The Controversial Rise and Downfall of the Taco Bell Chihuahua

Tom Blank of Weird History Food explains how a cute little chihuahua named Gidget became an unlikely spokesdog (as voiced by actor Carlos Alazraqui) for Taco Bell in the 1990s, with the tagline “Yo quiero Taco Bell”. In the days before viral was viral, the little dog was widely popular, appearing in countless commercials and ads.

If you were around in the late ’90s, you couldn’t escape the Taco Bell Chihuahua. …The little dog was everywhere appearing at commercials hawking adorable collectibles, starring in blockbuster movie tie-ins, and possibly even invading your dreams. Then as quickly as he appeared, the little guy vanished.

Unfortunately, one such commercial took things too far even though it was tongue-in-cheek, and that combined with valid vocal concerns about Mexican stereotypes, and a lawsuit over the origin of the character, meant a big downfall for the Taco Bell chihuahua.

Not long after the campaign took off ,the chihuahua started facing accusations of racism. Some individuals and groups felt that the use of a dog with a stereotypical Mexican accent was problematic. …matters were made worse when one ad featured the dog dressed as Che Guevara, the famous Argentine Marxist revolutionary who remains a controversial figure to this day…Taco Bell became flame embroiled in a bitter legal dispute over the creation of its famous mascot. 

While Gidget’s career with Taco Bell was over, she managed to find other roles that fit her character before her passing in 2009.

Gidget lived on, refusing to let the Taco Bell Fiasco derail her dreams of stardom. She continued to make sporadic appearances in pop culture including more commercials and a brief but memorable role in “Legally Blonde 2”.

The Controversial Commercial