Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon compilation of Puck’s best new reporting.

First up today, Eriq Gardner digs into a trio of under-the-radar Hollywood lawsuits with surprisingly high stakes: Netflix’s $15 million defamation battle over the Inventing Anna docudrama; Alan Lazar’s $10 million copyright fight over the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills theme song; and Disney’s looming courtroom showdown with actor Rockmond Dunbar over alleged religious discrimination.

Plus, below the fold: Ian Krietzberg considers whether a buzzy new A.I. startup can actually treat dementia and cognitive decline. Marion Maneker previews a series of Keith Haring shows and whether his market can ever catch up to Basquiat’s. Peter Hamby examines how Virginia’s runaway governor’s race exposed a Democratic Achilles’ heel. Sarah Shapiro answers Line Sheet readers’ burning questions about the retail landscape. And for Inner Circle members, Julia Alexander assesses YouTube TV’s leverage in its watershed carriage dispute with NBCU.

Meanwhile, on the pods: John Ourand is joined by Axios’s Sara Fischer on The Varsity to discuss ESPN’s blockbuster NFL and MLB deals. And on The Powers That Be, Peter and Julia crunch the numbers on Disney+’s subscriber exodus in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s short-lived suspension.

🚨 In the Arena: A reminder that In the Arena, our inaugural sports media conference hosted with MoffettNathanson, is taking place on October 16 in New York. Panelists include NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Fanatics C.E.O. Michael Rubin, RedBird’s Gerry Cardinale, and other sports industry insiders. You can pick up one of the few remaining tickets here.

HOLLYWOOD

The streamer’s decision not to secure the life rights for one of the key players in the fake heiress saga could prove costly. Plus, news and notes on a $10 million ‘Housewives’ jingle battle and Disney’s next day in court.

A.I.

A newish startup hopes to leverage generative A.I. to treat millions of people with cognitive issues. But like most shiny new industry objects, the next step is gathering robust evidence to prove that the system actually works.

ART

It’s rare to see a show of the subway artist’s best works, not least because good collectors tend to hold on to them. But Gladstone has one now, and two more are coming next year—potentially tempting the next generation of Basquiat collectors, too.

WASHINGTON

Abigail Spanberger’s muddled response to an attack on trans issues has once again highlighted Democrats’ inability to articulate a coherent response—a full year after Kamala faced the same campaign scrutiny.

FASHION

A punchy guide to all your burning retail questions: the curious crowd sizes at U.K. department stores, the explanation for the booming kids’ retail market, why seasonless resort-style wear has taken over runways, and much more.

SPORTS

What would ordinarily be a traditional carriage dispute between YouTube TV and NBCU is threatening to spiral into something more consequential and novel, with both sides planting their flags.

SPORTS

Axios’s Sara Fischer reunites with John to discuss ESPN’s blockbuster deals with the NFL and MLB, as well as the early splash of ESPN’s and Fox’s new D.T.C. products, each racking up over a million sign-ups in under two weeks. They also weigh in on NBC’s simmering turf war with YouTube TV, the looming possibility of an early NFL rights shake-up, and much more.

MEDIA

Julia Alexander joins Peter for a deep dive into Disney+’s subscriber exodus in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, and what the backlash really cost the company. She also breaks down YouTube TV’s bruising carriage battles, as the scrappy streamer tries to keep pace with ballooning rights fees.

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