Apparently, the lessons about creating viral content about your employer and the subsequent damage the mocking kind of content can do needs to be taught over and over, unless, of course, getting fired was the intention of the one who made the content to begin with.
Such is the tale of Christopher Cristwell, a Starbucks Barista from California. Cristwell, in an apparent effort to voice his frustrations with customer service, created “The Starbucks Rant Song,” and posted the video on YouTube. While the video/song is an attempt at voicing frustration through humor, it was enough to cost Cristwell his job, which, after hearing the lyrics of his ditty, might have been his goal all along.
The song in question:
Cristwell probably sealed his fate with the “serve another Latino an extra caramel frappuccino,” although, the entire song is essentially a big middle finger to the variety of Starbucks customers he waits on a daily basis.
While the term “viral” has been used to describe Cristwell’s creation, the YouTube only has a little over 30,000 views, but once the Starbucks Gossip blog got a hold of it, it was only a matter of time before the ax fell on Cristwell’s Starbucks “career.” In fact, it only took 18 days between the blog’s post that highlighted the video and their follow up post concerning Cristwell’s elimination from the Starbucks crew.
Cristwell actually commented on the Starbucks Gossip post detailing his song, explaining his motivation:
I am actually the guy who did this video.
On that note I just wanted to say that I understand all of the negative critique and accept it. I can’t make everybody happy. I actually love my job and love making the best drinks.
I made this video not for the customer, with whom I love deeply, and not for my managers, with whom I respect and appreciate, but for my fellow baristas. If I was able to provide just a few with some comedic relief after a stressful shift, than I can accept the consequences of my actions.
I’m sorry if it offended you, really.
Yeah, no. At least, that’s what I imagine Starbucks’ reaction to his explanation was.
If you’re in a customer service job and you trash customers in a song and you post a video of the song online, as soon as your superiors find out, you’ll probably be in the unemployment line, and if Cristwell really did value his job, he should’ve known better. All in all, it sounds a lot like Cristwell was backtracking a little in an effort to let his superiors know the song was a joke meant for other Baristas who may be frustrated with their day-to-day duties.
As for Cristwell now, he’s just another victim of viral content fun that gets ruined because it pisses the management off. In other words, he has no one to blame but himself for not being a Barista any longer, but again, considering the lyrics, while throwing out his “oh, wait” explanation, it’s doubtful Cristwell actually cared about being a Starbucks employee, something he doesn’t have to worry about any longer.