It was late 2021 when fans noticed something was off. Jimmy Pesto Sr., the pasta-slinging, "Zoom!"-shouting rival of Bob Belcher, had basically vanished. No more drive-by insults. No more high-fiving Trev. Just a weird, quiet void across the street from the burger joint.
For a while, the production stayed quiet. But the internet is a loud place. Speculation turned into a full-blown investigation by armchair detectives. Eventually, the truth came out, and it wasn’t some creative dispute over the character's direction. It was a lot messier than that. Jay Johnston, the man who gave the pizza guy his iconic, grating voice, was caught up in a federal investigation that had nothing to do with voice acting and everything to do with what happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The FBI Tweet That Changed Everything
Most people found out through a tweet. Seriously. In March 2021, the FBI’s official Twitter account posted photos of "Suspect 247." They were looking for a guy in a green camouflage jacket and a brown scarf. Within minutes, people in the comedy world were texting each other. "Is that... Jay?"
The resemblance was undeniable. Johnston has a very specific look—tall, with a distinct jawline and a way of carrying himself that his peers recognized instantly. Soon, former colleagues like Cassandra Church and Spencer Crittenden were publicly identifying him. By the end of 2021, word leaked that the "top staff" at Bob’s Burgers had officially banned him from the show.
He didn't just lose a job. He lost a career he'd built over decades. If you’re a comedy nerd, you know Johnston wasn't just some random voice actor. He was a legend from Mr. Show with Bob and David. He was the guy in the "Story of Everest" sketch. He was in Anchorman. He was a frequent collaborator with some of the biggest names in alt-comedy. To see him throw it all away for a riot was, for many of his fans, genuinely shocking.
The Specifics of the Charges
It took a while for the legal hammer to actually drop. The FBI didn't arrest him until June 2023. When the court documents were finally unsealed, they painted a pretty grim picture of his afternoon in D.C.
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Johnston wasn't just standing around. According to federal prosecutors, he was right in the middle of the "Tunnel" on the Lower West Terrace. That’s where some of the most violent clashes with police happened. The government had video of him helping other rioters. He was seen using a stolen U.S. Capitol Police riot shield to help form a "shield wall" against the officers.
There was even a text message he sent to an acquaintance afterward. He reportedly wrote that the event was "a mess" and that he got maced and tear-gassed, calling the experience "untastic." Honestly, that sounds like a line a character he'd play would say, which makes the whole reality of it even more surreal.
Why the Show Didn't Just Kill Jimmy Pesto
For two seasons, Jimmy Pesto was just gone. The writers had a choice. They could have had him move away. They could have killed him off in some freak yachting accident. A lot of fans actually suggested that Jimmy’s ex-wife should take over the restaurant, which would have been a fun way to keep the rivalry alive with a fresh dynamic.
But the creators clearly felt that the Bob vs. Jimmy dynamic was too central to the show’s DNA. Bob needs a foil. He needs someone across the street who is objectively more successful but significantly less talented. Without Jimmy, Bob is just a guy struggling with his own neuroses. With Jimmy, Bob is a hero fighting against the mediocrity of "fake" Italian food.
Enter Eric Bauza
In Season 14, the show finally pulled the trigger on a recast. They didn't make a big announcement. They just dropped an episode titled "Bully-ieve It or Not."
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If you weren't paying close attention, you might have missed it. The new voice belongs to Eric Bauza. If you don't know the name, you definitely know the voice. Bauza is a titan in the industry. He voices Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Woody Woodpecker. The guy is a chameleon.
He didn't try to reinvent the character. He did a "sound-alike" that was so close it was almost spooky. He nailed the nasal, arrogant tone that makes you want to see Jimmy fail. Most fans reacted with a sigh of relief. It felt like the show could finally move past the controversy without losing a core piece of its world.
The Sentence and the Pardon
The legal saga for Jay Johnston finally reached its climax in late 2024. In October of that year, he was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison. The judge, Carl Nichols, didn't hold back. He called Johnston's behavior "reprehensible."
Johnston's lawyers tried to argue for leniency. They pointed out that he’d already been "blacklisted" from Hollywood and hadn't been able to find work since the news broke. It was a "he's suffered enough" defense. The judge wasn't buying it, specifically noting that Johnston seemed to lack genuine remorse, especially after reports surfaced that he had dressed up as the "QAnon Shaman" at a Halloween party.
But then, the story took one last turn. In January 2025, as Donald Trump began his second term, he issued a wave of pardons. Jay Johnston was on the list.
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What This Means for His Career
Just because you’re pardoned doesn't mean you get your job back. The entertainment industry is a business built on reputation and collaboration. Bob's Burgers belongs to Disney/Fox. These are companies that are extremely sensitive to brand image.
The fact that Johnston was pardoned doesn't change what was on the tapes. It doesn't change the fact that he was seen pushing against police with a stolen shield. For a show like Bob’s Burgers, which leans heavily into themes of community, kindness, and being a "good person," bringing back someone associated with those events is a non-starter.
Bauza is the voice of Jimmy Pesto now. Period. The show has moved on, and honestly, the fans have too.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Creators
It’s rare to see a show navigate a scandal this cleanly. Usually, a lead or recurring actor getting arrested for a felony is a death knell for a character. Here is what we can learn from how the Bob's Burgers team handled the Jay Johnston situation:
- Patience over Panic: They didn't rush to recast. They let the character sit on the sidelines for two years until the legal reality was crystal clear. This avoided the "he said, she said" phase of the controversy.
- Prioritize the Character: The writers realized that Jimmy Pesto is bigger than the actor voicing him. By recasting with a top-tier professional like Eric Bauza, they preserved the integrity of the show's universe.
- The Power of Sound-Alikes: In animation, the audience's "ear" is everything. Bauza’s ability to mimic the original performance meant that the transition didn't feel like a reboot; it felt like a return to form.
- Ethics in Casting: The production team showed that they have a line. Regardless of Johnston's comedic pedigree, his actions off-screen made him a liability that the show wasn't willing to carry.
If you’re catching up on Season 14 or 15, you’ll see the Pesto/Belcher rivalry is as petty and hilarious as ever. The credits might have a different name, but the spirit of the character remains—proving that even in the world of cartoons, actions have real-world consequences.