Dez Reads. Scheffler’s Arrest Shocks PGA, Tom Brady’s Roast Regrets, Netflix Secures NFL Rights, AI Regulation Efforts, and Miss USA Controversy.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Dez Reads, where we dissect the latest news in entertainment, business, politics, and culture. In a truly shocking development in the golf world, Scottie Scheffler was arrested this morning, providing us with the dominant social media narrative as we head into a major championship weekend. Always timely, Dez Reads is all over it.

Other controversies and emerging news examined this week include the Roast of Tom Brady, the resignation of multiple American beauty queens, initial steps in AI regulation on the Hill, and Netflix’s continued expansion into live sports. I’d encourage you, dear reader, to click through to the stories that interest you and where you encounter a paywall, consider subscribing. Dez Reads isn’t simply an aggregation of what our team is reading, but something that hopefully encourages folks to consume more journalism. We need real reporting now more than ever.

Here we go.

Entertainment.

TMZ. Scottie Scheffler Arrested at PGA Championship

My golf trip WhatsApp chat was buzzing this morning when I first checked my phone – the top-ranked golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, was arrested this morning when he showed up for the second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

I don’t have any reputation management takeaways here, but this incident underscores the unpredictability of social media trends. This outspoken Christian dad with an aw-shucks affect and the best precision iron play on earth was booked and photographed in an orange jumpsuit this morning for a minor traffic violation. The memes associated with this one will certainly continue throughout the tournament and into the near future, especially if Scottie wins his third major this week. Scottie Scheffler’s heel turn will lead many lists of the top social conversations of 2024.

– Josh Culling

LA Times. Tom Brady regrets Netflix roast because some of the jokes ‘affected my kids’

Former footballer Tom Brady willingly participated in a roast hosted by comedian Kevin Hart on Netflix. Unsurprisingly to me and the other 13.8 million people who watched the roast, Brady’s personal life was woven into many of the evening’s jokes. The jokes were profane, crude in nature, and often included references to his ex-wife, Gisele Bundchen. Apparently, this was all a surprise to Brady.

On a podcast hosted by fellow former NFL players, Brady shared his regrets that the roast impacted those closest to him, including his three children, ages 16, 14, and 11. My reaction: “Duh.” Brady collected a cool $30 million for the three-hour live event. He knew exactly what he was doing and made a cold hard cash-driven calculated decision—sorry, not sorry, kids.

– Anne Marie Malecha

Business.

The Verge. Netflix snagged global streaming rights for NFL Christmas Day games

Netflix is reinforcing its position as the dominant power in streaming by securing a three-year deal to stream NFL games on Christmas Day starting in 2024. By adding live sports to its roster of sports-adjacent content and docuseries, Netflix is putting its competitors on notice: It’s not sitting on its laurels atop the hypercompetitive streaming wars—it’s solidifying its position.

The deal, valued at approximately $75 million per game for 2024, not only reflects the fierce competition within the streaming industry but also Netflix’s aggressive investment in live sporting events. This includes a $5 billion contract with WWE starting in January 2025 and the high-profile boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.

As Netflix strengthens its grip on our monthly subscription, brace yourself for the inevitable price increase. Yet, that might still be a more welcome gift than a lump of coal this Christmas. Perhaps adding a Netflix gift card to our holiday wish list could indeed be a wise move.

– Mark Emerson

Politics.

WaPo. Senators unveil plan to regulate AI, as companies race ahead

The 31-page “road map” calls for a $32 billion infusion for AI research and development and asks congressional committees to develop legislation.

If you read this article carefully, you’ll see it’s very light on specifics but very aggressive in spending. Congress desperately wants to regulate AI but really doesn’t know how to do it, so it takes the “road map” approach. Here’s how this will unfold:

• Congress will listen to the “pro-regulation” think tanks and consumer groups and start moving regulations along the lines these groups recommend. Why? Because they move faster than the AI companies and have something Congress doesn’t: ideas.

• The AI companies will start hiring lobbyists and public affairs firms a little late and play catch-up for the next few years.

• Congress will regulate, then re-regulate, then re-regulate over the next ten years until it gets something close to sensible.

I may sound cynical, but the reality is that our elected leaders have difficulty regulating emerging and complicated industries right out of the gate. It takes time for issues to mature and the technology to become better understood.

– Steven Schlein

Culture.

NPR. Fallout continues from the Miss USA resignations as a runner-up declines the crown

Miss USA has been embroiled in controversy over the past few years with allegations of cheating, favoritism, and sexual harassment. Most recently, the current organization’s leaders have been accused of bullying and harassment after Miss USA and Miss Teen USA both gave up their titles with just months left in their reigns.

No Miss USA has ever resigned, let alone Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, both resigning within a day of each other. As a former competitor myself who was considering another go-around this year, I have been watching closely to see how Miss USA’s leaders would handle this reputational fallout. With Noelia Voight under an apparently strict NDA, fans are calling for transparency from the organization after they realized the first letter of each sentence of her public statement spelled out, “I am silenced.”

Instead of addressing it, the Miss USA organization rushed to crown a new Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. The first runner-up of Miss USA was coronated yesterday, but in true Gen Z fashion, the first runner-up for Miss Teen USA rejected the title. If I oversaw Miss USA and I wanted women to still compete with confidence this year, I would issue a statement immediately, put a hold on crowning a new queen until the buzz died down, and make sure every state director knows that their titleholders will be safe, respected, and valued when competing for the national title.

– Annie Moore

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