Join Emmy Award-winning journalist Peter Hamby, along with the team of expert journalists at Puck, as they let you in on the real conversations insiders are having across the four corners of power in America: Wall Street, Washington, Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Puck's contributors will bring you smart conversation around the inside stories happening in these worlds. Presented in partnership with Audacy, new episodes publish daily, Monday-Friday.
Jon Kelly joins Peter for a spirited chat on how much Bob Iger could rake in for selling Disney’s various non-essential assets, and which entities he might sell. Then they talk about the impact that the Republican primary circus will have on various incumbent mediacos and startups, alike.
Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss John Harris’s return to the top of the greasy pole at Politico. Then the duo discuss the new leadership regimes at CNN and The Washington Post.For more from Dylan -https://puck.news/the-politico-animal/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230721
Abby Livingston joins Peter to discuss the most surprising races playing out on Capitol Hill. Then Ben Landy and Lauren Sherman discuss what fashion mogul Francois-Henri Pinault might do with CAA.
Julia Ioffe calls Peter from Europe with a critical update on Ukraine’s latest drone strike deep inside Russian territory. Then Eriq Gardner swings by to explain Hollywood’s surprising beef with A.I.
Matt Belloni joins Peter Hamby to break down every angle of the historic dual writers-and-actors’ strike: Fran Drescher’s war cry, A-list pay disparities, Iger’s faux pas, the streaming conundrum, and how it all ends.For more from Matt -https://puck.news/burning-questions-on-hollywoods-summer-from-hell/
Jon Kelly joins Peter to talk through all the various implications of Bob Iger's latest contract extension: the deal machinations, succession rumblings, and more. Then they dig into the New York Times Co.'s decision to cede its sports section to The Athletic and why it was so obvious (and necessary).
Baratunde Thurston joins Peter to discuss and dissect the SCOTUS decision to overrule affirmative action in the college admissions process—and what it really reveals about history and our future.For more from Baratunde - https://puck.news/the-end-of-affirmative-action-and-the-attempt-to-erase-race/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230713
Ben Landy talks to Teddy Schleifer about the extraordinary progressive campaign to humiliate Peter Thiel. And then Peter Hamby and Dylan Byers dig into the chatter at the annual Allen & Co Sun Valley affair.For more from Teddy - https://puck.news/thiel-brock-a-gutter-oppo-campaign-for-our-times/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230713For more from Dylan - https://puck.news/notes-from-sun-valley/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230713
Abby Livingston and Peter talk about the anger, rage, confusion and other complex feelings surrounding Joe Manchin and the No Labels third party movement. Then Ben Landy and Eriq Gardner detail Zuck’s most unusual legal headaches.For more from Eriq - https://puck.news/marks-onlyfans-headache-elons-empty-threats/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230712
Bill Cohan and Peter chat about the growing feud between Zuck and Musk, the credibility of Threads, and whether the market actually needs a Twitter competitor.For more from Bill - https://puck.news/elons-options-a-lazard-micro-scandal/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230711
Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss how Threads made it to 100 million downloads in a week, and whether it still might be a fad. And then they dig into ESPN’s layoffs, and the transformation ahead.
Julia Ioffe joins Peter to connect the dots between Prigozhin’s exile, the false calm in Moscow, and a missing Russian general. Then Teddy Schleifer swings by to decipher Trump’s latest campaign haul and a new DeSantis dilemma. For more from Julia -https://puck.news/putins-post-prigozhin-clean-up/
Lauren Sherman and Ben Landy discuss Kanye West’s latest, unusual, and utterly predictable business deal. And Eriq Gardner tells Peter Hamby about a tech case headed up the legal ladder that could blow your mind.For more from Lauren -https://puck.news/ye-dov-are-having-a-fashion-baby/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230706
Is Musk deliberately sabotaging Twitter to buy its debt back on the cheap? Or is the world’s richest man just sabotaging himself? Bill Cohan and Peter discuss.For more from Bill -https://puck.news/the-elon-twitter-debt-vulcan-chess-theory/
Abby Livingston joins Peter to dig into all the House Republicans’ impeachment fantasies, sorting through which are real and which are bogus and illuminating their ulterior motives. Happy Independence Day!
