The Powers That Be: Daily

In a jam-packed, breaking news-focused special episode, Eriq Garder joins Peter to discuss the conclusion of the Depp-Heard trial and the anticipated post-verdict appeals. Then Dylan Byers discusses his interview with Sheryl Sandberg minutes after she announced she was stepping down from Facebook/Meta.

In a special episode, Dylan Byers and William D. Cohan inspect the values and virtues of the Comcast board room—why the company is so acquisitive, why NBCU wasn’t spun out with EA, and other potential combinations. Then Tina Nguyen swings by with a dispatch from Hope Hicks country.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the latest scandal rocking the Kremlin—a shocking defection that reveals Putin’s true weaknesses. Then Teddy Schleifer joins to discuss the inside story on a secret billionaire powwow.

Jon Kelly joins Peter for a discussion about lingering anxieties inside the CNN newsroom, where many are still mourning the absence of Jeff Zucker and questioning, fairly or not, the judgment of new C.E.O. Chris Licht.

Matt Belloni joins Peter to explain how Top Gun: Maverick wended its way through development to likely become Tom Cruise’s first—yes, first—$100 million opening weekend. Then Alex Bigler, Puck’s favorite marketing executive, offers some feedback from our community about Peter and unknown facts about Teddy.

Veteran media reporter Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss how Comcast’s Brian Roberts very nearly spun off NBCU into a merger with Electronic Arts—and what the defunct deal nonetheless reveals about his next M&A targets. Then Teddy Schleifer stops by to handicap Round 2 of the Gavin Newsom vs David Sacks recallapalooza.

Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss the biggest political subplot of 2024–which presidential campaign will Jeff Roe run? And will the data quant, who led Cruz in 2016, ice the field by waiting for Trump’s business? Tina Nguyen also swings by to explain some hurdles Trump may have in store for himself.

William D. Cohan joins Peter to explain Warren Buffett’s unprecedented $2.6 billion investment into Paramount Global, and game out Elon Musk’s next moves at Twitter. Then Eriq Gardner stops by to explain the unimaginable wrinkle in the Cosby trial. Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and InstagramVisit puck.news for the inside scoop that only Puck can Offer

Jon Kelly joins Peter for their usual and insightful media banter on Hollywood’s most-gossiped-about roll-up play, future media consolidation, and Elon Musk’s recalibration

Ace media reporter Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the latest machinations at NBC News, where Chuck Todd is trying, once again, to reboot a historic franchise. And Puck’s VP extraordinaire Alex Bigler shares the latest dish in a special installment of Feedback Friday.

Tina Nguyen joins Peter to break down Pennsylvania’s kookoo electoral results—“Dave” vs. Oz, Fetterman, and all the “election truther” nonsense. And Tara Palmeri breaks down this season’s succession games in D.C., including the biggest of them all: who will replace Pelosi?

Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss Larry Ellison’s incredible journey from Clinton buddy to Trump booster and more. And Julia Ioffe explains the latest calculations about the war in Ukraine.

Baratunde Thurston joins Peter to discuss the tragedy in Buffalo and the intellectual fallacies of Samuel Alito’s leaked decision. Then Tina Nguyen previews the G.O.P.’s nightmare election—a hedge fund centamillionaire vs Dr. Oz vs a Jan 6th flag-waver, all fighting for the hearts and minds of the Keystone State.

Jon Kelly joins Peter for a spirited discussion of Elon Musk’s latest Twitter negotiating tactic—and the potential various outcomes for the company once Musk gets his hands on the wheel. They also discuss Tom Brady’s mega-deal, both what it means for the future of linear and Fox, itself.

Matt Belloni joins Peter to make sense of the latest battles in the streaming wars, and project who might eventually come out on top. Then Puck’s favorite vice president, Alex Bigler, drops by to explain what the community is fired up about this week.

Dylan Byers joins Peter to explain what's really going on inside CNN under new C.E.O. Chris Licht. Can the network become a centrist behemoth? Can Licht navigate a path forward by being an anti-Zucker? Licht's vision may have sounded good in the pitch room to Zaz, but can it actually work? And Tara Palmeri swings by to discuss the dysfunction inside Biden's West Wing.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to discuss Washington’s new favorite parlor game: Who leaked the Supreme Court’s draft ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, how did it end up in the hands of a national security reporter, and what were they really hoping to accomplish? Then Bill Cohan stops by to explain Elon’s latest brain-rattling back-up plan to find equity for Twitter.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the insidious biographical roots of Putin’s rage. And then Tina Nguyen joins to explain how MAGA fakers Dr. Oz and David “Dave” McCormick are eating each others’ eyeballs out to the point that they both might lose the Pennsylvania G.O.P. primary.

