'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
LA Lakers star LeBron James and popular actor Jason Sudeikis from the hit-show Ted Lasso recently appeared in a new Taco Bell commercial together. The duo were seen promoting the new Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco together in a Taco Bell ad for 'Taco Twosday'. The commercial, of course, is a play on words regarding Taco Tuesday.
In 2019, LeBron James floated the idea of trademarking the phrase Taco Tuesday. The internet wasn't too happy with the situation and pushed back on James' plan to try and take ownership of the phrase. As it turned out, the phrase Taco Tuesday was trademarked by a restaurant chain, Taco John's.
At the time, the restaurant chain had been owners of the trademark for 30 years, and since then, LeBron and Taco Bell have been trying to free up ownership. In 2023, Taco Bell even went so far as to file a petition courts to revoke Taco John's ownership of the phrase.
Now, Taco Bell and LeBron James have found a way to skirt the use of the Taco Tuesday phrase, instead highlighting Taco Twosday with the pair of James & Sudeikis.
Fans, though, weren't nearly as amused, with the NBA community sharing a wide range of reactions to the commercial via social media.
Some fans questioned whether or not James was a real fan of Taco Bell:
"Lebron trying to make us believe he eats Taco Bell might be his worst lie" - @Gettthebagcoach (Twitter)
"Lebron don’t eat no damn Taco Bell" - @Illest_the_king (Twitter)
One fan wrote:
"just watching this lebron taco Tuesday commercial, almost as funny as watching him get swept" - @NavyEnzo (Twitter)
Another added:
"Oh MY GOD WHAT DOES THIS MEAN???? Next on First Take" @Sean_Davi (Twitter)
Other fans on Instagram were also quick to join in:
LeBron James, Taco Bell and fight for free use of the phrase: Taco Tuesday
LeBron James, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box and a slew of other supporters are all trying to secure free use of the Taco Tuesday phrase. Despite years of fighting, it's unclear whether the courts will flip their opinion regarding Taco John's ownership of the phrase.
Of course, as previously mentioned, James himself once tried to trademark the phrase, but after coming up short, he has now joined the fight to free Taco Tuesday. The ad campaign from Taco Bell, which has featured LeBron James, has continued to call for the phrase Taco Tuesday to be free for all.
In a statement in 2023, released via Taco Bell, James explained:
“‘Taco Tuesday’ is a tradition that everyone should be able to celebrate. All restaurants, all families, all businesses – everybody. 'Taco Tuesdays’ create opportunities that bring people together in so many ways, and it’s a celebration that nobody should own.”
Moreover, Taco Bell has also started a petition on Change.org started on Apr. 20, 2023. So far, of the 35,000 signatures the brand is hoping to secure, they have collected 25,044.
Under the reasons for signing, two of the top comments indicate that they learned of the cause thanks to NBA legend LeBron James' involvement in the campaign. Whether or not things change in the future, however, only time will tell.
