T.J. Miller Replaced as Mucinex Spokesman, Coinciding With Sexual Assault Allegations
Mr. Mucus returned to the airwaves this week in a high-profile commercial at the end of the Super Bowl — but viewers may have noticed a voice change to the Mucinex mascot. T.J. Miller, who had voiced the gross character — yes, he’s a booger — has been replaced by Jason Mantzoukas.
Miller had voiced the green snot ball since 2014. But his exit coincides with recent allegations against Miller, who has been accused of sexual assault by a woman who is choosing to remain anonymous. The woman told The Daily Beast that she was the victim of assault and physical violence by Miller when they were students at George Washington University. Miller denied the allegations.
A spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, which owns the Mucinex brand, confirmed that Mantzoukas had been named the new voice of Mr. Mucus, but didn’t directly respond to questions about Miller’s exit. “RB evaluates our strategy, creative and talent on a regular basis, and at this point we are excited to confirm that Mucinex is now partnering with Jason Mantzoukas as the new voice of Mr. Mucus,” the spokesperson said.
Nevertheless, the timing was likely more than coincidental, particularly with such a high-profile Super Bowl time buy.
Also, past spots featuring Miller as Mr. Mucus have been removed from Mucinex’s YouTube page (although two other old commercials without the characters remain).
The new ad, from Mucinex ad agency McCann New York/McCann Humancare, focuses on the idea of “#SuperSickMonday,” in which the day after the Super Bowl is believed to be when more people call in sick to work than any other day of the year. “When you’re really sick, take Mucinex,” the ad implores.
According to Little Black Book, a study commissioned by Mucinex found that 1 in 5 employed Americans (19 percent) said they have previously missed work on the Monday after the Super Bowl. “As a brand that takes pride in helping fight sickness and avoid missed time at work, we decided to give a wink to this once-a-year cultural phenomenon, when people choose to take a personal day on their own terms,” Reckitt Benckiser’s Brian Dolan told the website.
Mantzoukas’ recent credits include “The Good Place,” “No Activity” and “I’m Sorry.” He also provides voices to a wide range of series and films, including “Big Mouth,” “Comrade Detective” and “The Lego Batman Movie.”
Miller had already departed HBO’s “Silicon Valley” prior to the recent headlines; he will still appear in the upcoming “Deadpool 2,” producer Lauren Shuler Donner told reporters last month.
Watch the new Mucinex ad, with Mantzoukas’ voice, below:
