10 Weirdest Celebrity Food Commercials
Some celebrities are perfect for the food they promote -- Florence Henderson and Wesson Oil seemed made for each other like Popeye and spinach.
But not all stars are a natural match for the products they endorse. (Like that former Soviet premier who went on to do Pizza Hut ads?) Here are Slashfood's picks for the 10 Weirdest Celebrity Food Commercials of All Time.
10. Orson Welles, Findus Frozen Peas
Orson Welles, the legendary "Citizen Kane" filmmaker, recorded a famously botched series of voice-overs for the frozen-food company Findus. Known as the "Frozen Peas" recording, the great director gets increasingly irritated when trying to read ad copy for products like peas, fish sticks and hamburgers. The clip is famous among comedians and entertainment industry professionals and "Frozen Peas" has become slang for an audio blooper reel.
9. Demi Moore, JogMate Protein Drink
With her "G.I. Jane" image fresh in the audience's mind, a sweaty Demi Moore promoted a gooey vitamin drink in Japan called JogMate Protein. The gunk came in a toothpaste tube and translated ad copy calls it "the jelly drink which is convenient for carrying." However, most men watching the ad aren't looking at the tube.
8. Madonna, Shochu Ads
In 1995, Madonna -- looking like a more cheerful version of her character in the pop video "Frozen" -- recorded some TV spots for a Japanese shochu (rice brandy), in which she deftly dispatches a fearsome dragon with a Samurai sword and the one-liner "I'm pure." Which is amusing, since the Web site Japander.com -- an excellent resource for embarrassing celebrity commercials -- describes Shochu as a "nasty little distilled rice beverage suitable for mixing with almost anything and/or lighting your barbecue."
7. Brad Pitt, Pringles
It's 1989, Brad Pitt is shirtless, rocking a "Saved By The Bell" haircut and shilling ... Pringles?? Sing it with Brad: "I've got the fever! The fever reliever!"
6. Cybill Shepherd, Beef
Cybill Shepherd, at the height of her fame in 1987, signed on as a spokeswoman for American beef as part of their "real food for real people" campaign. She sexed up the hamburger by calling it "something hot and juicy and so utterly simple you can eat it with your hands. I mean, I know some people who don't eat burgers. But I'm not sure I trust them." But the campaign was only weeks old when she was quoted in Family Circle magazine saying "I've cut down on fatty foods and am trying to stay away from red meat." Although Shepherd immediately denied making the statement (blaming her publicist), her contract was not renewed. In 1987, the New York Times quoted an unhappy Texas rancher who said of Cybill: "For a million bucks, she ought to walk around with a hamburger in her mouth all the time."
5. The Flintstones, Winston Cigarettes
The first family of Bedrock, the Flintstones, have been selling chewable vitamins for more than 40 years. What's so weird about that, you ask? Well, maybe Fred and Wilma got the health bug late in life. Because before they went to work for Bayer Healthcare, they were the most famous cartoon characters to sell Winston cigarettes -- Barney Rubble, too!
4. Mikhail Gorbachev, Pizza Hut
Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev had some time on his hands in 1997. He'd brought down the Berlin Wall, ended communism in the USSR and dismantled his own country. So what the heckski? Why not do an ad for Pizza Hut?
3. Steven Seagal, Steven Seagal's Lightning Bolt
"First energy drinks to contain Tibetan Goji Berries," the Web site says. "First energy drinks to contain Asian Cordyceps!" Also: "First energy drinks to eat away at your hair line, give you a greasy pony tail and add to the spare tire around your waist!" (OK, the Web site doesn't really say the last one.)
2. Michael J. Fox, Soda
Michael J. Fox must have had a yen for, er, yen to make this inexplicable advertisement for a Japanese tea-based soda. Perhaps he got that nervous, crooked smile on his face when the director explained exactly what he wanted the "Back to the Future" star to do? The moral of the story: Mischievous teddy-bear topiary will get you whacked by 300-pound housemaid, Michael-san!
1. Bruce Willis, Seagram's Golden Wine Coolers v. Jason Alexander, McDonald's McD.L.T.
The final spot in the Top 10 -- reserved for a "singing ad superstar" -- is a toss-up. Should it go to Bruce Willis for his soulful effort on behalf of Seagram's Golden Wine Coolers or Jason Alexander, for his singing, dancing salute to McDonald's McD.L.T.? (And is that even his voice on that terrible jingle?)
Vote below in the comments section and tell us what you think!
Filed Under: Television/Film, Food Oddities, Celebrities
Chew on This
Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar
- Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
- Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
- Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
- Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food
Sponsored Links
Most Popular Stories
Slashfood Videos
How to Throw a Dim Sum Party
The List #0147: Escape a Car Underwater
Visit the Maldive Islands Before It's Too Late
H&M's Plus-Size Model Jennie Runk Says She Chose To Gain Weight
Okla. Sheriff's Deputy Finds Dog Guarding Body Buried Under Destroyed Home
Reptiles Make Home in UK Man's Cable Box
Springtime Budget-Busters -- Savings Experiment
Is This Woman Too Pretty To Work?
Mariah Carey Suffers Wardrobe Malfunction on Good Morning America
Parents Face Tough Choice When Tornadoes Bear Down
The Story Behind Hairspray














9-14-2009 @10:23PM Becki said... Ronnie Reagan brought down the Berlin Wall and ended communism in the USSR. Gorbachev just happened to be the guy in charge over there at the time. If it wasn't for Reagan and it had been left to Gorby then the USSR might still be around.
Reply
9-15-2009 @2:36AM Coffee said... Demi Moore JogMate ad can be found http://www.gaijinagogo.com/demi/demi_largevid.asp
and a downloaded version of "Real Food For Real People" 1987 Cybill Shepherd's Beef ad can be found on
http://www.davidandmaddie.com/misc.htm
Reply
9-15-2009 @5:47AM michele said... Another great/odd combination is Jim Henson for Wilson's Meats. See it here on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w282YjrFIGE
Reply
9-15-2009 @8:31AM ELIPSO said... How can one forget Sir Laurence Olivier's superb performance for Polaroid cameras? Truly the greatest actor of our times. Just ask Danny Kaye!
Reply
9-18-2009 @8:25PM casey said... Oh man- I worked for Seagrams when the Bruce Willis ad came out and the management was so full of themselves for landing him to pitch the new wine coolers that were supposed to be marketed to macho men, rather than ladies. We all just laughed-- men and wine coolers just don't go together, and even Bruce couldn't change that.
Reply
9-19-2009 @12:40AM Rose said... I like Michael J Foxes tea commercial its really cute and funny.
Reply
9-18-2009 @8:45PM Laurie said... I love the Bruce Willis "Seagrams" commercial.
Reply
9-18-2009 @10:04PM Sunny Hawaii said... So many celebs go to Japan to do commercials because they want to protect their celeb status here in America. And I'm sure Japan pays a pretty penny for them too. I believe that is J. Alexander singing, I think he was in Broadway or something and does have a great voice.
Reply
9-18-2009 @10:28PM Franksfoil said... Becky, you are a moron. Did you even go to high school?
Reply
9-18-2009 @11:59PM Britt said... Haha. I knew Bruce sang back in the day, but I didn't know he did it for a commercial, too. I think he and Jason Alexander definitely deserved a tie.
Reply
9-19-2009 @2:27AM HoldenW said... You have it reversed, Becki. Ronald Reagan just happened to be President of the US at the time that the Berlin Wall came down. Reagan may have said "Tear down this wall" but if Gorbachev had not wanted it down the Wall not have come down.
Reply
9-20-2009 @11:16PM ruzz said... Jason Alexander's spot is hot (and he has hair!), but the packaging concept is wasteful. BTW - I like my cheese melted, not cold, but the rest of the seperation is right on.
However, Bruce is a natural blues singer and has music releases to stand behind his (semi?)talent. At least Bruce-poo also has hair in the commercial, although, I thought he was a girl at first, after looking at his crotch - no hump.
My vote goes to Jason, although Bruce is so cute.
Reply
9-20-2009 @11:16PM ruzz said... BTW - I'm getting sick of commenting on AOL's little sucker-comments. If anyone reads this or my past posts then simply send me an email at RDOlmstead@aol.com, and just put something like "Read your Post on AOL" in the subject or body. I'd sure be happy to know I'm not wasting my time... Thanks is advance.
Sincerely, RDOlmstead
Reply
9-21-2009 @9:25AM Adrian Alverton said... Bruce Willis "Seagrams" commercial is the best!
I've been searching for videos like these and I´ve found documents about food and celebrities in this site: Yellow documents, they've a lot of documents with this type of things.
Bye,
Adrian.
Reply