On a special holiday edition of America’s favorite media readout, Jon Kelly and Peter explain the stakes behind Tucker Carlson’s fundraise and then weigh in on the burden Hunter Biden is placing on his dad. The duo also engages in some rogue casting assignments…
Abby Livingston joins Peter to discuss the extent of the Hunter Biden fallout. Is it Benghazi? Whitewater? Or a nothing-burger? Then Ben Landy and Lauren Sherman dig into the Olsen Twins’ fashion fundraising sitch.
Peter and Teddy Schleifer dig into the huge gap between Chris Christie’s donor support and his electoral opportunity, and then they predict where the No Labels anxiety may lead. Then Ben Landy and Eriq Gardner explain the court case Elon Musk is dreading.
Dylan Byers joins Peter to unpack Fox’s post-Dominion, post-Tucker scramble in prime time: the ascent of Jesse Watters, the slight demotion of Laura Ingraham and… Gutfeld!
Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby discuss a media question that is now almost on the table: Can David Zaslav trade CNN? And would such a deal, which would take years, get initiated at Sun Valley?
Eriq Gardner joins Peter to discuss Robert De Niro’s $6 million legal war with his former assistant. And then Tina Nguyen and Ben Landy dig into the tiff consuming the Capitol.
Teddy Schleifer and Peter discuss how Kennedy’s new V.C. fan club could scramble the Democratic primary. Then Dylan Byers stops by with an inside look at how Fox News is using Brett Baier to de-Tuckerize dayside.
Lauren Sherman joins Peter to discuss why the Arnault family entrusted Pharrell with the menswear line of the world’s most lucrative brand. And then Bill Cohan enumerates Elon’s creditor problems in conversation with Ben Landy.For more from Lauren -https://puck.news/inside-lvmhs-pharrell-fantasy/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230621for more from Bill -https://puck.news/will-elon-lose-control-of-twitter/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230621
Abby Livingston, Puck’s new Congressional correspondent, joins Peter for an animated conversation about the censure effort against Adam Schiff—where it might head and how it plays to his advantage. Then they delve into their CNN roots.
Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss the immediate post-Licht programming highs, and what to expect from CNN in the weeks and months ahead. Then they delve into the various headaches plaguing Insider (nee Business Insider).
Dylan Byers joins Peter for an inside look at Washington Post C.E.O. Fred Ryan’s controversial legacy and what’s next for the paper in its post-“Democracy Dies in the Darkness” era. Then Eriq Gardner breaks down the legal complexifiers buried in the PGA-LIV golf deal.For more from Dylan - https://puck.news/a-tale-of-two-fred-ryans/For more from Eriq - https://puck.news/the-saudi-pga-ma-legal-hellscape/
Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss whether tech legend North Dakota governor Doug Burgum can buy his way into the G.O.P. presidential race. Then Lauren Sherman drops by to illuminate the Hollywood billionaire quietly cornering the market on America’s resurgent Western nostalgia lovefest.
Matt Belloni joins Peter to discuss whether a string of wannabe blockbusters can revive the summer box office, and if R-rated sex comedies are due for a comeback. Then they get into Tom Cruise’s furious campaign to muscle out Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig in the battle for the big screen.
Peter and Ben debate whether Ron DeSantis is a winner or a weirdo, and if the media doom loop narrative is overplayed. Then they weigh the aftershocks of another Trump indictment and the legacy of Youngkin’s “parental rights”campaign.For more from Peter - https://puck.news/desantis-extinction-theory-revisited/
Jon Kelly reunites with Peter for a post-Licht jam session that focused on David Zaslav’s real priority: servicing the debt burden of the WBD colossus. Then they assess Tucker Carlson’s legal quagmire.
Teddy and Peter marvel at how Jack Dorsey and the V.C. contrarian crew fell head over heels for alt-left crank RFK Jr. Then Tina joins Ben for a Talmudic reading of Kevin McCarthy’s latest G.O.P. family psychodrama.For more from Teddy -https://puck.news/jack-bobby-2-0/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230609For more from Tina -https://puck.news/desantiss-iowa-edge-elons-anti-woke-headache/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230609
Dylan Byers, who broke the news on Chris Licht’s ouster at CNN, chats with Peter about how it all went down: when Zaz turned on him and what’s next for both CNN and Licht, himself.For more from Dylan -https://puck.news/lichts-out/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230608
Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down the latest twists as A.I. threatens the writers’ strike. Then Bill Cohan and Ben gab about Apple’s new headset, the S.E.C.’s war on crypto, and Dimon ‘24 fever. For more from Eriq - https://puck.news/is-your-robo-lawyer-breaking-the-law/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230607For more from Bill - https://puck.news/a-chamath-humbling-president-dimon-chatter-elliotts-triumph/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230607
Lauren Sherman joins Peter to dissect the exit of Edward Enninful from British Vogue and the power struggles inside Condé Nast as Anna Wintour consolidates power yet again. Then they dig into the murky economics of celebrity stylists in Hollywood. For more from Lauren -https://puck.news/the-end-of-the-edwardian-age/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230606
Dylan Byers and Jon Kelly discuss the double-barreled headache at CNN: the surprise Dave Leavy C.O.O. appointment and that atrocious Atlantic story… Oof, is Licht toast?
