Pop Culture
TV & MoviesCelebrityBest of the InternetAnimalsMusicRewindBooksLGBTQQuizzes
LatestTrendingFoodLoveTriviaQuiz PartyShopping
LatestGift GuidesHomeFashionTechBeauty & Personal CareKidsPetsSex ToysSports & FitnessStoresSubscriptionsBuzzFeed MerchVideo
LatestCocoa ButterNEW!Mom In ProgressWorth ItUnsolved True CrimeUnsolved SupernaturalMultiplayerPero LikeLifestyle
As/Is: StyleBringMe: TravelGoodful: WellnessNifty: DIYParentsFoodWeddingsSex And LoveNEW!Community
What is Community?Join Community!Featured PostsLeaderboardGift Guides
Amazing Gifts For EveryoneCovetable Holiday GiftsGifts For Your Entire ListGifts Kids Will Totally LoveTotally Amazing Kitchen FindsUltimate Gifts For KidsGifts To Please Your CrowdSnuggle BundleLast-Minute Holidays BuysBest Gifts For Beauty And StyleUnique Gifts Everyone NeedsFrom Our Partners
Science Will WinHoliday Cookie ShowdownIt's Your JourneyHey BaeStudy BreakBeauty & Style BuzzHolidays Make Us Feel GoodCalling All Travel LoversLA LivingAbout
About UsAdvertiseInvestor RelationsJobsNewslettersEditionUSUKAustraliaBrasilCanadaDeutschlandIndiaJapanLatamCalifornia residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data.Do Not Sell My Personal Information © 2021 BuzzFeed, Inc PressRSSPrivacyConsent PreferencesUser TermsAccessibility StatementAd ChoicesHelpContactSitemapBuzzFeed NewsReporting on what you care about. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing.BuzzFeed TastySearch, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place!BuzzFeed GoodfulSelf care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life.BuzzFeed Bring MeObsessed with travel? Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me!BuzzFeed As IsSomething for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity.Celebrity·Posted 10 minutes ago"Bob's Burgers" Actor Jay Johnston — AKA Jimmy Pesto Sr. — Was Banned From The Show After Allegedly Taking Part In The Capitol Riot
The actor, who's been in Better Call Saul and Arrested Development, will no longer be voicing Jimmy Pesto Sr.
by Natalie OganesyanBuzzFeed Staff
FacebookPinterestTwitterMailLink
Actor Jay Johnston — whose credits include Better Call Saul, Arrested Development, Anchorman, and voice roles in hit shows like Rick and Morty — will no longer be voicing Jimmy Pesto Sr. in Bob's Burgers after allegedly taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Neilson Barnard / Getty Images
According to reporting from the Daily Beast, two top staff members of the beloved animated Fox series said the 53-year-old is "banned" from his recurring voice role.
Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images
Johnston has voiced the fan-favorite character — the owner of Jimmy Pesto's Pizzeria and a constant antagonistic presence to Bob — for a total of 43 episodes from 2011 to 2021.
©Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection
His character last appeared in the Season 11 episode “The Bridge Over Troubled Rudy,” which aired in May 2021, and has since been absent from the latest season.
While the actor was never confirmed as taking part in the riot, his name started floating around on the internet as suspected participant number 247 following a March 2021 FBI call to identify the individual.
FBI
@FBI
The #FBI is still seeking information on people who took part in the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. If you know this individual, visit https://t.co/iL7sD5efWD. Refer to photo 247 in your tip.
10:00 PM - 04 Mar 2021
Reply Retweet FavoriteTwitter: @FBI / Via Twitter: @FBI
Cassandra Church, an actor who previously worked alongside Johnston, tweeted at the time, "I’m no detective, but I do know Jay. He said he was there. And that’s him in the picture. So…"
CHURCH
@DontMissChurch
@TheRyanEbert @Thesixler @GrwnAssKid2 @FBI I’m no detective, but I do know Jay. He said he was there. And that’s him in the picture. So...
03:28 AM - 05 Mar 2021
Reply Retweet FavoriteTwitter: @DontMissChurch / Via Twitter: @DontMissChurch
In a since-deleted tweet, a former colleague of Church and Johnston's also wrote that the latter is a "craven Trump supporter and was there at the time." Actor-comedian Tim Heidecker — who guest-starred in Bob's Burgers as baseball announcer Burt Dellalucci — also tweeted that Johnston's involvement in the riot was "fully confirmed through reliable sources," though he later deleted it and said it "shouldn’t be used as some kind of official source of information or verification.”
And back in May, comedian Kathy Griffin tweeted, "That's Jay Johnston," adding, "He's 'on the lamb' now. I can't believe I'm writing these words."
Kathy Griffin
@kathygriffin
I know him. We all do. Folks from LA comedy scene, that is. That's Jay Johnston. He's a well known comedic actor. I haven't seen him in many years, but knew him back in the day. Since the late 90s. Mutuals say he's "on the lamb" now. I can't believe I'm writing these words. https://t.co/aKehHpVmta
11:52 PM - 05 May 2021
Reply Retweet FavoriteTwitter: @kathygriffin / Via Twitter: @kathygriffin
Back in 2015, Johnston also appeared as himself on The Gavin McInnes Show, hosted by the titular founder of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist hate group that was heavily involved in the riot.
Elijah Nouvelage / Getty Images
The name "Jimmy Pesto" trended on Twitter earlier today as Bob's Burgers fans reacted to the news, with some joking about how the actor and character share similar staunchly conservative views.
Meech
@MediumSizeMeech
Tbf this is VERY on brand for Jimmy Pesto https://t.co/meNmASmtc3
01:25 PM - 18 Dec 2021
Reply Retweet FavoriteTwitter: @MediumSizeMeech / @thecartooncrave / Via Twitter: @MediumSizeMeech
ginny alfredo, jimmy pesto’s replacement character
@writerbxtch
The hilarious thing about this is that Jimmy Pesto would be there too https://t.co/wf0IU3yTxg
03:21 AM - 18 Dec 2021
Reply Retweet FavoriteTwitter: @writerbxtch / @CNschedules / Via Twitter: @writerbxtch
Sophianeⵣ is Team Hoary
