Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

M&M's replaces its spokescandies with Maya Rudolph after Tucker Carlson's rants

By Kaitlyn Radde, David Folkenflik | NPR
Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.

M&M's pause of its spokescandies comes after a right-wing backlash to changes in the Green and Brown M&Ms and the addition of the Purple M&M.

Twitter/Screenshot by NPR

M&M's spokescandies — the cartoon versions of the candies that appear in advertisements — will be paused indefinitely. The move comes after Fox News' Tucker Carlson spent months attacking minor brand changes to some of the characters as "woke." Maya Rudolph, a comedian and actor, will step in in their place.

Carlson, who spends much of his time telling viewers he's a champion of victims of cancel culture, waged a culture war campaign against the candies until they were, literally, canceled — at least for now.

After the Brown M&M swapped her stilettos for lower block heels and the Green M&M traded in go-go boots for sneakers, Carlson declared that "M&M's will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous," and that when "you're totally turned off, we've achieved equity."

In announcing the move away from the colorful characters, M&M's tweeted Monday: "We weren't sure if anyone would even notice" the earlier change in spokescandies. "But now we get it — even a candy's shoes can be polarizing."

In response to the tweet announcing the pause, Skittles tweeted, "Our thoughts go out to the spokescandies." Skittles and M&M's are owned by the same parent company, Mars Wrigley.

Last fall, M&M's introduced a new Purple character, which Carlson derided as "obese" on his show. The Purple M&M is roughly the same size and shape as her Yellow and Blue male counterparts.

Rudolph will debut as M&M's new spokeswoman during the Super Bowl, a move Mars Wrigley says was already in progress. Rudolph is a biracial woman who has fundraised for Kamala Harris (not to mention portraying the vice president on Saturday Night Live) and other Democrats who are routinely the subject of Carlson's ire.

"We are confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong," M&M's said.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

View this story on npr.org

A message from M&M'S. pic.twitter.com/EMucEBTd9o

— M&M'S (@mmschocolate) January 23, 2023

Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

North Davis store becomes first Peet's Coffee in the country to form a union

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

Q&A: Speaker Anthony Rendon on a budget deficit, gun bills and handing over the gavel

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.