Another fictional television show character experienced a “heart attack” after using the popular Peloton exercise bike, but unlike “And Just Like That’s” Mr. Big, he lives to tell the tale, Fox Business reports.
“Billions” character Mike “Wags” Wagner experiences the cardiac event while riding the popular exercise bicycle in the Showtime show’s sixth season premiere.
The "Billions" plot point, which show runners told Fox Business, was written before the “Sex and the City” reboot used the gimmick to kill off Chris Noth’s “Mr. Big,” character in that show’s first episode, included an added line by the character of Wags, portrayed by actor David Costabile, saying he is not “going out like Mr. Big.”
It is the second time this year that the fictional shows picked on the exercise equipment as a potentially deadly activity for middle-aged men, a gimmick that the company said was not agreed to or approved.
"We get why these fictional TV shows would want to include a brand that people love to talk about, but Showtime's use of Peloton's Bike+ and reference to a Peloton Instructor was not a brand, product, or instructor placement, and we did not agree for our brand and IP to be used on this show or provide any equipment," a statement from the company posted on Twitter reads. "As referenced by the show itself, there are strong benefits of cardio-vascular exercise to help people lead long, happy lives."
The bike costs upwards of $2,500 and comes with an app that allows users to virtually work out with trainers, on locations throughout the world, according to the company’s website.
“Work toward your best with encouragement from our instructors. Choose from thousands of classes across a variety of disciplines," the website promoting the bike said. “The All-Access Membership gives your household access to thousands of classes like of cycling, strength, yoga and more on the Bike and the Peloton App.”
FOX Business reported that the company used Noth in a commercial after his character died in “And Just Like That,” showing that the bike was a good way to exercise and stay healthy, but that commercial was eventually pulled when Noth was accused of sexual assault by several women.
Noth denied the allegations, according to the report.
CNN reported in September 2020 that sales for the exercise bike rose 172% during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, with more than 1 million people subscribing to its streaming classes.
After the premier of “And Just Like That” with Mr. Big’s death, stock in the company fell 11.3% to a 19-month low, according to a December NBC News story.
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