Look A-Lively, Comcast’s Ulterior Motives, Cable-pocalypse Now

Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your pocket guide to Puck’s best new reporting.

First up today, William D. Cohan presents a shrewd and provocative bull case for embattled WBD chief executive David Zaslav. Yes, that was a brutal second quarter and the stock is trading around its all-time low—but there are nonetheless some overlooked, positive signs at the company.

Plus, below the fold: Rachel Strugatz parses the out-of-the-gate success of Blake Lively’s haircare line. On Somebody’s Gotta Win with Tara Palmeri, MSNBC anchor Symone Sanders-Townsend recalls working for Kamala Harris in the White House and the tumultuous twilight of Joe Biden’s candidacy. And on The Powers That Be, John Ourand rings up Matt Belloni to unpack a host of broadcast topics: Zaz’s $9.1 billion write-down, Paramount’s NFL out, Comcast’s ulterior motives, and much more.

WILLIAM D. COHAN

Interrogating the bull case—or at least the view that things aren’t as totally awful as they seem—for David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery.

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Outstanding Writing — Geneva Robertson-Dworet & Graham Wagner
Outstanding Lead Actor — Walton Goggins

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RACHEL STRUGATZ

Blake Lively is having a moment, and now she’s got a haircare line to prove it. Is the early success of Blake Brown the result of her goofy authenticity, a genius marketing instinct, or both?

TARA PALMERI

Tara is joined by MSNBC commentator Symone Sanders-Townsend to examine Joe Biden’s last days as the Democratic presidential candidate. They discuss the vigor of the current Kamala Harris media honeymoon, talk about the implementation of the Harris agenda within her campaign, and look ahead to her scheduled debate with Donald Trump.

JOHN OURAND & MATTHEW BELLONI

John Ourand, host of the forthcoming Varsity pod, chats up Matt Belloni on a host of broadcast topics: the epic $9.1 billion Zaz write-down, Paramount’s NFL out, Comcast’s ulterior motives, and much more.