When we look back over our lives, there are moments that are unforgettable, shared trials and triumphs that unite us as a culture. We remember where we were on 9/11. During the election of Barack Obama. And now, tonight, the first time that we heard Reba McEntire was the new Colonel Sanders.
Yes, KFC has finally shattered the grease-soaked napkin ceiling, announcing today that the country star and occasional sitcom actress will be the first woman to take the mustache, white suit, and vaguely unsettling plantation-era trappings of the chicken chain’s mascot/founder for herself. McEntire—who joins a hallowed tradition that includes Darrell Hammond, Norm MacDonald, Rob Lowe, Billy Zane, and more—has been tapped to appear as the character through April. She’ll also sing in the commercial series, because why not?
And hey, here’s an interesting fact, while we’re speaking on the subject of KFC advertising practices: Did you know that the real Colonel Sanders used to randomly show up at KFC franchises (even after he’d sold the company) and throw the food on the floor when he didn’t like it? He also went to his grave denouncing the company’s gravy as “wall-paper paste.” What a character—once figuratively, and now literally, as an infinite series of character actors, comedians, and performers finish his transformation into America’s smiling cartoon god.