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Matthew Belloni, Eriq Gardner, Julia Alexander, Kim Masters & Scott Mendelson
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Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
An essential, insider-friendly Hollywood tip sheet from Matthew Belloni, who spent 14 years in the trenches at The Hollywood Reporter and five before that practicing entertainment law. What I’m Hearing also features contributions from veteran Hollywood journalist Kim Masters, media analyst Julia Alexander, entertainment law expert Eriq Gardner, and special box office dispatches from Scott Mendelson.
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John Ourand & Eriq Gardner
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Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (Thursday is an Inner Circle exclusive)
A professional-grade rundown on the business of sports from John Ourand, the industry’s preeminent journalist, covering the leagues, players, agencies, media deals, and the egos fueling it all. Plus, the latest intel from Eriq Gardner on the sports legal beat.
THE LATEST ARTICLES
Eriq Gardner
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July 8, 2025
The Tony Robbins A.I. Power Within
A new court case over an A.I.’s celebrity doppelgänger, somewhat hilariously approximating Tony Robbins, may establish precedent for the bursting docket of entertainers looking to protect their flesh-and-blood box office potential.
Eriq Gardner
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June 24, 2025
A Warners ‘Matrix 5’ Battle & The NFL’s Sunday Ticket Showdown
News and notes from around the entertainment law universe: The looming battle over the F.C.C.’s ability to deregulate media ownership; the latest twists in the NFL’s ongoing antitrust drama over Sunday Ticket; and the lingering derivative rights questions following Alcon Entertainment’s deal to acquire Village Roadshow’s film library for $417.5 million.
Eriq Gardner
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June 17, 2025
The Real Reason Bob Iger Declared War on A.I.
Disney is racing to keep its fight with Midjourney inside the judicial system and out of the political swamp. Insiders insist the endgame isn’t a licensing deal, but to actually compel A.I. companies to stop ripping off Hollywood’s prized I.P. Whether Midjourney negotiates is an open question… but Disney is done asking nicely.
Eriq Gardner
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June 11, 2025
Kate Beckinsale’s Boundary-Breaking Lawsuit
The lawsuit over alleged abuse suffered during the production of ‘Canary Black’ was specifically designed to fly under the radar: Beckinsale filed as a “Jane Doe,” and vaguely referred to an on-set injury. But now, her legal team has submitted a more detailed complaint... and it’s quite something.
Eriq Gardner
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June 10, 2025
Elon’s Battle of the Broadbands
Buried deep within the 1,116-page reconciliation bill is a provision to auction off spectrum needed for 6G wireless, setting off a wave of anxiety among broadcasters as they prepare to compete in an auction with Elon Musk. Plus, the latest F.C.C. complication in the endless Paramount saga.
Eriq Gardner
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June 3, 2025
Paramount’s Trump Settlement Calculus
A close look at why the Paramount board has yet to settle Donald Trump’s lawsuit against CBS and ‘60 Minutes’ when their $8 billion merger ostensibly hangs in the balance.
Eriq Gardner
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June 3, 2025
A Real Housewife Smackdown & Baldonigate Consequences
Former ‘Real Housewife’ star Leah McSweeney has amended her lawsuit to accuse Bravo’s Andy Cohen of orchestrating a smear campaign against her—a claim that mirrors the allegations in the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni saga. The same judge is overseeing both cases… and his decision in one could have major repercussions for the other.
Eriq Gardner
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May 27, 2025
A ‘Thrones’-A.I. Cliffhanger & ChatGPT’s Big Acquittal
As entertainment and tech continue their high-speed merger, A.I. is no longer just a backend tool—it can be the writer, the performer, the recommender, and the curator. But when the machines start talking back, who’s responsible when something goes wrong?
Eriq Gardner
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May 20, 2025
Taylor Swift Extortionology & Ticketmaster’s Secret Court
News and notes on the cynical effort to pull Swift into the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni legal vortex, and the pop star’s curious silence. Plus, how the Swift saga connects back to the government’s attempt to break up Live Nation—and whether there will finally be “karma” for Ticketmaster.
Eriq Gardner
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May 13, 2025
Hollywood’s Original Fin-Syn
Trump is considering a plan to revive the Nixon-era rules that once barred CBS, NBC, and ABC from owning the programs that they aired—and adding streamers like Netflix to the sanctions list. The president probably doesn’t have that power, but as his former antitrust chief told me, “Has that ever stopped Trump?”