# When celebrities' reputations jump the shark **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** commercials-ads\ **Created:** [March 30, 2026, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887 "2026-03-30T13:17:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/182 "2026-04-08T10:57:14Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@Broomstick](#): > > > > William Shatner has been doing commercials in the past few years for one company or another (Priceline and SoClean come to mind). > > He also has been a TV spokesperson for a personal-injury firm in Wisconsin for a number of years. I’m pretty sure that Shatner is doing OK financially; I think he just likes to work (and be visible), and doesn’t terribly care much about who he’s doing ads for. Shatner was doing ads long before – back when he WAS in his prime. Remember his ads for Promise margarine? You won’t get the ending of the John Belushi-as-Shatner SNL skit if you don’t. > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3wf717fKFE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3wf717fKFE) > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx0xOgFDXFg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx0xOgFDXFg) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/183 "2026-04-08T11:28:59Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Royal Kingdom and its sister game, Royal Match, have had ads with those two, plus Jimmy Fallon, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco, LeBron James, Sofia Vergara, etc. I’ve also seen ads for the Monopoly Go mobile game with Jason Momoa, Chris Pratt, and Keke Palmer. Yeah, the number of celebrities I’ve seen shilling for those is ridiculous. More surprising was seeing Kathy Bates and Pedro Pascal doing ads for Merge Mansion, although the ads were amusing in themselves so I don’t think it impacted their reputations at all. > [@kferr](#): > > Kevin Bacon has been doing adverts for UK mobile and broadband company EE for a few years now. > [@Spoons](#): > > Ryan Reynolds has been reduced to shilling Tim Hortons in Canada. [Reynolds also did an ad for UK broadband](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTDb_mjti84) - BT in this case. [Jeremy Renner did one too](https://www.facebook.com/adsoftheworld/videos/bt-mobile-family-sim/1317694081586392/). Don’t think either of them hurt their reputations any, and certainly not as much as Renner’s solo album did. Or, you know, all of Renner’s harassment allegations. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > Warburtons, ffs. DeNiro and Morgan Freeman have also done ads for them. Warburtons is the Wonder Bread of the U.K. Inedible dross. But their ads are great. Some of [Sylvester Stallone’s best work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2N_TVdrhTI). > [@Biggirl](#): > > Mickey Rooney, once the highest paid actor in Hollywood, will always be remembered by people my age (old, but not Mickey Rooney is a star old) as the crazy guy pretend washing invisible dishes as his wife shills insurance. Better than being remembered for his yellowface performance in _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_… > [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > Years later I read in the Washington Post that he was so broke in that era of his life that he would (for a few hundred bucks) agree to attend a party and pretend to be an old friend of the host. Six ex-wives is a lot of alimony to pay. Speaking of football players: remember when OJ Simpson did those Hertz car rental commercials of him running through an airport? Boy, that must have been the biggest hit to his reputation ever… /s ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/184 "2026-04-08T12:46:00Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Boy, that must have been the biggest hit to his reputation ever… > > /s And then he said to himself: > Self, hold my beer! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/185 "2026-04-08T13:04:56Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > remember when OJ Simpson did those Hertz car rental commercials of him running through an airport? Boy, that must have been the biggest hit to his reputation ever… In a similar vein, Mel Gibson used to be a beloved actor, then in the early 2000s his reputation took a huge hit. Must have been because he made ‘The Singing Detective’ right after ‘Signs’. I can’t imagine what else could have caused such a big drop to his popularity and rep 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/186 "2026-04-08T13:27:24Z")
I don’t know if Tony Cavalero qualifies. He could have been pigeonholed into the Hanes underwear “[Ball-ance](https://www.facebook.com/hanes/videos/achieving-ball-ance-with-hans-shop-our-ultimate-comfort-flex-fit-total-support-p/470654580742355/)” guy, but he’s been in the Righteous Gemstones and the recently-cancelled DMV sitcom. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/187 "2026-04-08T13:31:08Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > More surprising was seeing Kathy Bates and Pedro Pascal doing ads for Merge Mansion, although the ads were amusing in themselves so I don’t think it impacted their reputations at all. I started playing Merge Mansion solely on the basis of those ads, so it apparently worked on me! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/188 "2026-04-08T13:31:12Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Speaking of football players: remember when OJ Simpson did those Hertz car rental commercials of him running through an airport? Boy, that must have been the biggest hit to his reputation ever… Actually, that was kinda typical of using fame to your advantage. At the same ti me he was making thiose commercials, he was shilling for Dingo boots in full-page and back cover color ads in major magazines. They read “O.J. Dingo and showed him wearing three boots. > **[Pardon Our Interruption...](https://www.ebay.com/itm/393004229380)** ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/189 "2026-04-08T14:00:36Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > William Shatner has been doing commercials in the past few years for one company or another (Priceline and SoClean come to mind). Shatner was paid in Priceline stock and made a great deal of money although he missed out on some big gains by selling early. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/190 "2026-04-08T19:06:41Z")
