Zoe Schiffer: It must have been a long walk.
Lauren Good: I mean, I've heard a lot about jujitsu. That show took 56 minutes of jujitsu, and then there was also, “Also, how to live forever.” I don't know. Yes.
Michael Calore: I really want to hear this, because I was fascinated when you started talking about it and Zoey was talking about it. I don't want to read his book, but I would like to hear his take on Joe Rogan. The biggest Joe Rogan thing for me was Marc Andreessen's recent appearance.
Lauren Good: Oh, how was that?
Michael Calore: It was like 18 hours.
Lauren Good: Very good. You were deeply immersed in brokerage.
Zoe Schiffer: I heard it because you were talking about it, and I was like… and it's relevant to our conversation today, but hey, was it long?
Michael Calore: it is. And this show won't be 18 hours long, but it's relevant to the topic, because we're going to be talking about DOGE.
Lauren Good: So once again brokerage.
Michael Calore: Brokerage.
Lauren Good: Let's do this.
Michael Calore: This is WIRED's Uncanny Valley, a show about the people, power, and influence of Silicon Valley. I'm Michael Calor, director of consumer technology and culture here at WIRED.
Lauren Good: And I'm Lauren Goode. I'm a senior writer at WIRED.
Zoe Schiffer: And I'm Zoe Schieffer, WIRED's business and industry director.
Michael Calore: Today, we're demystifying DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, meme coin. As Lauren calls it, pimping. We'll talk about the major players, what their proposed plan is for the US government, and what we really think behind it. Doge. Ok. We're talking about DOGE today, and no, not the meme coin.
Zoe Schiffer: However, the meme coin is relevant here, because it is a big joke. That's why he chose this short name. So to give a little background on what this means, meme coins are a type of cryptocurrency that is based on a joke. It's almost like making fun of cryptocurrencies. So Dogecoin is one that Elon Musk has promoted for a long time. I think there are others like Bonk and Floki who are named after their dog Floki, not Bonk. They are actually a type of crypto, but they are based on an internet joke.
Lauren Good: Wasn't there also a Hawk Tuh coin recently?
Zoe Schiffer: Eve.
Michael Calore: Was there. Yes.
Lauren Good: Yes. And how did that happen?
Michael Calore: not good.
Zoe Schiffer: Yes.
Michael Calore: Meme coins generally don't fare well. But it has a second life, as it has now been rebranded as the Department of Government Efficiency, with Elon Musk one of the people in charge.