"Country singer and sitcom star Reba McEntire portrays chicken tycoon Harland Sanders — the Colonel — in a new ad campaign running through April to promote the chain’s new “Smoky Mountain BBQ” chicken. The first commercial shows McEntire-as-Colonel crooning onstage at a rowdy honky-tonk while the real Reba watches from the audience; after a tongue-in-cheek line about not resembling a famous country singer, the party spirals, police burst in and quickly get swept up into line-dancing. It’s the first time a woman has taken on the Colonel after a recent parade of male celebrities (including Jim Gaffigan, Rob Lowe, Billy Zane, Ray Liotta and Norm Macdonald) filled the role, part of an intentionally absurdist creative approach from Wieden+Kennedy that favors celebrities paying homage to the founder rather than strict recreations. McEntire, a lifelong fan, called the role part of her story and “certainly the most unique one yet.”" - Greg Morabito