USA Network is embarking on one of its most ambitious marketing efforts in support of its upcoming new series, "Mr. Robot."

The cable network has partnered with social video and popular gamer community, Twitch, and the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) for a campaign that will erase $100,00o in consumer debt over 72 hours.

"Come Thursday through Saturday we are messaging, fulfilling, engaging, all of it in real time, and so I would say to that end, we’ve never done anything of this magnitude," USA's marketing and digital executive vice president, Alexandra Shapiro, told Business Insider. "There’s so many moving parts that are going to be key to the success of this promotion."

The "hacktivation," as USA refers to it, was inspired by Christian Slater's mysterious hacker character on "Mr. Robot," who hopes to free Americans from the oppression of debt.

USA identified gamers aka people obsessed with video games as a natural fit for the series. It screened the "Mr. Robot" pilot over Twitch in late-May with nearly 250,000 people who started watching the episode.

It then decided to follow up on those gamer relationships at E3 with Twitch, the conference's official live stream partner. At any point in time, there could be 400,000 people concurrently watching the stream.

"There’s probably no other promotion where you can get that many people at the same time looking at the same thing," Shapiro explained. "And so when they, both E3 and Twitch, were open to the idea of custom creating a 'Mr. Robot' promotion, it was just as though the stars were aligned."

After several teases, see above, over the past two days from the show's fictional hacker group fsociety, the campaign starts in earnest Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET when Twitch users can visit twitch.tv/whoismrrobot to watch a three hour livestream. Every 30 minutes, a code will be given out that can be used to win a chance at the monetary prizes. Up to 50 winners will be selected every half hour for the opportunity of an instant payout between $10 to $5,000.

But, non-Twitch members will also get their chance to win a debt payout on June 19 and 20 when two 6-hour live streams will be available from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET on whoismrrobot.com.

"So I think our first line of engagement will be these Twitch users," Shapiro said. "We’re going to use all the social engagement we’ve created to date, the database, the users that have registered on whoismrrobot.com, and then other social media in order to cast an even a wider net, and I think it's going to be really interesting is to see how the engagement changes over the days, the profile of the people who are participating. I think that will be as empowering and interesting a story as maybe the event itself."

The network's hope is that the people who participated in the early screening and the debt hacktivation will show up for the show's actual TV run beginning June 24 on USA, which will also be accompanied by another round of payouts surrounding the premiere.

In the end, the campaign hopes to reach millennials, which has become the largest group of the network's target audience of Adults 18-49 years old.

"They’re the largest generation in history, and they demand storytelling to be done in a really different way," Shapiro said. "And I think the reason people responded so positively to 'Mr. Robot' is its timely themes, but the unique creative execution and showrunner Sam Esmail’s vision."

See another hacktivation teaser below:

SEE ALSO: Here's why Hulu dropped the 'Plus' from its subscription service's name

MORE: Here's how Donald Trump's presidential run will affect 'Celebrity Apprentice'

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NOW WATCH: Here's The Trailer For 'The Interview' — The Movie The Hackers Don't Want You To See

Former NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams just apologized for repeatedly telling a false story about once being shot down in Iraq.

"I’m sorry. I said things that weren’t true. I let down my NBC colleagues and our viewers, and I’m determined to earn back their trust," Williams said.

The apology was part of an NBC statement confirming that Williams will be moving to MSNBC and that his interim replacement on Nightly News, Lester Holt, will take the full time job.

"I will greatly miss working with the team on Nightly News, but I know the broadcast will be in excellent hands with Lester Holt as anchor. I will support him 100% as he has always supported me," said Williams.

"I am grateful for the chance to return to covering the news. My new role will allow me to focus on important issues and events in our country and around the world, and I look forward to it.”

Here's the full statement from NBC News:

Andrew Lack, Chairman of NBC News and MSNBC, today announced that Lester Holt will be named the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News.

Holt, 56, has been a television news reporter for thirty-four years. He joined NBC in 2000 and became the full-time anchor of Weekend Nightly News in 2007. He also anchors Dateline and co-anchors Weekend TODAY.

“Lester has done outstanding work for NBC News over the last ten years, and he’s performed remarkably well over the last few months under very tough circumstances,” Lack said. “He’s an exceptional anchor who goes straight to the heart of every story and is always able to find its most direct connection to the everyday lives of our audience. In many ways, television news stands at a crossroads, and Lester is the perfect person to meet the moment.”

Lester Holt said, "This is an enormous honor. The respect and admiration I have for the Nightly News team has only grown deeper over the last several months that we've been together. Day-in and day-out under an uncomfortable spotlight they have produced world-class journalism. I’m very proud and grateful to be part of such an unflappable and dedicated team of professionals as we move forward together."

***

Lack and Steve Burke, CEO of NBCU, have decided that Williams will not be the anchor of Nightly News. Williams, who was an anchor at MSNBC from 1996 to 2004, will now join MSNBC as anchor of breaking news and special reports. He will work with Mark Lukasiewicz, SVP of Special Reports for NBCU News Group, who will help lead a team to strengthen MSNBC’s daytime coverage by further leveraging NBC News’ expertise in breaking news. In addition, Williams will serve as a breaking news anchor for NBC News live special reports when Holt is not available. He will begin the new role in mid-August.

NBCUniversal conducted a review of Brian Williams’ significant reporting in the field and commentary related to that reporting on NBC News platforms and in other public appearances over a period of more than ten years. The review was overseen by Kim Harris, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of NBCUniversal, who previously served as Deputy White House Counsel and as Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice. It was conducted by Richard Esposito, who leads the investigative unit at NBC News.

The extensive review found that Williams made a number of inaccurate statements about his own role and experiences covering events in the field. The statements in question did not for the most part occur on NBC News platforms or in the immediate aftermath of the news events, but rather on late-night programs and during public appearances, usually years after the news events in question.

***

Lack said, “Brian now has the chance to earn back everyone’s trust. His excellent work over twenty-two years at NBC News has earned him that opportunity.”

Mr. Burke said, “First of all, I want to thank Lester Holt. Lester stepped into the anchor chair in a trying time and has really come through for us. We are lucky to have him and I know he will continue to do great things at NBC News for years to come.”

Burke continued, “As you would imagine this was a difficult decision. Brian Williams has been with NBC News for a very long time and he has covered countless news events with honor and skill. As I said in February, we believe in second chances, and I am hopeful that this new beginning will be good for Brian and the organization. This matter has been extensively analyzed and deliberated on by NBC. We are moving forward.”

On his return to NBC, Williams said: “I’m sorry. I said things that weren’t true. I let down my NBC colleagues and our viewers, and I’m determined to earn back their trust. I will greatly miss working with the team on Nightly News, but I know the broadcast will be in excellent hands with Lester Holt as anchor. I will support him 100% as he has always supported me. I am grateful for the chance to return to covering the news. My new role will allow me to focus on important issues and events in our country and around the world, and I look forward to it.”

