Authenticity is more valuable than mainstream commercial success, even if it leads to being banned or demonetized.

“I would forego, you know, tens of millions of dollars, right, to make significantly less so that I can be myself on and off camera because, you know, when the mass slips, it's really bad for you.”

Media figures must be themselves to succeed in an age where audiences have endless options and can easily detect inauthenticity.

“The only thing you can do now is be you in whatever field you're in, CNN, this show, a podcast, doesn't matter what it is. You just have to be you and the people who like that will listen and watch and the ones who don't, they have too many options. They're going to leave you.”

Journalists today must abandon the pretense of being gatekeepers and embrace authenticity to retain their audience.

“You have to be authentic now. That is where that people are trying to be king still where there's three news outlets and you're Walter Cronkite and 10 million Americans watch you, but those days are gone.”