The Ozempic Effect
Eli
On today's episode of Day One FM, it's a bit of a smorgasbord, we're going to talk about a lot of different things. So bear with us, but I promise you it will be at least fun, hopefully insightful. But I want to kick things off, because it's I mean, at this point, we'll be a little later, but I saw that Fat Joe dressed as Ozempic for Halloween. So my, my daily or hourly updates from Pop Crave or rather Fat Joe stuns as Ozempic. And for Halloween, as Pop Crave would say, but I did want to bring this up, because I feel like Ozempic has been everywhere in the news cycle for the past year. Also, recently, the seems like the news media is very pro-zempic. One would say, but I don't know has this come across your guys's feed at all? Or?
Clara Malley
Well, I mean, totally, I feel like I get like every other Instagram ad that I get for better or worse is like new offering Ozempic Hers now offering ozempic Or like Wegovy or like whatever those things are like, it's crazy how hard that it's getting pushed. So I feel very personally aware of it but attacked and frankly called out. But I think it's it's also you know, of course, all over the news. I think I sent you this article today about how this gym is going to offer like weight loss drugs as part of its like membership perks.
Eli
What gym?
Clara
I sent it to you. Oh, wow. But like, I do think that there's, I don't know, there was a piece and maybe it was Bloomberg recently talking about its effects on certain like markets and how like Walmart and these other sort of like big box retailers or snack brands are starting to look at it as Ozempic and the effects that it might have on consumers and just like where they're putting their money. If they're all Ozempic'ed up.
Eli
Yeah, well, we'll just a backup. So Ozempic for those listeners who may not know is a originally like a diabetes, drug and obesity drug. And it's been hailed as this kind of miracle drug because of it's essentially like not 100% effectiveness rate, but it's it's extremely effective. But what they found is that it also curbs other impulsive behavior, such as I don't know, the need to smoke or drink booze or even shop. So I think that's kind of what you were touching on. But it's made by Novo Nordisk, which is a Danish pharmaceuticals company, and it has recently made them the most valuable European company. Yeah, the most valuable European company outside of, outstripping LVMH of that title, which is impressive.
Trey
It's just yeah, it's crazy to me how, you know, it's impacted or infiltrated culture to such a degree that it's like, you can't throw a rock without hitting somebody who's on Ozempic.
Clara
I know like I feel like but isn't that kind of, or maybe I don't know, maybe it's just different circles. But I feel like I don't know anyone personally, who is at least told me flat out like, Oh, I'm on Ozempic. I'm curious on your take, but I feel like, at least for me, I'm just I wonder how long it will or maybe is already kind of maybe normalized, but I feel like maybe there's still kind of like a shame factor around it or not shame but just like, I don't know, like a taboo? Yeah.
Trey
True. I just, it's interesting that like, it's literally become a Halloween costume. You know, whereas before, I don't know people made fun of like the Jamie Lee Curtis activity a commercial for it felt like decades and like, then there was the Lady Gaga on migraine commercial, and the Khloe Kardashian, like, you know, they are obviously these celebrities who endorse these products. But when you're actually wearing a product, like ozempic, as a Halloween costume and has infiltrated culture in such a way that it's like, become a meme, or a costume just feels really strange and like, dare I venture to say dangerous?
Eli
I mean, it's the grip that Big Pharma has on our culture. Well, I do think the like, the, the Ozempic de influencing effect, if you will, is super interesting, from a standpoint that like has food manufacturers and you know, big tobacco and booze companies very worried about, like, fall off in demand for their products, because I feel like I tried to like put these thoughts down on paper via slack. I don't think it worked. But that like all of those brands, whether you were a big tobacco or CPG or fast food, like almost worked in cahoots with pharmaceutical companies, it's like sell us your poison. So you can take our cure type of thing and everyone got rich, but now it's like, okay, the pharmaceutical company, this is tinfoil hat time, but now it's like the pharmaceutical companies are making like a shit ton of money. And it's leading to a Often demand for like everything else. And I just think that's an interesting dynamic to, like, keep an eye out for Yeah,
Trey
I think Yeah. Well, no, I just think that, you know, like, we have seen come out of the madmen area of advertising or whatever, where, like, literally brands would market, you know, products that were unhealthy for you only to then sell you a cure for like twice the price or whatever kind of keeping, I don't know markets afloat now that there is a drug that, I guess is like both popular in the zeitgeist, but also has, I guess, we'll find out what like a net positive effect on you know, popular, no populates the populace as health just is a kind of interesting thing. Because I think, weirdly, as we are sort of hurtling towards a recession, and people are like, maybe I'm not going to predict anything.
