Academy Award nominated director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/christopher-nolan">Christopher Nolan</a> recalled an awkward experience when his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/peloton">Peloton</a> instructor started ripping into one of his films during a live workout, not realizing he was taking the class.
“I was on my Peloton doing a high-interval workout. I’m dying,” Nolan said while accepting the award for Best Director from the New York Film Critics Circle on Wednesday, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-nolan-peloton-instructor-movie-criticism-workout-class-1235779834/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “The instructor started talking about one of my <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">films</a> and said, ‘Has anyone else seen this? Because that’s a couple hours of my life I’ll never get back again.’”
The instructor was apparently referring to the 2020 movie “Tenet” during her rant.
Nolan went on to say how “directors have a complex emotional relationship with critics and criticism,” but mentioned how receiving bad reviews from critics is very different from getting those types of remarks from regular citizens, including fitness instructors.
“When [film critic] Rex Reed takes a s*** on your film, he doesn’t ask you to work out!” the “Oppenheimer” director joked. “In today’s world, where opinions are everywhere, there is a sort of idea that film criticism is being democratized. But I, for one, think the critical appreciation of films shouldn’t be an instinct, but it should be a profession.”
After Nolan delivered his acceptance speech, internet sleuths were able to track down the workout class clip in question and started circulating it online.
Instructor Jenn Sherman says during the virtual class, “This song is from a soundtrack of a movie called ‘Tenet.’ Anybody see this s***? Did anybody see this besides me? Because I need a manual. Someone’s got to explain this. Yeah, I’m not kidding, what the f*** was going on in that movie? Do you understand? Seriously, you need to be a neuroscientist to understand. And that’s two and a half hours of my life that I want back.”
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“Tenet” is a science fiction action thriller starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh. The storyline follows a former CIA agent who is tasked with tracing the origin of objects traveling backwards through time and establishing how they play into an attack on the present from the future.
The movie grossed $365 million worldwide against a $200 million budget, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2020 and the first major movie to open in theaters following the pandemic. 
“Tenet” had mixed critic reviews, but was nominated for two Academy Awards and won for Best Visual Effects.

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan Reacts To Peloton Instructor Bashing His Movie During Live Class He’s Taking

Christopher Nolan Reacts To Peloton Instructor Bashing His Movie During Live Class He's Taking

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

Peloton

U.S.

The House of Representatives faced backlash late this week over a plan to use taxpayer money to give staffers in Washington, D.C., and in district offices across the country, free Peloton memberships while the American people feel the pain of soaring inflation rates.
Fox Business reported that a draft email from the office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) said that the free memberships were a &#8220;premier employee benefit&#8221; and that all Capitol Police would also receive free memberships.
The plan reportedly would give an estimated 12,300 people both Peloton All-Access and a Peloton App membership at no cost to them while the American taxpayer could be forced to shell out more than $120,000 per month depending on how many people enroll in the membership.
&#8220;A source familiar with the matter told FOX Business that the contract cost is a $10,000 upfront payment to Peloton, plus an extra $10 per month charge for each staffer or officer that utilizes the benefit,&#8221; Fox Business <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/house-representatives-staff-free-peloton-memberships-cost-taxpayers">reported</a>. &#8220;For other Americans, a Peloton All-Access Membership costs $39 per month and a Peloton App Membership costs $12.99 per month.&#8221;
Peloton confirmed to the network that the House of Representative was extending the Peloton Corporate Wellness offer to its staff starting next week.
The report generated backlash online where various media figures noted that the move was tone deaf in light of problems facing the country.
&#8220;Desperate parents can&#8217;t find baby formula &#8211; Congress has yet to take action,&#8221; Fox News anchor John Roberts tweeted. &#8220;BUT Lawmakers can now order liquor directly to their Capitol Hill offices Lawmakers &amp; staff will now have free access to the Peloton app.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Desperate parents can&#39;t find baby formula &#8211; Congress has yet to take action&#8230;..BUT Lawmakers can now order liquor directly to their Capitol Hill offices Lawmakers &amp; staff will now have free access to the Peloton app
&mdash; John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnrobertsFox/status/1525171074530525184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Membership cost $10 per month but taxpayers could be funding up to 10k staffers per month,&#8221; sports reporter Lisa Horne tweeted. &#8220;Our government is completely tone deaf to what most Americans are facing right now.&#8221;
The news comes as numbers released this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the Consumer Price Index <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/11/cpi-april-2022.html">increased</a> 8.3% in April from a year ago, which is higher than the projected 8.1%.
The Wall Street Journal noted the current wave of high inflation rates has multiple causes that are primarily linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Consumers have been flush with savings from government stimulus programs and depressed services spending as a result of restrictions on businesses, leading them to open the spigot for goods that are in scarce supply,” the report said.
The report noted that supply chain disruptions, which have been an issue throughout the pandemic, have worsened with the war in Eastern Europe and China going into lockdown again because of a rise in coronavirus cases.
“Energy prices, including gasoline, have gone up. Truck drivers, seaport slots and warehouse spaces are all in short supply, leading to costly delays and rising shipping rates for goods,” the report continued. “Fewer workers are in the labor market, encouraging those who are working to demand raises. And low interest rates from the Federal Reserve have made borrowing cheaper, making big purchases more attractive.”

