Why Legally Blonde 2's Jennifer Coolidge Turned Down A Major Hot Dog Deal

Although "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde" came out nearly 20 years ago, actress Jennifer Coolidge is heavily associated with an iconic line from the film to this day. In one scene, Coolidge's "Legally Blonde" character, Paulette, sees Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon) dressed in a patriotic outfit before her trip to Washington, D.C., and says, "Oh my god, you look like the Fourth of July! Makes me want a hot dog real bad." 

During a 2020 interview on YouTube with the BUILD Series by Yahoo, Coolidge explained that fans still shout the famous line at her five to 10 times a day while she's going about her routine or grabbing a coffee. "There are those lines that you're like, 'I'm never going to get away from this am I?'" she said. The pervasiveness of the hot dog quote in pop culture is so strong, in fact, that Coolidge was even offered a hot dog endorsement deal, which she turned down for a reason that may surprise you, People reports.

Fans of Coolidge's "Legally Blonde 2" line may be pleased to know that the actress does, in fact, enjoy eating hot dogs in real life — she just prefers a plant-based version, she told People about why she turned down an undisclosed brand's offer to advertise their meat-based hot dogs. Back in 2020, Coolidge told The New York Times that she was "having a hard time with the vegan thing" but was trying to follow a plant-based lifestyle, adding that she loves alternative meat products like Beyond Burgers. If the hot dog brand ever comes out with a meatless version, she shared with People, she'd be happy to do the commercial. "When you're working on set, and you've been there since 5 a.m. and by 11 a.m. you're ravenous but lunch isn't until 2 p.m., I'll have a plant-based hot dog. ... The science that has gone into them, they're just as tasty," she said. 

In the meantime, a different food-related brand has scored Coolidge as a spokesperson: Uber Eats. The actress stars in her first-ever Super Bowl ad for the grocery delivery company, which can be viewed on YouTube. The goofy commercial also features Trevor Noah, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Nicholas Braun, who attempt to eat household items like dish soap and paper towels to demonstrate that Uber Eats delivers more than just food. "If it was delivered with Uber Eats," Coolidge asks while holding aluminum foil, "Does that mean I can eats it?"