Eli
Well, if it would it, would it be an ozempic induced if people stopped buy stuff.
Trey
Well, I think that like really does factor into it. Because if you are trying to spend I think, I don't know, I can personally say like I'm trying to spend less than I was, I think like, the natural or organic advice around a recession is like don't really spend your money if you can, you know, cut back on a lot of things, people are cord cutting, getting rid of subscriptions, not eating out as much. And part of that I think is a result of like, impending recession, or part of that also could be Ozempic.
Eli
Come today, one FM for your financial advice.
Clara
Well, and I mean, I don't know you put it here on the doc. But I also wonder, like, do you guys think just to sort of be devil's advocate about it, like part of this sort of like, oh, this is gonna hugely affect, like consumer behavior and markets is sort of overblown in some way. Like, I almost wonder if, you know, like, the sort of cultural impact of it and like, the sort of emotional impact of like, oh, there's this expectation, like, if I am less, or, you know, outside of like, the norm of body standards, it's like, well, like, why aren't you on Ozempic type of thing? Like, I feel like it's almost more of like, an attitude shift is like, the thing that feels the most insidious about this versus like, I don't know, it feels like some people are sort of starting to cool on like, Ozempic is going to be a massive shift from a consumer standpoint, but it might still be a massive shift from a culture standpoint. I don't know. I'm just another.
Trey
I do think it's a massive shift from a culture standpoint, which is why we're seeing what we're seeing like a knock on effect of its popularity. It was actually I got this email. Everyone's talking about Ozempic, but like, it has gained Tik Tok users attention with the hashtag Ozempic gaining 1.3 billion views and hashtag Ozempic weight loss gaining 417.5 million views. Creators on the platform are posting a range of videos including weight loss journeys, how to use Ozempic currently and the side effects of the drug. This is like so crazy to me that people I assume a lot younger you know user base on Tik Tok is literally advertising a drug and the drug unlike the people the makers of it are clearly just like sitting back and being like well well well.
Eli
That's the sound on my bank account growing Yeah, I mean, it is sad.
Trey
New Yorker is fourth most searched for term is Ozempic face with 20,016 searches a month on average across the entire state's population.
Eli
And on what platform Google?
Trey
Yeah on Google.
Eli
Fourth most search term?
Trey
Is Ozempic face.
Eli
Bruh no way.
Trey
Yeah, New York is the...
Eli
What even is Ozempic face?
Clara
It's the sntach that you get.
Eli
Is it bugal or buckle?
Trey
Bugal fat removable.
Clara
That's a separate procedure. Ozempic face is when you lose a lot of weight it comes out of your face. Oh all right. So you get the face snatch along with the body snatch.
Eli
Alright. Well, either way I feel like the like era of less maybe upon us in a culture of more ozempic might be bringing less one thing to keep track of Alright, moving down the bulleted list that we have scrambled together ahead of time here. I see is culture now in the courtroom which I want it was either you Trey or you Clara that put in but just to lay the groundwork here so we have Sam Bankman-Fried very high profile white collar criminal case going on right now. Obviously, you have the entire Trump family in court in many many estate George Santos as well. I feel like courtroom culture courtroom drama was big during like the amber her Johnny Depp thing last year but perhaps it's making a comeback as well. I want to get either of your takes here.
