Dumb Starbucks mystery owner has been revealed.
The Los Angeles Times reported that comedian Nathan Fielder is the mastermind behind the parody coffee shop that opened over the weekend. Fielder made the announcement Monday during a press conference outside his faux café in Los Feliz, Calif.
While wearing a green Dumb Starbucks apron, Fielder told reporters that he always consisted opening a small business and added that using the Starbucks name helped his business take off.
The shop sent social media into a stir after the cafe provided customers with free coffee and pastries during its opening weekend. Fielder noted that the location will remain open until Friday and that a second location will soon launch in Brooklyn, New York.
"There have been lines around the block, and very few small businesses get that from the start," Fielder said. "We'll see how it goes in Brooklyn. This has been overwhelming."
The star of Comedy Central's "Nathan For You" tweeted a link to a Youtube video on Monday, which acts as a commercial for the coffee shop.
"Many of you know me as a comedian, but this is not bit or joke," Firlder explained in the video. "This is a real business I plan to get rich from."
In the video, Fielder also defends the legality of the store.
"By adding the word 'dumb,' we are legally allowed to use the coveted Starbucks name and logo because we've fulfilled the minimum requirements to be considered a parody under U.S. law," he said.
Fielder made fun of the Starbucks franchise by tackling the word "dumb" next to every item, such as "Dumb Espresso" and "Dumb Frappuccino." The store also carried a CD of "Dumb Norah Jones" songs.
According to USA Today, Dumb Starbucks is not affiliated with the original Starbucks.
"It is not affiliated with Starbucks," Starbucks spokesperson Megan Adams wrote in an email. "We are evaluating next steps and while we appreciate the humor, they cannot use our name, which is a protected trademark."
Adams explained that the company is "looking into" the name situation, but did not mention whether legal action would be taken. Fielder said he is not concerned about any legal action the coffee chain will take.
"They're smart in not pursuing a case they know they can't win," he explained, according to the Times. "If they keep the pressure up, they do risk losing me as a customer."
According to a Dumb Starbucks letter, the café is considered a work of art.
"Although we are a fully functioning coffee shop, for legal reasons Dumb Starbucks needs to be categorized as a work of parody art," Dumb Starbucks explained in a statement. "So, in the eyes of the law, our 'coffee shop' is actually an art gallery and the 'coffee' you're buying is considered the art. But that's for our lawyers to worry about. All you need to do is enjoy our delicious coffee!"
Fielder's "Nathan for You," follows the comedian as he assist small struggling businesses and prepare them for a competitive market. Season two of the show will air in 2014 on Comedy Central. "Nathan for You" is produced by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim's company Abso Lutely Productions.
