July Times

Vacation vibes with a side of panic

July 2025

Hello all: I blinked and it was mid July! I am on vacation / writing mode but had to bring you the latest as I prepare for some big projects this Autumn. So hang on to your hats and let’s get to the media and culture reading roundup.

Let’s stay connected: CMMedia, Newsletter, Age Box Ventures, Linkedin

Business, Media & Tech News

• CBS wildly decides to end #1 late night show Stephen Colbert + likely gov pressure amid Paramount merger x lawsuit + shocked hollywood reacts

• PBS & NPR (essential media) is getting defunded

• After already suing multiple media giants, T now sues WSJ/Murdoch

• Astronomer CEO busted in affair with fellow exec at Coldplay concert

• Denmark Aims to Use Personal Copyright Law to Protect People

• Internet Regulation is entering its hall pass era

• Luxury cashmere brand Loro Piana sweatshops exposed

• Why Prada keep getting India wrong

• The terrible, destructive bill passed & will drive up debt

• Expanded international tariffs set to cause chaos

• A creepy Peter Thiel interview + his Palantir threat

• Musk’s Grok AI is racist + cybertruck is a flop

• CEO of X, Linda Yaccarino, finally left

• Big executive shakeup at Apple

• Can Alan Garber save Harvard?

Culture Club

• Hilarious Las Culutristas LCCA noms + event on Bravo (love their podcast)

• Emmy Nominations are here + Variety podcast discusses it

• The TIME 100 creators list was released

• Good pod chats: Graydon Carter on ‘Smartless’, Mandy Patinkin family + Sandra Oh on ‘NYT Daily’, Cole Escola on ‘Good Hang’, Charlize Theron on ‘Call her daddy’, Diego Luna on ‘Conan O’Brien’, Pamela Anderson on ‘How to fail’

• ESPYS award Breakthrough Athlete speech by Rugby/social star Ilona Maher

• FIFA blunders Club World Cup ceremony + gives trophy away

• Wimbledon Winners + Williams sisters announce a new video podcast

• Odd Travel + Leisure readers voting + CN Traveler on summer hotel openings

• NYC’s Waldorf Astoria + SD’s Hotel del Coronado complete extensive renovations

• Tracee Ellis Ross is getting a solo travel show (we need more women hosts)

• Why are LaBuBus everywhere? + Why are people obsessed with Love island?

• New doc "Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print" on Ms. magazine will premiere in Fall

• Dutch engineers finally redesign the speculum after 180 years

• Jane Birkin’s original Hermes bag sells for $10 million

• Record auctions for Jurassic Dinosaur Fossil + Martian meteorite

• Revisiting the “Dollar Princesses” highlighted in HBO’s Gilded Age

• Anne Hathaway on Aug Vogue cover + fun video with Bowen Yang

• Bad Bunny Puerto Rico concert series + great ‘NUEVAYoL’ video

• Kid Cudi gets married + so does Charli XCX and The 1975's George Daniel

• Tyler the Creator announces new album + Benson Boone debut gets roasted

• The internet rallies around ‘Tiny Chef’ after nickelodeon cancellation

• New Chicken Shop Date with Jonathan Bailey and Idris Elba

• Superman triumphs at box office + actor David Corenswet on Royal Court

• Vulture on Brad Pitt’s charm offensive promoting F1 is designed to fool/forget

• Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ tickets selling 1 year before release

• ‘Clueless’ celebrates 30 years + ‘Back to the future’ turns 40

• Lena Dunham’s new show “Too much” + its London locations

• Larry David to set HBO return with American history sketch show

• T threatens to revoke Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship

• MAGA implodes over the Epstein files

• RIP singer Connie Francis, actor Michael Madsen, footballer Diogo Jota

U.S. x World News SOS

• UN adopts resolution on Afghanistan's Taliban rule

• Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro on trial

• Norway makes consent the law

• UK plan to lower voting age to 16

• Sudan in danger of self-destructing under conflict x famine

• More Israeli strikes hit aid stations, catholic church, and Syria

• US: Shameful “Alligator Alcatraz” + more illegal detentions (especially terrorizing Los Angeles) + Supreme Court continues to make Trump a king + gop pushing through judicial noms + rural doctors on devastating effect of medicaid cuts

• US abroad: Sweeping state department layoffs + end of global aid program funding

Take care out there Carrieamitchell.com x