Trey
I don't know I'm I think it's funny because we had the whole Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial which obviously we are all tuned into. But I do think there I do think these like I would say kind of low stakes political type trials of like George Santos embezzlement or...
Eli
He's indited on like 23 charges.
Trey
And yet they did the house I think voted not to expel him, for for different reasons. But I just think it's like, funny to me that these sorts of like low stakes Judge Judy style courtroom cases are just like there's a constant drip feed of them.
Eli
Yeah, I mean, I feel like it's my takeaway is different because I actually don't feel like these are necessarily low stakes. I mean, George Santos is at the end of the day, small potatoes, and he, I think he will go to jail, get your political analysis at Day One FM too, but I think that it's like speaks to more of like a pervasive scamming culture that that is everywhere, which I feel like is was like the low hanging fruit takeaway.
Trey
But it seems like no one cares is my point. I think like yeah, you know, people are shilling drugs on Tik Tok, and like, ignoring, ignoring, you know, not only world issues going on.
Eli
But what mindset is that like, what is that called?
Trey
Labotomy.
Eli
That too.
Trey
It's just like, it's I feel like it's a rage bait, but no one's getting angry anymore. They're just like, well, now it's fine. We'll wait till next time when there's like opportunity to expel somebody who's like, actually done wrong. That's documented and proven.
Eli
Like, all of these things. Yeah. I mean, have you been keeping up with any of this Clara?
Clara
I mean, ambiently what I hear on WNYC of course, but I mean, yeah, I agree with you Trey. I feel like there's ebbs and flows of like courtroom buzz. You had Gwyneth Paltrow You of course had like the Anna Delphi trials like, and I think that there's a certain sort of voyeurism that sometimes interesting about them that really gets people excited, or like the sort of the quotable moments of the Gwyneth Paltrow trial, for instance. But I think, to your point, it's sort of like, I see these clips and at this point, you know, we had like the January 6th like Congress, like, like, I feel like there's just been too much of this at this point.
Eli
We're inundated with crime.
Clara
Inundated with crime and corruption and it's like you I don't know. I personally am not like compelled by it. I don't think most people are like it will go where it goes. I like to see people like exiting like, you know, the courtroom walk, like walk in fits. But other than that, it's not.
Trey
I do love the courtroom sketches that we've been seeing.
Eli
Yeah. No, it is like the gigchad like Trump and Sam Bankman-Fried courtroom sketches are actually fantastic. If there's a way to digest what's going on there, at least visually. I think that's that's the only way and I would I would hope that that tradition keeps up but I think the Trump one will be filmed. One of them will be filmed.
Trey
Televised your saying.
Eli
Exactly. But yeah. Another bullet point that we have here today is being dead isn't the gig. It used to be Clara. This is right up your alley, I think this is what you dropped in, the highest paid dead celebs of 2023. Talk to me, what am I looking at?
Clara
Well, basically and I'll admit, I didn't know that Forbes kept track of this information, but it's basically like the celebrities who have passed away whose estates are generating the most money...
Trey
Let me guess Basquiat and his Uniqlo collab.
Clara
Thank god well, you'd think that you know, I don't know if he was actually one of the chart toppers but for instance, you know, like, this year, Elvis Presley like between the Priscilla movie and like all these other things like you can kind of gauge I guess somewhat by what's going on in culture like MJ the musical happen this year Michael Jackson is still at the top of the list with 115 million in earnings King of Pop for better or worse. That's that like
Eli
What's her name Paris?
Clara
That was like the whole thing with the Priscilla movie like Riley Keough and Priscilla Presley really going back and forth or not. Priscilla Presley Ann-Marie are going back and forth over or No, Priscilla and Riley are going back and forth over Ann Marie's whatever. In any case.
Eli
Are you devastated quick sidebar you devastated that Sofia Coppola passed up passed up the Twilight film or?