Note: An interview with Brian Williams, conducted over the last two days in New York by Matt Lauer, will air on TODAY on Friday morning and on NBC Nightly News on Friday evening.

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The original 1993 'Jurassic Park' cast today

Thursday, the anticipated "Fifty Shades of Grey" spinoff book, "Grey" was released.

The new novel from author E.L. James tells the the the same exact story from the 2011 erotica— college student Anastasia Steele falls for mysterious billionaire Christian Grey — but this time, it's from the male's point of view. 

It sounds like a no-brainer.

Take a worldwide best-selling novel — the "Fifty Shades" trilogy has been printed in 52 languages and has sold more than 125 million copies — and tell the exact same story but from another perspective.

Women are already hot for billionaire Christian Grey, so why not get inside his dark, troubled mind and tell his story?

In theory, it sounds like an easy cash cow. It's difficult to imagine why we haven't already seen iterations of this done before with a similarly popular big series. 

However, we nearly did.

Years before "Grey" hit shelves, "Twilight" series author Stephenie Meyer planned to release a book called "Midnight Sun." The novel would have been the same story told in 2005's original release but from the perspective of male lead, Edward Cullen.

Meyer was working on a draft for the book; however, after multiple chapters from the book were leaked online, Meyer ceased work on the book in 2008. 

As an alternative, she made rough drafts of the first 12 chapters available on her site free for fans.

If you know "Fifty Shades" is nothing more than "Twilight" fan fiction, it makes the story of Meyer's almost fifth book resonate even more.

"Grey" is essentially E.L. James' "Midnight Sun," but dirtier.

Telling a story from a male’s point of view isn’t something E.L. James is just doing — though she does seem to be the first author to execute on delivering a full complete book from the other sex’s perspective.

Divergent series author Veronica Roth's "Allegiant," the third book in her trilogy, is told from the viewpoints of both the male and female leads.  

Roth also released five short stories told from the male lead’s POV between 2012 and 2014. These short stories were then strung together into a book called "Four," the first name of the male lead.

“Grey” is available in stores and digitally Thursday, June 18.

SEE ALSO: The new "Fifty Shades of Grey" book makes the billionaire hunk sound like a pig

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NOW WATCH: Expert reveals how 'Fifty Shades of Grey' could change your sex life

As "Game of Thrones" concluded its season last Sunday, did you find yourself wishing it had more than 10 episodes? Sure, but that's HBO for you.

Well, have you realized that Fox's "Wayward Pines" is already halfway through its season after just five episodes? Or, could you have used more Ryan Phillippe after ABC's "Secrets and Lies" wrapped its first season after just 10 episodes? Did you know that Fox's hotly anticipated "X-Files" revival will be just six episodes long?

Get used to it. TV networks are going the way of cable and have been ordering increasingly shorter seasons.

Here are five reasons the TV networks are moving toward shorter seasons:

1.) Star power.

With hundreds of cable channels now working in the original series space, networks have to find ways to snatch back some of the spotlight. One tried and true way to do this is to attract big stars, which usually means movie stars.

Viola Davis is currently a hot topic when it comes to Emmys and was the face of ABC's newest and hottest Shonda Rhimes show last season, "How to Get Away With Murder." Yet, Davis wasn't about to sign on for anything more than 15 episodes, seven less than network TV's typical 22-episode order. She isn't the only one to put her foot down.

Clearly, Fox would've loved to have as many episodes as possible of its breakout hit, "Empire." But, co-creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong felt they wanted to do a short, tight season of 12 episodes. That said, Fox was able to convince them to do 18 episodes for Season 2 -- with a break halfway through.

2.) Storytelling can be more dramatic and focused.

Have you ever been so obsessed with a story line only to have the show barely address it for a full episode? Or was there a time when you wished a bothersome B-story would just end already? These can be the side effects of a traditional 22-episode season.

Actors, writers and producers seem to agree that storytelling can be more focused and deeper when presented over a shorter season.

"I think you can attract the talent you want by having a shorter season and you can tell more interesting stories," "X-Files" star David Duchovny told Variety. "I would never have gone and done another 22 episodes of ‘X-Files,’ but we’re going to do six — well, that’s like doing a movie. That’s like continuing the show in a way that we all can do at this point in our lives so that’s it all came about.”

3.) The syndication model has changed.

One of the ways producers hope to make more money on shows is to get repeats shown, which is called syndication. Even 10 years ago, the goal was to get series to at least 100 episodes (or roughly five seasons) in order to then sell them for syndication. But, that's all changed.

Streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu don't care how many episodes a show has. They just want content to offer their subscribers. And a full season -- whether it's 10 or 22 episodes -- is an opportunity for their subscribers to binge watch.

"Obviously, there’s still an incentive to find big hits that produced 100 or more episodes — the next generation of 'Law & Order' or 'Modern Family,' AMC and Sundance TV's president and general manager, Charlie Collier, told Vulture. "But streaming economics mean it’s possible to make money on shows with lower episode counts."

4.) Year-round programming.

In a way, networks are using a hybrid of their own 22-episode tradition and cable's shorter seasons to provide year-round programming. Networks realized that they were handing viewers over to cable when their shows went into reruns during the winter and summer hiatuses.

So, ABC, for example, can fill in an eight-week hiatus of "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD" with an eight-episode run of "Marvel's Agent Carter" and retain the viewers (and charge more for advertising), which it would have lost to other networks during that break.

5.) Shorter seasons help to prevent fatigue.

TV shooting schedules can be very tiring. For producers, writers and lead actors who have to be in most scenes, 22 episodes can create fatigue with their long days, frequent evening shoots and fast script or edit turnarounds.

Early in "Empire's" production, Lee Daniels told TheWrap a story of how Oprah Winfrey warned him that he wouldn't be able to last in TV. "She’s right," he said. "I did two episodes and it’s rough.”

SEE ALSO: Here's why Hulu dropped the 'Plus' from its subscription service's name

MORE: 'Wayward Pines' producer M. Night Shyamalan hopes show lures in fellow 'lazy viewers'

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NOW WATCH: 'The Little Prince' trailer looks better than anything Pixar has made in years

When Facebook's virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift, launches in early 2016, it'll come with an Xbox One gamepad: A standard game controller. But gamepads are a poor solution for interacting in virtual reality.

If you're "in" the game, you don't want to interact with the world by pushing buttons on a game controller. You want to reach out and touch the world, to push and grab and punch and whatever else you'd do if you were there in real life. And that's where motion controls come in.

Sony's got a set of wand-like controllers called PlayStation Move. HTC and Valve have a similar solution. And Facebook's Oculus VR unveiled its own solution during a San Francisco press event last Friday, dubbed "Oculus Touch." This is what they look like:

I spent some time with Oculus VR's motion controllers at E3 2015, the video game industry's annual trade show. To test them out, Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey grabbed his own pair and headed into a room adjacent to my own. I was then handed a set of Oculus Touch controllers and put inside the latest version of the Oculus Rift VR headset. 

