Not your mother’s TMZ: How they got into the Pentagon press room [Zc6gJmjj0X4]
TMZ, the celebrity news juggernaut, opened a Washington, D.C., bureau this spring. Founder Harvey Levin joins Kara to talk about the stories his team is looking for and why he views politics as pop culture. Levin discusses TMZ’s earlier attempts to establish a presence in the capital and how the latest government shutdown helped revive the idea. He and Kara dig into TMZ’s standards, whether it pays sources, and Levin’s relationship with President Trump. They also discuss TMZ’s coverage of Spencer Pratt’s failed Los Angeles mayoral run. Plus: how Levin is pivoting the business toward social media and YouTube. Chapters 00:00 Harvey Levin takes TMZ to Washington 06:20 Politicians are the new celebrities 11:40 The secret formula behind TMZ 14:20 Harvey Levin on Trump and politics 18:00 Trump’s UFC fight 23:07 Does TMZ pay for tips? 39:00 How TMZ sunk Spencer Pratt’s mayor campaign 44:00 How TMZ is covering the midterms 48:35 Why TMZ is betting on YouTube — Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: FOLLOW US Instagram: TikTok: LinkedIn: Threads: Bluesky: