a cofounder and senior research analyst at MoffettNathanson, an equity research firm. It's not dissimilar to the rich and famous hopping on the liquor train in recent years. There's Reynolds' gin, Snoop Dogg's wine, George Clooney's tequila, Kendall Jenner's tequila, Kevin Hart's tequila. In a way, telecom is the new tequila. "It's a sign of the times that every celebrity's reason for getting up in the morning is to think of ways they can monetize their celebrity," Moffett says. Mobile virtual network operators, which industry insiders call MVNOs, buy excess network capacity in bulk from major carriers — AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile — and sell it under their own brands. They profit from the differential between the wholesale rate they get and the amount they charge customers. "It is a capital-light alternative without having to invest considerable sums in acquiring a licence, constructing a network, and so forth," says Paolo Pescatore, a telecom analyst at PP Foresight. He says that it can also work for brands that have a similar business to tack on an extra service for their customers, such as Comcast's XFinity Mobile, which it can tie in with its broadband service. For carriers, MVNOs are a way to make money off of capacity they're not using and try to reach niche markets they may not be able to connect with on their own — customers of different demographics, who speak different languages, and who have different interests. Their brands are very general, and in their marketing, they have to appeal to the general population. It's low risk. If the thing fails, no harm, no foul. "Big carriers are not the most creative kind, and their advertising focuses on big customer segments. They don't have the time, effort, and focus to go after smaller customer segments," says Roger Entner, the founder and lead analyst at Recon Analytics, a research and analytics firm. "It's low risk. If the thing fails, no harm, no foul." MVNOs are just a small sliver of the mobile market. Entner estimates there are about 15 million MVNO customers in the US (that excludes people who use MVNOs tied to cable companies, which are an additional 19 million or so). By comparison, the major carriers have upwards of 340 million. Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel, the author of "Cultural Intelligence for Marketers," says that because consumers tend to distrust the big telecom players, an MVNO may signal a "perception of independence" for potential users. It gives an "illusion of being separate from the major telco brands," she says, even if that's far from the case. Klarna is working with AT&T, SmartLess is with T-Mobile, and the Trump Organization says they're working with all three major carriers. For the brands and individuals trying to launch mobile networks, the hope is that they have enough clout with their existing fan bases to get them to switch networks and sign up. Maybe you love Jason Bateman so much you feel like you have to have his phone plan, or you're so entrenched in Klarna's payments system and app, you switch your network to them. Or, in the case of the Trump family, you're MAGA. And given the president's long history of putting his name on things and promoting them, from buildings to steaks to wine, the move seems like a natural extension. "The only surprising thing about Trump Mobile is that he didn't try this already," Greengart says. McAleese, from SmartLess, says that while he's aware this may look like following in Reynolds' footsteps, that's not what's going on. Arnett served as a spokesperson for the Canadian company Freedom Mobile, which he also ran, back in 2018. "Will did that job, frankly, before Ryan ever did," he says. Just because celeb-affiliated mobile networks are blooming does not mean they will flourish. It's a tough business to be in. ESPN failed at its MVNO efforts two decades ago, even with all the power of, you know, ESPN — though that attempt was also before the iPhone existed. It's an easy business to start, but it's a hard business to operate, Moffett explains. "The MVNO network operator provides almost everything you need to get started. But once you spend money on marketing and customer service, it turns out to be a really tough way to make money," he says. "To succeed, you need to achieve meaningful scale, and very, very few MVNOs ever do." Phone plans are sticky. It takes time and effort to switch your carrier from one brand to another, though the barrier is getting a bit lower these days. It's especially difficult if your phone plan is how you're paying off your device, or you're on a family plan with multiple lines. Many MVNOs don't offer plans with more than one or two lines, and few help customers finance their devices. Where a lot of them run into a buzzsaw is when there's not enough differentiation going on. As much as people may idolize certain celebrities or relate to certain brands, it's just not clear that they do so enough to want their entire consumer lives to reside in their ecosystems. Beyond the branding, a lot of these networks aren't particularly special in terms of the price or service they offer. Maybe they'll get some people, via social media posts and ads, but it may not be enough to grow and sustain a thriving business operation. "Where a lot of them run into a buzzsaw is when there's not enough differentiation going on," Entner says. "They bring nothing unique to it." He was skeptical of Klarna's move, too. "It's a lower-cost acquisition channel, because if you're already paying off your burrito, they can also say, 'Hey, by the way, I know you're broke. Here's cheap service on top of it,'" he says, referring to Klarna's BNPL deal that allows people to break