THIS WEEK’S BANTER

A former producer of The Apprentice speaks out about Donald Trump’s behavior on the set of the reality show, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav may have alluded to dropping the pursuit of an NBA deal, activist investor Nelson Peltz sells his entire stake in Disney, and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos thinks Barbenheimer would have been just as popular on the streamer. Kim Masters and Matt Belloni break down another whirlwind week of industry news. 

Quiet on set? Bill Pruitt, a former producer of The Apprentice, has written about Donald Trump’s behavior on the set of the reality show. “I think probably to the surprise of no one, he does allege that Donald Trump used the N-word saying that ‘nobody wanted to see the N-word win,’ for example,” Masters explains.

Throwing in the towel? Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav isn’t officially dropping his pursuit of NBA rights but his recent appearance at a Bernstein conference may have hinted that the company is backing off. But most people believe it's a formality. Zaslav then went on to say, “But even if we don't get the NBA, look at all these other amazing sports properties that we have, and we are well positioned for the future.” “I don’t know how many people believe that,” Belloni says.

Lyin’ Ted? In an interview with The New York Times, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos made claims that box office hits like Barbenheimer would have performed just as well on the streamer as they did in theaters. “I feel like he knows that when he says this stuff, it's kind of needling the industry; saying that he doesn't think quality and quantity are mutually exclusive. Well, that's a response to the fact that Netflix has made dozens and dozens of movies a year and a lot of people think that that has hurt the quality of the films,” Belloni says.

But wait, there’s more! Get the full scoop on this week’s audio edition of The Banter.

Summer TV picks: We Are Lady Parts, The Acolyte, Summer Olympics

Summer is almost here! What’s better than cranking up that AC and chilling in front of the TV with your new favorite bingeable show? The Acolyte, the latest series based in the Star Wars universe, drops on Disney+ on June 4th while We Are Lady Parts, a kickass series revolving around a punk rock band made entirely of Muslim women premieres on May 30th. Plus, the Summer Olympics are set to kick off in late July and will feature 39 sports, including classics such as beach volleyball and gymnastics, plus the newest sport to join the roster, breakdancing. Yep, you read that right! Weighing in on what should be on your roster this summer are Jen Chaney, TV critic for New York Magazine, and Proma Khosla, senior TV writer for IndieWire. 

Ron Howard talks Jim Henson: Idea Man

Ron Howard’s career as a director and an actor has taken him through many turning points of innovation in film and TV. Howard became a household name and face as a child actor on The Andy Griffith Show and as a young adult on Happy Days. He’s since made a seamless transition to directing — with films including crowd pleasers like Splash, Apollo 13, and the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind. The latter film also earned Howard a statue for Best Director. Throughout his storied career, Howard has interspersed his features with nonfiction documentaries. His latest is Jim Henson: Idea Man, an examination of the wildly creative and innovative creator of the muppets, now streaming on Disney+. Howard tells The Treatment about bringing some of Henson’s creative flourishes to the look of the film. Plus, he shares a few of his discoveries about Henson’s more experimental work that he uncovered during the research process and talks about why he finds Henson’s life and work so compelling.

Paramount’s Chris Aronson is determined to save the theatrical experience from extinction

Amidst industry-wide gloom over a weak summer box office, Chris Aronson is still determined to save the theatrical experience from extinction. As Paramount’s head of domestic distribution, he sees the challenges but he’s relieved that the legacy studios now seem to agree: It’s not a great idea to send movies straight to streaming. He got some help in that argument from a certain Paramount star (*cough* Tom Cruise). Aronson explains why he still believes that movie theaters will survive. He argues his case to Kim Masters and The Business that the lack of consensus about the length of the theatrical window doesn’t help that cause.

Weekend film reviews: Young Woman and the Sea, Jim Henson: Idea Man

The latest film releases on tap for this warm weekend are Young Woman and the Sea, Jim Henson: Idea Man, In A Violent Nature, and The Young Wife. Young Woman and the Sea is a Disney-produced biopic that stars Daisy Ridley as Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926. Ron Howard’s Jim Henson: Idea Man centers on the man who created The Muppets and Sesame Street. Horror fans rejoice! In A Violent Nature is a gory slasher flick about a group of teens who steal a locket in the woods, which brings to life the victim of a decades-old crime. The Young Wife is set ten years in the future, this features Kiersey Clemons as Celestina, a young bride dealing with the anxieties of entering a marriage. Musician Leon Bridges plays her flaky boyfriend. 

Weighing in are Press Play regulars, Alison Willmore, film critic for New York Magazine and Vulture, and William Bibbiani, film critic and co-host of the Critically Acclaimed Network of podcasts.

Calling all KCRW Members!

We want to send you to a screening of Let the Canary Sing, a Cyndi Lauper documentary, followed by an intimate Q&A with Cyndi Lauper herself! It's all happening Tuesday, June 4th at the TCL Chinese Theatres The first two members who reply to this email with their favorite music documentary will receive a pair of tickets care of KCRW. 

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