ICYMI: Kassan Bombshells; Netflix Job Hunt; U.K. Agent Woes
Catch up on our recent best
Hey y’all, how was your rainy Saturday? I spent mine completing my first (non-ICYMI) byline for The Ankler, an investigative feature I worked on with Peter Kiefer, amid Michael Kassan’s acrid legal dispute with UTA. The great connector’s adversaries and defenders talk, but, more tellingly, we reveal a trail of legal and financial, er, “idiosyncrasies” dating back decades filled with plenty of never-before reported scoops.
If you haven’t read it yet, it’s a juicy one (for paid subscribers only) . . .
With no further ado, the rest of our best of the week, ICYMI:
Speaking of Agents
The U.K. has long been Hollywood’s entertainment buddy — and was once the great hope for global expansion. But as Manori Ravindran reports from London, agents and clients — even from the big three — are reeling from the slowdown in production and rise of A-list packaging:
Our Search for Good Job Leads Continues
Following last week’s look at Disney, WBD, and Amazon’s job postings, Elaine Low surveys what gigs are up for grabs at NBCU and Netflix:
Also, listen to Elaine discuss her findings with Morning Edition’s Suzanne Whatley of LAist, NPR’s #1 station in L.A., and The Ankler’s public-radio partner for Entertainment Thursdays:
Rushfield’s Ruminations
This week Richard explored the twisted relationship between our entertainment companies and Wall Street — one that has created incentives for industry leaders to contort their businesses to try to fit investor demands at the expense of Ankler Rule No. 1: This is a business of hits:
If you saw a headline about children working around the clock in any respectable workplace, you’d be outraged. But in Hollywood, we don’t question it. That mindset has started to waver with new docuseries Quiet on the Set, but Richard — who has a three-point plan to fix our child labor crisis — maintains we have a lot more progress to make:
‘Apples’ to Austin
This week’s photo newsletter, Todd on the Town, takes you inside the happenings at SXSW, as well as the premiere of Peacock’s Apples Never Fall:
☀️THE WAKEUP
As always, Sean McNulty expertly sorted through this week’s business news, including a breakdown of Apollo’s $11 billion Paramount offer and Netflix’s surprise Millie Bobby Brown blockbuster:
🎧 PODCASTS
THE ANKLER
Wall Street’s War on Hollywood Investor appeasement drives Paramount sale drama, Disney woes and a nightmarish job climate:
MARTINI SHOT
The Scariest Word in Hollywood Rob Long on the Bible, the surefire, public-domain IP everyone is afraid of:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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