Strictly Business

Latest Episodes:

Daily Variety -- National Comedy Center's Journey Gunderson on Preserving Humor as History Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, N.Y. – Lucille Ball’s hometown -- explains why it’s important to have an institution devoted to the study of comedy. Jamestown will be abuzz with laughs as the center hosts the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival Aug. 7-9 headlined by Jerry Seinfeld, Bert Kreischer and Seth Meyers.

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Daily Variety – It’s a Brand New Day for the Box Office Thanks to ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘The Odyssey’ Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Variety’s box office expert Rebecca Rubin breaks down an astounding weekend at global turnstiles with the debut of Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and weekend three of Universal Pictures’ “The Odyssey.”

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Music Fans Shrug Off Ticket Price Hikes to Keep Summer Concert Business Humming Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

The global live music business is enjoying a busy summer touring season, defying ticket-price sensitivity concerns. Andrew Wallenstein, chief insights officer at Luminate, discusses the company's new "Live Music 2026" special report with its author, Luminate analyst Robert Steiner.

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Daily Variety -- California Film Commissioner Colleen Bell Talks State Tax Incentive Battles, Hollywood’s Future and More Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Colleen Bell, director of the California State Film Commission, discusses her wins in her role as the Golden State’s film chief and the hurdles that remain to restore a high volume of TV and film lensing activity in Hollywood's backyard. Bell says the past few years have been a “seminal moment” for the entertainment industry in California. “People want to shoot their projects here. Public policy needs to evolve to meet the moment,” she says.

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Madison Wells Balances Art, Commerce and Audience Demands to Back Movies, TV Shows, Live Events Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Madison Wells chief Gigi Pritzker and newly appointed president and chief content officer Dan Steinman discuss how the well-positioned indie navigates the ups and downs of a transforming marketplace. “We have to be smarter,” Pritzker says. “Even inexpensive movies are expensive,” says Steinman.

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Daily Variety -- Cover Story: Travis Scott Ascends to Culture Moguldom Through Music, Movies, Retail, Business and More Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, in our Cover Story segment, Variety’s Angelique Jackson details the time she spent with multihyphenate superstar Travis Scott, who comes off a record-setting music tour with a high-profile role in the movie of the moment, Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”

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Daily Variety -- Reba McEntire Revels in 50 Years of Making Music and Season 3 of NBC’s ‘Happy’s Place’ Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

On today's episode, country music superstar Reba McEntire discusses celebrating her golden anniversary in music with a series of EP releases that pair a newly recorded song with several vintage tunes. McEntire also weighs in on how she’s navigated a turbulent TV marketplace to get her NBC comedy “Happy’s Place” to a third season.

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Daily Variety -- 'Scary Movie' Gets a Second Wind in PVOD With Extended Director's Cut Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, “Scary Movie” director Michael Tiddes explains how he came to be trusted with the revival of Shawn and Marlon Wayans’ beloved horror comedy franchise. And Tiddes details the extras in the extended director's cut that bowed today on PVOD platforms.

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Daily Variety – Box Office: Christopher Nolan Gets Moviegoers Out in Force for the Trojan Horse Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, in our box office segment, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down the spectacular $264 million worldwide opening for Universal Pictures’ “The Odyssey.” It couldn’t have come at a better time for Imax, the large-format exhibitor that delivered more than 50% of the opening weekend receipts.

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Jon Miller on Media Merger Mayhem: ‘Globalization is Winning’ Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

On today’s episode, Jon Miller, CEO of Integrated Media, offers perspective on what it’s like to be part of a mega-bucks merger that represents an enormous bet on the future. He examines the flurry of deals that are pending, and how the varied motives of the biggest players in media are driving the sector.

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