Henry Blodget on AI, Dot-Coms, and What's Changed In 25 Years

SPEAKER_2 (0:02)

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Joe Weisenthal (0:18)

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Odd Lots Podcast. I'm Joe Weisenthal.

Tracy Alloway (0:23)

And I'm Tracy Alloway.

Joe Weisenthal (0:24)

Tracy, you know, I can never get enough talking about late 90s.com stuff.

Tracy Alloway (0:31)

I know, you're just gifting episodes to yourself at this point, but that's fine. I'm into it.

Joe Weisenthal (0:35)

That's always been the case, and for all the years we've done this podcast, I've made that comment here and there. But recently, it has a particular salience because people are trying to understand AI. We had that conversation down in DC several weeks ago with Blair Levin talking about some of the similarities and dissimilarities between AI and telecoms. So at least we have an excuse for these conversations.

Tracy Alloway (0:59)

There is definitely a news peg. I'm looking at a chart of Supermicro right now. They just put out results that I guess were disappointing because the shares are down about 20 percent. We're recording this on April 30th at 10:04 a.m. And Joe, can I just say we can labor this intro as much as you want about similarities with the early 2000s tech bubble. But I'm just excited to speak to your old boss. That's all I want to get out of this conversation, just Joe's stories.

Joe Weisenthal (1:27)

Okay, that's fine. So this is an episode that I've wanted to make happen for a very, very long time. And the timing is suddenly working out. I don't even know what we're really going to talk about, but we'll have a good conversation. Yes, we are speaking to my old boss. So a couple of major caveats or disclaimers, et cetera. I owe this guest a huge chunk for my own career and the success and the good fortune that I've had in my career. We're going to be speaking of course to Henry Blodget.

He's the editor of a new publication called Regenerator, which is going to be focused on innovation and business and news and tech and stuff like that. Of course, the connection to me is that he is the founder of Insider. When I joined, I think it was called Silicon Alley Insider.

Tracy Alloway (2:18)

Oh, that's a blast.

Joe Weisenthal (2:19)

And then Business Insider and then Insider. I'm not exactly sure what the final iteration of the name was. And of course, prior to that several years earlier, he had been a tech analyst at Merrill Lynch, one of the most famous analysts of the sort of tech sector. And of course, have to acknowledge the second caveat or disclaimer here, which was he was famously or infamously prevented afterwards from working on Wall Street. Have to mention that. Maybe it'll come up. But with all of this throat clearing out of the way, Henry, thrilled to have you on the podcast. Finally. This is a little weird. I'm actually a little nervous. If I'm being totally honest, I'm actually I don't usually get anxious ever in any setting anymore. I'm a little anxious talking to my old boss.

Henry Blodget (3:03)

Well, it is great to be here. It's a privilege. You guys do an amazing job. And I would say the student has become the master.

Joe Weisenthal (3:09)

No, but for real, thank you so much for coming on Odd Lots. Really excited. I'm trying to think.

Tracy Alloway (3:14)

Oh, this is very sweet.

Joe Weisenthal (3:15)

I know. No, I'm like actually a little bit like a verklemped.

Tracy Alloway (3:18)

I'll ask a question.

Joe Weisenthal (3:19)

Yeah, Tracy can ask the first question while I collect myself.

Tracy Alloway (3:22)

How did you find Joe?

Joe Weisenthal (3:23)

Oh, I wonder if he remembers.

Henry Blodget (3:26)

I was aware of Joe at another publication. I can't remember what it was.

Joe Weisenthal (3:31)

Paid content.

Henry Blodget (3:32)

And I can't remember whether I hired Joe or Julie Hansen hired Joe or somebody else, but there he was and we were in an environment where I was surrounded by a newsroom full of very eager, excited folks and again and again and again, the one who differentiated himself by his incredible fascination with and mastery of all things and his ability to write with an internet metabolism, which is somewhere between talk radio and magazines. Whereas a lot of other folks wanted to come in and basically recreate the New Yorker. And so we spotted your talent very fast. And then your career took off like a rocket ship and we were lucky to have you as long as we did.

Tracy Alloway (4:18)

I like the idea of people just not finding Joe but just being aware of Joe. It's sort of like the Mr. Bean intro where you just fall out of the sky. Joe's just there and everyone kind of became aware of it.