Hot Headlines

Popular podcaster's big move to Austin, plus more of the week's top stories

Here comes Joe.

Photo by James Law

Editor's note: It's that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Popular podcaster Joe Rogan punches one-way ticket from LA to Austin. Podcaster, stand-up comedian, and mixed-martial-arts commentator Joe Rogan is following through on his promise (or threat?) to pack up and move from Los Angeles to Texas. Final destination: Austin.

2. Northeast Austin lands $150 million campus from global defense contractor. Northeast Austin will soon be home to the third largest defense contractor in the world. On August 11, BAE Systems announced it is expanding its operations in the Capital City with a new $150 million, 390,000-square-foot facility near East Parmer Lane and I-35.

3.Stunning West Austin mansion with novel history books record sale price. A nearly 50-year-old Mount Bonnell mansion with a storied history just sold for a record-setting price.

4. Austin suburb’s first mixed-use community rolls out welcome mat. Pflugerville’s first mixed-use community is wrapping up its first chapter. Presidium Group LLC, a local real estate development, investment, and management firm, says it’s done with the initial phase of The Pecan District — a 272-apartment complex designed by Austin's own Mark Odom Studio.

5. Austin scores lofty ranking in new study of America’s best cities. Buoyed by an educated population and a vibrant cultural scene, Austin ranks as the 17th best city in the country, according to a consulting firm’s annual study.

hot-headlines

Reexamining Don Draper

Jon Hamm, Henry Winkler, and more headed to Austin for TV festival

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Jon Hamm is coming to Austin to talk about Don Draper.

From May 29 to June 1, 2025, the ATX TV Festival will take over downtown Austin, and this year Jon Hamm will be joining the festival for the first time.

Hamm will be here for an event called A Mad Men Retrospective, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the show's finale. In this panel (the moderator of which is not yet announced), Hamm will reflect on his Emmy-winning performance as Mad Men's Don Draper, the uniqueness of the character in the TV canon, and the show's influence 10 years after it ended.

Jon Hamm may be best known as Draper, but he's also given celebrated performances in several movies and other shows like Fargo, Black Mirror, and — fun fact! — Gilmore Girls.

Celebrating TV is what the ATX TV Festival is all about. This annual summer event is put on by ATX TV and consists of screenings, Q&As, and panel conversations; plus all sorts of parties, live music, happy hours, and other events. It's known for reunions of classic series and cult hits, and according to the website, it's like "TV camp for grownups."

Jon Hamm isn't the only heavy-hitter in this year's lineup.

Programming also includes an acting class and Q&A with Henry Winkler himself, a live script reading of classic episodes from The Golden Girls and Designing Women (guest actors to be announced), a reunion of the creatives and cast of the HBO hit series The Leftovers, a live recording of the podcast Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast with Suits stars and co-hosts Sarah Rafferty and Patrick J. Adams, and much more.

Additionally, the festival's annual Pitch Competition is still accepting open pitch submissions through January 17. This gives creatives in Austin a chance to pitch their show idea in front of some of the industry's biggest showrunners and executives. Those in the top 10 will receive a year of support to make the next steps in their TV careers.

Festival badges and passes ($150-535) are on sale now.

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