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The eSports competitive video gaming market continues to grow revenues & attract investors

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eSports Advertising and Sponsorships

This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Robert Elder, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

  • eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
  • There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
  • The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
  • The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
  • The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
  • Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
  • Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
  • Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
  • Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
  • Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
  • Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
  • Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

  • The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
  • The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
  • eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
  • eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> START A MEMBERSHIP
  2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> BUY THE REPORT

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NOW WATCH: We played the highly-anticipated new Super Mario game and were blown away


Mark Wahlberg and Diddy talk about how to sell authenticity in the world of social media

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs And Mark WahlbergAs fans use social media to get an intimate window into the lives of celebrities, the idea of having a famous “spokesperson” becomes a trickier dance for brands.

If the promotion feels authentic, it can use the power of the internet to multiply its influence — but it can also fall flat on its face when it feels fake.

Recently, a panel of advertising experts convened in New York City to talk about the power of celebrity influencer marketing, which is when brands use “influential” people (read: celebs) to promote their products.

During the discussion, Paul Desisto, a senior talent agent at Central Entertainment Group, said this form of marketing had become his prime option for getting new users and boosting sales in campaigns he’s run. A marketing study from Tomoson provided some data to back up Desisto’s anecdote, claiming that influencer marketing was the fastest-growing way to snag customers online.

But as branded ads crowd newsfeeds, companies have learned that success is only possible when these ads feel organic.

Panel moderator and “The Bachelor” contestant, Ashley Iaconetti, said she saw this firsthand throughout partnerships with companies like HelloFresh and FabFitFun. Iaconetti said that the most success in her branded social-media posts came when she’d had the freedom to take the reins and post something that felt natural.

“Just let me have fun with it, and I’ll get you guys attention,” Iaconetti said to sponsors. "Fans hate it when I post something and it's an obvious ad, so if you can integrate the product organically, they're all about it."

Puff Daddy and Marky Mark

One celebrity who’s no stranger to this is music and entertainment mogul is Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has crowned himself as one of the founders of celebrity influencer marketing on social media.

“I take a lot of pride in being one of the first celebrities on Twitter,” Combs told Business Insider in a recent interview.

We spoke to Combs, and actor-businessman Mark Wahlberg, about social media strategy, their many business endeavors, and their performance water brand, Aquahydrate.

The pair share a brotherly camaraderie. Both jokingly find common ground in their former alter egos: Puff Daddy and Marky Mark.

“We have each other’s backs,” Wahlberg said.

Recently, they teamed up to re-launch Aquahydrate, a “performance” bottled water that Wahlberg credited for helping him recover while training for “The Fighter.”

As Wahlberg and Combs have become the faces of Aquahydrate, they’ve both aligned their public personas with the active and go-getter lifestyle of their customers.

Wahlberg, who’s in exceptional physical shape, posts his extensive workouts on Instagram for his millions of followers. And Combs continues to inspire fans with his viral motivational tweets (see 12, and 3).

Saving the best for last. Don't miss this season's last two #Wahlburgers episodes on Wednesday 9pm/8c on A&E. 🍔🍟🥊

A post shared by Mark Wahlberg (@markwahlberg) on Sep 18, 2017 at 1:24pm PDT on

"Our product is social by design," Combs said.

Combs said their social-media success is no coincidence. Although we’ve recently seen many tone-deaf celebrity sponsorship deals blow up, both men have their ears and eyes close to their fans bases, using social media to connect with and understand their audience.

Wahlberg also often looks to his own children for help, he said.

 “[Mark and I] are united in loyalty to being authentic,” Combs added.

The media game

Through their online and offline influence, they've become tastemakers brands can use. And they are looking to leverage that position.

Wahlberg recently inked a deal with AT&T and DirecTV and is currently working on launching his own content platform, and Combs runs his own music TV channel, Revolt TV.

“We have an opportunity to provide a platform and create content most brands won’t create,” Combs said.

Combs shouted out Issa Rae, whose critically acclaimed HBO show, “Insecure,” has been heralded by critics and fans for its honest and raw portrayal of the everyday black American experience, something that’s been missing from TV and film.

In the same breath, Combs reflected on being one of the few black people to own their own TV network. “We’re connected to the community and see the ideas a lot of networks won’t.”

"We're connected to the next generation of creators," Combs said.

SEE ALSO: Micro-influencer marketing is gaining clout

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NOW WATCH: 10 things you missed in the new 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer

Everything we know about 'porgs' — the penguin-like creatures from 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

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The new trailer for "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is out, and there's already a breakout star of the film, at least according to the internet. A new creature called a porg is featured for a brief few seconds, and its become somewhat of a meme on Twitter. Disney is pushing lots of porg merchandise, and it's capturing people's attention thanks to its penguin-like shape and its big eyes. Here's everything we know about porgs so far. Following is the text of the video.

Everything about "porgs" from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Porgs are a new creature in the Star Wars universe.

They will make their debut in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."

They're small, penguin-like creatures.

They build nests and they can fly.

They are native to the planet of Ahch-To, where Luke Skywalker was living in "The Force Awakens."

The real-life inspiration for porgs?

Puffins that live off the coast of Ireland, where the Ahch-To scenes were shot.

Porg babies are called "porglets."

A group of porgs is called a "murder."

They are very curious creatures.

In the film, they're portrayed with both puppets and CGI.

Disney is already offering lots of porg merchandise.

A porg children's book is in the works.

The internet has already turned them into a popular meme.

We'll find out more when The Last Jedi comes out Dec 15, 2017.

