The ‘Peloton husband’ actor from the controversial Peloton ad is back in the spotlight for gifting his real girlfriend one of the fitness bikes seen in the commercial.
Is the Peloton Gift a PR Stunt?
Actor Sean Hunter posted a picture on Instagram posing next to his girlfriend with a Peloton bike followed with the caption:
“Here’s hoping this goes over better the second time…. Merry Christmas to my actual girlfriend (pls don’t leave me),” @pelotonhusband wrote Wednesday on Instagram.
Even Peloton celebrated the gift by commenting it “looks like a successful Christmas gift to use!” and “we’re so glad you’re a part of the Peloton family!”
But one user criticized the gift as probably being another PR stunt from the company for the holiday season.
“I am guessing he got this from Peloton for free and gifted it to his girlfriend as PR maneuver,” @Mikey_Claims tweeted.
Whether a PR stunt or not, many loved the present and showed their support by praising the gift and celebrating the idea with positive comments.
5 Seconds of Air Time Turned Controversial
The Peloton commercial showed a man gifting his on-camera wife a fitness bike, who appears thin, worried and less than thrilled filming herself every day showing her husband the following Christmas her progress.
But many quickly criticized the ad for being sexist because the husband inflicted the machine onto his reluctant on-screen wife.
Hunter is a Canadian elementary school teacher whose 5 seconds of air time with his co-star, Monica Ruiz, received backlash and spoke-out after the ad went viral.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My 5 seconds of air time created an array of malicious feedback that is all associated with my face. My friend texted me today declaring that I’m ‘a symbol of the patriarchy,’” Hunter told Psychology Today. “As my face continues to be screen shot online, I wonder what repercussions will come back to me.”
Fellow Co-Star Books Acting Gigs Following Viral Commercial
Ruiz took the controversy much lighter than her co-star but told the “Today” Show she feels she’s partly to blame because her facial expressions made the ad explode in all the wrong ways.
“I think it was my fault. My eyebrows looked worried, I guess?… People were like, ‘She looks scared!’” Ruiz said, laughing. “I’m telling you, it was my face. That was the problem. And it just exploded from there.”
But the silver-lining in this story for her is becoming recognized, appearing in a Ryan Reynolds gin ad mocking the commercial while sitting at a bar her friends assure her “you’re safe here.” And toasting “to new beginnings” with multiple gin cocktails and ending, “you look great, by the way.”
She also booked a CBS’ daytime drama: “The Bold and the Beautiful” airing weekdays. Ruiz will be playing a doctor.
