. . . And Taco Bell Orders Comedian to Go

The third player is Taco Bell Inc., the Mexican-style fast-food leader that flirted with controversy during a brief television fling with comedian Dana Carvey and, more recently, irritated some consumers with an April Fools’ Day claim to have purchased the Liberty Bell.

Taco Bell signed up as a “title sponsor” for Carvey’s new half-hour comedy show. The Irvine-based company got its name in the show’s title and the comedian took several playful pokes at its corporate sponsor during the show.

Taco Bell, apparently caught off guard by Carvey’s sense of humor, severed its relationship with the comedian less than 24 hours after the show’s debut. A spokeswoman said Taco Bell wasn’t comfortable with the show’s “format.”

Taco Bell subsequently said it was a fan of Carvey, but some advertising industry executives were skeptical. “If you’re going with a guy like Carvey, either you seek total control or you live with what you get,” said one advertising and marketing executive. “I don’t understand how they could say they were surprised by his show.”

A subsequent episode showed a coke-snorting George Washington in bed with Ben Franklin.

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Greg Johnson covers retail businesses and restaurants for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5950 and at greg.johnson@latimes.com