TAMPA, Fla. — AI-generated voices of many celebrities have been spreading on social media across the world in recent times — and two comedians that hopped on the trend by using an impression of an NFL legend did not end all that well for them.
Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady threatened to file a lawsuit over two comedians who used an AI-generated version of him during a stand-up routine, multiple media outlets report.
Legal representatives from the former Buccaneers quarterback sent a "cease-and-desist" letter to Chad Kultgen and Will Sasso, hosts of the Dudesy podcast, threatening to sue if the comedians did not take down the comedy special from the internet after the show featured an AI version of Brady telling jokes that were crass in nature, CBS Sports reports.
The future Hall of Famer did not like the viral video and the letter sent by Latham & Watkins LLP to the podcasters on his behalf alerted them that any use of Brady's name, image, likeness, voice and persona must be removed from all Dudesy related content because it "blatantly violated" his rights, according to Sports Illustrated.
Kultgem and Sasso reportedly accepted the request from Brady's legal representatives and removed the comedy special on their podcast's Patreon site on Tuesday midnight, but pointed out his AI-generated impression was satirical in nature and similar to impersonation of celebrities on sketch comedy shows, such as Saturday Night Live.
"Again, I think this is First Amendment, freedom of speech-type s--t that we're dealing with here," Kultgen said. "This is obviously a parody... This is what all impressionists do. You watch hours of tape of that person to get their mannerisms and stuff like this down. It's literally the same."
Although the AI-generated impression of Brady had him saying jokes, the 45-year-old himself will have to cope with taking jokes aimed at him after it was announced in May 2022 that he agreed to be the subject of a roast special on Netflix.
Brady announced his second retirement from the NFL in a laid-back social media video sitting on the beach, expressing how grateful he is for the support over the years. The 45-year-old walks away as the NFL career leader in passing yards (89,214) and passing touchdowns (649). As the only player with seven Super Bowl rings and five Super Bowl MVP titles, Brady is regarded as the greatest player the sport has ever seen.
10 Tampa Bay's Andrea Chu contributed to this report.