Jamie Kitman is not only a music manager, he’s the New York Bureau Chief at “Automobile” magazine. In addition to his column in “Automobile,” Kitman’s National Magazine Award-winning commentary has appeared in “The New York Times,” “The Nation,” “GQ,” “Foreign Affairs” and more. Listen as Kitman gives the scoop on SUVs (they make more profits for the manufacturers and handle much worse than sedans) and his history managing They Might Be Giants.

Check out some of Jamie’s columns here:

Articles by Jamie Kitman

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I want to know what’s going on.

I’ve gotten “The New York Times” since junior high, but I only started reading it cover to cover at the turn of the century. I was visiting my sister Wendy in Minnesota and I had the time and ever since then…I haven’t missed a day, of not only the “Times,” but “The Wall Street Journal.” And I probably get more magazines than anybody you know. I’d be lying if I told you I read each and every one of them from cover to cover, but with no kids to hip me to what’s happening in the schoolyard, no water cooler moments because I work alone, this information is my gateway to what’s going on. And I’m all about the pulse, not the facts, but the meaning.

And despite reading all these papers and magazines, I also get “The Week.” I subscribed once and then didn’t renew, because I was snookered by a skewed article. But I signed back up a couple of years ago, and I wait for Saturday, to find out what I’ve missed. Which is very little. They’re quoting from all the publications I get, not only the NYT and the WSJ, but the WaPo too. Still, every week, there are nuggets.

Like in the latest issue, which I was devouring while I ate my Siggi’s Triple Cream with blueberries and walnuts.

Under the heading “Best columns: The U.S.” was one from “The Atlantic” billed as “America’s third party is under 30.” And when I read the condensed story, I resonated, there was the truth I see nowhere else, how the young are not only alienated, but pissed. The numbers are literally stacked against them.

And catching up on my e-mail, and waiting for one of my computers to update, I followed the recommendation of one of my readers to watch the December 16th episode of “Patriot Act,” Hasan Minhaj’s show.

Now you might think no one is watching, but on the free YouTube feed, there are already 1,140,009 views, never mind those accumulated on Netflix.

That’s right, while Bloomberg bombards TV as opposed to no-ad streaming, hearts and minds are really changed where he doesn’t reach.

So, this “Patriot Act” episode is entitled “Why We Can’t Retire.” And to tell you the truth, I know what Hasan is talking about, I can see where this show is going, until…

Bernie Sanders appears.

Now if you’re following popular culture, if you’re part of the Howard Stern audience, you know about four weeks ago, Howard interviewed Hillary Clinton. Gary had tried to get her on during the election, but of course Howard was too dangerous, she refrained, that’s what happens when you play it safe…YOU LOSE!

And Howard has power, especially amongst the boomers and Gen-X.

Hasan Minhaj has got power with a younger generation, the millennials and Gen-Z.

So Hasan sits down with Bernie and…

Starts asking whacked questions…AND BERNIE PLAYS ALONG! He’s irreverent, he tells jokes at his own expense, he seems completely in touch, like a good hang!

That’s why Hasan features Bernie, he says so, because Bernie is a hero to the younger generation.

Why? Because contrary to the rest of the pols, he’s got credibility, he doesn’t do what’s expedient, he won’t hew to the DNC guidelines, he’s his own man.

So we’re living in two worlds. The big arena, and the sideshow. But one thing the internet has taught us…all together, the sideshows trump the big arena. It’s not the days of three networks, many people tune out the mainstream completely, they want to get their news somewhere else, from trusted sources, like friends.

So last night I’m watching the inane CNN New Year’s Eve show, Ginny likes to tune in. And I’m wondering who Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are playing too. It’s the essence of network TV, even though it’s cable, it’s made for everyone instead of someone, but in 2020, there is no everyone, everybody is a member of their own tribe.

And then there are the acts appearing for the publicity. No one can say no anymore. They think of all those eyeballs. Credibility is irrelevant, they’re doing the wall street shuffle.

Everybody in America is selling. And I’m watching this production and I ask myself…WHAT HAPPENED TO IRREVERENCE?

That was a feature of the sixties. Boomers have it baked into their bones. Taking the piss out, via irony, via falsehoods uttered with a straight face. It was part of questioning authority. Come on, Frank Zappa specialized in it, and he’s an icon. And of course there was Monty Python… Today everybody’s safe. You’ve got jokes, but you can’t walk the line where people are wondering if you’re joking or not, especially in this era of political correctness. And you need humor to check power. Ask Paul Krassner or Abbie Hoffman or Jerry Rubin, if they weren’t all dead.

