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As an aside, I really wish Lex Fridman would make his interviews shorter and edit them a bit. Plus, I'm not trying to diss him but genuinely asking - he's not a particularly remarkable or interesting or entertaining interviewer (he's okay, and smart, but nothing out of the ordinary), how did he become such a prominent podcaster?



Huh, it's interesting to see someone else's perspective here! Personally, I think Lex is a particularly remarkable/interesting/entertaining interviewer! He's one of the few where I don't feel like I'm wasting my time listening to his work. I can't speak for everyone, but I feel that his rise to prominence comes from his exceptional skill in navigating difficult conversations with esoteric or difficult people.


I listen to a lot of his episodes, but it's always because of the guest. He has amazing guests, no doubt about it.


His guests can definitely be really interesting, but I feel like it isn't so much because of him "navigating difficult conversations" and more of "not making them have difficult conversations". He gives them a platform to voice sometimes very questionable viewpoints for hours mostly unchallenged.


How he became a prominent podcaster- that I don't know.

I can tell you why I like him.

It's because he gives so much space to his guests, and these podcasts are solely structured as interviews.

Many other podcasters think highly of themselves and talk too much- like an equal conversation.

That annoys me.

And I like his long-form content.

I find the era of tiktok and short-everything distasteful. There should be long-form content out there.

I just listen to the episodes that I am interested in.

And he asks mundane questions and big questions. Like Carmack was asked what's his setup. Also how AI will change gaming. I like that.

And also, I find that contents that are edited to be made short try to tell a story, and desparately so.

And, I dislike the narrative creating in other interviewers like mainstream press.

Mainstream press wants to decide your conclusion for you.

Whereas in Lex Fridman podcast, the conversation transcends branches, fields, and no conclusion is shoved down your throat, and you are free to draw your own conclusion.

That is why I like him.


It seems to be a combination of his academic credibility and interest generated from multiple appearances on JRE, which was also likely sparked in part of he and Rogan's mutual interest in BJJ and MMA. This was previously discussed on HN[0].

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31777328


I'm not following that whole universe so I guess I missed it, I started following him when it was this little podcast interviewing computer scientists about AI, and now it's this huge thing, and I never figured how it went from A to B.


I have no idea what any of those TLAs mean.


Joe Rogan Experience, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts.


After he had the horrible judgement to interview Kanye West, I feel he lost credibility. He was never very insightful in the first place. Largely a veneer of sincerity papering over poor discernment of bad actors who don't deserve a seat at the table.


I enjoy his show but have never listened in podcast form. Rather, I just consume it via (some of) the clips he puts out on YouTube. You may enjoy it the same way.


I listened to 20 or 30 of his podcasts and enjoyed them. But then let it slide. It felt more like Lex was asking interviewees for thoughts on his ideas and worldview than letting their own ideas breathe.


Lex is Jordan Peterson marketed to coders.




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