Apple Brings Back John Hodgman as the Face of PCs, a Decade After ‘Get a Mac’
The multitalented actor made a surprise appearance, without Justin Long, at today's Apple Event
Apple had a lot to brag about with its new hardware announcements today, including new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.
But for ad nerds, there was another fun surprise: the return of actor John Hodgman in the “I’m a PC” role he played throughout the run of Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign in the 2000s.
Named Adweek’s Campaign of the Decade for 2001-2010, “Get a Mac” was created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab and directed by Phil Morrison of Epoch Films. In each of the campaign’s 66 spots, Hodgman appeared alongside actor Justin Long, who suavely represented the Mac experience—reliable, accessible and direct in comparison to Hodgman’s clunky and easily flustered PC.
At the end of today’s 45-minute Apple event announcing the new computing hardware, including the new and proprietary M1 processor designed specifically for Apple products, the brand’s logo appeared on a black screen.
Suddenly, Hodgman appeared, referencing Apple founder Steve Jobs’ famous setup line for a bonus announcement: “One more thing … Hi, I’m a PC. Is there time for questions, because I have one: Why? Why make all these advancements? What’s the point?”
Here’s Hodgman’s full 43-second appearance:
The full text of his appearance is:
“Stop, hang on, wait. One more thing … Hi, I’m a PC. Is there time for questions? Good, because I have one: Why? Why make all these advancements? What’s the point? Right? Oh, you’re so quiet now. Look, I’m a machine. I’m proud of it. That’s my fan. Longer battery life? Plug it in. Where are you going? Just plug it in. Fast? I’m fast. I’m still fast. Check it out, I still got it. I’m a PC, still got it. I’ve always been there. I always will be. Fast. OK, my battery’s drained. I got to go plug in. Good luck. Woo! Outlet!”
Hodgman was a relative unknown when he was cast for the part as the PC, though he had already published his first book, 2005’s The Areas of My Expertise. He has since written four other books and appeared in just about every form of popular culture—including his long-running podcast, Judge John Hodgman, and appearances in TV shows ranging from Community and 30 Rock to DuckTales and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.
He also wrote and starred in a 2013 Netflix special called John Hodgman: Ragnarok.
Here’s a look back at the original “Get a Mac” ads, handily compiled by one YouTube User:
