Best Puck Pod Podcasts (2025)

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The Townies, Part 2: Who Won the Year in Hollywood? 44:27

Play Pause

2d ago44:27

44:27

In Part 2 of podcasting's biggest night, Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw hand out the Executive Fail of the Year Award; the Savviest PR Move Award; the Mea Culpa I Was Wrong Award; the Suck It Haters, I Was Right Award; and the Biggest Self-Inflicted Wound Award. Then they declare which executive and talent won 2025 (00:07). Matt finishes the show …

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The Townies: Hollywood’s Best and Worst of 2025 48:46

3d ago48:46

48:46

It’s podcasting’s most exclusive event of the year: the fourth annual Townies! Join Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw as they recap the year in Hollywood with exciting and hilarious categories like Biggest Flex, Most Destructive Behind-the-Scenes Drama, Most Baffling Success, Most Annoying Media Narrative, Deal of the Year, and much more in Part 1 of…

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Paramount Isn’t Giving up Warner Bros. to Netflix Just Yet 37:09

7d ago37:09

37:09

Matt is joined by Gerry Cardinale, founder and managing partner of RedBird Capital, to discuss Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros., why their bid is superior to Netflix’s bid, Larry Ellison and the Middle East's involvement, whether they will look to raise their bid, and what the next steps will be (02:33). Matt finishes the show with an opening weeke…

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A Warner Bros. Antitrust Debate With Senator Elizabeth Warren, and the Oscars Go to... YouTube 35:34

12d ago35:34

35:34

Matt is joined by United States Senator Elizabeth Warren to discuss what should happen to Warner Bros., why it should not go to Netflix or Paramount Skydance, whether Democrats and Republicans could unite to block this sale, and how Hollywood should fight to survive in the era of big tech consolidation (02:08). Matt finishes the show reacting to th…

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Why Iger Gave OpenAI the Keys to Disney’s Vault 32:53

9d ago32:53

32:53

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Disney entering a licensing agreement with Sora and investing $1 billion in OpenAI. The deal allows OpenAI to use characters from Disney’s deep pocket of popular IP in its Sora AI video generator. They break down the details of the deal, why Disney did it, how CEO Bob Iger handled the announcement…

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We're So Back(feat. TPSN) 47:03

15d ago47:03

47:03

Send us a text Back like he never left is Will! He says the future is Teal. Light up and listen to our most recent chat. Big thanks to Black Tie for another great session. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts. Stay tuned for our holiday episode coming soon! To get your hands on award winning cannabis from Black Tie https://blacktiecbd.net/?ref=hi…

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Ariana in Wicked and How to Cast a Billion-Dollar Movie 35:04

14d ago35:04

35:04

Matt is joined by casting director Tiffany Little Canfield (‘Wicked’) to discuss casting major franchise roles that draw thousands of auditions like Elphaba and Glinda in ‘Wicked,’ the challenges of casting stars vs. unknowns, misconceptions about the casting process and how it has changed, Hollywood’s lack of young movie stars, the new achievement…

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The Ellison Empire Strikes Back: Paramount Goes Hostile 36:00

16d ago36:00

36:00

Matt is joined by Peter Supino from Wolfe Research to discuss Paramount launching a hostile takeover of Warner Bros., days after they agreed to a deal with Netflix. Peter maps out the differences in each bid and makes the case for and against each bidder. They also talk about the latest comments by David Ellison, Ted Sarandos, and Donald Trump, whe…

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Netflix Buys Warner Bros. Emergency Pod!!! 41:03

20d ago41:03

41:03

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to break down every angle of Netflix agreeing to buy the Warner Bros. film and streaming business. They dig into why Netflix made this deal, why David Ellison and Paramount lost out, the threat to moviemaking and movie theaters, what will happen to HBO Max, and possible roadblocks that could prevent this dea…

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Is Film School Still Worth It? With a Top Dean. 35:20

21d ago35:20

35:20

Matt is joined by Stephen Galloway, the dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, to discuss the state of film school education in 2025, how it has evolved, and the increasingly high tuition costs (02:22) Matt finishes the show by predicting whether 'Rush Hour 4' will actually get made (27:09). For a 20 percent discount on …

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Why the NFL (and Everything Else) Keeps Breaking Ratings Records 32:26

21d ago32:26

32:26

Matt is joined by Nielsen Global Media executive Brian Fuhrer to discuss why NFL ratings seem to be setting new viewership records all the time, how sports-ratings measurements have changed, why these numbers are so important for sports leagues, and which leagues are growing the fastest (02:35). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box of…

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Would Netflix Really Embrace Theaters to Buy Warner Bros.? 37:01

24d ago37:01

37:01

Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to discuss Lucas’s recent report that Netflix would continue to release Warner Bros. movies in theaters if it were to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. They talk about whether they actually believe Netflix, how theatrical movies at Netflix would work, and possible conditions that could accompany a Netflix–Warn…

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Commercial Vs. Arthouse, Going Marvel, and Notes From Spielberg With ‘Hamnet’ Director Chloé Zhao 30:05

1M ago30:05

30:05

Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by director Chloe Zhao ('Hamnet') to discuss what she learned from Steven Spielberg producing her movie, how she developed her visual style, directing a Marvel movie, casting ‘Hamnet’, the COVID Oscars, and her plans to work in anime (00:41). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction …

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Part 2: James Cameron on ‘Avatar 4’ and ‘5,’ Movie Biz Fears, 3D, Netflix, and Aliens 37:56

1M ago37:56

37:56

In part two, Matt and director James Cameron talk about how much ‘Avatar’ really costs to produce, whether he has plans for a fourth and fifth movie, his relationship with Disney and Bob Iger, what COVID and streaming did to the industry, who should buy Warner Bros. (and why it’s definitely not Netflix), why 3D never took off, the Sphere, aliens, h…

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Part 1: James Cameron on Avatar Misconceptions, AI’s Skynet Moment, and His Elon Musk Friendship 39:19

1M ago39:19

39:19

Matt and director James Cameron sit down for a wide-ranging conversation on the misconceptions about the filmmaking of the 'Avatar' franchise, how it landed at Fox/Disney, why Jim prefers using performance capture technology, the cost of CGI, the threat of AI in Hollywood, his relationship with Elon Musk, whether Jim agrees that he is a “difficult”…

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I Love Cheese(feat. The Bratt Pack) 45:38

1M ago45:38

45:38

Send us a text The Bratt Pack is back! Jobes is present and he loves cheese. Big thanks to Black Tie for another great session. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts. Stay tuned for episodes coming soon! To get your hands on award winning cannabis from Black Tie https://blacktiecbd.net/?ref=highsticking Use promo code highsticking to receive 20% o…

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Did Hollywood Ever Have a Chance Against YouTube? 31:59

1M ago31:59

31:59

Matt is joined by Tom Freston, former CEO of Viacom and MTV Networks, to discuss why legacy companies missed the boat with YouTube in the early aughts, the similarities YouTube from the aughts shares with the AI boom of today, why MTV died, and whether it can be revived (02:13). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on the hottest story in town:…

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The Brewing Backlash to Hollywood Consolidation 37:26

1M ago37:26

37:26

Matt is joined by Jonathan Kanter, a lawyer who served as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2021 to 2024, to look at the looming Warner Bros. Discovery sale from an antitrust perspective, highlight the biggest antitrust issues for each potential bidder (Paramount, Comcast, Netflix), whether…

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The Fall Box Office Crisis: A Phase, a Fluke, or the Future? 33:28

1M ago33:28

33:28

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to investigate a historically bad fall season at the box office by highlighting which issues are actually real and which are insignificant. They look at larger industry-wide trends, like the shortening of theatrical windows and the rise of streaming, as well as smaller, more recent developments like releasin…

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P.I.T. 49:34

2M ago49:34

49:34

Send us a text We've got a P.I.T.! Listen in as a new friend joins in the rotation. As always, we take a trip to the hot box, a walk down the high road, give some stoned cold takes and more! Big thanks to Black Tie for another great session. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts. Stay tuned for episodes coming soon! To get your hands on award winn…

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Why Anime Is Becoming Undeniable in Hollywood 31:50

2M ago31:50

31:50

Matt is joined by Rahul Purini, the president of Crunchyroll, to discuss the anime boom both globally and in America, the rise of global streaming services and its role in spreading anime and manga content, and what is it about the anime content itself that appeals to audiences (03:49). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office pred…

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Tubi Takes on YouTube, and a Michael Jackson Movie Update 36:08

2M ago36:08

36:08

Matt is joined by Tubi CEO Anjali Sud to discuss how Tubi reached profitability, its push to bring in original creators, the growth of ad-supported streaming, how the FAST landscape is evolving, and why everyone is competing with YouTube (01:55). Later, Matt discusses a few details about the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, ‘Michael,’ and gives an …

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YouTube vs. Disney: Who Needs Whom More? 30:48

2M ago30:48

30:48

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the ongoing dispute between YouTube and Disney, which has resulted in the removal of ESPN and other Disney properties from YouTube TV for the past week. They break down why this dispute is different from others that have come before it, focusing on the leverage a tech company like Google has over …

1
Mailbag! 'Star Wars' and Soderbergh, the Best Home for Warner Bros., and Netflix vs. Theaters. 31:30

2M ago31:30

31:30

Matt opens up the mailbag for another Town Hall and answers listener questions about Disney turning down a Steven Soderbergh–penned 'Star Wars' script, the possibility of Netflix and Comcast splitting Warner Bros. Discovery, whether Netflix will ever release movies in theaters, who the best home for Warner Bros. is from the perspective of the talen…

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The 2025 Movie Franchise Draft 41:13

2M ago41:13

41:13

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to draft which movie franchises they would most want to start a movie studio with in 2025. They each select five franchises, as well as one TV franchise, and make the case for why they are best suited to succeed over the next 10-20 years. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘Wha…

1
Will Big Tech and AI Save or Kill Hollywood? 35:27

2M ago35:27

35:27

Matt is joined by Andrew Ross Sorkin ('Squawk Box,' The New York Times) to discuss how the tech boom has affected Hollywood and what new power players like David Ellison really want with the media industry. They also discuss the potential impact of the AI bubble bursting, whether the Middle East will ever make a big splash in Hollywood, and whether…

1
The Risks and Rewards of Self-Distributing Movies, With Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman 32:28

2M ago32:28

32:28

Matt is joined by Teddy Schwarzman, the founder of Black Bear Pictures, to discuss the challenges and strategies behind an independent production company launching its own distribution division. They talk about the risk of making big bets on small movies in theaters, how the industry has evolved, and whether Teddy sees A24 and Neon as competitors (…

1
Savvy or Desperate? NBCU Poaches Taylor Sheridan From Paramount. 32:21

2M ago32:21

32:21

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Matt’s report that Taylor Sheridan will be leaving Paramount to join NBCU starting in 2029. They break down the details of the deal, whether this should be considered savvy or desperate for NBCU and Peacock, how big of a risk this is, and whether this portends a larger splash coming from NBCU (02:…

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Do Standing Ovations at Film Festivals Mean Anything? The Town Investigates. 35:19

2M ago35:19

35:19

Matt is joined by film data analyst Stephen Follows to dig into one of Hollywood’s most ridiculous phenomenons, the film festival standing ovation. Stephen gathered over 500 reported standing ovations across five of the world’s biggest film festivals to see whether the length of applause tells us anything meaningful about a film’s future (02:26). M…

1
Little Water Bottle 38:01

2M ago38:01

38:01

Send us a text We're back in our regular format. Listen in as we take a trip to the hot box, a walk down the high road, give some stoned cold takes and more! As always, a huge thanks to Black Tie for another great session. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts. Stay tuned for episodes coming soon! To get your hands on award winning cannabis from B…

1
Warner Bros. Is Officially for Sale. It's Paramount vs. ... Whom? 36:48

2M ago36:48

36:48

Matt is joined by Peter Supino, a managing director and senior analyst at Wolfe Research, to unpack the deal market for Warner Bros. Discovery, running through each potential bidder, who makes the most sense, and what a merger would look like in each scenario (03:13). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Springs…

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Netflix Adds Podcasts and Makes a Deal With AMC Theatres. Why? 35:27

2M ago35:27

35:27

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix diving into the podcast business by striking a deal to stream a group of original podcasts from Spotify and The Ringer. They break down what this signals for the future of Netflix, the likelihood that people will watch podcasts on Netflix, and what’s in it for Spotify. Later, they touch on…

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Is the “Netflix of AI” App a Friend or Foe to Hollywood? 35:28

2M ago35:28

35:28

Matt is joined by Edward Saatchi, the CEO of a startup called Fable, to discuss his new product, Showrunner, which is backed by Amazon and bills itself as the “Netflix of AI.” The app allows users to create their own licensed versions of their favorite TV shows using AI. Edward explains why he feels this is the proper way to use AI in Hollywood, ho…

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Apple's True Intentions in Hollywood—With Top Exec Eddy Cue 41:43

3M ago41:43

41:43

Matt is joined by Apple senior vice president of services Eddy Cue to discuss all things Apple in Hollywood, including the latest momentum for the studio after big hits like ‘Severance,’ ‘The Studio,’ and ‘F1’; the business model of the streaming service; whether the company would ever bolster its library by acquiring a studio; its interest in spor…

1
The Hollywood Stock Market: The Rock, Louis C.K., Kevin Feige, Sora 2, and More! 32:54

3M ago32:54

32:54

Live from Bloomberg’s Screentime event in L.A., Matt and Lucas Shaw make the case to buy or sell various entities across the entertainment industry, including the Rock, Comcast, Louis C.K., the Sora 2 freak-out, Glen Powell, Marvel, and more! For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

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Part 2: What Ari Emanuel Talks About With Trump and the Rock 25:21

3M ago25:21

25:21

In Part 2 of Matt’s conversation with WME executive chairman and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel and TKO president Mark Shapiro, they discuss how the NFL's next rights negotiations will influence the entertainment industry, how the UFC ended up with Paramount and why it almost went to Netflix, and Ari’s relationship with the Rock, David Ellison, and Donald Tru…

1
Emergency Pod(feat. TPSN) 1:05:01

3M ago1:05:01

1:05:01

Send us a text Will from Trailer Park Sports Network demanded an Emergency pod to talk about the beginning of the NHL season. It was a much needed chat so if you've missed anything, tune in and catch up. As always, a huge thanks to Black Tie for another great session. Find us anywhere you get your podcasts. Stay tuned for our regular episodes comin…

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Part 1 With Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro: AI, Live Events, and the Four-Day Work Week 31:14

3M ago31:14

31:14

Matt is joined by WME and TKOs Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro to discuss their new company, Mari. They talk about why they are betting on live experiences, the possibility of the four-day work week changing the way we live, the state of the talent business, and how we should be thinking about AI in Hollywood (03:33). Matt finishes the show with a pre…

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Is Tadej Pogacar ruining cycling? Plus Euros review after wins for Vollering and Pog 51:36

3M ago51:36

51:36

Demi Vollering claims the women's Euro road race title... as does Tadej Pogacar. We'll only see one of them wear the jersey in a race as the other has the rainbow bands to wear to add to a host of other accolades this season. So... we ask the big question... is Tadej Pogacar ruining cycling? Let us know your thoughts! Presenters: Sanny Rudravajhala…

