This program originally aired online via Zoom on Thursday, September 18th, 2025, at 1:30 pm Eastern.
Julie Salamon, New York Times best-selling author and journalist, sat down with business media executive Barry Diller to discuss his career and latest memoir, Who Knew. Barry knew he had a good story and wanted to tell it truthfully; the result was a compelling memoir about his childhood, career, personal life, and sexuality. For years, Mr. Diller felt anxiety that his homosexuality would be revealed, while also having a fulfilling decades-long romantic relationship with fashion designer and businesswoman Diane von Furstenberg. Looking back, he believes that having one large fear eclipsed any other possible anxieties or fears. He attributes his ability to influence others in the business world to his early childhood, where he was often responsible for the emotional task of pleasing his mother.
Mr. Diller feels that his Jewish identity is mostly tribal, as opposed to religious or spiritual. He finds that he has an innate connection, or affinity, with other Jewish people. While Barry doesn’t feel he has ever personally experienced antisemitism, observing the current moment, he feels the upswing in antisemitism internationally is connected to Israel and a lack of education and understanding.
Mr. Diller expressed his shock over the removal of Jimmy Kimmel, a stand-up comedian and late-night host, due to pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the host network ABC. A veteran media executive, Mr. Diller considers the response to be a heinous politicization of the FCC, which he finds to be deeply concerning, and “beyond frightening.” Barry believes that the Fairness Doctrine was instrumental in maintaining a balance in the media of ideas and opinions. Without it, as a society, we no longer share a common sense of values.
Barry Diller is involved in numerous philanthropic causes, with a primary focus on public parks and institutions. Projects have included Little Island and The High Line. Mr. Diller enjoys spending time at Little Island and loves to see members of the public enjoying the space. He takes pride and enjoyment in the projects that he has funded, but believes that putting his name on them would be gauche. He believes that wealth comes with a responsibility to contribute to the public good and wishes to instill this value in his children and grandchildren.
Topics covered in this program: Barry Diller’s experience recording the audio for his book Who Knew, fear and anxiety around sexuality, the rise of antisemitism internationally, the FCC’s pressure on ABC to remove comedian Jimmy Kimmel from his late-night show, the responsibility of wealth to contribute to the public good, paying taxes, and funding public institutions and parks.
