Better Call Paul

This week, Paul and Mesh begin by jamming about whether the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals will generate streaming subscriber growth and looking forward to the Wonka release amid a slow November for the box office. They then dive into a copyright lawsuit brought against a major talent agency and studio over Ad Astra which was tossed last week. Finally, they end with a discussion of SAG’s prop...

This week, Paul and Mesh banter about Thanksgiving before diving into an update of the recent suit between streamers over exclusive rights to SouthPark. Next, they discuss the whirlwind involving Cassie’s salacious lawsuit against Sean Combs which was settled and silenced within a day. Finally, Paul breaks down the FCC’s recent adoption of final rules to help prevent discrimination in broadband ac...

In this week's episode, Paul and Mesh begin with a celebration of Diwali and a discussion of the 33rd installment in the MCU, The Marvels, which, despite a hefty budget, has failed to live up to Marvel’s lofty box office standards. They then delve into the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike, first discussing the concessions that SAG was able to negotiate from the AMPTP (e.g., increased minimum com...

 this week's episode, Paul and Mesh reflect on the tragic loss of Friends star Matthew Perry. They delve into a few high-profile examples of celebrities criticizing AI, highlighting voices like Nicholas Cage and Tim Burton. Paul breaks down the recent Executive Order issued by President Biden which addresses the safe use of AI and attempts to provide a framework which allows development while miti...

Paul and Mesh start by discussing Hasan Minaj's response to the New Yorker's critical expose which questioned his authenticity. They then provide an update on Jonathan Major's assault case and the Manhattan DA’s office reluctance to prosecute Majors’ ex, Ms. Grace Jabbari. Mesh shares his excitement about the new SPIDER-MAN 2 game which broke PlayStation sales records. Finally, they discuss strong...

This week Paul interviews fellow media attorney, Mary Rasenberger, the CEO of the Author’s Guild and a law lecturer at Columbia Law School. In September 2023, the Author’s Guild, along with 17 other prominent authors, including George R.R. Martin and John Grisham filed a class action lawsuit against Open AI alleging that Open AI infringed their copyrights by using the authors' works to train Chat...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Paul and Mesh kick things off by delving into Gareth Edwards’s remarkable film, The Creator, an impressive achievement considering its $80 million budget. Paul dives into the latest developments surrounding the SAG strike negotiations, focusing on the use of AI to mimic actors' voices and their appearances. They also explore the intriguing merger between the USFL and XFL, a strate...

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...