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Nintendo made a delightful live-action music video starring Super Mario

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Super Mario is certainly humanoid, but is he human? 

That's the question at the heart of Nintendo's new live-action music video for "Super Mario Odyssey," an upcoming Nintendo Switch game that launches October 27.

Super Mario Odyssey (live action video)

Sure, it's a music video for the main theme song of the game. And yes, it's a goofy send-up of the game's New Donk City level, which features human characters alongside the diminutive heroic plumber. 

But also it's impossible to watch without falling into the existential question of what Mario is.

Super Mario Odyssey (live action video)

He's clearly shorter than the actual humans dancing next to him — surely Nintendo would've just drawn him as similar in size if he were an actual human being. Is New Donk City on Earth? 

Unfortunately, there are no answers to be found in the video. There is, however, a delightful song — Mario's first ever theme song with lyrics! — and a bizarre video to enjoy. 

Grab your dancing shoes and check out the video right here:

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's huge new Mario game looks incredible and bizarre

DON'T MISS: The 18 weirdest things I saw in Nintendo's big new Mario game that's about to launch

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NOW WATCH: We played the highly-anticipated new Super Mario game and were blown away

Rose McGowan is calling for people to sign a petition to dissolve The Weinstein Company's board

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Rose McGowan Matt Winkelmeyer Getty final

Last week, The New York Times reported that actress Rose McGowan had reached a $100,000 settlement with movie executive Harvey Weinstein in 1997, when she was 23, after an "episode in a hotel room at the Sundance Film Festival."

McGowan is part of a stream of stories and accusations surrounding Weinstein this past week, spanning decades and including both sexual harassment and assault.

And now McGowan is calling on people to sign a petition to dissolve the board of The Weinstein Company.

The petition, created by an anonymous person on Tuesday, reads: "If you believe The Weinstein Company should completely dissolve after 30 years of sexual abuse against innocent women please join me in signing this petition to honor the victims and their bravery."

The petition has over 6,400 signatures so far, with a goal of 10,000.

The Weinstein Company board, which fired Weinstein from the company on Sunday after an explosive story in The Times, has reportedly been working with advertising agencies to create a new name for the company. On Tuesday the board issued a statement saying it had no previous knowledge of the sexual harassment and assault claims directed towards Weinstein and called his alleged conduct “antithetical to human decency.”

But McGowan thinks the entire board should be accountable for the actions of is cofounder.

"You don't get to change your company name & be done with it," the actress tweeted.

Along with other tweets where she includes the hashtag, #DissolveTheBoard, McGowan also called for the board to resign in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday.

"Men in Hollywood need to change ASAP," McGowan told the trade. "Hollywood’s power is dying because society has changed and grown, and yet Hollywood male behavior has not. It is so not a good look. In the way cooler than Hollywood world I live and work in, I am actually embarrassed to be associated with it." 

SEE ALSO: Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow say Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed them — and Brad Pitt confronted him about it

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NOW WATCH: 10 things you missed in the new 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer

The stars of 'Fixer Upper' realized it was time to leave the reality TV juggernaut after a single tweet from a customer

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Chip and Joanna Gaines

  • HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines announced that season five will be the last season of their show "Fixer Upper."
  • They realized that they couldn't balance their family, business, and TV show anymore.
  • Chip started thinking about the show after getting a tweet from a customer waiting for a delivery.

HGTV star Chip Gaines started thinking about leaving hit show "Fixer Upper" after a tweet.

In his upcoming book, "Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff," the DIY entrepreneur remembers getting a tweet from a customer at 2 a.m. that, in his words, "changed everything."

"Hey @chippergaines," the customer wrote. "It's been 3 weeks, and I still haven't gotten my wreath. What's up?!"

"I tried to shake it off, knowing that I couldn't do anything about it then and that it would have to wait until morning," Gaines writes in "Capital Gaines." "No luck. I was up all night dwelling on it."

Midway through the next day, while on the set of "Fixer Upper" with his wife and business partner Joanna, Gaines was "overwhelmed" by a single thought: "What am I doing here?"

He wanted to walk off the set, head to the warehouse, and resolve the shipping problem. "Who else but me should be figuring out what was ailing my growing business, and who else other than me should be ensuring that we moved beyond each and every one of these mistakes?" he writes.

In that moment, he writes, "something shifted within me. Suddenly filming the TV show looked like 'the job' that had seduced me into giving it my precious time that I had always promised would be reserved for my true loves, my family and my business. How had this side gig found its way to competing with the very things that mean more to me than anything else in the world?"

The Gaineses realized that they were stretched too thin. Between the two of them, they estimate they can do two things well at a time, but in recent years they were juggling three: their home life with four children, their business, and their TV show.

"These major responsibilities affect my ability to sleep, and they steal from my peace of mind," Gaines writes. "Each is important. Each is worthwhile. And each is something that that can't succeed without Joanna's and my personal involvement."

fixer upper chip joanna gainesFans of the HGTV show might not realize that Magnolia, the Gaineses' business, predates "Fixer Upper" by over a decade. For years, the couple has been buying and flipping investment properties, renovating local homes in Waco, Texas, and operating home decor stores in the area.

The latest iteration of their business is Magnolia Market, the home-improvement hub they created in 2015 from two abandoned grain silos across the street from their children's school, which attracts visitors from all over the US. They also bought a restaurant in downtown Waco and partnered with Target to produce a line of exclusive home goods. Joanna collaborated with HGTV to produce a web series, "Behind the Design."

