• HOLLYWOOD
  • WALL STREET
  • SILICON VALLEY
  • WASHINGTON
  • MEDIA
  • FASHION
Get 1 free article
RECENT AUTHORS
  • Tina Nguyen
  • Dylan Byers
  • William D. Cohan

  • Sign In
  • Join Puck
  • Newsletters
  • Authors
  • Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Join Puck
Welcome back to The Rainmaker, my private newsletter focused on the legal maneuvering inside Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Washington, and Wall Street.
 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
The Rainmaker

Happy Monday, I’m Eriq Gardner.

Welcome back to The Rainmaker, my private newsletter focused on the legal maneuvering inside Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Washington, and Wall Street.

This week, I look at how the former head of Universal Studios pushed to make an O.J. Simpson movie that purports the former football star was framed for murder—a movie that has since become a head-spinning legal drama itself. Plus, news on an unreported subpoena to Donald Trump’s new company; wins for Netflix, Bob Dylan, and Lifetime TV; and a Disney lawyer still rocking it at 85.

But first…

Exit Sandmann
I’m not surprised whatsoever that Nicholas Sandmann’s libel suit against various media outlets got tossed this past week on summary judgment. Nevertheless, when discussing the MAGA hat-wearing Kentucky teenager who briefly found himself the talk of social media for allegedly having “blocked” activist Nathan Phillips at a Native American protest, I want to make one observation...

https://puck.news/subscribe
Ron Meyer, the O.J. Movie, and L’Affaire Charlotte Kirk
Ron Meyer, the O.J. Movie, and L’Affaire Charlotte Kirk
One of the most sordid episodes in modern Hollywood enters a strange new phase.
ERIQ GARDNER ERIQ GARDNER
Right now, in some lawyer’s office, there is a 2017 audio recording of one of the most powerful Hollywood executives of the past half century saying of O.J. Simpson,“I always thought he was guilty until I read Josh’s script… Let’s make this movie before this guy gets out of prison… We’ll find ways to get this movie financed and distributed.” The voice on that recording allegedly belongs to Ron Meyer, the legendary CAA co-founder, Universal Studios president, and vice chairman at NBCUniversal, who, two years after exiting amid a scandal involving his affair with actress Charlotte Kirk, is now at the center of a $150 million lawsuit almost as unbelievable as the notion that O.J. isn’t a murderer.

On one level, that audio tape—which Meyer’s lawyer, Danya Perry, suggests may violate California’s criminal law against eavesdropping—is a remnant from l'affaire Kirk. She’s the actress who claimed she was coerced into sex with several Hollywood executives and then fought to lift a gag order that had kept her silent. Both Meyer and Kevin Tsujihara, the former Warner Bros. C.E.O. who also stepped down over a Kirk affair, have denied anything but brief, consensual relationships with her. But both were alleged to have sought acting roles for Kirk. One such role was Nicole Brown Simpson in Nicole & O.J., a $65 million film directed by Joshua Newton that purports Simpson was framed for double-murder, based on Newton’s own reexamination of the evidence...

SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE
FOUR STORIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
Zaz's Tween Gamble
Zaz's Tween Gamble
WBD is betting on a surprising new content strategy to take on its rivals.
JULIA ALEXANDER
WSJ Follies & NFL+
WSJ Follies & NFL+
Teddy and Jon discuss the Musk-Shanahan-Sergey imbroglio at the Journal and the NFL’s streaming ambitions.
JULIA ALEXANDER
The Carried Interest Wars
The Carried Interest Wars
Notes on Lina Khan’s antitrust trial balloon & the "end" of the carried interest loophole.
WILLIAM D. COHAN
Stallone's War on Rocky
Stallone's War on Rocky
The 76-year-old is fighting for a financial stake in his signature property.
MATTHEW BELLONI
swash divider
Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn
You received this message because you signed up to receive emails from Puck

Was this email forwarded to you?

Sign up for Puck here

Sent to


Unsubscribe

Interested in exploring our newsletter offerings?

Manage your preferences

Puck is published by Heat Media LLC

227 W 17th St

New York, NY 10011

For support, just reply to this e-mail

For brand partnerships, email ads@puck.news

SEE THE ARCHIVES

SHARE
Try Puck for free
  • Featuring unprecedented access to elite journalists.
  • Focused on the inside story at the nexus of Hollywood, Wall Street, Washington, and Silicon Valley.
  • Articles, podcasts, newsletters, conference calls, and more.

Already a paying member? Sign in



  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • FAQ
© 2023 Heat Media All rights reserved.
Become a member

All of the insider knowledge from our top tier authors, in your inbox.

Sign up

Already a member? Sign In

Verify your email!

You should receive a link to log in at .

I DID NOT RECEIVE A LINK

Didn't get an email? Check your spam folder and confirm the spelling of your email, and try again. If you continue to have trouble, reach out to fritz@puck.news.

SIGN UP with Google
SIGN UP with Google
SIGN UP with Apple
SIGN UP with Apple
OR USE EMAIL & PASSWORD
Password strength:

OR
Sign in

Not a member yet? Sign up today

Sign in with Google
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Apple
Sign in with Apple
OR USE EMAIL & PASSWORD
Don't have a password or need to reset it?

OR
Verify Account

Verify your email!

You should receive a link to log in at .

I DID NOT RECEIVE A LINK

Didn't get an email? Check your spam folder and confirm the spelling of your email, and try again. If you continue to have trouble, reach out to fritz@puck.news.

YOUR EMAIL

Use a different sign in option instead

Member Exclusive

Try Puck for free

Use our promo code: DOUBLEDOWN


  • Daily articles and breaking news
  • Personal emails directly from our authors
  • Premium podcast content
Welcome to Puck!

You are logged into a free account as unknown@example.com

Already a member? Sign in with your paid account


Directly Supporting Authors

A new economic model in which writers are also partners in the business.

Personalized Subscriptions

Customize your settings to receive the newsletters you want from the authors you follow.

Stay in the Know

Connect directly with Puck talent through email and exclusive events.