Even though this year’s Super Bowl is something of a repeat of 2015’s Super Bowl XLIX, with the New England Patriots facing off against the Seattle Seahawks, just about all of the details involved are different, from the coaches to the players to the stadium location. In fact, this year’s telecast will deliver a surprising first, as SNL vet Andy Samberg is making his 2026 TV schedule debut with a hilarious new mayonnaise-filled Hellmann’s ad after years of turning down ad offers for the NFL’s biggest game.
Understandably, this Hellmann’s commercial is about as far away from traditional and normal as can be, with Samberg channelling his inner ‘70s superstar to portray “Meal Diamond,” a Neil Diamond-esque diner dweller whose love for mayo knows no moral or decency bounds. The spot is equal parts surreal and silly, with cameos from Heidi Gardner and Elle Fanning, among others, and truly feels like the Super Bowl ad the Lonely Island co-founder was meant to be in.
Speaking with ScreenRant, Samberg had a fairly capsulized answer for why he agreed to sign on for this campaign despite having “avoided” past opportunities “for a while” prior to this pitch. (Sadly, his favorite team isn’t in the big game this year, though that might have made it an even better decision in hindsight.) As he put it:
I wanted to make sure when I did that I found it funny.
As one of the most consistently goofy and offbeat Saturday Night Live vets, Andy Samberg does have a penchant for projects that feel unlike anything else. (Look no further than Lonely Island's fantastic Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience.) So it absolutely tracks that he'd be down to portray a mayo-obsessed anomaly who existence has solely taken place within an L.A. diner.
The actor shared more insight behind what drew him into this weirdo concept, and why the character's non-history was a big plus, saying:
Once we started talking about it all, I sort of started veering it towards this character, this Meal Diamond that they wanted it to be, but adding elements to his backstory, and that he is a person who was born inside of a deli, and perhaps has never left. He's almost like the Bruno for Encanto of mayonnaise and sandwiches. So, once that sort of started taking shape, I got really excited, and we took it from there.
I can't automatically think of any Samberg characters who had perfectly normal childhoods and grew up to be quiet and reflective adults. I guess they just aren't funny enough.
Beyond the general concept, the Hot Rod star was also highly invested in tapping into the iconic looks that Neil Diamond rocked during his reign in the '70s and '80s, and having fun with those fixed-in-time visuals. In his words:
When I was watching old footage of him performing this song, I was just like, 'Man, Neil Diamond was rocking it.' The flowing mane, and the eyebrows, he's so in it and cool. And the outfits were just only in that moment in time is that what was being worn. It's so specific and cool and crazy. I was just like, 'Yeah, I could sink into that.' That's such a good jumping off point because, just visually, as soon as you look at it, you're happy.
I know we just got the Neil Diamond jukebox musical Song Sung Blue with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, but is there not still room in the world for a new feature fronted by Samberg's Meal Diamond that takes a "Weird" Al approach to the bulk of the Grammy winner's discography. I guess it would get boring if the whole thing took place in one diner, but still.
Check out the longform version of the Hellmann's ad below.
With this Super Bowl commercial now behind him, I can only imagine what other musical mayhem the comedic mastermind will deliver this year. 2025 brought an unexpected duet with Lady Gaga for “Dick in a Box,” and he'd also filmed the anxiety-filled digital short for SNL50, so I expect a few more surprises as 2026 rolls on.
If James Gunn happens to be listening, let me float this idea into the ethers: "Andy Samberg as the DCU's Condiment King." You're welcome.
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