Sam Altman’s Hard Reset & Baldonigate Down Under

Adidas After Yeezy, Hegseth’s Hostile Takeover, ESPN’s NFL Itch

Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon guide to Puck’s best new reporting. Here’s what you need to know…

The Hidden Layer: OpenAI just rolled out 20 new policy ideas for “keeping A.I. people-first”—a new tune from a company whose C.E.O. once said that A.I. “will probably most likely lead to the end of the world.” Ian Krietzberg digs into Sam Altman’s panicky rebrand and whether the pivot can actually repair public trust. [Read More]
What I’m Hearing: Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson is being sued in Australia by actress Charlotte MacInnes for defamation because Wilson alleged MacInnes was the victim of sexual harassment, an unconventional claim to say the least. Eriq Gardner connects the dots between the perplexing trial and the upcoming Lively-Baldoni showdown. [Read More]
The Varsity: Roger Goodell’s fantasy of signing new NFL media rights deals before the 2026 season opener looks increasingly unlikely. John Ourand and Guggenheim analyst Mike Morris assess the impact of the D.O.J. investigation and whether ESPN will ever walk away from the Shield. [Read More]
Line Sheet: Adidas stock is down 47 percent since February 2025, and the executive who managed its biggest celebrity relationships just left after 21 years. Malique Morris tallies the warning signs that C.E.O. Bjørn Gulden’s post-Yeezy turnaround may have stalled and considers whether the company can find its next growth engine before investors lose patience. [Read More]
Wall Power: The 64th Salone del Mobile descended on Milan with luxury brands lurking behind every velvet curtain and a design industry bracing for fresh geopolitical headwinds. Design veteran Ingrid Abramovitch files her report from the ground—and makes the case that 2026 may have been peak Salone. [Read More]

Meanwhile, on the pods…

The Varsity: John shares his incisive conversation with Guggenheim’s Mike Morris on the enduring NFL media rights saga. [Listen Here]
The Powers That Be: Peter Hamby and Julia Ioffe discuss Pete Hegseth’s promotion of Christopher LaNeve to Army chief of staff—and the purge of popular generals that paved the way. [Listen Here]

A.I.

Ian Krietzberg

Love It or Lehane It

With the public continuing to sour on A.I., Sam Altman and his corporate image architect, Chris Lehane, are testing a softer, more human message—less doom and gloom, more uplift and empowerment. Is it too little, too late?

HOLLYWOOD

Eriq Gardner

Rebel’s Yell: Anatomy of an Alleged Smear Campaign on Trial

The escalating dispute between director and star Rebel Wilson and the producers of The Deb has evolved into a cross-continental legal battle, featuring allegations of reputational harm via “smear sites,” an unconventional defamation claim, and—perhaps not coincidentally—the involvement of two key figures in the upcoming Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni trial.

SPORTS

John Ourand

The NFL’s September Surprise

A revelatory conversation with analyst Mike Morris about the myriad questions swirling around the NFL’s looming, blockbuster rights negotiations.

FASHION

Malique Morris

Bjørn to Run

Adidas C.E.O. Bjørn Gulden helped the company recover from its post-Yeezy malaise. But recent executive departures and slower sales growth evidence a less rosy future for the second-largest player in sportswear.

ART

Ingrid Abramovitch

The Luxury Marauders Take Milan

This year, the unparalleled design fair Salone del Mobile was nearly overtaken by luxury brands, Martha Stewart, and anyone hoping to capitalize on its moneyed clientele. After all, if you’re willing to plunk down six figures for a sofa, what’s a handbag or two?

SPORTS

John Ourand

The NFL’s Media Monopoly

Guggenheim Securities analyst Mike Morris rejoins the pod to assess how the negotiating table has shifted for the Shield and its media partners over the past few months, YouTube’s deepening relationship with the NFL, Amazon’s football fantasy, and how the league has transformed the sports rights landscape writ large.

WASHINGTON

Peter Hamby

Julia Ioffe

The Powers that Be Daily, Starring Peter Hamby

Hegseth’s Pentagon Purge

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to dig into the power struggle reshaping the Pentagon, where Pete Hegseth’s promotion of Christopher LaNeve to Army chief of staff is raising serious questions. Julia explains how LaNeve’s swift ascent from obscurity—and the purge of popular generals that made room for it—has fueled growing suspicions that he’s become Hegseth’s instrument of choice in his campaign to consolidate control over the military.

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