# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/82 "2026-03-31T09:57:02Z")
Kevin Bacon has been doing adverts for UK mobile and broadband company EE for a few years now. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/83 "2026-03-31T10:13:36Z")
Ryan Reynolds has been reduced to shilling Tim Hortons in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/84 "2026-03-31T10:33:57Z")
Samuel L Jackson is currently doing ads in the UK for bread (and teacakes). (So is Olivia Coleman, so he’s in good company !) ETA: and also George Clooney. He’s done coffee commercials too. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/85 "2026-03-31T10:54:28Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > Samuel L Jackson is currently doing ads in the UK for bread (and teacakes). Warburtons, ffs. DeNiro and Morgan Freeman have also done ads for them. Warburtons is the Wonder Bread of the U.K. Inedible dross. > [@pjd](#): > > ETA: and also George Clooney. He’s done coffee commercials too. You would think pitching for Nestle would harm Clooney’s rep. It hasn’t seemed to very much, if at all. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/86 "2026-03-31T10:59:29Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > DeNiro and Morgan Freeman I’d forgotten about them. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/87 "2026-03-31T11:22:43Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Ryan Reynolds has been reduced to shilling Tim Hortons in Canada. But free Timbits! ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Igor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Vlad\_Igor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Igor)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/88 "2026-03-31T11:38:37Z")
Those ran for a while in my TV market, and his (over) acting was grating. It was Jimmy or Joe Namath hawking MA plans, and I’m not sure which one was worse. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/89 "2026-03-31T13:30:53Z")
Jeff Bridges is doing _podcast_ commercials for T Mobile using his Lebowski personae. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/90 "2026-03-31T14:33:23Z")
> [@Vlad\_Igor](#): > > Joe Namath hawking MA plans, CHECK..ya zip code! ---
**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:** [March 31, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/91 "2026-03-31T15:05:48Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > George Clooney. He’s done coffee commercials too. That surprises me. His tequila brand made him more money than he’ll ever need. > [@](#): > > George Clooney is selling his tequila company to [Diageo](http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/DGE-GB) for [as much as $1 billion](http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/21/george-clooney-just-sold-his-tequila-business-for-1-billion.html), the company announced on Wednesday. > **[How George Clooney accidentally started the tequila company he just sold for...](https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2017/06/21/george-clooney-accidentally-started-a-tequila-company-worth-1-billion.html)** > > The actor and his friends made the drink they wanted, and then they realized it was too good to keep secret. > [@Spoons](#): > > Ryan Reynolds has been reduced to shilling Tim Hortons in Canada. He’s another actor who cashed in big on liquor. > [@](#): > > Diageo—the world’s largest spirits and beers producer—has acquired the gin brand co-owned by the actor in a deal that could be worth up to $610 million. As part of the deal, Diageo will pay $335 million upfront with an additional $275 million possible payday depending on Aviation’s performance over the next 10 years. [Ryan Reynolds Sells His Gin Brand in $610 Million Deal | Vanity Fair](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/08/ryan-reynolds-aviation-gin-sale-diageo#:%5C~:text=Ryan%20Reynolds%20Sells%20His%20Gin,parent%20company%20Davos%20Brands%20LLC) . ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/92 "2026-03-31T15:20:14Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Who’s Walton Goggins? For a while, Goggins was one of those “I know that guy” actors I’d see. I remember him first from _The Shield_ and ever since then he’d keep popping up in a variety of television shows and movies in supporting roles. He’s a pretty good actor. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in anything and thought he did a bad job. ---
**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:** [March 31, 2026, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/93 "2026-03-31T15:34:15Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > You would think pitching for Nestle would harm Clooney’s rep. The days when actors and celebrities would only do TV ads or endorsements in the U.S. if they were on the downside of their careers (but would do them in Japan or other foreign countries, as depicted in _Lost in Translation_), have passed. Unless a celebrity does an endorsement for something sketchy or odious, it no loner seems to harm their reputations or careers. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/94 "2026-03-31T15:44:05Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > ETA: and also George Clooney. He’s done coffee commercials too. That’s understating it - the man is the face of Nespresso, probably the biggest coffee brand in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/95 "2026-03-31T16:04:01Z")
He was doing credit card commercials in the U.S. back in 2002: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/afJRKbBEr2Q/hqdefault.jpg "VISA "KEVIN BACON"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJRKbBEr2Q) ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/96 "2026-03-31T16:10:19Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > the man is the face of Nespresso, probably the biggest coffee brand in the world. I’ve never considered this as harming his reputation - it is an outstanding product and actually something of a luxury item. On the other hand, I’m less impressed with his recent round of Grubhub ads. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/97 "2026-03-31T16:13:31Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Joe Namath hawking Medicare Advantage plans and hearing aids. Charles Barkley is now shilling Ozempic (or one of the other GLP1s). Other former NBA players are shilling stuff too. Shaq gummy candy is in numerous drugstores. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/98 "2026-03-31T16:18:36Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I scratch my head over the ads for online games, with the likes of Courtney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. Do those games really make enough money for their creators to be worth hiring big-name celebrities to endorse them? I guess they must. I occasinally play Whiteout Survival. It is NOTHING like the ads for the game. And Howie Mandel is a major endorser. Monopoly Go has also had big names endorsing it. Booooh-ring (I tried it once, briefly)/ ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/99 "2026-03-31T17:01:07Z")
I didn’t realize that [Milton Bradley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Bradley_(baseball)?wprov=sfti1#) had expanded into board games. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/100 "2026-03-31T17:40:59Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Jeff Bridges is doing _podcast_ commercials for T Mobile using his Lebowski personae. They’re on TV as well (unless podcast includes this), and it positively baffles me. WHY in the world would he bother doing this? ---
**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:** [March 31, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887/101 "2026-03-31T17:43:46Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > WHY in the world would he bother doing this? Almost undoubtedly money; T-Mobile and/or their ad agency probably made him an offer that he thought, “I’d be an idiot to turn this down.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-celebrities-reputations-jump-the-shark/1028887.md?page=6)