Peloton Pauses Production Of Its Bike As Demand Decreases

Congress Faces Backlash Over Plan To Give Peloton Memberships To Staffers

Congress

Peloton Interactive is falling to pieces, replacing its CEO as speculation about a merger continues to grow.
The company — which manufactures stationary exercise bikes through which users can complete virtual fitness classes — has witnessed a remarkable slowdown in demand since the COVID-19 lockdowns that originally presented new growth opportunities. Peloton will slash 2,800 jobs, representing 20% of its corporate workforce. Instructors will not be affected by the move.
Meanwhile, Peloton co-founder John Foley will end his decade-long tenure as CEO, instead assuming the role of executive chairman. He will be replaced by former Spotify CFO Barry McCarthy.
Peloton’s stock began the year at roughly $35; by the end of January, the price declined to $24. In recent days, however, the price has surged above $37 amid speculation over a buyout.
The change in leadership follows recent pressure from investors hoping for a merger, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/peloton-ceo-john-foley-to-step-down-become-executive-chair-11644314403?mod=hp_lead_pos2">The Wall Street Journal</a>:
<blockquote>A little over two weeks ago, activist investor Blackwells Capital LLC called for Peloton to fire Mr. Foley and explore a sale of the company, which the Journal has reported is attracting potential suitors including Amazon.com Inc.
Blackwells reiterated its call Tuesday, saying Mr. Foley should leave the company entirely rather than become executive chairman. Blackwells also released a 65-page presentation in which it estimated a sale could value Peloton above $65 a share. Peloton shares closed Monday at $29.75.</blockquote>
Many have pointed to Apple, Nike, and Amazon as potential suitors for Peloton.
“With media reports swirling that Peloton could be up for sale with Amazon and Nike potential suitors, we would be shocked if Apple is not aggressively involved in this potential deal process,” Wedbush Securities managing director Dan Ives wrote in an investor note shared with the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/07/peloton-stock-up-on-amazon-nike-or-apple-takeover-speculation/">New York Post</a>. “Acquiring Peloton would be a major strategic coup and catalyze the company’s aggressive health and fitness initiatives.” 
<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/08/why-apple-wont-buy-peloton.html">CNBC</a> technology editor Steve Kovach, however, does not see an Apple buyout in the cards.
“Apple rarely makes large acquisitions. Peloton’s market cap was a bit more than $12 billion by Tuesday afternoon. Apple has never even come close to buying a company that large. Its largest acquisition to date was Beats for $3 billion,” he wrote. “Besides that, just about every other acquisition has been too small for Apple to meet the requirements to report them. We usually only find out about an Apple acquisition after someone in the press reports on it.”
“Apple is obsessed with making its own hardware and software, and keeping high profit margins,” he added. “Peloton makes giant Android tablets with clunky software, connected to exercise gear. Plus, Peloton continues to lose money and its margins would put a drag on Apple’s own margins if the two companies merged.”
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peloton-employees-undergo-anti-racist-training-that-claims-grandfathered-in-blacklisted-are-white-supremacist-terms">The Daily Wire</a> revealed last year, Peloton employees were forced to undergo an “anti-racist” training that claimed common phrases such as “grandfathered in” are “white supremacist” terms. 
The firm’s “Antiracism Activation Center” provided employees with resources on “global perspectives” on racism, “antiracism” strategies for allies, strategies for enacting systemic change, tools for creating race-related conversations at home — including “age-appropriate” resources for families — and a “Brave Conversation Speaker Series.”

Latest Consumer Technology Products On Display At Annual CES In Las Vegas

Peloton Fires CEO And Nearly 3,000 Employees As Speculation About A Big Tech Buyout Grows

Apple

Nike

Television fans have barely recovered from the death-by-Peloton that befell Mr. Big on the “Sex and the City” spinoff, “And Just Like That.” Now without warning, there’s been another heart incident involving a Peloton, but this time it comes courtesy of the Showtime series “Billions.”
The latest cardiac trouble involves Mike &#8220;Wags&#8221; Wagner (David Costabile) having a heart attack while riding his Peloton spin bike, just like Big did in “AJLT.” However, Wags doesn’t die from it like Big, and even used the moment to reference the other show by saying he’s “not going out” like the other character, Yahoo <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/billions-peloton-scene-171753484.html">reported</a>.
Executive producers claim the “Billions” scene was filmed in spring 2021, which is long before Big caused Peloton to trend with his shocking scene. Then after the “AJLT” episode aired, the production team edited the scene to include &#8220;what Wags would say.&#8221;
A Peloton spokesperson addressed any possible negative connotations viewers might have about the workout equipment in a <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/entertainment/peloton-billions-character-heart-attack">statement</a> to Fox Business. They stressed that cardiovascular exercise is good for someone at risk of a heart attack. 
&#8220;We get why these fictional TV shows would want to include a brand that people love to talk about, but Showtime&#8217;s use of Peloton&#8217;s Bike+ and reference to a Peloton Instructor was not a brand, product, or instructor placement, and we did not agree for our brand and IP to be used on this show or provide any equipment,&#8221; the statement reads. 
&#8220;As referenced by the show itself, there are strong benefits of cardio-vascular exercise to help people lead long, happy lives.&#8221;
This is not the first Peloton controversy in Hollywood. After the death of Mr. Big, the fitness company worked with Ryan Reynolds’ company Maximum Impact to create an ad featuring Chris Noth extolling the virtues of cardiovascular fitness while claiming to be “alive.” Shortly after the ad debuted in December, Noth was accused of sexual assault, and the company had to distance themselves from him and cancel the whole campaign.
It’s unclear whether the TV spots have anything to do with Peloton’s growing financial issues. Peloton shares fell 24% on January 20 following a report from CNBC that the company was pulling back on production, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/peloton-bucks-market-trend-after-activist-letter-billions-appearance-11643039068">reported</a>. This came after they had ramped up production to meet demand and stock shortages from 2020, only to find the demand for their products was no longer there.
Peloton CEO John Foley said in a letter to employees that layoffs were a possibility, plus said the company is “resetting our production levels for sustainable growth.” This has led to employees and shareholders demanding that Foley be fired or voluntarily resign.
Peloton stock has fallen more than 80% over the past 12 months after emerging as a leading investment at the beginning of the pandemic. PR issues like seeing characters suffer heart attacks after using their workout equipment probably hasn’t affected the brand image too much, but it hasn’t helped matters either. 
“Thanks to Billions I can afford to buy more Peloton stocks,” one Twitter user quipped after the episode.

Peloton Stock Goes Up As Home Workouts Increase

Flailing Peloton Issues Statement After ‘Billions’ Character Suffers A Heart Attack Following a Ride

Heart Attack

Showtime

Note: Spoilers ahead for &#8220;Billions&#8221; and the Sex and the City reboot &#8220;And Just Like That&#8230;&#8221;
Peloton cannot seem to catch a break.
The high-end, high-tech fitness equipment company has become a bit of a punchline, most recently in television.
Just weeks after the &#8220;Sex and the City&#8221; reboot &#8220;And Just Like That&#8230;&#8221; shocked viewers last month by having main character Carrie Bradshaw&#8217;s (Sarah Jessica Parker) longtime love interest Mr. Big (Chris Noth) die from a heart attack on a Peloton stationary bike, another TV show wrote in a similar accident.
&#8220;Billions&#8221; character Mike &#8220;Wags&#8221; Wagner (David Costabile) suffers a minor heart attack while riding his Peloton bike in the first episode of the drama&#8217;s sixth season which premiered Sunday.
Unlike Chris Noth&#8217;s Mr. Big however, Wags survives his Peloton heart attack and even makes a sly reference to the &#8220;Sex and the City&#8221; reboot&#8217;s tragic storyline.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not going out like Mr. Big,&#8221; he says.
As one might imagine, Peloton is not happy with the &#8220;Billions&#8221; scene. The company released a statement saying it never gave permission for a Peloton appearance in the show&#8217;s new season.
&#8220;We get why these fictional TV shows would want to include a brand that people love to talk about, but Showtime&#8217;s use of Peloton&#8217;s Bike+ and reference to a Peloton Instructor was not a brand, product, or instructor placement, and we did not agree for our brand and IP to be used on this show or provide any equipment. As referenced by the show itself, there are strong benefits of cardio-vascular exercise to help people lead long, happy lives,&#8221; Peloton <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/01/23/billions-season-six-bobby-axelrod-mike-prince-peleton-heart-attack/6596370001/">said</a> in its statement.
Peloton&#8217;s stock dropped shortly before Christmas after the &#8220;Sex and the City&#8221; reboot premiered, featuring the fatal heart attack in the very first episode.
The &#8220;Billions&#8221; producers said the similarity between the two storylines was purely a coincidence and that the &#8220;Billion&#8221; scene was written and shot last spring, long before the &#8220;Sex and the City&#8221; reboot appeared on screens. The line about Mr. Big was dubbed in post production, they said.
“We added the line because it was what Wags would say,” the show&#8217;s producers <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/21/arts/television/billions-peloton-premiere.html">said</a> in a statement.
&#8220;It would be completely out of our character not to take a swing,&#8221; executive producer Beth Schacter <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/01/23/billions-season-six-bobby-axelrod-mike-prince-peleton-heart-attack/6596370001/">told</a> USA Today about the decision to add the snarky line. &#8220;It&#8217;s too good. We&#8217;re going to make the joke.&#8221;
Peloton scrambled to course correct after Mr. Big met his fate, even snagging Noth to film an online ad featuring Mr. Big and Allegra, played by real-life Peloton instructor Jess King, who led the character&#8217;s fatal class.
“Shall we take another ride?” Mr. Big asks in the ad. “Life’s too short not to.”
Even the cheeky ad ended up being a potential problem for Peloton, however, when Noth faced multiple sexual assault allegations, and Peloton pulled the spot a few days later.
Peloton&#8217;s TV show troubles are only the latest for the company, which first <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a30172338/peloton-girl-commercial-meme-explanation/">faced</a> widespread criticism over a 2019 ad that was criticized as “privileged” and “sexist.”
Peloton also apparently censored hashtags that include the phrase “LetsGoBrandon,” an anti-Biden slogan, from its platform, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peloton-censors-letsgobrandon-cites-guidelines">according</a> to a Daily Wire review of the company’s web platform.
Last year, Peloton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peloton-recalls-treadmills">recalled</a> its treadmills after a 6-year-old child died after being pulled under the rear of the treadmill.

