# JB Smoove Talks Creativity and Fighting AI Fears, Evan Shapiro Breaks Down the Digital Entertainment Economy at Variety’s Business Managers Breakfast

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/jb-smoove-talks-creativity-and-fighting-ai-fears-evan-shapiro-breaks-down-the-digital-entertainment-economy-at-varietys-business-managers-breakfast/
- Published: 2026-11-13T22:58:33+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-14T09:37:22+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/biz/news/business-managers-variety-jb-smoove-shapiro-arnie-herrmann-1236947175/
- Topics: AI, Business, Economy, Entertainment, Film, Technology

## Key points

- JB Smoove encouraged adaptability and confidence in human creativity.
- Evan Shapiro described an entertainment economy driven by affinity.
- Arnie Herrmann was named Business Manager of the Year.

## Summary

Comedian, actor and producer JB Smoove urged entertainment business managers to embrace change, take control of their careers and treat creativity as a way to meet new challenges, including artificial intelligence. Media analyst Evan Shapiro argued that the entertainment economy is increasingly shaped by people’s interests and loyalties, offering a different lens on how companies attract audiences.

The conversations took place at Variety’s 2026 Business Managers Breakfast in West Hollywood, where Citrin Cooperman’s Arnie Herrmann was named Business Manager of the Year. Smoove discussed his move from auditioning for Saturday Night Live to working as a writer, and his later ventures, including the comedy advertising agency The First Darrin, launched in 2025. Shapiro said free services such as YouTube lead in total audience attention, and emphasised serving consumers through a creator mindset.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.