Looking across the void, I saw Palmer – only he wasn't himself. He was a floating virtual head and a set of hands, and he was able to communicate with me via a set of headphones connected to a mic near his own headset. I immediately felt like Keanu Reeves' memorable character Neo from "The Matrix" when he enters the staging area with Lawrence Fishburne's Morpheus character.

As he desired, Palmer was able to instantly transport us from a 3D white space to outer space, or under water, or a variety of other environments. Which environment he chose affected how objects behaved in the virtual world, which was absolutely unreal. At his whim, he could smash a virtual orb and we were suddenly somewhere totally different. 

Suddenly we were in space, and I was casually picking up and throwing virtual objects toward distant planets. Then we were in water.

Though it doesn't feel exactly like using your hands to pick something up in real life, using Oculus Touch to pick up virtual objects is intuitive. Buttons stand in for physical feedback; gripping your hand on the controller and thusly clicking in a button is satisfying close to the act of normally closing your hand around an object in real life. 

Is there a disconnect? Sure. Is it significantly better than the button-pushing of video games of the past? Yes!

There's no footage of Oculus' toy box environment available, but the video above helps explain the madness experienced. I cannot wait for other people to try this so that I sound less crazy, and you'll be able to sooner than later. Soon after the Oculus Rift headset launches in early 2016, the Oculus Touch controllers will become available. And then we'll all be casually slipping into "The Matrix" from the comfort of our own homes. 

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For somebody who is now one of the most powerful people in the comedy world, it is hard to ever imagine Judd Apatow getting rejected.

But it is possible that one very painful rejection early on in his career is the reason he is so great today. During a conversation with Ira Glass at 92nd Street Y to promote his new book "Sick in the Head," Apatow told a story about one rejection he never forgets.

Back in the 1980s, Apatow and his roommate Adam Sandler were scraping by in the L.A. comedy scene. After Apatow stopped doing stand-up, he began auditioning for various roles.

One of them was a TV series that never came to fruition created by "Muppets" mastermind Jim Henson.

"When I stopped doing stand-up, one of the things that made me doubt myself was when I was like 22 years old, Adam Sandler and myself auditioned for Jim Henson to host this show where we would drive across the country with video cameras. And I didn't get it. Adam didn't get it either." Apatow told Ira Glass.

It wasn't the rejection that got him; it was how he was rejected.

"And the feedback I got [from the casting director] was, 'Jim Henson likes your ideas but he wants to buy them from you...but he doesn't want you in the show because he thinks that you lack warmth.' That's like the meanest thing a person could say!" Apatow said. 

The real pain was hearing this from a childhood hero.

"It's like Mr. Rogers telling you to get f---ed. I mean...he taught me how to read." Apatow lamented. " It's like Kermit the Frog telling you that you don't need love."

In recent years, Apatow has started to doubt whether Jim Henson actually said that. Now that he has had to see people audition and reject them, he knows that you're supposed to be nice to the person you're rejecting.

"I guess he could have said it to the casting director. But I don't think he gave instruction to tell me." Apatow said. "I audition people all the time but I never say, 'tell them to call the agent and tell them to tell the actress she's terrible!' You tell everyone they're great because you want them to have self esteem for the next job."

Despite all the success that would follow for Apatow in both television and film, this incident still looms over his head. It "planted the idea" in his head that he lacked warmth.

A month after Apatow auditioned, Henson passed away.

"And then he died like a month later. And that f---ed me up too. Because I felt bad for him and I knew I could never ever bump into him and go, 'Oh, I like warmth!'" Apatow darkly joked to the crowd.

Apatow's new book, "Sick in the Head," is now available. His next film, "Trainwreck," will be out in theaters on July 17.

SEE ALSO: Why Judd Apatow returned to stand-up after a two decade hiatus

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NOW WATCH: WWE superstar John Cena shows up in the trailer for Judd Apatow's new movie 'Trainwreck'

In an interview featured in his new book, "Sick in The Head," Judd Apatow revealed that his successful directorial debut, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," initially had some trouble getting off the ground. 

Just two days into the film's production, Universal Studios shut the movie down — for reasons that Apatow finds "really silly" in retrospect.

"They thought Steve Carell looked like a serial killer," he said. 

"They thought Paul Rudd was fat," added Leslie Mann, Apatow's wife.

In addition, the studio took issue with the fact that Apatow was "lighting [the film] like an indie," and the resulting shut down "cost themselves half a million dollars."

In order to get production going again, the cast and crew had to make some adjustments. 

"Paul went on a diet. He literally stopped eating," Mann said. "If you look at Paul Rudd in the speed-dating sequence compared to the rest, he's, like, ten pounds heavier. Then in the rest of the movie his hair looks cute and he's thinner." 

As for the titular character, Andy Stitzer, Steve Carell toned down the "serial killer" vibes by making Andy less intense.

"Steve decided the character would be a little more Buster Keaton-esque," Apatow said. "He was low-energy and everyone else was spinning around him."

Eventually, Apatow and the studio patched things up, and the speed-dating sequence stayed in, despite the studio's notes.

"Everything we shot in those first two days became some of the funniest stuff in the movie," Apatow said. 

Apatow's book, "Sick in The Head," is available now and features 32 years worth of his interviews with famous comedians — from Jerry Seinfeld in 1983, when Apatow was "just a 15-year-old kid with a tape recorder," to Jimmy Fallon in 2015. 

SEE ALSO: Why Judd Apatow returned to stand-up after a two decade hiatus

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NOW WATCH: Scientists Discovered What Makes Something Funny

Apple's newest operating system, OS X El Capitan, is set to hit Mac computers this fall. Here's a firsthand look at the best features coming to Apple computers.

Produced by Will Wei

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 Jack Black again plays main character Po, and Bryan Cranston plays his dad in the latest installment of "Kung Fu Panda." And the trailer features an awesome scene where they first come upon each other in the movie.

"Kung Fu Panda 3" comes out January 29, 2016.

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Starting today, everyone obsessed with the “Fifty Shades of Grey” books will start reading a new installment in the series — “Grey.”

“Grey” follows the same exact plot as “Fifty Shades of Grey,” but from the perspective of the gorgeous and troubled billionaire Christian Grey instead of naive and impressionable Anastasia Steele.

The new installment is an intriguing look into one of the most mysterious and beloved characters that captivated readers back when the original 2011 book came out. As Anastasia describes him, Christian is “a white knight in shining, dazzling armor.”

But the new peek into the character’s psyche might have given her — and original readers — a run for the hills.

We got our hands on a copy and broke down how the characters differed in the key book scenes. 

Their first meeting in Christian Grey’s office 

When Anastasia shows up to interview Christian for her school paper, the awkward 21-year-old literally falls into the room. In “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Ana is understandably embarrassed.

Double crap — me and my two left feet! I am on my hands and knees in the doorway to Mr. Grey’s office, and gentle hands are around me, helping me to stand. I am so embarrassed.

