In a move we’d mark as at least somewhat ironic—given how much of the show is about increasingly desperate efforts to not be running an Italian beef sandwich shop anymore—the Illinois government has taken time out of its busy schedule to acknowledge FX’s The Bear for its work in the arts of sandwich propaganda. That included naming the Italian beef sandwich the state sandwich of Illinois, a decision that hilariously involved state Rep. Rick Ryan holding an example of the foodstuff up for cameras with a facial expression suggesting there was a gun pointing at him from right off-camera, held by a madmen demanding he love Italian beef more.
State Rep. Rick Ryan and The Bear’s Corey Hendrix, pictured with beef. Photo: FX
Press tours (and Hutt duties) being what they are, FX’s PR team apparently couldn’t wrangle any of the show’s main cast to receive praise from Illinois’ beef-crazed legislators, instead tapping Chicago native Corey Hendrix—who plays recurring baseball-player-turned-janitor-turned-sommelier “Sweeps” in the series—to receive the sandwich-based plaudits. That included a full resolution from the Illinois state legislature, including some truly beautiful legal language, which we’re going to just go ahead and quote here for a minute:
WHEREAS, The Italian beef sandwich, comprised of thinly sliced, seasoned roast beef piled high on a sturdy Italian roll, dipped in rich beef au jus, and topped with sweet peppers or spicy giardiniera, stands as one of the great culinary creations of the American Midwest and a defining symbol of Illinois’ vibrant food culture;
(Honest reaction here: We’re pretty sure this is the first time that reading a resolution from any of America’s various state legislatures has made us extremely hungry.)
The resolution was also very careful to include some big “thank you”s to FX and Disney for filming the series in Chicago, including giving Hendrix a framed copy of the document to bring back to his bosses. The Bear—which recently dropped a surprise prequel episode in its own desperate effort to get somebody, somewhere, excited for its upcoming final run of shows—is set to air its final season on June 25, 2026.
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