Podbit · The Bill Simmons Podcast
Both Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan came away from The Odyssey believing it will win Best Picture and that Matt Damon delivered a once-in-a-career performance. Nolan embraced the latest technology like Kubrick before him — and the IMAX experience is something audiences should seek out before it leaves theaters.
Where this was said
At 1:39:10 · chapter starts 1:31:36
The episode's final segment pivots to basketball. Chris Ryan flags the unusual absence of a formal Sixers press conference introducing Jaylen Brown, speculating it might signal another roster move is imminent. Bill notes a three-team Dallas trade that sends Lou Dort to Atlanta and brings Risacher to the Mavericks — he still believes there's something there with the young French wing. Both briefly revisit the idea of an Embiid-to-Dallas trade, though Chris wants to see the Embiid-Brown pairing given a chance before pulling the plug. LeBron's free agency dominates the closing minutes: Adam Silver has publicly flagged that the prolonged indecision is creating scheduling complications, prediction markets briefly pushed Miami to 55% before cooling, and Bill remains steadfast that Cleveland is where LeBron ends up. Chris argues the Golden State scenario — LeBron and Steph together — would be must-watch television even as a seniors golf exhibition, calling it the story he's rooting for.
The Odyssey was playing in only about 41 IMAX theaters across the United States, making the full-scale cinematic experience a rare opportunity for audiences.
Steven Pressfield's insight: don't wait for the commitment to feel real before acting like a professional. Set up the studio. Make the schedule. Show up. Commitment doesn't precede action — it follows it. You act like a pro first, and your brain catches up with justifications after. The action is the commitment.
Robby Hoffman isn't fearless — she's terrified all the time. The difference is she does it anyway, because not doing it feels worse than the fear itself.
John Mulaney texted Robby Hoffman out of nowhere saying he'd been a fan for a while and wanted to make a Netflix special with her. Robby called it 'shocking, horrifying, anxiety-inducing, surreal and thrilling' — and said yes.
Mulaney is buttoned-up, suit-wearing, classy. Robby is gritty, raw, and undefined. Together they made the collab nobody expected. Batman and Robin. Eminem and Dido.
Music had Pope Gregory forcing notation. Comedy has had 'magical thinking' — he's just got funny bones. But jokes work through discoverable, teachable mechanics. Writing down the rules doesn't kill the magic; it gives more people access to it.
Howard Ashman had one insight nobody else had: animated Disney films should be Broadway musicals. The third song of every great musical is the character sitting alone explaining what they want. That's 'Part of Your World.' That structure — combined with Alan Menken's compositions — generated Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, and turned Disney Animation into the most profitable creative engine in entertainment history.
The Lion King musical has been running for 30 years across Broadway, London's West End, and global touring companies. It has grossed over $11 billion in total revenue — more than Avatar, more than Avengers: Endgame, more than any album, more than any video game. It generates an average of $350 million in revenue every single year. Disney owns it outright.
The anonymous French artist Invader has hidden 1,500 pixelated mosaic artworks across Paris alone, with thousands more scattered across 80+ cities — affixed to the Eiffel Tower, the Hollywood sign, and even sent to the International Space Station. He might be even busier than Banksy.
The Flash Invaders app turns city streets into a treasure hunt, letting players scan Invader's hidden mosaics for points. Players have collectively logged over 47 million flashes. Unlike most mobile games that glue you to a screen, this one forces you to look up and engage with your surroundings.
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