The London Olympics have turned Ryan Lochte into a marketing machine. He may not come off as the sharpest knife in the drawer all the time, but there is something about him that gets people talking. For companies who endorse him, that is a great thing.
As The Hollywood Reporter pointed out, the US swimming star currently has nine big endorsement deals that include Gatorade, Speedo, Gillette and Ralph Lauren. Those corporations don’t care about Ryan’s admission that he pees in the Olympic pool or the diamond grill he wore on the medal stand. All of those things create buzz, and buzz is a good thing when you’re trying to sell a product.
Now, it appears reality TV producers are hoping to ride the Lochte wave. According to his agent, Lochte has been asked by Will Ferrell to appear in a “Funny or Die” and approached about starring in television shows.
“I cannot tell you the exact shows, but two different reality show concepts have been offered and one additional is being discussed,” Erika Wright wrote in an email.
Any athlete with a mom who says outlandish things like this would probably make for great television. Lochte has already said he is open to appearing on “Dancing With the Stars,” so it’s safe to assume we haven’t seen the last of his face now that he is done in London after having locked down five medals. If you’re one of the many people who can’t stand the 28-year-0ld, there could be a lot of frustration in your future.
H/T MSN Entertainment
Photo Credit: OSports via US PRESSWIRE
