Riot Fest’s got a one-sided infatuation with John Stamos, and it’s lasted for over a decade, from a request on social media to appear to butter sculptures.
Stamos has largely ignored the overtures, but this year, he warmed up, albeit “begrudgingly.”
After years of taunts, organizers announced the musician and actor would appear at the fest and sit in on drums for previously announced act The Beach Boys, continuing a special guest spot he’s held in the band on and off for 40 years.
But his acceptance came with a list of demands to ensure his appearance, including: a special edition T-shirt, a Greek-style pizza in his honor created by a Chicago restaurant, a foot rub from Riot Fest’s Twitter Person and fest founder Mike Petryshyn (aka Riot Mike) agreeing to get a John Stamos tattoo.
The fest has worked to meet the demands, including Riot Mike getting the tattoo, several pizzerias making Greek-style pizzas, and on Saturday, holding a look-alike contest.
Chris Maimonis, 43, of Wicker Park, was crowned the winner. He told reporters that he had never been to Riot Fest before but bought a ticket on Friday specifically to enter the look-alike contest.
The (unrequited for a long time) love affair between Riot Fest and Stamos began in 2013 when the festival took to X to beg Stamos’ former band, Jesse & The Rippers, to reunite and perform at the fest when it was still being held in Humboldt Park.
Stamos mostly ignored Riot Fest until the unveiling of a butter bust of his likeness, which he called “pretty frightening.”
“We thought it embodied the true definition of beauty,” the festival wrote on its website.
Last year, the festival unveiled a sculpture of Stamos depicted as a Greek god, with perfectly chiseled abs and a killer smile. He’s leaning on a stick of butter, too.
The larger-than-life sculpture holds court near the Riotland carnival area, where fans have been taking selfies and photos over the weekend.
Spoiler alert: It’s not actually made of butter, but it’s a bigger recreation of the bust that was made out of real butter. They enlisted food sculpture artist Jim Victor to make it.
Contributing: Ashlee Rezin