Objective PBS Special: Tesla's Elon Musk On Overcoming Adversity

Tesla, like just about every new automaker in history, has experienced enormous adversity. How does Musk handle it?

By: EVANNEX

Oct 1, 2021 at 9:28am ET

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Posted on EVANNEX on October 01, 2021 by Matt Pressman

This week PBS premiered a fascinating new documentary on Elon Musk. In its second season, PBS' most recent episode of In Their Own Words provides unique insights into Musk. The special highlights Musk's breathtaking journey from bullied boy to brilliant billionaire. How did he amass such a fortune? And how did he, against all odds, battle against auto and aerospace giants to rise to the top of those impenetrable industries?

Above: Tesla and SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk is profiled in an hour-long documentary on PBS (Source: PBS)

These questions and many others are addressed in this PBS special over the course of an hour-long, in-depth profile on Musk. The majority of the program focuses on Musk's ability to take an inordinate amount of risk in both the aerospace and automotive industries to become the dominant player in both arenas. Musk's story takes us all the way back to his childhood and looks ahead to his audacious, awe-inspiring future plans.

To get some perspective, PBS interviewed former SpaceX Director of Space Operations Garrett Reisman; Tim Fernholz, author of "Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and the New Space Race"; Lori Garver, former NASA deputy administrator and author of “Bureaucrats and Billionaires: The Race to Save NASA”; and Anna Crowley Redding, author of “Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World.”

Also, featured prominently in the episode is Tim Higgins, Wall Street Journal reporter and author of "Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, And The Bet of The Century." Because of EVANNEX's long history in the Tesla community, PBS sent a production team to our facility and interviewed me (along with my father, Roger Pressman). We commented on the saga of Elon Musk — much like we often do in the column you're reading right now.

In any event, most Musk profiles in Big Media tend to be hit pieces — full of FUD and fueled by nefarious interests. Elon is, after all, disrupting some (very angry) industry behemoths. PBS, which isn't beholden to advertising interests, appears to give Musk a fair shake. Whatever you believe about Elon, this is must-see TV.

Check your local PBS listings to watch it on the tube at home. Or, feel free to watch the entire episode (right here) below.