Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, July 14, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
When New York Times podcaster David Marchese scored an interview with Mick Jagger, he thought he had the perfect opportunity for the Rolling Stones singer to denigrate Elon Musk.
After all, “mad mogul Mr Musk” is in a line from the song “Mr. Charm” from the band’s 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues.
New York Times podcaster David Marchese interviews Mick Jagger. / Video Image
Marchese apparently assumed that the line was a diss aimed at Musk and that Jagger would have no sympathy for a man who became the devil in the Left’s eyes after his embrace of President Donald Trump.
Wrong again, NY Times.
The full line from the song:
“And who would take you into space? / Who would you really trust? / Is it Boeing, is it NASA, is it mad mogul Mr Musk?”
Jagger explained to Marchese that the Musk mention is a compliment for his space exploration efforts, including Space X’s successful rescue of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. After a 9-month stay on the International Space Station due to Boeing Starliner propulsion issues, they were brought home on March 18, 2025, via a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
“It’s not nagging, but people hear one word and they don’t really listen to the line. So it’s like, ‘Mick Jagger has a go at Elon Musk.’ You’re not listening to the line, you’re only listening to ‘Musk.’ … even though I do call him mad,” Jagger said.
Marchese then went into what looked like his 19th nervous breakdown. His expression changed from smiling to frowning when Jagger refused to confirm that the song was criticizing Musk.
Jagger continued: “When I wrote that, I was thinking that because of him, they were able to get those astronauts back that were stuck because he provided the transportation because NASA couldn’t provide the transportation…
“Who would you trust to get you into space? Would you trust Boeing or would you trust NASA or would you trust mad mogul Mr. Musk? It’s really a side-winding compliment because he was the one I remembered was able to do that when the others couldn’t.”
Now, at the point where he was not getting any satisfaction, the podcaster stated that Musk was the only person named on the album, implying significance.
Jagger stood his ground, adding that “mogul doesn’t always go down well, either,” and Marchese responded, “No one likes a mogul.”
Writing for Modernity News on July 14, Steve Watson noted: “Jagger was clearly exhausted with the exchange as Marchese simply refused to understand what the singer was getting at. Jagger’s nuanced expression underscores a refreshing independence in an industry often dominated by predictable elite consensus, and his clarity cuts against the grain of performative outrage.
“Moments like this expose the disconnect between coastal media bubbles and ground-level realities.”
