Bill Simmons Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

On Friday, it was reported that Spotify cut ties with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, kiboshing the royals’ $20-million podcast deal with the music streaming service after just 12 episodes of Markle’s “Archetypes” podcast were produced.

Bill Simmons, who sold The Ringer to Spotify in 2020 and has risen through the tech company’s executive ranks, derided Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on his podcast Friday as “f–king grifters.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotify is undertaking a “strategic realignment” of its podcast division, laying off about 200 staffers. Sahar Elhabashi, Spotify’s VP, head of podcast business, announced the job cuts in a memo to employees Monday that was shared publicly. The 200 employees represents about 2% of the audio streamer’s worldwide workforce. The layoffs come after Spotify cut 6% of its total headcount earlier this year and saw the exit of Dawn Ostroff, chief content and advertising business officer, who had previously headed Spotify’s podcast business “We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters from across the globe with a tailored approach optimized for each show and creator,” Elhabashi wrote. “This fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better. However, doing so requires adapting; over the past few months, our senior leadership team has worked closely with HR to determine the optimal organization for this next chapter. As a result, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to make a strategic realignment of our group and reduce our global podcast vertical and other functions by approximately 200 people, or 2% of Spotify’s workforce.”

Spotify is laying off 200 workers from its podcast division, or about 2% of its total global workforce, the company disclosed in a memo disclosed publicly Monday. Spotify VP and podcast head Sahar Elhabashi wrote that the cuts are part of a strategic shift to expand partnership efforts “with a tailored approach.”“This fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better,” Elhabashi wrote.

A version of this story about “Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed” first appeared in the Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.The latest installment in the HBO Max Music Box series created by Bill Simmons, “Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed” finds director Sam Jones (“Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off,” “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco”) following the writing and recording of singer Jason Isbell’s 2020 album “Reunions.” But the film is about far more than one of the gifted musician and writer’s best albums, delving into his self-destructive days with drugs and alcohol and his marriage to fellow singer Amanda Shires, a charged creative and personal partnership that nearly fell apart while Jones’ cameras were rolling.Sam, why a film about Jason Isbell?Sam Jones: He was on my interview show (“Off Camera With Sam Jones”), and once I chatted with him, I felt like not only did he have an interesting story, but he was good at telling it. So I flew to Nashville and I asked him a couple hours before he went on stage at the Ryman.

EXCLUSIVE: Religion of Sports and The Ringer have teamed for a new documentary on the NBA G League, which will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Yes, we are making a meal out of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s recent appearance on Bill Simmons’s The Ringer podcast recently to promote Affleck’s new directorial effort “Air” which co-stars Damon (read our review), about Nike and its relationship with Michael Jordan and we fully admit it. Look, it’s just chalked full of good stories, and look; sometimes this is (infinitely) more interesting than the regular news grist mill.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Universal Music Group Nashville announces the signing of country music superstar Brad Paisley to its imprint EMI Records Nashville. The singer-guitarist — who has won three Grammys, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards over a 20-plus year career — had been with Sony Music’s Arista Nashville division since the beginning of his career.  Paisley is finishing his next studio album, the first for UMG Nashville, expected later this year. On Friday he will release a new song from the album- “Same Here,” written by Paisley, Lee Thomas Miller and Taylor Goldsmith, and produced by Luke Wooten. He will join fellow UMGN artists Alan Jackson, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Caylee Hammack, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Mickey Guyton, Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, and more.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Max Cutler, one of Spotify’s most senior podcast execs, is departing the streamer after nearly four years with the company. Cutler, who has served as Spotify’s VP, head of talk creator content and partnerships, will be leaving the company to “return his entrepreneurial roots,” according to a source close to Spotify. He had joined Spotify in 2019 with its acquisition of Parcast, the scripted podcast studio he co-founded. Cutler will remain at Spotify until May 1. With Cutler’s exit, Spotify head of global podcast studios Julie McNamara is assuming leadership of licensed podcast exclusives, which include its deals with Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper (“Call Her Daddy”) and Emma Chamberlain.

EXCLUSIVE: Ryen Russillo, a big voice in sports media, is expanding his patch.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify is making management changes to bolster the leadership of its podcast content operations following the departure of Courtney Holt, who served as head of studios and video.Max Cutler, who joined Spotify in 2019 with its acquisition of Parcast, the scripted podcast studio he co-founded, has been promoted to head of talk creator content and partnerships for Spotify. In the new role, he will oversee the streamer’s emerging podcast creator ecosystem, licensed content, and work on new content initiatives. As part of his appointment, Spotify will form a “creator content” unit led by Cutler.Cutler previously was Parcast’s head of new content initiatives and managing director.

In the wake of last month’s news of Courtney Holt’s exit from Spotify, the company has made several moves in its exec structure as it continues to expand in podcasting and creator-driven content.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify is making management changes to bolster the leadership of its podcast content operations following the departure of Courtney Holt, who served as head of studios and video.Max Cutler, who joined Spotify in 2019 with its acquisition of Parcast, the scripted podcast studio he co-founded, has been promoted to head of talk creator content and partnerships for Spotify. In the new role, he will oversee the streamer’s emerging podcast creator ecosystem, licensed content, and work on new content initiatives. As part of his appointment, Spotify will form a “creator content” unit led by Cutler.Cutler previously was Parcast’s head of new content initiatives and managing director.

