The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

The Best and Worst Deals of the Past 10 Years in Entertainment Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back and make a case for the best and worst deals in entertainment over the past decade. They also look at the worst deal that almost was and the biggest deal that should have happened.

Email us your questions, thoughts, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Endeavor President Mark Shapiro Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by president of Endeavor Mark Shapiro to discuss the future of streaming, the evolving relationship between talent and representation in the creator economy, Endeavor’s interest in sports, gambling, and the college NIL market, as well as Monday Night Football’s future at ESPN. They discuss how agencies are making money nowadays and what they will look like in the next five to 10 years.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Mark Shapiro

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Unfunny Decline of Comedy Central Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

In light of Trevor Noah’s recent announcement that he will be exiting 'The Daily Show,' Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw discuss what has happened to Comedy Central and why the once-beloved comedy hub has been reduced to a channel for reruns. They also discuss the value the network brings to Paramount and what the future looks like for 'The Daily Show' and other late-night television shows.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Tom Cruise and an Explosive Scientology Book Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Mike Rinder, former senior executive of the Church of Scientology. They discuss the moment he decided to leave Scientology, Tom Cruise’s current standing in the church, the impact of 'Top Gun: Maverick,' the internet’s damning influence on the future of Scientology, and more—all detailed in his new book 'A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology.'

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Mike Rinder

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Angelina Jolie vs. Brad Pitt Goes Nuclear Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss Angelina Jolie’s countersuit against Brad Pitt, which includes claims that Pitt was abusive to Angelina and their children during a 2016 plane ride. Matt and Eriq focus on the business and legal implications of the lawsuit—which centers on a French winery Pitt and Jolie bought when they were married—and what this could mean for their careers moving forward.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Eriq Gardner

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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‘House of the Dragon’ vs. ‘The Rings of Power,’ Who Is Winning? Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Julia Alexander from Parrot Analytics to break down who is winning the biggest TV matchup in years, HBO’s ‘The House of the Dragon’ vs. Amazon’s 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.’ Matt and Julia dive into Nielsen's newly released ratings and determine which show is benefiting its host platform the most.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Julia Alexander

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Can ‘SNL’ Get Back to Making Stars? Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bill Simmons to discuss the current state of 'SNL' ahead of the Season 48 premiere this Saturday night. Lorne Michaels recently described this season as a “year of reinvention” for 'SNL,' and Matt and Bill preview how this year will look different, why the show has struggled creating stars lately, what it can learn from past seasons, and Lorne’s future with the show.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Bill Simmons

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Hollywood’s (Still) Embarrassing Gender Gap Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

Hollywood has a reputation for being a fairly progressive industry, but when it comes to gender equality, there is still plenty of work to do. Matt is joined by CNBC's senior media & tech correspondent Julia Boorstin to talk about her new book, ‘When Women Lead,’ and discuss the lingering gender gap in Hollywood and lack of female CEOs in entertainment and media industries, why women are particularly adept to lead companies, and what has changed since the #MeToo movement.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Julia Boorstin

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Millions Are Watching the NFL on Amazon Prime. Is This the Future? Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded before the ratings of the most recent ‘Thursday Night Football’ game on Amazon Prime between The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns were released.

Matt is joined by Sports Business Journal's John Ourand to discuss Amazon’s impressive start as an exclusive NFL streamer for ‘Thursday Night Football.’ Amazon’s Week 2 debut between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers drew ratings similar to broadcast television, raising the eyebrows of viewers, advertisers, and television network executives alike. Is this the future?

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: John Ourand

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Town Hall: Star Wars Missteps, Top Gun’s Oscar Potential, and Where Is James Bond? Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to Town Hall! Matt and Craig answer listener questions on Disney’s handling of the 'Star Wars' franchise, the biggest movie set disasters, 'Top Gun' and Tom Cruise’s Oscar buzz, Paramount’s stellar summer and who is responsible, Hollywood’s biggest bets in 2023, the future of the live award show, Apple TV+’s ambitions, and more.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producer: Craig Horbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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