But Christian in “Grey” is immediately taken with this “whirl of long chestnut hair, long limbs, and brown boots.” As he helps her up, he immediately notices her eyes.

Clear embarrassed eyes meet mine and halt me in my tracks. They are the most extraordinary color, powder blue, and guileless, and for one awful moment, I think she can see right through me and I’m left… exposed.

And while readers might melt at that line, he immediately sexualizes her one paragraph later:

I wonder briefly if all her skin is like that — flawless — and what it would look like pink and warmed from the bite of a cane.

Their second meeting at the hardware store

For those unfamiliar with the plot, Christian literally stalks Ana after their first meeting since he’s so taken with her. After having his trusted bodyguard find out where she works, he proceeds to go and visit her there.

Ana is just doing her job, and has no idea what a stalker her soon-to-be-boyfriend is. 

Here's the scene from her perspective in "Fifty Shades":

Mrs. Clayton asks me to check on some orders while I’m sitting behind the counter at the register discreetly eating my bagel. I’m engrossed in the task, checking catalog numbers against the items we need and the items we’ve ordered, eyes flicking from the order book to the computer screen and back as I make sure the entries match. Then, for some reason, I glance up…and find myself locked in the bold gray gaze of Christian Grey, who’s standing at the counter, staring at me. Heart failure.

While Christian seems mysterious and intriguing in “Fifty Shades” while talking to Ana in the store, in “Grey” he comes off like a pig. In one scene, he lets her walk ahead of him, not to be a gentleman, but to check her out and see if she would make a good submissive partner in the bedroom.

Letting her walk ahead gives me the space and time to admire her fantastic ass. Her long, thick ponytail keeps time like a metronome to the gentle sway of her hips. She really is the whole package: sweet, polite, and beautiful, with all the physical attributes I value in a submissive. But the million-dollar question is, could she be a submissive? She probably knows nothing of the lifestyle—my lifestyle—but I very much want to introduce her to it.

Christian is insanely jealous 

Christian is extremely possessive of Ana in “Fifty Shades of Grey” and we get a look into just how possessive in “Grey.” In one scene, he meets her best friend José Rodriguez who is also a college-aged kid and immediately becomes competitive with him.

Ana notices in the “Fifty Shades” book that Rodriguez seems colder to Christian than to herself, but thinks nothing of it after the two men shake hands. Christian, however, is brooding over their possible relationship.

Rodriguez gives me a dark look as we shake hands. It’s a warning. He’s telling me to back off. He likes her. He likes her a lot. Well, game on kid.

This is a grown 27-year-old man — who also happens to be a billionaire — acting jealous of a soon-to-be college grad who is friends with the 21-year-old girl that he’s met only three times. Pull it together, Grey.

Christian saves Ana from a cyclist

After being rebuffed by Christian when asked if he has a girlfriend — “I don’t do that” — a dejected Ana “turns abruptly and stumbles into the road.” 

This is a turning point for both characters.

Ana, is happy to be so close to Christian. She thinks this is the moment he'll kiss her.

Via “Fifty Shades of Grey:”

It all happens so fast — one minute I’m falling, the next I’m in his arms and he’s holding me tingly against his chest. I inhale his clean, wholesome scent ...

He's staring into my eyes, and I hold his anxious, burning gaze for a moment, or maybe it's forever ... but eventually, my attention is drawn to his beautiful mouth. And for the first time in twenty-one years, I want to be kissed. I want to feel his mouth on mine. Kiss me, damn it!

Readers never knew what was going on in Christian's head here. In “Grey,” we find out he may have deeper feelings for Ana than just sex, but he dismisses them. 

S---. She wants me to kiss her. 
And I want to. Just once. Her lips are parted, ready, waiting. 
Her mouth felt welcoming beneath my thumb.

No. No. No. Don't do this, Grey.
She's not the girl for you.
She wants hearts and flowers, and you don't do that s---. 

When Ana sees Christian’s “play room” for the first time

Perhaps the most central scene of the book is when Christian takes Ana to see his “play room” or the “red room of pain” where he keeps all of his BDSM accoutrement.

Ana is in awe of the room, and describes it in great detail, from the huge bed to all of the whips and chains.

I turn and he’s regarding me intently, as I knew he would be, his expression completely unreadable. I walk farther into the room, and he follows me. The feathery thing has me intrigued.

Christian, meanwhile, watches her from the door, unmoving. We find out in “Grey” that he is extremely worried Ana will reject both him and his lifestyle.

Ana stands in the middle of the room, eyeing all the paraphernalia that is so much a part of my life: the floggers, the canes, the bed, the bench…she’s silent, drinking it in, and all I hear is the deafening pounding of my heart as the blood rushes past my eardrums.

Their first sex scene

In “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Ana is mortified to reveal that she is actually a virgin. Christian decides they’ll have “vanilla sex” instead where he doesn’t engage in any BDSM play and says sweet things to Ana like, “You have the most beautiful skin, pale and flawless. I want to kiss every inch of it." 

This line makes Ana “flush.” 

But when we see this same scene from Christian's perspective in “Grey,” it doesn’t feel sweet any more:

”You have the most beautiful skin, pale and flawless. I want to kiss every single inch of it." There's not a mark on her. The thought is unsettling. I want to see her marked ... pink ... with tiny, thin welts from a crop maybe.

The “Flogging" 

In the ultimate scene at the end of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Ana asks for Christian to show her the worst sort of thing that he can do. He takes her into the “play room” and tells her he is going to hit her with a belt six times and they will count together. 

From Ana’s perspective in “Fifty Shades,” each strike of the belt makes her hate him more and more. She can’t believe he’s willing to hit her so hard and is disgusted by him.

But reading from Christian’s perspective in “Grey,” he’s extremely happy. The girl of his dreams “asked” for him to inflict pain on her — something he finds sexually arousing — and she doesn’t use any safe words to get him to stop. Christian thinks she’s into it.

I drop the belt, savoring my sweet, euphoric release. I’m punch-drunk, breathless, and finally replete. Oh, this beautiful girl, my beautiful girl. I want to kiss every inch of her body. We’re here. Where I want to be. I reach for her, pulling her into my arms. 

But when he realizes she’s angry at him, he’s upset and confused.

My euphoria vanishes. I’m stunned, completely helpless and paralyzed by her anger. The crying I know and understand, but this rage…somewhere deep inside it resonates with me and I don’t want to think about it.

It’s probably the most revealing part of “Grey” and a satisfying explanation for readers for the most shocking scene in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” books. In “Grey,” Christian is not a callous monster, but someone who is into BDSM and thought he could fulfill his ultimate fantasy with his submissive partner who never uses their safe word, even when she feels uncomfortable. 

After he realizes how angry she is, he’s upset and hurt. It’s a big turn from “Fifty Shades” where the reader doesn’t know his reaction at all.

If anything, reading “Grey” made me like Anastasia more while “Fifty Shades of Grey” made me like Christian more. In both books, I was annoyed by the narrator and found myself drawn to their idealized romantic partner. 

"Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as told by Christian" is available in paperback in stores and digitally Thursday, June 18. 

SEE ALSO: The new 'Fifty Shades of Grey' book makes the billionaire hunk sound like a pig

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NOW WATCH: Learn what all the fuss is about — here's the regular guy's guide to 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

In 1971, 24 male college students participated in a psychological experiment that quickly became chaotic. The study, known as the The Stanford Prison Experiment, has since been described as one of the most controversial experiments in the history of psychology.

That experiment is now becoming a movie by the same name and was released at the Sundance Film Festival to substantial buzz.

The film is not documentary, but a dramatized version of the events that happened at Stanford's imitation prison. 

The experiment began in the summer of 1971, with an advertisement in the Palo Alto Times and The Stanford Daily looking for volunteers to participate in a "psychological study of prison life" and offering $15 a day as payment. The 70 male respondents were whittled down to 24 participants by the lead researcher Philip G. Zimbardo.

"We wanted to see just what were the behavioral and psychological consequences of becoming a prisoner or prison guard," Zimbardo said in the original document explaining the experiment. The 24 participants were split up into two groups, either guards or prisoners, decided by a simple coin flip. 

The prisoners were apprehended at their homes, read their Miranda rights, and arrested. They were taken to a fake prison, but every move was calculated by the researchers to make the environment feel as real as possible.

Zimbardo indicated on the official website dedicated to the experiment that the researchers attempted to make the arrestees feel "confused, fearful, and dehumanized." 

The prisoners were intentionally subjected to "degradation procedures" such as stripping them naked, making them wear a smock with no undergarments, and wearing a bolted chain on their ankles at all times. 

Guards were dressed identically in khaki uniforms. They had whistles around their necks and had clubs that were borrowed from the police. They wore mirrored sunglasses.

The first night in the jail both groups of men were getting used to their roles, and there were minimal incidents. But the next morning, things began to rapidly deteriorate to the surprise of the researchers. Zimbardo explained in his write-up of the experiment how quickly the situation unraveled when the guards awoke to prisoners who had barricaded themselves in their room.

"They got a fire extinguisher which shot a stream of skin-chilling carbon dioxide and forced the prisoners away from the doors," he wrote, "they broke into each cell, stripped the prisoners naked, took the beds out, forced some of the prisoners who were then the ringleaders into solitary confinement, and generally began to harass and intimidate the prisoners."

Over the next few days, many of the prisoners broke down completely, screaming, sobbing, or refusing food, according to Zimbardo. Many of the guards reportedly began to become more brutal in their punishments and seemed to enjoy humiliating the prisoners.

The experiment was eventually stopped short, after only six days, though it was supposed to be a 14-day experiment. One of the main reasons was that the guards were escalating their abuse in the middle of the night when they didn't think anyone was watching. Worse, their punishment began to ratchet up to "pornographic and degrading abuse of the prisoners," Zimbardo said on the experiment's official website.

About a third of the guards exhibited out-of-control behavior, Zimbardo said in a paper called the "Pathology of Imprisonment." 

"These guys were all peaceniks," he recalled to the Stanford Report in 2001. "They became like Nazis."

The experiment has long been held up as evidence that even seemingly passive human beings are capable of unimaginable cruelty when placed in positions of power, and that people in submissive roles will simply accept their condition. Since its completion in the '70s, it's been a staple example in psychology textbooks.

And when photos of abused Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib were discovered, as a widely accepted prison expert, Zimbardo was called upon to draw conclusions between his experiment and the events in the Iraqi prison.

He suggested the guards who viciously raped and tortured prisoners were really just behaving as many in their position of power would.

"No, see that's what's been happening — from Bush on down, we're saying it's a few bad apples, it's isolated," Zimbardo said on CNN in 2004. "But what's bad is the barrel."

A "guard" in the Stanford experiment, Dave Eshelman, echoed those thoughts. 

"When the Abu Ghraib scandal broke, my first reaction was, this is so familiar to me," Eshelman said in an interview with Stanford Magazine in 2011. "I could picture myself in the middle of that and watching it spin out of control." 

But Zimbardo has also been accused of manipulating the participants' behavior. A story in the New Yorker on Friday examined some issues with the study. For example the researchers have been accused of encouraging the guards to perform, and hence skewing the results of how they would really handle the situation. There are also claims of selection bias in the 24 men who were chosen for the study.

Some prison guards in the experiment, echoed this criticism, saying that the results were overblown. "Zimbardo went out of his way to create tension," John Mark told Stanford Magazine in 2011. "I felt that throughout the experiment, he knew what he wanted and then tried to shape the experiment."

The film is set to be released in July. You can watch the movie trailer below:

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NOW WATCH: Mark Cuban has a brilliant strategy to get the best college degree for less money

Pixar has been known for its Easter eggs — hidden messages in films — but one of its best has to do with A113.

A video on Disney Pixar's YouTube page shows A113 can be found in almost all of Pixar's films, from "Toy Story" to "Finding Nemo."

It's also probably hidden in Disney and Pixar's latest film, "Inside Out," debuting this weekend. 

What does it mean?

Pixar's John Lasseter has explained A113 is the number of the animation classroom at the California Institute of the Arts.

Many animators like Lasseter attended school there, and by including the number they are giving a subtle shoutout to their alma mater.

The number has been used for many different things in Pixar films, such as Andy's mom's license plate in 1995's "Toy Story."

It was on a camera in 2003's "Finding Nemo."

A113 is the number of a train in 2006's "Cars."

It can also be found on a box that Flik walks by in 1998's "A Bug's Life."

Here's Sully from 2013's "Monsters University" entering a classroom whose number is A113.

However, Pixar films aren't the only ones to hide the number in plain sight. Here's Tiana from Disney's 2009 "The Princess and the Frog" jumping on a trolley car marked A113.

"The Simpsons" used it for Bart Simpson's mug shot.

It even shows up on a door in 1987's "The Brave Little Toaster." Joe Ranft, who went on to work on Pixar movies including "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life," and "Monsters, Inc.," and Dan Haskett, a character designer on "Toy Story," worked on the film.

You can also notice the number on a chewed-up vehicle in Warner Bros.' 1999 movie "The Iron Giant." The director, Brad Bird, later made Pixar hit "The Incredibles."

Even live-action films like 2012's "The Avengers" had a file labeled A113.

Finally, here's a photo of Lasseter and Pixar animators Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter standing outside the famed classroom:

Frank Pallotta contributed to an original version of this story.

SEE ALSO: How Napkin Sketches During A Pixar Lunch Meeting Led To Four Of The Studio's Greatest Movies

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NOW WATCH: 'The Little Prince' trailer looks better than anything Pixar has made in years

Pixar's latest, "Inside Out," packs all the feels. Quite literally.

The movie follows 11-year-old Riley, spirited and goofy, as her dad's new job in San Francisco uproots the family from the Midwest. Helping to navigate Riley through this change are her emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).

