Names making news

 I think we all knew that the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) into the mainstream would cause problems.

Predictably, it has gotten the hosts of a podcast in trouble because they didn't dot all the i's & cross their t's when planning a recent special.

Will Sasso (ex-MadTV), who has largely fallen off the radar since 2012's "Three Stooges" film, and podcast partner Chad Kultgren are being sued by the estate of the late actor-comedian George Carlin over the unauthorized use of Carlin's likeness via AI for the special, George Carlin: I'm Glad I'm Dead. For legal reasons, Sasso & Kultgren can't reveal who created the AI Carlin, but that isn't going to help their case.

George Carlin. The man. The legend.

The podcast, Dudesy, also has a YouTube channel, and therein lies the motivation behind the special. It's not so much clickbait, as Kelly Carlin, the comedy icon's daughter, suggests, but, rather, just calling attention to the podcast, which is meant to be a comeback vehicle for Sasso.

Maybe Sasso should have done his due diligence, and checked with the Carlins before forging ahead.

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Earlier this week, Endeavor/TKO Holdings, the parent company of WWE & UFC, had landed a deal to move Monday Night Raw to Netflix beginning next year. Raw ends its 2nd run on USA Network September 24 (we think), and will be off the air, anywhere until January 2025. Netflix paid $500 million for the rights.

On Tuesday morning, executives, including Paul "Triple H" Levesque, Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Ari Emanuel, and the newest member of the TKO board, the People's Movie Star himself, Dwayne Johnson, were at the NY Stock Exchange. 

Two days later, TKO is facing the prospect of sending McMahon, 78, packing once and for all.

A former WWE employee, Janel Grant, is alleging that McMahon and former associate John Laurinaitis had engaged in sexual abuse and trafficking with her. Grant signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement in 2022, around the time that McMahon had resigned and retired pro tempore from the company, returning one year ago this month amid much controversy.

Now, Grant says, she was only paid 1/3 of an amount promised to her by McMahon, and alleges that a prominent wrestler was also involved in the scheme. The name is out there, but we'll not use it here.

This is going to get messy in a hurry. Commenters on Reddit began speculating that McMahon's return last January, followed by daughter Stephanie's decision to return to retirement herself, had some underlying issues.

I am reminded of a skit on Raw, circa 2007, that poked fun at McMahon's alleged serial philandering in the midst of a story arc surrounding the kayfabe affair that suggested he was the father of Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl), though that was later debunked. As Triple H brought out not just women whom McMahon was, in storyline, alleged to have had affairs with, but a number of male co-workers were brought out as well. That was enough to convince Stephanie and her brother, Shane, to bail, but not before Stephanie pulled back the kayfabe curtain of her own, giving Levesque a loving kiss. Their real-life marriage became WWE canon in 2009.

This also brings to mind the Attitude Era, and The Rock (Johnson) subtly trying to draw the attention of Lillian Garcia, who served as a backstage reporter on Smackdown in addition to being Raw's ring announcer, with references to "The People's Strudel", which was in reference to, well, if you didn't figure it out then, it'll probably be brought up as this case plays out in court and in the media. 

Some Redditors have said they want nothing further to do with WWE. Wrestling journalist David Bixenspan is calling for people to put questions before Levesque following tomorrow's Royal Rumble event in Tampa, which they're not going to be able to do.

Ye scribe's take: McMahon wore out his welcome a long time ago. WWE had a chance to quietly send him away as much as 11 years ago, but he didn't want to leave. A missed opportunity has come back to bite the company.

If you're waiting for the other shoe to drop, wait a while. So far, McMahon has managed to avoid being ensnared in other legal issues involving other captains of industry, including his friend, former president Donald Trump, and Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But what if McMahon was on Epstein's infamous list that was revealed lasst week?

Stay tuned.

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Speaking of Trump, word is that ESPN bloviator Stephen A. Smith wants to debate the Orange Toddler. That would be good fodder to expose both as being poor debaters.