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.
With Peter Hamby off on his honeymoon, Jon Kelly and Dylan Byers fill his shoes to weigh in on CNN’s internal town hall fallout and speculate about whether Tucker Carlson is a Rogan or a Megyn.
Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss the F.B.I. dragnet enclosing Sam Bankman-Fried as another former FTX executive is pressured to flip. Then Lauren Sherman swings by to talk about the evolution of the fashion media business. For more from Teddy -https://puck.news/s-b-f-s-jack-and-jackie/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230512For more on Line Sheet and how to sign up -https://puck.news/newsletter_content/alessandro-rumors-part-deux-the-ozempic-bump/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230512
Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss the third-party anti-Trump, anti-Biden fantasy—and Joe Manchin’s potential role in the mix.For more from Tara -https://puck.news/no-labels-leaks-manchin-24-dreams/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230511
Baratunde Thurston joins Peter to discuss how much A.I. will fully impact Hollywood’s epic writers’ strike, and how many other creative industries remain on the front lines of the content wars.
Eriq Gardner and Peter Hamby dig into the next act of the Disney-DeSantis cat fight. And then Ben Landy and Bill Cohan speculate about why Warren Buffet even bought into Shari Redstone’s Paramount Global in the first place.For more from Eriq -https://puck.news/iger-vs-desantis-the-next-steps/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230509For more from Bill -https://puck.news/a-warren-shari-mystery-ackmans-icahnfreude/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230509
Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss the topics that are keeping the media chattering classes chattering: Zaz’s earnings, the Paramount catastrophe, and the end of Vice as we know it.
Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to dig into the Republican party’s new generation of post-Adelson benefactor zillionaires—and what they think about the Meatball. Then Tina Nguyen documents some surprisingly good news for Kevin McCarthy in conversation with Ben Landy.For more from Teddy -https://puck.news/bidens-2b-sausage-factory-three-comma-desantis-concerns/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230505For more from Tina -https://puck.news/bidens-2b-sausage-factory-three-comma-desantis-concerns/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230505
Tara Palmeri joins Peter to dig into the surprising operational capacity of the Trump ‘24 machine—at least for now. Then Julia Ioffe and Ben Landy discuss the latest Biden-Putin hostage swap calculation.For more from Tara -https://puck.news/trumps-fuzzy-new-hampshire-math/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230503For more from Julia -https://puck.news/inside-the-gershkovich-prisoner-swap-crisis/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=thepowersthatbe20230503
Lauren Sherman and Peter Hamby pour over a sudden, and surprising, dethronement in the glossy fashion media world. Then Bill Cohan and Ben Landy analyze Wall Street’s latest anxieties.
Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss Trump’s forthcoming CNN Town Hall and what it means for the network, the WBD brass, and Kaitlan Collins. Then they dig into the Vice bankruptcy.
Jon Kelly joins Peter for a rollicking conversation about Don and Tucker, the linear collapse, and what Vice’s stumbles proclaim about all of digital media.
When Elon Musk posted a video of himself arriving at Twitter HQ carrying a white sink along with the message “let that sink in!” it marked the end of a dramatic takeover. Musk had gone from Twitter critic to “Chief Twit” in the space of just a few months but his arrival didn’t put an end to questions about his motives. Musk had earned a reputation as a business maverick. From PayPal to Tesla to SpaceX, his name was synonymous with big, earth-shattering ideas. So, what did he want with a social media platform? And was this all really in the name of free speech...or was this all in the name of Elon Musk?From Wondery, the makers of WeCrashed and In God We Lust, comes the wild story of how the richest man alive took charge of the world’s “digital public square.”Listen to Flipping The Bird: Wondery.fm/FTB_PTB
Julia Ioffe joins Peter to share the details of her recent transatlantic trip with General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including his realpolitik views on Ukraine’s chances. Then Ben Landy and Eriq Gardner dig into Rupert Murdoch’s next legal quagmire.
Tara Palmeri joins Peter in Washington to discuss the town’s annual political media schmoozefest and the battle royale for cable news contracts. Then Lauren Sherman and Ben Landy dissect LVMH’s relaunch of Tiffany and break down the finances behind this year’s Met Gala.
Baratunde Thurston joins Peter from the front lines of climate change investing to offer some surprisingly positive news. (Disclosure: no ice caps or polar bears are discussed in the episode.)
Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the twin-barreled double-shocker of Tucker’s demise and Don Lemon’s ouster. Can Fox News rebuild organically? What’s next for CNN in the morning? It’s all here…
Jon Kelly joins Peter to hypothesize about what the Jeff Shell ouster means for NBCU—the Zaz-Reverse Morris storyline, succession, internal rumors, etcetera. Then they discuss the agony and ecstasy of the recently departed BuzzFeed News.For more on BuzzFeed coverage from Dylan Byers -https://puck.news/jonah-and-the-whale/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=tbtb
Tara Palmeri joins Peter to dig into the contretemps in California—Gavin, DiFi, ageism, absenteeism, and more—before digging into DeSantis’ own Bridgegate.For more in depth coverage from Tara -https://puck.news/gavin-newsoms-difi-pickle/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=tbtb https://puck.news/desantiss-new-donor-defiance/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=tbtb
Julia Ioffe joins Peter Hamby to discuss the D.C. game of telephone around the latest mega intelligence breach. Then Ben Landy and Teddy Schleifer discuss Larry Ellison’s Tim Scott infatuation.For more coverage from Julia -https://puck.news/intelligence-gossip-a-leak-postmortem/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=tbtbFor more coverage from Teddy -https://puck.news/the-larry-ellison-election/?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=tbtb
In a very special episode, Eriq Gardner and Dylan Byers chat with Peter about the semi-surprising outcome of the Fox-Dominion legal bloodbath and what to expect next.
Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss some of the most topical issues roiling our industry: Zaz’s Max plans, Newsmax’s future, the NFL’s media future, Elon’s feelings, and much more.
Matt Belloni joins Peter to discuss David Zaslav’s long overdue delay of Max, the colossal success of Super Mario Bros, and what to make of the early returns for Air.
Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss what happens when art imitates life—particularly in the case of Rupert Murdoch, the aging mogul and boulevardier, and the succession angles of his estranged and non-estranged and semi-estranged children. Then Teddy Schleifer and Ben Landy discuss Larry Ellison’s Tim Scott fantasy.For more on Dylan's coverage - https://puck.news/ruperts-headline-risk/
Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the document leak that has official Washington in a tizzy. Then Eriq Gardner and Ben Landy dig into DeSantis vs. Disney.To get more of this story from Julia Ioffe - https://puck.news/mark-warners-anti-tiktok-algorithm/To get more of this story from Eriq Gardner - https://puck.news/a-hulk-for-hulu-swap-microsofts-legal-game-theory/
Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss the non-Trump ‘24 hopefuls—enumerating their fears, hopes, dreams, and sordid ego fantasies. And, of course, whether any of them can be a credible Plan B if Trump slips on a banana peel.
Dylan Byers joins Peter to explain why Ari Emanuel and Endeavor went all in to acquire WWE. Then Tina Nguyen and Ben Landy philosophize about the waning DeSantasy.
Baratunde Thurston joins Peter to hash out precisely what Elon Musk misjudged about the blue check community, how perversely he misaligned incentives, and what his Twitter is going to inevitably resemble.
Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss whether Jeff Bezos can get this hands on the Commanders. Then Bill Cohan and Ben Landy go long on the Twitter Blue eviction phenomenon, and what it means for Musk’s investment.
Tina Nguyen and Peter Hamby chat about Ron DeSantis’ learning curve and what he’s learning from his wife. Then Peter and marketing guru Alex Bigler spill secrets on Puck’s next iteration.Click here to for a Puck special offer -https://puck.news/subscribe/?subscribe__coupon=SPRING23To sign up for Lauren Sherman's Line Sheet -https://puck.news/newsletters/line-sheet
Tara Palmeri joins Peter from Florida with an update on DeSantis’ suburban strategy, Mike Pompeo’s Roman holiday, and a Glenn Youngkin backup plan. Then Julia Alexander drops by to discuss Netflix’s secret super power. For more on Tara Palmeri's story - https://puck.news/desantis-doubts-a-o-c-s-strategy-pompeo-whereabouts/For more on Julia Alexander's story - https://puck.news/netflix-the-most-valuable-real-estate-in-hollywood/
Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss Peacock’s cable news streaming innovation, and whether it might work. Then Ben Landy and Julia Ioffe weigh in on the foreign policy secret around town: just how long the Biden administration will support Ukraine.
Eriq Gardner joins Peter to discuss, among other things, an Elon Musk legal trap of his own design. Then Bill Cohan discusses Credit Suisse’s tragic deal point with Ben Landy.
Jon Kelly joins Peter to decipher just how screwed TikTok may be in the current political environment. Then they dish on the inside story behind a D.C. media acquisition.
Teddy Schleiffer joins Peter to discuss Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman’s controversial interest in taking out Trump in the primary. Then Ben Landy and Tina Nguyen evaluate the helium that Trump’s potential indictment has offered his candidacy.Check Out Teddy's Articlehttps://puck.news/s-b-f-informants-a-strange-desantis-bedfellow/Check out Tina's Articlehttps://puck.news/is-the-republican-primary-already-over/
Dylan Byers joins Peter for a conversation about the cable news battle for the 2024 RNC debates—the reprisal of the Trump Show. Fox News has the lead, but everyone else (minus MSNBC) is competing for the action. Is this 2016 all over again?Check Out Dylan's Piecehttps://puck.news/psakis-promise-trump-debate-politics-a-cnn-low/
Julia Ioffe joins Ben Landy to discuss Putin’s latest Xi brown-nosing and dastardly Mariupol goose-stepping. Then Eriq Gardner swings by to discuss whether Trump is truly screwed.
Matt Belloni joins Peter to discuss all the issues stemming from the Oscars: the Tom Cruise snubs, the post-Will Smith ruckus, the big TikTok deal, and why young A-listers hate the red carpet.
Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss A.O.C.’s new role in Congress and address all the speculation about her future plans. Then Teddy Schleifer and Ben Landy dig into how Ron Conway helped save SVB.
Jon Kelly joins Peter Hamby to discuss Puck’s big night in Washington before turning their attention to a new media start-up from Jimmy Finkelstein and Richard “Mad Dawg” Beckman.
Tara Palmeri joins Peter Hamby to dissect the Democrat-on-Democrat Senate battle shaping up in Michigan, where the well-connected actor Hill Harper is emerging as a legitimate contender to congresswoman Elissa Slotkin. Then Ben Landy and Teddy Schleifer discuss the latest twists in S.B.F.’s fraud case and whether he would ever accept a plea bargain.