The anthropomorphic emotions live in Headquarters, the control center of Riley's mind, where they work together to advise her through everyday life. It's one of Pixar's most daring concepts to date. Directors Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen reimagine the brain as a Rube Goldberg-inspired aparatus, where memories are stored in glowing orbs that play back like Vines and a literal train of thought runs on a track through her psyche.

"Inside Out" is an unmistakable Pixar production. Much like "Toy Story," Finding Nemo," and "Up," the movie takes you on wildly funny adventures, all while tugging at the heartstrings. It strikes a perfect balance between childlike wonder and enthusiasm and smart, crass humor — appeasing both the kids and adults watching. And while "Inside Out," which is the studio's first release since 2013's "Monsters University," falls just shy of its predecessors' emotional pull, it surpasses them in its stunning animation and technical feats.

In an interview at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California, Del Carmen ("Up," "Ratatouille") told Business Insider that the team set out to create the "largest set" of any animated movie. It was an absurdly tall order.

"We had to create the worlds that have never existed before. What does the interior of the mind look like? What are the systems in place?" del Carmen said. How do you visualize short-term memory converting into long-term memory, and the process of forgetting things? "We had to make that represented in the movie."

A person's personality, for example, is made up of large, amusement park-like "personality islands." Each represents a core trait or value. Below, we see the emotions peering out into the vast landscape of Riley's mind, where family island, friendship island, ice hockey island, and goofball island form her very essence.

The emotions interact with the real world through the looking glass: Riley's eyes. The vibrant colors and detail are exquisite.

Getting an audience to care about such conceptual characters — emotions that you recognize, but have never seen manifested in the physical form — is an enormous challenge. But Pixar made their lives all the more difficult by advancing the tech used to make the film.

If you look at Joy, her clothes, teeth, and hair appear plain, however, her skin appears to shed twinkling particles of energy. Pixar's chief creative officer John Lasseter described them as "champagne" bubbles.

When Anger is particularly angry, his skin prickles even more. This technique informs the viewer how the emotions are feeling.

Del Carmen told us this bold style didn't come cheap, but the effect was worth it.

"Having a character that is made of little particles that actually move around and lift up and disappear and not be distracting" was a tall order, he said. They blew through the budget in order to do it. But, "these characters are uniquely their own. They're not toys, they're not made out of plastic or wood, they're emotions." Their texture is how you know.

Typically, once the animators and voice actors finish their jobs, the footage is sent to the lighting department, where technicians manually light the frames and characters to make them more dynamic. This process can be arduous, particularly when the leads appear to be light sources themselves.

Pixar sped up this process by developing a new lighting technology that automatically made the characters' feet and appendages emit light on their surroundings, Cinemablend's Nick Romano reported in an interview with the filmmakers. 

It's as simple as that. Add some effervescent glitter, and boom — you've turned chemical firings in the brain into a digestible and iconic visual metaphor for understanding what role emotions play in your life and the lives of those around you. "Inside Out" teaches that each serves you in some way, be it Joy who fulfills you, Fear who keeps you safe, or Anger who defends you when you are wronged; and the film's ambitious animation succeeds in executing that concept.

I certainly hope for an "Inside Out" sequel starring Puberty.

"Inside Out" is in theaters June 19.

SEE ALSO: Why Mark Zuckerberg thinks everyone can learn something from Pixar

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NOW WATCH: We gave kids a rotary phone for the first time — and here's what they did

"Jurassic World" is currently smashing box-office records, in part thanks to the universal appeal of its lead actor, Chris Pratt.

But Pratt wasn't always the bankable box-office star he is today.

In fact, it wasn't until the 35-year-old actor — who previously weighed 300 pounds— shed the weight and got buff for 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy" that he really started to see his career skyrocket.

"A huge part of how my career has shifted is based on the way that I look, on the way that I’ve shaped my body to look," Pratt recently told BBC Radio 4’s "Front Row." "It’s nice to know that there’s something I can do, that I can manipulate the way I look — that’s a good thing for an actor to be able to do."

While Pratt joked that he now feels "totally objectified," he says, "I think it’s OK, I don’t feel appalled by it."

He does, however, take issue with the double standard between men and women in Hollywood.

"I think it’s appalling that for a long time only women were objectified, but I think if we really want to advocate for equality, it’s important to even things out. Not objectify women less, but objectify men just as often as we objectify women," Pratt explains. "There are a lot of women who got careers out of it, and I’m using it to my advantage. And at the end of the day, our bodies are objects."

"We’re just big bags of flesh and blood and meat and organs that God gives us to drive around," he adds.

Earlier this month, Pratt told Men's Health UK that previously being overweight left him "impotent, fatigued, emotionally depressed."

"I had real health issues that were affecting me in a major way," he added. "It’s bad for your heart, your skin, your system, your spirit."

Pratt later clarified his comments to "Access Hollywood," explaining, "I’m not sure I knew what 'impotent’ meant when I said it. I had a lower sex drive, to be honest with you. Everything about my spirit was dull. I didn’t feel great, and I think people will relate to that."

In order to get in shape ahead of "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Jurassic World," Pratt put himself on an intense diet and exercise routine, including "three or four hours a day of just consistent, ass-kicking hard work," he told Men's Fitness.

To check out Pratt's career (and weight) highs and lows, click here.

SEE ALSO: Here's how Chris Pratt got in such great shape for 'Jurassic World'

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The original 1993 'Jurassic Park' cast today

In 2010, Microsoft launched its original "Kinect" camera peripheral for the Xbox 360 with a midnight event in Time Square. Hundreds lined up and chanted "You are the controller!" – Microsoft's marketing message for Kinect; the camera/microphone peripheral tracks the human body and recognizes voice commands, thus putting players directly into games. 

The first version of Kinect went on to sell some 24 million units, one third of which were sold in the first 60 days it was available. To say it was popular is a dramatic understatement.

When Microsoft launched the Xbox One in 2013, it came with a new version of Kinect. It also made the Xbox One cost $100 more than the competition: PlayStation 4. And that's where Microsoft went wrong.

Despite a raucous consumer response to the first version of Kinect, the second iteration largely failed with consumers. It forced the cost of Xbox One to $500, whereas the first Kinect was an optional addition to the Xbox 360. The PlayStation 4 launched at the same time as the Xbox One, and it cost $100 less while offering much of the same content. 

In short, Kinect has been a hindrance for Microsoft's Xbox division across the past two years: A reminder of previous success and recent missteps all at once. 

Despite unbundling the Kinect from Xbox One at retail – thusly cutting the price of Xbox One to match PlayStation 4 – Microsoft's position on Kinect remains one of commitment. Xbox leader Phil Spencer echoed this sentiment in an interview with Business Insider on Monday in Los Angeles:

I see the engineering resources that we're putting in, to build out what Kinect's able to do, and I think that idea of voice response and motion response is critical to where gaming's going.

