Better Call Paul

This week, Paul discusses the major stories in media and entertainment with Alex Weprin, a veteran reporter for The Hollywood Reporter. Alex’s knowledge of media and entertainment shines through as he gives us the inside take on the WGA strike resolution, how AI might impact Hollywood, real-life succession drama, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Paul and Mesh interview Manuel Hernandez and Jeff McKay, the founders of Conquest Collective, an NIL collective which focuses on creating and leveraging opportunities for current and former student athletes at the University of Southern California. We discuss how, unlike more typical collectives which rely on donations, they plan to leverage their individual skill sets and the Hollywood...

Paul and Mesh begin by bantering about a few recent NY-area events, New York Fashion Week and the VMAs. They then shift to the Toronto Film Festival, which had some great moments despite the lingering impacts of the SAG and WGA strikes. They then break down AMC Theater’s recent fundraising efforts and how the company is trying to get back to a healthy financial position. Finally, Paul and Mesh rev...

Paul and Mesh kick off the show with the US Open, a symbol of tennis’s rising popularity which hit an all-time high in attendance. They then shift into Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's divorce announcement and a major announcement from another of Joe Jonas’s ex’s, Taylor Swift, whose Eras concert film will be theatrically released nationwide. Paul and Mesh then transition into the media business as e...

This week, Paul and Mesh give the latest update on the WGA & SAG strikes as the WGA is back at the negotiating table with the AMPTP, and it appears the sides are making progress implementing guardrails around AI-produced materials. Paul then breaks down a recent vote among VFX workers to potentially authorize unionization and its likely impacts. The episode concludes with a recap of the recently d...

This week's episode kicks off with a brief update on the resumption of talks between WGA and the AMPTP as the WGA strike drags on past 100 days. Next, Paul discusses Megan Thee Stallion’s quest for justice against Tory Lanez and breaks down Tory's conviction and 10-year sentence. Finally, Mesh and Paul conclude with a celebration of hip hop’s 50th birthday and marvel at how the genre has evolved f...

This week, Paul and Mesh focus on the music industry with a discussion of two lawsuits: Bosko Kante’s suit against Dua Lipa and Warner Music Group for unauthorized use of his performance on Levitating remixes and Lizzo’s former back up dancers who are going after Lizzo for harassment. Finally, on a positive note, they discuss Taylor Swift’s phenomenal Eras tour which has been selling out stadiums...

Paul and Mesh kick off with the opening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and discuss Seth Rogan’s plan to breathe new life into the franchise. They then discuss the wave of interim agreements which have enabled SAG to allow nearly one hundred “indie” projects to continue production during the actor’s strike. Finally, they discuss another union, IATSE, and its exploratory approach to...

In this week's episode, Paul and Mesh celebrate the box office performances of Barbie and Oppenheimer, whose openings contributed to the 4th highest-grossing domestic box office weekend ever. They then note that AMC theatres has scrapped their sightline program and will offer consistent pricing going forward. Shifting gears, they discuss Lionel Messi's much-anticipated debut for Inter Miami, the d...

Paul and Mesh begin this week’s episode with a look forward to a rare head-to-head matchup of tentpole films, Barbie and Oppenheimer and a recap of the Emmy nominations (hint: HBO did very well). However, the entertainment industry is in flux as the SAG and WGA strikes drag on. Paul recaps the points of contention from both SAG and the AMPTP and Paul and Mesh ponder what the broader implications o...

In this episode, Paul and Mesh reflect on uber-luxury in the world of athletes and entertainers, including the auction of a microscopic Louis Vuitton-inspired handbag by MSCHF for a staggering $63K. They then discuss the hype surrounding Mission Impossible 7 - "Dead Reckoning Part One", which is already boasting a 90+% on Rotten Tomatoes, is tracking to be the best performing film of the series an...

In this episode, Paul and Mesh dive with the new Broadway show, Here Lies Love, and recap some great news for Broadway shows generally. They then recap the Oceangate submarine tragedy and debate the factors that led to the catastrophe, warning signs, and potential implications for exploration more generally. Finally, they assess the disappointing box office performances for the Flash and Elemental...