"These past several years have been such a mind-blowing season of life for us," Gaines writes. "They have also been a very real struggle. I've been in this lengthy internal wrestling match, trying to understand and prioritize these three main priorities while also fending off all the other big things that compete for my time. Who deserves the best of me? Which ones get the bulk of my passion and energy? And which, in turn, gets what amounts to my leftovers?"

Their marriage and children automatically take first place, he writes, and while he "dream[s] of the day Jo and I are chairmen of the board and not actually involved in the day-to-day operations" of their business, they are both still needed on the ground.

"It was really easy for us to feel like we could do it all when the show and the business were in the early stages," writes Gaines. "But the bigger things got — and they got big fast— the less energy we had to devote to all three. So much time was being allocated to filming that the details of the business were slipping." 

The "tweet-fueled revelation," Gaines writes, made him realize that he and Joanna are tired. He continues on to say that their relationship and business partnership is stronger than ever, "but pure long-term exhaustion can change a person — or two persons. We had been driving so hard for so long now. And I had this sense that if I kept my foot on the gas, we might be headed for disaster."

SEE ALSO: I traveled to Waco, Texas, to see the town that has been transformed by HGTV's hit show 'Fixer Upper' — here's what it's like

SEE ALSO: Why the stars of 'Fixer Upper' are leaving the reality TV juggernaut after 5 seasons and a home-improvement empire

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines choose the opposite of trendy when designing a home

Sean Hannity goes on 10-minute rant about left's 'hypocrisy' on Harvey Weinstein, 2 weeks after having Bill O'Reilly on his show

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sean hannity

Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday ranted about the supposed liberal hypocrisy of failing to call out Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Over the past two days, Hannity has blasted Hollywood celebrities and Democrats for hypocrisy over Weinstein, particularly singling out 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and noted the producer's history of donations to Democratic candidates and causes.

"This is beyond despicable, beyond shameful, these rumors have been out there for years, and it's not surprising from the left," Hannity said.

"Liberals love to be so sanctimonious, holier than thou, but they're really hypocrites."

Numerous critics, however, noted that Hannity himself has turned a blind eye to prominent figures accused of serial sexual harassment.

CNN's Jake Tapper knocked Hannity for selective outrage during a monologue on Tuesday, pointing out that the Fox News host has encouraged Bill O'Reilly to come on his show, just months after O'Reilly left Fox amid a slew of sexual harassment allegations.

Despite tensions while they were at Fox News, Hannity has repeatedly welcomed O'Reilly back on his radio and television shows in recent weeks.

Appearing on Hannity's television show, the two hosts lamented the liberal media watchdogs like Media Matters and others who pushed for advertiser boycotts that put pressure to take O'Reilly off the air.

Other Fox News hosts like Tucker Carlson have blasted prominent Democrats, media outlets, and Hollywood stars for enabling Weinstein while offering only praise for former Fox News chief Roger Ailes, who was also forced out last year over numerous sexual harassment allegations. 

SEE ALSO: Former New York Times reporter says paper once killed story on Weinstein's sexual harassment after pressure from Matt Damon and Russell Crowe

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NOW WATCH: Why you won't find a garbage can near the 9/11 memorial

Andy Serkis reveals how he came up with the voice of Snoke for the 'Star Wars' movies

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andy serkis lucasfilm

Andy Serkis has made a career using motion-capture technology to transform into some of the most memorable characters of Hollywood's CGI-era.

From Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" movies to Ceasar in "Planet of the Apes," he really has pushed forward a new kind of performance art. But his most mysterious role is Supreme Leader Snoke in the current "Star Wars" movies. 

Snoke only appears in hologram form in "The Force Awakens," and it seems in the latest trailer for "The Last Jedi," we will see him in the flesh. But there isn't much we know about the character (and very little Serkis can say). 

But one aspect Serkis could speak on is the creation of the Snoke voice, which is prominently featured in "The Last Jedi" trailer. Along with performing the roles of Gollum, Ceasar, and Snoke, he also comes up with all the voices. It's something that he puts a lot of thought into. 

snoke lucasfilmSerkis revealed to Business Insider how he developed Snoke's deep, sinister voice.

"When I first worked on it with ['The Force Awakens' director] J.J. [Abrams] there was an evolving design of the character," Serkis said, while promoting his directorial debut, "Breathe" (in theaters Friday). "It was going through lots of changes. But it's all about where a character carries his pain, or aggression, or emotional centers, and with Snoke it was very much there [putting his hands to the back of his head]. And his skull has got this big scar in the front, so for me it was a fracturing. He's got this cleft in his head and I think it's very painful for him to speak and yet there's an imperiousness about him. He's severely damaged but there's a vulnerability that's he's trying to cover so that was sort of what I was trying to do."

Perhaps that pain will be explored in "The Last Jedi." If the voiceover from the trailer (hopefully it's also in the movie) is any indication, Snoke could be as much of an influence on Rey as Luke Skywalker is.

Watch the latest trailer below. "The Last Jedi" opens in theaters December 15.

SEE ALSO: Andy Serkis on the Harvey Weinstein allegations: "There's no excuse"

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NOW WATCH: Everything we know about 'porgs' — the penguin-like creatures from 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'


Bob Weinstein calls his brother Harvey 'a very sick man' and a 'world class liar'

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Bob Harvey Weinstein Mark Von Holden Getty final

Following the surfaced allegations of sexual harassment and assault by movie producer Harvey Weinstein in stories from The New York Times and The New Yorker, Harvey's brother, Bob, finally made a public statement on Tuesday night.

TMZ reports that Harvey firmly believes Bob is the one that fed the New York Times information for its story.

