It’s been a rough few weeks, PR-wise, for pandemic fitness sensation Peloton, and on Monday’s episode of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” things got even worse when the company’s exercise bikes were framed for the death of another fictional victim: Peppa Pigs’ dad.
The gag was inspired by last week’s season premiere of Showtime’s “Billions,” which in an amazing coincidence featured a character having a heart attack while using a Peloton bike. This, for those keeping track, comes just weeks after the “Sex and the City” continuation “And Just Like That…” killed off Mr. Big via a Peloton-induced heart attack.
It’s not really clear why “fictional character dies on a Peloton” is turning into a TV cliche — it must be said there isn’t actually a rash of Peloton-related deaths in real life — but apparently it is, and that brings us back to Colbert. The cold open, per usual, began with a supercut of news reports explaining the situation. Then came the actual gag, a redubbed and slightly reanimated clip from the British kid’s TV show “Peppa Pig.”
In the clip, Peppa’s dad has received a new Peloton. “But isn’t that the thing on TV giving people heart attacks?” Peppa asks.
“What could go wrong?” asks dad. “I’m literally made of the thing cardiologists tell you not to eat. This exercise bicycle will get me out of my rut in no time.”
At this point, we learn that apparently, Peppa’s mom thinks she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. Then dad begins to ride — and spoiler — he has a heart attack.
But it turns out it’s not actually Peloton’s fault. Dad, it seems, has been cheating on mom. “I poisoned his coffee,” mom says.
“Peloton: It Wasn’t the Bike This Time,” the clips ends with. Watch the gag below: