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Big ShotAuthor: Big Shot
If the walls of Kosher delis could speak, they would (schm)ooze invaluable wisdom and endless laughs. Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) and David Segal (DAVIDsTEA) are Jewish entrepreneurs influenced by the greats who came before them. But, they realized no one was archiving the best behind-the-scenes stories ever told. Before time was up, they set out on a passion project to preserve the memories, mishaps, and wins of the people who have seen it all. Big Shot tells the stories of the people that shaped an entire generation. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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How a Blue-Collar Kid Built the Most Powerful Agency in Hollywood | Michael Ovitz
Tuesday, 11 November, 2025
Every dealmaker in Hollywood has a story. Michael Ovitz has all of them.From Ghostbusters to Goodfellas, he packaged the films, brokered the talent, and rewrote the rules of power. What started as a rebellion inside William Morris became a $2 billion empire called CAA, and a playbook Silicon Valley still follows.In this episode of Big Shot, Harley and David sit down with Michael Ovitz, the legendary founder of Creative Artists Agency and the man who redefined power in Hollywood.From a working-class childhood to representing the world's biggest stars, Michael’s story is one of obsession, reinvention, and relentless ambition. He helped shape more than 300 films, including Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, Tootsie, Stand by Me, and Goodfellas, while transforming how deals, talent, and ideas move through the entertainment industry.This episode is brought to you by Firebelly Tea. Use code bigshot15 for 15% off your order https://www.firebellytea.com/—In This Episode We Cover:(00:00) Intro(01:39) Michael’s early years (02:53) How Jewish mothers blend boundless belief with practical ambition(06:15) Michael’s advice to a failed businessman(15:44) How Marc Andreessen pulled Michael into Silicon Valley(21:00) How early anti-semitism made Eisner’s betrayal cut deeper(25:37) The Yahoo deal Eisner blocked (30:25) The story behind the Jurassic Park pitch and Spielberg’s involvement(34:11) The hit-to-miss ratio in Hollywood, and how Michael’s movies were almost always hits(36:15) How stagnation at William Morris drove Michael to build something new(43:58) Lessons from William Morris’s shortcomings that shaped CAA’s DNA(48:25) How Michael signed every member of Saturday Night Live (50:45) The story of Michael’s first client and first big stars(59:55) The story behind Janklow and Nesbit and what Michael likes about Silicon Valley(1:02:28) Michael’s true talent (1:06:40) How Michael and Andy Grove envisioned streaming before Hollywood was ready(1:10:20) The ripple effects of streaming across entertainment(1:17:02) Michael’s thesis about the success of Jews and Catholics—Where To Find Big Shot: • Website: https://www.bigshot.show/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bigshotpodcast • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bigshotshow• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigshotshow/ • Harley Finkelstein: https://twitter.com/harleyf • David Segal: https://twitter.com/tea_maverick• Production and Marketing: https://penname.co