Jon Kelly joins Peter for a spirited Media Monday conversation about Chris Licht’s strategy at CNN—distancing himself from Zucker’s legacy, being involved while being above the fray, managing more than micro-producing. Will it work? And then they talk about Vice’s reported parts sale and next steps and what it says about Web 2.0.

Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss D.C.'s lingering media challenge, which lies beneath its WASPy, white-teeth clenched smile culture. And ace marketing whiz Alex Bigler swings by to share some exclusive reader feedback.

Tina Nguyen joins Peter to discuss how enterprising hillbilly candidate J.D. Vance milked Peter Thiel and Donald Trump for more money and a life-changing endorsement, and what it means for the berserk race between Dr. Oz and David McCormick in Pennsylvania. Then Ben Landy brings us into the Puck newsroom with updates on Elon, Ackman, and Roe.

Dylan Byers joins Peter Hamby to discuss the latest dish on Semafor, the Ben & Justin Smith new mediaco: who they've tried to recruit, the interesting model, and what the company is really trying to do—and be. Teddy Schleifer also joins to discuss Elon Musk's bizarre deal history. Turns out Twitter is really of a piece with his eccentric history of leveraging himself into oblivion.

Puck’s senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri joins Peter to discuss the stunning revelation that the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, what it means for women, what it means for the midterms, and whether there’s anything that Democrats can do to stop it.

William D. Cohan joins Peter to discuss the bull and bear case for Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the deal’s nine-figure escape clause, and how Wall Street’s biggest banks are betting on the outcome. Then Eriq Gardner swings by to explain how Netflix can recover from one of the most shocking downturns in Hollywood history.

Jon Kelly talks with Peter about the public markets media meltdown—all the Netflix player haters, the Spotify mini-correction, and how media narratives are killing the media business. They also discuss the latest Twitter dish before Dylan Byers offers his recap of the White House Correspondents Weekend.

Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss Elon Musk’s crazy past few years—how a guy running an underperforming public company (Tesla) became the world’s richest man, a political icon, and the putative owner of Twitter. It wasn’t always a straight line. And then Eriq Gardner explains HBO’s NBA headache and the NFL’s crafty workaround.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the latest turns in Russia’s war with Ukraine, and how the White House has decidedly changed its stance. Also: what’s with all these rumors of Putin’s decline? And Tina Nguyen explains why Trump will scorn Elon Musk till the bitter end.

Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the backroom conversations taking place both at Warner Bros. Discovery and CNN. What happens to the star anchors? Did Jason Kilar wear metal ear plugs? Why do the old Time Warner assets keep getting divorced? And then Baratunde Thurston explains how Twitter became, well, Twitter.

William D. Cohan, who called the Musk takeover all along, talks to Peter about the next steps in the twitter takeover process. And Julia Ioffe swings by to discuss the latest in Russia’s war.

Jon Kelly and Peter discuss the inside story behind David Zaslav’s decision to kill off CNN+: the personal beefs, the strategic blunders, the Kilar of it all, and the deeper and more sinister truth… Warner Bros. Discovery isn’t a media company so much as it’s a highly-levered and financially engineered corporate marriage of necessity. Zaz needs another Game of Thrones less than he needs $14 billion in EBITDA and $3 billion in synergies.

Matt Belloni talks to Peter about some of the more head-spinning details of the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard libel case. Jon Kelly discusses the major news out of Netflix and CNN. And Alex Bigler explains the feedback that we're getting here at Puck.

Yes, everyone in Hollywood is going bananas over the awful Netflix numbers but Eriq Gardner talks to Peter about a far more sinister story in Hollywood: a coming copyright apocalypse that could jeopardize some of the biggest characters and franchises in history. And Ben Landy swings by to, yes, explain those awful Netflix numbers and discuss the CNN pivot, too.

William D. Cohan talks with Peter about Elon Musk’s remaining obstacles to take over Twitter, why so much of the conventional wisdom is wrong and how he could finance the deal. Meanwhile, Teddy Schleifer explains Peter Thiel’s complex political ambitions.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss Putin’s military plans, his moves in the east of Ukraine, and Mariupol, and how the martial games will play out. Then Tina Nguyen swings by to discuss Trump’s endorsement algorithm and what it means for 2024.

It’s Media Monday! Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss MSNBC’s vexing inactivity to plug its Maddow-sized hole in prime time. Is Jeff Shell making a statement about linear? Or are executives out to lunch? And will Zaslav pivot CNN+ or, worse, essentially cut its cord?

Teddy Schleifer joins Peter to discuss why the emergence of a new class of ultra-ultra wealthy Democrats, such as MacKenzie Scott and Laurene Powell Jobs and the Zuckerberg-Chans, has the G.O.P. so fired up. And William D. Cohan swings by to discuss the panic in the Twitter board room as Elon Musk readies for the kill shot.