The youth abhor the fakery. Yup, the pols and the corporate wankers who lie and spin the truth and are completely untrustworthy. The youth feel powerless. Which is why when Bernie lost the nomination in 2016, many didn’t vote for Hillary, they voted for Jill Stein or stayed home.

You see our country is changing. The Republicans have no plan for the future, and now even Trump’s handpicked panel scorns science, it’s on the front page of today’s “New York Times,” which goes unread by the right but that doesn’t make it wrong:

Science Panel Staffed With Trump Appointees Says E.P.A. Rollbacks Lack Scientific Rigor

The right plays a long game. And now they’ve taken the NYT and the WaPo off the table.

But the truth is there are more of us than there are of them. Forget them, focus on us.

What does the Democratic Party stand for? Beating Trump? That’s not enough!

So you watch Bernie on “Patriot Act” and you realize why Joe Biden will lose. No one young is passionate about him, he’s out of touch with the jargon and he doesn’t know how to make jokes and you wonder if he’s even in touch.

Whereas Bernie is aged, but so sharp, he’s totally present.

Now if you read the “Atlantic” story, the author says the youth are doomed, because there are too many conservative boomers. And I’m not talking about Republicans, but conservative Democrats. One thing about a boomer, they can’t sacrifice. Sure, others can be lifted up, but not at their expense.

Now one thing the last election taught me, and this cycle is reinforcing, is that big time news has no idea what is going on. Why do I know? Because I hear from the right wing all the time, the blowback is intense. The left wing is nowhere near as organized, or as passionate, the right wing is working the refs all the damn time, to the point where those who speak become inhibited.

You don’t have to be educated and rich to be a music fan. But to write for the paper, to work in the government, the floor is quite high. And if you never interact with people, you’ve got no idea what they think.

Trump had a scorched earth campaign back in 2016, he felt he had nothing to lose. Bernie Sanders is playing the same way, he’s not triangulating, not backing off Medicare For All, he said taxes would go up, he didn’t pussyfoot, he owned the facts. Are people smart enough to understand the facts? If they’re paying attention, most are.

So what I’m telling you is don’t underestimate the youth vote.

I know the canard…that they don’t vote.

But they never had this much on the line, and back in the heyday of Vietnam, they weren’t old enough.

So how do you reach people today?

By working from the bottom up. Top down no longer works. You get a ray of attention, that most people don’t see, and then you’re gone.

If you want hearts and minds you’ve got to roll with the changes, make some jokes, not talk down to people but be seen as a part of their fabric.

I won’t guarantee Bernie Sanders will win the nomination, but one thing’s for sure, if Biden is the candidate, he will lose.

The DNC is not run by the youth, it’s got an investment in the status quo. And that status quo resonates with very few. The Democrats have been shedding constituents for fifty years. The unions, the blue collar workers, it goes on and on.

I just want you to think, where this country is going. Big change is necessary, and if you kick the ball down the road you’re just delaying and intensifying the crisis.

And the youth know the rich got richer, and that Trump’s 2017 tax law was a giveaway to the corporations.

“How Big Companies Won New Tax Breaks From the Trump Administration”

Now I’m not writing this for the right, even though I’ll hear from more of them than I will from the left, I’m writing for everybody else, to tell them that times have changed, everything has changed. Don’t fight the last war, the Facebook/social media ads, go where people are really listening. And talk to them on their level. Didn’t they call Reagan “The Great Communicator”?

I didn’t think so, but many people did.

Think about who is communicating on the left, and who they are reaching.

This is not about data, this is about emotion, feelings, connection, hope. Ignore the polls. Put your finger to the wind, try to take the temperature, try to see what’s really going on, even though it’s nearly impossible. I know, because I’m trying!

“Why We Can’t Retire-Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj”

“The Millennials-Versus-Boomers Fight Divides the Democratic Party-The young left has become sort of a third party.”

(I sent this e-mail to a manager, I believe it delineates the streaming equation.)

As for streaming…

The companies give 60-70% to the rights holders. Read the Iovine interview in the “Times” to see that the problem is not the streaming services, but the rights holders, if you squeeze too much, the streaming services go out of business.

