Introduction

Hollywood companies that spent years pouring money into content to win the streaming wars are finally looking at their profitability. That’s meant layoffs, hiring freezes, and cost cutting that will continue this year. Yet Sam can’t help but feel Hollywood had it coming. He asks entertainment journalist Matt Beloni why the industry failed to absorb the lessons learned by other fields upended by technology.

We also ask Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos and friend and screenwriter Sam Greisman if they are into the recent TikTok trend of telling family members their favorite celebrity has died. And we hear about the culture that's haunting us: I'm Michael Tomorrow, see you Barbaro.

Send us your culturegeist. What specific thing in the culture has haunted you for days, weeks, or even years? And why? Email us a short voice memo at intoit@vulture.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices