Katie Couric parodies Sydney Sweeney's denim ad in colon cancer screening PSA
Parody video by Lead From Behind borrows from the American Eagle campaign to promote regular colorectal cancer screening, tying a current pop-culture moment to a public-health message.
Katie Couric has released a public-service parody video for colon cancer awareness that visually echoes Sydney Sweeney's controversial American Eagle jeans campaign, drawing a direct line between pop-culture controversy and medical advocacy.
The video, produced by Lead From Behind, a nonprofit focused on colon cancer awareness, features Couric in a hospital setting wearing a denim top and referencing the original ad's emphasis on jeans. It begins with the line 'Speaking of genes,' noting that most people who develop colon cancer are not genetically predisposed. The parody visually mirrors the Sweeney campaign and immediately nods to it as Couric prepares to undergo a colonoscopy. As the screening unfolds, a voiceover and teal typography declare that Couric's routine screenings are a model for others aged 45 and older to follow.
The Lead From Behind campaign is associated with Ryan Reynolds and his creative agency Maximum Effort. The parody is part of a broader effort to raise awareness about colorectal cancer screening, a cause that Couric has championed for years. The campaign references the Sydney Sweeney ad and its reception, with social-media commenters noting the visual and thematic parallels between Sweeney's 'great jeans' campaign and Couric's PSA.
The Sweeney campaign, which emphasized 'great jeans,' drew sharp criticism from observers who accused it of flirting with eugenics and far-right rhetoric. American Eagle defended the campaign, saying it was always about the jeans rather than political messaging. The controversy provided a ready-made visual vocabulary for the parody, which uses denim imagery and a patient-room setting to frame a serious health issue.
Couric's personal history with colon cancer underscores the message. Her husband, John Paul 'Jay' Monahan III, died of colon cancer in 1998 at age 42. Couric later founded Stand Up to Cancer and the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health, and she has spoken publicly about the impact of his illness. She also underwent a colonoscopy on live television in 2000 to highlight preventive screening, a moment she has described as a lifeline during a period of grief.
'Mine are televised,' Couric has said in recalling that moment, and she has since used her platform to encourage others to seek regular screenings. The Lead From Behind campaign notes Couric's granddaughter status and frames routine checks as a responsibility to help families avoid loss, echoing the broader public-health aim of reducing colorectal cancer mortality. The effort also draws on Couric's past medical experiences and the broader mission to connect audiences with lifesaving information.
The public is reminded that colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and that screening can detect cancer early when treatment is most effective. The connection between a pop-culture moment and a health message illustrates how campaign creatives can reference familiar visuals to spark conversation about important health issues.