Starbucks Fires Barista After Epic Satire Song Goes Viral
- Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:38pm by
Billy Hallowell
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A Starbucks barista in Chowchilla, California, now finds himself unemployed after a satirical song he wrote and performed went viral. The former employee, Chris Christwell, appears in a spoof video wearing only a Starbucks smock (and underwear).
Below, watch the video that landed the young man in hot water (caution: language):
As you’ll see in the clip, Christwell strummed on his acoustic guitar, while singing about Starbucks customers, the fat content in the company’s foods and the drinking habits of specific ethnic groups.
In the video, Christwell also lets out some curse words, while making some charges (though they may simply be jokes) about how Starbucks employees treat customer orders. Consumerist has more:
Chris Christwell sings that if you order a grande dip and the coffee’s out, baristas may just pour it from the decaf spout. “And I just came up short/on your vanilla bean,” he sings, “I’ll just inject it with some whip/because it can’t be seen.”
Although the ex-barista admits he knew that making the video would be a risk, he says he wanted to blow off some steam after a hard day’s work. Starbucks corporate, of course, decided to let him go after the video came to staff members’ attention.
And it’s no wonder they noticed the song — right now, Christwell’s video performance has been viewed nearly 783,000 times. Starbucks maintains that Christwell’s comments about the company and its customers were “unacceptable.” In a statement, the company said:
“while Christopher was expressing his own views in the video, the disparaging remarks about our customers and company are unacceptable and out of line with our commitment to providing a respectful Starbucks experience …”
Below, watch a CNN report that recaps the entire debacle:
And here’s another report from KSFN-TV:
In a follow-up video, Christwell explains that he understands why Starbucks fired him. In the subsequent clip, he also attempts to set the record straight about his work ethic, claiming that he is “a people pleaser” who truly enjoyed his customers.
Of course, he followed-up on these words with yet another song (how fitting). This time, he delved even deeper into ethnic patterns of drink choices. Watch it here:
While Christwell finds himself unemployed, Consumerist notes that his song is for sale on iTunes and that a t-shirt shop has launched. Could this, perhaps, be the start of a new career for the controversial crooner?
(H/T: Consumerist)
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Comments (152)
Impeach Blobama
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:55pmI thought it was hilarious and I think the guy is talented. I hope the exposure helps him find something better (just about anything is better than dealing with snotty LITT L nobodies who THINK they’re “special”).
And for the CLOWNS who were “offended” ::wait for it:: Go suck your own egg farts ;) lol
Report Post »coindexter
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 12:49amno one should give this more than 10 ticks of thought…and starbuck’s trendy coffee sucks…except for the ice coffee on a hot summer day.
Report Post »rugin
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 1:09amTalent??? He is a jerk. I’m glad he got fired, I would not want him serving me.
Report Post »KNaggieland
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 2:54amFor those who think he is a jerk or whatever, you have obviously never worked in customer service or retail. The kid is talented and far too smart to be working at Starbuck’s. Some of you are offended because deep down you know you are the jerk customer that wanks about anything and everything when there is a line out the door and the workers are stressed.
When was the last time you addressed a service worker by their first name (the one plainly posted on their name tag) you would be surprised at the level of service you get just from acknowledging another human being.
I hope he sells a million copies of his song and 10 million t-shirts. Odds are he will not be unemployed for long. He did something great in his second video, he owned his own crap. For those who feel the need to wank about his actions, just remember when you complain to some minimum wage earning person about how they screwed up you order, not all of them have the talent to take that stress to youtube some of them have done some awful things to your food and drinks instead. Let that thought sink in real deep before your order another drink or bite to eat and take your petty anger out on some kid just trying to get through another day.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 6:36amI’ve been to starbucks for their mochas when I was doing college courses on line, to study…the only quite place I could find. I think he‘s dead on and I didn’t know (with their prices) that they paid their help minimum wage. That’s a lot to do for minimum wage, and I know they’re trained to get to know the regulars, they treat men and women differently (women like to chat, men are no-nonsense and want their coffee and get out).
I thought he was hilarious.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 6:43am@KNaggieland
You are absolutely right. I live in Texas, used to go to Starbucks 3 times a week while I studied for 3 online courses in business. I never complained, got a “to stay” cup, had friends I met there, etc. I think the ones who are offended find themselves paradied as one of the crappy customers. I worked as a 911 dispatcher, and was told about the 300th caller. you may get 300 callers saying the power is out and you want to say (to them asking if the power is off) to them, no, did you pay your power bill? But you have to realize that they don‘t think of the fact that they’re the 300th caller you’ve gotten, so you treat every one like the first. He was just venting in a song what he couldn’t do to the public. Would you rather he did it to the public?
