# Stars appearing in both shows and their commercials

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 24, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896 "2003-04-24T17:31:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896/1 "2003-04-24T17:31:49Z")

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I’ve noticed recently two instances of this.

During _24_, there was an MCI commercial with Keifer Sutherland doing the voiceover.

During _The West Wing_, there was an AIG commercial with Stockard Channing doing the voiceover.

Anyone else notice this trend? There was also a Hyundai commercial with Peri Gilpin, but I don’t remember if they ran it during _Frasier_.

I guess it makes it a more effective spot, after all, if you’re into _24_ and Jack Bauer is touting the joy that is MCI, who among us wouldn’t rush out and switch phone companies?

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**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896/2 "2003-04-24T17:34:24Z")

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Sarah Michelle Gellar’s been doing hair commercials during Buffy for the past several years. They have made several references within the show to her fluffy, bouncy, shiny hair…

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896/3 "2003-04-24T18:19:35Z")

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Yeah–a lot of it on the teen networks. SMG during Buffy, Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang) during Smallville, and I think Jessica Biel during 7th Heaven.

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896/4 "2003-04-24T18:26:35Z")

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With so many stars doing voice-over work and actually starring in commercials, it probably happens even more frequently (Martin Sheen and the Visa check card commercial comes to mind). And with athletes it’s probably even more common than that (I’m thinking of Kurt Busch chiding a guy for getting dip in a commercial airing during NASCAR races).

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**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-appearing-in-both-shows-and-their-commercials/170896/5 "2003-04-24T18:58:06Z")

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The Neutrogena commercials with Angie Harmon have run during “Law and Order,” but I can’t recall if they were on when she was on the show. Neutrogena has also run commercials with Julie Bowen on during “Ed.”