Episode 352 - Richard Rushfield on building “The Ankler” and how to “Save the Oscars."

·46 min·2 clips

Rushfield proposes moving Oscar voting to New Year's Eve and holding the ceremony in the first week of January.

1. Culture Pop Podcast centers on Richard Rushfield and his case for “saving the Oscars” by changing the calendar, the format, and the audience assumptions. 2. Hosts Steve Mason and Sue Kalinske interview Rushfield, an entertainment journalist and founder of The Ankler, which he says launched in 2017 after years at Yahoo, BuzzFeed, Gawker, and other outlets. 3. The episode asks whether the Academy Awards should remain a March television event or become a shorter, earlier, industry-centered show. 4. Rushfield says he started The Ankler because newsletters let him speak directly to entertainment professionals without chasing “50 million clicks every week.” 5. He says owning his own publication freed him from “who’s toes you’re stepping on” and made the only pressure to “be as good as you can.” 6. He compares his experience to working inside company structures, where editors and writers constantly worry about reputational and business consequences. 7. Rushfield discusses Nikki Finke, saying he clashed with her online and that her legacy was built around racing rumors to the public. 8. He says Finke was “very Trumpian” in her approach because she could be wrong repeatedly and still keep moving. 9. He argues that Finke’s legacy is “almost entirely negative” because of her vicious tone and constant threats to sue. 10. Rushfield says Hollywood figures have not pushed back against his criticism as often as he expected, partly because he is not attacking people with personal cruelty. 11. His core Oscar argument is that the show arrives too late, after year-end movie conversation has already shifted to the next season. 12. He says by the time the Oscars air, competitor shows like the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and Critics Choice Awards have already taken the oxygen. 13. Rushfield proposes moving the voting deadline to New Year’s Eve, announcing results three days later, and holding the Oscars in the first week of January. 14. He argues that studios should release awards contenders earlier if they want the films to stay in public conversation. 15. He says younger viewers see the Oscars as “a format from another universe,” with tuxedos, speeches, and applause that feel outdated. 16. Rushfield suggests the show should include more of filmmaking, such as stunts and visual effects, instead of relying mainly on acceptance speeches. 17. He says the current telecast is too long, that “three hours of speeches just is not tenable,” and that the contract with ABC could force a major reset in two years. 18. The interview is conversational and point-by-point, with Mason and Kalinske pressing Rushfield on ratings, the ballot system, AI, and who actually controls Hollywood media. 19. Listeners who follow the Oscars, Hollywood media, and entertainment journalism will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners looking for celebrity gossip or a light awards-season recap may skip it.

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