"My brother Harvey is obviously a very sick man," Bob told TMZ. "I've urged him to seek immediate professional help because he is in dire need of it. His remorse and apologies to the victims of his abuse are hollow. He said he would go away for help and has yet to do so."

On Tuesday, People reported that Harvey's wife, Georgina Chapman, is leaving him and that the disgraced movie mogul is flying to Europe to seek treatment for sex addiction.

"He has proven himself to be a world class liar and now rather than seeking help he is looking to blame others," Bob went on to tell TMZ. "His assertion [that Bob set him up] is categorically untrue from A to Z. I pray he gets the help that he needs and I believe that it is him behind all of these stories to distract from his own failure to get help."

Bob and Harvey Weinstein became the kings of the independent film world in the 1990s when they founded the company Miramax, which launched the careers of Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, and Kevin Smith. The brothers went on to release a string of Oscar nominated and winning movies. The success led to the company being bought by Disney. In 2005, the brothers left the company and began The Weinstein Company. 

SEE ALSO: Rose McGowan is calling for people to sign a petition to dissolve The Weinstein Company's board

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Everything we know about 'porgs' — the penguin-like creatures from 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

'They’re bad for chefs, they're bad for restaurants' — Anthony Bourdain goes on an epic rant against Yelp

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We sat down with Anthony Bourdain of "Parts Unknown" and Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese to discuss Bourdain's new film, "Wasted!" and the ever-changing food landscape. Here, these culinary savants break down the problem with the restaurant-rating app Yelp and explain why Twitter and Instagram work so much better.

We reached out to Yelp for comment. Below is a statement from Darnell Holloway, Yelp's Director of Business Outreach: Millions of people find restaurants on Yelp every day. Over the last 4 years, we've made strides to become not just a tool for restaurants to get exposure, but a tool to help them be more successful businesses ... It's also worth noting that most reviews on Yelp are not negative. Overwhelmingly, most people come to Yelp to share neutral to positive experiences. At the end of the day, Yelp provides a two-way platform for consumers to discover restaurants and share their experiences while chefs/restaurant owners can respond to their customers and use the platform to be more successful.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Anthony Bourdain: There’s really no worse, or lower human being than an elite Yelper. They’re universally loathed by chefs everywhere. They are the very picture of entitled, negative energy. They’re bad for chefs, they’re bad for restaurants. You know, you open a restaurant, you struggle for a year to put together the money, you work your heart out, and then 10 minutes after opening, some miserable b------ is tweeting or Yelping, “Worst. Dinner. Ever.”

It’s like, dude. That ain’t right. Nah, no sympathy there. And I think you’d have a very hard time finding a chef who has anything nice to say about elite Yelpers. It’s a contradiction of terms. It’s like jumbo shrimp. How can you be elite and a Yelper?

I’m perfectly happy with Instagram and Twitter as a fully democratic bathroom wall that anyone can write on. And they do. It’s up to us to translate what we — to winnow out useful information that we might use in a sensible way from this seemingly chaotic yet democratic scrawl put up by many different people with many different points of view. I think increasingly, that’s the way we’re gonna have to get — it’s already the way we get our information, it’s already how we get our news. Why not make decisions about restaurants the same way? I think that’s inevitable. This is the new world we have to live in, all of us.

Danny Bowien: I feel like that people refer to Instagram for food information as much as, if not more than Yelp now because it’s just so accessible. It’s so instant. I remember coming up as a cook, I used to have to go buy a cookbook if I wanted to know what a chef was doing. I couldn't just pull up my phone and see it instantly. And I think that was like a lot of what inspired me to do what I do, to make Chinese food and do Mission, it’s because there was this mystery around it. But no, now it’s all gone — Instagram’s got it.

Bourdain: It’s so powerful and so weird. One of the things I’ve found is that, if I put up an Instagram photo, of just like, just hypothetically, me and the Dalai Lama and Keith Richards in a hot tub, smoking a bong, I’ll get 5,000 likes in an hour. If I put up, and I have done this, I put up just a picture of an In-N-Out burger sitting on a table in isolation in an anonymous room, I’ll get 50,000 passionate likes and comments in like 10 minutes. It’s incredible, because people relate to certain foods and feel strongly about them. And they either want to share them on Instagram, or make other people feel bad about what they’re eating by showing them, “Hey, I’m eating a Katz’s pastrami sandwich, what’re you eating? I hope it's nowhere near as good.”

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A diehard 'Rick and Morty' fan says he traded a VW Golf MK4 for a pack of McDonalds' Szechuan sauce

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rick and morty car trade

After fans of the breakout Adult Swim hit show "Rick and Morty" flocked to McDonald's locations across the nation to get ahold of the Szechuan sauce discussed in the series, one diehard fan traded his car for a single packet of the sauce.

Rachel Marie, a 23-year-old graphic designer from Michigan, woke up at 9 a.m. and headed to McDonald's with a friend to stand ninth in line for the limited edition sauce.

But instead of slathering the sauce on a Big Mac or fries, Marie kept hers to see what she could get for it. Marie posted the sauce on Pin Nation, a Facebook group popular with festival goers and "Rick and Morty" fans where users can trade different pins and jewelry.

"There was actually a large response with some nice pins," Marie told Business Insider. "But if I could get a car, I thought, why not ask?"

Then a fellow fan who lived nearby offered up his early 2000s Volkswagen Golf Mk4. The fan, who did not give permission for his name to be used, and Marie said that they could not find and did not exchange the car's title, so Business Insider could not independently verify the claim, but both parties said they went through with the trade and photos were provided as evidence.

