Maya Rudolph to star in M&M’s Super Bowl spot

Comedic actor Maya Rudolph landed a tasty role guaranteed to put her in front of millions of television viewers next month.

The “Idiocracy” star announced Monday she’s the new spokeswoman for M&M’s, which usually lets animated versions of its candies do the talking in ads. She is expected to kick-off her new gig with an appearance during Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12. Rudolph told Today.com it’s “an honor” to represent the brand.

The appointment comes in response to right-wing media fervor surrounding M&M’s Jan. 2022 attempt to modernize the 82-year-old candy brand. Fox News host Tucker Carlson moaned that the M&M’s brown character in that campaign had “transitioned from high stilettos to lower block heels,” which he found “less sexy.”

Changes in the characters representing their respective candy colors in 2022 also saw the green M&M ditching her high-heeled boots for sneakers.

M&M’s indicated Monday it had been influenced by the backlash to its previous promotion.

“America, let’s talk,” the Mars, Incorporated chocolates brand wrote on Instagram. “In the last year, we made some changes to our beloved spokescandies.”

M&M’s said it was surprised it’s 2022 marketing campaign caused a stir and announced an “indefinite pause” on spokescandies.

“But now we get it — even a candy’s shoes can be polarizing,” the Instagram post reads.

M&M’s concluded by voicing confidence that the 50-year-old actor, who appeared on “Saturday Night Live” from 2000 to 2007, would help “create a world where everyone feels they belong.”

Conservative media outlets like Fox News have also taken issue with changes to imaginary children’s characters Minnie Mouse, Mr. Potato Head and Big Bird.