Paul and Mesh start things off with a recap of a Tribeca Film Festival screening, the weekend box office, and Disney’s recent announcement of delayed theatrical release dates for its biggest tentpole franchises including Avatar, Marvel, and Star Wars. Next, they discuss rumors that media mogul Tyler Perry is acquiring control of BET Media. Finally, they break down the recent White House announceme...

Paul and Mesh interview comedian Zarna Garg whose Amazon special, One in a Billion, dropped on May 16, 2023. Zarna exudes comedy but in this episode, her business acumen shines through as she discusses how being an entrepreneur jump-started her success and allowed her to build unstoppable momentum through numerous challenges.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Mesh kick off this week with a rave review of Box office hit, Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse. They then look at the potential future of TV from a creative and business perspective following the end of popular shows like Succession, Ted Lasso, and Barry, speculating about how the WGA strike could impact the next wave of TV hits. Wrapping up, they discuss rumors of the sale of Queen's mu...

In this episode, Paul and Mesh pay homage to the late Tina Turner, reminiscing on her impactful music career. They delve into the captivating finale of Succession and speculate on its place in television history noting that Succession’s conclusion coincides with the rebrand of HBO MAX which has launched as Max. The conversation rounds off with an analysis of Cineworld's expected emergence from Cha...

Paul and Mesh start off this week celebrating the success of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom which sold 10M copies in just 3 days and pondering whether Link can make a Super-Mario like jump to the big screen. Paul provides an update on Tiger Woods’ recent legal victory which requires his ex to arbitrate her claims. Then Mesh discusses his most-anticipated films premiering at Cannes. Paul then shifts t...

In this episode, Paul and Mesh examine the latest earnings reports from a few major media companies, highlighting the continued losses attributed to the streaming content wars. The duo then delves into the extravagant spending associated with the production of the final season of Yellowstone - from horses and wranglers to the rental of Taylor Sheridan's $341M ranch. Despite the high expenses, Sher...

This week’s episode Paul and Mesh are joined by a very special co-host, former HBO-executive, Hassan Chaudhry, who heads partnerships and strategy at Blanchard House. Paul begins with a recap of Ed Sheeran’s copyright trial win and MESH dishes about Guardians 3 as the crew gets excited for the summer box office season. Then the group discusses the WGA strike and the role recent trends have played...

In this special episode, Paul and Mesh are joined by Steven Dominguez, author of Across the Bridge – a gripping account of his journey from being a Rikers Island corrections officer to a federal inmate after being convicted for transporting narcotics. Alongside Steven, Kris Hind from Hind Laskos Entertainment and Albert Sye, a partner at Mean Circle Ventures, share their collaborative efforts to b...

In this episode, Paul and Mesh start things off with another music catalog sale as Armin van Buuren's Armada record label is raising funds and has an ambitious plan to acquire dance music catalogs. They then shift to a segment of media that is slowing and discuss the recent closure of Buzzfeed’s Pulitzer Prize-winning news division. Finally, the duo examines the WGA’s recent vote to authorize a st...

Paul and Mesh start things off with a recap of Super Mario Brothers’ record-shattering box office haul and a discussion of Coachella. They then break down Warner Brothers Discovery’s recently announced the rebrand of HBO Max to “Max” and summarize some of the changes to the popular streaming service. They wrap up the episode with the potential sale of the Washington Commanders. In the midst of mou...

In this episode, Paul and Mesh discuss the recent Metaverse spending cuts by a few major companies. They dive into the need for compelling use cases and advanced hardware to make the Metaverse a reality. Plus, they explore how AI's growing popularity has shifted the spotlight away from the Metaverse and its development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Mesh dive deep into the recent Disney layoffs, focusing on Marvel Executive Producer Victoria Alonso. They then discuss the arrest of Jonathan Majors, who was expected to be a significant figure in the new phase of the MCU, but his future involvement now remains uncertain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, Paul and Mesh discuss Sharon Stone’s heartfelt speech for the Courage Award for Women's Cancer Research Fund and her potential exposure to the banking industry turmoil. Next, they dive into the meteoric rise of A24 and its recent $200+ million investment from the prominent Venture Capital firm Stripes. Paul and Mesh explore what this cash infusion could mean for the disrupt...