up a DoorDash order into multiple installments. "'I know so much about you, so I can tailor my offer exactly for you.' That's the logic. I probably don't agree with it, but knock yourself out." A Klarna spokesperson says in an email that "unlike most new MVNOS, we're not starting from scratch, nor are we jumping on the bandwagon" and that its mobile offering has been in the works for many months as part of a multiyear strategy. "We're not trying to 'win' mobile or become the biggest carrier — this isn't about scale for its own sake," the spokesperson says. "It's about solving a very real problem for the tens of millions of consumers who already trust Klarna to help manage their finances." SmartLess's McAlease says they "wish everyone well" who's trying to launch an MVNO right now, because competition is good for the industry, but "they're just kind of on that unlimited train, and that might work for them and for their audience." Initial marketing efforts have focused on the SmartLess guys, for obvious reasons — you've got three big celebrities and a giant podcast in the mix, so why not? But it will soon shift more to what actually differentiates it. "You're going to start seeing much more product- and price-focused things over the course of the next while," McAelase says. "It's always tricky for MVNOs to break through the noise, and we're fortunate to have a brand and principles that are happy to do that." Pescatore says that MVNOs have been more successful in other countries, such as the supermarket Tesco's mobile network in the UK. But it's challenging. "There are opportunities in a mature market like the US, given the price of existing services from mobile network providers. Ultimately, it needs to tightly integrate and complement the existing service and offer something truly novel to attract subscribers," he says. The track record of these projects working out may not deter brands and public figures from trying. Entner says he knows of multiple MVNOs that are in development. Apple has long faced speculation that it might launch an MVNO, though it always denies it. Apple did not respond to a request for comment. Will all these projects work out? It seems unlikely, but it could happen. Some of these packages are pretty cheap, and hey, if you like some actor enough to switch your cellphone plan for them, by all means.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Aquaman star Jason Momoa nearly drowned in surf accident during dangerous Maui trip
Jason Momoa is known for playing Aquaman on screen, but in real life, he had a different kind of experience with the ocean. The actor revealed he almost drowned during a harrowing 2007 surf trip off the coast of Maui, as he described the moment in chilling detail on this weeks episode of the SmartLess podcast. 'I was doing this paddle, we went in at Jaws,' Momoa said, as he referred to the infamous PeÊ»ahi surf break known for its massive, deadly waves. 'We paddled like 13 miles down the coast. You're kind of almost a mile offshore, and then my leash snapped. We're about seven miles into it and my leash snapped, and it's so windy on Maui.' Momoa, 46, continued to detail how the violent waves crashed around him, but his previous water training kept him afloat – for a while. 'I was trained pretty well, so I was fine,' he said. 'I took quite a few on the head. They're pretty big, like 10-foot Hawaiian waves. But I'm probably half a mile at that point offshore.' The Hollywood star added that he reached a breaking point during the surf incident, which was nearly fatal. 'I was stuck in this crazy spot, which is probably the outer reef and unknown to me. I was really on the outer reef and they couldn't see me,' he recalled. 'I had my paddle and I was waving it and they couldn't see me, and the waves were so big.' And then, everything hit him at once — including the fear he wouldn't make it back to his daughter, who was an infant at the time. When his thoughts turned to his daughter Lola Iolani, then 3 months old, the actor said, 'I just lost it, I was like, 'Oh s--t.'' At that moment, Momoa remembered being exhausted, drifting and alone. He felt that his survival instincts had failed. 'I was out there for a while, and I just couldn't see anyone coming to get me. I couldn't move anymore, and my arms and my legs gave up … My body stopped. Like I couldn't move my arms anymore, and I bubbled down. Then my toe hit the outer reef. I literally gave up, and I'm screaming inside.' When Momoa thought it was the end, a friend spotted him, and he had to continue to push through the rough waters. 'I get back on the board and we start paddling,' he said. 'He's like, 'You got to go out,' so we just keep paddling out.' The two were soon thrown from their boards by 'brutal' waves and strong currents. With seven gruelling miles still to go, Momoa was bleeding, battered and running on fumes. 'My feet are covered in blood,' he said. 'And I'm just literally [with] my ancestors just paddling the rest of this way, head down and we get out.' The Hollywood actor luckily made it to shore. The Baywatch actor is currently dating actress Adria Arjona after the couple worked together in 2021's Sweet Girl. Momoa and Arjona went public with their relationship in May 2024. Momoa was previously married to The Cosby Show star Lisa Bonet. The two married in 2017 before splitting in 2020. Momoa and Bonet filed for divorce in January 2024. The former couple agreed to joint legal and physical custody of their two children, daughter Lola and son Nakoa-Wolf. Bonet and Momoa agreed to 'share the living expenses' of the minor kids and will not pay child support to one another, the court docs, obtained by Fox News Digital at the time, stated.
