Update 12/17/2021: Peloton removed the ad after two women accused Chris North of sexual assault. “Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously,” Peloton said in a statement, per CNBC. “We were unaware of these allegations when we featured Chris Noth in our response to HBO’s reboot” of the show. “As we seek to learn more, we have stopped promoting this video and archived related social posts.” Noth denied the allegations. “The encounters were consensual. It’s difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don’t know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women,” he said.
Original: A couple of clowns! Ryan Reynolds and Chris Noth teamed up to create a hilarious spoof ad for Peloton after the company was heavily featured in the shocking premiere of And Just Like That…., where the beloved Mr. Big dies after a session on his fitness bike.
Ryan narrates a cozy scene between Chris’ character Mr. Big and his sexy Peloton instructor Allegra, (played by Jess King), who was a pivotal part of the plot. The cute pair cheers to “new beginnings” before Allegra tells Mr. Big he “looks great”, to which Mr. Big says he “feels great”. “Shall we take another ride,” Mr. Big asks. “Life’s too short not to.” Ryan is then heard saying in a voiceover, “And just like that…” before he rattles off the health benefits of “regular cycling”. “He’s alive,” Ryan hilariously squeezes in at the very end.
In case you missed it, the first episode of the Sex and the City reboot, Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw comes home from Lily’s piano recital to find the love of her life, John James “Mr. Big” Preston, dying on their bathroom floor from an apparent heart attack. Although the two had planned to be on their way to the Hamptons that fateful evening, Carrie chose last minute to support her friend Charlotte’s daughter at the music school instead. With his night free, Mr. Big joked to Carrie that he was going to have a date with Allegra, his Peloton instructor. After his virtual ride with Allegra, Mr. Big collapses and suffers the heart attack
The death scene caused a bit of a backlash for Peloton, as the company saw a decrease in sales and stocks take a tumble the day after the premiere. In response, Peloton issued a statement through Cardiologist Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, echoing Ryan’s sentiment about the positive effects of cycling and saying the exercise would have helped delay a heart attack. They even went so far as to condemn Mr. Big’s lifestyle as being a part of his cardiovascular issues.
“Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks — and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in Season 6,” she said in her statement. “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.”