The grift and glory of the Enhanced Games
Summary
Victoria Song joins David Pierce to discuss the inaugural Enhanced Games, a controversial event allowing athletes to use medically supervised performance-enhancing drugs. They analyze the competition's mix of science, marketing, and athlete compensation, noting that clean competitors largely outperformed enhanced ones. The episode also covers news on Supernatural Health’s spinoff, Google’s data center water initiatives, and Fitbit Air accessories, before concluding with listener feedback on the Ferrari Purosangue and potential new names for The Verge’s parent company.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Norwegian Cruise Line and AT&T
News: Supernatural VR spin-off, Google water usage, and Apple Watch straps
Introduction to the Enhanced Games and Peter Thiel's vision
Medical supervision, safety protocols, and allowed substances
Athlete results: James Manuella, clean vs. enhanced, and personal bests
Event conditions, Eliud Kipchoge comparison, and harm reduction arguments
Sponsors: Choice Hotels, Microsoft Copilot, and Kara Swisher event
The business model: Marketing scheme, biohacking, and direct-to-consumer sales
Event atmosphere, prize money, and the 'sexy water' controversy
Listener feedback: Naming the new media company
Reviewing the new Ferrari Purosangue and upcoming WWDC coverage
Sponsors: USAA and Chosen Oils
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