Another TV Show Features Peloton Heart Attack

Sex And The City

Peloton is apparently censoring hashtags that include the phrase “LetsGoBrandon” from its platform, a Daily Wire review of the company’s web platform has found.
Accusations of the at-home fitness company censoring the phrase, a de-vulgarized version of a popular anti-President Joe Biden chant, surfaced online this week. Users <a href="https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2021/11/10/peloton-blocks-users-from-using-letsgobrandon-hashtag-n1530466">posted</a> screenshots of the company blocking them from creating tags, which users can use to find like-minded people, with the phrase “LetsGoBrandon.”
The Daily Wire attempted to create several different tags all including the phrase “LetsGoBrandon,” such as “LetsGoBrandonAgain” and “LetsGoBrandon2.” All variations were blocked under a message that “This tag does not meet our guidelines” and directions to contact Peloton support.
Peloton did not immediately return The Daily Wire’s request for comment.
<div id="attachment_304562" style="width: 575px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-304562" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-304562" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Peloton-LetsGoBrandon-300x187.png" alt="" width="565" height="352" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LetsGoBrandon-300x187.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LetsGoBrandon-925x576.png 925w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LetsGoBrandon-768x478.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LetsGoBrandon.png 1098w" sizes="(max-width: 565px) 100vw, 565px" />onepeloton.com/screenshot</div>
Peloton does allow many other politically-connected tags. A Daily Wire review of tags on the platform showed a mix of politically left and right tags in use, though tags typically associated with progressives seemed to have a much larger following. A tag labeled “BlackLivesMatter” is one of the most popular groups on the site, boasting nearly 270,000 members.
<div id="attachment_304563" style="width: 561px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-304563" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-304563" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Peloton-BlackLivesMatter-300x97.png" alt="" width="551" height="178" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-BlackLivesMatter-300x97.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-BlackLivesMatter-1024x329.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-BlackLivesMatter-768x247.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-BlackLivesMatter.png 1088w" sizes="(max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px" />onepeloton.com/screenshot</div>
A tag labelled “WearADamnMask” had nearly 70,000 members, and a tag labelled “LGBTQAllyGrp” had about 10,000.
<div id="attachment_304566" style="width: 546px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-304566" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-304566" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Peloton-WearADamnMask-300x98.png" alt="" width="536" height="175" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-WearADamnMask-300x98.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-WearADamnMask-1024x333.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-WearADamnMask-768x250.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-WearADamnMask.png 1088w" sizes="(max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px" />onepeloton.com/screenshot</div>
<div id="attachment_304567" style="width: 543px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-304567" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-304567" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Peloton-LGBTQAllyGrp-300x98.png" alt="" width="533" height="174" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LGBTQAllyGrp-300x98.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LGBTQAllyGrp-1024x333.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LGBTQAllyGrp-768x250.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2021/11/Peloton-LGBTQAllyGrp.png 1088w" sizes="(max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" />onepeloton.com/screenshot</div>
The site also featured tags for “trump2020,” “DeSantis2024,” and “ConservativePelomoms.” The Trump group had the largest following of the three at about 2,800 members. The site also featured a series of tags playing off of the &#8220;Lets Go Brandon&#8221; phase while avoiding using the exact wording, such as tags for &#8220;LetsGoBrando&#8221; and &#8220;Letsgooobrandon.&#8221;
The phrase “Let’s Go Brandon” caught on as an anti-Biden chant last month when a reporter mistook a Nascar crowd chanting “f*** Joe Biden” as a cheer for a driver. She repeated the mistake on air and the clip rocketed around social media.
Peloton’s community guidelines and content <a href="https://www.onepeloton.com/community-user-content-moderation-policy">policy</a> bans “hate, offensive, and obscene speech.”
“Hateful, offensive, or obscene speech is strictly forbidden on the Peloton Service. This includes any leaderboard names, locations, profile pictures, Tags or any other User Content that promotes, relates to, or condones lack of respect, discrimination, or violence of any kind against individuals or groups based on age, ethnicity/culture, race, nationality, immigration status, disability status, physical ability, gender or gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, religion, veteran status, body shape, socio-economic status, or political affiliation,” the policy says.
While the reason for censorship is unclear, Peloton has a history of “woke” behavior.
Earlier this year, the at-home fitness company rolled out employee “anti-racist” training that taught that phrases such as “blacklisted” and “grandfathered in” are “white supremacist” terms. The company has also been a prominent supporter of LGBT and Black Lives Matter issues. As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peloton-employees-undergo-anti-racist-training-that-claims-grandfathered-in-blacklisted-are-white-supremacist-terms">The Daily Wire</a> reported in July:
<blockquote>Peloton has a history of promoting political and cultural issues such as LGBT issues and Black Lives Matter. The fitness company offers a series of “Pride” classes each year in celebration of the LGBT Pride parade and instructors have frequently promoted its user-created #BlackLivesMatter group. 
The company also offers resources for white employees to become “white allies.” Employees were told that if they purchase books they should “purchase books directly from authors or local bookstores, especially those owned by Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color (BIPOC).” 
According to the allyship guide, employees are supposed to “read and listen to resources created by BIPOC” and “financially compensate them” to become sufficiently “anti-racist.” Employees are also told to acknowledge their “whiteness” and “privilege.”</blockquote>