What will Elon Musk do next in his gruesome hostage negotiation with the Twitter board? William D. Cohan tells Peter why Musk is so dangerous right now, and how he could eat Twitter alive. Also: Puck’s VP Alex Bigler swings by to share our community’s most intimate feedback.

Tina Nguyen joins Peter to discuss the head-spinning Pennsylvania Senate primary, where Trump has endorsed Dr. Oz (Dr. Oz!!) over the former C.E.O. of Bridgewater, who happens to be married to former Trump cabinet member Dina Powell, and is employing Hope Hicks, Cliff Sims, and other Trump J.V. alums. Plus: Ben Landy documents CNN’s woes and Maddow’s surprise.

Julia Alexander, the Parrot Analytics analyst and Puck contributor, joins Peter to explain HBO Max’s success and what to expect under Zaz Rule. Meanwhile, Teddy Schleifer gets into Mackenzie Scott’s business.

Jon Kelly joins Peter for a discussion about the D.C. media fascination du jour--will the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner take place this year or get Covid-cancelled? The gala, a veritable celebrity event in the Obama years, essentially went on hiatus in the Trump era. Is it back? Are D.C. reporters going to reprise their star power or revert to C-SPAN cover stars? As usual, there is an ulterior motive to this anxiety. Also: the two kibbitz about David Zaslav's first day helming the newly combined Warner Bros. Discovery. After a year of foreplay, the market is still surprisingly cool on the deal. How can Zaz change that?

Matt Belloni talks with Peter about The Academy’s meeting today about Will Smith’s punishment. Will his Oscar be taken away? Meanwhile, Jon Kelly swings by to talk about The Times, Zazworld, and the G.O.P.s gross fetishes.Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Puck’s executive editor Ben Landy joins Peter for a conversation about Biden’s tenure thus far: his dismal approval ratings, his post-Afghanistan hurdles, and his best shot yet at recovering his message. And Baratunde Thurston explains the latest revelations on the Web3 phenomenon.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to explain the Ukrainian president’s strategy, Putin’s Gordian knot, and whether the Russian president could actually face trial for war crimes. And Puck executive editor Ben Landy swings by to explain David Zaslav’s latest moves.

William D. Cohan joins Peter to explain why Elon Musk spent 1% of his net worth, or nearly $3 billion, to become Twitter's largest individual shareholder. Is he out to gobble up the company? Does he want to let Trump back on the platform? Or is he just thrilled to make $800 million for passively owning the stock for a few days. Hint: all the above and more. Then, Tina Nguyen stops by to explain how Musk’s free speech takeover could drive Trump out of the social media business—and back onto Twitter, itself.

Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss Jen Psaki’s decision to pick MSNBC over CNN and whether she’ll be able to handle the green room heat. They also chew over whether Alex Wagner—or anyone, for that matter—can adequately fill Maddow’s shoes. Lastly, the duo discuss the latest batch of Trump books. Too late or is too much never enough?Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

William D. Cohan joins Peter Hamby to examine the C-suite headache at Disney, where former C.E.O. Bob Iger appears to be trolling his successor, Bob Chapek. It’s reminiscent one of one of the most thorny successions in all of corporate America. Meanwhile, Julia Ioffe swings by to presage how, and when, Putin’s bloodthirsty and misguided invasion of Ukraine might end. It could shock you.Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Tina Nguyen joins Peter to explore Ron DeSantis’s 2024 calculus for staying quiet about Ukraine, his strategic non-aggression pact with Trump, and perhaps the biggest question hanging over the G.O.P. right now—will he still run for president if Trump does too? And will Mike Pence help him kill the king? Also: Teddy Schleifer swings by to unveil some unfolding billionaire drama.Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Teddy Schleifer joins Peter Hamby to discuss the emerging political ambitions of a previously anonymous billionaire with some big political aspirations. Jeff Lawson, the C.E.O. of Twilio, is positioning himself to become the biggest political donor on the left, an heir to Benioff, and the latest avatar of how Silicon Valley is reshaping Washington D.C.Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Baratunde Thurston joins Peter Hamby to discuss the tragedy of Will Smith’s Oscar night, pinpointing the most critical mistakes that the actor made beyond the infamous clocking of Chris Rock. They also discuss what Smith should have said, and needs to reflect on, if he wants to regain his dignity (and career).Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Peter Hamby is back just in time for another Media Monday. Jon Kelly joins to discuss Chris Wallace's parting words to Fox News, the respected journalist's jump to CNN+ and his Norman Rockwellesque new tv show. Then they lament how BuzzFeed News became a listicle of itself. Follow @PuckNews on Twitter and Subscribe to Puck.NewsThe Power's That Be is a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. Please listen, rate, review, and follow all episodes wherever you get your podcasts.