Kovert Creative has hired Stephanie Alperin, who most recently a communications manager at Peacock. In her new role she will help lead the marketing, communications and entertainment agency’s programming clients, including Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Bill Simmons’ The Ringer Network.

Addie Morfoot ContributorWhen HBO renewed Bill Simmons’ “Music Box” documentary series for a second season in December, it wasn’t exactly surprising. Critics, film festival programmers and audiences were immediately taken with the series of six docs, which launched in July.But the road to success was a long one.

EXCLUSIVE: HBO is turning up the volume of its music documentary slate. The network has renewed Music Box, its Bill Simmons-led collection of feature docs, for a second season.

HBO’s Music Box series is back with yet another intimate look into a famous performer’s life. “DMX: Don’t Try To Understand” follows Earl “DMX” Simmons through his last years.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorHBO has released a new trailer for the forthcoming documentary, “DMX: Don’t Try to Understand,” focusing on a year in the life of the late rapper.

Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse, actor John Stamos and former ESPN pair Bill Simmons and Connor Schell are among the investors in a $15M funding round for collectibles company Rally.

Spotify’s The Ringer and WWE have teamed up to launch an audio network as part of a multi-year partnership.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify will be the exclusive home for WWE podcasts — including a new original audio content developed by WWE and Spotify’s The Ringer division.The Ringer, the digital media and podcast company founded by ex-ESPN exec Bill Simmons that Spotify bought in 2020, plans to launch an exclusive audio network as part of a multi-year audio content partnership with WWE.

Jennifer Yuma editorHBO is pressing play on “Music Box,” a documentary feature showcase series from Bill Simmons that examines historic and pivotal moments in music. The movies in the series began airing this past weekend with the debut of “Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage.” Each of the films are helmed by a different director and will run under the “Music Box” banner through late fall.

Blumhouse Television and WWE are grappling with a scripted series about wrestling chief Vince McMahon.

Bill Simmons, co-creator of ESPN’s documentary strand 30 for 30, is turning his attention to music documentaries for his latest project.

HBO Max documentary Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Rage has been released – you can watch the chaotic clip below.The film is part of the network’s new Music Box documentary series, which is being produced by Bill Simmons.Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Rage, which was directed by Garret Price, looks back at the ill-fated 1999 edition of Woodstock, which was held on a remote former Air Force Base in upstate New York.The documentary includes interviews with Woodstock organisers Michael Lang and John

EXCLUSIVE: WWE has named sports media veteran Jamie Horowitz EVP, Development & Digital, effective immediately, overseeing much original content including scripted and unscripted programs for digital and social media.

Bill Simmons doesn’t just discuss ballers for a living — he lives like them, too. The popular podcaster and ex-ESPN sports commentator boasts a world-class property portfolio that would put all but the very wealthiest athletes to shame.

The Chernin Group along with Mark Cuban, sports greats Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, and Deshaun Watson, Bill Simmons and others have invested about $40 million of growth financing in Goldin Auctions, a leading marketplace for collectibles and trading cards. Chernin’s investment arm TCG led the round.

Former President Barack Obama gave very rare insight into what it was like in the Obama household during the beginning of the pandemic, when quarantining first began. Apparently, it wasn't just him, his wife Michelle, and their daughters Malia, 22, and Sasha, 19.

gave very rare insight into what it was like in the Obama household during the beginning of the pandemic, when quarantining first began. Apparently, it wasn't just him, his wife Michelle, and their daughters Malia, 22, and Sasha, 19.

founded in 2016 in Woodland Hills by Cutler Media owner Max Cutler and is now based in Downtown Los Angeles. Spotify purchased the company for roughly $103 million in March 2019, according to funding tracker PitchBook Data Inc.

signing an exclusive deal worth about $100 million back in May. Spotify —  the world’s largest music streaming service, with TK million users — has doubled down on its podcasting efforts this year, signing additional deals with Kim Kardashian, DC Comics and Bill Simmons’ The Ringer in an effort to pull in more listeners.

Bill Simmons on Friday addressed on his podcast the backlash over the lack of diversity at The Ringer which was highlighted in a recent New York Times storythat detailed newsroom concern. The sports personality made clear he felt the digital media company he founded in 2016 which sold to Spotify this year had not done “well enough” with staffing diversity.

Mackenzie Nichols Staff WriterBill Simmons, founder of sports media company The Ringer, is receiving backlash from employees who say that the newsroom is lacking in diversity, sparking a debate in the company on how to improve hiring practices.In a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” guest Ryen Russillo praised Simmons for “the jobs and the opportunities” that he’s given to his staff.

The Pearl Jam frontman and the NBA star decided to fly from Seattle to Vegas for the gig three hours before it started