Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Twitter CEO Dick Costolo: ‘I Don’t Have Any Idea What I’m Going to Do Next’

It won’t be stand-up comedy. Why get heckled in a club in Des Moines when you can get heckled for free in San Francisco?

Twitter

Dick Costolo, who steps down as CEO of Twitter next month, isn’t sure what he’ll do after leaving the company, but one thing’s for sure — it won’t include stand-up comedy.

“I don’t think it would be a smart move,” Costolo joked onstage at the Bloomberg Technology Conference in San Francisco. “I get heckled for free now, why would I travel to Des Moines and go through the laugh track and get heckled?”

Costolo, who used to ply his trade as an amateur stand-up comedian, said Tuesday he doesn’t have a game plan for the summer beyond a little R&R. “I always advise people going through these transitions to take some time off, so I’m going to try and do as I say,” he said. “I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do next.”

The embattled chief executive had been under pressure form Twitter’s board and Wall Street, which led to his resignation last Thursday. In an interview with Re/code shortly after the announcement, Costolo said his decision to leave the company has been in the works for months.

Costolo will still stay on Twitter’s board “indefinitely,” he added, and said he hopes to impart a little wisdom to whoever Twitter hires as his permanent replacement. Founder Jack Dorsey will act as interim CEO.

There has been plenty of speculation over the past week both inside and outside the company that Dorsey may simply shed the “interim” title in six months and take the helm for good. Costolo didn’t dispel that possibility, but he did say that Twitter’s CEO search is the real deal. The company isn’t just going through the motions until Dorsey takes over.

“The board is legitimately doing a search,” he explained. Costolo wouldn’t discuss whether individual Twitter execs were in the running for the position. He did speak highly of Twitter’s sales and revenue boss Adam Bain, who is considered a candidate for the role, calling him tireless and relentless. “I can’t speak highly enough about that guy,” he added.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Future Perfect
The 5 most unhinged revelations from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAIThe 5 most unhinged revelations from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI
Future Perfect

The Musk v. OpenAI trial is over. Here are the receipts.

By Sara Herschander
Politics
Data centers could actually be good for your hometownData centers could actually be good for your hometown
Politics

The case for the buildings America loves to hate.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
How to fall in love with humanity againHow to fall in love with humanity again
Future Perfect

Tech culture has made contempt for humanity feel enlightened. We can do better.

By Sigal Samuel
America, Actually
Inside the fight over America’s data centersInside the fight over America’s data centers
Podcast
America, Actually

“The ugliest thing I’ve ever seen”: How New Jersey residents feel about a data center in their backyard.

By Astead Herndon
Podcasts
Could you spot an AI-written book?Could you spot an AI-written book?
Podcast
Podcasts

An author set up an experiment to find out.

By Amina Al-Sadi and Noel King
Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram