The Powers That Be: Daily

Superfriends Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby are reunited for a spirited conversation about Bari Weiss' anchor envy at CBS News and which talent she might build her vision around. Then they segue to the latest autopsy of the '24 election, and how the Democrats' problems were deeper than passing on Rogan.

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Lauren’s guest this week is king of the luxury analysts, Bernstein’s Luca Solca, to discuss how LVMH, Kering, Zegna, Brunello Cucinelli, and Prada Group fared during Q3 earnings season. They touch on everything from Chinese and American consumer behavior and the R word (recession), to whether or not Jonathan Anderson’s first Dior women’s show was good enough. (Luca also reviews Chanel.) Up top, Lauren shares reader and industry feedback on Vogue World.

Matt Belloni joins Peter to break down his blockbuster scoop that Hollywood’s hit showrunner Taylor Sheridan is leaving Paramount to sign with rival NBCUniversal. As Matt explains, this wasn’t about money—it was about respect, or the glaring lack thereof under David Ellison’s new regime. So what does this mean for Sheridan, Paramount, and NBCU?

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to discuss what’s really going on with the D.O.J.’s prosecution of three of the president’s political enemies: James Comey, Tish James, and John Bolton. Eriq explains why some of the cases are flimsier than others, thanks in part to the missteps of interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan—a handpicked Trump loyalist who has never prosecuted a case before. 

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss two upcoming off-ramps for the government shutdown, and the pressure points that could bring an end to this grueling political stalemate. Then they consider how House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have ceded congressional power to Trump, and what this portends for both parties going forward.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to game out Tesla’s existential question: can the company survive without Elon Musk at the wheel, especially if shareholders balk at his trillion-dollar pay package? The duo also discuss the improbable comeback of meme stocks—from Beyond Meat to Krispy Kreme—and the White House’s head-scratching flirtation with quantum computing firms that look suspiciously meme-like themselves.

Jon Kelly joins Peter Hamby to weigh in on the two most significant media crises du jour: the NBA’s nightmarish betting scandal and the ongoing and tortured WBD auction.

John Coogan and Jordi Hays, co-hosts of The Technology Business Programming Network, join Dylan to discuss how they scaled their podcast from a one-hour weekly show to a five-day live juggernaut pulling in roughly $5 million in ad revenue. They explain how they’ve managed to captivate both Silicon Valley and, increasingly, Wall Street—not to mention the CNBCs and Bloombergs of the world marveling from the sidelines.

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Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down how David Zaslav is navigating the deal heat surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery, as suitors line up and Paramount’s David Ellison continues jacking up the price of his offer. Bill also weighs in on the mounting recession jitters, and why we might finally be due for a market crash.

John Ourand joins Peter in the commentary box to discuss why the NFL is suddenly jealous of the NBA, and whether Roger Goodell will renegotiate the league's multi-billion dollar rights deals. Plus, with the World Series kicking off, Peter grills John about the growing payroll gap in Major League Baseball and whether a salary cap can stop rich teams like the Dodgers from steamrolling everyone else.