Report Post »drewder
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 6:53am@KNaggieland I have worked retail but I always took pride in my job and never gave anything less then full quality. It annoys me to no end that people who work in service have such poor work ethic. There is no such thing as being “far too smart to be working at Starbuck’s” to me this guy is too prideful to work there.
Report Post »So
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 10:47amI don’t like Char-bucks. Their coffee is burnt, burnt, burnt. Even pouring half a cup out and doctoring it couldn’t help.
They guy is hilarious. He should be in entertainment. He has more talent than most of the over paid entertainers on air. Very observant and very funny. Char-bucks did you a favor, guitar guy.
Report Post »supernova1
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:05am@Dooder: Ok, so what are thoughts on free speech here buddy????? No one should be fired from their job for self expression- and this was in a song, that he wrote, so it is an artistic expression, be it sartorial. NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT HOW CORPORATE AMERICA VIOLATES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:41amStarbucks is a joke of an establishment, but the kid is a complete douche too. The song was actually pretty funny, but it’s not something you put on youtube. If he had any money to go after Starbucks would have a slam dunk case for slander.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 11:49am@ KNAGGIELAND
Ha Ha. Clearly you’ve never worked in the service industry. Most of the people I know refuse to wear their nametags or ripped them off of their shirts if it was a sewn on patch.
People REALLY DON‘T like to be called by their first name by complete strangers that they’ve never met before. There‘s a reason everyone doesn’t walk around with nametags on.
Report Post »dangarh01
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 5:30pmI think this is funny, and reminds me of when I worked at a bookstore. It amazed me how rude, vile, and vicious people would get, and lets not forget about the stupidity. I always tried to think of the nice customers that treated me like a human being, instead of a sack of skin used to be insulted. That was not an easy thing to do! Just because someone makes a song talking about rude customers, or just to blow off some steam doesnt mean they dont have pride in their job, or that they think they’re too good to work there.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:50pmIts getting harder and harder to get a “bad” cup of coffee.
No fruity frills or whipped cream with sprinkles
Just served black
In a non-recyclable styrofoam cup
No capachinos, frapachinos or Al Pacinos
If you don‘t like black coffee you shouldn’t be drinking it.
Coffee and whiskey are two beverages that should never be mixed with anything.
cheers
Report Post »Dalady
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:36pmI’m with ya brother
Report Post »KNaggieland
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 3:03amIt depends on the coffee and the wiskey. If you are talking about Jack Daniels (which tastes better coming up than going down) or Folgers (much like Jack Daniels) I disagree. If you are talking about a smooth Sumatra or Jameson then I can agree.
Jack Daniels is to Wiskey what the Vandals were to Roman architecture.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 6:37pmMost certainly, k.
However, I would recommend you give Gentleman Jack a try before you give up on the JD distillery. It is a fine whiskey to drink neat. Warm, smokey, complex and goes down very well with a very pleasent after taste. Single Barrel is good too but between the three Jack Daniels bottles (excluding their new honey flavored spirit which is a total waste of time and swallowing), GJ is quite nice. The black label is for when you‘re hard up on cash or when you’re underage and I agree its not the best.
Don’t get me started on bourbon and scotch. I could talk for hours.
As for coffee, I like it to taste like a mixture of mule spit and mud. Coffee snobs make my ears and eyes bleed.
cheers
Report Post »ejbonk
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:47pm99 weeks for him to lauch another career as a commie singer. Living the Nancy Pelosi Dream,he is. Tip Kids: Do not Bite the Hand that Feeds You. He bite his employer and now he’s out of work. Good Luck finding a job Stupid,no other employer wants to hire an idiot that will someday bite them too.
Report Post »moonlight on the bay
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 11:32pmI agree, with unemployment around 9% (and higher for some younger people) this is NO time to bite the hand that feeds you. He shouldn’t be surprised he was fired. If he had a gripe with Starbucks, he should have quit, THEN posted his video. He’ll be lucky to find another job. Some employers check prospective employees’ Facebook pages before they hire.
Report Post »KNaggieland
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 3:27amEJBONK
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:47pm Tip Kids: Do not Bite the Hand that Feeds You. He bite his employer and now he’s out of work. Good Luck finding a job Stupid,no other employer wants to hire an idiot that will someday bite them too.
