Puck

Just in time to stir further speculation that she might be running for governor of California, Kamala Harris is rumored to be attending the The Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala on May 5. Puck’s Lauren Sherman assesses the probability that she shows—and whether she’ll sneak in the side door or hit the Met steps: https://lnkd.in/eVkBPP39 Photo: Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times/Getty Images #Fashion #Art #Fundraising 

If you really want to understand Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr, look at his appointment book. Or rather, look at who’s conspicuously absent from it… “Despite repeated attempts by Skydance’s David Ellison to sit down with Carr and walk through the finer points of his company’s proposed $8 billion Paramount takeover, Carr has declined to meet with his team. No explanation. Just radio silence,” Puck’s Eriq Gardner reports. “That’s somewhat perplexing given Carr’s fixation on the Skydance-Paramount deal.” Eriq digs into the situation: https://lnkd.in/eNHQRaMG Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images #Media 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is increasingly the focus of 2028 presidential buzz as she tours the country rallying the left against Donald Trump. But for whatever appeal she has with Democratic primary voters, she remains deeply unpopular with the broader electorate, with favorable ratings below those of Trump, Elon Musk, and J.D. Vance. Now, Republicans are preparing to make her the face of the Democratic Party in the midterms—and they’re salivating about the idea of her as a presidential nominee. Are they speaking too soon? Puck’s Peter Hamby plumbs the A.O.C. paradox: https://lnkd.in/eAnhvuSW Photo: Graeme Sloan/The Washington Post/Getty Images

In the dun-colored afterglow of ex-fiancée Olivia Nuzzi’s “demure nudes” sexting scandal with R.F.K. Jr., Ryan Lizza is striking out on his own with a Substack, and trash talking former employer Politico—nondisparagement clause be damned. Meanwhile, Olivia is knuckling down on a book of her own… “Before their split, Ryan and Olivia had a longstanding, seven-figure deal with Simon & Schuster to co-author a book about the presidential campaign—the 2020 campaign, initially, and then the 2024 campaign, a delay that Ryan attributed in court to Olivia’s infidelity,” Puck’s Dylan Byers reports. “In their legal fight last fall, Ryan confirmed that he had asked Nuzzi to assume financial responsibility for the contract (she claimed he threatened her with physical violence if she didn’t, a charge he denied). In any case, Ryan is no longer attached to that project, but I’m told on good authority that New York magazine’s former star political reporter still intends to write a book.” Read Dylan’s full dispatch on Ryan’s venture and Olivia’s book here: https://lnkd.in/erKsvbpE Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images #Media 

Levi’s is thriving, with a newly surging D.T.C. model, a fitness apparel line, and a timely cross-genre partnership with Cowboy Carter, herself. Then again, there’s never been an easier time to sell American jeans. Is Levi’s really meeting the moment, or just getting lucky? Puck’s retail expert Sarah Shapiro explores: https://lnkd.in/ddbjxuvZ #Retail 

Julie Bush, a writer-producer on shows like Apple TV+’s Manhunt, may have never meant to cross the Writers Guild, but her aggressive excommunication and public shaming for a strike violation suggests Hollywood’s most militant union is already gearing up for another contentious studio showdown. “I picketed for hours alongside many of these board members. I’ve known them for years and they’re acting like they don’t even know me,” Julie tells Puck’s Matt Belloni. “I’m deeply embedded in the guild, and for them to turn on me like this, it’s just bizarre.” Read the full story from Puck’s Matthew Belloni here: https://lnkd.in/ddcH4JYE Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images #Hollywood #Labor 

“With a $48 million domestic debut, strong reviews, and sky-high word of mouth—including a 5/5 on PostTrak and the first ‘A’ Cinemascore for a horror film since ‘Aliens’ in 1986—‘Sinners’ is an undeniable win for Warner Bros. Discovery. film co-chairs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy,” writes Puck’s box office contributor, Scott Mendelson. “They can now boast of the biggest opening weekend for a wholly original film since the $71 million debut of Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ in March 2019—six years and one pandemic ago.” Scott synthesizes five lessons that the success of ‘Sinners’ can teach us about the state of the film business today: https://lnkd.in/gi8mAtsu Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures #BoxOffice #Entertainment 

In the weeks since Donald Trump’s tariff blitz shocked the markets, the Democrats seemed to regain some momentum. But then the first-quarter campaign fundraising numbers started to circulate, and what they showed for the opposition party was… grim. For the first time in recent memory, House Republican incumbents were outraising House Democrats. By a lot. What went wrong? Puck’s senior congressional correspondent, Abby Livingston, has the story. Read it in full here: https://lnkd.in/d-T9gTCt Photo: Jeenah Moon-Pool/Getty Images

The Line Sheet Mailbag: Spring Break Edition is stuffed with queries that tie up loose ends, dredge up old enmities, and stir up new ones… Among them: What happens to the Brooklyn Museum’s relationship with Dior once Maria Grazia is gone? Why does Olivier Rousteing still work at Balmain? And what’s the best thing to wear on a long flight? Puck's Lauren Sherman answers these burning reader questions here: https://lnkd.in/d7waztvS Photos: Dominique Charriau/WireImage, Tory Burch, Target, Donna Karan, Brooklyn Museum #Fashion 

When sports execs talk about ways to attract younger fans, they almost always reach for tactical solutions—from developing social media marketing campaigns to creating Gen Z attractions at the ballpark. But during a talk last week that Puck co-hosted with Tishman Speyer at their Studio at Mission Rock location, San Francisco Giants C.E.O. Larry Baer, and FOX Sports senior V.P. of strategy and analytics ben valenta focused less on rights deals or on-field play than on what makes sports fandom meaningful and profound. As Ben put it, “Sports is the business of belonging.” Swipe through to relive the event, and read Larry and Ben’s full conversation with Puck’s sport business correspondent, John Ourand, here: https://lnkd.in/dJcZbD37 Photos: Katie Ravas #Sports #Media