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Better Call Paul
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Hosted by former Marvel entertainment lawyer Paul Sarker and entertainment enthusiast Mesh Lakhani, Better Call Paul will delve into the business and legal issues at play behind the glitz and glam. This show takes you beyond the catchy headlines to find out what’s really at play behind the scenes and gives you an introduction to the business side of show business.
109 Episodes
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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 and may have even played a role in avoiding a U.S. recession.
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Paul and Mesh kick off the episode discussing Netflix’s new head of film, Dan Lin, and the potential change in strategy from big budget films to a more cost-conscious approach. They then dive into women’s basketball star and WNBA #1 pick Caitlin Clark, her deal with Nike, and what it will take for the WNBA to provide better pay to its athletes. Finally, Paul breaks down the Archival Producer’s Alliance development of guidelines regarding the use of generative AI in documentary filmmaking and how the APA attempts to balance risk and reward.
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Paul and Mesh kick off the episode discussing OJ’s death and the controversial legacy he left behind. They break down the latest news from Cinema Con- AMC’s survival, Gladiator 2, Transformers, and other IP coming to the big screen. Finally, they give an update on the Paramount/Skydance deal and the tension it’s causing among shareholders.
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This week, Paul interviews a long-time client, Chris Babu, who is the CEO of a technology company in the ticketing industry. Chris discusses how he leveraged his analytics background, his stints at Ebay and Stubhub, and his passion for live sports and music to build a concierge service for season ticket holders. In addition, Chris and Paul discuss current trends in the sports industry and some surprising facts about March Madness.
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Paul and Mesh begin with a potential sale of the theatre chain operator, Alamo Draft House. Next, they discuss the recent federal raid of Sean Combs’ properties in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a sex-trafficking investigation. Finally, they break down Sam Bankman-Fried’s 25-year sentence for financial crimes and provide an overview of how the FTX bubble burst.
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Paul and Mesh dive into the latest sports legal news, starting with a potential gambling scandal involving Baseball’s biggest star, Shohei Ohtani, whose former interpreter allegedly racked up $4.5M in gambling debts. They then discuss UFC's recent antitrust lawsuit settlement with former fighters and examine its potential impact on the sport. Wrapping up, they discuss Reddit's successful IPO and ponder the company's future.
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This week, Paul interviews very special guest Rishika Jikaria, a lawyer who is also a rising star in the world of dance. Rishika and her sisters turned their lifelong passion for dance into a viral sensation during the pandemic and grew their following on TikTok to over 600,000. Using this platform, they have expanded into branding deals, endorsements and live performances all while balancing prestigious corporate careers. Rishika shares some insights on how she broke through and what it takes to grow a brand.
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Paul and a very special guest, Jessica David, discuss and recap the Oscars - who won, who looked great, and who stole the show!
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We'll be back next week with a new episode.
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Paul and Mesh kick off the episode with a deep dive into Warner Brothers Discovery's earnings report, highlighting the fact that while streaming was profitable (a first for a major studio), other aspects of the report were mixed. They then turn their attention to OpenAI's debut of Sora, its incredible text-to-video product, and discuss its potential to impact Hollywood. Finally, they analyze Kylian Mbappé’s anticipated move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid, as he jumps from his hometown squad to one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
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Paul and Mesh start by revealing the upcoming theme of the Met Gala. They then provide a box office update, reflecting on Madame Web’s underwhelming performance and the overall sluggishness in the past few weeks. Shifting gears, they dive into Disney’s introduction of X-Men and Fantastic Four into the MCU and whether it can reignite excitement and recapture the magic for fans. Finally, they analyze Roku’s recent earnings and its performance in the competitive streaming race.
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Paul and Mesh dive into the future of sports content distribution, exploring how networks and leagues are shifting towards streaming and potentially disrupting the entire cable business. They also analyze Disney's recent collaboration with Epic Games, the creators of Fortnite, who will begin to incorporate Disney’s intellectual property in a metaverse. To wrap up, Paul sheds light on the potential for an IATSE strike as their deal is set to expire this summer.
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Paul and Mesh kick things off with a preview of Superbowl LVIII which will stream on Paramount+ and be broadcast on CBS, both of which are Paramount properties, and they discuss Byron Allen’s recent $30B bid for Paramount Global. Next, they recap the early reviews on Apple’s latest gadget, the Vision Pro headset, and ponder whether its cutting-edge technology will lead to mainstream adoption. Finally, they discuss UK lawmakers' efforts to require increased transparency in music streaming monetization, so that artists can easily understand the revenues that each of their songs generate, and how music streaming royalties are driving evolution across the music industry
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In this week's episode of BCP, Paul and Mesh delve into their Oscar predictions and snubs. They then discuss the recent updates to the DGA's agreement with the AMPTP, including a streaming success bonus which is comparable to what the WGA secured, despite the DGA not having to strike. Finally, they break down the latest earnings report from Comcast, highlighting Peacock's remarkable subscriber spike fueled by having the first ever exclusive right to stream an NFL playoff game.
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On the heels of the Golden Globes, Paul and Mesh kick things off with a recap of the Emmys and the Critic’s Choice Awards before previewing some of the most-anticipated films at Sundance. Next, they discuss Reddit’s revisiting its IPO plans and what the implications might be for owners and users alike. Finally, they discuss a recent trend of layoffs to start 2024 in the tech industry and wonder whether they are a cause for concern.
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In this episode of Better Call Paul, hosts Paul and Mesh open with the latest scoop on Tom Cruise's groundbreaking deal with Warner Brother Discovery to develop and produce movies. They then shift gears to provide a comprehensive recap of the Golden Globes, highlighting the standout moments and winners. The episode concludes with a fascinating exploration of the hottest trends at CES, focusing on the SAG AFTRA agreement with Replica Studios regarding AI voice technology.
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Paul and Mesh begin with a recap of Broadway’s strong finish to 2023 and then delve into the latest rumored replacement for Jonathan Majors in the MCU. Next, they shift to Paramount's exploration of a potential sale and why it might be attractive to a variety of media players and platforms. Wrapping up, Paul shares his legal and pop culture perspective on the recent drama between Aaron Rogers and Jimmy Kimmel that started on Pat McAfee's show.
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Paul and Mesh kick off the new year with the second annual Paulies! Listen as they recap the best stories from 2023 as they run through their nominees and winners from the categories including: Best Movie, Best TV Show, Best Streaming Service, Biggest Lawsuit and more.
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This week, Paul interviews Oz Krakowski, the Chief Revenue Officer of Deepdub.ai. Deepdub.ai leverages AI to create localized versions of films and television shows. Paul and Oz discuss AI generally, and safeguards that can be put in place to ensure that actors have meaningful consent rights and the opportunity to earn compensation from the use of their likeness (or dialog) in new works.
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This week, Paul interviews a very special guest, Melanie Chandra. Melanie is a former Mckinsey & Co. consultant and beauty queen who has followed her dream to become a model, actress, writer and producer. Paul and Melanie discuss her journey, her take on the challenges facing actors and writers today, how she kept busy during a dual SAG and WGA strike, and some of the differences between being an actor and a producer. Finally, Melanie and Paul discuss the impact of AI and digital likenesses on actors and some of the tough decisions actors may have to make.
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