Tina Brown, an acclaimed journalist and founder of the Fresh Hell Substack, joins to explore the strange world of billionaires. She reveals how extreme wealth can warp reality and lead to a sense of entitlement, illustrating these effects with her insights on Donald Trump's behavior. Brown discusses how philanthropy often serves as a tool for image enhancement rather than genuine altruism. The conversation also touches on the psychological toll of immense wealth and its impact on relationships and public perception, making for a thought-provoking listen.
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insights INSIGHT
Private Plane Isolation Effect
Private planes create an exclusive lifestyle that deeply detaches billionaires from ordinary realities.
This lifestyle dependency often leads to increased demands and isolation within the billionaire class.
insights INSIGHT
Why Some Billionaires Stay Sane
Some billionaires avoid the descent into madness by retaining humor, outsider status, and a love of their work.
The enormous scale of digital fortunes intensifies wealth envy and detachment for most billionaires.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Wealth Changes Relationships
Recognize that wealth changes how people treat billionaires rather than the billionaires themselves.
This pressures billionaires into mixing only with peers who understand their influence and demands.
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The Vanity Fair Diaries chronicles Tina Brown's eight years as editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, from her arrival in New York City in her early twenties to her transformation of the magazine into a cultural and financial success. The book includes insider stories of notable scoops and covers, such as the Reagan kiss and the Annie Leibovitz cover of a pregnant Demi Moore. It also delves into Brown's personal life, including her marriage to Harry Evans, her family, and her observations on the AIDS crisis and other significant events of the 1980s. The diaries offer a vivid portrait of the era's glamour, politics, and social scene, written with Brown's characteristic wit and insight.
The Atlantic’s David Frum opens this episode of The David Frum Show with a statement about Trump’s Iran strikes. The strikes fulfilled commitments of past presidents, who have long maintained that the U.S. would not allow an Iranian nuclear bomb. David also makes the point that Trump, who has already abused peacetime powers, is now a wartime president, a role that will allow him to wield even larger authority—and do even greater damage.
Then David is joined by the author and editor Tina Brown for a conversation about the disorienting effects of extreme wealth. They discuss how billionaires often become detached from reality, how philanthropy is used to consolidate image and influence, and how Brown’s personal experience with Donald Trump shaped her understanding of his ego and evolution.
Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at theAtlantic.com/listener.
The David Frum Show 