Peloton Censors ‘LetsGoBrandon,’ Cites ‘Guidelines’

Fitness company Peloton Interactive Inc. announced that it will be separately recalling its Tread and Tread+ treadmills in a safety effort after one death and at least 72 incidents have occurred where items, pets, and people were reportedly pulled beneath the Tread+ devices.
A <a href="https://www.onepeloton.com/press/articles/tread-and-tread-recall">statement</a> from the company explained:
<blockquote>
Consumers who have purchased either treadmill should immediately stop using it and contact Peloton for a full refund or other qualified remedy as described in the press releases below.
Peloton has also stopped sale and distribution of the Tread+ and continues to work on additional hardware modifications. CPSC <a href="https://cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2021/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-Stop-Using-the-Peloton-Tread">previously warned</a> consumers about the Tread+ in April.
</blockquote>
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) <a href="https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/peloton-recalls-tread-plus-treadmills-after-one-child-died-and-more-than-70-incidents">detailed</a> the incidents and injuries that have been reported with the Tread+ treadmill, which sold online and at Peloton showrooms for $4,395.
It stated:
<blockquote>
A 6-year-old child recently died after being pulled under the rear of the treadmill. In addition, Peloton has received 72 reports of adult users, children, pets and/or objects being pulled under the rear of the treadmill, including 29 reports of injuries to children such as second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations.
</blockquote>
The CPSC also explained <a href="https://cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/peloton-recalls-tread-treadmills-due-to-risk-of-injury">incidents</a> associated with the Tread treadmill, which has a touchscreen on the device that “can detach and fall, posing a risk of injury to consumers.”
It stated:
<blockquote>
The firm is aware of 18 reports of the touchscreen loosening and six reports of the touchscreen detaching and falling. No injuries have been reported in the U.S. There have been reports of minor injuries such as abrasions, minor cuts, and bruises in Canada and the United Kingdom.
</blockquote>
The Tread was available through a limited “invitation-only release online at onepeloton.com and at Peloton showrooms from November 2020 through March 2021 for about $2,495.” Peloton is offering customers a free repair and inspection to those who do not want to return their Tread machines.
NPR <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/05/993873307/in-abrupt-reversal-peloton-agrees-to-safety-recall-of-treadmills">reported</a> that in April, a Peloton spokesperson told the outlet that the Treads are &#8220;safe when operated as directed&#8221; and that &#8220;a recall has never been warranted.”
The CEO of the company, John Foley, now says that the company made a mistake in its first response to the situation.
&#8220;The decision to recall both products was the right thing to do for Peloton&#8217;s Members and their families,&#8221; Foley wrote in a <a href="https://www.onepeloton.com/press/articles/tread-and-tread-recall">statement</a> alongside the recall. “I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+. We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize.”
“Today’s announcement reflects our recognition that, by working closely with the CPSC, we can increase safety awareness for our Members. We believe strongly in the future of at-home connected fitness and are committed to work with the CPSC to set new industry safety standards for treadmills. We have a desire and a responsibility to be an industry leader in product safety.”
Robert S. Adler, acting chairman of the CPSC said in a statement that Adler is pleased that the CPSC and Peloton have come to an agreement in order to keep users of the machines safe.
“The agreement between CPSC and Peloton is the result of weeks of intense negotiation and effort, culminating in a cooperative agreement that I believe serves the best interests of Peloton and of consumers,” Adler said.
Adler’s statement also added that “CPSC faces a nearly insurmountable hurdle each and every time the agency wants to warn the public about a hazardous product,” noting that the agency “must negotiate with companies—often for weeks— before issuing any kind of safety warning. No other federal health and safety agency faces this restriction, and it is plain to see how bad it is for consumers that we are so limited in how we can protect them.”
As an exercise enthusiast, Adler said he knows “that those who use exercise equipment want to be sure that the only pain they might feel at the end of a workout is a sore muscle from their exertion, not a serious injury from a defective product.”