I am Pretty sure King George and the east India company felt the exact same way about those uneducated morons in the American colonies. His music is for sale on itunes and he has 28 t-shirt designs on his retail site. I am fairly certain with the coverage he has had so far he will make more in the next week than he has in the last 6 months at Starbucks. If your hand is the hand that feeds you then he has done quite a bit to fill it already, just wonder what a 30 second spot costs for CNN or a few days of direct advertising on the blaze. Given the 1100 comments on his second video and the number of reads this article as well as the CNN piece have generated I would say he has gotten off to a good start.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:34pmJust to be crystal clear, I will post this offer again.
I will pay any of you who are reading this $10 per hour to cold call for me (and no, you won’t be “selling” anything, because you are unqualified to do so). Work 24/7 if you want. Many of you are constantly whining about being unemployed. I’m here to solve that “problem” for you. I am serious as a heart attack. You can even do the job from home. If you are interested, you may inquire at broker010 @ excite dot com. I won’t hold my breath.
debrarae
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:18pmSpam
Report Post »Del Scorcho
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 12:10amIf I’m going to cold call for anyone, I may as well cold call for myself and maybe make my own profit…
Report Post »Stranger things have happened…
LMW
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 9:06amlets see who you are and what you have to offer
Report Post »Ballot_Box_Revolution
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 10:22amI wouldn’t hold my breath either, your character sucks dude. not only do you insult people and all of your other post you insult the people that you want to help you in this post. Why would anyone want to help you succeed? You’d probably be holding your breath for a long time. I think you made the right choice.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on October 8, 2011 at 5:58pmSPAM reported
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on October 8, 2011 at 6:00pmSPAM – reported it.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:24pmHe should play that song at some open mic stand up nights at the comedy joints. It was funny!
Report Post »joecaff2
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:17pmChris good news! You qualify for 99 WEEKS of UNEMPLOYMENT PAY! According to Ex-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi you can now use this down time to pursue creative endeavors like your music! Good for you Chris! Just remember if Star Bucks or the State of California tries to keep you from your well earned 99 weeks of unemployment pay you can take them to court! Your defense can be that for every $1.00 you collect in unemployment you will personally be stimulating the California economy to the tune of $1.75 (this has to be true because Nancy Pelosi also told us that this is why unemployment pay is so important to growing our economy)! We all know that if Pelosi, Obama or any Democrat tells us something then it has to be true… besides they would never lie to us, would they? Anyway, keep-up the good work Chris, you can’t expect to work for minimum wage pouring coffee every day, especially when the CEO of Star Bucks probably makes millions of dollars per year and he doesn’t even have to make coffee at his job! Hang in there and remember keep on complaining, maybe you’ll feel better after some time at the beach!
Report Post »Deanna in Missouri
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:24pmThat was so good!!!!! Perfect.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:29pmThat sounds like a sweet gig. I need to get me a job and get fired too so I can get in on that gravy train.
Can I get the unemployment benes and keep my self-respect too?
No? Well, that bites.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:41pmAnd if you get sick, just show up at the emergency room with your sore throat…
Report Post »spudwhite
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:15pmLong, long ago, in the mid 1980s, I lived in the Seattle area and did drink Starbucks back then. Almost everytime I ordered a double espresso. Never understood the why for the flavored drinks but to each their own.
Report Post »Poor baristas, your free time doesn’t equal time for free speech, either. Nice songs, hope he finds a far better gig.
Pat Alexander
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:12pmIf you want bitter regular coffee and wildly overpriced previously frozen baked goods, Starbucks is your place.
The specialty drinks are OK though, if the milk isn’t sour. (Which happens often.) Then you spend the next day in the bathroom.
Use to go there fairly regularly. Now I can’t stand the place…..
Report Post »sweetnsalty
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:08pmI think their coffee sucks too.I think some people go there because they want to look hip but end up looking like they’re trying too hard.
Report Post »Libertybell2012
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:09pmWow…dude had job…and effed it up…NEXT..who needs a JOB from these big bad co’s??? Hungry? Have rent? Who is going to pay for your APPLE that you are PROTESTING ON? EWE..big bad corps have taken my apple…mew mew mew…call those protesters on your I PHONE HYPOCRYBABIES!
Report Post »Perfect-Pan-Shot
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:09pmThis guy is funny. I guess some things are worth getting fired for although you’d better think it thru first, in this economy.
