If you know tech, you know David Pogue. His resume includes 13 years as the top personal technology columnist for THE New York Times, and prior to that, 13 years as a columnist for Macworld magazine. Today he’s a full-time correspondent for the venerable weekly news program CBS Sunday Morning. His work there has earned him seven… SEVEN… Emmy Awards. He’s also a five-time TED speaker, and he’s hosted 20 NOVA science specials on PBS.
David is also a prolific author. He’s written or cowritten more than 120 books, including dozens in the Missing Manual tech series, which he created in 1999; six books in the For Dummies line; two novels; his three bestselling Pogue’s Basics books of tips and shortcuts; his practical guide to the climate crisis, How to Prepare for Climate Change; and his newly released magnum opus, Apple: The First 50 Years.
This is a man who doesn’t sit still.
But before he summited the tech world, David climbed to the top of the mountain on Broadway. He spent ten years conducting and arranging Broadway musicals. During that time he earned a reputation as the kid who could help people with tech. That reputation led him to the apartments of the Broadway elite, where he gave private lessons to the likes of Cy Coleman, Mia Farrow, Stephen Sondheim, and a host of others whose names you definitely know.
In this episode David shares what prompted his love of technology, how it gave way to success on Broadway, and the unusual way it all came together to reveal the path that led directly to the pages of The New York Times and the airwaves of CBS News.
How did the magic happen (pun intended; he’s also an accomplished magician and has written a book on magic)? It’s the advice he gives to everyone: “Say yes to everything.”
He didn’t have a plan for his career, but he reached the peak in more than one industry.
One of the most interesting things, however, is how his career in tech journalism started. Believe it or not, it had nothing to do with wanting to write.
In this episode, David shares his journey from Shaker Heights, Ohio to the “Great White Way,” to the pages of The New York Times, and beyond. He also dives deep on two of his legendary CBS Sunday Morning segments: his interview with Elon Musk that created worldwide headlines, and his experience as a passenger in the ill-fated OceanGate Titan submersible.
Learn more about David by Googling his name or visiting his website. Buy David’s new book, Apple: The First 50 Years anywhere books are sold.
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Second Act Stories theme music: “Between 1 and 3 am” by Echoes.