So, if you license direct… You have an incredible deal.

If you have an ancient label deal, not so good.

Many modern deals, not with majors, are 50/50. As for the majors, depends on your leverage, usually whether you’ve proven yourself with streams and followers.

As for revenue… Don’t think of it as a per track rate, that’s not even how it works. The bottom line is, how much are people listening?

And it turns out, like the rest of society, it’s mostly winner take all.

As for those who used to make money on CDs… Those days are through, the labels giving big advances and supporting artists that are not superstars. The problem is the labels.

As for recording revenue…yes, it’s down for those who don’t stream a lot, but ticket prices have FAR exceeded inflation, and there are more ways to monetize in general.

Do not believe the scuttlebutt you read online, it’s always uninformed, it equates radio with on demand, ignorant people.

Then again, if you’re _______ ____, she’s got three tracks in double digit millions on Spotify. But her ancient deal probably doesn’t pay much. ______ not as good. But the truth is, instead of records going out of print, everything’s there for everybody to discover, and especially on heritage artists, people do discover!

However, the songwriters did get a bad deal with streaming, they need more points, but the damn labels won’t give them up!

“Jimmy Iovine Knows Music and Tech. Here’s Why He’s Worried. The record executive who made the leap to Silicon Valley looks back on the decade in the music business, and sees a major problem on the horizon.”

The Great Depresh

Do you fit in? Do you ever feel lonely? Do you get depressed?

In our world you must be a winner. And, amazingly, some of the biggest self-professed winners are the trolls on the internet, they’ve got no friends, they think if they yell loud enough they will count and people will care, just like Gary Gulman believes if he’s good enough at something, great, then his life will work out, it will have meaning, people will like him, he will have friends.

I was not aware of Gary Gulman until I read about this HBO comedy special. It’s a funny time, we’re in a comedy renaissance, and the essence is just the work itself. Used to be your standup was a stepping stone to a series. Now, even if you get a series, like Marc Maron did with IFC, you don’t get paid much and no one sees it. Of course there’s still the movie paradigm, Amy Schumer boosted her career that way, but she was uber-hot and today major studios are reluctant to make comedies, because they don’t play overseas and they’re so risky. Actually, comedy is more difficult to do than drama, and when you see someone riding the edge, it’s a marvel to watch.

But comedy is like any other niche these days, rich, but unless you’re a student, a devotee, there’s a chance your knowledge does not go deep, if you’ve got any at all.

So I know John Mulaney is the hottest comedian according to comedians, and I even saw him on Broadway in “Oh, Hello,” which was innovative and funny, but I can’t make it through any of his TV specials. And my knowledge did not go so deep as to know Gary Gulman.

It’s funny, you go to his Wikipedia page and…

You know it was written by him, or someone who works for him. They cite all his TV appearances, late night ones that do not matter, and they try to convince you he’s someone, but is he?

Well, he got a special on HBO when the rest of the comedians have pulled up stakes and gone to Netflix for the green lights and the cash.

And I’d like to tell you this special is hilarious from the get-go, but it isn’t. If you don’t know what is coming, you’ll turn it off.

Having said that, the filmed interludes with Gary’s mother and his best friend and even his shrink bring the facts to light, it’s jarring to have reality intrude on routine, but in a good way.

So, the premise is…Gary Gulman was depressed.

Now let’s make this clear. He wasn’t in a bad mood, he was in a sleep all day, can’t get out of bed, no optimism depression, which most people don’t experience, but an amazing number do. Actually, I hope Gary’s treatment continues to work, but oftentimes it does not, like with David Foster Wallace. Death is a relief. Although Gulman says he doesn’t think he’ll commit suicide, because he’d have to write a note, and even the thought of writing a college essay was too much.

So Gary is 6’6″ and 255 pounds. A man’s man.

Only he’s not. He looks like an All American, but inside…he’s soft.

That’s Gary’s word, not mine.

But soft men get no play in society today. The ones who would never rape, because they can’t even ask a girl for a date. (Don’t go all Me Too on me here, it’s just that there are many good guys who stay good, but not only do they get no press, women don’t want to date them.)

And now there’s this celebration of nerds. They’re not the nerds I grew up with.

And part of Gulman’s routine is to say how the millennials have it so much better. And it’s a switcheroo to see him compliment a generation that is excoriated by his contemporaries and their elders.

