Evenin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LINKEDIN here if ya like or email me at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on SUNDAY, July 6, 2025.
Where hopefully you enjoyed a fun display of fireworks over the weekend 🎆, as next year’s small-town celebrations will likely have a budget question mark hanging over them . . . since 99% of all fireworks are #MadeInChina, and are now subject to increased tariffs.
As for hopes of a policy change — a White House spokesperson had this to say on the matter . . . which I’m sure most Americans are in 100% agreement about:
“Real prosperity and patriotism isn’t celebrating the independence of our country with cheap foreign-made firecrackers and trinkets — it’s having a country with booming Main Streets, a thriving working class, and robust manufacturing.”
Yeah buddy, keep your trinkets! And hey — at least we still make hot dogs here (I think), so you can still watch folks “eat” them on TV next July for a total of $20k in prize money.
REMINDER: There are just a few more hours left to take advantage of the big sale on The Ankler annual subscriptions. Almost never happens (and no, this isn’t me going rogue). Click here!
PLUS: Venice will open with Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia from MUBI on Aug. 27 (yes, I’m afraid your summer break ends a bit early this year, folks).
CONGRATS!: To Kelly Osbourne, who said yes to Slipknot member Sid Wilson’s 💍 proposal backstage at her dad’s final concert performance yesterday in the U.K. The pair already have a child together, born in 2022.
HUZZAH!: Larry Ellison is back to the #2 slot among the world’s richest folks (behind Elon), according to Forbes — hopefully he also gets PARAMOUNT by Aug. 17 for his 81st birthday gift, or I’m gonna have to get really creative this year. ORACLE stock doing this 👇 in the past 3 months certainly helps.
BUT: I guess we should be thankful that PARAMOUNT won’t also be footing the bill for the UFC to hold an MMA fight event on the grounds of the White House as part of the America250 celebration with “like 20, 25,000 people” in attendance (according to the president) — just like America’s forefathers envisioned.
AND: If you think “The Trump Factor” isn’t uniquely looming in the minds of future UFC TV/streaming rights partners during negotiations these days, both positively and negatively — I’d love to pitch you on an investment in a spinoff company full of cable TV networks.
YEAH: Gotta love Zuck unexpectedly popping into a military meeting on F-47 stealth fighter jets while he was hangin’ at the White House (he was then told to, uh, wait outside, bud, according to NBC NEWS). I’m sure he just wanted to make sure he and Trump weren’t donating to the same non-profit on Jeff & Lauren’s list of suggestions.
AH: Here is your seemingly bi-decade media world check-in with Ron Galotti — yes, he’s still in Vermont . . . yes, he too has a memoir about the ’80s/’90s NYC media business he’d like to sell . . . and yes, his proposed book title refers to himself as Mr. Big.
OH: 64% of all venture capital money in the first half of 2025 in the U.S. went to AI startups, according to Axios.
THEN: Add FORD CEO Jim Farley to the list of folks predicting that AI will kill a lot of jobs. But hey — maybe those folks can shift to making fireworks here instead! #ThinkPositive
“Artificial intelligence is going to replace literally half of all white-collar workers in the U.S.”
AND: MICROSOFT axed about 9,000 folks, or 4% of the workforce, to ensure “success in a dynamic marketplace” . . . or at least for the folks left. MICROSOFT also cut 6,000 people 2 months ago and had a “less than 1%” trim in January. Say what you will — but that AI really is efficient.
NEXT: TIKTOK also made its 3rd round of layoffs since April in its Shop / e-comm division. Always tough when #TrumpTariffs make cheap stuff not so cheap.
TIKTOK will also relaunch with a new version of its U.S. app in September, according to The Information. All U.S. users will need to download it to continue using TIKTOK before the current app is discontinued in Q1 ‘26.
ALSO: FOX ENTERTAINMENT selected the 4 fellows for its annual, 3-month Writers Incubator program, or about 1 fellow for every scripted, live-action series FOX still has on its schedule (just kidding, FOX — well, sorta). The program had over 1,000 applicants.
SO: Yeah, this map from Axios is pretty startling. Maybe cable TV has a longer future than we think!
Note — this is before Trump’s immigration/deportation policies began (immigration is generally one of the leading growth levers for younger demo numbers since Americans don’t have many kids anymore).
REST IN PEACE: Goes out to:
Actor Michael Madsen, who died at the age of 67, reportedly of cardiac arrest.
Actor Julian McMahon, who died at the age of 56 after a battle with cancer.
Composer Mark Snow, who died at the age of 78 and is perhaps best known for his X-Files work, scoring all episodes and movies in addition to other series.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL
So, genius here 🙋♂️ forgot to vote in his own Jurassic World poll after sending out the newsletter on Wednesday — I likely would have joined the 11% minority. And been wrong.
Kudos to the 16% bulls!
AND: One more Ankler annual subscription sale button for the road before we dive into the key box office numbers to know from the weekend, some French TV market #funfacts as AMAZON follows NETFLIX’s move, AT&T’s full exit from the TV business and much more.
Once you subscribe, you also have access to all columns at theankler.com site, including this one.
As always, email me anytime at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com or connect here on LINKEDIN.
— SEAN MCNULTY
@SeanMcNulty on BLUESKY
@TheWakeupNews on INSTAGRAM
