Peloton runs damage control after yet another TV heart attack

Just weeks after Peloton took out Big in his Upper East Side apartment, the in-home bike almost claimed another victim. The Season 6 premiere of "Billions," which aired Sunday night, saw Mike Wagner (David Costabile) suffer a minor heart attack during a ride with his favorite instructor, echoing the shocking "And Just Like That" plot point from the premiere of the "Sex and the City" reboot. "We get TV shows want to include Peloton to get people talking, but to be clear, we did *not* agree for our brand or IP to be used on 'Billions' or provide any equipment," the home workout company tweeted Sunday afternoon. "As the show itself points out, cardio-vascular exercise helps people lead long, happy lives." Happy may be a generous description for Wags, but he, unlike Big, did survive, at least, and even got in a dig. "I'm not going out like Mr. Big," the triumphant right-hand man announced to his frazzled employees. The crossover between the two shows was completely coincidental, co-creator Brian Koppelman told USA Today Sunday, as "Billions" had shot the scene as far back as April. But when Carrie's one true love took his fatal ride on "And Just Like That," the Showtime producers couldn't help themselves. "It would be completely out of our character not to take a swing," executive producer Beth Schacter said. "It's too good. We're going to make the joke." While Peloton saw an 11% dip in its stock price immediately upon Big's death, the company has been facing similar issues for more than a year, reporting a 75% plunge in share price in 2021. After "And Just Like That," the workout company released a tongue-in-cheek commercial with actor Chris Noth, but quickly pulled it after multiple allegations of sexual assault against the actor. ——— ©2022 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.