Better Call Paul

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...

Paul and Mesh commiserate over March Madness and Paul recaps a Hollywood studio lawsuit against a VPN operator in Florida. Mesh and Paul then discuss AMC Theater’s new Sightline differentiated pricing initiative which is rolling out in select cities prior to a national launch and wonder whether it will ultimately help or hurt their bottom line. Finally, Paul analyzes the recent $30M lawsuit betwee...

Paul and Mesh devote this week’s episode to the 95th Oscars. They start off with a recap of the big winners of the night (and some head scratchers) and ponder the future of the Oscars. It has been telecast on ABC for nearly 50 years, and while the ratings for the 2023 Oscars improved over the recent past, the viewership is still far below its peak. Finally, Paul and Mesh recognize and celebrate th...

Paul and Mesh revisit one of their favorite topics, Jussie Smollet, who is back in the news again after filing his appeal and is also the subject of a new Fox Nation docuseries. They then discuss the final season of Succession, its drama-packed trailer and what might be next for HBO Max. Finally, they break down a big week for the video game industry with the 2023 BAFTA game awards nominations and...

Paul and Mesh start the show by discussing Yellowstone's Kevin Costner drama and Nipsey Hussle's killer being sentenced for first-degree murder. They then dive into the recent U.S. Supreme Court case, Gonzalez v. Google, which tests the boundaries of Section 230 immunity for web platforms, explaining why Section 230 was established and how it allowed the internet to flourish and potential pros and...

Paul and Mesh discuss Marvel’s latest installment, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and whether a recent run of mediocrity is a cause for concern at the MCU. They then turn to streaming which is predicted to overtake linear television as the most-consumed form of television in 2023. Finally, Paul celebrates rising star director, Shaunak Sen, and his beautiful film, All That Breathes, which has won...

Paul and Mesh talk about their favorite moments (and commercials) from Superbowl 57. They then dive into a media industry update: (1) whether recent layoffs among media (and tech) companies could be a sign of broader economic trouble head; and (2) how Disney, Peacock, WBD and others are shifting their streaming strategies in their challenging marketplace (e.g., cleaning up balance sheets, lowering...

Paul is in Phoenix for Super Bowl week! Paul and Mesh anticipate Gladiator 2’s release date and celebrate Ridley Scott’s career. They then vet the ten new projects that James Gunn and Peter Safran announced for Chapter 1 of their united DC Universe. Finally, they ponder how Hollywood will adapt as the bots and algorithms like ChatGPT and its peers are trained to create content – and what legal iss...

Mesh and Paul discuss Oscar nominations, Who they are rooting for, and who they wish was nominated. Scooter Braun, the brains behind the success of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and others, has taken over as the CEO of Hybe America. Paul and Mesh explain why this could potentially increase the company's value, previously known for the success of K Pop groups like BTS.  They then dive into the curr...

Paul and Mesh celebrate Reed Hastings’ legacy at Netflix and ponder the implications and causes of his decision to transition out of the Co-CEO role. They then evaluate the recent broadcast and streaming agreement between LIV golf and the CW Network and discuss whether it was a win for both sides. Finally, Paul analyzes a recent FTC proposal that would essentially render non-compete clauses unenfo...

Paul and Mesh celebrate MLK weekend and the return of in-person entertainment events from CES and the Golden Globes to the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. Finally, Paul breaks down California’s proposed expansion of its film and television tax credit program and why these various production incentives are so critical to the industry.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Mesh begin with Broadway’s strong end to 2022 and Jeremy’s Renner’s tragic snow plow accident. They then discuss a potential tug of war between streaming giants over Netflix’s Gen Z hit, Wednesday and assess the state of play after a rough 2022 for media stocks. Finally, Paul discusses NFL’s new streaming deal with YouTube TV and its continuation of NFL’s massive growth in revenue, but th...

Paul and Mesh start off by celebrating the epic World Cup final, Avatar 2’s opening weekend, and the drama at DC studios as James Gunn tries to start his tenure with a clean slate. Next, Paul and Mesh discuss the criminal trial against Tory Lanez for allegedly shooting Megan The Stallion and its very confusing and juicy testimony. Finally, Paul breaks down California’s newest privacy law, the Age-...

We begin with a quick update on recent entertainment cases: Michael Avenatti's sentencing and Amber Heard's appeal of Johnny Depp's successful defamation verdict. Then, Paul and Mesh discuss Brittney Griner's release after being detained in Russia for nearly 300 days. Finally, we celebrate James Cameron, a titan of film-making who never seems to disappoint, but Mesh wonders, can Avatar 2 live up t...

Paul and Mesh recap the unfortunate swathe of layoffs impacting the media industry. They then dive into Balenciaga’s recent PR nightmare which caused even Kim Kardashian to re-evaluate her relationship with the brand and Paul assesses the legal options Balenciaga may have against its production company (if any). Finally, Paul and Mesh discuss the most recent Ticketmaster controversy involving the...

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! To start, Paul and Mesh discuss the recent lawsuit against Drake and 21 Savage by Vogue. They then dive into the performance of She Said- based on the sexual allegations of Harvey Weinstein and current box office trends. Finally, the show ends with a deep dive on Disney, the return of Bob Iger, and what it means for the future of the company.  Follow us on:...

We're taking a break this week for Thanksgiving but we'll be back next week. Have a great Thanksgiving! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Mesh celebrate the success of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's 180M opening and Bad Bunny being Apple Music’s Artist of the Year. They then discuss California's emphatic rejection of proposals which would have legalized sports betting. Paul then breaks down the SEC’s district court win over crypto-company LBRY in which LBRY’s coin was found to be a security and its potential implications...