The Confidence Man: A Conversation with Alex Gibney (Ep. 497)

Sam Harris speaks with Alex Gibney about his new documentary, Musk. They discuss Sam’s former friendship with Musk, the line between visionary and con man, the myth of Tesla’s founding, the staged self-driving video, Musk’s lurch to the right, DOGE and the dismantling of USAID, his feud and reconciliation with Trump, Starlink and the war in Ukraine, the case for future investigations, and other topics. Alex Gibney is an Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and the founder and president of Jigsaw Productions. His films include Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, and The Crime of the Century. His work examines abuses of power across politics, business, and religion, alongside portraits of major cultural figures. His honors include multiple Emmy and Peabody awards, the inaugural Christopher Hitchens Prize, and the 2024 News & Documentary Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award. Website: https://www.jigsawprods.com X: @alexgibneyfilm CHAPTERS 00:00 Making the Musk Documentary 06:52 Filming Without Musk 11:35 Genius or Con Artist? 16:18 Tesla’s Founding and Funding 21:29 Self-Driving: Optimism or Fraud? 32:24 Musk’s Political Transformation 40:39 What Happened With DOGE? 46:36 The USAID Cuts 49:52 Investigations and Accountability 59:40 Musk’s Alliance With Trump 1:05:55 Musk’s Women and Children 1:12:47 Confronting Musk’s Power