Beyond just the Xbox One, Spencer pointed out that Microsoft's "next big thing" – the HoloLens headset it unveiled in January 2015 – employs much of the same technology as Kinect to work its magic. For example, HoloLens needs to scan the world around you and understand surfaces in a three dimensional environment. It also accepts voice commands. That is exactly what Kinect's latest iteration was built to do.

"The importance of Kinect and understanding where a player is and allowing them to interact using their voice and gesture in an experience spans beyond just what console is about. A lot of what's in HoloLens is the same surface area that a Kinect developer would use," Spencer told us. 

He also sees its use as a voice command machine to be of crucial importance: Xbox One owners with Kinect are largely using it as a means to command their console via voice, not with gestures (i.e. waving around your arms). 

Personally, my Kinect is in a box in the closet after weeks of failed attempts at using it easily in my living room. But if the impressive technology in Kinect helps make the insane "mixed reality" of HoloLens better, then consider me on board. Whether or not Kinect itself will be "critical" to the future of gaming is unclear, but the tech inside Kinect seems a no-brainer for driving the future of interaction in gaming.

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In an increasingly tech-savvy world, there's no escaping Silicon Valley.

The startup universe even made its way into Pixar's latest kids' movie, "Inside Out."

The Bay Area-based animation giant often sets its movies in the Golden State. All three "Toy Story" movies take place in California's Tri-County area, and the famous "Up" house bears a striking resemblance to the Victorian-style houses in Berkeley. Still, it comes as a surprise that Pixar would admonish the tech capital in its latest flick.

"Inside Out," in theaters Friday, follows bubbly 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) as her dad's new job in San Francisco uproots the family from Minnesota.

Helping to navigate Riley through this change are her emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith), who live in the control center of her mind.

*Warning: Some spoilers ahead.*

Riley's picture-perfect family life turns sour, however, the moment their sedan crosses the Golden Gate Bridge.

They pull up outside a skinny Victorian-era house, where dust bunnies and a dead mouse currently reside.

The interiors are white-walled and dull, reinforcing Riley's disappointment.

The depiction of San Francisco draws a stark contrast to the movie's other setting: Riley's mind. The girl's psyche is visualized as a technicolor landscape, saturated and bright.

"Inside Out" finds other little ways to antagonize the city.

Riley revolts at the sight of the earthy-crunchy, broccoli-topped pizza at Yeast of Eden, a pizzeria that only serves one topping on its pies. The restaurant parodies Berkeley's Cheese Board Collective, which has an identical menu gimmick.

While the movie's "bad guys" are hormones and the realities of growing up, the dad's (Kyle MacLachlan) career path drives the plot forward. He moves the family so he can launch his startup, Brang — a nonsense word intended to fit in among oddly named tech companies. Upon settling, he slips into the Silicon Valley uniform, a branded T-shirt that says "What did you brang?"

Shortly thereafter, the job consumes him. He misses Riley's try-outs for the local hockey team, and can't tuck her into bed at night because a phone call with a presumed investor holds him up. According to Mom (Diane Lane), he's too stressed focusing on his new "venture."

His unrelenting work schedule causes his relationship with Riley to quickly deteriorate. And by the movie's end, we're left wanting closure. The dad makes no apologies for being absent.

Working around-the-clock has become a status symbol in America, and that observation couldn't be truer among the Silicon Valley elite. Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview that he logs 50 to 60 hours per week in his role as Facebook's CEO. Yahoo chief Marissa Mayer returned to work just two weeks after giving birth. "Inside Out" reflects the price those innovators pay.

Perhaps the directors will tackle "work-life balance" in a sequel. Here's hoping Brang gets funded.

SEE ALSO: 'Inside Out' is Pixar's most stunning animated film since 'Finding Nemo'

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NOW WATCH: Forget the Apple Watch, Disney has already mastered wearable tech

This year has seen the revival of 1990s TV series such as "Full House" and "The X-Files."

But despite its rising popularity and cult status, there isn't much of a chance of a "Freaks and Geeks" revival.

The show is credited for launching the careers of such huge stars as Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, James Franco, and executive producer Judd Apatow.

The show was canceled fifteen years ago (you can watch the first season on Netflix), but "Freaks and Geeks" fans have always been curious about what season two of the dramedy would have looked like.

So it wasn't a surprise that during a conversation with Ira Glass at 92nd Street Y to promote his new book "Sick in the Head," one audience member went off-topic and asked Apatow what fans would have seen in season two of "Freaks and Geeks."

Apatow decided to let them in on his plans for main character Lindsay Weir (played by Linda Cardellini.) At the end of the first and only season, Weir skips out on the academic summit that she is accepted into and instead follow the Grateful Dead around tour. 

Fans were dying to know: Would the second season continue Weir's progression from geek to freak to hippie?

"Well, the next season of 'Freaks and Geeks' was supposed to be all about Lindsay being on acid," Apatow said, barely pausing, continuing to explain how it just felt like a natural progression for the character, and yet another obstacle for her caring parents to have to deal with.

"What would happen to her? She would be on acid," he said. "Just an extended acid trip."

Don't worry too much about Weir's drug habit, though. 

In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2012, "Freaks and Geeks" creator Paul Feig discussed where all of the show's characters would have gone in season two. He says that after some wandering, Lindsay would eventually find her to a stable job. 

"I just knew she’d probably end up at some point in her twenties in Greenwich Village as a performance artist, and after that she’d probably become a lawyer — a human-rights lawyer," Feig said. 

Feig didn't mention the acid, but Apatow said it would be an honest and entertaining way to address a real problem.

"We wanted to show how parents in the eighties dealt with when their kids were really badly on drugs," he explained. "That was something we had talked about."

SEE ALSO: Why Judd Apatow returned to stand-up after a two decade hiatus

AND: One of comedy’s most powerful people was brutally rejected by his childhood hero — and it changed his career

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NOW WATCH: WWE superstar John Cena shows up in the trailer for Judd Apatow's new movie 'Trainwreck'

We know that Nick Denton is pretty self-assured in his $100 million war with Hulk Hogan, but it looks like Hogan is flexing his muscle for some help from an "expert journalist."

Many news sites had speculated up to seven months beforehand that Hogan's sex tape featuring himself and Heather Clem — his friends' ex wife — was floating around.

In October 2012, Gawker published parts of the tape accompanied with some cheeky text under the headline that said "Even for a minute, watching Hulk Hogan have sex in a canopy bed is not safe for work, but watch it anyway."

The professional wrestler has dished out an estimated $15,000 to University of Florida journalism professor Mike Foley to help his case. Foley expressed concerns that Gawker was in it for the money at the deposition: "I think that's why Gawker publishes nude photographs," he said. "I believe it publishes rumors and half truths without regard for their veracity. I think that there is total disregard for privacy." 

However, Gawker's attorneys questioned Foley's status as an expert witness, as both of the cases he's previously consulted never made it to trial. They also questioned the legitimacy of Foley's testimony last month, calling it "pure opinion" while Florida law mandates sufficient facts and data. 

