The actor's go-to sandwich is raising more than a few eyebrows.
Jeff Daniels has spent decades playing characters who feel deeply familiar—earnest, complicated, sometimes painfully sincere and occasionally very, very clueless. From prestige dramas like The Newsroom to stage work and political roles, his career has been remarkably wide-ranging. He even surprised audiences years ago when he stepped onto the stage as a musician for the first time, revealing a genuinely impressive folk-leaning songwriting talent that’s every bit as heartfelt as his acting. But for many of us, he’ll always be frozen in cultural amber as Harry Dunne, the sweetly oblivious half of Dumb and Dumber, a movie that has remained one of my personal comfort rewatches for more than 30 years.
When Jeff stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week and was asked a deceptively simple question—what’s the best sandwich?—I expected something classic. Maybe something diner-adjacent like a patty melt. Possibly even something Midwestern and wholesome.
Instead, what he described felt like something Harry himself would consider perfectly reasonable.
What is Jeff Daniels’s favorite sandwich?
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According to Jeff, it starts with a round pita—no pocket involved. Onto that goes an unapologetically thick layer of creamy peanut butter. He specifies about a quarter inch, which tells you this is not a casual snack. This is a commitment.
Next comes a generous handful of Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream potato chips, crushed directly onto the peanut butter for crunch. Then—because this wasn’t yet odd enough—a drizzle of barbecue sauce. Jeff says his preferred brand is Sweet Baby Ray’s. Fold the pita in half, and that’s it.
He described the result as his “three favorite tastes” all in one bite, like “visiting three countries at once, and they’re all in your mouth.” And while the combination may sound chaotic at first, it does follow a certain internal logic if you really want to see it: creamy peanut butter, crisp chips, tangy sauce and soft bread create a mashup of textures and flavors that do hit multiple notes at once.
Whether you find it intriguing or deeply alarming, it’s a favorite that Jeff seems perfectly content to keep enjoying.
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