Entertainment
State AGs Send Paramount Subpoenas in WB Merger Investigation
A group of state attorneys general have hit Paramount Skydance with various subpoenas as they investigate the company’s pending $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission.
The filing states that the subpoenas, or civil investigative demands, focus on the investigation by the Department of Justice and the competitive effects of the merger. It does not disclose which or how many state AGs sent subpoenas.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is conducting his own review of the deal and weighing potential legal action, previously told TheWrap that “red flags are everywhere when you have a merger of this type.” At the time, he added that state AGs are prepared to “act timely,” but declined to provide a specific timeline for when a decision could be made.
“We have been cooperating with the state attorneys general in responding to their requests,” Paramount said.
The disclosure comes as Paramount executives previously said that the expiration of the DOJ’s Hart-Scott-Rodino review period leaves “no statutory impediment” to closing the deal, though the agency can still get involved in the regulatory process between now and closing.
In addition to the action by state AGs, Paramount said it received a demand letter from a shareholder requesting to inspect its books and records as they investigate “possible breaches of fiduciary duties or other misconduct” in connection with the financing of the merger.
It is also facing an antitrust suit that was filed in California and a separate complaint filed in New York alleging its proxy statement contains “materially false and misleading statements and omissions concerning the transaction process, the valuation of WBD, and alleged conflicts of interest of WBD’s directors and financial advisors.”
While the merger has secured shareholder approval, it still remains subject to regulatory approval.
Regulators in the U.K. are gearing up to begin their review of the deal, with its deadline for public comments closing just last week. Paramount has also asked the FCC to approve its foreign investment in the deal, with those investors set to account for 49.5% of the equity of the combined company.
The Paramount-WBD deal is on track to close by the third quarter. If the deal is not closed by Sept. 30, WBD shareholders will receive a 25 cent per share “ticking fee” for each quarter until closing. In the event that the deal does not close at all due to regulatory matters, Paramount will pay WBD a $7 billion termination fee.
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movies
Benjamin Satterley Dead: AEW Wrestler Known As Pac Passes Day After Match
Benjamin Satterley, the high-flying champion wrestler known variously to AEW and WWE fans as Pac, Bastard, Adrian Neville and Neville, has died. That, according to an announcement from All Elite Wrestling. He was 40.
Details surrounding his passing are unclear. Pac was featured at AEW’s All Out pay-per-view from Chicago on Saturday night. He challenged Andrade El Idolo for the AEW National Championship, but lost.
The statement from AEW reads in part, “A native of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Satterley began his wrestling career in 2004 and went on to perform for wrestling organizations all over the world, captivating fans with innovative high-flying moves and incredible in-ring ability. Pac signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2019 and held multiple AEW Championships and competed in some of the most memorable matches in AEW history. Our condolences go out to Satterley’s family, friends and fans.”
In the AEW, Satterley was the outfit’s All-Atlantic Champion and a two-time World Trios Champion.
He won the NXT Championship in the WWE’s developmental adjunct and later became a two-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion.
Satterley was known as “The Man that Gravity Forgot” for his signature finishing move, a spectacular corkscrew shooting star press off the top rope. You can see it in the video below.
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movies
MTV VMAs 2026 Winners: Madonna Dominates, Taylor Swift Wins Special Honor
It was like 1998 all over again. Madonna won six Video Music Awards that year for Ray of Light.
Flash forward to tonight, and the pop icon won seven awards, including Artist of the Year, for Confessions II, the sequel to her 2005 album.
Also winning were Sabrina Carpenter for Best Editing and for her collab with the Material Girl on “Bring Your Love.” The duo appeared onstage together to accept.
Taylor Swift won Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” and Best Director for “Opalite,” as well as a special “Artist Director” honor.
Full Winners List
VIDEO OF THE YEAR (presented in show)
Taylor Swift – “The Fate of Ophelia” – Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR (presented in show)
Madonna – Warner Records
BEST COLLABORATION (presented in show)
Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter – “Bring Your Love” – Warner Records
BEST DANCE, presented by BACARDÍ® Rum (presented in show)
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
BEST NEW ARTIST, presented by The General Insurance® (presented in show)
Sienna Spiro – Capitol Records
BEST POP (presented in show)
LISA – “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
BTS – “Swim” – BIGHIT MUSIC
BEST HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. Kehlani – “Safe” – Atlantic Records
BEST R&B
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” – Atlantic Records
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Olivia Rodrigo – “the cure” – Geffen Records
BEST LATIN
Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL” – Rimas Entertainment
BEST K-POP
BTS – “SWIM” – BIGHIT MUSIC
BEST COUNTRY
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia Records
BEST DIRECTION
Taylor Swift – “Opalite” – Republic Records
BEST ART DIRECTION
PinkPantheress – “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – Warner Records UK / Atlantic Records
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
BEST EDITING
Sabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – Island
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
SOCIAL CATEGORIES:
BEST GROUP
BTS
BEST LONG FORM VIDEO
Madonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records
BEST ALBUM
Madonna – Confessions II – Warner Records
SONG OF SUMMER –
Ariana Grande – “hate that i made you love me” – Republic Records
SPECIAL AWARDS:
VIDEO VANGUARD – Nirvana
MTV VMA ARTIST DIRECTOR HONORS – Taylor Swift
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movies
MTV VMAs: Taylor Swift Dedicates Video Of The Year Award To Dolly Parton “The Ultimate Showgirl”
Taylor Swift won the night’s top award at the MTV Video Music Awards, taking home a Moonperson trophy for Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia.”
Swift took the stage to accept the award and said she was “proud” of the work she did on the video, as it was “one continuous shot” and she had to learn “a lot about hiding cuts” in strategic places.
The singer also made a special mention to Dolly Parton, whom she called “the ultimate showgirl.”
“I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person, without whom just this wouldn’t be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton,” Swift said in her speech. “Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich. It was like listening to her songs. It’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life every single time you hear what she has written, and she handled this thing with such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this, and everything that happened in her life or her career, she channeled back into love, and gratitude and appreciation for her fans.”
She continued, “I am lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them. I love you all so very much, and I think that we were all very, very… I think we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time, and thank you for this amazing moment. I love you all.”
Watch Swift’s speech in the video below.
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