Real Name : T.J. Jagodowski
Salary Deal : $300,000
As an improv comedian, T.J.’s unique brand of off-the-cuff humor caught the eye of Sonic when they were on the hunt for a new face for their ads. Jagodowski is a Chicago-based actor who appeared alongside actor Pete Grosz, and the two almost always improvised their lines.
Jagodowski has won Chicago Improv Festival’s “Best Improviser” award. His deal with Sonic netted him $300,000, but he’s also had roles in films such as Get Hard, The Ice Harvest, Stranger than Fiction, and more. He’s also had a bit role in the Fox show Prison Break.
Bob from Bob's Discount Furniture
Real Name: Bob Kaufman
Salary Deal : $100,000
Kaufman collected a low $100,000 a year for his appearances in the company's commercials, but they're actually his commercials because it's his company. He's the real Bob. He's worth a wild $26 billion. His offbeat and memorable commercials ran a huge campaign during the 1990s, and in 1997 they ran five hundred commercials a week in Connecticut alone.
With Little Bob, a miniature version of himself by his side, Bob's Furniture turned into a success. They've even sponsored national football teams like the Patriots, Giants, Chargers, and Steelers. Good-guy Kaufman has also donated quite a lot of money to causes like cancer research, Veterans Home, and children's charities.
The “Whassup?” Guy
Real Name: Charles Stone III
Salary Deal: $8 million
It launched a brand new...noise...into the lexicon, but the man behind the sound, Charlies Stone III, has gone on to become a famous member of the entertainment industry. As an actor and director, he's worked with Nick Cannon, Bernie Mac, and plenty of other famous faces, directing Drumline, Mr. 3000, Paid in Full, and lots more. He's done music videos like The Roots' What They Do.
While the ad itself was simple and memorable, it also netted Stone eight million dollars. The Budweiser commercial just had a pair of goofs shouting at each other, and it ended up good for all. Unless you hate “Whassup.”
The Other Dude From the Sonic Commercials
Real Name: Pete Grosz
Salary Deal: $300,000
Peter Grosz is known as one of America's most talented T.V writers. Most people will recognize him as one of the "Two Guys" from the drive-in Sonic commercials. He appeared in the double act with co-star comedian and improviser, T.J. Jagodowski.
For more than a decade, Grosz starred in the Sonic commercials, earning him over $300,000 (net that is). Sonic's Chief Marketing manager said, that Grosz has turned into "the voice" of Sonic, as that he (and his second half) will probably be part of their DNA for good.
The GEICO Gecko
Real Name: Jake Wood
Salary Deal: $3 million
Born in England, Jake Wood provides the voice of the famous insurance reptile for GEICO. Wood is also the star of the legendary British soap opera EastEnders. He voiced the gecko for ten years before being replaced in 2015. His total salary deal was three million dollars.
He revealed on social media that he had lost the gig due to not accepting a “huge pay cut.” He first appeared on the commercials in 2006, when he replaced Kelsey Grammer as the British gecko who seems to think the only thing people want to talk about is car insurance. Beat it, reptile.