Welcome back to What I'm Hearing...
Hello and Happy Halloween, a little earlier than usual because I’ll be trick-or-treating as Marshall from Paw Patrol.
Reminder: My emails are for members of Puck, our new media company focused on the power centers of Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Washington, and Wall Street. If this email has been forwarded to you, you can sign up for a membership here. Thanks.
Sponsored by Amazon Prime Video 
First, as we enter November of the Scariest Movie Year Ever, a couple topics more terrifying than that disgusting zombie baby on your neighbor’s lawn…
Who Won the Week Hwang Dong-hyuk–Netflix released another round of astounding Squid Game numbers, claiming the Korean writer-director’s dystopian series was watched by 142 million households globally, or nearly seven in 10 people who subscribe. Taking the unverified Netflix boast with the usual grain of salt, that’s pretty gigantic.
Now some news, and an update on everyone’s favorite multi-billion-dollar private equity play...
Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Blackstone Group-backed company is one of the suitors as Kevin Hart jumps on the private equity party bus. Go ahead and add Kevin Hart to the list of A-level talent jumping on the private equity party bus. Three sources tell me the actor-comedian-producer is in active talks to sell either all or a piece of his prolific company, and the suitors have lined up. Hart’s rep declined to comment.
It’s two companies, actually. Hart runs Hartbeat Productions, a film and television shingle, and Laugh Out Loud, his comedy brand focused on showcasing diverse comedians, and he’s in the process of combining them, along with other entertainment assets, to better position them for a transaction. One source tells me the merged company is projected to do $100 million in revenue in the next year, and while that wouldn’t be too surprising given how active and popular he is, these projections are always iffy. No word on the desired valuation, either, but LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Springhill Entertainment, which recently said it will generate $100 million in the next year, was valued at $725 million in its latest funding round. Good for Kevin Hart.
Before you ask, yes, Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Blackstone Group-backed company is one of the suitors, though the conversations with the unnamed entity (really, guys? Still unnamed?) were described to me as “preliminary...”
ADVERTISEMENT 
FOUR STORIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 
With the Chappelle uproar, Netflix has become an unwitting signpost in the culture wars. Some believe it may presage a turning point. MATT BELLONI 
Members of the intelligence community are increasingly convinced that the Russian government is behind the "Havana Syndrome." JULIA IOFFE 
In the middle of perhaps the most consequential scandal of his career, Mark Zuckerberg unveils his new vision for the metaverse. DYLAN BYERS 
The formative years of David Zaslav's career explain as much about the history of cable as they portend about the future of streaming. WILLIAM D. COHAN 
You received this message because you signed up to receive emails from Puck.
Was this email forwarded to you?
Sent to {{customer.email}}
Puck is published by Heat Media LLC.
For support, just reply to this e-mail. For brand partnerships, email [email protected] |
-
Join Puck
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.
