‘Canadian tears’: Actor Jon Hamm plays turncoat (again) in latest NBC Olympic ad
A popular figure is getting involved in the hype for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
In a new commercial produced by NBC, titled “The Speech,” actor Jon Hamm appears giving a locker room speech to members of the United States men’s hockey team, with Auston Matthews, Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Jack Eichel and Brady Tkachuk in attendance. Hamm, a native of St. Louis, Mo. and diehard St. Louis Blues fan, tries to hype the team up as it prepares to head to Milan, Italy in February.
What ensued wasn’t what Hamm’s “character” expected.
“It’s an honor to speak to you all before you head off to the Olympics,” Hamm says. “You’re going to Milan to bring home the biggest prize of all.”
“Canadian tears,” Eichel interjects.
“Exactly…Wait, what? What did Canada do?” The Mad Men actor questioned.
“Stuff,” Tkachuk simply stated.
Clips of last year’s legendary battle in the first game between the U.S. and Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off began to flash upon the screen, which included fights between Tkachuk and Canadian forward Sam Bennett, along with other skirmishes from the game.
“But they’re usually so polite?” Hamm asked the team.
“Not anymore,” McAvoy answered
“Really?”
“No,” Matthews chuckled.
“Are we sure we can’t just hug it out?” Hamm asked.
The boys in the room just laughed it off before Hamm gave them the old “Go get ’em, boys.”
The commercial highlights the rivalry among North American nations, with many hoping it culminates in the gold-medal game at the Winter Games for the first time in 16 years. The Americans and Canadians went viral for their three fights in the opening seconds of the game in Montreal last February, with the U.S. coming away with a win in the round-robin portion of the tournament. Canada would get the last laugh, as Connor McDavid scored the overtime winner in the championship game.
Despite being an American, Hamm gained a little popularity in recent years north of the border, appearing in a series of ads for Skip the Dishes, a Canadian delivery service. It seems like he was hiding his true colors all along.
The U.S. men’s team opens group play in Milan on Feb. 12 against Latvia. The championship contest is set for Feb. 22.