SoW w/ BJ Bethel [Murder Trials, Skydance Merger, Life and Death]

SoW w/ BJ Bethel [Murder Trials, ParaBros Merger, Life and Death] 

This is our first episode of State of World. Where we talk current events and cover news in ways where people can feel informed. We will still be covering wrestling on this particular episode. However this is a new type of show for the channel.

Larry, Matt, and Arturo discuss the court-approved Warner Bros. settlement and the financial risks surrounding the merger. They also explain how this current-events episode fits alongside the show’s separate coverage of wrestling reporting.

When a murder trial becomes true-crime entertainment and a wrestler’s death becomes clickbait, real people pay the price. Journalist B.J. Bethel and host Larry examine what responsible coverage looks like, why the latest media mega-merger could reshape the industry, and how to honor a life without turning tragedy into content.

Bethel brings firsthand perspective from the Caleb Flynn murder trial, where texts, GPS data, and smartwatch evidence raised questions about both the case and the future of digital privacy. He also describes the impact of online speculation and “crime tourism” on grieving families—and why accuracy and restraint matter most when the stakes are life and death.

Then the conversation turns to the proposed Paramount–Warner Bros. merger: the debt behind the deal, the jobs and creative opportunities potentially at risk, and the growing concentration of power in entertainment. Larry and Bethel connect those industry stakes to a wider question: who benefits when media becomes more consolidated?

They also call out irresponsible wrestling coverage, including premature reports about deaths, and the engagement-driven incentives that can spread false information. Larry shares personal memories of PAC from their PWG days, while Bethel reflects on PAC’s rare versatility, influence on fellow wrestlers, and reputation as a generous colleague.

A candid conversation about journalism, media power, wrestling, and grief—and a reminder that behind every headline are people who have to live with its consequences.

Find them:

X.com/bjbetheltweets

https://linktr.ee/drlarryyacht

x.com/americannumbers

x.com/legionaod