Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

The Brain Behind Dumb Starbucks Reveals Himself, Announces Dumb Expansion Plans

Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.

We've been wondering all weekend who was behind Dumb Starbucks: there was speculation it was Banksy, a rogue employee at Starbucks or comedian Nathan Fielder. If you guessed it was Fielder of Comedy Central's "Nathan For You," turns out you were right. Fielder showed up at a press conference being held this afternoon at the Los Feliz location to out himself. Reporters asked him why he was doing this and the comedian answered: "the American dream." He also clarified that he does not believe Starbucks is dumb, "I like Starbucks. I appreciate everything they do."

Fielder has a reputation for doing stunts kind of like this. Once he had a gas station offer a massive rebate for gas, except that customers had to go to the top of a mountain to get it.

Fielder welcomed the press to his new flagship store and talked about "major pushback,"

Fielder didn't break character during the press conference. He announced that he planned to open up a second location in Brooklyn and keep expanding indefinitely: "This one really caught on so I'm just going to ride it out."

Here's Fielder welcoming you to his flagship store in Los Feliz and announcing his plans to get rich from the venture:

Sponsored message

His dumb venture might run into some problems: if not from lawyers then from the health department. Just before the press conference, the Dumb Starbucks announced that county workers had paid them a visit and they would not be serving coffee for now.

LAist writer Matthew Bramlett contributed to this article from the field

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible year-end gift today

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right