The estate of George Carlin has initiated legal action against Dudesy, a media company, for producing a fabricated comedy special using artificial intelligence technology that mimics Carlin’s voice and comedic style without authorization. The lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles national court, accuses Dudesy of infringing on Carlin’s copyrighted materials and likeness, labeling the AI-generated content as “computer-generated click-bait” that diminishes the value of Carlin’s authentic works and tarnishes his reputation.
The disputed content, titled “George Carlin: I’m Happy I’m Useless,” was published on the Dudesy podcast’s YouTube channel on January 9th and has garnered nearly 500,000 views. In response to the backlash, the hosts of the Dudesy podcast, Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, defended the use of AI as an innovative tool with widespread applicability.
Carlin’s estate is seeking the immediate removal and destruction of all copies of the unauthorized content, in addition to undisclosed damages. The lawsuit asserts that the Dudesy Special distorts Carlin’s legacy and reputation, emphasizing that if Carlin were alive, he would have retained control over his own comedic expressions.
The AI-generated special has faced criticism from Carlin’s fans and the public, who view it as a disrespectful imitation of the late comedian’s work. Kelly Carlin, his daughter, denounced the AI-generated content as an inadequate replication of her father’s genuine creativity and urged audiences to appreciate Carlin’s original body of work.
Dudesy has previously faced legal threats for using AI to simulate famous personalities, with former NFL star Tom Brady also contemplating legal action against a similar AI-generated comedy special. Following the backlash, Dudesy removed the contentious content from its YouTube platform.
The entertainment industry’s concerns about AI’s potential to replicate performers’ likenesses and voices without consent led to initiatives such as the SAG-AFTRA campaign for informed consent and compensation guidelines for AI usage. Additionally, the proposed No Fakes Act seeks to establish regulations preventing the unauthorized digital reproduction of performers.