The fan said he has another car that he will now fix up to use on a daily basis, but he told Business Insider via Facebook Messenger that he "just needed me some friggin sauce!!"

sauce for car rick and morty

He isn't alone in paying a high price for the very limited edition sauce that cause some fans to fly into a fury when McDonald's ran out. On eBay, packets of the sauce are going for hundreds of dollars, but he probably paid the highest price as a good condition Golf can probably fetch around $2,000 even without a clean title.

Also, McDonald's announced they would bring back the sauce, and lots of it, to McDonald's all over this winter.

"This is the craze and it's insane" Marie said of the "Rick and Morty" fandom's love of sauce. 

Marie, who studies business in college, offered up some advice for fellow enterprising collectors looking to cash to Business Insider on Facebook Messenger in the form of a hashtag: "#chasepapernotboys"

For more fast-food coverage, follow us on Instagram!

SEE ALSO: Furious fans of a cartoon have forced McDonald's to bring back Szechuan McNugget sauce after a botched limited-time release

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HGTV's 'Fixer Upper' makes house flipping seem like a good investment — but there's a catch

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Chip and Joanna Gaines fixer upper

If you hadn't heard much of the term "fixer upper" before a few years ago, you can thank Chip and Joanna Gaines for launching it into the mainstream.

Since 2013, the Gaineses have starred in one of HGTV's most-watched home improvement shows, aptly called "Fixer Upper."

The couple announced earlier this week their show will conclude after its fifth season airs this fall, much to the disappointment of the show's obsessive fan base. By the end of their run, Chip and Joanna will have completed nearly 80 on-screen "dream home" renovations in Waco, Texas.

For many featured on the show, working with Chip and Joanna gives them more than their dream home — they also clinch a good investment.

When it's time for the big reveal at the end of each episode, Chip guesstimates the new value of the home, after the purchase price and renovation costs. "You're upside right on this thing almost $30,000," Chip tells a satisfied client who sunk about $272,000 into a property in one episode. "Not only did you pick a beautiful house, but I think you made a great investment."

In a small town like Waco, where the median list price is just under $180,000, that's something to celebrate. But in the off-camera world of real estate, the outlook isn't as bright.

In fact, when the housing market imploded nearly a decade ago, over-zealous real estate investors may have played a big part, according to a new working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). That's in sharp contrast to the typical narrative blaming Americans with bad credit who bought homes they couldn't afford. Through an analysis of anonymous mortgage data, the NBER found that it was actually wealthy and middle-class investors — who bought cheap properties in smaller markets, fixed them up and sold them for a profit until the financial crisis struck — who defaulted on their loans en masse.

Just a few years into the economic recovery, HGTV introduced the Gaineses, who have inspired countless Americans to dive back into real estate and invest in fixer uppers of their own.

Fixer Upper big reveal

Shows like "Fixer Upper" make it look easy. Every episode has the same formula. The Gaineses visit three homes with their clients, who come armed with an "all-in budget" to cover the purchase of the home and the various renovation costs, which Chip estimates seemingly on the spot. Improvements almost always include updating countertops, floors, and cabinets, and expanding rooms.

After they purchase the house, construction gets underway. There may be a hiccup here or there that requires the client to fork over an extra couple thousand dollars, but it never derails the project (as far as the viewer can see).

The client in the episode mentioned above bought his home for $169,000, which left him with a renovation budget of $103,000. Though most of the clients featured on "Fixer Upper" have a renovation budget in the mid-five figures — thanks to remarkably low purchase prices — that's a far cry from reality.

A 2016 analysis from Zillow Digs found the average fixer upper was listed for 8% below market value, saving buyers just $11,000 to complete renovations before they break even.

Still, fixer uppers can be a cheaper way to come into homeownership: Buy a run-down, albeit livable, house on the cheap and slowly but surely make improvements without draining your savings account.

"Fixer uppers can be a great deal, and they allow buyers to incorporate their personal style into a home while renovating, but it's still a good idea to do the math before making the leap," Svenja Gudell, Zillow chief economist, said.

"While an 8% discount or $11,000 in upfront savings on a fixer upper is certainly a good chunk of change, it likely won't be enough to cover a kitchen remodel, let alone structural updates like a new roof or plumbing, which many of these properties may require," Gudell said. When you're left with barely enough cash to cover renovations, the chances of earning a good return on investment are slim to none.

"Do you have the guts to take on a fixer upper?" Joanna asks during each episode's opening credits. Guts are one thing, but finances are another.

Although a few "Fixer Upper" alum have been able to capitalize on the show's popularity — like one couple who listed their home for about 10 times the area's median price per square foot— the average house-flipper doesn't have that luxury.

In the real world, the true cost of a fixer upper may not be worth the potential treasure.

SEE ALSO: Million-dollar ZIP codes are on the rise — and it could spell trouble for America's homeownership rate

DON'T MISS: 20 of the best US housing markets for investing in real estate

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NOW WATCH: HGTV’s Chip and Joanna Gaines choose the opposite of trendy when designing a home

Trump gave an endorsement speech for Eminem at the 2004 Shady National Convention

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Donald Trump

In the aftermath of rap star Eminem's viral, scathing verse about President Donald Trump that aired during Tuesday's BET awards, a video has resurfaced of Trump giving an endorsement speech for the musician at the 2004 "Shady National Convention."

The event was organized by MTV to celebrate Eminem's new satellite radio channel.

"When the Shady Party called and told me there's going to be a convention, I said 'it's got to be a really big one and it's got to be right here in New York,'" Trump said at the start of his speech endorsing the fictitious candidate. "Because this is the best city anywhere in the world, am I right? Of course I'm right. I'm always right. I'm Donald Trump, I'm always right."

