Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam has taken advantage of the current AI trend by resurrecting the infamous talent manager and convicted scammer Lou Pearlman from the grave.
The recently released true crime docu-series, now available on Netflix (July 24), documents the ascent and downfall of Pearlman, the mastermind behind launching iconic boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.
Despite his boy band empire being founded on deceit, Pearlman was able to sustain it for three decades, defrauding hundreds of millions of dollars. However, his elaborate scheme eventually collapsed, exposing it as one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in history.
Despite being convicted and sentenced to 25 years, Pearlman’s death in prison in 2016 has not prevented him from being featured in Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam.
After the opening sequence, Pearlman is seen introducing himself as the chairman of Trans Continental in the docu-series.
The on-screen text clarifies that this is authentic footage of Lou Pearlman, but his voice and lip movements have been digitally modified.
The phrases are taken from Pearlman’s book ‘Bands, Brands and Billions’. Credited for these scenes in the credits is actor Chris Banks, along with the AI voice generator Resemble AI.
This is not the initial instance in which a Netflix true crime documentary has incorporated artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, What Jennifer Did faced criticism for purportedly utilizing digitally altered images of Jennifer Pan.
Despite Dirty Pop’s clear indication that the footage of Pearlman is artificially created, it still brings up concerns about the incorporation of AI in the entertainment industry.
Upon reviewing it, the Chicago Sun-Times termed the documentary as a “distraction,” while RogerEbert.com stated that the decision felt somewhat inappropriate.
Despite the fact that we should not defend Pearlman’s actions, it is important to acknowledge that he is no longer present and his book’s message may be misunderstood.
Stream Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam on Netflix now for an intriguing true crime story. Also, discover the whereabouts of Jonathan Meijer, watch the latest Andrew Tate documentary, and learn about the outcome of Phil Spector’s case.
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