Clara
I mean I it's like a what if I would say it's one of the great film went unsolved mysteries along with which we were discussing the Joan Didion screenplay for the secret history, which you know, would love to see it but well more than it I think the thing that I wanted to call out just briefly and we can move on about like the beating dead as in the kid gets you it used to be thing is that in 2022 had actually reached like a record gross of 1.6 billion in like earnings of like, like passed away celebrity states. And it's like actually down 70% This year, which I just think is like an increase not working as hard as they it's just like an interesting phenomenon. And like, I think you could attribute it to like, different things like they talk about, like music catalog sales that had like, sort of bolstered it in the past year. But in any case, I thought it was sort of one of those, you know, oddities of the scroll perhaps, that, you know. You're a big oddity of the scroll. I'm always glad that I can leave it up to you to send me something that I would have never come across. Sometimes, you know, you have to diversify the feed, diversify the pod a little bit.
Eli
Yeah, I mean, just looking at our slack said, You sent me a cut article that said, The Rise and Fall of Dr. Roxy.
Clara
And I'd also be open to speaking to that.
Eli
Because I feel like we've also talked about like, speaking we were talking about scammers before, but Tik Tok is rife with us, particularly medical scammers.
Clara
Well, and this actually goes to our earlier sort of conversation around ozempic. But for viewers that you know, have either non sperm viewers and listeners who have maybe not been seeing this.
Eli
Singular.
Clara
Or maybe like your FYP page is not so cursed as mine, there's like there's a pretty, I don't know, sizable portion of medical providers, like particularly those in sort of like plastic surgery and Cosmetology, that like promote their services on Tik Tok, and it kind of runs the gamut in terms of what that looks like, whether it's like it's an explainer on like what goes into like a rhinoplasty or like before and after shots of like, a Brazilian butt lift, and then some providers like Dr. Roxy, like go so far as actually like live streaming or like releasing footage of the actual surgeries themselves. And it's kind of shocking to me that you can post this type of stuff on Tik Tok though, I guess, what can't you post really on the internet? But the the controversy around Dr. Roxy is basically she's been accused, and I think is now in the course of a trial around malpractice, like several counts of malpractice. And they're trying to basically tied into the fact that she was live streaming these procedures that like because she's doing this weird like, Tik Tok VO as she's like, you know, putting a scalpel into someone's body. They were like, there's no way that you're like, you're a practitioner, like the full service if you're patient if you're like doing content creation, you know, mid.
Eli
Something for the writers room.
Trey
No, my my greatest fear in capitalist America is my like surgery being live streamed on Tik Tok. And I'm, like, anesthetized. And I'm like, yo, can I just get my veins cleared or what?
Clara
Add that to the list. But it's interesting to me, just because like, I don't know, I don't really follow medical malpractice in general. But one of the things I know, it's surprising for me, but like, one of the key things I guess improving medical malpractice has occurred is that there was like a deviation in the standard of care. And so the lawyers that are proving this or trying to basically say that live streaming surgery is a deviation in the standard of care. And it's just, you know. I would think it would be obvious, but like, it's interesting, because like, the trial, depending what happens, like may or may not have the ability to like impact, like, how medical procedures and like are talked about in shown on social just because like, and I don't know, maybe it's because, like, get targeted specifically, like via the algorithm, but it is crazy, just like in your FYP. Like, I'm not even kidding. It's like you're just scrolling. And then it's like a very gory image of like, someone's like, post rhinoplasty face, and I'm like, How is this like, it's like a jumpscare. You know, like, this isn't? There's no like, tap in to see more or whatever, like sensitive content, for whatever reason, it just isn't.
Trey
Well people are searching for Ozempic face so.
Clara
I know, like at least Ozempic faces a chemical issue. You know what I mean? Like, you're just isn't a cosmetic, cosmetic, but I'm saying you're not getting hacked up by ozempic.
Eli
I mean, truly nothing, nothing is private anymore. Everything must be turned into content, even the inside of your body seemingly, do you think she's like, well, it was in the fine print that like, I have, you know, 90 day exclusivity on this video option to boost.
