The Guy From Jason Sudeikis' Taco Bell Commercial Was Already Internet Famous
Jason Sudeikis' appearance in a Taco Bell commercial is a full-circle moment for the actor. Sudeikis' tenure on "Saturday Night Live" remains one of his best TV roles to date, and one of his most memorable sketches was "Taco Town," in which Sudeikis, Andy Samberg, and Bill Hader attempt to eat increasingly unwieldy tacos for a fake ad. Now, Sudeikis is hocking actual faux-Mexican dishes with the new cantina chicken commercial. Samberg and Hader may not be there this time, but Sudeikis has a mildly famous co-star for anyone with in-depth knowledge of the "Super Smash Bros. Melee" circuit.
In the spot, Sudeikis seeks out someone who tweeted something mildly insulting to Taco Bell. Lo and behold, the person in question is eating from the new cantina chicken menu, with Sudeikis there to catch him in the act. The man is Austin "Reeve" Reed, who mains Marth on "Melee" and earned the top position for the game's Kentucky Power Rankings. Given how "Super Smash Bros." is one giant crossover between a bunch of video game characters, it seems oddly appropriate there's now this merging between the gaming community and the "Ted Lasso" fandom.
And before anyone asks: Yes, that's a real tweet from Reed. His X (formerly known as Twitter) account, @ReeveIsMe, posted on July 22, 2022, "Getting Taco Bell during the daytime feels unethical."
Taco Bell has recruited gamers for a commercial before
It's likely safe to say that many people didn't recognize Austin "Reeve" Reed in the "Unethical Daytime Meal" Taco Bell commercial. However, for those with an intricate knowledge of professional "Super Smash Bros. Melee" players, it was quite the sight to see, as X user @selst0r posted, "@ReeveIsMe is in a Taco Bell March Madness commercial?!" Similar comments materialized on Reddit, with u/Strive_for_Altruism writing, "This is the most lucrative thing to happen to the scene since [S]mash [W]orld [T]our."
It may be somewhat of a stereotype to say gamers love Taco Bell, but the fast-food chain knows how to appeal to its base. In 2021, Taco Bell had an ad featuring esports player Chris Chike, aka CHRS4LFE, who engages in some "Dance Dance Revolution" before enjoying a tasty burrito. Additionally, Taco Bell has hosted various giveaways over the years where patrons can walk away with a brand-new Xbox console.
Another trend that's popped up in Taco Bell advertising recently is the incorporation of pop-punk bands into various commercials. Scowl is featured in Taco Bell's grilled cheese dipping taco ad, while Green Day's song "Look Ma, No Brains!" gets airplay in a separate commercial. Eating tacos while playing "Super Smash Bros." and blaring pop-punk? There's honestly no better way to spend a Friday night.