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Peloton Recalls Treadmills

Employees at Peloton, one of the most popular at-home fitness companies, were forced to undergo “anti-racist” training that claimed common phrases such as “grandfathered in” are “white supremacist” terms. 
Over the past few weeks, the fitness company rolled out a series of new social justice trainings inspired by critical race theory, including an “Antiracism Activation Center.” The center is available on Pelonet, the company’s internal employee network. 
The “Antiracism Activation Center” provides employees with resources on “global perspectives” on racism, “antiracism” strategies for allies, strategies for enacting systemic change, tools for creating race-related conversations at home — including “age-appropriate” resources for families — and a “Brave Conversation Speaker Series.” 
One of the training programs, entitled “Anti-Racist Language,” claims that some of the commonly used technical terms have “white supremacist/racist origins.” Examples included “blacklisting,” “whitehat or blackhat,” or “grandfathered in.” 
On January 20, the fitness company hosted Boston University professor Ibram X. Kendi to discuss his book “How To Be An Antiracist.” The lecture from Kendi is part of the company’s “Brave Conversation Speaker Series.” 
On April 29, the company plans to host #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke. Burke created the movement to root out sexual harassment and sexual violence in the entertainment and media industries. 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/metoo-movement-founder-on-biden-sex-assault-allegations-he-can-be-accountable-and-electable">‘MeToo’ Movement Founder On Biden Sex Assault Allegations: He Can Be ‘Accountable And Electable’</a> 
Peloton Interactive, Inc. is an exercise equipment and media company that brings studio classes into the home. Peloton is widely recognized for its pricey stationary bicycle, which costs between $1,895 to $2,945, not including the monthly subscription required to take classes with the bike. Many of the instructors at Peloton have become famous fitness influencers on social media. 
Peloton has a history of promoting political and cultural issues such as LGBT issues and Black Lives Matter. The fitness company offers a series of “Pride” classes each year in celebration of the LGBT Pride parade and instructors have frequently promoted its user-created #BlackLivesMatter group. 
The company also offers resources for white employees to become “white allies.” Employees were told that if they purchase books they should “purchase books directly from authors or local bookstores, especially those owned by Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color (BIPOC).” 
According to the allyship guide, employees are supposed to “read and listen to resources created by BIPOC” and “financially compensate them” to become sufficiently “anti-racist.” Employees are also told to acknowledge their “whiteness” and “privilege.” 
According to internal emails, allyship training is mandatory for managers at Peloton. 
The Pelonet network also provided a resource list for employees. Books and articles include “Becoming,” by Michelle Obama, “Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People,” by Reni Eddo-Lodge, The New York Times’ 1619 Project, and “White Fragility,” by Robin DiAngelo.  
Part of the resources include Harvard University’s Implicit-Association Test (IAT), which experts say has low validity and reliability. 
Companies are increasingly subjecting employees to politics in the workplace, even when it has little to do with day-to-day business operations. Whistleblower documents obtained by The Daily Wire highlight the ongoing “anti-racist” campaigns within <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/revealed-whistleblower-docs-show-big-4-firms-massive-anti-racist-indoctrination">Ernst &amp; Young</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-deloittes-quest-to-racialize-life-as-an-office-drone">Deloitte</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/morgan-stanley-requests-employees-fulfill-diversity-quota-in-job-application-process">Morgan Stanley</a>. 
Peloton did not respond to The Daily Wire’s requests for comment.

