Why You Never See The Original Jake From State Farm Anymore
Commercials have a way of cementing themselves into pop culture. It was clear that State Farm's Jake had made it big when the red shirt and khaki combo became a Halloween costume. Many fans may not know that Jake isn't actually a completely made-up character. As reported by Sporting News, the original Jake was portrayed by Jake Stone, who was an employee at the insurance company and had answered a casting call for the commercial. In the first ad, Jake is seen in uniform talking to a man in the middle of the night, only to be interrupted by a suspicious wife who thinks her husband is talking to another woman. The wife asks Jake what he's wearing and Stone delivers the iconic line, "Uh, khakis."
Following his commercial debut, Stone was replaced by Kevin Miles, but fans saw him pop up again in a new spot. Otherwise, though, he's stepped away from the spotlight and lives quite a normal life after his shot to fame.
Jake Stone is now a dad with two kids
Jake from State Farm is just an ordinary guy working a day job, and the real Jake Stone is as well. According to Strictly Everything, Stone quit his job at the insurance company and became a bartender in Normal, Illinois. "Most recently, it seems Jake Stone has stepped away from the celebrity lifestyle and settled down with his family," the outlet stated.
Stone currently resides in Bloomington, Illinois, where he lives with his wife Steph and their two kids, per Pantagraph. "Remy is now 5 and in kindergarten, and Reyna is 3 and doing what she can to run her preschool class. Steph and I are just trying to keep up with them," Stone shared. As for whether he hung up the famous camel-colored pants permanently, he declared, "I'd never stop wearing khakis. We'll stop the rumors right there!" Fun fact — the original pants he wore in the commercial are hanging on a wall at Pub II located in Normal, Illinois. It seems that Stone is alive and well — despite previous reports that he was found dead.
Jake Stone had to fend off faux death reports
You know you've made it when rumors of your death circulate amongst the public. In 2015, Jake Stone made headlines when it was reported that his wife had murdered him after finding him with another woman. The fake news was first released by the defunct publication Huzlers, which said that Jakes's wife was found by the police and subsequently arrested. According to Snopes, the news was just a death hoax and State Farm issued a tweet as Jake, writing, "Contrary to recent reports, I am alive. Thank you all for your concern."
Stone has kept his life fairly private since becoming a television sensation, but the new Jake, Kevin Miles, is living it up as a celebrity. He even got to star in a 2021 Super Bowl commercial with Drake, and has returned in 2024 for an ad with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The two worked out together to get Miles in shape for the commercial, and the "True Lies" star told People, "He's a really funny guy and he's of course a great actor. So it was fun."