Before the millennials, bullying was rampant. The solution to depression was to buck up. Just like the solution to a concussion was to get back in the game.

Now I’ll be honest, I believe there’s been an overreaction, parents believe their kids should never experience anything negative, there’s a time to step in and a time not to. Certain behavior crosses a line. And…

I’ve experienced that behavior. My mother refused to step in, if she even knew about it. She said to stand up to bullies.

But it’s not only the kids who want to punch you out, it’s those just a bit higher on the food chain than yourself, they take it out on you too. Call you names.

I thought I was an outsider because I skipped a grade. Then I believed I was an outsider because my father was, it was inevitable. Writing this…in order to be inside you’ve got to be a certain way, you’ve got to laugh at the jokes, you’ve got to criticize others’ flaws, make fun of them, everything has to be sexualized.

Soft men know this. Their main goal is to stay out of the way.

And if they speak up, they’re told to stay in their place, not even at the back of the line, but in the backwater not connected to the main stream.

It’s cool. It’s business. Yup, most of the original techies were true nerds, they fit in nowhere, they just had an incredible interest in tech. But they became rich and changed the world and gained respect, but they were still nerds. Like Bill Gates, he’s still a nerd. Zuckerberg…he’s an angry nerd, he had the computing skills but he could never be a member of the club. Bezos? Buffing up and leaving your wife? That’s one thing about being a nerd, an outsider, you’ve got to accept your status, you can dress up but you can never be cool. They made a whole movie about this, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” with Patrick Dempsey, I recommend it, truly. The female lead, Amanda Peterson, O.D.’ed back in ’15. That’s right, being good-looking and famous does not solve all your problems, but you think it does.

So Gulman is cracking mediocre jokes, but then he talks about his great depression.

It’s riveting and funny and true. Sans artifice, Gulman is being totally honest, he’s channeling truth, that a good portion of the public is aware of. And now people clamor ’round him, which makes him feel less alone and good.

Yup, Gulman gives some prescriptions.

Leave the house. I learned this by accident. If you walk outside the front door you’ve got no idea what will happen.

Interact with other people. It’s hard at first, but try.

And Gulman was ready to give up standup. He even became a camp counselor.

He was afraid he’d never earn a living.

And speaking of living…

We’ve got an illusion those on television are rich and famous. But Gulman and his wife live in a 600 square foot apartment, with a view of other high-rises. And he’s almost fifty.

But all we hear about are the world-beaters who make 250k after law school, and those on opiates.

But in between…

I’m gonna tell you right here and now, your life will not work out, not the way you think it will, there will be bumps, left turns, moments of extreme angst, even if you play it safe.

If you don’t play it safe…you’ll have even more losses, which is why so many don’t take risks, they can’t fathom this.

Used to be alienation and aloneness were the essence of music. Music was made by outsiders, people who didn’t fit in, this was all they could do, they spoke about their pain. Today? No one has time for those people. You’ve got to be a winner, be good at promotion, never mind social media, the music is not enough, it’s a business and you have to feed it.

The reason it was so different back then is because of the era and the circumstances and the fact that the music business was still being figured out. There were new companies, entrepreneurs, not consolidation.

But Gulman gets one thing right. Life is about story, we’re all addicted to story. You think it’s about your possessions, your image, but people can often see through those and the truth is most people don’t care about others.

But when they do it’s because of their honesty, their credibility, their humanity.

It’s sad that Gary Gulman had to go into the hospital and have ECT before he felt comfortable talking about his mental illness. But if you’re imperfect, you’re on the scrapheap. Come on, look at the makeup influencers online. You try keeping up that image.

And bullies are not only in school. They’re rampant in business. They make sure you can’t get ahead, because they need to be in control, they need all the power.

So “The Great Depresh” is kinda like “Marriage Story.” Many men, who should see it, won’t, because it’s too negative, it might be too close to home. That’s men, their image can’t be questioned while they’re striving for the top. Women? They’re much more supportive of each other. But not all. Alienation knows no bounds.

So what if you don’t want to play the game, don’t want to get plastic surgery, don’t want to drive a Tesla, don’t want to pay fealty to billionaires, then what?

Society believes you don’t count, it pays you no mind

But this is where a great swath of the population lives, even if they’re putting up a brave face because they’re fearful if they show their true colors they’ll be laughed at.