# Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442 "2022-04-25T22:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 279
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5566 "2023-07-11T23:55:49Z")
There’s a picture of Musk smoking that often shows up when people are criticizing him - and for the longest time, I thought it was a picture of the well-known smoker/comedian Doug Benson (who looks a little like Musk). Imagine my surprise when I learned it was actually Musk! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5567 "2023-07-11T23:56:49Z")
I like Doug Benson, that’s an insult to Doug Benson! ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5568 "2023-07-11T23:58:11Z")
Sorry! I mean no disrespect to Doug - he was great on @midnight ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5569 "2023-07-12T00:07:41Z")
😜 Doug’s really funny though, he sometimes does guest spots on a local radio station around here too. I get the comparison, but that really was Elmo. It was the first time I _personally_ recall thinking he might have a screw loose. I don’t actually think that anymore, I think the only thing he suffers from is too much money and too little accountability. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5570 "2023-07-12T00:11:15Z")
> **[Elon Musk smokes marijuana live on web show](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-45445554)** > > The tech entrepreneur was offered a joint by a podcast host in California, where marijuana is legal. > **[Doug Benson | Actor, Producer, Writer](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0072476/)** > > Known for: The Lego Batman Movie, How I Met Your Mother, You're the Worst Yeah, I guess the resemblance isn’t as close as I thought ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5571 "2023-07-12T01:07:31Z")
What about this guy? [![](https://im.indiatimes.in/content/2022/May/elon-musk-chinese-lookalike_627cbe1ebc842.jpg?w=1100&h=535&cc=1) ](https://im.indiatimes.in/content/2022/May/elon-musk-chinese-lookalike_627cbe1ebc842.jpg?w=1100&h=535&cc=1) The caption writers have done that funny thing whereby they intentionally mix up who’s who. Elon Musk’s the guy on the right and the lookalike’s on the left. > **['If He Is Real' Elon Musk Would Like To Meet His Chinese Lookalike Yilong Ma](https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/elon-musk-wants-to-meet-chinese-lookalike-yilong-ma-569367.html)** > > Elon Musk's tweet came in response to a follower's comment on whether his doppelganger could be used as a decoy since the Tesla chief put out a cryptic tweet earlier in the day. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5572 "2023-07-12T01:42:08Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Elon Musk’s the guy on the right and the lookalike’s on the left. Where do you get that? Only the left one really looks like Musk. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5573 "2023-07-12T01:45:50Z")
I was assuming it was some weird joke. Obviously, the guy on the left is Musk. The guy on the right. I mean, kinda sorta Musk. I’m surprised people are saying he’s that similar. Maybe if you’re face blind (which is fine–I get confused sometimes, too, but not in this instance.) ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5574 "2023-07-12T01:48:32Z")
He’s like a cross between Elon Musk and Seth Macfarlane. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5575 "2023-07-12T01:55:21Z")
> [@Wilson](#): > > They’ve apparently represented his companies for years, and this lawyer (Alex Spiro) was involved with the Twitter layoffs. Ironically, Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, looks a bit like Mark Zuckerberg: _Mark Zuckerberg:_ [![](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/06/gettyimages-956148896.jpg?quality=75&strip=all) ](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/06/gettyimages-956148896.jpg?quality=75&strip=all) _Alex Spiro:_ [![](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/5c76b7d331358e35dd2773a9/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&crop=4401,4401,x0,y0,safe&height=416&width=416&fit=bounds) ](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/5c76b7d331358e35dd2773a9/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&crop=4401,4401,x0,y0,safe&height=416&width=416&fit=bounds) ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5576 "2023-07-12T02:18:43Z")
What the drunken fuck are you on about? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5577 "2023-07-12T03:01:29Z")
Elon Musk: [![](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSx3_6Sxjic4F-Itu5UJy7FvGb8LTpRPRIDzg&usqp=CAU) ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSx3_6Sxjic4F-Itu5UJy7FvGb8LTpRPRIDzg&usqp=CAU) Musk Rat: [![](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIcieHeSJukqLPf-h8j6JXEAsXWU13UtxPlg&usqp=CAU) ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIcieHeSJukqLPf-h8j6JXEAsXWU13UtxPlg&usqp=CAU) ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5578 "2023-07-12T03:03:10Z")
lmao! ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5579 "2023-07-12T03:44:07Z")
Nice. I snorted and scared the dog. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5580 "2023-07-12T04:27:35Z")
> > > Matt Binder @MattBinder ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5581 "2023-07-12T18:47:05Z")
> **[Twitter down for thousands as users report they can't load profiles](https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/twitter-down-not-working/)** > > Thousands of Twitter users are reporting the social media site is down, with some suggesting they cannot load other people's profiles. Agile Threads Ad 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5582 "2023-07-13T17:50:07Z")
Confirmation that Twitter has been blowing off its severance obligations (like it’s been blowing off all its obligations). > **[Twitter owes ex-employees $500m in severance, lawsuit claims](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jul/12/twitter-severance-payments-lawsuit)** > > Former head of employee benefits files proposed class action over workers laid off after Elon Musk acquired company Agile payroll. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5583 "2023-07-13T18:17:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Twitter traffic is ‘tanking’ as Meta’s Threads hits 100 million users That sounds impressive, but after my initial attempts to check it out I’m of the opinion that Threads blew its chance to take over Twitter’s niche by being overly aggressive (even by social media standards) at having its algorithms show you the stuff it _thinks_ you might be interested in rather than just displaying the stuff you told it you actually _are_ interested in. That’s the sort of thing that creates an instant and indelible “this is a useless piece of crap” impression. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5584 "2023-07-13T18:17:14Z")
You turn a profit by taking in more than you pay out. Therefore, if you pay out nothing… Genius! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5585 "2023-07-13T19:21:42Z")
By ‘tanking’, I think they mean a 5% drop in users. Given that Musk cut costs by 70%, that might be an acceptable tradeoff. Twitter was bleeding money before Musk took over. I don’t use threads because I don’t have an instagram account and don’t plan to make one. It seems to me that one of the problems they’ll have competing with twitter is that they have very different types of users. Instagram users are more about social sharing with each other, while Twitter’s model is more of a bunch of influential people doing a lot of posting and everyone else just reading them. 70% of active Twitter users have never tweeted, and the vast majority of content is posted by a small fraction of the users. That could also be Twitter’s weakness. There is very little ‘lock in’, because people aren’t dependent on conmecting to a larger social graph to get value from it. In contrast to facebook, where the value is being connected to friends and family, so you can’t leave unless they do, and they can’t leave unless their own friends and family do… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=278) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=280)