Crypto crash draws fresh outrage over celebrity endorsements that didn’t age well

It was widely seen as laying on the heavy-handed hero-worship a bit thick when the Crytpo.com ad was first launched. In the spot, the Oscar winner compares investing in cryptocurrencies to the invention of human flight and space travel.

"History is filled with almosts, with those who almost adventured, who almost achieved, but ultimately for them it proved to be too much." There are others. The ones who commit and embrace the moment.

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If you invested $1,000 in the ad, it would be worth about $500 today. The price of cryptocurrencies has plummeted over the past week, wiping out $600 billion in market value.

The self-severity of the spot at the time seems to have caused eye-rolls and giggles, but now it seems as if no amount of vomit would suffice. In the wake of the crash, social media watchers have been directing new outrage toward the man.

Over the past year, there have been mega-rich celebrities egging on retail investors to join the party. Spike Lee, Tom Brady, Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, and J Balvin are just a few of the celebrities who have been involved in the hype machine.

In its Super Bowl spot, which was titled "Cheeseball", Crypto.com gave a nod to the idea that investors need to do their own research. It is a notion central to the endorsements of J Balvin and Butler. The younger James asks if the hype is too much. I can't tell you everything, but if you want to make history, you have to call your own shots.

Even though the brand paid millions of dollars to have one of the world's biggest sports stars pitch its product, don't let that sway you too much. Hmm.

Maybe the only celebrity that gets a pass is Larry David. The Curb Your Enthusiasm star is depicted as a cynic of historical proportions in FTX's Super Bowl ad, raising his eyebrows at everything from the wheel to the Walkman. Millions of investors are likely wishing they were like Larry.