Elizabeth Holmes and Nathan Fielder Keep Us Guessing
Summary
Host Michael Barbaro discusses the viral documentary "You Can See Everything," directed by comedian Nathan Fielder and co-director Lance Oppenheim, which features Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Critics Alyssa Wilkinson and Jason Zinneman analyze how the film blurs the lines between fiction and reality, examining the ethical complexities of Fielder’s manipulative interview style. The episode explores the dynamic between two masters of deception and questions whether the documentary successfully humanizes Holmes or merely serves as a self-indulgent performance piece.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: YouTube Premium
Intro: The Daily on Sunday and the buzz
The trailer and cultural wildfire
Introducing critics Alyssa Wilkinson and Jason Zineman
The no-spoiler pledge
Does the film live up to the hype?
Why retell the Elizabeth Holmes story?
Recap: The rise and fall of Theranos
Nathan Fielder's background and style
Nathan for You: The gas rebate episode
Break and sponsor: Accenture
The absurdity and sincerity of the rebate bit
Fielder's exploration of awkwardness and emotion
Performance art vs. verisimilitude
Ethics of deception and the 'Rehearsal' episode
Challenging the audience and the nature of art
Sponsors: YouTube Premium, Amazon Autos, Bayer
Sponsor: Bayer
Fielder living with Holmes and Billy Evans
Holmes' strategy and the role of her children
Sympathy, discomfort, and the core absurdity
Who wins? The nature of documentary
Fielder's place in documentary history
Cynicism, magic, and exposing the fake
Conclusion: The impact on the documentary form
Credits and sign-off
Sponsor: NRDC
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