Clara Malley
That's the thing is like a lot of her clients were finding her like via social media, like they would be. She's in Ohio. And so a lot of her followers would like come out to her practice to get surgery. And then basically, you know, in their recovery period, or whatever, which I won't describe in detail on this podcast, like, they would sort of have these really awful either like side effects or the recovery process would not go as planned to very, like painful and permanent ends. And it's kind of just you know, it's a tale as old as time of like, what you buy on shiana And what arrives in the box, but I think when you're talking about performing surgery like you know you get the shin surgeon you get what you pay for.
Trey
This is what I'm saying is like Dr. Roxy see a clearly malpractice surgeon gets an entire article on The Cut or where did you read it?
Clara
Yeah, of course it's The Cut right?
Eli
She's got great PR people right?
Trey
Course it's so she's all over the place. Yeah, we've got like these politicians for embezzling and literally.
Eli
No, but I think there we see it all the time. And therefore we're like a nerd to it. But if you get like one piece on the cut about Dr. Roxy or like, oh, yeah, this, but if every day, it's another headline about George Santos putting out cupcakes for his, you know, like, poisend cupcakes for reporters,
Clara
I guess. Like I would argue though, it's the same school like I don't think that people like, I feel like the George Santos stuff did suck up a lot of oxygen at one point or another. I just think that like, it's hard when you have these basically like epic ongoing trials, even if it's Donald Trump, who has been like, whatever, under some indictment or trial since like, literally.
Eli
Since day one.
Clara
Or whatever, like, since the second he was sworn in, like, I feel like it's a sustained period issue. You know what I mean? Like you can't expect people to care about it for that long. I think for on both sides, it feels like whatever. There's just like not enough for lack of not saying this is a good thing, but there isn't enough novelty to it, I think to keep some people like engaged in the conversation.
Trey
Well, what's interesting too, is this week, I think The Washington Post's Taylor Lorenz wrote about how creators have basically overtaken traditional media outlets as being disseminators of news and info. And so I basically it is like a race to market your content in the best way that it will be consumed by the public that they'll care about it. So that's, I guess why we're hearing about Dr. Roxy.
Clara
It's true. Yeah, but we can move on. It's all right. I'm sure you have better things to discuss.
Eli
Yeah, there's a couple there's a couple of things. The HBO chief was put on or basically put out an apology there's a ton of apology videos happening recently. I don't I mean, that's, that's something different. But basically, they were caught or exposed by using for using fake social accounts to bash TV critics which is funny and like why do you really need to do that but it's I think there was a piece that came out a while back about how rotten tomatoes it's similar different shade of the same thing but about how rotten tomatoes is essentially like, easily gained and manipulated and that a lot of movie studios will just pay pay people to write good reviews. I don't know there's nothing sacred anymore right?
Trey
I just kind of feel like everyone you can misbehave and there's literally no accountability neither for politicians, doctors, streaming services, which by the way, HBO just emailed me and they're raising the price or they're not raising the price they're just taking away a lot of the features that I pay for the like really we're not raising was it's like instead of three devices you can stream from there like it's changing to two devices and you previously could stream in 4K Now it's not it's just HD and I'm like so you're taking away my rights while also bolstering reviews.
Eli
You don't have any right on HBO.
Trey
I should.
Eli
You sign the contract you sign away a lot the contract.
Trey
Yeah little time off being a live streamed on Tik Tok, my my horrors are being exposed to the world. Just like just like another victim.
Eli
Speaking of horrors exposed to the world. There's been a lot written about the Britney Spears memoir in particular the Michelle Williams narration of the audio of the audio book. Can you explain to your listening to the listener explain that audio.
Clara
Maybe? Maybe just explain a little bit.
Trey
Number one New York Times bestseller The Woman in me by Britney Spears ghost written by.
Clara
Okay Simon.
Trey
Britney Spears released her long anticipated audiobook and paper big the book itself. The woman in me it is a best seller. I think it's...
Clara
No it's for real selling.
Eli
You don't have it don't.
Clara
I do I have the audiobook.
Eli
You're reading? What are you reading and Lolita and sing? And Ackerman and I'm getting okay, sorry. going on.