"I know a winner when I see one," he continued. "And Donald Trump is telling you right now, Slim Shady is a winner. He's got brains. He's got guts. And he's got Donald Trump's vote. Ladies and gentlemen. Our great candidate, Slim Shady."

Trump joined in chants of "Shady! Shady! Shady!"

Eminem then took the stage.

Watch Trump's speech below (beginning at 6:08):

SEE ALSO: Eminem torches Trump in an expletive-filled freestyle rap

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Former MTV VJ and 'One Tree Hill' star says Ben Affleck groped her — here's the footage

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Hilarie Burton Marc Stamas Getty

In the wake of the bombshell reporting in the span of a week by The New York Times and The New Yorker, on the decades of alleged sexual harassment and assault by movie executive Harvey Weinstein, many in Hollywood who associated with Weinstein are distancing themselves from the movie mogul.

On Tuesday, Ben Affleck, who launched his career at the Weinstein-owned Miramax when he won an Oscar for co-writing the script for 1997's "Good Will Hunting" with Matt Damon (both also starred in the movie), released a statement on the Weinstein scandal saying it "made me sick" and that Weinstein's actions were "completely unacceptable."

However, soon after, social media users chimed in to say Affleck's comments were hypocritical.

One person tweeted that Affleck once groped MTV VJ and "One Tree Hill" star Hilarie Burton in 2003, when she was 21. Burton saw the tweet and replied back, "I didn't forget."

Here's the exchange:

Burton followed that with another tweet saying, "I had to laugh back then so I wouldn't cry." She included a video of a clip looking back on MTV's "TRL," which she was a host on, that included a brief snippet of her talking about being groped by Affleck.

On Wednesday, a tweet was sent out with a different video that appears to show the moment of the alleged grope by Affleck, though he's partially blocking the camera. According to Burton, the clip shows Affleck getting up from an interview with Burton, going over to her, and touching her breast while hugging her. The video also includes Burton explaining what happened.

"He wraps his arm around me, and comes over and tweaks my left boob," Burton says in the clip discussing the interaction, while a video plays showing the hug. In the moments after the interaction, Burton says "Yeah, he pulled that move for sure," to which Affleck replies, "That's his move, yeah."

Though trying to play it off as a funny moment in the video discussing the interaction, Burton said at the time, "Some girls like a good tweakage here and there ... um, I'd rather have a high-five."

Here's the video:

Rose McGowan, who reportedly reached a $100,000 settlement with Weinstein in 1997 after an "episode in a hotel room at the Sundance Film Festival," also took to Twitter to voice her displeasure with Affleck. The actress made it clear that despite Affleck's statement, which made it sounds he was unaware of Weinstein's past, she knew that Affleck was aware of what Weinstein was up to.

Business Insider contacted Ben Affleck's representatives for comment but did not get a response.

SEE ALSO: Eminem torches Trump in an expletive-filled freestyle rap

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Nintendo gave us a baffling answer when asked about the future of its mini game consoles

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Super NES Classic Edition

If you can't figure out what Nintendo's doing with its outrageously popular Classic Edition game consoles, you're not alone.

I'm as baffled as you are.

To try to clear things up, I asked Nintendo officials recently about the company's line of miniature retro game machines, which includes the new $80 Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition: 

What's the strategy with these devices? Will they be produced in limited quantities? Will Nintendo continue to make them?

Their answers, unfortunately, did little to clear things up. 

"Clearly (the Classic Edition line) is a part of our strategy," said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "We've seen the power of retro games and the affinity towards them. As we look forward, we're looking at how we can mix that retro content that people love and enjoy, but also new content that we're bringing to the market. So it's a part of the plan."

Huh?

Even after talking with Bowser and other company officials, I still have no idea what Nintendo's strategy is with the Classic Edition devices. And I'm guessing most people in the hunt for a SNES Classic this holiday season are in the same boat.  

What's driving this confusion and frustration is that the retro consoles have been really hard to find. 

When the company launched the $60 Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition late last year, the mini game machine sold out everywhere almost immediately. Consumers were still looking all over for the gadget — and paying outrageous prices for it on eBay — when Nintendo discontinued the NES Classic in April. 

Last month, the process seemed to repeat itself when the company released the SNES Classic. People lined up overnight for the console, and it quickly sold out.

Super NES Classic Edition line, Best Buy, September 29, 2017

Simply put, you can't just walk into a store and buy either of Nintendo's "Classic Edition" mini consoles right now. And that situation — and Nintendo's response to it so far — has left consumers wondering whether the company has any intention of improving things.

Company officials assured me Nintendo does, but said it's not as easy as it sounds.

"Obviously we always want to meet the demand that's there," Bill Trinen, Nintendo of America's senior product marketing manager, said this weekend. "But sometimes the demand ends up being bigger than you expect."

Nintendo fans are familiar with that response from the company. It's the same answer Nintendo gave when the Wii was sold out everywhere. It's the same answer the company gave when the Switch was in short supply. And it's the same answer Nintendo gave when the NES Classic was impossible to find.

The answer points to how terrible Nintendo seems to consistently be at forecasting sales of its own products. But it does nothing to set consumer expectations. And that's a particular problem when it comes to the Classic Edition line.

When Nintendo launched the Wii and the Switch, consumers could be assured that the company would produce the devices for the foreseeable future. Even if consumers couldn't buy one of the game machines at launch, it just meant they would have to wait until more were available. And more were certainly on the way. 

