Happy Friday and welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon guide to Puck’s best new reporting.

Today, we lead with Matt Belloni’s annual Awards Season Awards—Hollywood’s favorite self-referential rundown of the highs and (mostly) lows of the long slog toward Oscar night. As the town’s most important weekend approaches, Matt revisits the moments the industry would probably prefer to forget. Among the honorees this year: Sydney Sweeney’s ill-timed “Good Jeans” ad, the Harvey Weinstein Sinners endorsement that nobody asked for, Timothée Chalamet’s quasi-scandal after he took a swipe at ballet and opera, and many more.

Plus, below the fold: Julia Ioffe reveals how Elbridge Colby, a D.C. princeling who spent decades warning against military adventurism in the Middle East, became the face of Trump’s war in Iran—and Congress’s favorite new punching bag. John Ourand examines how Michael Jordan’s star power is ushering in a NASCAR renaissance. Ian Krietzberg spotlights a British company pioneering the next wave of A.I. therapy. (What could go wrong?) And for Inner Circle members, Malique Morris investigates the mysterious relaunch of luxury e-tailer Matches.

Meanwhile, on the pods: Matt connects with YouTube celebrity interviewer Amelia Dimoldenberg on The Town to preview this weekend’s Oscars red carpet. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Leigh Ann Caldwell break down what’s actually in the SAVE America Act, and why it’s unlikely to survive a divided Senate.

HOLLYWOOD

From Chalamet’s self-immolation and Hamnet’s self-inflation to Sydney Sweeney’s seriously bad timing, this awards season—with months of shilling and striving and butt-kissing—concludes with Matt’s annual awards season accolades.

WASHINGTON

How Elbridge Colby, a longtime critic of military adventurism in the Middle East, contorted himself into a champion of Trump’s war in Iran—and became Congress’s new favorite whipping boy in the process.

A MESSAGE FROM INSTAGRAM

Instagram Teen Accounts: Automatic protections for teens

Instagram Teen Accounts have built-in protections for who can contact teens and the content they can see. Now, content settings are inspired by 13+ movie ratings, with a stricter setting available for parents who prefer extra controls.

Nearly 95% of parents say Instagram Teen Accounts help safeguard their teens. We will continue adding features to help protect teens online.

Learn more

SPORTS

During the ’90s, the GOAT helped the NBA ascend to new heights of global popularity and profitability. Now, as the high-profile owner of 23XI, he’s having a similar effect on NASCAR’s usually sleepy spring season. And, of course, his team won the season’s first three races.

A.I.

Limbic, a British company backed by Khosla Ventures, is working toward a future where people use A.I. to supplement their shrinks rather than rely on the tech altogether—one of the darker trends of the artificial intelligence era so far.

FASHION

The mysterious relaunch of the luxury e-tailer is shouldered by two relatively unknown entrepreneurs. Can they revive a zombie brand in a tattered sector? What could possibly go wrong…

A MESSAGE FROM INSTAGRAM

Instagram Teen Accounts: Automatic protections for teens

Instagram Teen Accounts have built-in protections for who can contact teens and the content they can see. Now, content settings are inspired by 13+ movie ratings, with a stricter setting available for parents who prefer extra controls.

Nearly 95% of parents say Instagram Teen Accounts help safeguard their teens. We will continue adding features to help protect teens online.

Learn more

HOLLYWOOD

Matt is joined by host, producer, and writer Amelia Dimoldenberg, the official Academy Awards red carpet correspondent, to preview this year’s red carpet. They discuss how she prepares to interview A-list stars and the Oscars moving to YouTube in 2029, as well as the business behind her popular YouTube show Chicken Shop Date, her new romantic comedy, and more.

WASHINGTON

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to explain the ins and outs of Trump’s latest obsession: the SAVE America Act—a proposed bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Leigh Ann discusses what’s actually in the bill, which has already passed the House, and why it’s unlikely to survive a divided Senate.

Need help? Review our FAQ page or contact us for assistance. For brand partnerships, email ads@puck.news.

You received this email because you signed up to receive emails from Puck, or as part of your Puck account associated with {{customer.email}}. To stop receiving this newsletter and/or manage all your email preferences, click here.

Puck is published by Heat Media LLC. 107 Greenwich St., New York, NY 10006