Billy Bush recently defended Sydney Sweeney amidst criticism over her new sports betting commercial. Bush described Sweeney’s marketing strategy as ‘brilliant’ during a conversation with Jesse Watters. Sweeney secured equity in Novig prior to the ad gaining significant attention with forty million views.
Reflecting on past controversies, Bush compared the backlash to previous incidents involving American Eagle and ESPN’s Body Issue, emphasizing that public critics eventually move on.
Amid criticisms, Sweeney took to her social media platform on Wednesday, sharing photos from Santa Monica Pier while sporting a brunette wig. Her post, captioned, “When ur bestie shows up and says ‘here put this wig on,'” included various images displaying her altered hairstyle.
The sports betting commercial faced severe backlash from female athletes, who accused the campaign of sexualizing women in sports. Sweeney appeared in the ad minimally clothed, surrounded by sports gear, promoting the message, “just sports.” The campaign drew criticism from Olympian Ariarne Titmus and other professional athletes. Titmus referred to the ad as dismissive to women dedicated to athletics.
Gymnast Gracie Kramer criticized the ad for marketing through the male perspective. British sprinter Amy Hunt challenged the unrealistic portrayal of women in sports presented in the campaign.
Responding to criticism, Sweeney shared images of esteemed athletes such as Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, and Megan Rapinoe, who have all posed for ESPN’s Body Issue.
Unperturbed by ongoing controversy, Sweeney released another commercial, appearing in minimal attire and humorously commenting on betting activities related to her appearance. She joked about people betting on her underwear color and concluded with the phrase, “Novig is … just sports.”
Christina Dugan Ramirez contributes as an entertainment journalist, drawing from over 15 years of industry experience, including key roles at PEOPLE and Fox News Digital.