Tesla CEO Musk Takes a Hit During Live Podcast

Today’s business world is abuzz about the latest episode of un-CEO-like behavior by Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk: sipping whiskey and taking a drag on a marijuana-laced cigarette during a live podcast.

He was a guest on a 2.5-hour show hosted by popular California comedian Joe Rogan. The wide-ranging discussion covered everything from colonizing Mars and mind-machine interfaces to supersonic electric airplanes and the end of the world. Musk also demonstrated one of his company’s flamethrowers.

Tesla revealed separately that David Morton, who joined the company as its chief accounting officer last month, quit on Tuesday, citing the hectic pace of the company’s business. Today also is the last day at Tesla for Sarah O’Brien, the company’s head of communications after two years.

Musk’s podcast performance on Thursday, coupled with the latest two management departures, caused Tesla shares to fall as much as 10% in intraday trading before rallying later in the day.

Musk’s appearance was his first public outing since last month’s flip-flop on his desire and ability to privatize the carmaker. Since then he also has revived his unsupported claim of pedophilia against a diver who helped save a youth soccer team trapped in a Malaysian cave.