Show Notes
The besties Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby convene to size up the newly minted Skydance, and the splashy trailer that introduced it. They also dig into what the reported exits of Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca signal about the movies Ellison wants to make, and how his tech-bred, test-and-learn instincts could clash with Hollywood. Then the pair turn to CNN, where Mark Thompson appears to be staying put and Bari Weiss may be out of the running for an expanded role.
More from The Powers That Be: Daily
Marianna Sotomayor joins Peter to look past Election Day at the chaos that could follow: If Democrats reclaim the House, the lame-duck session may turn combustible with spending bills to pass, Republicans refusing to show up, and Democrats potentially launching an impeachment crusade against Pete Hegseth, all before the new Congress is even sworn in next year.
Dylan Byers joins Peter with a grab bag of Paramount intrigue: whether Ellison will cut a content deal with Elon Musk and Starlink, what Jon Stewart’s Daily Show extension reveals about Ellison’s politics, and why the media class can’t stop talking about Bari Weiss. They also dig into the ESPN contract saga between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, and whether the split amounts to a betrayal in the broadcast booth.
John Ourand joins Peter to discuss the possible end of one of sports broadcasting’s most enduring pairings: Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, who’ve been calling NFL games together for more than 20 years, now facing a split after ESPN re-upped Buck but not Aikman—all as network’s Super Bowl debut inches closer. John also digs into what Bela Bajaria’s abrupt exit from Netflix might mean for the streamer’s sports strategy.
Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss how House Republicans are suddenly talking like a party resigned to the minority next year—and the members already jockeying to lead the G.O.P. caucus in the next Congress. Then they dig into a critical House race in the Philadelphia suburbs that may offer a preview of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s political ambitions.
Jon Kelly joins Peter to discuss all the drama surrounding ABC’s posted, deleted, and then re-reported story on Don Jr. and Eric Trump profiting off Pentagon contracts. Then they turn to ESPN’s decision to go all-in on alt-casts for next year’s Super Bowl, with the Manning brothers and Pat McAfee leading a multi-channel push to goose ratings and ad inventory.