But with the NES and SNES Classic devices, Nintendo's offering confusion rather than clarity. Originally, it only offered the NES Classic from November until April. But recently the company announced it will resume production of the device sometime next summer.

Meanwhile, it's currently saying it will only produce the SNES Classic through "early 2018." If demand far outpaces supply for that device too, will it resume production of it sometime soon thereafter also? Who knows?

NES classic edition

Maybe Nintendo worries that if it keeps devices such as the NES and SNES Classic in production on an ongoing basis, consumers will be less likely to buy for its newer consoles digital versions of the classic games they can play on those retro machines. Or maybe Nintendo would rather just focus its production efforts on the Switch. Or maybe there's something else entirely going on.

It's just not clear.

Usually a company's business strategy wouldn't matter much to the average person. But in the case of these Classic Edition consoles, Nintendo's lack of clarity leaves everyday consumers in the lurch. Potential buyers have no idea whether they need to buy one this year — and possibly pay premium money on reseller sites like eBay to get one — or if they can afford to wait. 

It makes for a stressful situation for people who just want to buy the Classic Edition consoles, and it risks sullying an otherwise wildly popular line products.

SEE ALSO: There's a simple reason that Nintendo can't keep up with demand for the SNES Classic and other consoles

DON'T MISS: Here's what you need to do to find Nintendo's $80 mini Super Nintendo

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Harvey Weinstein says he wants to one day 'rebuild' his relationship with wife Georgina Chapman

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Harvey Weinstein, left, and Georgina Chapman

Harvey Weinstein's wife Georgina Chapman, a fashion designer and cofounder of the high-end brand Marchesa, is leaving him amid a series of sexual harassment and assault allegations against him.

But Weinstein seems hopeful about a potential future with his wife of 10 years, according to TMZ.

Weinstein told TMZ, "I love her and I love our children and hopefully, when I am better, I will be in their lives again. I support her decision, I am in counseling and perhaps, when I am better, we can rebuild.”

Weinstein also said the couple discussed a separation, and that he "encouraged her to do what was in her heart."

"In the end, she made the decision to separate," he continued.

In a statement to People magazine on Tuesday, Chapman said, "My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions. I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time."

On Tuesday evening, Weinstein reportedly left the country for a rehab facility in Europe. 

SEE ALSO: Bob Weinstein calls his brother Harvey 'a very sick man' and a 'world class liar'

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Facebook's new $200 Oculus headset doesn't require a phone or PC

'FIFA 18' has 4 major changes that makes it the best FIFA game yet

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fifa 18 ronaldo

Last year's "FIFA 17" wasn't that great because games too often were low-scoring or scoreless.

"FIFA 18" is much better.

There are four major improvements that make the game a lot more enjoyable and exciting. It's also a sign that EA, the game's developer, is consciously fixing some of the more frustrating elements of the game.

That said, there are still a few things about the game that drive me insane. Most long-time "FIFA" players have simply learned to cope with these things, as they've been part of the game for so long. 

Take a look: 

 

SEE ALSO: The hottest game of 2017 might not show up on PlayStation 4 until mid-2018 — or later

Finally, high-scoring games.

You can finally get nail-biting, high-scoring games in "FIFA 18," as it's much easier to score goals than it was in last year's "FIFA 17." And that goes for both you and the opposition. 

I realize that not everyone had difficulty scoring in "FIFA 17," but it just wasn't happening for me. Sure, I'm not the greatest player in the world, but I've played previous versions of the game and I didn't have nearly as many issues scoring.

YouTube/EA Sports

Part of the reason why it's easier to score for both you and the opposition is that tackling is much harder in "FIFA 18." Indeed, it's much harder for me to defend against an attack, and vice versa for the opposition. EA, the developer behind the "FIFA" franchise, balanced both the tackling difficulty and the ability to score goals beautifully in this year's iteration. 



Players are more responsive thanks to a major change.

EA has made it much easier and better to dribble in "FIFA 18" by making the animations "frame-by-frame." This makes players feel less like they have to complete a whole animation after you've made a move or pressed a button.

It gives you a lot more control when you're using the left controller stick to move. Movements are a lot more responsive and light compared to the heavy and clunky movements in previous versions of the game.

YouTube/IGN 

That said, the frame-by-frame gameplay in "FIFA 18" doesn't seem to work for tackling. It still feels like I'm waiting for my player to complete an entire animation when I press the tackle button. It's most noticeable if I've made an unsuccessful tackle, where my player lunges in for the tackle, then he takes a moment to recompose himself, and then finally starts running again. 



You can substitute players a lot more quickly, which is incredibly meaningful when you're playing with friends or online.

In "FIFA 18," EA introduced Live Substitutions during a break in the game, like when the ball goes out of play, which allows for making quick substitutions without interrupting the game or making your friend wait.

The game does a good job of automatically suggesting which players should be subbed in and out, and you can also pre-set which players you'll want to substitute before the start of a match. You can see the Live Substitution menu appear on the bottom left of the screen when it's available. 

YouTube/IGN

Playing "FIFA" with friends is the best way to play the game, but making substitutions has always been a game-stunting thing, as you have to pause the game and switch out players in the substitution menu. It's not a problem when you're playing single-player Career Mode, as you don't care if the computer has to wait for you to make substitutions. But it used to interrupt the flow of a game with friends, especially if they don't want to make substitutions at the same times as you. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Ronan Farrow says he was 'threatened with a lawsuit personally' by Harvey Weinstein, and that NBC passed on his story

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Ronan Farrow

Ronan Farrow said he was "threatened with a lawsuit personally by Mr. Weinstein” while working on his bombshell story that includes sexual assault allegations against the movie mogul.