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:25pmWhat are you talking about? He gets 90 weeks of unemployment bennies
Report Post »Notsureishoulddothis
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 12:52pmYou don‘t get unemployment if you’re fired; only if you’re laid off
Report Post »amerbur
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:07pmGreat story. Hope he finds a job. Perhaps in music.
Report Post »Weiners Wiener
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:06pmWhat a dope. Ask yourself this question: having seen what he said about his then current employer, would you want to hire him for your own business now that he’s out of a job? I would steer clear, and I’m sure many other prospective employers (of which there aren’t really that many) will do the same. He’ll figure it out soon enough.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:29pmOf course not. He’s just too damn creative for any clone-ready job I might have to offer.
Report Post »rugin
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 1:11amI agree. I would never hire him
Report Post »The Divided States of America
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:04pmThe whiners never end !!!
Report Post »just slap me
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:01pmIs it just me, or does this guy seem “A LITTLE LIGHT IN THE LOAFERS”, if you you know what I‘m sayin’…..
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:40pmLol! Don’t know, but he doeth theem to have a bit of a lithp.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:58pmDon’t care about him or the big lib coffee house. I prefer folgers.
Report Post »NeoKong
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:58pmI know the feeling kid.
Report Post »Whoever said the customer is always right never had to put up with them.
The public sucks.
AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:35pmSome of them need a good smack up side the head.
Report Post »lightswitch
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:06pmthis
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:55pmNo you don’t work at Starbucks (NOW), you whiny ungrateful idiot.
Good luck finding another job now that you’ve become famous for publicly dissing the company you work for.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:34pmAgree….not very smart.
Report Post »moonlight on the bay
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 11:46pmAnd, former Starbucks employee — don’t get sunburned waiting by the mailbox for those unemployment checks. Seems that when you badmouth the company as publicly as you did, you might find you don’t exactly qualify.
Report Post »marklross
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:55pmWhat the world need snow, is another folk singer like need a hole in the head…
Report Post »Rich
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:52pmDoesn’t look like the employee ever heard the words “bite the hand that feeds you”. too bad for him. Hope he likes his new position.
Report Post »marklross
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:52pmWhat the world needs now is another folk singer like I need a hole in the head…
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:49pmI have to laugh at all the 15 minute of fame putzes who video tape everything they do and then wind up fired by their employers, divorced by their spouses, get the snot slapped out of them by their significant others, or busted by the police after they post their yahoo behavior on these sites.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:24pm‘Barista’? Pffft! Can they be any more pretentious? Starbucks sounds like it’s run by Frazier and Miles Crane – a couple of ball-less snobs who can’t take a joke or satire. They’d have gotten more credit for being able to laugh at themselves. But no dice. Double-bubble yada-yada lowfat decaf frappe-crappe-ccino, anyone?
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:40pmI‘m a Dunkin’ Donut coffee guy myself… lol. But I do get your drift about Starbucks.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:47pmThis is the perfect example of our “self-esteem” culture. Tell an idiot, minimum wage fast food worker, if he works at the “right” fast food joint that he’s cooler than the idiot, minimum wage fast food worker in general.
Report Post »stephenmarkovich
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:45pmCan I have your job please?
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:55pmIf you are claiming that you cannot get a fast food job, you are a liar. What you are is lazy.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:57pmI’ll pay you $10 an hour to cold call for me. Work 24/7 if you want. If you are serious about really wanting to work for little pay, you let me know. I am serious as a heart attack. You can even do the job from home.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:07pmThat offer goes out to every one of you Blazers who are constantly whining about not having a job. Forgive me if I don’t hold my breath while I wait for any of you to accept my legitimate job offer.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 12:11amCold calling sucks. I hang up on people that cold call us at the office. What are you selling? Office supplies? An offering to “assess” my copier?
Report Post »3 a. m. television commercial time on local cable?
Most importantly,does someone have to buy something from you in order to start working for you?
You’re not that Lapre guy are you?
Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:44pmSock It to Starbucks! HAHHA
Report Post »stephenmarkovich
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:44pmFirst Amendment rocks. But so does a right to work state. I can understand his anger though.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:31pm‘Barista’? Pffft! Can they be any more pretentious? Starbucks sounds like it’s run by Frazier and Miles Crane – a couple of ball-less snobs who can’t take a joke or satire. They’d have gotten more credit for being able to laugh at themselves. But no dice. Double-bubble yada-yada lowfat decaf frappe-crappe-ccino, anyone?
Report Post »