Interview w/ Larry Namer
The AI Think Tank Podcast has always been a platform for exploring the future of intelligent systems, machine learning, and data science. But this time, we had the pleasure of diving into the intersection of AI and entertainment media with an industry legend, Larry Namer.
As a founder of E! Entertainment Television, Larry has shaped the global media landscape in ways few have. Beyond E!, he’s built Metan Global Entertainment Group, bringing Western-style entertainment to China, and worked on AI-driven storytelling, immersive entertainment, and digital content. He’s also deeply involved with Kwaai, a nonprofit dedicated to democratizing AI, a mission that I proudly support.
Larry’s new book, Offscript, just came out a few weeks ago, and it’s already a bestseller. Our conversation covered everything from his early days in Coney Island to revolutionizing global media, all the way to how AI is transforming entertainment.
The birth of a media empire
I started by asking Larry about his journey.
“I grew up in Coney Island. It’s still a hood, it’s not trying to be Brooklyn yet,” he joked.
But the real story began when he and his business partner, Alan Mruvka, took on Hollywood’s biggest media giants with a radical idea.
“E! is still the only TV network that was started by regular people, not big media companies. Even today, it’s the only one. Right now, it’s in 142 countries and arguably the biggest influencer of pop culture in the world,” Larry said.
At first, nobody believed in their vision of an all-entertainment news network.
“People told us, ‘You’re not Rupert Murdoch. You’re not Time Warner. People like you don’t start TV networks!’”
It took three and a half years of rejection before a small Wall Street investor gave them a chance, with just $2.5 million, when the going rate to start a network was $60–100 million.
“We had to be scrappy. We started with 11 employees and 31 interns. That’s how E! was born,” Larry recounted.
That scrappiness paid off. E! became a global sensation, defining pop culture for decades. Shows like Talk Soup and Howard Stern on TV changed television forever.
“Everyone told us putting cameras in Howard’s studio wouldn’t work. ‘Radio is dead!’ they said. But to us, it was a sitcom. And look what happened,” Larry laughed.
AI & the future of media
With Larry’s deep industry experience, I wanted to hear his take on AI’s role in media today.
“There’s been so much fear-mongering about AI replacing people, but AI is just a tool, like any other tool,” Larry emphasized.
He shared how AI has revolutionized his own workflow.
“If you asked me to develop a new TV series concept, it would take me five days. Now, with AI, I plug in my ideas, and in 30 seconds, I get a full write-up. Of course, I still have to refine it, but instead of five days, it takes an hour. That’s five days of my life back. AI isn’t replacing us, it’s giving us more time.”
Larry used AI to market his book Offscript, and in just three days, it became a bestseller.
“I automated my entire social media campaign using AI. What would take an ad agency three months, I did in one day. That’s the power of AI,” he said.
AI’s role in global entertainment
Having spent decades in China, Larry had a unique perspective on how AI is shaping entertainment internationally.
“In China, about 700 million people watch video content on their phones. You have to produce content differently, think short-form, high-impact storytelling,” he explained.
China is also far ahead in AI adoption.
“AI runs people’s lives there. Your app schedules your appointments, orders your lunch, pays your bills, tracks your health. It’s completely integrated into daily life,” Larry noted.
AI has also revolutionized content production.
“We work with ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) on AI-driven short-form content. And immersive entertainment, like Van Gogh and Klimt exhibits, AI-driven theme parks, and interactive storytelling, is huge there,” he said.
The human element in AI creativity
One of the biggest fears in Hollywood is AI taking over creative jobs. Larry dismissed that idea.
“Look, when cars were invented, horse ranchers were furious. Where are all the horses now?” he joked.
He compared AI’s impact to a new set of creative tools, not a replacement for human artistry.
“AI can create music, art, scripts, but it still lacks the human touch. You can ask it to make a song like the Beatles, but it won’t write Hey Jude,” he pointed out.
That said, AI can enhance creativity.
“I tell artists, ‘AI can generate ideas, variations, and drafts in seconds. Use that to refine your craft, not replace it,’” he advised.
Data sovereignty & AI ethics
As a board member of Kwaai, Larry is committed to democratizing AI and protecting user data.
“Right now, a handful of tech oligarchs control AI. We need a future where people own their data and aren’t at the mercy of corporations,” he warned.
We discussed AI ethics, particularly deepfakes and misinformation.
“We need laws to protect against deepfake abuse. But ironically, AI itself can help detect deepfakes. We need to use AI to fight AI,” he said.
Kwaai is working on building open-source AI models to give individuals control over their data.
“AI should be a public good, not a corporate monopoly. That’s what we’re working toward,” I added.
Larry’s journey from Hollywood to the kitchen
Beyond media, Larry has another passion: cooking.
“I was a latchkey kid. My choices were learn to cook or eat peanut butter and jelly every night. So I started reading cookbooks,” he shared.
He even worked in a Chinese restaurant kitchen and an Italian restaurant, learning from the chefs.
“Now, I buy a new cookbook every month. I cook everything from scratch. I even have my own pizza oven!” he said.
Final thoughts: Embracing the future
As we wrapped up, I asked Larry about the future of AI, media, and entertainment.
“AI isn’t the enemy. It’s a powerful tool. It can help us create more, faster, and better, but only if we use it wisely,” he said.
His message to artists, creators, and media professionals was clear:
“Embrace AI. Learn to use it. It will make you more creative, not less. But we also need to fight for AI to be fair, ethical, and accessible to everyone.”
As someone who has shaped global media and now pioneers AI-driven storytelling, his insights are invaluable.
Larry Namer isn’t just telling the future of entertainment, he’s building it.
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