In Depth With Graham Bensinger Barry Diller unfiltered: Drugs, secrets, The Simpsons, and earning billions
Mar 16, 2026
Barry Diller, legendary media executive who built Paramount, Fox, IAC and businesses like Expedia and QVC. He recalls Studio 54 hedonism and drug-era stories. He explains creating TV movies, launching a fourth network, and greenlighting The Simpsons. He describes pivoting to commerce, building Match/Tinder, and big bets that reshaped media and tech.
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How Diller Invented Made For TV Movies
- Barry Diller invented made-for-TV movies at ABC by pitching original TV movies and convincing Lou Wasserman to produce them when studios initially refused.
- At 24 he persuaded ABC chairman Leonard Goldenson to back the plan and ran the program department, launching a new TV format that reshaped network programming.
Studio 54 Nights While Running Paramount
- Diller frequented Studio 54 in his 30s, often partying late after work while running Paramount, using Quaaludes as his preferred drug and avoiding cocaine.
- He recalls working mornings after night-long Studio 54 sessions and surviving a hedonistic era alongside other executives.
Why Old TV Had Massive Cultural Power
- Diller highlights that TV once delivered massive, unified audiences through three networks, making cultural impact and predictable hits far easier than today's fragmented streaming era.
- He contrasts that with modern optionality where shows blink out quickly and the business becomes impersonal and industrialized.