M&M’s replaces iconic spokescandies with Maya Rudolph following ‘woke’ backlash

M&M’s has announced that it is replacing the iconic “spokescandies” with somebody that “America can agree on” – actor and comedian Maya Rudolph.

Last year, the popular candy came under fire from right-wing commentators and Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who deemed last year’s redesigns of the spokescandies characters to be “less sexy”.

In January 2022, the Ms. Green character saw her go-go boots swapped for a pair of sneakers, while Ms. Brown’s heels were swapped for another shoe. And if you thought the footwear of fictional talking candies was something that Carlson would discuss on his Fox News show… then you’d be right.

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“The brown M&M has quote ‘transitioned from high stilettos to lower block heels’, also less sexy, that’s progress,” he said, adding: “M&M’s will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous, until the moment that you wouldn’t want to have a drink with any one of them.

The apparently not-as-sexy-as-she-used-to-be Green M&M. Credit: Patti McConville / Alamy

“That’s the goal, when you’re totally turned off we’ve achieved equity, they’ve won,” Carlson added.

Additionally, M&Ms and its parent company Mars Wrigley faced further backlash earlier this month when they launched promotional packets of the candies with just three female candy characters on the wrapping. Some of the profits from these packets would be going to wards organizations that support a variety of women-led professional pursuits, per Forbes.

This led to another prominent right-wing figure and self-proclaimed “Alpha Male”, Nick Adams, tweeting the following: “M&M’s have gone WOKE! Mars, the company behind M&M’s, launched a nuclear strike in the war on men by unveiling a package with ONLY the female M&M’s.

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“This is sexist and NOT inspirational AT ALL!

“We must BOYCOTT M&M’s until the alpha male M&M’s get their own exclusive package.”

…Seriously, this is a thing.

As result, M&M’s has released a statement revealing that Bridesmaids star Maya Rudolph will now be representing the brand.

“In the last year, we’ve made some changes to our beloved spokescandies,” M&M’s said in a tweet. “We weren’t sure if anyone would even notice. And we definitely didn’t think it would break the internet. But now we get it – even a candy’s shoes can be polarising.

“We have decided to take an indefinite pause from the spokescandies. In their place, we are proud to introduce a spokesperson America can agree on: the beloved Maya Rudolph.”

So, what is Rudolph’s new role? Well, the company says that she will serve as the brand’s new “Chief of Fun”, and she’s already got “so much planned”.

…we can only imagine what the likes of Carlson and Adams will make of the announcement. But for now, we can’t wait to see what Rudolph has got in store.

Featured image credits: Jeffrey Mayer / Mark Phillips / Alamy