The Grill Room

Latest Episodes:

Sorkin’s Rules of Engagement Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

Andrew Ross Sorkin, founder of The New York Times’ DealBook and co-host of CNBC’s Squawk Box, joins Dylan for a candid conversation about the ins and outs of his media business. He walks through a typical day in his life, explains why he’s prioritizing quality over quantity (and skipping the media-empire chase), and breaks down his approach to high-stakes interviews. They also dig into the DealBook Summit—his toughest interview yet, his white-whale guest—and the advice he’d give to anyone trying to break into media in 2026.

Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at ⁠starbucks.com/partners⁠⁠.⁠

The Iger-Altman Alliance Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

Dylan and Julia reunite to chew over Disney’s new deal with OpenAI, which will pump more than 200 Disney characters into Sora so fans can generate their own content with the company’s most valuable I.P. They also check in on the WBD sweepstakes: how Paramount and Netflix stack up, what each company’s contingency plans looks like, the regulatory headaches ahead, and much more.

Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at ⁠starbucks.com/partners⁠⁠.⁠

Can Yahoo Survive in a Hyper-Niche World? Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

Yahoo C.E.O. Jim Lanzone joins Dylan and Julia for a tour of the company’s Apollo era, four years after the private equity behemoth bought the business for just $5 billion—nearly $120 billion shy of its peak valuation. Lanzone breaks down Yahoo’s growth strategy: the metrics that actually matter, how the company monetizes at scale, and what the endgame looks like. They also dig into Yahoo’s A.I. ambitions, and what it takes to run a mass-market consumer business in a media landscape focused on niche and specialized content.

Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at ⁠starbucks.com/partners⁠⁠.⁠

Introducing How We Made Your Mother Season 2! Dec 06, 2025

Show notes

It’s been 20 years since How I Met Your Mother premiered, and just over 10 years since the finale. Josh Radnor, who played “Ted” for nine seasons teams up with series co-creator Craig Thomas for this episode-by-episode rewatch podcast. For the superfans, HWMYM (listen to the trailer to learn how it’s pronounced) will get into all the secrets, theories, and pineapples, but we'll also use HIMYM – and our relationship to it two decades later – to talk about life and love and art and everything in between. How We Made Your Mother… a flashback podcast for a flashback show. You can listen to all episodes of season 1 now, and join Josh and Craig as they dive into season 2!

Substack’s Lizza Problem & Spotify Wrapped Revelations Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

Julia and Dylan revisit the endlessly looping Nuzzi-Lizza saga, questioning whether we’re still covering journalism or merely documenting a public breakup. They dissect the collateral damage of the drama: Substack’s structural vulnerabilities, Vanity Fair’s brand calculus, and the reputational fallout for both combatants. Plus, they swap their Spotify Wrapped revelations and discuss how Spotify turned an annual recap into a global marketing juggernaut.

Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at ⁠starbucks.com/partners⁠⁠.⁠

Elon, Zohran & The New Politics of Influence Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

Makena Kelly, senior writer at Wired, joins Julia to wade into the Venn diagram of politics, internet culture, and technology. They discuss Elon Musk’s curious cameo in the Trump administration, the rise of influencer gatherings over traditional press, and how online fandoms can turbocharge campaigns like Zohran Mamdani’s. They also explore how creators are reshaping political media and the tightrope reporters walk to stay objective through it all.

Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at starbucks.com/partners .

Thanksgiving Media Intrigues & Nuzzigate Leftovers Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

Julia and Dylan serve up the latest media dish: the blurred lines between journalists and influencers; how A.I. is transforming Apple and Google; the Substackification of legacy media; and, of course, the Nuzzi-Lizza-R.F.K. scandal that won’t die.

Nuzzi, Wolff, and the Algorithm Apocalypse Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

Brian Morrissey and Troy Young, hosts of People vs Algorithms, join Dylan to discuss the media culture war between “information entrepreneurs” like Olivia Nuzzi and Michael Wolff and old-school journalists such as Kara Swisher. Then they dig into the blurring lines between journalism and content creation writ large, the rise of performative reporting, and whether traditional media can keep up in the new attention economy.

Inside Alison’s Roman Empire Nov 21, 2025

Show notes

Alison Roman, the internet’s favorite culinary truth-teller, rejoins Dylan to dish on her ongoing evolution as an independent creator in the chaotic attention economy. She discusses her new book, the existential importance of keeping it authentic, and why she broke up with Substack. She also previews her next acts—and, of course, what she’s cooking for Thanksgiving.

Olivia Nuzzi’s Media Mirage & Gerry Cardinale’s Broadsheet Blues Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

Julia and Dylan discuss Olivia Nuzzi’s Vanity Fair “American Canto” excerpt and New York Times profile, and the increasingly tangled relationship between celebrity culture and legacy media brands trying to retain and grow audiences. They also discuss the fate of The Telegraph, and why Jeff Zucker and Gerry Cardinale can’t seem to get their hands around the storied Tory broadsheet.

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