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“Glass Onion” director addresses alleged Elon Musk “idiot billionaire” parallels
Elon Musk is not exactly the most popular person nowadays. After years of being the whipping boy of critics over Tesla and SpaceX’s missteps and challenges, Musk has attracted an even larger wave of critics since he initiated his acquisition of social media platform Twitter. With Musk now dabbling into politics, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has become one of the world’s most polarizing figures, bar none.
There are a lot of criticisms typically thrown against Musk. Among them is the argument that he never really started any of his companies and that he tends to take credit for the work of others. Generally, the anti-Musk narrative argues that anything that Tesla or SpaceX does wrong is because of Musk, and anything good that the companies achieve was accomplished in spite of Musk. Amidst his acquisition of Twitter — which has been chaotic in every sense of the word — Musk has been dubbed by his critics as nothing short of a rich, bumbling idiot.
This was why when “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” was released, numerous Musk critics immediately saw the apparent parallels between the Tesla CEO and the film’s fictional billionaire, Miles Bron. A look at Bron’s character, which was played by Edward Norton, would show that he does seem to be inspired — at least in part — by Musk. Just like Musk, for example, Bron is a tech billionaire that dabbles in numerous industries including space travel and automobiles, as noted by Forbes. Bron is also into sustainable energy, though he dabbles in “Klear,” a hydrogen-based fuel alternative.
Do be advised that the following section includes spoilers for the film.
As part of the movie’s twist, it was revealed that Bron —for all his alleged brilliance — is actually an idiot, and one who had stolen ideas and taken credit that was simply not his. As per Rian Johnson, the writer and director of “Glass Onion,” however, the parallels between Musk and his fictional “idiot billionaire” were not really done on purpose — not fully, at least. In an interview with Wired, Johnson noted that the movie was developed and shot in 2021, well before Musk’s Twitter acquisition. Johnson also noted that Bron was more of a compilation of numerous tech billionaires, not just one person.
That being said, the writer/director acknowledged that Bron’s character definitely has parallels with Musk today, especially amidst the CEO’s Twitter takeover. “There’s a lot of general stuff about that sort of species of tech billionaire that went directly into it. But obviously, it has almost a weird relevance in exactly the current moment. A friend of mine said, ‘Man, that feels like it was written this afternoon.’ And that’s just sort of a horrible, horrible accident, you know?” Johnson said.
While Musk is pretty much asking for more rabid criticism online due to his political posts on Twitter, some of the criticism directed towards him, as well as the alleged parallels with the fictional Bron, are not exactly accurate. Regardless of Musk’s erratic behavior, after all, very few could argue that Tesla has become one of the strongest forces in the electric vehicle sector, and SpaceX is definitely the company that’s carrying US spaceflight today. And these accomplishments, ultimately, could not really be separated from Musk, flaws and all.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
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There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
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Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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