What Happened To The Sonic Guys?
For a good part of the 21st century, the faces of Sonic Drive-In were a pair of bland everyman types who sat in a car and bantered back and forth about the virtues of the chain's offerings. Although there was nothing inherently recognizable about the duo, played by improv comedians T.J. Jagodowski and Peter Grosz, their in-car antics proved popular enough to land serious airtime and national recognition.
Jagodowski and Grosz both hail from Chicago and came up in the city's well-known improv comedy scene (via Biz Journals). The pair were cast by Barkley Advertising and when it came time to shoot the spot, the comedians tapped into their background and went off book, ribbing each other, and talking up the Oklahoma-based fast food chain.
In an interview with Tulsa World, the advertising executives behind the original spots explained that "Two Guys," as they became to be known, developed a sizable fan base early on.
The reunion wasn't destined to pass the test of time
Sonic phased out Two Guys in 2010 (via The New York Times), and in 2012, Jagodowski and Grosz took matters into their own hands, attempting to win back their paid commercial gig. Jagodowski and Grosz took to YouTube, producing their own DIY spots featuring a chicken attack, Elizabethan neck ruffs, and a superhero traffic stop. The campaign was a success and resulted in Sonic bringing back their beloved spokesmen.
But the reunion wasn't destined to pass the test of time. In February of this year Forbes reported that Sonic is once again bidding farewell to Jagodowski and Grosz. The drive-in giant decided to shift its focus to a more realistic portrayal of the restaurant's customer base. Sonic isn't getting rid of the improvisational spirit that the Two Guys introduced. Instead the brand is shifting the focus of their commercials to follow four American families and documenting their experiences at Sonic, sans script.
Even without their commercial careers, Sonic's Two Guys have been getting plenty of work. Jagodowski is currently voice acting in the audio comedy Escape from Virtual Island alongside the likes of Paul Rudd, Kenan Thompson, and Jane Krakowski, and Grosz is writing for At Home with Amy Sedaris (via IMDB).