David Stapf is considered to be one of the nicer and certainly one of the more loyal folks who toil around Hollywood, or at least the fringes where most of what’s left of the Los Angeles production business calls home these days. He’s been associated with CBS for a quarter-century, the last 20 in charge … Read more
We’ve spent a lot of time chiding and second-guessing the reign of error that has largely defined David Zaslav’s tenure running Warner Brothers Discovery. The trajectory was largely defined early on by this declarative statement as covered roughly two years ago by FRONT OFFICE SPORTS’ ubiquitous Jon Lewis: Discussing the rising cost of sports media … Read more
Like millions of people who share my demography, background and essential political leanings, I’m a huge fan of Jon Stewart’s, arguably more than I ever have been. And even though I wasn’t a regular viewer of THE DAILY SHOW when he built it up to a cultural touchstone when he was hosting it, well, daily, … Read more
Make no mistake about it, these are stressful times. Whether one looks at a thermometer, their devices or the occasional banner headline on what remaining newspapers of consequence still exist, it’s increasingly difficult to find something to absorb that doesn’t possess the ability to raise one’s blood pressure. But, occasionally, something does pop up on … Read more
Our long national nightmare–well, at least the one that may have been keeping Shari Redstone’s now-former employees awake–is over. UPI’s Paul Godfrey was among the many that broke the news earlier this morning: Paramount Global, the owner of Paramount Pictures, CBS television, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV said Monday it had accepted a $8 billion … Read more
I haven’t been able to find much positive inspiration lately; certainly not in the last few days. And a holiday weekend devoid of the preponderance of summer blockbusters that once dominated multiplexes didn’t offer the cornucopia of welcome distractions from the world at large that often saved many of us from nervous breakdowns. But, thankfully, … Read more
By my count, there are now at least three senior citizens of some prominence who are incapable of accurately understanding what the court of public opinion actually thinks about them. One, of course, is the presumptive Republican candidate for the presidency, that esteemed golfing legend who lovingly referenced his opponent as a “broken down pile … Read more
Usually, the only night of television less devoid of anything worthy of watching beyond the 4th of July is the 5th of July. At least the 4th has been dominated by the Macy’s spectaculars, giving NBC a pyrrhic victory for little more investment than a bunch of cameras aimed at the sky. The 5th is … Read more
I grew up fearing the year 1984; thank you, George Orwell and my high school English teachers. But instead of utter dystopia we got a memorable Apple commercial that utterly trashed the eponymous novel that drove my angst, a shockingly entertaining race for the National League Eastern Division title between the Mets and Cubs, neither … Read more
Ah, Sharileh, you little minx. Just when you’ve sort of convinced most observers you had actually moved on with your life and had set things up to make a go of it for a while, you turn around yesterday and crank things up again with the suitor you had jilted mere weeks ago. Per BLOOMBERG’s … Read more