🎧 No One Knew How Johnny Carson Voted
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Subscribe on Apple PodcastsStephen Colbert’s out, Greg Gutfeld’s in, and late-night TV is a shell of its former self. Rob Long breaks down what went wrong, why Johnny Carson wouldn’t survive 2025, and how Kimmel, Stewart, Meyers and Oliver turned late-night into political homework at bedtime — while fighting over the same half of the audience. But Rob doesn’t blame a certain president for the Late Show cancellation. He blames the thing that always forces showbiz’s hand: money. Transcript here. Got a tip or story pitch? Email tips@theankler.com. ICYMI from The AnklerThe YouTube Stars Replacing Late Night — and Writing Colbert’s New Playbook Natalie Jarvey on how Amelia Dimoldenberg, Sean Evans & Theo Von have broadcast beat, owning both their shows & audience How to Win the $10B Name, Image & Likeness AI Rights Fight As deepfakes surge, Vermillio’s Dan Neely helps reps and studios achieve control, compensation and IP value in a new Wild West, writes Ashley Cullins On Vacation, Colbert Didn’t Know Late Show Was Dead. His Manager Did SCOOP: James Dixon waited two weeks to tell his star, Lesley Goldberg reveals, and more new details about who knew what and when Smurfed: Inside the Rotten Tomatoes Market Weaponizing 1-Star Reviews Matthew Frank on how an Aussie critic enriched top bettors, feeding a ‘degenerate economy’ that threatens any studio's best laid plans ‘The Numbers Don’t Add Up’ Problem Richard Rushfield on Colbert, Trump and the slippery slope that is leading us to the apocalypse Gen X is Being Forced to Hustle. This Time with a New Career Plan Elaine Low goes inside their fight to keep rising as boomers and contraction stand in the way: ‘Most people I know out of work are in their 50s’ Gen Z and Alpha Want IRL. This Is How Every Studio is Racing to Respond Matthew talks to execs from Netflix, WB and more about plans to win the $52B experience economy as streaming flattens, IP goes live & AI looms YouTube’s Worst-Case Scenario: Lurking Risks Behind a Big Year Two longtime threats remain and two new ones loom, writes Entertainment Strategy Guy The Media’s Whipping Boy Was Right (This Time) As Zaslav gets a win, Richard takes notice of the press pretending it never doubted. Plus: a Variety scoop with 8 reporters! Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is Coming for an Oscar Plus: The Daily Show host Desi Lydic tells Katey about ‘Foxsplaining’ in the Trump era ‘Nobody Expected This’: Meet the Year’s Least Likely Emmy Nominee Katey talks to Somebody Somewhere star Jeff Hiller about becoming a first-timer for the cult HBO comedy 📹 Richard & Sean: We Know What You Didn’t Do This Summer Though season box office is up 15%, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Smurfs show the increase isn’t all it seems 📹 The Rushfield Lunch: Priyanka Mattoo The author and former WME and UTA agent explains to Richard how writing gigs have become a more glamorous factory job 📹 Katey & Chris: The Case for Severance to Win Best Drama & Two Acting Emmys In a sneak preview of After Party, Katey and Christopher Rosen hash out lingering Emmy takes and The Odyssey IMAX sellout 🎧 The Epic Cable TV Swap Meet Begins Inside the grim arbitrage about to begin; plus: Emmy nom winners and losers 🎧 Late-Night’s Existential Crisis Culture critic Nick Quah tells Katey how The Late Show end was inevitable More from Ankler MediaNew from Natalie Jarvey’s creator economy newsletter: Golf’s Big Swing: YouTube, Gen Z & Creators Over Country Clubs 2025 Creator Boom: Deal Report, Key Trends & Where Money’s Flowing Andy Lewis’ latest IP picks: |