Trey
So the audio book was narrated by Oscar winning. Yeah. Oscar winning actress Michelle Williams. And one clip at least one that has gone viral from the book where Britney Spears explains her, you know, early relationship with Justin Timberlake of NSYNC. And they're walking down the street in New York when they come across someone with a very heavy chain, who Justin talks to in a way that now would be. I mean, it definitely was wasn't the time. But Michelle Williams says this hilarious impersonation of Justin Timberlake where he's approaching genuine. The rapper and it's like, hey, oh bushes, bushes genuine what's up? Everyone was like tweeting a clip from the audiobook which only helped to boost sales. So thank you.
Eli
Maybe he was in cahoots to JT.
Trey
But yeah, the memoir was interesting. I got through it all.
Eli
You read it?
Trey
Well, I listened.
Eli
Why do you think like Michelle Williams was was tapped?
Trey
Well? Well, I think they are both from the south. Michelle Williams hails from I believe South Carolina or North Carolina? I'm not sure. So she has like a similar accent and demeanor, or kind of a similar look to okay, it kind of at times sounds like Britney Spears is reading this herself, which is obviously the effect and I think there's like a mutual appreciation from I'm sure they met a long time ago since Michelle Williams as a child star. So
Eli
Was she. Everything is news to me.
Trey
She was on Smith was on Dawson's Creek for ages don't appear to that little show.
Eli
She really wasn't that that familiar? But yeah, that's interesting. Yeah. I mean, I it's not really up my alley. I'm currently reading a book about McKinsey. So it's, you know..
Trey
Who's she?
Eli
Who's she, what corporate America doesn't want you to know. She's a problem.
Trey
Yeah.
Eli
Yeah, I mean, it's there's a lot going on lots to keep up with it's exhausting. I don't really know. Any you..
Trey
Would you say culture is dead. At a standstill?
Eli
It's funny you asked that Trey, I feel like we've been circling around this. Getting vertigo for a while. But I mean, you dropped in a piece that's, uh, you know, this point? I mean, maybe a month old.
Trey
Still relevant.
Eli
Still relevant. But yeah, it was basically the title is, what is it Why is called you out of standstill, or why culture has come to a standstill. And I think it's pretty good articulation of like a bunch of different think pieces that have come out over the past couple years about stagnation, growing stagnation across film, music, art, etc. But Trey..
Trey
I want to read just a little quote from here, which is basically the crux of the piece. Today, culture remains capable of endless production. So we're constantly seeing new stuff, but it's far less capable of change. And it kind of goes on to say oh, if the present state of culture feels directionless, that is principally because we are still inculcated so unconsciously, we never even bothered to spell it out in what the modernists believe that good art is good, because it is innovative. And that an ambitious writer, composer, director or choreographer should not make things too much like what others have made before. But our culture has not been able to deliver a step changes for quite some time. So basically saying that, like, there was, you know, throughout the history, throughout history, there's been all these innovations in art and music and styles and kind of things being, even if not new, kind of, like re looked at, or recreated in different ways. Whereas now, there's just like, IP that gets recycled with nothing new added to it. There aren't even new like tools with which to create art, you can argue like AI, but that's not that's using literal things that already exists and kind of just like, not putting any new stamp on it really. In fact, it's kind of going it's like, regressing in ways that it's like AI is trying to create things that are more like other art styles, like photos or photo realism and stuff like that. So I don't know, I kind of think it's an interesting theory because like, we haven't had any major innovation, like, Pixar, I guess you could argue is like a huge innovation and the last maybe big one in film apart from what like Avatar, I guess? I don't know, but...
Eli
Ozempic Yeah, I don't have Ozempic. But yeah, I mean, I hear that. Alright, folks, thanks for tuning in. Know, this was a wild meandering one, but hopefully you took something away from it. Yo, thanks for tuning in. Stay up to date with all things Day One FM by subscribing to our page on Spotify, following us on Instagram @D1A. And staying up to date with the latest trends and insights on d1a.com/perspective.