The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

The ‘Sinners’ Deal, the Manosphere, and the Biggest Overreactions of the First Half of 2025 Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back on the first half of 2025 and highlight the stories they believe were most overcovered (01:47). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of the Hulu brand (26:27).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How to Get an Emmy Nomination (...for Matt??) Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Debra Birnbaum, editor-in-chief of GoldDerby and former head of awards at Amazon Studios, to discuss the logistics of Emmy campaigning, how Emmy and Oscar campaigns differ, who actually votes, and the cost behind small and large campaigns (02:38). Debra sticks around for the Call Sheet to help Matt predict which shows will be nominated in Best Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series categories at the Emmys (24:41).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Debra Birnbaum

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Running a Major Talent Agency in 2025 With the New CEO of UTA Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by David Kramer, the new CEO of United Talent Agency, to discuss his new position, how the talent representation business has changed, industry challenges like the content slowdown, the transition from linear to streaming, labor unrest, AI, and the end of packaging. They also discuss whether private equity has been good or bad for the agency business and how the talent pay structure is changing (03:03). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (26:47).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: David Kramer

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warner Bros. Discovery Is Splitting Up. What's Next? Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the long-awaited breakup of Warner Bros. Discovery, and break down what these two new companies will consist of. They look at why this happened now, what this means for HBO Max and CNN, and who is the most likely buyer for each spun-off company (02:56). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Justin Baldoni (25:10).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chalamet, Cruise, and the New Celebrity Press Tour Playbook Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by veteran publicist and co-CEO of Kovert Creative, Lewis Kay, to discuss how much the game has changed in the world of celebrity PR, including how the modern media landscape has impacted the celebrity press tour, what works and what doesn’t, and why that is so hard to predict nowadays (02:50). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the movie 'Ballerina’ (29:40).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lewis Kay

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clooney’s Big Broadway Bet, and How to Make Real Money in Theater Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by nine-time Tony Award–winning producer John Johnson to talk about his latest hit, ‘Good Night and Good Luck,’ and the decision to stream the play live on CNN for the first time in Broadway history. They also take a broader look at the Broadway business, discussing how much money a play or musical costs to produce, what kind of ticket sales constitutes a hit, which individuals get paid the most, why A-list stars are flocking to the stage, and more (02:23). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the final season of ‘Stranger Things’ (27:26).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: John Johnson

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Real Winners of the Taylor Swift Masters Mega-Deal Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Taylor Swift’s purchase of the rights to the master recordings of her first six albums, which were originally sold to Scooter Braun in 2019 and later acquired by Shamrock Capital. They discuss the details of the deal, the winners and losers, and how Swift has changed the music industry by paving the way for artists to own their work (02:45). Matt closes the show with a prediction about the 2025 NBA Finals ratings (23:44).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Mulaney on SNL50 Hijinks and Getting Away With His Late-Night Netflix Show May 29, 2025

Show notes

Live from Hollywood, Matt is joined by comedian John Mulaney to talk about his experience writing for the 'SNL' 50th anniversary special and what he thinks will happen to the show moving forward. He also discusses how he managed to get away with his unique late-night show on Netflix, how he deals with executive notes, learning from his sitcom, and whether he’d ever return to scripted comedy (01:39). Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ (28:19).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: John Mulaney

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The New Path to Stand-Up Fame and Fortune With Mike Birbiglia May 27, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by comedian Mike Birbiglia to talk about how the goal of the modern stand-up comedian has changed over the past decade. They discuss whether stand-up alone is no longer enough and how necessary shoulder programming like podcasting and social media is for building a following. They also talk about Netflix's influence on stand-up and whether comedians want to make movies and TV anymore (02:30). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on which movies from the Cannes Film Festival will generate Oscar buzz (30:22).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Mike Birbiglia

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Part 2: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on Rejecting Tim Cook, Pitching Ice Cube, and Plans for More ‘The Studio’ May 23, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to discuss what they learned from industry executives before writing the show, choosing Netflix’s Ted Sarandos over Apple CEO Tim Cook for a cameo, desperately pitching Ice Cube, how they shot in a real Las Vegas casino, and which scenes were cut before they weigh in on the state of theatrical comedy in Hollywood (01:22).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guests: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Town with Matthew Belloni

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected