Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon survey of the best new reporting at Puck. First up today, Eriq Gardner digs into a scandalous Hollywood breakup—no, not Baldonigate—between John P. Middleton, scion of a tobacco empire and part-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, and The Departed producer Roy Lee. With a $1.5 million unpaid bill to a crisis P.R. firm and a Hollywood Hills mansion turned into a squatter’s paradise, the whole saga invites the question: How much does celebrity media warfare actually cost in 2025? Plus, below the fold: Sarah Shapiro determines whether ascendant shoe brand Larroudé cracked the code to big retail. John Heilemann reunites with comms strategist Jennifer Palmieri to circle the key players in the Dems’ Trump resistance (such as it is…). And Marion Maneker assesses whether Giorgio Morandi’s auction prices will zoom after a new show at David Zwirner. Meanwhile, on the pods: Matt Belloni hosts legendary music executive Irving Azoff on The Town to preview a massive benefit concert for L.A. fire victims. On Somebody’s Gotta Win, Tara Palmeri conscripts a pair of crypto experts to discuss Trump’s geopolitical vision for digital currency. On The Varsity, NFL Network analyst Peter Schrager joins John Ourand to assess the NFL’s popularity. And on The Powers That Be, Eriq connects with Peter Hamby to preview what antitrust enforcement will look like under Trump II.

HOLLYWOOD

Hollywood breakups are nothing new, but some unravel so explosively they demand a battalion of lawyers, spin doctors, financial advisors, and even shrinks. Such is the case with John P. Middleton, tobacco heir and Philadelphia Phillies co-owner, who sued producer Roy Lee in 2019 for exploiting their partnership, pocketing producer perks, and denying him rightful credits and fees. By the time a judge ruled in July 2022 that a jury must decide on Middleton’s allegations, the scandal had been all but forgotten. But with a trial now set for February 3, Middleton is facing gargantuan legal debts that will force him to sell his $10 million Hollywood Hills mansion. Read Now

FASHION

When Marina Larroudé and her husband launched their namesake company Larroudé back in 2020, they pitched the shoe brand’s innovative model—a quality product that was distributed via quick drop-ship delivery, all vertically integrated, with the shoes moving from the factory floor to the customer’s home in a matter of weeks. The Larroudés didn’t take on meaningful institutional money, and instead self-financed and raised capital from friends and family, giving the couple the ultimate control and ability to do their thing. More than four years later, Larroudé has thrived on a business model that aims to create a nimbler, more efficient, less wasteful way of operating a fashion company. In an industry grappling with inventory issues, delayed payments, and changing consumer expectations, their experiment offers a fascinating case study in what the future of fashion retail could look like. Read Now

WASHINGTON

Almost immediately after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race last summer, Jennifer Palmieri exited the commentariat and became chief of staff to second gentleman Doug Emhoff. Throughout her sprawling political career—working on the Hill for then-congressman Leon Panetta, holding multiple roles inside Clinton’s White House, serving as a comms strategist for John Edwards and Hillary Clinton, plus a stint as Obama’s White House communications director—Jen has quite literally seen it all, and perhaps there’s no one better suited to make sense of the Democrats’ current malaise. In this candid conversation, John and Jen discuss the dizzying first days of Trump’s second term, including the J6 pardons, and which Dems will be effective in confronting him. Jen also has some surprising words for Marjorie Taylor Greene… Read Now

ART

“This is our gift to New York,” said David Leiber, a man not normally prone to grandiose statements, as Marion and Julie toured the opening of Giorgio Morandi: Masterpieces From the Magnani-Rocca Foundation, which is on loan to David Zwirner on West 20th Street for a five-week run. The Magnani-Rocca Foundation’s unique collection of 50 Morandi works, which normally fills a villa in Parma, spans the range of the Italian artist’s career, offering a capsule retrospective of Morandi’s entire oeuvre. And yet, while artists and collectors have historically swooned over the Italian recluse’s muted masterpieces, his auction market and prices have never followed suit. Will they now? Read Now

HOLLYWOOD

Matt is joined by legendary music industry executive Irving Azoff to discuss FireAid, the massive benefit concert on January 30 to help L.A. fire victims. As the Los Angeles area continues its recovery from the devastating wildfires, the benefit concert is expected to raise millions for relief efforts. Irving explains how this concert came together so quickly (including the unprecedented streaming effort that will allow millions to watch for free), as well as how many of the major acts—including Billie Eilish, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Anderson .Paak—got involved. They also discuss the state of the music business, why many prominent voices in the music business are English, how streaming is affecting the business, and more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the benefit concert proceeds. Listen Now

WASHINGTON

Tara is joined by cryptocurrency industry expert Kevin Cirilli and host of the Coin Stories podcast Natalie Brunell to discuss the state of digital currency heading into the new Trump administration. They discuss the viability of cryptocurrency and Bitcoin in the U.S. economy, speculate on Trump’s actual geopolitical vision for digital currency, and talk about the effect that DeepSeek could have on the A.I. market. Listen Now

SPORTS

Fox Sports and NFL Network analyst Peter Schrager joins John for an in-depth look at the business trends shaping the NFL as the Super Bowl approaches. They explore the league’s media opportunities, the growing influence of streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon, and what it all means for traditional broadcasters. Then they debunk the idea of “Chiefs fatigue,” before Peter explains why relying on TV ratings to measure the NFL’s popularity is an archaic concept. Listen Now

WASHINGTON

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down the flood of legal developments emanating from the new Trump regime—from the firing of career D.O.J. prosecutors, to the pause on civil rights and environmental litigation, to the murky future of the TikTok ban. Then they dive into what antitrust enforcement might look like under Trump 2.0, as F.T.C. chair Lina Khan exits and Republicans grapple with just how much they’re willing to side with consumers over big business. Listen Now

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