Tina Nguyen joins Ben to decipher how Kevin McCarthy put down the House debt ceiling rebellion and gave Biden a surprise win. Then they dig into Elon’s misadventures trying to court the far right.For more from Tina -https://puck.news/elons-murdochian-desantasy/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230602
Baratunde Thurston joins Ben for a rollicking debate over whether the latest A.I. panic is self-aggrandizing hysteria or cynical ass-covering. Then they dig into what Washington can do to help—or if new red tape will make everything worse. For more from Baratunde -https://puck.news/the-case-for-temporarily-unplugging-a-i/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230601
Julia Ioffe phones in from Europe with an update on the war in Ukraine and how insiders in Brussels are planning for its reconstruction. Then they discuss the military’s cross-border incursions and a mysterious drone attack on Moscow.For more from Julia -https://puck.news/yalta-2023-planning-for-life-after-the-russian-invasion/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230530
Bill Cohan joins Ben for a (spoiler-filled) discussion of how the ‘Succession’ finale measured up to the show’s stranger-than-fiction muses—Rupert, Lachlan, the Redstones, etcetera—and how the GoJo deal would have played out on Wall Street. Then they dig into Washington’s debt ceiling mess.
Jon Kelly and Dylan Byers explain why Elon Musk’s rightwing media dreams are more complicated than he realizes. And then they dig into the Semafor fundraise and The Messenger’s uneven launch.
Julia Alexander and Ben Landy dig into WBD's new Max super app, which combines the luxurious and iconic HBO library with all the beloved garbage from the Discovery cinematic universe: Chip & Joanna, Dr. Pimple Popper, My 600-lb Life, and so forth. Alas, this may be just what our times call for...
Teddy Schleifer joins Ben to discuss a new generation of elite G.O.P. influencers, power brokers, and money men—starting with David Sacks and Jeff Roe.For more from Teddy -https://puck.news/desantis-sacks-24/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230525
Lauren Sherman joins Ben to chart the rise and fall of Refinery29, a $400 million victim of the Vice Media bankruptcy. Then they turn to the masthead succession drama at WSJ. magazine after the ouster of Kristina O’Neill.For more from Lauren and Line Sheet -https://puck.news/newsletter_content/the-chanel-spell-more-wsj-goss-a-designer-exit/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230524
Bill Cohan joins Ben Landy to discuss how Bill Ackman epically mistimed his Netflix position. Then they delve into Bob Iger’s complex turnaround effort at Disney.For more from Bill -https://puck.news/lazard-succession-igers-espn-move-netflixs-ozempic/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230523
Jon Kelly and Dylan Byers chat about Disney’s decision to take ESPN direct to consumers, and what that means for both the company’s EBITDA and the industry’s future. Then they delve into CNN’s post town hall malaise and The Messenger’s start-up challenges.
Julia Ioffe joins Ben to decipher the souring relationship between the Kremlin and Evgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s mercenary army, over the battle for Bakhmut. Then they break down how Republicans turned the Pentagon into a political punching bag.
Eriq Gardner and Ben Landy dig into Sam Bankman-Fried’s ambitious and brazen defense to prove his innocence—and the legal precedents that give him hope.For more from Eriq - https://puck.news/s-b-f-s-varsity-blues-defense/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230518
Teddy Schleifer joins Ben Landy to discuss the new front in the Trump-DeSantis megadonor primary. And then the duo discuss Biden’s lukewarm entrance in the fundraising sweepstakes.
Matt Belloni joins Ben Landy to break down the latest developments and deal points in the writers’ strike: navigating a new era of TV, Hollywood’s shrinking middle class, and Zaslav’s P.R. strategy. Then they unpack Aaron Sorkin’s prediction for a WGA-showrunner schism. For more from Matt -https://puck.news/can-the-striking-writers-avoid-class-warfare/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230512