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Division Doobie Pass: The Central 57:23

3M ago57:23

57:23

By HighSticking

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David Ellison’s $150M Bet on Bari Weiss and a New-Look CBS News 32:19

3M ago32:19

32:19

By The Ringer

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The 'Smashing Machine’ Bomb and A24’s Big-Budget Burden 32:25

3M ago32:25

32:25

By The Ringer

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Sora 2, AI Actors, and How Hollywood Can Fight Back 37:27

3M ago37:27

37:27

Matt is joined by SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland to discuss OpenAI’s new app, Sora 2, an AI video tool and video-sharing app, and the problems it presents for Hollywood. They discuss how this product can threaten the legitimacy of image and likeness rights and infringe on intellectual property and why Hollywood isn't …

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The Return of the Spec Script—Is There Hope for Original Screenplays in Hollywood? 32:22

3M ago32:22

32:22

Matt is joined by Entertainment 360 literary manager/producer Geoff Shaevitz to discuss why spec-script sales have taken off in Hollywood over the past year. Geoff speculates on what kick-started this trend, why buyers are moving away from fully packaged deals, which genres are selling, which studios are buying, and whether the original-script boom…

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One Box Office Battle After Another for PTA 32:02

3M ago32:02

32:02

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the weekend box office performance of ‘One Battle After Another’: Was the film a flop or a hit? With Warner Bros.' film slate done for the year, Matt and Lucas discuss the studio's performance this year and how it could affect chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, as well as the studio as a whole, …

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WORLDS REVIEW! Pogacar bores as Vallieres shocks to take Rainbows! Red Walters on why he went out in front in the road race, Jeremy Ford on Africa Rising and Remco as Wile e Cayote! 1:19:46

3M ago1:19:46

1:19:46

Magdeleine Vallieres shocks the world by winning gold whilst Tadej Pogacar makes more history to take Rainbows again - but what if you're not Sanny's 3 year old daughter, is it still entertaining with Pog on top?! Red Walters of Grenada joins us to tell us exactly what is was like to be in the race and WHY did he burn all his matches to lead from t…

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Where the Money Is Spent in Hollywood and How It's Changing 32:27

3M ago32:27

32:27

Matt is joined by Scott Purdy, a media strategy leader at KPMG, to discuss their illuminating new study outlining how much the major networks are spending on content and, more importantly, where. They discuss why these companies need to start spending their money differently and how user-generated content might soon become more powerful than the tr…

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WORLDS in RWANDA! Remco, Reusser and Pogacar revenge? Plus Ayuso's Trek to Lidl! 1:02:18

3M ago1:02:18

1:02:18

We head LIVE to Kigali, Rwanda to catch up with Jeremy Ford of Africa Rising who's found himself as the Chef de Mission for Benin at the UCI Road World Cycling Championships. Remco Evenepoel and Marlen Reusser take gold in the time trial, and with Tadej Pogacar comprehensively beaten into fourth, will he be out for revenge come the weekend's road r…

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Kimmel Is Back, But Disney vs. Trump Is Just Beginning 32:25

3M ago32:25

32:25

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss the return of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and unpack what could happen next. They talk about why Brendan Carr and the FCC may not be as powerful as they might seem, whether affiliate stations can preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ indefinitely, and whether Disney could leverage its power by withholding its most v…

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Division Doobie Pass: The Atlantic(feat. TPSN & Jonny Lazarus) 38:35

3M ago38:35

38:35

Send us a text Only 1 Doobie Pass remaining! Will from TPSN returns for his second Division puff. Co-Host of Morning Cuppa Hockey, Jonny Lazarus joins us as well! Listen in as we give our Atlantic Division predictions. Let us know where we are right, or even where we are wrong in the comments! As always, a huge thanks to Black Tie for another great…