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hollywood star made massive life change after his body 'gave up'in near-death e
Jason Momoa has shared details of an unsettling surfing incident that endangered his life. The American actor, 45, first rose to fame starring on Baywatch: Hawaii in 1999. Earlier this week he spoke about his love of Hawaii, where he was born and then returned to for college after his family had relocated to Iowa when he was a baby. 'I love other places, and I would probably live in other places more, but this just feels like home,' he said. However, Jason has now also spoken about a near-death experience that also sparked him to make a massive life change. During an appearance on the SmartLess podcast, he told hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, that he once nearly drowned while surfing with friends off the coast of Maui. He recalled they paddled 'about 13 miles down the coast' and ended up 'almost a mile offshore'. However, after the leash that connected Jason to his surfboard snapped, he was left facing '10-foot Hawaiian waves'. 'It's so windy on Maui, and so the board just went. I couldn't even see it anymore,' he said. Although he was 'trained pretty well' for rough ocean conditions, he 'took quite a few to the head' as the waves hit. 'So, I was stuck in this crazy spot, which is probably the outer reef, and unknown to me, I was really on the outer reef, and they couldn't see me, and I had my paddle, and I was waving it, and they couldn't see me. And the waves were so big, it basically took my shorts off they were so big,' he said, 'Like I literally gave up, and I'm screaming inside, and my foot just hits the outer reef.' 'I dig my feet into the coral, and I'm literally in the middle of the ocean, and I'm just, I could barely put my lips above it just to breathe and get a break, but I had already given up. So, it's like, you've already given up and died and have a second chance at it.' He said one of his friends came to the rescue, but it was 'brutal' getting out to safety, adding that his feet were 'covered in blood'. 'My daughter at that time was three months old. I just — I lost it, I was like 'Oh s***'. Although Jason's 'arms and legs gave up', one of his friends was then able to come and help rescue him. Jason said he used to smoke two to three packs of cigarettes a day before the experience. What unfolded also led Jason to quit smoking altogether. 'And we get in, and I used to smoke. I used to smoke like, two, three packs a day,' he admitted. 'I couldn't stop for my kids. Couldn't stop for my ex. I couldn't stop smoking. And the moment I came out, I never smoked again. I just died. I tried, I tried, but I couldn't do it again because I just gave up. I gave up my life.' Jason, who shares daughter Lola, 18, and son Nakoa-Wolf, 16, with ex-wife Lisa Bonet, said that he 'was pretty hard on myself that night' after getting home safely. 'I did a lot of stupid s*** and I just really was pissed at myself for the position I was in and probably tortured myself even more for the stupid s***that I did. So, I don't know. It was a bit of a hard learning curve, but I feel like I've always had that where it's just like my learning curves are pretty hard on me,' he explained. The actor is currently promoting his new Apple TV Plus series Chief of War, which tells the story of the unification of the Hawaiian Islands from an indigenous perspective. More Trending Speaking to Metro about the show, Jason explained how it enabled him to explore his roots and bring an awareness to his culture. 'I just want [viewers] to embrace it. Really, just seeing what happened in our islands. I think people come and they don't know what happened to our people. We want to be seen,' he said. View More » 'There's a lot of change and a lot to bring back of a culture that was… Our language is banned from us and we're getting it back. A lot of our art…we're part of America and I don't think anyone really knows anything about us.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Kid Cudi 'hated every minute' of testifying against Sean 'Diddy' Combs MORE: Leonardo DiCaprio reveals his 'biggest regret' after turning down surprising 90s role MORE: James Cameron struggling to write 'new Terminator film' over stark sci-fi fears
