Doug Ellin, creator of “Entourage,” has publicly criticized a recent advertisement featuring Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier, calling it a “cheap, shitty imitation” of his HBO comedy. The ad, a three-minute spot for Jake Paul’s gambling app Betr, reunited Piven and Grenier, playing versions of themselves, in a scenario reminiscent of the show.
Ellin expressed his displeasure on Instagram, stating, “When I see cheap, shitty imitations that try to pass for what we did it makes me puke.” He clarified he had no involvement in the ad’s creation and wasn’t motivated by financial concerns, but rather by a desire for the show’s writers to receive recognition for their work. “I watch it and I want to throw up, because I would suffer, along with many other people, over every syllable, every fucking word,” Ellin said. He urged creators to “do your own shit.”
Ellin also criticized Piven, stating he initially had to “beg” the actor to join “Entourage” and that Piven distanced himself from the series after its conclusion. He claimed Piven is now participating because of payment. A representative for Piven did not respond to a request for comment.
Betr responded to Ellin’s criticism with a statement, saying they were “excited to bring Jeremy and Adrian back together, appearing as themselves,” and that the ad has generated nearly 10 million organic social views in less than 24 hours. They framed the ad as a successful “cultural moment” and thanked Ellin for “helping promote it.” On X, Ellin continued to voice his disapproval.
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