Ryan Reynolds jumped at the chance to step into a Peloton nightmare, this time after the company surprisingly allowed its stationary bike to be instrumental in the death of a Sex and the City character. After a character died when he used a Peloton bike in the And Just Like That… premiere, the company’s stock took a sudden tumble. In a new commercial for Peloton published on Reynolds’ Instagram page, Sex and the City star Chris Noth and Peloton instructor Jess King reunited while Reynolds listed off the positives of regular stationary bike use.
In the 30-second spot, Noth and King toast “new beginnings” by a fireplace. “Shall we take another ride? Life’s too short not to,” Noth said before the two laughed. Reynolds’ narration then came in, with the Deadpool actor noting that “And just like that, the world was reminded that regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs, and circulation while reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers resting pulse, and reduces blood fat levels.” At the end, Reynolds assured “he’s alive” after cycling.
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In the premiere episode of And Just Like That…, a continuation of Sex and the City, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) left her husband Mr. Big (Noth) at home to exercise on his Peloton bike. He also has a favorite instructor, played by King. After the workout, Big had a heart attack. When Carrie came home, she found him in the bathroom with the shower running, and he died in her arms. Viewers instantly realized that this didn’t look good for Peloton.
The company also realized it wasn’t a good look. Peloton spokesperson Denise Kelly told BuzzFeed News that they were aware HBO would be using a Peloton bike in And Just Like That… but had no idea how. “Due to confidentiality reasons, HBO did not disclose the larger context surrounding the scene to Peloton in advance,” Kelly said.
Peloton also provided BuzzFeed with a statement from Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist who sits on the company’s health and wellness advisory council. Steinbaum pointed out that Mr. Big led an “extravagant lifestyle,” which played a role in his death. “These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event,” Steinbaum said.
This isn’t the first Peloton nightmare Reynolds has weighed in on. Back in 2019, the company’s holiday commercial featured actress Monica Ruiz, who looked frightened after her character’s husband gifted her a Peloton bike. Reynolds hired Ruiz to star in an Aviation Gin commercialย that acted as an unofficial sequel to the Peloton commercial. Ruiz and Reynolds even appeared on the Today Show together to talk about the Aviation Gin spot. ย