Peloton Employees Undergo ‘Anti-Racist’ Training That Claims ‘Grandfathered In,’ ‘Blacklisted’ Are ‘White Supremacist’ Terms

Anti-Racism

Racism

President-elect Joe Biden will move into the White House on Wednesday, but his Peloton exercise bike might not be coming along.
Biden starts every day before 8 a.m. exercising in his home gym in Delaware, walking on a treadmill, lifting small weights and using his Peloton, a $1,900 machine, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/25/us/politics/joe-biden-coronavirus-quarantine.html">reported</a> last year. But the Peloton comes with access to the internet, a microphone and a camera so that users can hook into online live classes.
That connectivity may be seen by the Secret Service as a security threat, <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a35190713/joe-biden-peloton-white-house-security-risk/">according</a> to a Popular Mechanics report. Nearly anything connected to the internet can be hacked without extensive protection.
To win approval to move the exercise bike into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Biden may have to tear out the bike’s mic, camera and networking equipment, Max Kilger, director of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s data analytics program, told the magazine.
“Because you&#8217;re connected to the Internet, even though there are firewalls and intrusion detection software &#8230; those things can be gotten around if you’re really good and skilled,&#8221; Kilger said. &#8220;If you really want that Peloton to be secure, you yank out the camera, you yank out the microphone, and you yank out the networking equipment &#8230; and you basically have a boring bike. You lose the shiny object and the attractiveness.&#8221;
Peloton takes privacy seriously. The company says the &#8220;microphone on all Peloton devices is OFF by default and is only active with explicit user action.&#8221;
&#8220;At Peloton, we consider the security of our systems and the best interest of our members a top priority,&#8221; the company says on its <a href="https://support.onepeloton.com/hc/en-us/articles/360024551291-Security-Compliance">security page</a>. &#8220;However, no matter how much effort we put into system security, there can still be vulnerabilities present. Because of this we are looking to the security community to help us meet this top priority through programs like responsible disclosure.&#8221;
The connectivity &#8220;allows the bike to communicate with your Apple Watch or Fitbit, which are internet-of-things (IoT) devices that contain microphones,&#8221; Yahoo <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-joe-biden-cant-bring-195100404.html">reports</a>. &#8220;If a hacker found a way to infect Biden&#8217;s Peloton, then it&#8217;s theoretically possible they could hop from the bike to the watch and vice versa, Kilger explains. If either device is compromised in this scenario, a bad actor could access the network on which each device runs.&#8221;
So the simplest step is to simply disable that connectivity.
&#8220;The Secret Service and the White House have strategies to work around issues like this — presumably, ways to equip the bike (albeit without some of its key features) so it&#8217;s less connected but still functional,&#8221; Esquire <a href="https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/a35226751/joe-biden-peloton-white-house-security-risk/">reported</a>. &#8220;Biden just might not be allowed to interact with his fellow riders anymore. That&#8217;s another hill he&#8217;s going to have to push through.&#8221;
It wouldn&#8217;t be the first time a modified Peloton came into the White House. &#8220;One person close to the company told me that Michelle Obama has a Peloton, but it’s been modified, without a camera or microphone. Peloton declined to comment on this at all, as did the press office of Michelle Obama,&#8221; The Verge <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/25/15408338/bike-peloton-review-indoor-cycle-live-streaming-cycling">wrote</a> in 2017.

Home Gym cycing indoors at living room

Joe Biden’s Peloton Could Be A White House Security Risk, Report Says

Joe Biden

Peloton, the fitness company that supplies $2000 &#8220;cycle-at-home&#8221; bikes to elite spinners, is well over a Christmas incident that left the company suffering under claims of &#8220;sexist&#8221; advertising, but now, at least one writer wants Peloton to answer charges of racism and cultural appropriation.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/having-peloton-during-pandemic-saved-me-more-i-ride-more-ncna1210671">Writing for NBC News&#8217; THINK platform</a>, African-American writer David Kaufman claims that, while he&#8217;s found his Peloton spin bike incredibly useful during the coronavirus pandemic when most gyms are locked down to prevent the spread of the virus, he&#8217;s concerned that the company has a &#8220;race problem&#8221; and that its mostly white instructors are pigeonholing rap and hip-hop artists and appropriating language more typically associated with black culture in order to encourage Peloton&#8217;s mostly white consumer base.
&#8220;It&#8217;s not that Peloton the company is actively racist or has even failed at being #woke; a quick spin through Peloton’s app or blog reveals that the brand is intentionally including racially conscious content throughout their marketing materials,&#8221; Kaufman says.
The streaming workout programs, though, are a different story. &#8220;Black instructors offer rides filled with typically &#8220;Black&#8221; music (rap, Caribbean or hip-hop) while white instructors offer ones with mostly &#8220;white&#8221; music (rock, pop and heavy metal) — though the thought that white people don&#8217;t work out to rap or hip-hop music and Black people don&#8217;t use rock or pop music to fuel their sessions in 2020 is laughable,&#8221; he says.
&#8220;Also curious — and curiously concerning — are the ways in which white Peloton instructors take on the affect of typical African American cultural tropes, using phrases like &#8216;go gurl,&#8217; or &#8216;yassss b&#8212;-es&#8217; to whip their riders into a frenzy,&#8221; Kaufman adds. &#8220;Yes, I realize that Black-inflected drag culture is now mainstream thanks to &#8216;Pose&#8217; and &#8216;RuPaul’s Drag Race&#8217; and that digital culture can often transcend traditional notions of race, but absent actual Black people, this type of cultural appropriation and tone-deafness feels woefully out of touch at a time when class and race-based inequalities are literally killing thousands.&#8221;
Kaufman&#8217;s commentary is somewhat ironic, as he acknowledges, given that Peloton is well known as a &#8220;woke&#8221; company and even went through a major creative overhaul as recently as last December, when Peloton found itself under attack by social justice warriors for a &#8220;sexist&#8221; commercial that implied a woman should be given the expensive spin bike as a holiday gift to kick off a &#8220;fitness journey.&#8221;
At the time, Peloton was a relatively niche company, serving largely wealthy, suburban women. Now, though, Peloton is probably much likelier to weather the social justice storm.
After COVID-19 hit, promoting states to lock down venues where community spread of the virus was likely, including gyms and fitness centers, interest in Peloton exploded, and the company is so profitable, it&#8217;s rolling out more products, including an &#8220;affordable&#8221; option for those who can&#8217;t shell out $2000 for an in-home fitness system, per <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/peloton-considers-cheaper-version-of-bike-to-grow-customer-base-2020-5">Business Insider</a>.
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UH OH: Peloton Now Blasted For Being ‘Racist,’ Appropriating Culture

