At a Glance
- Jessica Simpson recorded a new jingle for Chicken of the Sea’s Frank’s RedHot flavor
- She deliberately flubs the lyric, asking “What’s the best chicken?” before correcting to tuna
- The spot nods to her 2003 “Is this chicken or fish?” moment on Newlyweds
- Why it matters: The playful callback shows Simpson still owns the pop-culture gag that defined her early fame
Jessica Simpson is leaning into the question that once left viewers baffled-only this time, she’s getting paid for it. In a fresh spot for Chicken of the Sea, the 45-year-old singer-fashion designer revives her famous seafood confusion to launch the brand’s Frank’s RedHot tuna packets.
Studio Slip-Up, On Purpose
The ad opens with Simpson in a recording booth crooning the 1960s jingle: “Ask any mermaid you happen to see, what’s the best chicken?” She stops, yanks off her headphones and admits, “Wait, that’s not right. I’m too hungry for this. Can we take a break?”
After tearing open a portable packet, she re-records the line correctly: “What’s the best tuna? Chicken of the Sea.”
25-Year Brand Love
Simpson tells News Of Losangeles exclusively that the partnership felt natural. “I have been a fan of this brand for over 25 years, and I love their portable tuna packets (including their newest packet with Frank’s RedHot!)-it’s such a healthy, easy and yummy snack to grab on the go,” she says.
The Moment That Started It All
The gag harks back to the 2003 premiere of Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, when Simpson stared at a bowl of tuna and asked then-husband Nick Lachey, “Is this chicken that I have, or is this fish?” The clip went viral before “viral” was commonplace.
At a New York City launch event on January 13, Simpson said she embraces the memory. “That moment was a very real conversation that … it just became bigger than me. I’m a very literal person, so I think of things in a very literal way, and I literally had a question that went viral and still goes viral.”
Mom-and-Daughter Sequel
This isn’t her first callback. In a 2024 spot filmed with daughter Maxwell, now 13, Simpson warned, “It’s called Chicken of the Sea, but it’s not really chicken-it’s tuna. So don’t get confused by it.” Maxwell deadpanned, “Who would get confused by that?” Simpson replied, “No one. Not your mom.”
Reflecting on filming with Maxwell, Simpson told Daniel J. Whitman, “Having my daughter there, it was just so beautiful.”
Life After Newlyweds
The MTV reality show ran three seasons before Simpson and Lachey split in 2005 and divorced in 2006. Simpson later married Eric Johnson in July 2014; the pair share Maxwell, Ace Knute, 12, and Birdie Mae, 6. The couple announced their separation in January after 10 years of marriage.
Key Takeaways
- Simpson’s self-aware humor keeps the 22-year-old pop-culture moment alive
- Chicken of the Sea banks on nostalgia to push its spicy new flavor
- The partnership marks her third campaign with the brand since 2020
