How Cybertruck Became a Hollywood Reject

Execs, agents, managers and showrunners flex their wheels, but Elon Musk has them in a bind. Says one owner: 'I'm stuck'

MAGA MOBILES? Elon Musk’s Tesla vehicles were once a symbol of progressive ideals. Jeffrey Katzenberg (left) once thanked Musk after an accident; Ari Emanuel (right) is a rare Cybertruck driver. (Photo illustrations by Dawn Camner; image credits below)

This Ankler Feature is a 12-minute read.

On the night of a Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks game last January, a glossy black vehicle that looked like it had been lifted from the set of The Clone Wars pulled up in the valet line outside the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. In a town where McLaren and Lamborghini sightings are as common as glossy headshots above the dry cleaner counter, it takes a lot to create car buzz. Yet as the door to the futuristic-looking truck swung open, a small group of onlookers whipped out their smartphones and started filming. “Someone in my chat said it was SZA,” noted one.

In fact, the driver was Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, who began what looked like a mini contract negotiation with the the valet guy as they discussed where Emanuel should move his ride, which was taking up an inordinate amount of space in line.