Jay Johnston, also known as the former voice of rival restaurateur Jimmy Pesto in the animated comedy series Bob’s Burgers, has been sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for taking part in the January 6 riots at the Capitol. The supporting actor in Anchorman and Arrested Development was one of many people spotted and identified at the attack, thanks to pictures shared on social media.
Bob’s Burgers is a show about a struggling burger joint and the family who runs it, and Jimmy Pesto is Bob’s main antagonist and an all-around asshole. So it’s always been incredibly ironic that the actor who played him was caught partaking in one of the more violent and shameful moments in American history. If there were a January 6 riot inside the universe of Bob’s Burgers, you know Jimmy Pesto would have been in the thick of it as well.
This week’s sentencing falls short of the 18 months requested by federal prosecutors, NBC News reports, but is still well above what Johnston’s lawyers were seeking. The sentencing memo claims the Hollywood actor was far from just a bystander at the riot and was instead inside Congress pushing forward with the rest of the mob, at one point wielding a riot shield against police in the tunnels beneath the building. Johnston’s lawyer, meanwhile, claimed he was being disproportionally targeted due to his fame.
Despite the attack on the Capitol taking place in January 2021, the actor wasn’t arrested until June 2023, after which he pled guilty. Federal prosecutors also shared a photo as part of sentencing that showed Johnston dressing up as QAnon Shaman more than a year after the riots.
Bob’s Burgers didn’t replace Johnston until late 2023, after he had already been arrested, with the character being left out of seasons 12 and 13. Jimmy Pesto is now played by Eric Bauza, who debuted in season 14 and had previously done voice work for cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Bob’s Burgers just entered its 15th season last month.