Foley, a journalist with over four decades of experience under his belt, has reportedly spent 60 hours working on the case already. Hogan is paying Foley $250 an hour during the March 20 deposition, according to Capital New York, and 15 to 20 hours were spent picking apart the posts on Gawker. Foley will be paid $350 an hour for testifying at the trial.

If the case is lost on Gawker's end, however, the company could need to turn to "somebody with deeper pockets," Denton said.  A Gawker insider told Capital New York that they expect the company to lose the case. 

Gawker President and General Counsel Heather Dietrick reached out with a statement: "We think that a jury will understand that it's the journalist's role to clarify when misinformation exists about a widely reported topic and to close the gap between a celebrity's marketed version of a story and reality."

SEE ALSO: Nick Denton is confident Gawker will win its $100 million lawsuit over Hulk Hogan's sex tape

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NOW WATCH: The 12 best new features coming to the iPhone

Warning: Spoiler Ahead

Earlier this month, NBC’s ProFootballTalk revealed that the NFL team uniforms featured in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s upcoming HBO show “Ballers” are used without the consent of the league.

HBO’s reply to the story, and Business Insider, was that "HBO is always mindful of other intellectual property owners, but in this context there is no legal requirement to obtain their consent.”

It turns out that is 100% true, according to a prominent entertainment lawyer.

After speaking to entertainment lawyer Michael C. Donaldson, who has over 30 years of experience in copyright and entertainment issues, BI learned that as long as the use of the NFL trademark and team logos are used as it was intended to be used, and do not disparage or tarnish it, there is no need to ask for permission.

“[The NFL] brow beat a lot of people into paying fees that don’t have to be paid,” Donaldson told BI. “They extract those fees from filmmakers who are either nervous or not completely aware of their rights under the law.”

Donaldson gives this example in how to understand trademark law:

“It’s alright to say, ‘This Coca-Cola takes awful.’ You can say, ‘I hate Coca-Cola.’ What you can’t say is something that misrepresents it, such as you drink a Coke and you drop dead and someone says, ‘That happens all the time.’”

What causes the confusion, according to Donaldson, is what goes on at the networks. Because they air NFL games they have broadcast rights. You may notice the disclaimer during games that say in part, “…any pictures, descriptions, or accounts of the game without the NFL's consent is prohibited.”

“So people think, ‘Oh, the networks pay for the use of logos, obviously I have to,” Donaldson said.

That is completely different from trademark rights.

In the opening scene of "Ballers" we see Johnson’s character, Spencer Strassmore, having flashbacks from his days on the gridiron as a Miami Dolphin. He’s wearing a Dolphin’s uniform with its logo in plain view. He’s chasing down a Buffalo Bill quarterback, his helmet logo also clearly visible.

Donaldson said what the show is depicting is completely legal.

According to Donaldson’s partner at his practice, Chris Perez, the show can go even further and the NFL could still not have a case.

“One thing that we can say for sure about players in the NFL in the last few years is that fights happen on the field every so often and then they get broken up by referees or coaches," said Perez. “Players have engaged in domestic violence and then convicted of that, and NFL players have committed murder. So you can create a show that uses NFL logos and create a fiction situation where all of those things happen.”

Later in that episode, the show does depict a player in a negative light. Star receiver for the Green Bay Packers, Ricky Jarret (John David Washington), gets into an altercation with another man at a night club and beats him to the ground in front of everyone.

Though the NFL won’t like that scene, Perez says the show is within its right to have a scene like that.

“Where you can get into trouble,” Perez said, “is portraying how the NFL reacts to it. The response has to be consistent to how the NFL would react in real life.”

According to Donaldson, if there were a scene where someone playing the NFL commissioner held a press conference saying that the NFL wants their players to get into fights at bars, the show would “get into big trouble.”

Jarret's actions in the episode do not go unpunished. Following the altercation he is cut from the team (with the Packers logo in full view, we see the GM say “cut him.”).

The NFL had “no comment” for this story.

“Ballers” premieres on HBO on Sunday, June 21.

SEE ALSO: Twitter wanted to broadcast the first streaming-only NFL game, but lost to Yahoo's $20 million bid

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NOW WATCH: Forget 'True Detective' — HBO's new show 'Ballers' featuring The Rock looks like the hit of the summer

Raunchy sex comedies are a dime a dozen, but the hysterically funny "The Overnight" is far from a typical film of the genre. Rather than depicting the exploits of horny teenagers, "The Overnight" is decidedly for adults, and the filmmakers make sure we know that from the opening scene.

The film opens with workaholic Emily (Taylor Schilling from "Orange Is the New Black") and her husband/stay-at-home dad, Alex (Adam Scott from "Parks & Recreation"), having awkward sex, doing all they can to finish before their kids burst in and ruin the fun.

They just moved from Seattle to Los Angeles and don't know anybody in the area, and they joke about how they could use some friends their own age.

Enter Kurt (Jason Schwartzman), an organic, artisanal, juicing LA-hipster father who practically reeks of charisma. After Kurt's kids hit it off at the park with Alex and Emily's, Kurt invites the couple over for dinner and they graciously accept, and that's when things get a little weird.

As you may have guessed from the title, the exploits in "The Overnight" take place over the course of one evening. It becomes clear pretty quickly that Kurt and his (very French) wife, Charlotte, did not invite Alex and Emily over for a traditional meal — they have other, dirtier plans.

Once the kids are put to bed and the drinks start to flow, Kurt and Charlotte's flirtation sparks Alex and Emily's intrigue, and the comedic tension and number of laughs escalate until the film reaches its wildly satisfying finale.

While the story may sound unremarkable on paper, the chemistry among the film's stars makes it stand out. Schwartzman gives undoubtedly the funniest performance of his career, and huge laughs stem from the sheer ludicrousness of his character.

Even though his role is not as outwardly comical as Schwartzman's, Scott is also hilarious and gets plenty of great lines. Schilling plays it pretty straight, but everyone truly gets a chance to shine. It's a real ensemble piece, and the interplay between everyone is so much fun to watch.

Among the poignant deconstruction of modern relationships, "The Overnight" peppers in a lot of lowbrow humor. Running gags involve a prosthetic penis, paintings that look more like colonoscopy results, and a bizarre massage sequence.

What's amazing about these moments is that in context they totally work and are genuinely funny. The jokes are there only because they help add to these character's identities — the laughs are earned.

There's a real vulnerability to the film and these characters that gives it a certain charm. It's a testament to the sharp writing and unique perspective that, despite their outlandishness, even the film's raciest scenes are rendered completely natural and real in the moment.

Great films often engage with ideas outside of the status quo, but rarely do they do so with a grace that makes the audience question their own inhibitions.

Ultimately, the element that keeps "The Overnight" so fun and engaging is the careful, steady reveal of information. We spend just the right amount of time soaking up these characters and their beliefs, and when caution is thrown to the wind, it's impossible to not just smile and watch how they deal with it.

Watch the trailer below.

"The Overnight" debuts at the Angelika Film Center in NY on June 19 and will open June 26 in select cities. For full theater-rollout information click here. 

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