Hour 2: Hollywood’s Compassion Paradox | Adam Swart on the Influence Economy
Podcasts > Shake It Off with Mert & Lucas
Tune in each week, as an established lawyer, and a self- proclaimed “man of the people,” debate some of the hottest issues impacting our city, state and nation.
Monday, March 16, 2026
Hour 2 opens with a sharp look at Hollywood’s so‑called “empathy class” and their reaction to a working‑class Scotsman with Tourette’s who involuntarily blurted a slur at the BAFTAs. Instead of compassion, the industry’s loudest moralizers responded with mockery and grandstanding — a moment that exposed just how far their public rhetoric is from their actual behavior. The hosts argue it’s part of a bigger pattern: compassion that only counts when it’s convenient, outrage that’s mostly for show, and vulnerable people getting steamrolled to keep a narrative tidy. The show closes with an interview featuring Adam Swart — founder and CEO of Crowds on Demand — the L.A. outfit reshaping how public influence, visibility, and perception campaigns actually work. Swart has become one of the most talked‑about figures in the modern influence economy, and he breaks down how the game is really played.
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