Welcome back, they said!
I think they mean it this year because there were pillow mints (on my pillows) and a bottle of Jack next to my bed and it was on the house!
So, yep, I made it to Sun Valley and the MOGULS ARE BACK! It’s been a fucked up couple of years. But we survived.
Though getting here almost killed us all.
Manka Bros. used to have the most awesome private jet in Hollywood – but now, after a few years of not really keeping up – we are woefully behind.
I was terrified when we landed this afternoon. The Meta and Amazon planes were something out of a Mad Max movie and could have just destroyed us with whatever weapons of mass destruction they had on board.
I never used to be scared of shit – but now I’m in my 60s (which sucks) and everything terrifies me outside of Beverly Hills or the south of France.
Sad to say, but us moguls from the Hollywood of yore have become insignificant and our private jets and boats are laughed at by the tech bros.
But I digress…
I am at Herbie Allen’s conference for the (I don’t know) twentieth straight year and I’m actually happy to be back.
As I’ve chronicled here, I’ve gone through a rough patch lately.
Because of covid and some time in jail, I missed the past couple of years, but now I’m here and looking forward to doing nothing.
The Herb Allen Sun Valley Conference is renowned for some pretty big deals but not for us.
No one is buying Manka Bros. Studios – despite still being the World’s Largest Media Company – and I’m not selling anyway.
Hard to say if anything will happen this week other than kayaking, getting shitfaced and golf.
I’m sure Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast will be huddled in corners until they pass out drunk.
Poor little Paramount has 1/70th of the market cap of Netflix (how the fuck did that happen?) and they are soon to be under billionaire management – not that that will help.
Perhaps David Ellison has a plan to… (further comment deleted by Manka Bros. Corporate).
I’m just here for the breakfast buffet and the best goddamned dirty martini ever at Tha Drankin’ Hole. (And… don’t tell anyone… perhaps U2 is playing an acoustic set – a little birdy name Rupert Murdoch told me it’s possible.)
(The above was written on the tarmac while we waited for a place to park the plane. I think we ended up in a corn field, far away from where we used to be – but times have changed.)
As I arrived at the Sun Valley Lodge, I breezed past THE reporter covering it (Julia BoorstinJ, I think) – yes, only one standing in a little guinea pig pen across from the lodge entrance so we couldn’t possibly hear anything she yelled at us.
I entered the lodge with Jeff Katzenberg (with all that Quibi money) and Lachlan Murdoch (with all that Disney money) who were talking about some dumb ass bullshit that either won’t happen or will go out of business within six months.
They went left and I went right – right into the bar. (I won’t repeat my bar conversation which is exactly the way it has happened in past years, and those links are below.)
Don’t get me wrong, I have a fond affection for Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conferences from years ago when Hollywood was King and people like Michael Eisner wrote songs for the occasion (see DAWN OF THE MOGUL) – but now, we’re just old dudes pushing movies and TV shows in a business that Barry Diller calls ‘so fucking boring.’
I don’t agree with Barry (and I don’t think Barry agrees with Barry.) I read his book. He loves show business and probably just wishes it was the old days as well.
We may not make the money we used to in Hollywood, but goddamn it’s a much better job than speculating on crypto.
My friends Bin and Vin Trahn are still running the bar at Tha Drankin’ Hole (The Duchin Lounge) and they are still the best goddamned bartenders in the world.
Bin got me hammered in five minutes – so I just said hello to a few other drunken moguls on my way out. I was going to grab a few bites from the famous Taco & Salsa Buffet – but Ted Sarandos had pulled up a chair at the front of the buffet and was scooping with his hands from all the bowls and I didn’t want to interrupt.
So I just went to my room.
I learned from past experience that nothing good ever happens on the arrival night other than getting so drunk that Day 2 becomes a fog and another wasted day. So I hit the sack early and we’ll see what tomorrow brings.
I’m happy to be back, but it’s different now.
Warren (Buffet) has retired, Herb (Allen) has trouble walking… Barry (Diller) is now (officially) gay (duh!)…
Certain moguls – who were all powerful – are talking about selling their art collections to put in their charitable trusts, etc. It’s as though the fun is over and all that is left is the preparation for death.
This doom and gloom scenario is only for Old Hollywood – not for the Tech Bros – they now rule everything.
Can’t wait for the A.I. bullshit presentation in the morning.
Khan Manka, Jr. – Chairman & CEO – Manka Bros. Studios – The World’s Largest Media Company
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2025 – Day 1 – As If We Never Said Goodbye
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2025 – Day 2 – The Kid’s Table
2024 – Did Not Attend – Was In Jail
2023 – Did Not Attend – Was In Jail
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2022 – Day 1 – The New Guard… Not!
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2022 – Day 2 – Shit Storm
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2021
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2019
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2018
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2017
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2016
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2015
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2014
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2013
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2012
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2011
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2010
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2009
Herb Allen’s Sun Valley Conference – 2008