Check out that 'toupe, eh? 😉 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YpMwAJR6BeQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeA4AC6AKKAgwIABABGGUgYShWMA8=&rs=AOn4CLByP0-frxtF-3lMg6ozdordtDTDiQ "William Shatner Loblaws TV Commercial - 1975") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpMwAJR6BeQ) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/191 "2026-04-08T19:16:17Z")
Shatner is in the same category as Kevin Hart, psychologically incapable of not working. They can’t have enough money. I’ve listened to comics who came up as comics with Kevin Hart. None are surprised he takes any paying gig despite being fabulously wealthy. His drive and work ethic was what got him to the top and he is incapable of turning it off. I suspect it is similar with Shatner. He’s 95 years old and may someday be ready to retire. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/192 "2026-04-08T22:23:09Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Speaking of football players: remember when OJ Simpson did those Hertz car rental commercials of him running through an airport? There was a joke going around at the time about a [fake] Hertz commercial that proclaimed, “Hertz will get you to the airport with an hour to kill!” ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/193 "2026-04-09T00:36:31Z")
I’m surprised Eddie Murphy hasn’t been mentioned yet. He used to be a rockstar comedian. He had his _Raw_ comedy special in the red leather. Then he got caught with a transgender prostitute. I’m not entirely sure that this was the ruin of his reputation - he’s done cheesy pop singing, and some dreadfully awful movies, too. But it didn’t help. > **[When Eddie Murphy Was Stopped by Police With a Transsexual Prostitute in His Car](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/eddie-murphy-stopped-police-transsexual-prostitute-car-040035645.html)** > > We throw it back to when Eddie Murphy was pulled over with a transsexual prostitute in his car — 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/194 "2026-04-09T00:39:52Z")
I literally didn’t remember the prostitute thing at all. He dropped in my eyes solely because he seemed to forget how to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/195 "2026-04-09T00:44:11Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > I literally didn’t remember the prostitute thing at all. He dropped in my eyes solely because he seemed to forget how to be funny Same here. 20+ years of mostly forgettable, unfunny comedy films\* did the trick. \*- With the _Shrek_ films as a notable exception, though those are animated, and he had little-to-nothing to do with the writing or production. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/196 "2026-04-09T01:29:58Z")
I’m looking at Murphy’s filmography. _Raw_ came out in '87, his arrest was in '97. In between, he made: _Coming to America_ _Harlem Nights_ _Another 48 Hours_ _Boomerang_ _The Distinguished Gentleman_ _Beverly Hills Cop III_ _Vampire in Brooklyn_ _The Nutty Professor_ _Metro_ I’ve seen all of these except _Nutty Professor_ and _Metro_, and the only genuinely good one was _Coming to America_. _Nutty Professor_ and _Coming to America_ were the only two that were both popular and critically successful. In the five years post-arrest, he had four significant films: _Mulan_, _Shrek_, _Dr. Dolittle_, and _Bowfinger_ - plus several bombs. Post-_Bowfinger_, nothing he’s done has really been notable or successful, aside from the _Shrek_ sequels. So, his career was already spiraling pretty hard before the arrest, and immediately post-arrest, he had a bit of a comeback for a bit before returning to his ongoing creative slump. Conclusion: the arrest didn’t really have much effect on his career. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/197 "2026-04-09T11:12:48Z")
I’m admittedly not great at pop culture. but Eddie Murphy more or less disappeared for me after _Trading Places_ and _48 Hours_. I’d seen his face advertised in this or that since, but it seemed to ignorant me that he’d simply done what most stand-up comics did/do: slowly turn into a mediocre B-movie character actor with an extra dollop of name recognition. I had never known of the stand up films (what a nutty idea?!?) nor the arrest until the posts here. So for me and the many show-biz lite Americans out there, I dont’ think Murphy’s reputation has jumped a shark. I think he simply got old and dropped out of sight. Just one more bit of silt in the murky waters of Hollywood on-screen faces. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/198 "2026-04-09T12:00:39Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Post-_Bowfinger_, nothing he’s done has really been notable or successful, aside from the _Shrek_ sequels. Murphy got a lot of critical praise for his supporting role in _Dreamgirls_, including an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win. I can also report that _Dolemite Is My Name_ was highly enjoyable and has a 97% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But yeah, there were a lot of stinkers in there too. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/199 "2026-04-09T14:11:50Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I suspect it is similar with Shatner. He’s 95 years old and may someday be ready to retire. I suspect Shatner is the type of person who tries to “retire”, get bored and starts working again because he can NOT think of reason to stay “retired”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/200 "2026-04-09T14:27:38Z")
Don’t worry - [he’ll have time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxPZF_LWJaU). ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/201 "2026-04-09T14:29:11Z")
That’s a good point. Every celebrity has a ‘best by’ date and eventually they expire. That’s a normal progression. Jumping the shark in this context means something radically alters our perception (usually negatively) of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887.md?page=11)