And the marketing stunt of the year award goes to &#8230; Ryan Reynolds.
Capitalizing off the fervor over the viral Peloton commercial in which a husband gives the exercise bike to his attractive wife for Christmas, a new commercial from the brand Aviation Gin (owned by actor Ryan Reynolds) featured the actress who has become known throughout the halls of social media as the &#8220;Peloton Girl.”
&#8220;Exercise bike not included,&#8221; Reynolds cheekily said in the caption while announcing the ad on Twitter. Take a look:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Exercise bike not included. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AviationGin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AviationGin</a> <a href="https://t.co/jYHW74h81l">pic.twitter.com/jYHW74h81l</a>
&mdash; Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) <a href="https://twitter.com/VancityReynolds/status/1203118775815622664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Starting in extreme close-up, the 40-second ad begins with the Peloton Girl actress looking into the fourth-wall as if processing a great trauma as she stares down a glass of gin at a bar table. Sitting beside her are her dumbfounded but supportive friends, who both ponder on how best to console her seemingly mysterious anguish. Suddenly, the actress breaks the dreaded ice of silence when she utters, &#8220;This gin is really smooth.&#8221;
&#8220;Yeah,&#8221; her friend replies. &#8220;We can get you another one if you like.&#8221;
&#8220;You&#8217;re safe here,&#8221; the other friend says comfortingly.
Feeling relaxed, the Peloton Girl actress raises a glass and says, &#8220;To new beginnings.&#8221; After a brief toast, the friends watch helplessly as the girl downs her glass of gin in a fit of desperation.
&#8220;It&#8217;s gonna be a fun night,&#8221; the friend says as the glass empties.
In the final shot on the Aviation Gin bottle, an enthusiastic voice exclaims, &#8220;You look great by the way.&#8221;
Earlier this week, the halls of social media lit up with controversy about the Peloton exercise bike, which seemed to stoke all kinds of mockery from various sections of society. Feminists derided it for alleged sexism while others just found it incomprehensible and somewhat ridiculous.
Here&#8217;s how <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/43kjbw/peloton-commercial-holiday-advertisement">Vice writer</a> Katie Way characterized it:
<blockquote>To anyone who hasn’t seen a commercial for the wildly expensive subscription home-exercise bike, the horror imbued in the scene above may feel obvious or overwrought. To that I say: Watch the clip, and tell me this shit isn’t wildly sinister. Her grim motivation that pushes her to drag herself out of bed combined with exclaiming at the camera how blatantly, inexplicably nervous the Peloton makes her paint a bleak portrait of a woman in the thrall of a machine designed to erode her spirit as it sculpts her quads.</blockquote>
The conversation became so hot that the actor who played the husband <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-peloton-husband-responds-to-becoming-a-symbol-of-the-patriarchy-over-that-viral-ad-2019-12-06">lamented how</a> his face somehow became synonymous with sexism.
“People turned down a pretty dark path and it turned into a nasty thing,&#8221; the actor told &#8220;Good Morning America.&#8221; &#8220;My image is being associated with sexism, with the patriarchy, with abuse, with these words that I am seeing people write about me – that’s not who I am.”
“I currently sit here hoping that I’ll be able to continue auditioning for commercials without any taint, and that if my students happen to find the commercial and recognize me, they won’t think about me any different than they already know me,” he told Psychology Today. “If recognized on the street, what will people’s first opinions be of me?”

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