And Farrow told Rachel Maddow Tuesday night that this was not an unusual occurrence.

“I will say that over many years, many news organizations have circled this story and faced a great deal of pressure in doing so,” Farrow told Maddow. 

“There are now reports emerging about the kind of pressure news organizations have faced. That is real," Farrow continued.

Farrow then discussed NBC's decision to pass on his Weinstein story, and why he chose to bring it to The New Yorker.

Farrow, an NBC News freelancer and investigative journalist, spent months working on the story for NBC before he brought it to The New Yorker, he said.

And while an NBC network source told HuffPost that what Farrow had at NBC was “nowhere close to what ultimately ran in the NY Times or the New Yorker," Farrow disagreed.

“I walked into the door at the New Yorker with an explosively reportable piece that should have been public," Farrow told Maddow. "In fact, there were multiple determinations at NBC that it was reportable,” Farrow continued.

You can watch Farrow discus his New Yorker article with Maddow here:

According to HuffPost, NBC had concerns about Farrow's sourcing and ultimately gave him the go-ahead to bring his story elsewhere.

But despite NBC's sourcing concerns, Farrow had already gotten his hands on audio of Weinstein admitting to groping model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez in 2015, while working on the report for the network, according to HuffPost. 

Farrow had also arranged for eight interviews on camera with accusers while working on the report for NBC News, according to an industry insider that spoke to The Daily Beast. (In The New Yorker article, Farrow spoke to multiple women on the record about their alleged experiences with the producer, including Mira Sorvino and Asia Argento.)

NBC, however, said Farrow's story was simply nowhere near as complete as the finished product The New Yorker ended up with, claiming Farrow didn't have accusers willing to go on the record.

For weeks, Farrow and NBC producer Rich McHugh's sources and scripts were subjected to intense rounds of fact-checking, and legal reviews at NBC News, according to The Daily Beast. But in the end, NBC was unsatisfied with the material and interviews procured by Farrow and McHugh.

What's clear is that Farrow and NBC have distinctly different takes on why the network choose to pass on his Weinstein story.

SEE ALSO: 3 women have now come forward and accused Harvey Weinstein of rape

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Harvey Weinstein is reportedly going to rehab for 'sex addiction' — but that's not the full story

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harvey weinstein

After a bombshell report from the New York Times revealed a litany of sexual harassment allegations against him, the Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein is reportedly on his way to rehab to be treated for sex addiction, TMZ reported.

The investigation chronicled what became a familiar pattern: Women accused him in court of unwanted advances, alienation, and other inappropriate behavior, and Weinstein and his lawyers paid to settle the cases quietly.

It happened for 30 years, up until around 2015. After the Times' story came out, the New Yorker reported the stories of three women who alleged that Weinstein had raped them.

Three days after the Times' story was published, Weinstein's entertainment company fired him. On Tuesday, his wife, the designer Georgina Chapman, announced she was leaving him.

It was in this vacuum that the star allegedly turned to therapy. But that's not the whole story. There's a lot about Weinstein that we don't know. We don't know whether or not he had previously sought counseling. We don't know whether he is a diagnosed sex addict. All we know is that he was charged repeatedly with accusations that suggest that he violated the rights of many women.

For those reasons and much more, it's crucial that we avoid throwing around the term "sex addict," certified sex addiction therapist Jenner Bishop told Business Insider. This does a disservice to the thousands of Americans who actually grapple with sex addiction. 

"There are men who come into my office for treatment throwing around sex addiction when really they’re philanderers. They're serial womanizers. They're dogs. But because we don’t have a real definition for it, someone — any other therapist — could supposedly treat them for that. That label is very seductive in terms of everybody having a mea culpa," Jenner said.

There's a lot of controversy surrounding the use of the term "sex addiction" among psychologists and therapists. Some argue that it doesn't exist, pointing to the fact that the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders (DSM) — widely considered the psychiatrist's bible for identifying mental illnesses — doesn't include it on the grounds that there aren't enough large studies on the topic to support it. But many others say it is a real disorder that needs attention and treatment — and the fact that it gets thrown around among celebrities actually makes it tougher to do this.

Jenner said it's fairly easy to tell the difference between someone who has a real sex addiction and needs help and someone who is simply seeking an easy way out.

"There are people who end up in our office because they’ve been caught and all of a sudden they realize they need to do something. They need an excuse for their behavior," Jenner said. Those cases stand in sharp contrast to the patients she treats who really need help. 

"Real sex addiction has a characteristic of inner conflict and stress and helplessness. Generally, it's people who have a much more serious understanding and a sense of internal conflict around this. These are people who have sworn repeatedly to themselves, — 'I'll never do this again,' — people who've tried putting up barriers to the behavior and find themselves running over them anyway and find themselves in despair," Jenner said.

When people presenting with these characteristics come in, Jenner can say to them, "OK we have a treatment protocol that can actually help you because you have some sense of personal integrity and who you want to be and how you want to get there."

Other therapists agree. They say sex addiction is definitely a reality, but that it's often used to the advantage of people — particularly celebrities — as a sort of get-out-of-jail-free card.

"Personally, I believe that sex addiction is a reality, but that it affects a small minority of individuals," Mark Griffiths, a psychologist and professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, wrote in a blog post

"One of the reasons why sex addiction may not be taken seriously is that the term is often used by high-profile celebrities as an excuse," he said.

SEE ALSO: The answer to treating drug and alcohol addiction may be far simpler than you think

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