15 Comedy Performers Who Starred In Cringeworthy Commercials

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15 Comedy Performers Who Starred In Cringeworthy Commercials

Microsoft, Taco Bell

Since the dawn of the commercial, humor has been a key ingredient in selling products — even if the product itself isn’t funny. Some of the funniest commercials in recent memory are insurance commercials, and what we ask, is so funny about insurance? Cue the comedian who’s just trying to book some work. An audition for fried chicken or Preparation H pops up, and yes it’s not SNL, but it’s a lot closer to their comedy dreams than waiting tables or loading trucks.

We’ve come to know these hilarious folks for much greater performances, but to be as cliché as possible, they had to start somewhere. Since it’s so rare (near impossible) to just be handed a juicy role in a movie or TV show, the commercial is the perfect stepping stone. Even if it's cringey. Like these 15 cringeworthy commercials, and the now very well-known comedic performers who endured them.

Pete Davidson’s Taco Bell ads blew up Reddit.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads PETE DAVIDSON A half-asleep Davidson Taco Bell looks like he only had ten minutes to bang out the two Breakfast Crunchwrap ads. Reddit users called them Weirdly unsettling and low-key nauseating. CRACKED

Taco Bell

The Independent

Before Scranton, Steve Carell had Chicago.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads STEVE CARELL Brown's Chicken The Chicago-based Brown's Chicken & Pasta might now be best known for Carell's 1989 appearance in their Cholesterol Free ad. CRACKED

NBCUniversal,
Brown’s Chicken & Pasta

WatchMojo.com/YouTube

Just two out-of-touch, rich dudes.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads JERRY SEINFELD Microsoft Windows In 2008, Seinfeld joined Bill Gates in a Microsoft ad for a reported $10 million. Jerry eats a churro while they shop, and it had the tech world wondering what the hell was going on. CRACKED

Columbia Pictures Television,
Microsoft

Time

The chorus line and the hairline!

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads JASON ALEXANDER Alexander's talent and McDonald's cringe reach a climax in this 1985 ad for bygone McD.L.T. sandwich. The song, dance, and hair would make John Travolta and Olivia Newton- John proud. CRACKED

Columbia Pictures Television,
McDonald’s

The A.V. Club

Luke Wilson stumbled through this one.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads AT&T LUKE WILSON Meant to be a jab at Verizon, AT&T missed the mark by casting the very chill, monotone Wilson. In a baggy, ill-fitting suit, he looks like he barely even learned his lines. Nation's fastest 3G network. Talk and surf at the same time. x Most popular smartphones CRACKED

20th Century Studios,
AT&T

Time

Tina Fey’s inspiration.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads TINA FEY Mutual Savings Bank The hair, the clothing, and the forced sales(wo)manship in her 1995 ad were clearly spoofed in 30 Rock's 1-900-OK- FACE ad and SNL's Mom Jeans. CRACKED

NBCUniversal,
Mutual Savings Bank

Time

Nostalgia with Paul Rudd.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads PAUL RUDD Super Nintendo In a 1991 commercial, Rudd geeks out on playing Nintendo in an abandoned drive- in. The only real cringe here is the early '90s style. CRACKED

Marvel Studios,
Nintendo

Far Out Magazine

Joseph Gordon-Levitt hawks Pop-Tarts in 1991.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads Pop-Tarts JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT Не completely nails it as a child actor (he's just adorable), but having any kid say that Pop-Tarts hit the spot is just wrong. CRACKED

Warner Bros. Pictures,
Kellog’s

Far Out Magazine

Mila Kunis grew up too fast.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads Lisa Frank MILA KUNIS In 1996, 12-year-old Kunis filmed a very bubbly, childish ad for Lisa Frank. Only two years later, at 14, she played Jackie Burkhart on That '70s Show. (In their defense, she lied about her age.) CRACKED

Fox,
Lisa Frank Inc.

PureWow

Before meth, there was Preparation H.

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads BRYAN CRANSTON No hints of Walter Preparation H White or Hal Wilkerson in Cranston's very 1980s, straightforward salesmanship PREPARATION H of this iconic - - USE ONLYAS DIRENTED hemorrhoid cream. CRACKED

Sony Pictures Television,
Pfizer

Commercial on YouTube

Jason Alexander’s mom approves!

Comedy performers in cringeworthy ads JASON ALEXANDER In a 1981 ad, Hershey's Kisses high-school Alexander says, Mom always said big things come in little packages as a much taller girl approaches. That's cute. CRACKED

Columbia Pictures Television,
The Hershey Company

Commercial on YouTube

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