Key Takeaways:
American football quarterback Tom Brady was at the receiving end of the jokes during the Netflix special “The Greatest Roast of All Time”, facing sharp barbs about his personal life and financial choices from comedians including Kevin Hart and Nikki Glaser.
Tom Brady Roasted by Comedians for Promoting FTX and Losing $30 Million
The seven-time Super Bowl champion was heavily grilled for his involvement with the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
FBoy Island star Nikki Glaser got the ball rolling during the event at the Los Angeles Forum when she poked fun at Brady for falling for the Ponzi scheme and losing $30 million in crypto.
“I know that’s not real money”, she quipped.
She pondered how a seasoned football star like Brady could fall victim to such a significant blunder. Glaser took no prisoners as she even bantered his former teammate, Rob Gronkowski, for their investments in FTX.
Kevin Hart added more fuel to the fire by questioning the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots quarterback for his connection to conman Sam Bankman-Fried’s cryptocurrency exchange. He humorously questioned why the Netflix show wasn’t being held at the Crypto.com Arena.
The comedian, known for his roles in Scary Movie 3 and the Jumanji franchise, said the show wasn’t hosted at the stadium in California because Netflix didn’t want to remind Brady’s fans of how much money he owes them.
Brady and Ex-wife Gisele Bundchen Facing Lawsuits for Endorsing FTX Ponzi Scheme
Brady’s connection to FTX was more than just a bad investment choice. He also served as the company’s brand ambassador, and for prompting the exchange, he and his then-wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, received millions in FTX shares as compensation.
All their efforts went in vain after the once popular crypto exchange abruptly collapsed in November 2022, rendering Brady’s $48 million investment worthless and embroiling its founder Bankman-Fired in legal turmoil. The 30-year-old disgraced former billionaire now faces federal fraud charges and is serving 20 years in prison for orchestrating the scam.
Both Brady and Bundchen are also faced with legal challenges, alongside other A-list endorses of FTX, including NBA stars Stephen Curry and Shaq O’Neil, former baseball superstar David Ortiz, tennis sensation Noami Osaka, and Shark Tank’s millionaire judge Kevin O’Leary.
They are all being implicated by FTX customers for appearing in paid advertisement campaigns and endorsing the fraudulent exchange. Investors are seeking repayment for the losses they suffered after the company imploded.
FTX was a behemoth in the crypto market with a valuation of $32 billion before filing for bankruptcy in November 2022 after it was revealed that Bankman-Fired and his close associates mishandled customer and investor funds worth over $10 billion.
Netflix Show a Reminder of How Even the Most Seasoned Investors Could Fall for Crypto Scams
Brady’s crypto enthusiasm did not stop there. While promoting FTX, the NFL legend announced plans to launch his own NFT platform, taking into account the intense hype surrounding the digital collectibles in 2021.
However, as interest in the space faded in the following years, so did Brady’s crypto venture.
The Netflix-hosted comedic roast of Tom Brady is a reminder that even the most accomplished athletes and business people aren’t immune to financial setbacks. Despite his tremendous success on the field, his off-field antics and financial decisions have brought a huge share of scrutiny and stress, as reflected by his nervous laughter during the show.
“Greatest Roast of All Time” was a playful tribute to one of American football’s greatest players, and inadvertently underscored the real-life drama and financial turmoils faced by Brady.
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