Despite everything, some protestors have still managed to maintain their sense of humour. At a demonstration in Los Angeles on Tuesday (June 2nd), just one of the many nationwide efforts to fight against police brutality and systemic racism, comedian Everett Byram took the opportunity to parody Kendall Jenner's famously mocked and later revoked 2017 Super Bowl Pepsi commercial.
As you are likely well aware, in the now-infamous ad, the model opts to ditch a photo shoot in order to join a march taking place on the street. It's not clear what the protest is for, but regardless, Kendall takes part, and ultimately hands a police officer a can of Pepsi as a peace offering. The commercial was widely criticized for its tone-deaf portrayal of protestors' relationship with police as well as its oversimplification of activism.
However, Everett, like many in the years since the ad aired, found the humour in the absurdity of this ridiculous gesture, and decided to try it out for real. In a clip from the L.A. protest, Everett can be seen handing an LAPD officer a can of Pepsi.
“Hey, you guys, like a Kardashian over here," he says. "Hey, look, it’s a Pepsi, you want a Pepsi? Have it! Have a Pepsi, dude!” After the officer declines his offer, Everett exclaims, “But it helped in the commercial!" The cop responds, “I don’t drink soda."
In another instance, a protestor attempted to use Kendall's strategy by approaching a line-up of police officers in full riot gear, his arm outstretched holding a bottle of Pepsi. "I can’t believe someone actually did it," a Twitter user wrote in the caption.