Why Jay Johnston Was Fired from Bob’s Burgers and Who Replaced Him as Jimmy Pesto’s Voice?

Jay Johnston, known for voicing Jimmy Pesto in “Bob’s Burgers,” was dismissed from the show in June 2023.

His firing followed his involvement in the January 6th, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. Johnston faced charges for obstructing officers during a civil disorder, among other misdemeanors.

Loren Bouchard and Wendy Molyneux, the show’s creators, attempted to contact Johnston, but he did not respond.

Due to the gravity of the charges and the public nature of the incident, the decision was made to remove him from the show.

Although he has not been convicted, Johnston pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in July 2024 and is awaiting sentencing.

To ensure the character of Jimmy Pesto remained, “Bob’s Burgers” brought in a new voice actor. Eric Bauza, an experienced voice actor famous for roles such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, took over the role.

Bauza has effectively captured Jimmy Pesto’s distinctive roughness and comedic rivalry with Bob Belcher, maintaining the character’s essence for the show’s fans.