Welcome back to the Spotlight! Allow me to be among the first to welcome you to August. If you’ve made it this far into summer, congratulations on plodding along through joy-blunting, sizzling hot temperatures. That is not to say that I don’t like the heat, but it would be nice to be able to comfortably wear jeans without having to wring the sweat out afterwards.
Speaking of jeans, you may have heard that there has been somewhat of an outcry over Euphoria and The White Lotus star Sydney Sweeney’s participation in a campaign promoting clothing company American Eagle’s jeans. In particular, the controversy surrounds the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress appearing in advertising materials that say she has great jeans, an obvious double-entendre for her genes that critics maintain evokes eugenics movements from darker moments in history. What’s most offensive to me, however, is the easy pun the brand used. Why couldn’t they at least have considered, “our jeans cover these ‘neys”? Whatever the reason and intent behind the campaign, in a not-so-surprising turn of events, the outrage has only drawn more eyeballs to the campaign, sending American Eagle’s stock price soaring like…a bird of prey. Particularly in light of my wringing (not ringing) description above, the partnership and ensuing Streisand-esque reaction is arguably the best thing that happened to American Eagle since I stopped wearing their jeans after college.
- Happy Gilmore 2 is now the owner of the Netflix record for most-viewed film with 46.7 million views. I’d like to think my free advertising in last week’s Spotlight contributed about five viewers to that tally—not asking for money, just a “thank you” would be nice.
- Ex-Astronomer CEO Andy Byron—whose now viral and infamous marital affair was caught on a “kiss cam” during a Coldplay concert—is rumored to be weighing legal action against the British rock band for their audacity in uncovering his web of lies. If Byron is trying to strike back against being thrust into the spotlight (no relation), he may have to trade in his Coldplay fandom for that of Barbra Streisand.
- Former NBA Star Gilbert Arenas was arrested as part of a federal probe into illegal, high-stakes poker games he hosted at his California mansion. If convicted, he could face a maximum of five years in prison, but he may be able to get off with probation, if he plays his cards right.
Congratulations to the winners who predicted the “over” on the over/under of 1.5 Barbra Streisand references! See you next week!
Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments
Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle Ads Sparked Outrage. PR Pros Say it Will Make Her a Bigger Star
July 31, 2025 via Business Insider
Sophie Cunningham Lands Podcast with The Volume
July 30, 2025 via Awful Announcing
Lionesses’ Triumph: England Head Coach Wants More Investment in Women’s Soccer to Mark Euro 2025 Win
July 28, 2025 via Toronto Star
Pete Rose’s Rep Asks Court to Endorse Posthumous NIL Deal
July 28, 2025 via Sportico
What to Know About Donald Trump's Executive Order on NIL and College Sports
July 26, 2025 via NBC News
Magic Rookie Jase Richardson Signs Shoe Endorsement Deal with Nike
July 25, 2025 via Yahoo Sports
A-Rod SPAC Strikes Out, Canceling Long-Pending Merger With Lynk
July 25, 2025 via Sportico
Betsperts Acquires Fantasy National, Eyes Golf Betting Niche
July 25, 2025 via Sportico
Sports
Former NBA Star Gilbert Arenas Faces Federal Charges in Connection with Illegal Gambling Ring
July 30, 2025 via ABC News
Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton Could Become the UK’s Top-Earning Sportswomen
July 29, 2025 via iNews
Guardians Closer Emmanuel Clase Placed on Paid Leave as Part of MLB Sports Betting Investigation
July 29, 2025 via Toronto Star
Jeanie Buss Recruiting Sophie Cunningham to Women Of Wrestling
July 29, 2025 via Awful Announcing
MLS Games are Averaging 120,000 Unique Viewers per Match on Apple TV
July 28, 2025 via Mac Hash News
Music Biz
Why Netflix’s ‘Hitmakers’ Might Teach Your Average Viewer About Songwriting – and Even Get Them Thinking About ‘Fair Pay’
July 31, 2025 via Music Business Worldwide
Face Of Infidelity Wants To Sue Coldplay Because He Got Caught In Public
July 30, 2025 via Above the Law
Amelia Songs Forms Global Publishing Partnership with Kobalt
July 29, 2025 via Music Week
Fakelash: Spotify Backtracks on AI Band Velvet Sundown
July 26, 2025 via The Blaze
Film & TV
Skydance Responds To Senators: Company Says It “Fully Complied” With Anti-Bribery Laws & Was Not Involved In CBS’s Stephen Colbert Cancellation
July 31, 2025 via Deadline
Amazon “Cannot Wait To Get Started On 007’s Next Adventure” Says CEO Andy Jassy
July 31, 2025 via Deadline
Cosm Sets ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ As Next “Shared Reality” Film In Warner Bros. Deal
July 31, 2025 via Deadline
Game, Set, Matchmaker: The First Dating Series Playing Out at the US Open
July 31, 2025 via US Open
Are You Watching, Disney? Netflix’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Most-Viewed Original Animated Film in Platform’s History
July 31, 2025 via Music Business Worldwide
Emerging Sports
PartyNextDoor Teams With ‘Fortnite’ for Playable Concert Event
July 31, 2025 via Variety
